LEGEND OF THE SORAI
A/N: This story will progress in different increments, with a lot of side stories before all of the characters meet up. The whole purpose is to show how each series has caused crossover issues that led to the Preservers wanting to stop, and make all crossovers no longer possible. The mentioning of Phoenix Rising, Dark Guardian, and The Chosen One, the characters from three of my previous multi-crossovers, is because they will appear at some point in Sorai. Mainly their appearance will be because they will either be executed or put on trial for crimes against the Multi-verse. The purpose of this series is that this will be one that the Preservers actually appear. While we've never know what their purpose was, with the exception of the Dark Crossover Trio (Tiberius and whatnot) we can assume that they want to keep the multiverse separate from each other, to avoid cross contamination by others coming in. Per example would be what Malcolm Reynolds and his crew are doing to the Rashider, by doing that, when they go back to their universe they'll be able to oppose the Alliance. Other examples of this will occur throughout the novel as well.
Chapter Two: Meeting of Minds.
Two metallic objects walked through the desert dunes. You could tell they were lost. C3PO and R2D2 had taken an escape pod and escaped from the Tantive IV. They had left the pod after it had crashed. They just wanted to find civilization, well 3PO did, R2 kept going on about some mission to find someone. 3PO wasn't the adventurous type, never had been, and just wanted to get out of the sun before he rusted.
Finally 3PO got fed up with R2 and hit him on his dome head, "Go your own way then," he whined, "see if I care, you'll be rusting before too long, and lost."
R2 did the droid equivalent of an electronic eye roll and went off on his own. 3PO just kept walking. He passed a skeleton of some creature at some point later and realized that he was hopelessly lost.
On another part of the planet, a strange device, that looked like a circle, with random sigils on it, started moving. The native dwarf looking creatures who guarded it, started jabbering and yammering in their own language. The Jawa's could not last remember when the Gate had moved, well there were some that could remember, but it was a time of sorrows for them. A time that even when the Tusken's had come in, along side the human settlers and fought off the glowing eyed ones. That was eon ago, back before the Old Republic days.
There had always been a small outpost here, since that time, of about ten or so Jawa's, once a year a team was replaced by another ten post, and enough food to last them through the year. They checked the working chronometer among them and found that it was a week short, but maybe they might get lucky, things like that did happen.
Back to R2, he was gliding through a canyon, when his sensors picked up some rocks falling… not by themselves, he further heard noise of what he thought to be voices. Unfortunately, those were the last two things that he thought as he was stunned by some device that short circuited him and knocked him out.
The Jawa's in the rocks decided that this one wasn't worth taking apart, he looked valuable, they were on their way to Anchorhead, plus there was a settlement on the way. The driver of this particular crawler, checked his maps, and found them to be going near the gate crew, he quickly informed ten members that they were to be posted for a month…..or at least till the next crawler came through.
Loading the droid they set out moving, half an hour later they arrived at the spot of the gate to see the guard pointing guns at six men who had come through the gate. Besides having their posted arms, the gate crew also had two semi working turret lasers, modified to stand the heat of the desert. When the six people had come through, they had immediately put their hands up and sat down. The guard had erected a makeshift tent awning over the group to make sure they didn't get heat stroke.
One of the humans was trying to communicate with the guard, but to no luck. Luckily there was an interpreter droid on the crawler that they had picked up before the astromech. He was brought out, on a leash, to try and talk to the humans.
"Greetings," said 3PO, "I am C3PO human Cyborg relations droid, I am here to interpret for you."
"I am Daniel Jackson of the SGC," said Daniel Jackson, "With me, are Colonel Jack O'Neil, Major Carter, Teal'c of the Jaffa, Bra'Tac, and Ry'ac."
More guns were pointed at Teal'c and his Jaffa friends. The guard leader explained in the Jawa tongue, and 3PO translated.
"The Jawa are not friendly towards the Jaffa," said 3PO, "Eon ago, they came here to this planet and tried to enslave it's inhabitants, but the Jawa, Tusken and settler people stood their ground and fought them off."
Daniel and Jack exchanged glances, the fact that the Gould had been here, proved that interdimensional cross multiverse gate travel was possible. They knew that they weren't in their own universe anymore, because the gate shift hadn't felt right.
"These Jaffa are friendly Jaffa who have betrayed their masters and fight for us now," we are from a different place and space, we are the Tau'ri," said Jack, "We meant no harm."
"You are Sorai," said 3PO, interpreting for the guard, "you are crossovers from another place."
"So others like us have been here then?" asked Daniel.
