Episode 2 – Ghost of the Shadowlands
Defeat at Yavin! Launching their brutal campaign against the Republic, the Sith have struck a major blow to the Jedi Order, driving them away from their home on Yavin IV! Now the Jedi have found a new home on Ossus! While some of the Jedi turn their attention to leading the war effort, the rest remain on Ossus to train the orphaned Padawans whose masters fell in the violence on Yavin!
Ossus…
Jedi Master and Grand Council Member K'Kruhk stood looking over the beautiful landscape surrounding the Jedi Temple, admiring its beauty and glancing away occasionally as ships took off and landed, delivering equipment, supplies, personnel, and other things for the Jedi. The Order was still getting situated on Ossus following the abrupt evacuation from Yavin. K'Kruhk's thoughts were interrupted as he sensed Luke approaching.
"Master K'Kruhk." Luke said as he stepped up next to K'Kruhk, joining him in admiring the view.
"This world is possibly more beautiful than Yavin. There isn't a constant sense of the Dark Side around us here as there was with the Massassi Temples." K'Kruhk said as Luke nodded in agreement.
"I'm glad we found this place when we did. Otherwise we would have no place for the Order to gather." Luke said as K'Kruhk lowered his head slightly.
"Even though we have a home now, there are those amongst us who left a part of themselves at Yavin." K'Kruhk said sadly.
"You speak of the Padawans whose Masters fell to the Sith. Master Korr, Master Kota, among others." Luke said as K'Kruhk removed his hat in memory of the fallen Jedi.
"If you would permit me, Skywalker, may I take care of the Padawans? Many of them are angry for losing their Masters, and need a calming hand. They are also eager to do their part in the war and I might have an idea or two on how they can help." K'Kruhk said as Luke arched a curious eyebrow.
"How so?"
A little later…
Tahiri Velia sat quietly in a large hall that had been converted into a commissary for the Jedi and the temple security force. Sitting nearby was a teenaged Twi'lek boy with blue skin, both of them sitting quietly, eating their meals in silence. Tahiri quietly took note of the Padawan braid made out of small beads hanging from the Twi'lek's head. They were then joined by a teenaged Kaleesh girl, who didn't pay much attention to either one of her table mates as she dined on her own tray of food. Tahiri looked at her curiously for a moment before returning to her meal. The Kaleesh also had a Padawan braid and two lightsabers.
"Taken, this seat is?" a young male voice asked. Tahiri and the Kaleesh looked down to see a small green creature with a head full of brown hair smiling up at them. The creature was the same species as the late Master Yoda.
"Uh, no." Tahiri replied as the creature gave an appreciative nod and climbed onto the bench Tahiri was sitting on, sitting next to her.
"Yodin, I am. A great Jedi, I will be." The boy said to Tahiri with a smile. Tahiri quietly took note of his Padawan braid.
"Tahiri, and a little humility you could use." Tahiri commented.
"A funny bone, you lack." Yodin chuckled as a teenaged Zabrak girl sat down next to Yodin, and across from the Twi'lek boy. The Zabrak had a double-bladed lightsaber on her back.
"Hey, no frogs allowed, Yodin." The Zabrak said earning a smirk from the diminutive Padawan.
"If a frog, I am, then Nerf-herder you are, Hisari." Yodin said, earning an annoyed look from the Zabrak. Before Hisari could explode, Tahiri and the Twi'lek had grabbed both her and Yodin, pulling them away from each other as the Kaleesh watched, completely un-amused. The entire commissary was watching as Tahiri and the Twi'lek struggled to restrain them both, Hisari trying to claw at Yodin while the latter taunted her. The fight was abruptly stopped when they heard a deafening electronic shrieking sound, causing them to cringe in pain.
"That is quite enough, all of you!" a man with a thick Concord Dawn accent ordered as he approached. He very closely resembled Boba Fett only his military styled cut hair was solid grey. He wore a suit of well-preserved Phase I Clone Trooper armor, but with the insignia of the Jedi Order on the shoulders and chest with four tiny markings on the left breast, each one of them different. The one on the left was the symbol of the Old Republic, to the right was the Rebel Starbird, then the Republic Starbird, and finally the insignia of the New Jedi Order. His armor had maroon markings reminiscent of the color scheme used by the Old Republic Shock troopers on Coruscant during the Clone Wars.
