Chapter 28
Liberation
Obi-Wan stepped into the Wolverine's hangar bay: several dozen armed men silently shuffled to the shuttle that had brought him aboard the previous night. The ship's own shuttle was right in front of him, a group of Jedi and FKA guerillas walking up its boarding ramp. No one spoke nor made a sound: the only sounds were the quiet patter of footsteps and the occasional deafening grind of some piece of machinery. Outside the hangar were the last vestiges of the night sky: the Kokeemi sun just a tint of dark blue light on the sky as it waited to rise. In the foreground, the Soder'da Mountains loomed up at the ship, sending a chill down Obi-Wan's spine.
This is it…we've spent three months here as of today, but on this morning, we will finally finish what we started. I don't know how to feel: nervous? Elated? Angry? I'm certainly not afraid of the physical danger, but…why? Why does this feel so bittersweet? Any sane man would be jumping for joy to end this after what I've endured these past months!
Above the bustle of the hangar, Hoowis shouted to Obi-Wan: he and Qui-Gon stood perched on the shuttle's ramp.
"KENOBI! GET ABOARD!"
Obi-Wan briefly swallowed, gathered himself, and then began his walk towards the ramp. He boarded the shuttle: inside its red-lit cabin sat Siri and Adi already strapped into their seats with Jaro and Nod just next to them. Horn and Kota sat on the other side of the cabin, Cere and Eno next to them. He found a seat and took it, Qui-Gon boarding soon after and taking the seat next to him. Obi-Wan looked across to Siri: she leaned back in her seat, her eyes closed and her expression indecipherable.
She doesn't look entirely serene, but she doesn't look entirely troubled either. What's going on in her mind?
As she rested her head against her seat's worn cushion, Siri tried not to think of the two men in the tiny compartment with her: not Obi-Wan, and especially not Horn. She had seen Horn board earlier: she had sensed Obi-Wan come aboard not even a minute ago. And, buried in her pocket, was the flower Horn had given her: a forbidden token of the night the two had shared.
No. Don't think about it…you're leaving him behind, as you should.
Then, her mind went to another moment, with another man in the cabin, amidst the serene backdrop of the Jedi Temple.
" It begins now. May the Force be with you." That's what you said to Obi-Wan, right? And now look at where the two of you are!
She pushed her thoughts aside: she dared not open her eyes and look at either man.
You think you can leave Horn behind, but can you do the same for Obi-Wan? Are you staying true to the Jedi path, or are you just choosing one man over another?
Hoowis boarded the shuttle as Obi-Wan looked on: he continued to the open cockpit doors, said something to the pilots, and then re-entered the troop compartment as the cockpit doors closed.
"We're lifting off! Strap in, ladies and gentlemen!"
Hoowis took his seat and fastened his harness. A moment later, the shuttle lurched, turned, and accelerated. The all-too-familiar adrenaline dump that came with impending violence animated Obi-Wan: he breathed deeply, centering himself for the task ahead. As if on cue, Qui-Gon spoke through their Force bond.
Calm yourself, Obi-Wan. You're doing well: by sundown tonight, our duty here will finally be done. You've done so well these past three months: finish as strongly as you started.
Obi-Wan took a deep, labored breath, and then replied as his heart finally stopped racing.
Thank you, Master.
"TAO, Flight Deck. CRICKET 2-1 and CRICKET 2-2 are away."
"Very well, Flight Deck."
Harvel hung up the CIC's flight deck phone and turned to the main sensor display: soon, the distinctive half-circles of friendly air contacts appeared, breaking away from Wolverine's ownship emblem and beginning a run towards the mountains. Several seconds later, two more friendly air contacts popped up on the screen.
That's Thoob and BEEHIVE: our gunships. I had a drink with him back in Kerhob: he seems like a decent guy.
"Flight Control, TAO. Contact CRICKET 2-1, and tell him to inform MUSTANG that BEEHIVE is ready."
"TAO, Flight Control. Notify CRICKET 2-1 to inform MUSTANG that BEEHIVE is ready. Aye, sir."
As he stared at the shuttle's wall under the dim red of the cabin's nighttime lighting, Hoowis heard the pilot's voice over the intercom.
"Mr. Hoowis, sir. MOTHER says BEEHIVE is ready."
Without a word, Hoowis unfastened his harness and entered the cockpit: the shuttle's radioman was hunched over his set, oblivious to all else.
"You! Hand me your spare headset," he said, slapping the man on the shoulder.
"Right away, sir."
Hoowis took the headset and plugged it into the radio as the operator began working its controls. As Hoowis donned the headset, the operator turned back to him.
"Everything's set up, sir."
"Thank you, son."
Hoowis cleared his throat, and then keyed the headset.
"BEEHIVE 1-1, this is MUSTANG. Stand by to copy, over."
"MUSTANG, this is BEEHIVE 1-1. We read you five-by-five. Over."
"BEEHIVE 1-1, MUSTANG. CRICKET 2-1 and 2-2 are manned and ready in all respects. Say your status. Over."
"MUSTANG, BEEHIVE 1-1. BEEHIVE 1-1 and 1-2 are ready for business. Over."
"Roger, BEEHIVE. MUSTANG to MOTHER and all BEEHIVE and CRICKET elements, raise the curtain."
The shuttle lurched underneath Hoowis as the pilot began a rapid descent. The black shape of the ground rushed towards the cockpit windscreen, and then peeled away as the pilot leveled off to reveal the Soder'da Range, tinted an eerie blue under the dawn's light. Allowing himself to smile ever so slightly, Hoowis shouted encouragement to the men in the cockpit.
"This is it, lads!"
Vistro Torsun stood on the palace's balcony, letting the morning air caress his rarely exposed face as he took a sip of coffee. The cold mountain winds beat his scarred remnant of a face as the liquid energized him for yet another day of drudgery and yelling at hapless KDF engineers in the bowels of the mountain. It had been a month since he had seen Kenobi and his girlfriend plunge to their doom in the Soder'da: the Jedi had since arrived, and the KDF had taken beating after beating at the hands of a reinvigorated FKA. Just days earlier, the KDF's Mountain Division, as well as most of its armored units, had been wiped out at the Daf'li Gap, just miles from where he now stood.
I can see them now, in my mind's eye: the rebels traipsing through the mountains somewhere below me, with the Jettise in tow. Strange how they eschew revenge, and yet they arrive in force to avenge two of their own. Still, they can at least make progress. I can't say the same for those empty-headed fools that call themselves Engineers. Every day, they lose men, every day they complain about it, tell me to do something about some "hellhound" or other…it irritates me to no end. Today, I might even have to shoot another one of them: if that doesn't motivate them, then the FKA's imminent arrival certainly won't. Any day now, they will come for us, along with the Jettise looking for their prize. The only way we survive is by finding that prize first.
Torsun scowled as much as his face would allow, and took another sip of coffee. As he lowered the cup from his lips, he paused as something reached his ears from the valley.
Did I just hear something? I thought I did: it sounded like sublight engines.
"Two minutes, sir!"
Hoowis checked his wristwatch to confirm the pilot's calculations, and then turned back to the radio as Master Thoob's gravelly voice echoed from the other end.
"All elements, this is BEEHIVE 1-1. Flight is approaching initial point: we're thirty seconds out."
Hoowis looked back at his watch, counting down the seconds and clenching his fist. One by one, they ticked by as he waited for the message from Thoob. Then, finally, thirty seconds passed. At thirty-one, Thoob spoke once more.
"All elements, this is BEEHIVE 1-1. At initial point, beginning gun run."
Before Hoowis could process the situation, the pilot keyed the shuttle's intercom.
"90 seconds!"
Now, it begins.
Torsun had only just heard the gunship's engine before it popped up in front of him, training its guns on the balcony. He donned his helmet and sprinted for the door, shutting it just as the first blaster bolts impacted the wall outside.
We're under attack! They're finally here!
The bright red of an alarm control box appeared to his left: Torsun ran to it and activated the alarm. As the klaxon began to blare and the palace's alarm lights sparkled to life, he continued running for the main control station.
There's a bunch of other Vampires there, probably trying to figure out what the hell is going on. I'm going to let them know, and get them in some semblance of order. With any luck, we'll crush this attack, and kill a lot of important people in the process.
From his place in the CIC, Harvel watched the gunships hover around the red "X" on the map where the palace stood, silently dancing around the emblem as the shuttles approached. He looked down at his watch, confirming the time.
We're thirty seconds out.