"Not those of you who use the gate," said 3PO, "But the Jawa remember back during the War that there were other humanoids that came here, one such group, they tried to kill the hutt crime lord Jabba, but didn't succeed, however Jabba did not punish them, because he knew he would have lost anyway, not with the firepower they possessed."
"We just want to travel to the closest town or settlement," said Daniel, "And get out of here, we meant to no harm to the Jawa."
The guard nodded and bowed, twittered something, and then the ten left, to be replaced by another ten guard. Daniel finally realized that they were here to make sure that the gate was not left unguarded.
"How long has this been going on?" asked Jackson, "Ten always guarding the gate?"
The Jawa twittered something, which Jackson was finally was able to understand, parts. Years made sense to him, and from the sound of it, the way that his voice inflected, that it must have been since the last attack.
"Jack," said Daniel, "These folks will take us as far as the nearest settlement, and from there we'll be able to go to one of the spaceports and get off world."
Jack agreed and they boarded the crawler. It would be mid afternoon before they reached the first settlement that was on the crawler's route. This settlement were your average moisture farmers. They were a married couple, had been for a long time, since their mid twenties; they had a young boy of twenty who lived with them, their nephew, his mom and dad had died long ago, or so they told him. The aunt and uncle knew a lot more then they were talking about, but they wouldn't talk about it.
"I can give you our family speeder," said Owen, looking at the four travelers, not liking the looks of them, "But it will cost you."
"How much?" asked Daniel?
"A thousand credits for me not to report to the local garrison that Sorai showed up on my farm," said Owen.
Owen found himself staring down the barrels of three guns and an energy lance.
"On second thought," Owen said realizing that valor was a better idea, "take the speeder."
Beru watched from inside the house as Luke watched from somewhere else, whoever these travelers were, they weren't Rebels and they weren't Imperials, and they definitely weren't slavers, and they didn't look like traders, they had to be Sorai.
Owen watched them go and then cursed, "Of all the settlements," he muttered, "Of all the settlements."
"Owen?" asked Beru.
"Not now Beru," said Owen, "Luke, get the two droids up and fixed, I want them at the far fields by noon tomorrow, I want this season to go well."
"But the Academy…" said Luke.
"…Will have to wait for another season," said Owen, "We need you now Luke."
Luke grumbled and then stomped off.
"He has to know," said Beru, "Sooner or later, he's going to find out a lot of truths, specially about who is father was, and is for that matter."
"My concern right now is that the Sorai are making another grand entrance," said Owen, "At the start of the Clone Wars a smaller force came through, no gate travelers, thankfully, but the point is, from what Old Ben told me when he dropped off Luke, is that the Emperor made a lot of powerful enemies when he killed off the Jedi, not to mention took over, his records will know of the Sorai and who aided them then, and who aided them now, you can sure pretty much guess as soon as that team gets to Anchorhead or Mos Eisely, that they'll sell the speeder and it will be traced to us, not to mention, the droids, those droids were Vaders or allied with him before he became Vader, we are screwed."
"Maybe," said Beru, "But if it's fate's decision, then it's fate's decision."
Deep Space.
Mal looked as the Serenity went in further to the debris field, then Walsh pointed at something on the scanners, "Boss," he said, "Looks like a part of the ship intact, well partly, looks like a lower command deck with a locker room of something, judging by the door on it."
"From the looks of it, must have been on the undercarriage, more towards the front of the ship, got blasted, but somehow the explosions didn't damage the area, scan it to see what's there," said Malcolm.
"heavily shielded door," said Walsh, "either that or there is still background radiation from the blasts since they look like they occurred all simultaneously."
"Either way," said Mal, as he left the cabin, "Me and Jayne and Shep are going in."
Five minutes later.
"You're joking," said Jayne, "You want to do a walk because that door may hold something? For all we know it could be the reactor core that didn't blow because of all the damage, and if we open it, then we're all as sure as dead."
The captain acknowledged that, and agreed, "Yes," he said, "Or it could be supplies, weapons, food, clothes that we could use to fit in here in this multiverse."
"I'm up for it," said Shepherd.
"Okay," said Jayne, "But I'm warning you captain, we end up dead, I will say 'I told you so,' in Heaven.
They met Walsh coming down to eat something, "Walsh," said Mal, "You have the Com while we're out, if trouble arises, which I doubt, you take the Serenity and bug out, fly someplace safe, find allies and make it here."
Walsh just sighed, "don't worry captain, "I don't think anything will happen, but don't worry, I'll keep her steaming."
Mal smiled, he knew that Walsh was first officer material for that exact reason.
