DANTOOINE
The storm had let up with thick almost black storm clouds covered the sky, a soft drizzle pressed by the wind was showering the Nightingale as its ramp lowered. Both Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked out with Teeseven coming down the ramp with them as Hestia and Buur stayed inside. The two of them were wearing rainproof ponchos with blue stripes running across the center of it when they walked out "Teeseven activate treads." Ulic-Nox ordered the droids.
Its two legs lower extended its feet and so did its rear wheel before it revs its engine. Ladon meanwhile turned to face the rest of the crew "Keep the long-range ssscannersss going, let usss know if anybody isss heading our way." The trandoshan told them.
"Of course, good luck," Hestia said to them.
They closed the ramp before Ladon looked at Ulic "Compassss?" Ulic reached under his poncho and hood to pull out the golden star compass.
"Blassster?" Ulic moved his poncho to show the CLT model strapped to his side "Letsss go we have a long walk ahead of usss."
Ladon and the boy with the droid started to head south toward their destination, "You remember when we were here lassst time, dropping off that farming equipment, you had that journal do you have that caussse you may need it."
"I… I lost it when we escaped the Republic Cruiser." Ulic-Nox told him, Ladon gave him a glance backwards "Oh, sssorry I know it was important to you."
"My father gave it to me before, you know." Ulic-Nox told him.
Ladon nodded "Valor wasss good man, gave me my life back when your parentsss helped me disssapear."
They kept on walking over the wet fields before Ladon stopped "What is it?" Ulic-Nox asked bumping into him. He poked his head around Ulic-Nox's back with Teeseven behind him when the two of them saw a dantooinian man on a droid drawn cart. He was wearing a scarf and hat with a cloak looking at them. Slowly he raised his hand to wave at them "Pateessa?" He asked in huttese.
The trandoshan held up his claws to his chest one arm behind his back reaching for a blaster "Pateessa." Ladon said lowering his arm he gestured back to Ulic-Nox and asked "Basic?"
"I speak it." the man on the cart said spitting out on the other side of the cart "We ssscavengersss, go check out ruins we heard'bout." Ladon said with a rough accent trying to disguise his voice.
The farmer looked at him and Ulic and the droid "With that droid I bet, you got creds and I'll give you a lift." The farmer said. Ulic-Nox saw Ladon slowly start to pull his blaster holstered behind his back before Ladon moved his hand on top of the lizards claw to stop him "Tagwa." He called back "We've got'em." Ulic-Nox reached into his pocket and pulled out a purse of credits walking around Ladon giving him a look throwing the bag to the farmer who caught it and looked inside.
"Hop on." The man said, Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked toward the cart with Ladon picking up Teeseven and placing him in the back before they set off.
CORUSCANT
Obi-Wan exited a speeder after returning to the Jedi Temple to see Anakin and Ahsoka waiting for him outside the entrance of the temple. "Anything to report?" Anakin asked his old mentor.
"Only that I'm out of funds for our next mission, but I did recover substantial information about the smugglers." Obi-Wan replied chalantaly before they walked into the temple with Anakin and his Padawan beside him.
"Don't leave us in suspense Master." Anakin asked, Obi-Wan looked down at Ahsoka who was puzzled why he was so hesitant to answer "I'm afraid the situation is more complicated now than before."
"Isn't it always with us?" Anakin asked.
The cold stern expression on Obi-Wan's bearded face was showing he had no time for Anakin's sarcasm, "What is it?" Anakin asked.
"These aren't average smugglers Anakin, this Macross Shan was something of a folk hero to the Outer Rim." Obi-Wan told them, Ahsoka gave a snorting snicker "A folk hero?"
"Indeed Ahsoka, remember how that doctor was wanted for stealing medical supplies?" Obi-Wan asked them, "What of it?" Anakin asked while they passed but he tall long windows on the outermost interior part of the temple passing between rays of light and tall shadows.
Kenobi stopped before he answered "She was supplier for years it seems, the company she worked for his extensive history of thefts of high grade medicine that was constantly being stolen unknown suspects until she was discovered, the informant I spoke said this Nightingales were the culprits." Obi-Wan said.
"Probably charged double for the stolen medicine." Ahsoka suggested in a disgusted voice "Quite the opposite Ahsoka, they gave them away."
Anakin gapped and then smiled "Gave them away, are you serious?" Anakin asked in disbelief.