Without a word, he went to the bridge phone.
"Bridge, TAO. Thirty seconds out: stand by to maneuver."
"TAO, Bridge. Thirty seconds out, standing by to maneuver, sir."
At his perch in the fire director, Wolverine's fire control officer glanced at his watch and made note of the time.
Twenty-eight seconds. Then, we swing into position.
"28 seconds! Get ready!"
The men in the director noticeably stiffened: one gulped, his worried eyes never leaving the screen in front of him. The officer put his hand on his subordinate's shoulder, eliciting no response.
We're all nervous: crunch time is twenty seconds away now, and this one's for all the marbles.
Slowly, the seconds went by: fifteen, ten, five…then it came. The ship violently lurched up and to port, and the fire control officer instinctively planted his head in the eyepiece of his scope. He slewed towards the palace: men ran about amidst scattered guard towers along the landing platform and various walkways carved into the mountainside, all now enveloped by blaster fire from the gunships. As the ship shuddered under the impact of the first bolts from the palace, he keyed his headset.
"All secondary mounts, local control, fire as you bear! Main battery, engage on my command only."
He slewed the scope towards a nearby tower as the secondary battery roared to life, rattling the ship as its fire arced towards anything in sight.
"Main battery, tower bearing 077! Prepare to fire!"
"Main battery ready!"
"Fire!"
The ship rumbled as her main battery spoke; the massive turbolaser bolts struck the tower and blasted it into a cloud of debris and flame.
"On target!" said the fire control officer: his men reacted with shouts of joy and Kokeemi epithets. Despite himself, he couldn't help but grin as he slewed the director towards another tower.
Twenty seconds.
With that final glance to his watch, Hoowis handed the shuttle's radioman his spare headset and exited the cockpit. As he entered the crew compartment, he gestured for the assault team to remove their harnesses.
"Twenty seconds out! Prepare to land!"
The shuttle bucked under the impact of blaster fire from outside: Hoowis ignored the jolts, standing as tall as the compartment's confines and the shuttle's movement would let him. He looked down at his watch one last time as the shuttle lurched upward towards where he knew the landing pad would be.
Ten.
"TEN SECONDS!" he shouted.
Hoowis spent those remaining seconds grabbing his whistle. Around him, the assault team was a mixture of reactions: some fidgeted ever so slightly, others bowed their heads, their lips moving with inaudible prayers. All of the Jedi either laid back with their eyes closed or simply stared straight ahead, their faces taut. He took in the scene for a brief moment more, and then blew his whistle as the shuttle's ramp lowered.
"GO! GO! GO!"
At Hoowis' shout, Obi-Wan bolted from his seat, descending the ramp and igniting his lightsaber as he jumped into the cold morning air. The landing pad was a cacophony of blaster fire and explosions: Vampires on nearby walkways fired everything from small arms to MANPADS at the Wolverine and the two gunships now raking the mountainside, while others in guard towers sprayed the landing pad with heavy repeating blasters. In response, Wolverine fired her main battery into the towers, one after the other, tearing them apart. A chunk of smoldering metal from a destroyed tower landed just meters from where Obi-Wan stood, nearly breaking his concentration. A few bolts then came his way: he deflected them by instinct, nearly lost in the chaos around him. He was vaguely aware of Hoowis, Horn, Siri, Qui-Gon, and the others around him, fighting their way towards a set of massive blast doors leading into the mountain. As he advanced, Obi-Wan noticed Kota kneel down next to Hoowis and say something inaudible: in response, Hoowis took the receiver of his radio.
I hope he's calling for more support.
"TAO, Comms. MUSTANG requests main battery shoot on Target RAMROD!"
"Very well, Comms. Will engage Target RAMROD."
Harvel went over to Fire Control's phone as the ship shuddered under yet another salvo from her turbolasers.
"Fire Control, TAO."
"Fire Control."
"From MUSTANG: immediate shoot on Target RAMROD. I say again, engage Target RAMROD, one salvo. Await further orders afterwards."
"TAO, Fire Control. Engage Target RAMROD, one salvo, then await further orders. Aye, sir."
The fire control officer swiveled his scope towards the massive blast doors embedded in the mountainside, and keyed his headset to the ship's main battery.
"Main battery, target! Blast doors, bearing 097! Prepare to fire!"
"Main battery, ready."
"One salvo, fire!"
The ship lurched, and the turbolaser bolts flew straight and true towards the blast doors. They struck home: as the dust settled, the fire control officer saw to his dismay that the doors were still intact.
"On target!"
Damn it.
"TAO, Comms. MUSTANG requests repeat."
"Comms, TAO. Acknowledged: will relay order."
Again, Harvel stepped away from the line to Comms, shaking his head as he went to Fire Control's circuit.
"Fire Control, TAO. Repeat salvo on Target RAMROD."
"TAO, Fire Control. Repeat salvo, Target RAMROD. Aye, sir."
Grinning as he peered back into his scope, the fire control officer keyed his headset as he eyed the blast doors: massive smoking gashes torn into them from the previous salvo.
"Main battery, repeat! Blast doors, bearing 097! One salvo, fire!"
The guns roared to life, the bolts arced downrange, and the doors disappeared behind a massive explosion. Again the dust settled, and the officer's grin widened as the remnants of the blast doors collapsed, flopping forward onto the edge of the landing pad like the wall of a rotted shack.
That's it! We're in! Husan's palace itself: I can't believe we're doing this! And my boys are the ones that knocked down the door!
"MOTHER, this is MUSTANG. Cease fire! Target RAMROD is destroyed! I say again, Target RAMROD is destroyed: cease fire! Over!"
"MUSTANG, MOTHER. Wilco, MOTHER ceasing fire. Out."
Hoowis hung up Kota's radio and looked up at the ruins of the blast doors, taking in the moment.
We're here: it's taken so many years, but now we're here, right in Husan's parlor. Those doors were all that remained in our way, and now they are no more.
The gravity of the moment drowned out all as it set in: Hoowis noticed neither the sting of the cold mountain air nor the wetness in his eyes; not even the men around him. Finally, Horn's voice brought him back to reality.
"Sir! Your orders, sir!"
Hoowis took a deep breath and looked to his rear, confirming the presence of the strike team. Beyond them, the gunships, shuttles, and Wolverine hung in the air, silently watching the crowd now gathered on the landing pad.
"Forward! For Kokeem!" Hoowis shouted as he stood and rushed towards the entrance, a mighty cheer from behind chilling his blood as the rest of the team charged forth with him.
"Set up that gun over there! Come on, put your backs into it!"
Torsun gestured wildly at two of his men as they manhandled a heavy repeating blaster into position atop a hastily built sandbag barrier. Around him, various Vampires rushed to and fro, either heading to the armory to grab whatever heavy weapons they could carry or from it with those weapons in hand, ready to take up positions and face the FKA's onslaught. Suddenly, something struck Torsun's shoulder: Swall stood behind him, a slight tremor in his voice.
"Front gate's gone, boss."
"Gone? They're through it already?"
"Blew through it with that big ship of theirs. Ain't nothing left of it."
"How many are there?"
"Lots, and they got the Jedi with 'em. You think they're coming for the artifacts, Boss?"
If the Jettise are here, they've probably figured out how to open that burial chamber. Even as a proud son of Mandalore, I will admit that they're cold, practical, and focused when push comes to shove. Coming here without a means to get their precious artifacts would just be a waste of time, and they know it.
"Most likely," Torsun replied.
But time is still on my side, and with Ugo and Husan between myself and the enemy, it will continue to be so.
After taking stock of the situation, Torsun made up his mind: his course of action one he realized he had in mind for many months now.
Ugo…my loyal little attack dog. Damned if you were vicious, but you never were very bright. You'll be useful for a few minutes more, though. And Husan…well, it's been a pleasure knowing you, but I'm off to bigger and better things. All I need is those artifacts: then, Hoowis and his Jetti lackeys won't last five minutes against my newfound power.
"Ugo."
"Boss?"
"You're in command up here. Defend the palace: I will see to the artifacts' safety."
"The Engineers' stuff, Boss…the wizards might use that to get into the tomb!"
"Good thinking, Ugo. Keep a sharp eye on that as well."
Beneath his respirator, Ugo chuckled.
"Sure, Boss."
Torsun turned away, grinning as he made his way towards the dungeon.
Laugh while you can, Ugo: you couldn't command your way out of a wet paper bag. You're just a pawn and you don't even know it…you never did.