Ten minutes later, the three of them were suited up, along with a large cargo bag to collect anything they found in the bunker. They had set up warning drones around the remains of the Rashider more for their sakes so if anyone showed up, scavengers mostly they could get out of there before any fire fights started. Right now they didn't nor did the ship have external defenses, but after this salvage operation, they'd have some laser cannons, and maybe a torpedo launcher.
As they floated out the airlock, they were amazed how bigger the ship looked then from inside Serenity, it was massive. Mal secretly hoped they could commandeer a ship like this from somewhere, one that was still mostly intact, and when they made it back to their own multiverse, they could wage war against the Alliance.
"Boss," said Jayne, "This door has to have a code for it, because it's got one of those warning labels on it."
The "warning" label as Jayne put it was a sign that read "unauthorized passage into this room past normal parameters will get you shot," Mal laughed at that, how often did a weapons locker have that to it? Then he looked around and tried to visualize something, this must have been an inner weapons locker, probably for captured weapons.
"Gorramit!" Mal swore, "This is a restricted door we're about to go through, probably for captured weapons, my guess is that the tactical officer or captain had access codes up on the command level, and should either of them die, then the door would be permanently sealed."
"Maybe," said Jayne, "But, we have one of Walsh's doorbells."
Jayne pulled out a device that looked like, well the best way to describe it was that it was a computer chip, and it could access just about any locked door, or even a door that wasn't there. In the case of this restricted door, it would merely say that the next in line after the captain had assumed command.
After a bit of fiddling, the device was put on what looked like the command module, after a bit more of fiddling, the device was attached.
"Stand back," said Jayne, "I don't know what's going to happen."
All three floated back about half a meter, then Jayne clicked something and immediately locks and clicks were heard, as well as a slight buzzing. Immediately lights came on in the section that they were in, as well as a muffled computer hiccupping, then the door opened.
Jayne floated in, weapon drawn, saw nothing dangerous, and then beckoned them in.
Inside they found not only captured weapons, but clothes as well off the prisoners who had been captured.
"There are cylindrical devices here," said Mal as he floated close to a cage that held a few off looking items, "plus a few cloaks and jerkins."
"They're lightsabers," said Shepherd floating over and picking the lock, "This ship must have been used during Order 66, probably all Jedi accoutrement were captured from the dead masters, knights and padiwans, and stored here, other stuff must be from various rebels who've been captured."
Jayne looked over a big weapon being held up by three supports, "What's this?" He asked.
"Tripod weapon," said Shepherd, "My guess is that it's probably a repeating rifle or cannon, we could use it, I've seen those on small transports, they're hardwired in on the underside of a ship, they are very flexible, full 360 rotation, if it's energy powered, then if we find a few more portable generators, we can use this."
Mal looked at a switch on the backside, marked "Do Not Touch," on it, "Wonder what that is?" he asked.
Shepherd looked at it, "no idea," he said, "Flip it."
Mal flipped it, but nothing happened, so he did it again, and still nothing, and a third time for pities sake, but nothing, so he left it up in the on position.
"Redundancy?" asked Jayne, "a trap set in the event rebels made to this part if they were ever captured?"
Shepherd smiled, "Remember those conversations we usually have Jayne about what I know, and those conversations we need to have Captain?"
Both other two men nodded.
"My Grandfather was a Jedi Padiwan, who escaped the purge, through some random chanced wormhole, that led him to your multiverse Mal, that's what the Shepherds are; they are those who are seeking peace."
Jayne gulped, "You means to tell me that the Shepherds are Jedi escapees?"
"Not exactly," said Shepherd, "When we escaped to your multiverse, there was still peace, but my grandfather knew that peace wouldn't last long, so the monasteries were formed, religious foundations anywhere are never harmed, and it was true, during the war, our monasteries were left alone, sure our planets that they were built on were taken over, but we were never harmed, because we went to both sides and helped heal, we never fought, we never took weapons, we only brought relief. The inner worlds thought of as nuts, but since many leaders had relatives in the Shepherdic orders, they felt it wise to leave alone."
"Then you are a Jedi then?" asked Mal.
"No," said Shepherd, "But I have the power of the force at my side, I wasn't born yet when grandfather escaped, but he passed on through his son, who passed it on to me, enough midiclorians to be competent in its use."
"Wonderful," said Jayne, "A semi-jedi."
"You forget River," said Shepherd, "The people who worked on her mind, may have been from this place, they may have been trying to create a force user."
"Instead," said Jayne, "they gave us a half mad girl who has issues."
"Patience Jayne," said Mal, understanding, "She may be trying to understand her power, and for all we know, come to control it soon."
"No," said Shepherd, "They were trying to create something far more powerful, they wanted something that involved magic and power, something that when set against everything else would be unstoppable."