"If this is how the younger members of the Jedi Order are going to behave, then I surely hope I don't end up calling any of you Commander in the near future." The old clone said as he kept a small sonic blaster trained on them.
"Away put your weapon! Stop fighting we will." Yodin winced, rubbing his ears.
"Who are you anyway?" the Twi'lek asked as the four Padawans sat down. The Kaleesh continued eating as if nothing had happened.
"I am BL-1707, otherwise known as Able, but you can call me sir or Commander." The clone said sternly before a human hand was placed on his shoulder.
"That's enough, Commander Able. I'm sure the Padawans won't do it again." Master Tionne Solusar said, causing the old clone to stand at attention.
"Just doing my duty, General." Able said with a salute as Tionne turned her attention to the Padawans.
"I'm glad to see all five of you here at once. It seems the force has already brought the five of you together." Tionne said, confusing all five of the Padawans.
"You were looking for the five of us?" the Twi'lek asked, surprised.
"Yes. The council has requested to see you in the council chambers." Tionne said. Soon Tionne was leading the five through the halls towards the chambers.
"Any idea what the council wants from us, Master Tionne?" the Twi'lek asked curiously.
"It's not for me to say. Rather, they asked me to refrain from mentioning it before they have a chance to explain it themselves." Tionne replied.
"Perhaps it's an opportunity to get out there and see some action. I've been itching for a chance to take on those Sith scumbags ever since they killed my Master on Yavin!" Hisari said, spinning a double-bladed lightsaber hilt in her hand with a grin.
"Don't be too eager, Hisari." The Kaleesh girl said, speaking for the first time in their presence. She spoke with a typical Kaleesh accent. She walked perfectly upright too.
"Who are you anyway?" the Twi'lek asked.
"Ronderu, formerly the Padawan of Master Rahm Kota." The Kaleesh said as Tahiri looked up at the taller Padawan.
"You were Master Kota's apprentice? I was Master Jaden Korr's Padawan." Tahiri said but Ronderu said nothing.
"You're Padawan Velia, right?" the Twi'lek asked as Tahiri nodded.
"Yes. Who was your Master?" Tahiri asked as the Twi'lek looked saddened again.
"Master Dorsk. I'm Grun, by the way." The Twi'lek said.
"Know me already, you do." Yodin said as he easily remained in step with the others.
"And obnoxious you are." Hisari mumbled as they reached the doors to the council chambers which opened themselves for the group. Inside, the council was already seated although there were some members that were physically absent but present via hologram, specifically Galen, Kyp Durron, Kyle Katarn, Maris Brood, and Kam Solusar. There were two empty seats next to each other however, the ones once occupied by Rahm Kota and Jaden Korr. Anakin Skywalker's presence, slightly unnerved the other Padawans, as he had recently been forced to resume wearing the suit that made him resemble his former identity of Darth Vader due to a recent debacle some days ago before the war started, but with several noticeable differences. To see "Vader" on the Council and to hear the trademark breathing noise his suit generated made all of the Padawans a little nervous.
"I see you had little difficulty finding them, Master Tionne." Luke said as Tionne took her seat.
"Master Tionne wouldn't tell us why you called us here, Masters." Tahiri said, earning an understanding nod from Luke and Galen.
"We've been discussing what to do about continuing your training. We feel that assigning you to new Masters so soon would be a poor decision. You need time to grieve." Galen said.
"But we can't leave you without the guidance of a Master. This put us in a unique situation until Master K'Kruhk had a suggestion." Luke added, motioning to the Whiphid Jedi Master nearby.
"During the Clone Wars, the Council organized a special team of Padawans, in the hopes that a group of Padawans could equate to a single Master. It was an experiment, and all of the Padawans had lost their Masters during the war. Master Skywalker here, was one of those Padawans." K'Kruhk said, motioning to Anakin who gave a nod.
"At that time, it was presumed that my Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had perished when he was actually only captured. The Padawan Pack, as they had dubbed it, was a failure with me as the sole survivor while the rest perished in combat." Anakin explained.