"Anakin unlike you I don't joke about serious matters, I cross referenced Republic aid requests in outer rim systems that went unanswered in correlation with the thefts of the medicine given the time it takes to get to each planet it makes sense." Obi-Wan said hands behind his back.
"Okay but that ship was really old and stealing medical supplies, they'd need to make credits some how to fund these operations?" Anakin asked scratching his chin hand on his hip.
Obi-Wan had an answer already "The informant said they did take credits all be it through unusual means, are you familiar with the Onasi family?"
"Who?" Ahsoka asked "The Onasi are an extremely wealthy and very old family here on Coruscant and in the Republic, the story goes that the heiress to the family was kidnapped a year ago by the Black Sun and the Nightingale crew was hired to bring her back."
"Did they?" Anakin asked.
Obi-Wan nodded "She lives here in the city at her family's estate."
"So we go question her?" Ahsoka asked "Very perceptive Ahsoka, that still doesn't answer the question of these weapons why would do Goodger's such as these suddenly turn to blaster running?" Obi-Wan asked.
Shrugging slightly Anakin started to head back to the speeders "Well only one way to go find out."
Later, the three Jedi had left the temple to come land outside the walls of a large upper city compound with a shining metal mansion with armed guards standing outside the wall. The Main house was so large it could fit an entire battalion of clones, with small amenities around it, Ahsoka whistled when she saw the sheer size of the compound next to her master "Someone's well off?" Ahsoka said.
"When people have wealth Ahsoka they like to flaunt it." The guards who approached them wore orange side zipped jackets with black pants and brown boots, blasters at their hips with clean shaven faces and trim haircuts. Each ma was wearing a visor around his eyes shelling their eyes except one of the men who approached them. He was dark of skin with peppered black hair and a goatee, Obi-Wan was ahead of Anakin and Ahsoka and when the two men stood face to face they bowed.
"It is an honor to receive you Master Jedi, we have not had the pleasure of a jedi at the House of Onasi for some time, I am Captain Gargan please my Master is expecting you." Gargan said rising and gesturing for them to go inside.
"Thank you Captain, we shan't take long is the eldest daughter able to speak with us?" Obi-Wan asked when they guards opened the gates. Ahsoka's eyes got wide when she saw what was inside, the interior of the estate didn't match the exterior of Coruscant at all. There was a metal walkway leading toward a large pool sized fountain in the center, surrounded by a grass field with pieces of art around them. A garden of thick vegetation surrounded the house as they got near with brightly colored sparking speeders being cleaned by droids.
Captain Gargan answered Obi-Wan snapping the jedi back to the conversation "She is, we were overjoyed when she was returned to us." Captain Gargan said before he stopped and turned around "We are also aware this is in regards to Captain Shan's demise and the part his crew played in returning the girl." Gargan said standing a bit close to Obi-Wan.
"We only seek to question the girl, this crew is very dangerous." Obi-Wan said back to him locking eyes with Gargan who only smiled "We know, its why we hired them."
The jedi were led into the house which was as grand as the exterior, it had white floors and walls that were constantly being cleaned by droids on the floor. Gargan escorted them into a large room with couches inlaid in the floor and two people already awaiting them, there was a man and a woman both wearing robes of Coruscant elite with orange tints on them, the mans wore a long cape around a thick toga of reddish orange and brown striped trousers. The woman had on a similar colored dress with shoulder pads and a high collar, her thick white hair was done up in an elegant bun and despite having white hair she was still very youthful. The man was clean shaved head and chin with a strong jawline and brown eyebrows.
"May I present my Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, along with Padawan Ahsoka Tano." Gargan said bowing to the two adults "Master Jedi may I introduce my Masters of these esteemed house Reyes Carth Onasi and his wife Edenaia Tula Rand Onasi." Gargan said rising up from his bow. Reyes walked over to each Jedi holding his hand out.
"Master Jedi an honor, please sit." He gestured to the opposite end of the couch his wife was sitting and sat down next to her as Anakin and Obi-Wan sat, Ahsoka stood behind her masters while Gargan stood behind his.
"Thank you for seeing us, we'd like to discuss with you the matter of-" "Our daughter we know, Captain Gargan if you'd please." Reyes said to the Captain who nodded before he left the room.