"A witch?!" asked Mal, "They are trying to create a Force mystic?"
"Everything I've learned," said Shepherd as they packed the rest of the bag, including the energy weapon tripod and its gun, which they tethered to the bag and sent back, "Never is what it seems."
"Right," said Mal, understanding what Shepherd was saying.
As soon as they got back to the ship, Mal went up to the control deck.
"I'm ready when you are captain," said Walsh.
"Move us out 200 klicks," said Mal, "We're staying for a while and setting up everything, this ship is about to get an overhaul."
"Run silent, run deep," said Walsh muttering to himself, as he realized that he'd be shutting down everything save for short and long range sensors.
Soon enough they got to making repairs, they'd have to go out again to see if they could find the galley, but on a ship like that, which was a good portion destroyed and falling apart, they'd be lucky to find anything else.
Walsh stayed on watch, while the rest of the crew went to work, Mal went to take a nap, which he said was selfish of him, but as Shepherd then reminded him, "You got us to this part, go easy for a bit," he went and took a nap. Two hours was going to be nice, so when his com unit started beeping half an hour later, he winced, and got up.
"This is the captain," he said, "this had better be good."
"Uhm…." Said Walsh, "I'm not sure how to explain this, but I think the big ship is repairing itself or something."
EPILOGUE
Odyssey: Whit's End. May 23, 2008 Time: 22:44 hours.
Whit and Eugene were finishing up cleaning Whit's End from the day's doings when a man walked into the shoppe…..rephrase that, appeared in the place. They were not use to occurances like this happening, so when they saw him, their first reaction wasn't one of happiness.
"Can I help you?" asked Whit pulling out the pistol he kept in a drawer in the same area as he was always working.
"My name is Galactus," said the man, "and I'm here to ask for your help."
"Galactus," said Eugene ever the calm one, holding a taser like weapon, though if were one to closely look at it, would see that it was a homemade weapon, resembling a taser, though a bit higher on the electricity scale and no wires attached, "I think you must be a government agent here for me again, or some other evil doer, because Galactus is a being of immeasurable might who destroys worlds because he's hungry."
"Comic book character?" asked Whit.
"Yes," said Eugene.
"Will you two please calm down for a second?" asked the man, "I'm in need of someone captured, and I came here."
"If you're in need of professionals," said Connie coming behind him with a raised nine millimeter, "You came to the wrong people, we're simple folks."
The guy sighed, and did something with his hands, their guns immediately were out of sight, and then smirked, "You three all have impressive files for 'Simple Folks,' as you so put Mrs. Kendall."
Whit sighed, "What do you want from us?"
"I'm assuming that you know something of the Multiverse Infinitum?" asked the man.
"That there is more then one universe," said Eugene, "and each universe is attached to a far greater multiverse which spans all of creation that has been created."
"That is correct," said the man, "though there is more to that, which is essentially correct."
"What does this have to do with us?" asked Eugene.
"Apparently there are a few people who have found this to be true," said the man, "My need for you is to find someone who can stop the multiverses from destroying each other."
"Destroying each other?" asked all three at the same time.
"There have been too many crossovers from one universe to another universe to other multiverse," said the man, "There has been other issues as well, but what I need for you to find this person and have him help me."
"Why?" asked Eugene.
"Did you know that your universe is the only one of about three…maybe four other realities that are along the lines of normal?" asked the man, "and that is because of your stick to it natures and your morals."
"Religious devotion and right way of living?" asked Whit.
"Precisely," said Eugene as he finally understood, "Events that we might have done had we stayed a path changed in a different reality, but here everything remains the same."
"The X-men," said Connie, "Or DC Universe or Marvel Universe."
"Too many crossovers in the early days when the writers had two different places meet, somehow weakened the bonds so that the actual realities could end up affecting, if they are not put back into their own places, then……..disaster."
"Along the lines of His Dark Materials?" asked Connie.
"Yes," said Galactus, a bit puzzled that was used for reference, but it made sense, "Something to that extent has happened, where all the multiverse have doors opened to them, those doors or whatever need to be closed, but the person to do that, must be found, once that happens, then everything is normal again."
"We'll do it," said Eugene always up for an adventure, "When do we leave?"
"Now," said Galactus, "Though I guess I should tell you, while I am the name of Galactus, I am nothing more then a messenger errand creation, our purpose those of us sent out is to do what he can't."
"What the Silver Surfer did," said Connie.
"Yes," said Galactus, as he returned their creations to them, "Now get ready, You will know where you are when you get there, you have your weapons, keep them, I don't know if you'll need them, but can't be too careful, you'll have clothing that blends you in as well."
With a clap of his hands, all four of them disappeared.