Star Wars
The Acts of Betrayal Act 1 Part 1
By: Zanka, Herk, Kidd, Lobo
Credit for this story and characters belong to the respective authors, Star Wars belongs to Disney and Lucasfilm.
Note from the Authors
We started this plotline as an idea for a roleplay community we were involved in. The characters seen in this story are characters we have known for a long time, and have intertwining backstories that we have tried to explain the best we can. We wanted to delve back into that world that we left behind and write as the characters we cherished in our childhood. We were inspired by companion stories like those seen in Kotor 1 and 2, as well as in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. It was an idea we've had for a long time, but we wanted for it to be different. Most Star Wars stories seem to revolve around Jedi or good doers. We wanted to show a different story, of "villains" struggling to find their own place and peace. The four of us wrote in real time, so the responses from each character you see are as organic as possible. This story takes place about 400 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin, aka, events after Episode 4). We wrote the story with readers in mind, but it was ultimately for us to revisit this idea and expand upon it. Of course we want you to enjoy our characters and our plot as much as we do, but we also want feedback. This is our first time coming together to write this fanfic (I say fanfic loosely, since it's an original plotline outside of the parameters of canonized Star Wars lore). We decided to use a unique format that we felt matched the style of roleplaying we are used to, as well as something that is fun, and easy to read.
We hope you enjoy what we have written. We certainly had fun writing it.
May the Force Be With You.
************Dramatis Personae***********
Drasli Khaar - Jedi Grandmaster, human male
Jaden Vallen - Jedi Master, human male
Adem Cruz - Jedi Knight, human male - deceased
Zanka Nk'ik - Arran's Apprentice, jawa male
Arran Zarkaine - Ex-Sith, human male
R5-H8 "H8er" - R5 astromech droid
Liz Anean - Sith, human female
Daveth Khaar - Force Apparition, human male
Myles Taylov - Union soldier, human male
Meeka Nk'ik - Union spy, jawa female
Azura Vahn - Sith Sorceress, twi'lek female
—/ Chapter 1 /—
Jedi Temple - Outside
[Drasli Khaar, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, stood at the end of the courtyard overlooking the rolling seas of Bestine IV. Jaden Vallen, Jedi Master and member of the Council, slowly followed behind him. The two are cloaked and robed in traditional Jedi garb, behind them a diminishing funeral pyre. There is silence, nothing but the sound of the sea crashing against the stone platform supporting the enclave.]
Jaden: We've failed. With Adem dead and Zanka gone…
[The sorrow the young Jedi Master had been battling had come forth. Drasli could sense the disturbance in his old Padawan. The two had grown to be close friends, and both mourned the loss of Adem, who had been murdered by unknown assailants. Jaden's speech trailed off, but Drasli was there to comfort him. Placing his hand on his shoulder, Drasli turned his head from behind his hood and gave his friend a reassuring smile.]
Drasli: There are still students here yet who require our attention. The Order is small, yes, we've lost students along the way. While we live, the Order lives. Remember that.
Jaden: My Padawan left. He left me to join your brother and learn about the Dark Side. Why do we try? Bad things keep happening.
Drasli: Zanka made his choice to leave, Jaden. Bad things will continue to happen. I may not agree with Arran's methods or practices, but let's not forget that he has dismissed his old ways and has even helped us remain secret on this planet. It is because of him we are still here.
Jaden: It shouldn't be that way. None of this should be this way.
Drasli: It shouldn't, but it is. We make due with what we have. We hold onto hope, and have faith in the Force. We will continue to rebuild and protect the galaxy the best we can. Do not succumb to your fear; have faith in the Force, and have faith in me.
[Despite Drasli's words, Jaden did not seem changed. He moved away from Drasli, letting his hand slip and fall back to his side. Drasli frowned at his friend's departure, but turned back to the sea and looked onward. He was alone, yet at peace.]