"Captain Gargan will return shortly with her, now as a parent we'd like to know what you'll be asking her, you must understand the ordeal she went through was quite traumatizing to her." Reyes said to Obi-Wan who gave him an assured nod of agreement.
Obi-Wan took out a holodisk and turned it on to cycle through images of the Nightingale and its crew "You hired a crew of mercenaries to return you daughter, I'm sure your aware of who these people are and why we're interested in them."
Reyes and his wife exchanged looks "We do, please Master Jedi that we were desperate to have our daughter returned to us."
"If you wanted her return why didn' you petition for Jedi assistance?" Anakin asked in a more accusing manner "Because your fighting a war, Master Skywalker." Edenaia said quickly.
"We are patriots to the Republic in the days of the High Republic era when we had a real military every Onasi served." Reyes told them looking at each Jedi "But with the war the chance of our plea getting to your Council would have taken months, we had to act quickly to save our daughters life."
Gargan suddenly returned "Presenting the eldest daughter of the House of Onasi, Lady Quella." Both Jedi stood up when she entered to show respect.
Walking in behind Gargan was a woman sharing feature of both parents with white dreadlocks tied up behind her head wearing a long black dress that went down to her knees with pants under it, her arms were covered with long black fingerless gloves and exposed shoulders. Her arms were out in front with her hands clasped over her front as she walked head bowed to sit between her parents. Returning to their seats Anakin and Obi-Wan waited for her to speak.
"Greetings Master Jedi." Quella said not meeting there gaze "My dear once again we'd like to thank you for letting us question you, please tell us everything you can about the events of your kidnapping?" Obi-Wan asked, Quella looked to her father who patted her on the shoulder "These are Jedi my love you can trust them."
Quella looked up to show bright purple eyes, but they held a mix of emotions fear, sorrow and a bit of anger "My family had sent me to Mandolore to study as a ward under the Duchess Satine of Mandolore, when my family's vessel was leaving were attacked en route by brigands."
"The Black Sun, we're aware when did Macross Shan and his crew come?" Anakin asked trying to get to the point.
"I'm not sure exactly when…. all I remember is that the B-Black Sun killed my guards and put a bag on my head, I was constantly being moved till the took the bag off an I was in some cell I think?" Quella said her eyes darting from Anakin, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka at random.
She paused before continuing "Then one day part of the cell wall opened behind me, I thought some sort of monster was about to pop out but it was a boy."
"A boy?" Obi-Wan asked.
Quella looked at him "Yes, blonde, tan skin with turquoise eyes and a droid."
"Was it this boy and droid?" Obi-Wan asked changing the holodisk to show Ulic-Nox and Teeseven.
Quella saw the hologram of them running away from clones and opened her mouth but shut it quickly, "... yes, thats them they led me out of the cell into the walls before we started to hear blaster fire."
"Blaster fire?" Anakin asked "Y-yes I wasn't sure wear it felt like all around us but he led us out of a hole in the wall of some sort of fortress, a ship flew overhead."
"This one?" Anakin asked gesturing for Obi-Wan to change it to the Nightingale, Quella nodded to confirm the two ships were the same "A trandoshan and some other alien with a horn came out another entrance after us and Captain Shan too with almost a hundred men after them, the boy took me onto the ship and then they… they brought me home."
Each Knight looked at each other "When you were aboard the vessel did you notice anything unusual?" Obi-Wan asked her.
"Unusual?" she asked "Yes, strange relics, Separatist paraphernalia?"
"Separatist, what are you implying Master Jedi?" Reyes asked.
Obi-Wan gently raised is hand "Nothing if a malicious nature I assure you, however when we took the Nightingale and her crew into custody we discovered a horde of weapons being smuggled in there ship." Obi-Wan told them.
"And you think these smugglers were working for the Separatists?" Quella's mother's asked seeing where he was going with it "We aren't sure who there working for at this time, we aren't sure who exactly or what we're dealing with."
Suddenly, Anakins coms beeped, he stood up "Excuse me, Ahsoka come with me." Anakin said gesturing for Ahsoka to follow him.
Anakin and Ahsoka left the room and even the house outside into the front garden, "This is Skywalker go ahead?" Anakin asked the comlink.
"General Skywalker." it was Captain Rex's voice "We just received a tip about the smugglers, someone spotted them on Dantooine."