Standing at the head of a mixed group of Jedi and FKA guerillas, Obi-Wan scanned his surroundings as the palace's floor echoed underneath two-dozen pairs of boots. The interior was more subdued than he had imagined, but still impressive: pillars and fountains lined many of the massive rooms, as well as elaborate frescoes and old paintings large enough to cover entire walls. A sense of unease came upon him as he looked across the sculptures and paintings: their empty eyes watching him as he and the rest of the team moved through the silent halls.
Any corner, any sculpture, any fountain in this spiders' nest could hide a threat: there could be a Vampire's blaster behind every decoration, ready to kill any foolish enough to enter. We haven't seen anyone since the landing platform, but they're in here, somewhere, waiting for us.
As he rounded a corner towards a flight of stairs, Obi-Wan suddenly sensed the familiar shriek of danger. He instinctively ducked around the corner as a burst of fire from a heavy repeating blaster tore through the air where he stood an instant earlier. The quiet group around him roared to life, one man throwing a smoke grenade around the corner. Slowly, the smoke built, and Hoowis gestured to several men near Obi-Wan; they produced grenades save for one man to Obi-Wan's left, who carried a flamethrower. The grenadiers nodded, and then threw their grenades through the smoke and up the staircase. A series of explosions drowned out the world, the palace shaking around Obi-Wan. Then, Hoowis slapped him on the shoulder.
"FLAMETHROWER UP! KENOBI, WITH HIM!"
Obi-Wan exchanged a glance with the flamethrower operator and dashed into the smoke: Hoowis shouted for "covering fire" before a hail of blaster bolts flew past Obi-Wan and towards whatever lay at the top of the stairs. As the smoke cleared, a series of sandbags emerged, two dazed Vampires rising from behind them. They turned; the flamethrower man leveled his wand; and in the next instant a great geyser of flame enveloped the two as they raised their hands in primal terror. Obi-Wan winced and recoiled as a wall of heat hit him: it felt as if someone had grabbed him by the back of the neck and thrust his face into a kiln. He instinctively raised his hand: the skin started to peel off under the heat just a second before the flamethrower man released the triggers on his wand. The flame died out, a great cloud of black, acrid smoke rolling away from it as the pungent smell of fuel and burnt flesh filled the air. The room at the top of the stairs came into view as the smoke cleared: it was a massive chamber, lined with columns, statues, and large stone vases. At the other end of the room were Vampires, in cover behind both features of the room and various hasty sandbagged positions. With a shout, the flamethrower man waved his fellows forward: the rest of the group charged up the stairs through the dissipating smoke cloud as Obi-Wan blocked more blaster fire from the end of the large room he now stood in.
They know we're here now.
The FKA men behind Obi-Wan dashed for whatever cover they could find, and returned fire. Obi-Wan ducked behind a large vase as Vampires at the other end of the room came out at intervals to fire at the approaching FKA forces. Soon, the FKA returned fire, with the Jedi advancing from cover to cover as they deflected the occasional bolt. Spotting a column to his front, Obi-Wan tensed his legs, and then rose up, sprinting for the column and deflecting whatever fire came his way on pure instinct. He threw his back against the column and peeked out at the Vampires, only to duck as a bolt nearly tore open his head.
Breathe. Remember what you were taught as a youngling: breathe. In and out…that's it. Calm and collected.
Gathering himself for a moment more, Obi-Wan then dashed to another column: a burst from a sub-repeater tore up the floor just shy of his footfalls. Beyond the column sat an FKA man with a scattergun and a vest full of grenades, behind another piece of cover: a large statue to his front swarmed with Vampires. The man armed a grenade, waited a moment, and then threw it, taking another in hand and priming it without even waiting. Soon, grenade after grenade rained down on the Vampires: most held their ground, blown into scattered, bloody remains that flew out from behind the statue with every blast. A few tried to escape: the grenadier rose up and killed one with his scattergun before the rest of the FKA joined in, their fire overwhelming the hapless, exposed Vampires. Cautiously, Obi-Wan rose from his position, moving towards the side of the statue with his lightsaber at the ready while Hoowis approached from the other side with a rifle in hand. There was a small area beneath the statue, its full profile invisible from where Obi-Wan now stood, but clearly large enough for a man to hide. Tapping into the Force, he sensed danger in the tiny space.
Someone's in here.
He looked across to Hoowis, and signaled that there was someone in the small space. Hoowis brought his rifle up, and raised his thumb and first two fingers. The middle dropped, then the pointer, then the thumb. Then, Obi-Wan rounded the corner: a Vampire sat crouched in the space, his pistol leveled at Obi-Wan's face. Startled, Obi-Wan was barely able to swat away the coming bolt: Hoowis sprang into action, putting eight rounds into the man's chest before he could even bring his recoiling pistol back onto Obi-Wan. The Vampire slumped lifelessly to the ground, and Obi-Wan took a deep breath as his hands began to shake.
Once again, I cheat death.
Something struck his shoulder; recoiling at the sudden sensation, he turned to see Hoowis standing next to him, his paternal expression having returned after so long.
"Come on, Kenobi. Let's keep going."
Obi-Wan could only muster a nod in response before he exited the space, leaving yet another deadly encounter behind him.
Several minutes later…
Obi-Wan stood at the side of a massive set of doors, ornately laid with gilt in various patterns. The rest of the team stood all around him, waiting for Hoowis' order to go through the doors: this would be the last major objective before he and Siri would re-enter Dominus' hellish tomb.
Husan's throne room. I don't know how to feel about this: for the FKA, it's the culmination of everything they've fought for all these years. For the rest of the Jedi, it's just another stepping stone to be overcome on the road to our real goal. But for myself and Siri, it's the calm before the storm: indeed, I think anything we will face behind these doors will count as "calm" compared to the experience of returning to the tomb. And Torsun…I still haven't seen him anywhere! Shouldn't he be here, protecting his leader?
Hoowis waved an FKA man forward: the man's webgear was festooned with demolitions equipment, including a worryingly large amount of high explosives. The engineer headed for the door: both FKA and Jedi alike parted without thought as he stepped past them. Soon, he was at the door, at the center of a small bit of open ground under dozens of curious, worried eyes in a semicircle surrounding him. He said nothing, he showed no fear: casually, he set to work, setting the explosives and toying with their detonators and wires as everyone watched, transfixed by this artist at work on his masterpiece and oblivious to the world around him. Finally, the man finished, and stepped back from the door: the rest of the crew following suit in unison. He took the detonator in his left hand, and with his right counted down with his fingers as Obi-Wan braced for the blast's shockwave.
Get ready…
The engineer reached zero, and pressed the switch. The room went grey and indistinct in an instant, and then came into clarity as light shone through the cloud of debris and dust. As his senses returned, Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and charged into the room alongside the others: a wall of blaster fire greeted him. A nearby column appeared in his peripheral vision: he ducked behind the structure as a bolt narrowly missed him. He ducked again as another bolt passed by, and then began to gather himself.
Come on, damn you, think! Look at your surroundings!
He sat in a large chamber, lined with columns and elaborate works of art, with a large throne opposite the door he had just entered from. Half a dozen Vampires were spread out around the throne, firing at the Jedi and FKA forces now huddled behind whatever cover they could find.
We're pinned down: find an opening, and exploit it!
Something stood out above the throne: it was a massive sculpture of some terrifying mythical beast, hanging over Husan's perch like some sort of grotesque guardian angel.
He'll do anything but help Husan's cause now.
Peeking out as much as he dared, Obi-Wan raised his left hand towards the sculpture and reached out with the Force. The massive sculpture didn't even move under the initial pull of energy, and Obi-Wan's concentration collapsed as a burst from a Vampire sent him back behind cover.
Focus!
He moved to the opposite side of the column, peered out again, and then gripped the sculpture with the Force. At first, it stood fast; then, slowly, it moved.
Come on! Pull!
He continued to pull, grunting like a weightlifter as he concentrated on the sculpture despite the whirling chaos around him. Slowly, the movement became more and more dramatic: now, the edges started to crack as the sculpture came loose from the wall.
Just…a…few…seconds…more…
Satisfied at last, Obi-Wan gave one final pull to the sculpture before letting it drop free; adjusting its trajectory towards the Vampires. Some noticed and tried to flee the falling sculpture, a moment too late as it fell upon them. As the Vampires scattered, Hoowis seized the moment.
"FORWARD!"