"While the Padawan Pack of the Clone Wars was a failure, the concept behind the Pack itself has given us the idea to reorganize the five of you into a single group, under the leadership of one, possibly two Masters." Luke explained.
"This Master would oversee your training and accompany you on your missions." Galen added, earning a curious look from Yodin, his ears rising with intrigue.
"Missions you say?" Yodin asked as Hisari grinned.
"Are we talking a chance to fight the Sith?" Hisari asked.
"A Jedi does not seek out conflict, Padawan Hisari. Do not let your eagerness to participate in the war cloud your judgment." Tionne advised.
"Control your emotions, or else your actions could lead you closer to the Dark Side. I don't need to remind you what can happen to those who succumb to its corruption." Anakin added, his mask and voice adding more weight to his words.
"Your missions may bring you into areas where you will encounter the Sith, but never deliberately so. We will never send you straight into a warzone on purpose." Luke said as Kyle nodded.
"Remember, we might be participants in a war, but at our core, Jedi are keepers of the peace, not soldiers." Katarn said.
"Also only a small percentage of the Order has assumed positions within the military, positions that many of us maintained during the Galactic Civil War. It's to avoid having a situation like Order 66 occur again so easily." Kam added.
"Then who will be our Master?" Grun asked curiously.
"Master K'Kruhk has volunteered to be your acting Master." Luke said as he motioned to the Whiphid Jedi Master. They turned to see K'Kruhk climb to his feet.
"Master K'Kruhk's position on the Jedi Council is well deserved. He is a veteran of the Clone Wars and has a penchant for survival that is uncanny. Not even I could destroy him." Anakin said as K'Kruhk chuckled slightly.
"You could never find me, Skywalker." K'Kruhk said as Anakin shrugged in response.
"Given time, I would've found you." Anakin replied with a hint of mock competitiveness.
"When do we resume our training, Masters?" Ronderu asked.
"Right away. In fact, we have your first mission for you." Master Tionne said.
"Senator Kerrithrarr of Kashyyyk has asked for our help. He says that there's been a suspicious number of disappearances from his home world that have gone unexplained. He suspects Trandoshan Slavers or, since Kashyyyk is still a staunch supporter of the Republic, a possible Sith Incursion." Luke explained.
"There is currently no evidence to prove either theory, but the disappearances are occurring. To that end, we've agreed to investigate." Mara Jade added.
"You'll be working with one of our Jedi Generals in the field, one who knows Kashyyyk rather well. He's currently helping the Wookiees set up defenses in case of a Sith attack, but he's agreed to help in any way he can." Galen said.
"Do you accept the mission?" Luke asked, the five Padawans looking at each other before they bowed.
"We accept the, mission, Master Skywalker." Tahiri said, on the group's behalf.
"Then may the Force be with you." Luke said as the Padawans and K'Kruhk turned to leave.
Sometime later…
The newly christened Padawan Pack were quiet, all of them scattered across five rows of seats, all facing towards the bow of a well preserved and modified Starspeeder 3000 painted up in a white with red paint scheme, but instead of the droid pilot at the helm, a certain old clone trooper sat at the controls with K'Kruhk sitting just behind him. The Starspeeder itself had just dropped out of hyperspace in the Kashyyyk system.
"I never served on Saleucami. My gunship was shot down less than a year into the war." Able commented as K'Kruhk straightened his conical hat. He and K'Kruhk had been exchanging their respective service records from the Clone Wars.
"What I would have given to be stranded for twenty years like you were. Perhaps then I would've been spared the horrors of the Clone Wars, and the Great Jedi Purge that followed." K'Kruhk said as Able gave an understanding nod.
"Before we were shot down, some of the men from my unit and I discussed Order 66 once. None of us thought we could pull the trigger on the Generals. Didn't seem right. Some of us even thought about informing General Shaak Ti about it, but we never got the chance." Able said as K'Kruhk glanced up towards the ceiling.
"Perhaps if you had, we could've avoided the Great Purge altogether." K'Kruhk said as one of the consoles started beeping.
"Well, this is one clone who won't betray the Jedi." Able said as he pressed a button, causing a hologram of a human in a Republic officer's uniform to appear before the viewport.