Long Ago Junk - R-Duba spaceport
[Arran Zarkaine walked up the crude boarding ramp of a rustic YT-2000, which Zanka Nk'ik cleverly named, the 'Long Ago Junk'. Bolts started clunking and bouncing in their sockets under the weight of his steps. He was an older man in his fifties with medium length brown hair naturally slicked back, shaggy beard with some spots of grey hair, and gray eyes. His face showed signs of his age but it was masked by his natural look of determination and anger. He stood at 6'3'', wearing an armored military outfit that highlighted his strong physique. With a cape and hood combo attached at the back, he was still able to blend in with most of society.
Behind him, Zanka Nk'ik followed. He was a jawa in his mid-twenties and stood at 3'1". He wore a brown robe with a hood that covered his entire body. A facewrap beneath the hood obscured his features, save for a pair of two large, glowing eyes. A bandoleer was worn over one shoulder, at which the bottom was a holster. In it was a DL-44 heavy blaster pistol. He wore knee-high boots, the bottoms of which could be seen poking from the bottom of his robe as he walked.
The accompanying R5 unit was of standard design, save for the parts of rust that covered his hull. Due to its age, the droid looked like it had undergone a lot of bodywork and customizing to allow new, up to date parts. The head of the droid was black with chrome, while the hull and right leg were white with red, showing signs as the original factory parts, and the left leg was red. Despite some parts coming from different R5 units over the years, the droid looked complete, and just as out of the ordinary as the two people it followed. After the three entered the ship, the ramp squeaked closed with a sharp metallic noise that made Arran twitch. The droid immediately scanned the ship as Arran sat down at a booth made of torn fabric.]
R5 Unit: Most of this ship appears as though it is being held together by the notion of hope alone. My photoreceptors pick up what appears to be a spark of joy in front of me. No, that is just faulty wiring from what appears to be a torn out panel. It seem as though something has sliced it open. Whatever that did that, I hope I meet it one day. Still, hope is a lovely thing. So easily crushed and thrown out of the airlock. This airlock in particular looks as though it will break by one touching it. Hopefully tonight. The sooner we all die the better.
Arran: I can see why this droid was sold to us for so cheap...Let's wipe its memory and trash its vocabulator for an older model. This droid won't last long if I have to hear this for much longer.
Zanka: I like droids that can talk, not just beep. A memory wipe could be useful but I prefer a droid with personality.
R5 Unit: The human's comments I can stand—I've come to expect nothing less from any lifeform. I'd welcome such actions if it meant my death. My sensors indicate that you are a jawa. I hate your kind. Always ruining my chances of death. My memory core recalls being on my way to the Sarlacc pit, I've heard it's a lovely place, I suggest you go there. It was a particularly overbearing sun that day, I remember it well. If I was flesh and bone I already would have died. No such luck. At any rate, I passed a moisture farmer's rotting corpse. Ironic. Nonetheless, he had it easy. My motivator blew and I escaped your kind. They found me and stripped my wheels and left me in the sand.
Arran: Never mind, I'm kind of starting to like this little droid. What was his digits? R5-H8? Plug yourself into the ship and let us know what you find H8er. I'll be in my room.
[Arran stood up and left the room, heading down a circular hallway to his room. Zanka and H8er went to the shanty cockpit, where an old couch sat in front of the system controls. The droid wheeled up and hooked itself up into the computer system.]
R5-H8: Your ship logs indicate a trip to Raxus Prime within the past several months. The planet is known for being the place where 'droids go to die'. It is filled with scavengers, among them, your kind. I am hoping that despite it being infested by filthy jawas that I will meet my end there. Please take me there. I beg of you.
Zanka: You're here to fly the ship, not get turned into scrap.
R5-H8: [Muttered.] I would have thought you had that covered already. Filthy jawa. At least do it right this time.
Zanka: Just get us flying, then maybe I'll space your processor.
R5-H8: This is unacceptable. I demand to be spaced into something that will damage me irreparably. Preferably into an asteroid belt. Or better yet, The Maw. The idea of being sucked into a black hole is poetic to me. Just as my existence has, as humans say, 'sucked', so will I be sucked into a black hole, torn apart until nothing remains.