The group charged forward as the surviving Vampires scattered, firing intermittently as they tried to escape the room. It was to no avail: they fell under the fusillade of the FKA. One took a bolt to the shoulder: as he staggered back and tried to pull a grenade from his webgear, Master Windu cut him down. A pang of danger hit Obi-Wan: a Vampire lay pinned underneath a piece of debris, leveling a pistol at Hoowis. Before Obi-Wan could shout a warning, though, Qui-Gon beat him to it.
"LOOK OUT!"
Qui-Gon stepped in front of Hoowis and deflected the man's bolt: one second later, and it would have struck Hoowis in the heart. Hoowis and the rest of the FKA trained their weapons on the wounded Vampire, and several seconds' worth of firing blew his exposed torso and head into unrecognizable chunks of flesh. The firing ceased, and an uneasy, terrifying calm now set over the throne room. After several seconds, Hoowis gestured towards Mace, Horn, and some of the other senior Jedi, calling them to his side. Some of the FKA men set up a perimeter around the room's exits: Obi-Wan and the other Jedi walked towards Hoowis, waiting to hear what came next.
"Cordova," Hoowis said. "Your package is aboard Wolverine, as we discussed: I'll send for a landing party to deliver it."
"Understood. My Padawan and I will pick it up," Eno replied.
"Very well, then. Horn, take some men along with Windu, Yelphis, and Tapal, and find the dungeons. The entrance to the Cave is in there, and it should be fairly obvious: they're likely to have marked it in some way."
"Understood, sir."
"Everyone else, spread out and clear the palace: I will find Husan. Don't worry about me: I can hold my own. I'll find you once I'm done."
Several minutes later…
Hoowis burst through the door into a spacious, well-decorated office, with a large desk made of the finest Kokeemi wood at its center. Husan was hunched over the desk, rifling through a stack of papers in a panic with lighter in hand. Spotting Hoowis' entry, Husan looked up, frozen in fear. Hoowis grinned as he pulled out a vibroblade.
"You remember me, you bastard?"
"Hoowis…Traitor!"
"That's right. Sharf Hoowis, pillar of the community, back in the day. All I did was criticize you…criticize you and your corruption, your contempt for the people of Kokeem."
"And you speak of this? You, an enemy of the people of Kokeem?"
"YOU made me an enemy of yourself, Husan. The day you sent your ruffians to defile and murder my wife and throw me in your dungeons. You thought I would die, like so many others. You should have made sure beforehand."
A moment's silence descended: Hoowis was now within arm's reach of Husan.
Good. One more second, and I end everything I've worked towards all these years.
Husan tried to run, a second too late. Hoowis grabbed him, holding the portly dictator steady as he raised his vibroblade. Hoowis took in the moment: took in the sweat running down Husan's brow, his writhing body, the animal look of fear in his eyes as he knew what was about to happen.
"What's the matter? No more of your minions coming to save you? Couldn't stay in your throne room and die fighting, like a man?"
Hoowis plunged the vibroblade into the side of Husan's neck; Husan reached out impotently as his eyes widened. Hoowis stepped back, angling his body and hand for the finishing blow as he further savored the moment.
"They deserted you, just like everyone else. Your reign of terror is over."
With a mighty roar and a jerk of the blade, Hoowis sliced Husan's head from his body. The body flopped to the floor as Hoowis caught the head, looking into its eyes. Husan's expression of terror changed to one of grim acceptance: his last act before the eyes of his severed head lost their focus. Hoowis continued to stare at the head, a flood of emotions washing over him as he pondered what he had just done.
This is it…this is everything I've strove towards all these years. Now, Husan lies dead at my feet, and Kokeem has been all but liberated. So much blood, toil, tears and sweat, and it ends in this posh office, with the little coward hiding behind his desk. I don't know how to feel…but this isn't the time for reflection. Now, a different war begins: if we should not win this one, then there will be nothing left to save.
Obi-Wan continued down one of the palace's hallways, Qui-Gon by his side while Adi and Siri continued on next to them.
The original team is finally reunited. Finally, we can accomplish what we set out to do all those weeks ago. But even despite that, Torsun is somewhere in here, waiting for me…waiting for our final encounter.
The four were in search of any remaining Vampires, as well as any potential clues to the KDF's excavation activities inside the tomb. Horn's team was somewhere in the dungeons, looking for the entrance into the tomb that Obi-Wan and Siri had opened during their escape, as well as documenting the evidence of the Vampires' cruel doings.
I'm just relieved that Horn is doing that: I don't look forward to retracing my steps through those dungeons, and neither does Siri…
"Wait," Qui-Gon said, raising his fist.
All eyes turned to Qui-Gon: he was scanning the room, apparently thinking of something but uncertain of what.
"What is it, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Listen, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon replied.
"To what?"
"Listen. That rumbling: can't you hear it?"
"Rumbling?" asked Siri.
"Yes. Listen."
The four Jedi remained silent for several seconds: as he focused on his surroundings, Obi-Wan became aware of a distinct, constant rumbling in some distant corner of the palace.
"I can hear it, Master," he said. "It sounds like some sort of large machine. It's somewhere to our front, or at least it sounds as if it is."
Sudden, rapid footfalls came from around a corner in front of them: the group turned and raised their lightsabers. A carbine-wielding man came sprinting around the corner, wearing KDF fatigues and carrying assorted bits of what appeared to be demolitions equipment.
An engineer…maybe he can tell us what's going on here.
At the sight of the four Jedi, the man froze. The four simultaneously leveled their lightsabers at him: Adi was the first to speak.
"Drop your weapon, now!"
The man hesitated, and then let go of his carbine: it clattered lazily to the floor. Despite the situation, he looked more dejected than terrified.
"Well, shit," he said flatly.
The Jedi approached the engineer cautiously, never taking their gaze off his hands as they hung at his sides. His eyes were bloodshot and heavy, their edges discolored.
Sleep deprivation. And that explains his behavior as well: he's too exhausted to feel much of anything.
The Jedi stopped within easy striking distance of the engineer, keeping their lightsabers trained on him. Qui-Gon broke the silence, lowering his blade slightly as he spoke.
"Who are you? What unit are you from?" Qui-Gon asked
"Private Iziar. 2nd Battalion, Engineer Corps, Kokeemi Defence Force Army," the man replied.
"What are you doing here?"
"My unit got sent here about a month ago: we're digging for something underneath the palace. I don't know what it is: all I know is the Vampires are involved, and they've been working us like slave drivers. They keep us working for days, and shoot anyone that slacks off or falls asleep. I lost count of when I last slept…"
"We hear machinery behind you. Is that part of your operation?"
"Yeah. We're going through this big tunnel network with all these weird booby traps: we're using explosives and drills to try and get around them. Whatever we rip out, we take up here via a conveyor belt system and feed it into a rock crusher. That noise you're talking about is probably it. It's right down that way, where you're headed."
Qui-Gon slightly raised his blade as Iziar finished his sentence. Iziar looked around at the Jedi, looking somewhat afraid for the first time.
"You going to kill me?"
"No," Qui-Gon said. "Jedi do not kill prisoners. We will call in a party to take you away: you will be decently treated."
"If you say so," Iziar replied with a shrug.
"Stay here. Obi-Wan, go down that way and find that crusher. I'll call someone to take care of our prisoner."
As Obi-Wan headed off down the hallway, Qui-Gon spoke to him through their Force bond.
Obi-Wan. Be careful: this prisoner could be trying to lure us into a trap. That machine might be heavily guarded, so stay on your toes. I can sense Master Gallia is somewhat uneasy about this as well: expect Siri to come in after you soon.
Then why did you send me into a trap, Master?
Because something tells me we ought to spring it.
Several minutes later…
As he entered the room, Obi-Wan's thoughts disappeared under the great roar of the machinery before him. He stood in a large chamber, its ornate decorations still intact but now covered in dust from countless crushed rocks. A conveyor belt ran through a nearby hallway, bringing large chunks of rock to a waiting chute of smooth metal, leading to the mouth of a massive grinder. On the stretch of conveyor belt leading to the chute, a set of stairs led up to a walkway on the left side of the belt, ending in a platform overlooking the chute with a small control panel and a prominent red button right on the ledge overlooking the drop into the grinder.
It's a control station: that button is likely an emergency shutoff switch. That platform looks to be an excellent vantage point.
Obi-Wan ascended the stairs, scanning his surroundings to confirm he was alone. As he ascended the platform, the room remained eerily empty: the only activity was the incessant, deafening cacophony of the machinery.