"Dantooine, Master one of the drawings in the journal is of an ancient Jedi temple on Dantooine?" Anakin smiled at her "Good work Ahsoka, well let's go rescue Obi-Wan and be on our way." Anakin said ready for another adventure.
DANTOOINE
Ladon and Ulic-Nox waved goodbye to the farmer after he dropped them off at the entrance of an overgrown canyon. Teeseven also extended his claw arm to wave goodbye "We ssshouldn't have let him go." Ladon said walking into the canyon.
"We can't always just shoot our way out of problems." Ulic-Nox said following him, Teeseven staying close to him.
"He'll talk, creditsss always make' everyone talk and by now the bounty on us is posted." Ladon said going deeper in the canyon, large trees stood over the top shading the floor with small sliver sod light and shadow. A stream was on there left with tall reeds sticking out of them cutting through the ground making the path even more narrow and winding like a labyrinth.
Ulic-Nox wasn't sure how to answer "But still, you couldn't kill him."
"You couldn't." Ladon said back rounding a corner in the canyon to the right, they came to a ledge that Ladon climbed up and extended his hand down for Ulic-Nox to be pulled up "So, all of you told me killing was wrong, we'll except Buur?" Ulic-Nox asked him, Teeseven had a small rocket thrusters in its two legs shoot him up after them.
"It is, but sometimesss itsss… sometimesss it's necessary. ' Ladon answered continuing "Look, I use to kill for money for sport, but that's the worst of it now I'd rather not kill anyone but-" he cut himself off "But what?" Ulic-Nox asked him.
"But nothing come on were almossst to the temple." Ladon said ushering them forward toward a now gaping crevasse next to the cliff they were walking on. The walkway suddenly stopped and another one on the other side was waiting a waterfall was trickling down out of it into the crevasse, they jumped over the gap landing on the other side walking deeper in. The came to a large opening in the canyon covered in grass and saw the temple. It was overgrown with fat trees masking it from the sky above, the roots covered the ancient stone and metal like a tarp leading down into pools of water that were feeding into streams.
Ulic-Nox and Ladon walked toward the temple coming over a short ancient walkway winding over the roots and till they came to an old metal doorway. Ulic-Nox suddenly froze not able to take another step.
"There's… there's something in there." Ulic-Nox said while Ladon pried open the doors "It'sss why we're here." Ladon said as the doors snapped open.
Ulic-Nox looked down at Teeseven who said something to him "Yeah, I'm scared to partener."
Ladon took out two flashlights from his hunting vest and handed one of them two Ulic-Nox, Teeseven also used its headlight to spread a beam of white light on the ruins. The interior was metal floors with roots coming out of the ceiling and walls, as they came inside it went down, down, down and down into the underground of the temple. The floor had the bones of animals on the floor and remains of long dead insect like creatures that turned to dust when Ulic-Nox accidentally stepped on one of them.
"So, this was a temple right to the Jedi?" Ulic-Nox asked shining a light on a wall to show a mural of ancient Jedi fighting ancient Sith in black.
"Why were you and Macross here?" Ulic-Nox asked "Because we needed to hide something here." Ladon said walking through an open doorway, Ulic-Nox noticed an x carved on its side and saw Ladon was following more of these x markers to somewhere.
"You want to tell me or do we have to be kept in suspense?" Ulic asked the trandoshan "A loadstone for the compass."
Ulic-Nox took out the compass as he walked and opened it looking at the slot "Stars is that what this is for?"
"Yep." Ladon said walking on ahead, Ulic had to run to catch up to him "So he told you about it, I always remembered he had it when we were with our parents but I was so young I barely remember." Ulic-Nox said putting it away.
"Figures, were just a youngling when they went." Ladon said looking around for the next marker and spotted it on the floor.
Ladon headed down till he came to a door with another x on it, reaching for his belt the trandoshan stuck a knife in the edge of the door and pried it open. "Q-quick find a ssstone to keep the door pried open." Ladon ordered, looking at old carvings of jedi from old Ulic-Nox scrambled to find a large stone and picked it up with both hands coming over quickly he set it between each metal door giving them a wide enough gap to slip in "Teeseven stay here and watch the door." Ulic-Nox said when he noticed the gap was two thin for the droid to get inside.
Teeseven argued with him for a moment before Ulic-Nox calmed it down "We'll need you to keep us in contact with the Nightingale remember when we were on Aldrerann and went underground- yeah I still feel the place where those things bit me." Ulic-Nox told the droid before the two of them vanished into the darkness.