"Yavin Runner VII, we've been awaiting your arrival. You have clearance to land in Kachirho. Sending docking coordinates now." The officer said before the hologram disappeared. Soon, the Starspeeder was flying towards Kachirho, passing a familiar looking freighter on a docking platform on the way. The sight of the freighter made Tahiri and K'Kruhk exchange knowing smirks.
"Never thought I'd see that ship again so soon." Tahiri chuckled.
"What ship?" Grun asked. He and the rest of the pack had missed the ship in question.
"It's a long story." K'Kruhk said, pulling his hat over his eyes as the Starspeeder touched down on the platform, the doors on the starboard side of the Starspeeder opening up as small ramps extended below the doors for the Padawans, K'Kruhk, and Able to disembark. Able emerged carrying an old Phase I clone trooper helmet that matched his armor coloring and a blaster rifle slung over his shoulder. K'Kruhk was immediately approached by a Wookiee wearing tribal armor on his shoulders and carrying a bowcaster. As the two talked, the Padawans started giving the treetop city admiring gazes…well, all but one Padawan.
"Mmm. Kashyyyk this is? Impressed I am not." Yodin said as he rode on Ronderu's back, the Kaleesh Padawan making no effort to dislodge him. She carried a rather large cloth sack that had something round in it at her side.
"I wouldn't say that too loudly. The Wookiees might have an issue with it, and there is that whole thing about Wookiees and ripping people's arms off." Hisari said, glaring at Yodin. At the same time, Grun and Able were looking out over the water near the massive treetop city from the edge of the platform.
"Many of my brothers lost their lives here." Able said, looking down at his helmet before putting it on. They were looking out at the exact beach where the Separatists had attempted to launch an invasion prior to the end of the Clone Wars.
"I understand that the great Master Yoda was in charge of defending this very city from the droid armies of the Separatists on the final day of the Clone Wars." Grun said before he heard K'Kruhk calling for them.
"Come, we are to meet with the General and the City Chieftain." K'Kruhk said as they started walking through the city, occasionally getting curious looks from the natives.
"So when do they rip our arms out?" Grun asked worriedly as they entered a hut that seemed larger than the rest of the buildings that had been carved into the tree. From the looks of the décor, it was the city center.
"Have some faith in the Wookiees. Once you get to know them, they're actually a very warm people." A human man with short black hair and wearing a mixture of Jedi robes and light armor, said with a smirk.
"Kento, how could I have guessed that you'd be here?" Tahiri asked as Kento Marek, the son of Galen Marek shrugged with a coy smile.
"It could've been luck." Kento replied.
"And we both know that there's no such thing as luck." K'Kruhk said with a toothy grin towards the young Jedi Knight.
"You know him?" Hisari asked Tahiri.
"I'm kinda surprised that you don't. He's Kento Marek, the son of Master Galen Marek. I'll bet he's also the General we're supposed to be meeting." Tahiri said as Kento chuckled.
"Guilty as charged. My father asked me to help set up the defenses here on Kashyyyk and, seeing as how I spent most of my early childhood between Kashyyyk and Corulag, I agreed." Kento said as K'Kruhk smiled.
"It's good to see you here, regardless of the circumstances. Now about our mission…" K'Kruhk said as Kento nodded, turning to a holoprojector as another Wookiee in tribal armor and a sort of tribal helmet approached.
"First I'd like to introduce you to Chief Tarfful, the chieftain of Kachirho. He's graciously given us some information regarding the location of the disappearances you're investigating." Kento said as the Wookiee Chieftain gave a courteous nod to the group, the Padawans, Master, and clone bowing in respect.
"So where have these abductions taken place?" K'Kruhk asked as Kento motioned to a hologram of another treetop village in the middle of a dense forest.
"The abductions seem to be located around here, near Rwookrrorro. Usually only small hunting parties. I've already sent a…mutual friend of yours, mine, and Tahiri's to scout ahead. Chief Tarfful here has arranged for transport but you'll have to fly the transports yourselves." Kento explained, earning a curious look from the Padawans.
"Ourselves, you say?" Yodin asked.
"The Wookiees aren't fond of the area in question. It's an area called the Shadowlands and only the bravest of Wookiees go there. They claim that the area's haunted." Kento said as the Padawans seemed startled.