I can't see a living thing anywhere in this room: not even a fly buzzing round the lights. And that worries me far more than anything else I could have found in here. Something doesn't feel right…damn!
Sensing a pang of danger from the Force, Obi-Wan turned just in time to take a blow that knocked him to the platform's floor. He reached for his lightsaber: a boot smashed against his wrist and knocked it from his grasp. He cried out in pain as he released the lightsaber: the boot kicked it over the platform's side and onto the chamber's floor below.
At least it didn't go into the grinder…
A Vampire stood over Obi-Wan: the man seized him and began dragging him towards the conveyor belt.
That won't matter, though, if I go into the grinder!
"You remember me, loverboy?" the Vampire said as he tore off his helmet and respirator: it was the would-be rapist Obi-Wan had nearly beaten to death during the escape so long ago. His face still showed some subtle, telltale signs of Obi-Wan's brutal beating: his beady blue eyes conveyed nothing but utter, psychotic deadness.
"You…"
"That's right. You gave me some real nasty shiners: you shoulda' killed me when you had the chance. Now, I'm gonna grind you up good."
As the man dragged him to the conveyor belt, Obi-Wan quickly went through his options.
He still has his armor on: I'm not going to try and punch him. But his head…it's exposed. If only I had a weapon…
A large rock appeared on the belt, coming rapidly towards Obi-Wan.
Good. Now, wait for it…
The Vampire continued to gloat as he dragged Obi-Wan along: Obi-Wan remained limp, hoping to lull his adversary into a false sense of security.
"I bet you'll scream real good when you hit the grinder: there ain't gonna be nothin' left of you when it's over. I wonder where your sweet little girlfriend is? Real shame she won't get to see it."
Obi-Wan clenched his fists: he focused intently on the rock as it came closer and closer, thinking forbidden thoughts of how satisfying it would be to smash it against this ghoul's skull when the moment came; letting that malice focus his mind.
Keep talking, you bastard…
Now, he was just seconds away from being thrown onto the belt: the rock was just a simple Force pull away from his hand. He gently, imperceptibly, raised his hand as he prepared his body to pounce.
"This is gonna hurt, Jedi…"
"Precisely," Obi-Wan replied through gritted teeth.
He reached for the Vampire's unprotected groin, finding his testicles in an instant and squeezing them with all his might. The Vampire screamed in pain, doubling over as Obi-Wan squeezed harder. Obi-Wan called the rock to his hand with the Force and let go of the Vampire's testicles, winding up for a strike as his adversary recovered. With a roar of rage, Obi-Wan smashed the rock into the side of the man's mouth; blood splattered on the platform as some of the man's teeth flew out. He clutched at his jaw, moaning in agony as Obi-Wan grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up. As the moment overtook him, Obi-Wan looked the Vampire squarely in the eyes, grinning psychotically.
"Like you said, it's going to hurt."
A fist slammed into his gut as he moved to throw the Vampire onto the conveyor belt, and in the next instant he was grappling with the Vampire, plunging towards the belt as his footing slipped.
Bugger me…
He hit the belt, wrestling with the Vampire as the belt carried both men along towards its end. Obi-Wan grabbed a nearby rock, striking the Vampire in the head and knocking him back. He struggled to his feet, bracing himself against the railing and attempting to climb back onto the platform. The Vampire charged at him, bracing low for a tackle that would send both men into the jaws of the crusher. Obi-Wan lashed out with a haymaker: the blow connected, and the man tumbled back down the conveyor belt. The edge of Obi-Wan's boot caught the fast-moving belt and pulled him off-balance: he fell onto the belt once more, the drop into the rock crusher now coming up at him rapidly. He grabbed the edge of the platform's railing right as his legs left the conveyor belt. The force of the belt propelled the remainder of his body off, and his legs slammed against the chute as his arms took his weight and he hung onto the railing for dear life. He pulled himself up and looked down into the crusher for the first time: it was a series of fast-moving rollers set against each other, with sharp diamond teeth built into them to chew up rocks as they fell in. He winced as a large, tough-looking rock hit the teeth no more than a meter from his feet and disintegrated into dust in a split second: he reflexively tucked in his legs, as if moving them further away would somehow save him from the crusher's vicious teeth. Above him, the Vampire casually stepped onto the platform and began walking towards him: he grimaced as he thought of the crusher below.
This isn't good…
Siri halted at the chamber's entrance as a Vampire came into view to her front. He turned to look at something high up at the other end of the room without any indication that he had noticed Siri approaching.
You should have paid more attention.
Siri dashed towards the Vampire, only igniting her lightsaber when she reared back to strike. The man turned around as he heard the sudden noise, just in time to see Siri as she hacked him in two. As what remained of the Vampire hit the floor, Siri looked up towards where the Vampire had turned earlier, curious as to what had caught the man's attention. A large conveyor belt led to a massive rock crusher, with a scaffold and stairs leading to a small platform overlooking the crusher itself.
It's just as Iziar described…but what got that Vampire's attention?
A figure on the platform provided the answer: he wore Vampire armor, but for some reason had abandoned his helmet and respirator. Siri shuddered as she realized who he was.
That's the son of a bitch from the mountain spring…Ugo, Torsun's pet pervert. We meet again.
Ugo strode towards the edge of the platform; like his late subordinate, he was totally oblivious to Siri's presence. To Siri's horror, Obi-Wan hung off the edge of the platform, just a fall away from the rock crusher. She tensed for a Force jump onto the platform, calculating her landing point so as to put herself right behind Ugo.
Hang on, Obie!
The Vampire continued to casually walk towards Obi-Wan as he hung helplessly over the crusher, trying not to look at the whirring teeth right below his feet. He halted and stared straight at Obi-Wan, grinning before slamming his boot into the fingers of Obi-Wan's left hand. Obi-Wan cried out in pain, desperately grabbing at another part of the railing as he tensed his right hand for the kick he knew was coming.
Hold on! Hold on, damn you!
The second kick hit his hand: he shut his eyes, concentrating on nothing but his grip to shut out the pain of the Vampire's boot smashing into his fragile fingers. He grunted under the impact, but continued to hold on: another kick came, and then another as he felt his right hand begin to give way.
Hold on!
Another kick came, and his hand finally, inevitably gave way of its own accord: now, his strained left arm and the tight grip of his left hand were all that kept him from a horrific death in the crusher's teeth.
Hold on! Hold on, damn you! Live! Hold on, and live!
His eyes remained shut under the pain of another impact against his left hand and the roar of the crusher below. Yet another blow struck his left hand: now, to his horror, his sweaty, burning fingers began to lose their grip.
No!
The railing slid further out of his grasp: another kick would come, and that would knock him loose, and he would slide down the chute, feet first into the crusher, screaming all the way as it tore him into unrecognizable shreds of flesh. Finally losing his nerve, he cried out in horror as he waited helplessly for the fatal kick: seconds and seconds and seconds passed and now death was a release from the terror of it all.
Die damn you die damn you die damn you die…
The seconds passed, and still the kick never came.
He's savoring it. Damn you, just kill me!
Obi-Wan finally mustered the courage to open his eyes, he still hung precariously above the crusher, his sweaty, shaking grip continuing to slip away. The Vampire above Obi-Wan was now looking at someone behind him, standing on the platform with a pistol in hand. Upon closer examination, the man's holster was empty: a glance to the figure holding the pistol brought a smile to Obi-Wan's face.
Siri!
Siri had the pistol leveled at the Vampire: her expression was utterly dead as she stared down the man that had tried to rape her. The Vampire simply gave her a sick, demented smile.
"Hey, sweetcheeks. You miss me?"
Siri's dead expression didn't change: without uttering so much as a grunt, she pulled the trigger of the pistol. The bolt struck the Vampire in the chest, sending him staggering back against the railing near the conveyor belt: wounded but still alive. For the first time, Siri spoke: her voice as emotionless as her expression.
"No."
Obi-Wan quickly regained his nerve and took advantage of the situation: he swung his body around and wrapped his right hand around the railing. He pulled himself up farther, and then reached out his left hand towards the Vampire.
Like you said, this is going to hurt.