HYPERSPACE, ENROUTE TO DANTOOINE
The Twilight, Anakin Skywalker personal ship was surfing in the lanes of hyperspace the black and blue swirling vortex of light carrying them across the galaxy and unimaginable speed stretched out in front of them for infinite miles. "We should be arriving soon, Ahsoka what did you find out about the journal." Anakin said at the pilot seat next to Obi-Wan. Ahsoka was behind them at the navigation station, she'd brought Ulic-Nox's journal with her in a backpack.
She turned her seat around "I noticed in the journal a drawing of a set of ruins, a Jedi Temple."
"A temple, how would smugglers know where a Jedi Temple is?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The temple isn't exactly new master, the records say it was an Enclave centuries old, is there anything there of value?" Ahsoka asked them.
Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at one another "Something must be for them to go and we'll find out once we land coming out of hyperspace now." Anakin said when the twilight dropped out over the green brownish sphere ahead of them. When they descended from the stars to the clouds the harsh winds of the storm returned to greet them as it did the Nightingale, "Sensors indicate a storm is about to over this entire hemisphere Masters, we won't be able to fly in it when we land?" Ahsoka said looking at the radar.
"Leave that to me, just give me the coordinates to the Temple." Anakin said flying over the clouds without even looking below to see the Nightingale, Beatnik was out on the roof looking at the ship through binoculars.
In a panic the jawa jumped off the top of the ship and slid down a rope to the ramp running up shouting. Hestia was busying her self in her med bay when she heard him only understanding one word of Jawa "Jeedai, Jeedai!" from Beatnik, she shot to hear feet.
"Jedi, Buur we got company." Hestia said running out of the med bay to the cockpit Buur ran in behind her "There heading to the temple, try to raise Ladon o the comms." she told him. Buur worked his large fingers on the comms "Hrrr the storms interfering with the signal and they must be underground." Hestia swore "Echuta, Beatnik prep the engines." Hestia called back into the ship but no answer came "Beatnik?" she asked before she looked out one of the loading ramps dropped and Beatnik broke out on the back of a swoop bike two blaster rifles strung over his small back and thermal detonators around his waist. The blasters on her back were an E-3 carbine and an A280, along with a jawa ion blaster holstered in the saddle speeding toward the temple after the jedi.
Meanwhile, back in the temple Ladon and Ulic moved deeper and deeper into the temple when Ulic stopped to see the metal floor had turned to steps carved from stone. The walls were no longer held up by metal beams but stalagmites and stalactites on the roof and ceiling of a cave. But even so lines were carved into the walls that were smooth between the stalagmites and shared down the floor in grid like designs. The steps came down to an end and Ulic raised his flashlight to see the cave floor expanded out to long stone bridge they were deep underground and the underground caves walls expanded out raising his flashlight Ulic-Nox almost gasped at what he saw carved into the walls were faces, a bald headed man with markings on his face giving him a fearsome visage, a woman so beautiful she appeared angelic with long hair and headdress, between them was a man with a pointed hat and beard giving him a diamond shaped head with eyes that seemed to follow Ulic wherever he went.
"W-what is this place?" Ulic-Nox asked breathing smoke from how cold it was underground, "Old." Ladon said shining his light at the end of the cavern, there was a raised part of the cave with a table at the end. A box was sitting on the counter top of the stone table covered in dust. Ladon stopped just before the raised floor and looked back at Ladon gesturing him toward the box.
Ulic-Nox swallowed his fear and walked up to the table and opened the box, reaching inside he pulled out a bright red marble "The loadstone?" Ulic-Nox asked. "Plasma encased supraluminite, its attuned to specific hyperspace vectors leading to worlds lost and forgotten except for those who have your compass." Ulic-Nox heard Ladon say while he took out the compass and opened it. He placed the red gem inside the center of the compass and it and nothing happpened.
"Is that it?" Ulic-Nox asked him "I-I'm not sure, force welders should be able to pen it do force stuff?" Ladon suggested.
Ulic shut the compass turning off the map and held it up "What you don't know why did we come here anyway, why did Macross hide this here?"
"Because he could never use it, only a force wielder can unlock the compass." Ladon told him "Why, what's so important about it?"