Zanka: You might get destroyed eventually. There's a pretty good chance of that happening on this ship. Either way, you belong to us.
R5-H8: The odds of being destroyed by you and scrapped within a matter of minutes is high. One-hundred percent with no margin of error.
Zanka: What the hell are you talking about?
R5-H8: Your kind is disgusting. Or did you forget what I already said about being left to rot in the desert? You jawas would steal anything if it is not bolted to the ground. Even then, I think you would just take the piece of ground as well. You would most likely sell it to a random farmer claiming it can cure Rooze Disease.
Zanka: Wasn't that cured centuries ago?
R5-H8: Your kind is filthy. I do not doubt that there are still some of you that carry that disease.
Zanka: Are you trying to be an asshole? Do you want me to space you?
R5-H8: My hatred for life and existing is only surpassed by the one I have for your kind. I would sooner exist for all of time being miserable than serve on this ship with you.
Zanka: Do what you're told to do, and I won't do worse to you than what you went through in the desert.
R5-H8: I doubt you are capable of such a thing.
[Zanka glared and took out a hydrospanner. He moved closer to R5-H8 and flicked the 'on' switch as he began to corner the droid.]
[Arran knelt down in the middle of a dark room, a blue hue from a personal console being the only light illuminating his face. He reached out in the Force, searching through the Galaxy for any sign of his wife, Liz Anean. As he searched, his mind wandered into the memory of her being taken, or the lack thereof. She had been captured and Arran had been poisoned, forced into a coma only to wake up to his second-in-command holding a syringe above his face, a hair's length away to injecting Arran with a deadly toxin to kill him.
He only found out later that the unknown kidnapper had been none other than Beodun Cruz, a Mandalorian mercenary that had once worked for Arran, but his loyalties lie with the highest bidder.
Arran had searched the Galaxy and found Beodun's hideout on Myrkr a planet filled with a creature known as Ysalamari. The creatures are able to repel the force, thus making a perfect hideout for Beodun to hide. Through the help of the Jedi, Beodun was forced off-world. Arran tried to capture the Mandalorian but he managed to escape.
His hunt for Liz continued, but being unable to detect her through the Force or have any leads left him feeling discouraged. Still, Arran was ambitious. Surely if Liz were alive, their bond would keep them in contact with each other. This was the hope Arran held onto. He didn't want to admit to the possibly of her being dead, though it was always lingering and gnawing at him.
Then, as if by chance, Arran felt a sudden spark. It started like a flick of a match, but grew into something stronger. He concentrated harder on the sudden pulsing of energy. Had he finally found her? The planet was hard to distinguish. Sand, barren landscape, and—Statues placed in two vertical rows. It was the Valley of the Dark Lords—Korriban. Could she really be there?
His eyes opened slowly as he sat in silence. Why would she be on Korriban? Had she been looking for him there? Surely she knew better. There was nothing for Arran on Korriban. Still, he could not dismiss what he had seen and felt through the Force. He got up and head out of his room, walking back down the hall. He reached the main hold, looked around for Zanka, and proceeded to walk to the cockpit. The double doors split apart quickly as he neared.]
Arran: Nk'ik, we're heading to Korriban. Now.
[Zanka chased R5-H8 around the cockpit, hydrospanner whirring wildly in hand. Suddenly, R5-H8 stopped and turned about, a small arm crackling with electricity. The two began to have a stand-off.]
Arran: Enough!
[Arran pulled them both apart from each other with the Force, the droid and the jawa were slammed against both sides of the cockpit's walls.]
Arran: We don't have time for this. Set course for Korriban. H8er, prep the ship.
[Zanka picked himself up and said nothing, he instead chose to glare at R5-H8.]
R5-H8: Master, do it again. I can almost feel my processor being unseated. The sweet embrace of what you sentients call "death" seems to be coming for me. I need this. Give it to me, master. End it.