Obi-Wan flipped the wounded Vampire over the railing with the Force: the man cartwheeled awkwardly onto the conveyor belt. Dazed, he regained his senses just as the conveyor belt dumped him into the chute. He slid down the smooth metal surface, clawing impotently at anything that could keep him from the maw of the crusher. It was no use: the Vampire's feet hit the crusher's whirring teeth, and he let out a bloodcurdling scream as his death began. Bit by bit, the crusher gorged itself upon him, throwing blood and bits of flesh about as his screams grew louder, barely drowning out the sick sound of shredding flesh, muscle, and bone. He sank deeper and deeper, the crusher turning itself red with his blood as it consumed him. Second by second, his legs, his thighs, his torso, and finally his head disappeared into red spray and chunks of flesh, and the horrible screaming and grinding finally ended. Obi-Wan finally looked away, realizing that he was still breathing and hanging over the blood-soaked crusher. Siri stood over him, white as a sheet and looking totally lost for words. Finally, she spoke.
"Are you alright?"
Obi-Wan's stomach began to give way as he shouted to Siri.
"SWITCH THE BLOODY MACHINE OFF!"
Siri immediately pressed the large red button Obi-Wan had noticed earlier. The conveyor belt stopped, and the grinder slowed to a halt: finally, mercifully, the diamond teeth fell still. Obi-Wan let go of the railing, slid down to the dormant grinder, and put his feet out, letting the once-deadly teeth of the grinder break his fall. Lying on his back on the smooth metal chute for what felt like eternity, he struggled to his feet, doubled over, and vomited. When he regained his senses, he heard Siri calling to him from above.
"Obie! Come on, get out of there!'
Obi-Wan staggered up the chute: after several tries that sent him sliding back down, he managed to leap up enough to wrap his fingers around the edge of the chute and pull himself towards the conveyor belt. Soon, he had a firm grip on the edge of the belt, and he finally pulled himself out of the chute and onto the dormant conveyor belt. He trudged onto the platform, towards Siri: as he stepped back onto the safety of the platform once again, she embraced him. No Jedi inhibition came to mind: he instinctively embraced her in return; glad to feel the warmth of her touch once again.
Just let her hold you.
After several seconds, Obi-Wan and Siri broke their embrace: Obi-Wan finally mustering the presence of mind to speak once again.
"Thank you."
"You should thank Master Adi. She sent me down here: she figured this might have been a set-up."
Before Obi-Wan could reply, a booming, familiar voice from below caught his attention.
"Obi-Wan! Siri! We're here!"
Qui-Gon!
Obi-Wan ran to the railing: Qui-Gon and Adi now stood at the entrance to the room. He raced down the stairs, Siri right behind him.
"Master!"
"Obi-Wan. It's good to see you're alive: I thought this was some kind of trap. What happened?"
"The Vampires were waiting for me. They ambushed me: if it hadn't been for Siri, I would be dead now."
"Well, that's fortuitous, Obi-Wan," said Adi. "I had the same suspicions as your Master: I sent her to you, in case we were correct. In any case, I'm glad to see you and Siri are both alive."
"Obi-Wan! Catch!" Siri said.
Obi-Wan instinctively held out his hand as Siri tossed him his lightsaber from where it lay beneath the platform. As Obi-Wan clipped the weapon to his belt, Qui-Gon reached for his commlink.
"This is Jinn, over."
A garbled voice came from the other end: Qui-Gon's expression turned slightly dour.
"Understood. Meet us in the throne room: we can wait while you get that package. Out."
Qui-Gon hung up his commlink as Siri approached: she shared a glance with Adi before Adi turned to Qui-Gon.
"What was that about?"
"It was Master Cordova: he's found the entrance to the tomb."
Several minutes earlier…
"Right this way, sir," said the petty officer as he gestured for Horn and Kota to enter. Horn gulped as he entered the room, quietly bracing for whatever he was about to see. Behind him, Kota was paralyzed, unable to even move his feet.
"Come on, Kota. Let's get this over with."
Kota didn't budge: Horn put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's all right, Kota: I'm with you."
Kota nodded, and then followed Horn through the door. The room was a dimly lit affair, with two reclined chairs facing each other and a control console against one of the walls. Trays situated around the chairs carried various vicious-looking bits of equipment, from pliers to blades to drills to syringes and myriad other items that made even Horn shudder. The two chairs had metal restraints on the sides of the backrests, where prisoners' arms would naturally hang. The backrests were dotted with a series of metal surfaces: wires ran from the chair along the floor to the control panel against the wall.
Sick bastards.
Against another wall was a series of chains and restraints under a bright light hanging from the ceiling: the ancient brick bore faded, barely visible bloodstains. Amidst the ghastly surroundings, Wildara walked with a holocam in hand and an escort of Wolverine's ship's company at her side, taking pictures of the various bits of torture equipment. Horn approached, and she turned to look at him, her face as grim as Horn had ever seen it.
"Wildara," he said.
"Sir," she replied.
"Are you well?"
"No, I'm not. No sane, decent being can be after touring a place like this. I've seen some dark stuff in my time, but this…this is on a whole new level. We all knew the Vampires were into this kind of stuff, but nothing can prepare you to see it. At least I'm getting evidence of all this: we can show it to the people, so they don't just dismiss it all as propaganda. In any case, I don't want to think at all about what went on in this room over the years: I could have easily become one of its victims if I were ever caught. And to think Obi-Wan and Siri were in here not long ago…it makes my skin crawl just thinking about it. Sir," she said, adding the honorific as if it were little more than an afterthought. Horn couldn't reply: the thought of Siri in this chamber, tormented by the wicked Torsun and his minions, made his blood boil. In the background, Rahm stood glued to the floor as he blankly stared at various points in the room. Before he could start for his batman, Wildara stepped forward and leaned towards Horn.
"Sir, please. Let me talk to him."
Horn nodded in assent, and Wildara approached her brother: she quietly addressed him in Kokeemi, and he replied in kind.
"Rahmi…" she said.
"This place…it's evil. I can feel it," Rahm replied.
"I know, Rahmi. And this is why we're here, fighting this war. So that this never happens again."
"Yeah," he said, staring off into space. She briefly hugged him, and then returned to documenting the room's horrors as Horn approached Kota. As Horn reached Kota's side, an FKA man burst into the room.
"Sir! Sir!"
"What is it?" Horn asked.
"We found the tomb entrance, sir! It's in one of the cells, just like the Jedys said it would be! Windu and Cordova are there right now, sir!"
"Understood. Wait there: I'll follow you."
"Yes, sir."
Horn turned back to Kota: the boy still stared at the scene before him.
"Kota. Come on; we need to go."
Horn put a hand on Kota's shoulder, and Kota finally turned to follow him. Before the two exited the room, though, Horn turned back to Kota.
"Kota. Listen to me."
"Sir."
"You're doing well, you understand? Now hold it together: we all need you here. You can do this!"
Kota seemed to regain some of his motivation: his posture stiffened, and he looked Horn in the eyes.
"Thank you, sir."
As the two exited the room, Horn took the receiver of Kota's radio.
"MOTHER, this is DEADPAN. Have discovered HAUNTED HOUSE, requesting delivery of care package. Over."
"DEADPAN, MOTHER. Understood, will send care package without delay. Over."
"Understood, MOTHER. DEADPAN out."
As he hung up the radio, Horn remembered something: he gestured for Kota to halt, and then felt for the object slung over his shoulder: to his relief, it was there, right where he had donned it that morning. He then reached for his pocket: the other object was there as well. Kota turned to face Horn, a look of recognition on his face as he realized what had piqued Horn's interest.
"You have it, sir."
"Indeed I do. Remember what we agreed upon. If I should die…"
"I'll do it, sir."
"Good. I switched the key without issue: I have the real one with me, in my right waist pocket."
"Understood, sir," Kota said, his voice wavering. Horn put his hand on Kota's shoulder in response.
"Courage, Kota. We both know this is the right thing to do."
"Yes, sir," he said, still sounding somewhat unconvinced. Try as he might, Horn couldn't help but be infected by his batman's doubt.
Don't lose your nerve, you coward. You said it: this is the right thing to do. No one should have that power…not the Jedi, not the FKA, not anyone else.
Obi-Wan sat against a pillar in the throne room, trying to calm his nerves while he thought of his impending reentry into the tomb: then, Hoowis entered the throne room with Master Windu, Master Cordova, and Cere by his side. Cere stood in the center of a landing party of armed ship's company from Wolverine, holding a large box in her hands. As she reached the center of the room, the landing party parted, allowing her to step into the center of the room and put down the box. All gathered around as she opened the box: it contained a small bipedal droid, roughly the size of a womp rat, with a flat rectangular head that was almost as large as its body. It had two sensors on the front of its head, along with a pair of antennae jutting out at an angle from the back of its head. The top of its head bore the winged lightsaber roundel of the Jedi Order, and on either side of its head sat the distinctive eight-pointed Republic emblem. It was painted in a bright white, accented with gold stripes. Everyone in the room, FKA and Jedi alike, stood transfixed by the strange droid. Cere nonchalantly removed the droid from the box, explaining its story as she did so.