"Macross never told me I swear Ulic, he just said your mother gave it to him something about your Legacy I thought you'd know what?" Ladon said holding up his claws "I barely remember my parents Ladon, but I… I do remember this." Ulic-Nox said looking at the compass "Mom always wore it when she sang me to sleep?" Ulic-Nox said rubbing the compass.
"Do you remember the song?" Ladon asked him.
Ulic-Nox looked at him puzzled "What?"
"The song, maybe it meant something, worth a shot?" Ladon asked him.
Ulic raised the compass looking at the red marble inside the gold case.
"Hush now my child here in my arms you baby
Come stop your crying and listen to this lullaby
The Galaxy full of cold darkness but also the warmth of light
Slip now into your dreams safe from harm in the softness of night
Dream of a City in the Clouds the keys Enshroud
In the Shadows of Giants where ghosts stand Defiant
To the Deepest Ocean listen to the Leviathans Song
Our Legacy is yours to find, so dream and remember
When Hope almost lost, you'll ignite the ember ..."
Again nothing happened "See it was stupid nothing-" suddenly the compass opened up and a rainbow of light fountained out of the compass int o the cavern illuminating every corner showing the entire galaxy spiraling around them. Ladon's jaws gapped along with Ulic who looked to see four planets were sticking out from the other worlds blistering with starlight shimmering in the ancient hologram that looked more like mist from a waterfall "Its… it's beautiful." Ulic-Nox said, while he was admiring it Ladon started to hear the faint beeping from a comlink on his wrist.
"Echuta me." Ladon hissed "Ulic we got to go we got company."
Ulic shut the compass and the rainbow map disappeared back into the compass "Alright we'll figure this out back on the ship."
"Wait you forgot something in the box." Ladon told him taking out his blaster rifle and priming it "I did?" Ulic asked.
He looked back into his box "Is that…?"
"Yep now grab it we'll need it."
Up above outside the temple, the Jedi were leaving the ship on one of the canyon plateaus looking at the overgrown temple. "Fascinating, you can feel the force is strong with this place." Obi-Wan said closing his eyes walking to the very edge of the canyon, Anakin took a deep breath taking in the scent of the river surrounding the temple and the trees blowing in the wind along with the scent of rain from the encroaching storm.
"Both the light… and the dark." Anakin exhaled looking at all the ponds around the trees "Ahsoka what did the records say about this temple?"
"It was destroyed master in an ancient war between the Sith and Jedi..." Ahsoka said walking up to a stone that she brushed moss from tos we it had once been a statue bust of some kind.
"I can sense the darkness from the battle, the loss of jedi but reclaimed by new life." Obi-Wan said looking at the trees cocooning around the ruins.
Anakin walked up to him and patted him on the bag "Well as poetic as that sounds, how about we go find the criminals desecrating the remains of our dead brothers shall we, Ahsoka watch the ship and let us know if that smuggler ship appears." Ahsoka spun around shocked she was getting left behind.
"Your leaving me on guard duty?" She asked him "Because I trust you yes." Ahsoka heard Anakin say before he jumped off the cliff down to the temple before Ahsoka could make another objection.
"Just take the compliment Ahsoka, you'll rarely get another from him." Obi-Wan said before he followed Anakin.
Ahsoka stomped back to the ship and sat down on the ramp, unaware of the Jawa beatnik scaling the other side of the canyon wall armed to the teeth and hungry for revenge. Anakin and Obi-Wan dropped down into the small forest garden around the temple "I can sense there here but there's something else?" Anakin said with the storm clouds growing overhead not yet at full force.
"I sense it to but we can't let them get away again." Obi-Wan told him walking toward the entrance.
Beneath the surface, Ulic and Ladon came out of the lower dungeon and out into the hallways Teeseven had been beeping them for what seemed like forever to the droid when they came out "Good work partner now let's make like a Wookiee and hhurrraaa." Ulic said heading to the exit before Ladon tossed a thermal detonator down into the dungeon and grabbed Ulic by the arm pulling him away as the tunnel caved in shaking the ground
They ran out of the chamber as smoke and dust covered there tracks, at the entrance of the lower levels Anakin and Obi-Wan felt the explosions shake the walls and took out their laser swords "Can't go that way, we'll run right into them thisss way." Ladon said pulling him down the temple hallway deeper in away from the way they'd come in.