"Haunted?" Grun asked as Tarfful roared an affirmative.
"He says that the Shadowlands have been haunted for decades. That the ghosts of the fallen soldiers killed during the Clone Wars, Wookiee, Clone, and Jedi alike, dwell there, calling for vengeance. Oo~oh" Kento said, perhaps with an attempt at the overdramatic, only receiving blank stares from the Padawans.
"How old do you think we are?" Hisari asked, annoyed as Kento raised his hands in apology.
"Right, sorry. Anyway, we suspect that if anyone's been abducted, they're being kept in there. We haven't seen any ships come or go from the area but you never know. And be mindful, there may always be something more than ghosts dwelling in those woods." Kento said as K'Kruhk and the Padawans bowed.
"May the Force be with you, Kento." K'Kruhk said.
"You too, and hey, if you need back up, just let me know and I'll have a couple battalions down there before you can count the number of hairs on a Bith's head." Kento said with a smirk as the Pack headed out.
…
A while later, two Wookiee Catamarans touched down in a bright clearing just outside of a section of forest where the canopy made by the branches of the trees that towered overhead were so thick that it plunged the ground below into near-complete darkness.
"This is it. The borders of the Shadowlands." K'Kruhk said as he and the rest of the Pack gathered near the edge.
"Someone's been here recently." They heard Able say before they all turned and saw a swoop bike hidden under some large branches and leaves.
"Too small for a Wookiee." Grun said as they examined the swoop.
"And definitely too small for Yodin's ego." Hisari commented but the diminutive Padawan smirked at her.
"Your head, empty it is." Yodin commented as Ronderu shrugged him off her back. She suddenly drew two lightsabers, igniting them both and allowing their blue and green blades to light up the surrounding area as she looked around, as if startled by something.
"We're being watched." She said, occasionally spinning her blades.
"Gee, I can't imagine." A woman's voice said with a thick Concord Dawn accent like Able's.
"Who said that?" Grun asked as they started looking around with their sabers active. Able had his blaster drawn. Tahiri and K'Kruhk were the only ones who weren't concerned.
"Calm yourselves, Padawans, I know that voice." K'Kruhk said as they heard the sound of a jetpack firing up just as a warrior in deep blue Mandalorian Supercommando armor with black lining and three black stripes over the left "eye" landed in front of them with a blaster rifle in hand.
"I'd hope so." The woman said as she reached for her helmet, removing it to reveal a head full of raven hair with the three black stripes of the Kiffar clan Vel over her left eye.
"Ailyn Vel? What are you doing here?" Tahiri asked, surprised. By now the Padawans had deactivated their lightsabers.
"Didn't scruff up there mention he sent a scout? No matter, I guess you're the di'kuts they sent to investigate." Ailyn said as K'Kruhk nodded. (Translation: di'kut - Idiot)
"This is the Padawan Pack. You already know myself and Padawan Velia. These are Padawans Hisari, Ronderu, Yodin, Grun, and our escort, Able." K'Kruhk introduced as Ailyn eyed the old clone curiously.
"Designation?" she asked Able.
"BL-1707. Call me Able, ma'am." Able replied as Ailyn groaned.
"Oh goodie another one of my ba'vodu." Ailyn mumbled sarcastically as she placed her helmet back on her head. She then noticed Ronderu had opened the sack she brought with her and was fiddling with something curiously. (Translation: Ba'vodu – Aunt/Uncle)
"What are you doing Ronderu?" Tahiri asked as the Kaleesh Padawan removed an animal skull from the bag.
"It is the tradition of my people, that whenever we go hunting, we wear a hunting mask." Ronderu said as she placed the skull on her head, the mask fitting perfectly. It was the skull of a Mumuu beast from Kalee.
"We're not hunting Wookiees for sport, Ronderu." Hisari said as Ronderu glared at her, her yellow eyes piercing through the mask's eye slots.
"I hunt in the name of the Force and my ancestors, and tonight, answers are my quarry. Like the rest of us, I take a life only in self-defense." Ronderu said as they all turned towards the entrance into the Shadowlands and slowly started to walk inside, unaware that they were being watched by a pair of eyes from within the overgrowth.