"This is the Mervisey Industries Buddy Droid: currently designated XBD as part of the Jedi Order's Personal Exploration Droid Program, known as PED for short. PED's aim is to create a portable droid for exploration use in areas and environments too small or too dangerous for most sentient beings to operate in: it can also act as a mobile database, as well as carry a limited amount of small supplies. This unit, XBD-1, is an example of Mervisey's submission to the program: there are other, competing designs undergoing trials in various stages throughout the galaxy. Officially, what we're about to do with this unit is part of those trials."
Cere fiddled with a switch on the droid's back, and the droid whirred to life, standing up on its legs and swiveling its large, flat head around the room. It made a few odd chirps and beeps before Cere patted it on the head.
"There, there. You're okay."
The droid looked up at Cere: its attitude that of a dog to its master. Despite the situation, Cere gave the little droid a slight smile.
"Come on. Let's get going."
The droid stood up and jumped onto Cere's arm, then crawled onto her back as she stood up. The other Jedi were utterly blank-faced: the FKA in the room all stared at her in awe. Underneath his emotionless expression, Obi-Wan couldn't help but marvel as well at the tiny little droid.
I trust this little one's field trials will go smoothly.
Several minutes later…
Obi-Wan continued down the dark corridors of the dungeon, clenching his fists so as to stop their tremor. Qui-Gon, Siri, Adi, Mace, Eno and Cere stood around him, along with Hoowis and the party of over a dozen heavily armed FKA men he had picked to enter the tomb.
At least this time I'm not bound, gagged, and helpless. Now, I have a small army with me, armed to the hilt and ready to end this once and for all. But still, I can't forget that Torsun is somewhere down there, waiting for me…and this time, only one of us will walk away.
Siri walked by his side, her eyes wide with worry as they darted around the hallway. Satisfied that the rest of the group was preoccupied elsewhere, Obi-Wan put his hand against hers: she stroked it for a brief moment, not daring to take it in the presence of so many Jedi. She looked at him, met his gaze with her own, and then turned away, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath as Obi-Wan did the same. As Obi-Wan opened his eyes, Master Cordova stepped out from an open cell door to the group's front. As Cordova turned to face the approaching group, Horn walked out behind him, sub-repeater clutched in hand. Hoowis gestured for the group to halt, and then approached Horn, conversing inaudibly as the group waited. Obi-Wan nearly jumped as a hand touched his shoulder: to his relief, it was Qui-Gon, standing next to him and looking at him warmly.
"You're doing well, Obi-Wan. I know it isn't easy for you to return to this place."
"Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan mumbled, barely meeting Qui-Gon's gaze. In front, Master Cordova stepped forward, Hoowis and Horn turning towards him in response.
"Everyone, form a school circle," said Eno.
Without a word, the crowd in the hallway gathered in front of Eno, and he continued.
"Listen, and listen well: what I'm about to say might well save any one of your lives. I have several rules here: these are orders, not suggestions. Follow them to the letter: every single one of you. You're about to encounter all sorts of things you have never even dreamed of before, and may never see again for the rest of your lives after today. However tough, however brave, however well-armed you think you are, you're in the realm of the Sith now, and you're playing their games. You're dealing with forces you can't fully comprehend. And the minute you disrespect those forces is the minute you get killed. Do you understand?"
Everyone in the group, Obi-Wan included, nodded. Eno continued a moment later.
"The first rule is this: DO NOT touch ANYTHING without consulting me beforehand, no matter how innocuous it seems. I've been in tombs such as this before, and I can tell you that any object you see could be designed to kill you if you touch it. If you have doubts or need to handle an object, ask me beforehand. Otherwise, leave it alone: I will brook neither discussion nor non-compliance on this matter."
Eno paused, and then continued; apparently taking the silence for assent.
"The second rule: stay together. This tomb will be a maze, and getting lost means getting killed. ALWAYS stay with the group: if we need to split up for some reason, we will arrange it as needed. If that happens, ALWAYS stay with your assigned group. Finally, the third rule: keep your eyes open. If anything looks suspicious, point it out. If you see movement, point it out: in all likelihood, there are large numbers of Vampires inside the tomb, and the largely unexplored passageways may hold other dangers as well. Be ready for anything, and be ready to engage a threat at a moment's notice. In those narrow hallways, a second's lapse could kill you and your comrades."
Eno paused yet again, and then loosened his posture.
"Is everyone clear on this, then?"
A slew of affirmative responses from the members of the group followed: Siri then broke up the rhythm.
"Master Cordova?" she asked.
"Yes, Padawan Tachi?"
"The key…that sphere Obi-Wan and I picked up…where is it?"
"I have it. I'm keeping it for security reasons: once we find the burial chamber, I'll take it out and open the way to the sarcophagus."
"Understood, Master Cordova."
Eno looked over the group one last time, and then gestured for all to follow him as he stepped into the cell. Pressed against the others as they filed into the tiny room, Obi-Wan took one last, deep breath to calm himself as he entered his former prison once again: incredibly, the bucket whose edge he had sharpened to cut his bonds was still in the corner, right where he had discarded it. In front of him, the hole he and Siri had blasted through the floor loomed large: a black pit in the center of the cell, now with a ladder stretching into its depths and Kota standing guard over it with his knuckles white around his carbine. At its bottom was the faintest glow of ambient light: closer examination revealed a series of lights strung on running wires along either side of the corridor. Memories of the previous year's terrifying sprint through the spider-infested mines of Kessel played through his mind as Obi-Wan remembered the similar lighting arrangement in the dark tunnels.
At least there are no spiders in this tunnel…I hope.
Eno was the first down the ladder: he jumped off its final rungs and ignited his lightsaber, scanning his surroundings for a few seconds before signaling the others to enter. One by one the group went down the ladder: finally, it was Obi-Wan's turn. Gathering himself one last time, he crouched down and put his foot to a rung, grasping the handholds. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered himself back into the tomb. Finally, before he realized it, his boots hit the familiar ancient floor once again. He scanned his surroundings: the corridor was just as he remembered it, the only difference being the lights now illuminating it, stretching down to the bend where he and Siri had discovered the key. Obi-Wan took his lightsaber in hand, and ignited it, taking some comfort in the blue light of the blade against the tunnel walls and the faces of those around him.
Here I come, Torsun.
As the group continued through the tunnels, Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel a sense of unease: disturbingly, he could not place where it came from.
Is it the memories? The dark side? The thought of facing Torsun? Or something else entirely?
Obi-Wan turned to Qui-Gon: his brow was furrowed, his eyes distant.
He can sense it as well, can't he?
"Halt," Qui-Gon said, bringing the group to a halt in the middle of the tunnel. Hoowis turned to Qui-Gon, bewildered.
"Did you see something?"
"No, but I sense something. Something up ahead, something hostile."
"Vampires?"
"No. Something different…something animal. Something dark and ferocious…"
Obi-Wan gasped as a sudden, horrible, familiar growl from somewhere ahead of the group cut Qui-Gon off in midsentence. The entire group began to look around with wide eyes: even the hardened FKA men seemed unnerved, including Horn. Kota just stared straight ahead, his hands noticeably shaking.
The beast. The beast Siri and I encountered: it's still down here.
"What was that?" Hoowis said to no one in particular. Obi-Wan stepped forward, never taking his eyes off of the group's front.
"Some sort of guard animal, Mr. Hoowis. Siri and I encountered it when we escaped."
"Guard animal…the Hounds of Hell? They're real as well?"
"Yes, Mr. Hoowis," Obi-Wan replied.
"Wait? Guard animal? 'Hounds of Hell?'" Eno asked, turning to Obi-Wan and Hoowis.
"Aye, it's a local legend. Always thought it was an old wives' tale, until Kenobi just told me otherwise," Hoowis replied.
"Padawan Kenobi? You've encountered this animal before?" Eno asked, his gaze now locked on Obi-Wan.
"I have, Master Cordova. And so has Siri," Obi-Wan replied.
Eno paused, something in his expression telling Obi-Wan he knew something he wasn't about to say.
"Everyone, stay alert. I don't like the sound of this," said Eno, his voice grim. "If you see this guard animal, engage it immediately."