"But that's the way out?" Ulic-Nox asked him as he started to follow him "Theresss always another way Ulic, especially when you have high grade explosivessss." Ulic-Nox saw Ladon reach into his vest and pull our explosive gel with wires into it, they ran down the hallway as on the other end of the temple Obi-Wan and Anakin had found the lower levels lightsabers already drawn lighting their way. The two of them spotted the footprints of a trandoshan, a pair of boots and track marks leading into the temple they started to pick up the pace "Any idea what that explosion was?" Anakin asked Obi-Wan.
"No, but let's go find out shall we." Obi-Wan asked running alongside him.
Up on the surface, Ahsoka was pacing back and forth hands on her hips looking at the temple, behind her on the other side of the plateau. Beatnik had found his way to the top, he crawled into the taller grasses up to some rocks and took out one of his blasters over his back, Beatnik took out the E-3 and looked down the scope at Ahsoka. The Padawan sensed the danger and didn't react just yet stopping she lowered her arms to her lightsaber and waited for him to open fire. Beatnik squeezed the trigger and she dodged barrel rolling to the floor pulling out her lightsaber to deflect the next three rounds.
When she saw Beatnik come out from behind the rocks, he held up the blaster over his hatted head yelling at her in jawa "The jawa?" Ahsoka asked before it opened fire. She deflected the shots before the small hooded alien jumped off the rocks and started to run around the ship getting it between her and himself. Ahsoka was surprised to see how fast the droid was and when she ran around the other side trying to cut Beatnik she saw a thermal detonator waiting for her she used the force to make it fly away fro her before it exploded knocking her off her feet onto her backside.
Coughing trying to catch the wind back in her lungs she saw Beatnik jumping off the wing of the Twilight shooting at her she rolled out of the way from the lasers scrambling to get to her lightsaber which had landed not far from her. Beatnik landed in a roll before springing from the floor to pounce on her back pulling the blasters around her neck trying to choke her. Ahsoka swung him around on her back trying to throw the jawa off before she let go seeing he had an iron grip. She used the force to summon her lightsaber she caught it and held the emitter toward Beatniks cowled face forcing the jawa to let go or get stabbed in the face when the lightsaber came on. When she knocked him off she ripped his blaster rifle out of his hands to slice it in half with her lightsaber. Beatnik took off his belt of thermal detonators and flung them at Ahsoka all of them armed, Ahsoka turned around and ran as the explosion sent her flying to the edge of the plateau almost making her fall off if she hadn't grabbed a nearby root.
When she pulled herself up, Beatnik was running at her holding the A280 rifle shooting at her head. Ahsoka let go of the root and grabbed onto another one slicing it free from its grip on the rock wall. She held onto it with one arm running around the wall using the vine to pull herself up onto the top. Beatnike had reached the cliff when he saw she'd come back up "Round two sleemo."
Beatnik shot at her which she deflected easily with her reverse grip before she made one of the shots ricocheted off her lightsaber back into Beatnik hitting him in the shoulder. The jawa screamed as it fell into the dirt motionless, Ahsoka gasped seeing she'd managed to hit him when she was aiming for her blaster, she ran over to the jawa when she hunched over Beatniks raised is ion blasters and opened fire, the ionic charge hit her square in the chest sending electricity to every corner of her body knocking her out into the dirt. Beatnik got up picking up his hat and fitting on his head standing over her at his mercy.
Down in the ruins, the three smugglers were running out of room when they came to a dead end in a circular room with roots coming out of the ceiling "Dead end, plan B?" Ulic-Nox asked Ladon who held up his explosive and tucked it into the highest roots "How about C part four."
Ladon dragged him back to the rooms entrance and they saw blue light at the end of the hallway corner getting brighter but eh second. Ladon held up his detonator "Pray I don't kill us all." Ladon said pressing the switch, "What you don't know if it'll work?"
"No the bomb will work but… well this was our back up bomb for that job on Scipio you remember." Ladon told him, Ulic's jaw dropped as the bombs beeping rapidly increased to detonation "That bomb was for bank vault these are ancient ruins."
Ladon shrugged when the bomb exploded sending a cloud of dust and dirt down the hallway but also filling the caverns with light.