…
The Pack had been cautiously walking through the overgrowth for a while, Able and Ailyn watching the rear.
"So why's the old timer with us?" Hisari whispered to Tahiri who shrugged.
"He's here as our escort. Don't be fooled by his age. He's an experienced soldier. He served the Republic as a soldier during the Clone Wars, then the Rebellion and New Republic as a Commando. Now he serves as a Temple Guard and assistant to the Jedi Order." K'Kruhk explained.
"Then why do we have a Bounty Hunter with us? We don't need her kind of scum." Grun mumbled, Ailyn overhearing but saying nothing.
"I wouldn't be too quick to call Ailyn, scum." Tahiri said, hoping to avoid an incident with the Mandalorian.
"Know her, do you?" Yodin asked, riding on Ronderu's back again. Ailyn and Tahiri exchanged glances for a second.
"It's a long story." Ailyn and Tahiri both mumbled in unison as Yodin quickly bounded up onto a low hanging branch nearby.
"Saw something, I did." Yodin said as he squinted in an effort to see through the darkness.
"Something's been following us since before we entered the Shadowlands." K'Kruhk said as they stopped in a dark clearing. The ID Scanner on Ailyn's helmet suddenly swiveled down as they quickly started looking around, the Jedi fingering their lightsabers. They then heard an animalistic hissing sound.
"I know that sound." K'Kruhk said before they heard something hit the ground nearby.
"Grenade!" K'Kruhk explained as they suddenly leapt away from each other, mere seconds before a blue flash of light appeared where they were standing.
"What was that?!" Grun asked as the Pack climbed to their feet.
"AMBUSH!" Able exclaimed as he fired his blaster into the bushes, only to be hit by a stun blast, causing him to fall onto his back, unconscious. Instantly the Jedi ignited their lightsabers, deflecting blaster shots and stun bolts.
"Vel! Get to the surface! Get help!" K'Kruhk yelled as Ailyn glanced at the Padawans and the unconscious Able.
"You better not die on me Jedi!" Ailyn yelled before taking to the sky in her jetpack, nimbly weaving past branches as the Jedi continued deflecting blaster bolts until Hisari was suddenly hit in the back by a stun bolt, knocking her unconscious.
"Hisari!" Grun exclaimed before he was suddenly hit in the side by a stun bolt as well. K'Kruhk suddenly found himself being overwhelmed by stun bolts until a towering figure burst through the overgrowth and brought a vibroblade down towards the Whiphid Jedi Master. K'Kruhk quickly blocked the blow, his lightsaber and the blade connecting, the light from his lightsaber illuminating his foe's face.
"Trandoshans!" K'Kruhk grunted before using the force and throwing the massive Trandoshan backwards, but K'Kruhk was suddenly barraged by stun bolts, knocking him out cold.
"Master K'Kruhk!" Tahiri exclaimed as Yodin landed on her back, deflecting shots aimed at her from behind.
"Run we must! Seek help we must!" Yodin exclaimed while Ronderu used her twin lightsabers to deflect the stun bolts. The towering Trandoshan warrior had picked up K'Kruhk, thrown him over his shoulder, and was headed back into the overgrowth. Two average sized Trandoshans were already carting off the unconscious Able as well. Three more Trandoshans were coming out of the trees as well, continuing to fire stun bolts at the Padawans until finally Ronderu was taken down despite an impressive display of her swordsmanship. Now it was just Tahiri and Yodin, doing their best to deflect the stun bolts. One of the Trandoshans then tossed what appeared to be a grenade, which Yodin quickly leapt onto.
"Remember me you must!" Yodin exclaimed just before the grenade went off. Fortunately it was just a stun grenade but his tiny body took the entirety of the blast, knocking him unconscious and leaving Tahiri as the only one left standing. The Trandoshans stopped firing and started chuckling maliciously.
"You're ourssssss, Jedi." One of the Trandoshans hissed as he raised his gun. Suddenly they heard a moaning sound on the wind, causing the three Trandoshans to start looking around, fearfully.
"What was that?" one of them asked, not noticing one of the other Trandoshans get pulled screaming into the bushes nearby before he suddenly fell silent. The Trandoshans fired into the bushes where he had been taken for a second then stopped firing.