The group finally exited the corridors into a large, open chamber, filled with various bits of pottery and other artifacts. A series of klieg lights around the room bathed its floor in bright light, while the ceiling stretched up into the darkness. Various bits of military and engineering equipment were strewn around the room, but the most disturbing part was the body of a man, or at least something that looked like one, against a statue in the corner: he had been disemboweled, nearly decapitated, and ripped apart so thoroughly that he was barely recognizable as something that had once been human. The group turned to the corpse, stifled groans of disgust going up at the sight. Eno stepped forward, Hoowis by his side as everyone else either watched or nervously scanned the perimeter.
"He's KDF, it looks like. Probably one of their engineers," said Hoowis as Eno crouched by the body.
"But who, or what, killed him and left him like this?" Eno said.
"The Hounds of Hell. It had to be them," Hoowis replied.
"That's the answer we're all afraid to say, Mr. Hoowis."
Hoowis and Eno stood up and approached the group: Eno gestured for the group to rally on him.
"Whatever this guard animal is, we're getting close to it. I want everyone…"
The growl came, and the whole room started: Obi-Wan knew it was close enough for the beast to strike. Down another corridor, there it stood again: the horrific red eyes, burning with bloodlust, the faint Force presence, the jagged, black canine body now silhouetted against the rows of lights. It stood just shy of the threshold leading into the chamber, scratching its claws against the floor in anticipation: one more second and it would pounce. Hoowis looked towards the beast, clutching his rifle as his men instinctively gathered around him and leveled their weapons at it. The Jedi all ignited their lightsabers as one; Hoowis shouted to his men as the blades sprang to life.
"OPEN FIRE!"
The blasters of over a dozen FKA men roared to life: the beast charged forward despite the fusillade, dodging and weaving and shrugging off a pair of glancing blows. Its first victim was an unlucky man with a heavy repeating blaster: it jumped upon him and sunk its teeth into his throat, and then tore with such force that everything above his armpits was ripped into a bloody mess. It continued its rampage: it struck one man with a sharp spine on one of its shoulders, and he staggered forward before doubling over, convulsing in agony.
Poison!
Another man with a scattergun fired at less than a meter away: the beast flinched under the impact before turning back to the man. It swatted away his weapon with its paw, then took him in its jaws and shook him: the violence of the motions tore the man in two, splattering the room with gore as his two halves flew raggedly apart. Hoowis fired at the beast with his rifle: it dodged and went for him before briefly staggering under a burst from Horn's sub-repeater. It then went for Horn, charging forth relentlessly as Horn backpedaled, his eyes widening.
Oh, no…
Suddenly, Siri leapt over the beast, sweeping her lightsaber through its left ear. The ear flew off, and the beast recoiled with a howl of pain as Siri landed effortlessly on her feet behind it. It recovered, and charged at her as Obi-Wan and Adi rushed to Siri's aid: Horn stood nearly motionless, white as a sheet with his sub-repeater silent. Siri dodged as the beast swiped at her with its claws: Obi-Wan struck at one of its poisonous spines, cutting it off in an instant. The beast howled in pain and lashed out at Obi-Wan with its claws: Obi-Wan dodged the blow as Adi delivered a deep cut to its leg. She followed up with another slash to its belly, sending the beast recoiling. It reared up for a counterattack, but staggered back under a Force push from Siri. Now, Master Windu joined in the fight, his distinctive aggressive style on display as he charged at the beast and delivered blow after blow towards it. The beast continued to dodge, but this only drove it within striking range of Master Cordova, who swept his lightsaber across part of its belly. Badly wounded, the beast lashed out with one of its claws, Master Cordova barely avoiding the strike. It whipped its tail towards Master Windu, forcing him out of position as he avoided the blow. Suddenly, a burst from a heavy repeating blaster came out of nowhere and caught the beast in the side. It staggered, howling in pain, until it saw the source: Kota, holding the blood-soaked heavy repeating blaster of his comrade that the beast had ripped apart earlier, his carbine slung over his shoulder. The beast braced itself to charge: Kota stood his ground, his eyes wild as he held the repeating blaster at his hip. It charged, and Kota responded with a long burst from the blaster as the Jedi dove for the ground amidst the wild hail of bolts. Most struck the wall harmlessly; some, though, found their mark, causing the tiring beast to stagger under the impacts as it closed the distance. Finally, Kota could stand no longer: as the beast reached him and lunged with its razor-sharp teeth, he jumped aside, the blaster clattering to the floor next to him. The beast turned to finish him off: still lying on the floor, Kota somehow managed to sit up, grab the twenty-pound blaster next to him and bring it to bear. He fired a burst, striking the beast squarely in its side. It writhed and moaned, falling over and exposing its belly to Kota's fire. Kota held the trigger down, shouting wildly as he pumped bolt after bolt into the beast's belly. The beast thrashed and jerked under the impacts: even Obi-Wan felt some sadness as he heard its canine howls of pain. Finally, a loud snap emitted from the blaster: Kota uttered a sharp obscenity in Kokeemi as he released his grip on its burning-hot barrel and threw it to the ground. He sat there, panting, as the beast lay lifelessly before him and everyone in the room stared at him in amazement. Eno stepped forward with Mace at his side as Kota struggled to his feet, violently shaking as the adrenaline of the fight wore off.
"Wha…what was that?" Kota asked.
"Exactly what I thought it was," Eno replied. "Tuk'ata: a Sith hound."
"Sith hound?"
"They're Force-sensitive creatures created using the dark side of the Force, usually used to guard the tombs of Sith Lords. Dominius must have had one to guard his own tomb. They're immortal, and as you just saw they're extremely dangerous: you're lucky to be alive right now. We all are."
Mace remained silent, but something about him told Obi-Wan he was somewhat impressed by what he had just witnessed.
If Kota wants to join the Jedi Order once this is over, he's off to a promising start.
"Let's move on, then," Hoowis said, walking over to Eno and Mace. "We can save the accolades for later. We still have a burial chamber to find, and the Vampires are still somewhere down here, waiting for us. Everyone check your weapons: we're moving out."
Author's note: The death of Swall and its subsequent accompanying "bloody machine" exchange was something I took from the James Bond film "License to Kill," released in 1989 and starring Timothy Dalton as James Bond. Dalton is my second-favorite actor in the role next to Sean Connery, as he is the closest there was (and the closest we'll ever get) to seeing Bond as he was in Ian Fleming's original novels depicted in the films. Dalton, by his own admission, read the books in preparation for the role, and it shows. I'm a huge fan of the Bond novels, and Fleming has been one of the major influences on the Kenobi Trilogy as a whole. The scene involves an exchange between Bond and sidekick/love interest Pam after Bond throws a henchman (played by a young Benicio del Toro) in a cocaine grinder. The scene is on YouTube: watch at your discretion, though, as it is extremely graphic. I thought the "bloody machine" exchange fit well with Obi-Wan and Siri for some reason, and so, to put it bluntly, I stole it and used it. And before anyone asks; yes, the "gun" part of a flamethrower really is called a "wand." Different countries use different systems on their flamethrowers, but I used the American M2 as my reference point. The M2's wand has two triggers: one at the rear sprays fuel, while the other at the front is connected to a ring-like cartridge at the mouth of the wand. The cartridge contains a number of sections, each with a combustible plug. Upon pulling the front trigger, the plug will be ignited, creating a pilot light (very much like a Bunson burner in a chemistry lab.) The light stays burning for a number of seconds: pulling the rear trigger will spray fuel directly through the pilot light, igniting it. The cartridge rotates between combustible plugs, much like the cylinder of a revolver, allowing the operator to fire as long as his fuel and pilot lights hold out. This two-stage system was first introduced on the M2 when it entered service in 1943, and variations of it were used on all subsequent American flamethrowers. The M2 remained in service through the Second World War and the Korean War, with some examples still in use during the Vietnam War (by that time, the newer M9 flamethrower had started to replace it.) The United States Armed Forces retired flamethrowers in the 1980s, replacing them with incendiary rocket launchers such as the M202 FLASH (best known as the four-barreled rocket launcher that Arnold Schwarzenegger carried in the film "Commando.") The PED program and the rest of Cere's description of XBD-1 are my own creations, as well as the paint scheme XBD-1 has: I meant it as a sort of "trial" livery for experimental droid types that haven't passed the Jedi Order's service trials yet. The "X" (experimental) designation in XBD-1 is a nod to the real-life "X" prefix the US Armed Forces give to the designations of experimental equipment of various types.