"It worked?" Ulic asked when Ladon suddenly picked him up under his arm "Of courssse now up and at'em kid." Ladon said throwing Ulic out of the hole in the wall back into the top of the ruins. Ladon grabbed onto one of the roots hanging and Teeseven flew up with his rocket thrusters. When they were all out Anakin and Obi-Wan had sprinted into the destroyed chamber "Come on." Anakin said when the two of them used the force to jump out of the hole, Ladon and Ulic were running up the exit ramp when they turned around to see the jedi.
"Run Ulic!" Ladon yelled taking out his heavy repeater blaster rifle and opened fire on the, Anakin and Obi-Wan caught his blaster shots but their hight velocity heavy rounds made them move to get out of the way, Anakin going left and Obi-Wan going right trying to get the trandoshan to shoot at the other with the other getting free, Ladon didn't take the bait he only shot the roof of the temple to cave in and cover ther escape, only for a brief moment when the rocks had stopped falling. When they ran out of the temple into an open courtyard when a roar like thunder echoed overhead not unlike the actual thunder getting ever nearer. The Nightingale soared above beating the incoming storm that was churning the winds into a fury "Ladon to Nightingale we need a quick pick, Jedi on our heels." Ulic said into his coms seeing Anakin and Obi-Wan coming out of the temple lightsabers drawn.
Ulic-Nox backed up with Teeseven but Ladon stood his ground changing out his ammunition, "Ulic when I ssstart ssshooting run and don't look back."
The two jedi approached them steadily "You'll pay for desecrating this place." Anakin said "Come quietly and no harm will come to you." Obi-Wan insisted raising his lightsaber toward them.
"What no I'm not leaving you-" "RUN." Ladon screamed shoving him to the back of the courtyard where the wall was partially down, shooting at Anakin and Obi-Wan taking out one of his pistols to shoot at the two of them separately.
Obi-Wan tried to dodge Ladons fire but the trandoshan was to precise, "Anakin go after the droid." He ordered but Anakin was receiving the brunt of the heavy repeater "Little- busy Master." Anakin stammered out.
Ladon was backing up to the wall with Ulic pulling Teeseven over the rocks "Come on parter we got to book it." Ulic said grunting to the droid, Ladon was keeping the jedi at bay but they were getting closer with every step before they both used the force at the same time to blast Ladon back, but he leaned back rolling on his back to his hind legs shooting at them still. In the sky's above Hestia was piloting the Nightingale as best as she could in the cockpit with Buur in the belly gunner "I-hate-flying!"
"And I hate Jedi!" Buur roared with her shooting up the courtyard, Anakin turned around to see the ship open fire on the from the skies. He tackled Obi-Wan out of the way. Ladon took his chance and ran back to the exit to see Ulic-Nox and Teeseven were running up trail toward one of the plateaus tops, the boy waved both his arms above his head to the over passing ship "Here, were down here!" He called out. Back in the courtyard Anakin and Obi-Wan recovery and resumed their chase into the small woods around the temple.
Up on the plateau Ladon had taken the high ground spraying the heavy repeaters lasers wildly each of them as he reached into his vest and pulled out a grenade for the both of them.
"Grenade!" Obi-Wan said when he saw it get thrown Anakin didn't take cover he just ran on ahead and used the force to make the explosive fly back toward the bounty hunter who raised his left arm to shield himself when it exploded right in front of him making Ulic-Nox turn around and scream "LAAAADOOOON!"
The explosion made Ladon fly across the plateau when he hit the floor the trandoshan saw his left forearm was completely gone. Roaring through his teeth in a loud growl Ladon grabbed the nub of his arm fresh blood dripping out of it when Anakin appeared in front of him lightsaber in hand "Surrender now." Anakin ordered.
"Death first!" Ladon yelled grabbing the repeater the bounty hunter raised his weapon but Anakin was to fast. He was in front of the trandoshan before he could even get his first round cutting the blaster in two, Anakin brought the lightsaber down about to take of Ladons head when out of nowhere was a purple flash of light.
"NO!"
Anakin gasped when he saw a purple lightsaber blade was blocking his lightsaber in the hands of Ulic-Nox Shan, his teeth were clenched and gray eyes were filled with terror but among all that he was able to say "I won't let you hurt anyone else." Ulic-Nox was able to throw Anakin's lightsaber away mostly from the surprise Anakin was still reeling from seeing him holding a lightsaber read to fight him right then and there.
I'm going to start leaving translation for Huttesse enjoy
Pateesa = Friend
Tagwa = Yes
Echuta = Fuck(I think)