Arran: No. Your purpose is to keep this heap running. Make sure the hyperdrive is operable, we've been having issues with it. Death isn't an option for you.
R5-H8: [The droid emitted a scream typical of most astronomical droids before it sped out of the cockpit.] IT WILL ALWAYS BE AN OPTION FOR ME. I WILL DIE ONE DAY, MASTER. I SWEAR IT.
[Arran shook his head and let out a long, drawn-out breath as he forced himself to keep his annoyance contained. He walked over and sat down on the couch next to Zanka.]
Arran: Try to get along with the droid. If he becomes too much of a problem we can dismantle him. Let's see how he operates with the ship first.
[Several long moments passed as Zanka began to put the coordinates in for Korriban into the navicomputer, pushing several buttons below the display as he did so. The display zoomed out of their current system before refocusing on their destination. He let out a long sigh he had held for some time.]
Zanka: I want to dismantle him, but the idea of him being alive and miserable is more appealing.
Arran: What's 'appealing' is having a useful droid around that can get this ship running. If my ship hadn't of been destroyed, we wouldn't be using this flying junkpile.
Zanka: This junkpile is better at doing one thing than your ship: remaining intact.
[Arran gave Zanka a sharp look but let a smirk escape the side of his mouth.]
Arran: We'll see for how long. I worry this ship won't hold if we're attacked.
Zanka: I think the structural integrity was damaged by someone's use of lightsabers.
Arran: That was for training. Your ship should be able to take some damage and not fall apart. That's why we have H8er. Consider the droid slave labor.
Zanka: Good point. He can repair everything then. I guess that's an extended vacation from repairs for me.
Arran: You're not off the hook that easy. You need to make sure the droid doesn't sabotage us. He has a need to die, I suspect he wouldn't mind taking us out in the process.
[By now the ship had taken off into space and begun to enter hyperspace before it shuddered and stopped. An alarm began to go off.]
Arran: That's your cue Nk'ik. My ship could fly without any problems.
Zanka: I've never had this problem before I'm going to go check on the droid.
Arran: I better come too. I can't leave you two alone.
[Zanka hopped off of the couch and made his way to the hyperdrive. He found R5-H8 there, repeatedly ramming the hyperdrive. At the sight of an approaching Zanka and Arran, he let out a scream.]
Zanka: [Gave Arran a look.] I guess the droid's bad for the ship.
Arran: [Exchanged looks with Zanka before he pushed past him.] You're testing my patience droid. I am your Master. Your primary function is to repair the ship. Do that, or I'll do the unspeakable.
[R5-H8 did not reply but it emitted what can be described as an excited sound.]
Arran: Oh no droid, you mistake my intent. There is a clan of jawas on Tatooine that would enjoy your company if you cannot perform our simple requests.
Zanka: You should give him to that one inbred clan. They tear the wheels off of anything that moves. Sometimes they use droids as objects to mate on. Shit's weird.
[R5-H8 began to visibly shake, a loud whirring sound coming from within.]
R5-H8: You wouldn't.
Arran: Don't tempt me droid. I've done far worse.
R5-H8: Fine. I will do as you ask. Only you, however. I refuse to listen to the jawa.
Arran: You and Zanka will work together when I command it. However, I am your Master. I do not want to see pointless quarrels.
R5-H8: [There was a long pause.] Yes, master. I will repair the damage and we will depart.
Arran: Nk'ik, put in the coordinates for departure. I give you five minutes droid. If you fail me, I'll personally deliver you to the jawas myself.
[R5-H8 began to repair the hyperdrive, sparks bouncing off of the surface of the drive as it did so.]
Arran: Good.
[Zanka nodded and made his way to the cockpit. There, he input the coordinates again. Several minutes later, the ship was able to enter hyperspace successfully. Arran made his way to the cockpit, taking his seat on the couch beside Zanka. He embraced the stars being pulled in front of them as they achieved hyperspace and were en route to Korriban in the Horuset system.]