"Take a look." "No you!" "I'm in charge!" the Trandoshans bickered, the leader training his gun back on Tahiri while the other gulped, and stepped towards the bushes but only found the body of the Trandoshan that had disappeared, his body riddled with blaster holes and his throat slit.
"It's the ghost!" the subordinate exclaimed as he turned back to his superior, only to be grabbed from behind and stabbed in the throat. The leader quickly raised his gun towards the ghost only for Tahiri to quickly slice off his hands with her lightsaber, causing the Trandoshan to shriek in pain before suddenly being silenced by an airborne knife to the throat, killing him. Tahiri kept her lightsaber raised as the other Trandoshan flopped lifelessly to the ground, revealing a humanoid figure standing behind it. Tahiri didn't know what to think as the figure approached the dead Trandoshan leader, ripping the knife from its throat and cleaning it off on the Trandoshan's clothes.
"You can put that down. I'd be stupid to fight a Jedi." A low and grizzled man's voice said as the figure picked up the Trandoshan's weapon and stepped into the light of Tahiri's lightsaber. He was a human, and appeared to be around the same age as Able as his scarred and bearded face with stark white hair, clad in animal hides for clothes but with a combat knife in a crude leather sheath at his side. He also wore a crude bandoleer made of leather with ammo cartridges for the Trandoshan's weapons as well as a small blaster pistol that had seen a lot of use at his side.
"Who are you?" Tahiri asked as the man looked over his shoulder for a moment before turning back to Tahiri.
"Not here. We need to get you and your friends to my base, now." The man said as he and Tahiri quickly moved to pick up the unconscious Padawans.
…
Meanwhile, Ailyn had landed on a branch within view of Rwookrrorro and was speaking to Kento and Chief Tarfful via a small hologram projector in her hand.
"And he told you to get help?" Kento asked, clearly disturbed by the report.
"Yeah. I'm not fond of leaving them behind, but I know better than to argue with him." Ailyn said, Kento sighing heavily.
"I sense a disturbance in the force. I don't sense any of them in any immediate danger. They were a moment ago, but now I sense something else." Kento said as Ailyn rolled her eyes under her helmet.
"I don't speak cryptic Jedi mystic code. What are you talking about?" Ailyn asked, annoyed.
"There's something out there in the Shadowlands that I couldn't sense until now. Something that I need to look into before we do anything else. Best start brushing up on your Shyriiwook." Kento replied.
"And the Jedi?" Ailyn asked as Kento smirked at her with his arms crossed.
"That's why I said to start brushing up on your Shyriiwook." Kento said as Ailyn suddenly started to hear war drums coming from within Rwookrrorro.
...
With Ronderu and Hisari being pulled on two crude sleds made of large pieces of tree bark behind them and with Tahiri carrying Yodin in her arms while the man carried Grun, they trekked their way through the jungle until they reached an unnatural slope in the ground that led down towards a crashed starship.
"This is where you live?" Tahiri asked as the man grunted, coming to a stop as he set Grun down between the two other Padawans. The man said nothing, pulling aside a leather curtain over what used to be the boarding ramp, revealing that most of the interior had been, over the years, converted from a shuttle hold to a comfortable living hovel for one.
"Home sweet home." The man grunted as he placed the scavenged blaster into a bin of other blasters, some of them very old. Tahiri in the meantime had placed Yodin down next to the other three.
"Who are you?" Tahiri asked as the man sat down on the floor of the hovel, next to a small fire for warmth.
"Just an old soldier trying to survive out here for over forty years." The man said as he stirred a pot of stew over the fire. The pot was oddly shaped, like it had been a piece of hull plating.
"You've been out here for forty years?" Tahiri asked as she sat down across from him, the fire between them.
"Yeah. I got captured by the clankers and then we got shot down. I've been here ever since." The man explained, confusing Tahiri.
"Clankers?" she asked. The man looked at her as if he expected her to know what he was talking about.
"The droids? The Separatists? The war? Aren't you a Jedi?" the man asked as Tahiri finally realized what the man was talking about.
"Separatists? You mean the Clone Wars? The Clone Wars have been over for forty years. There's been at least one other war since then, and that war's been over for twenty. Now we're in the middle of a new war that just started a few days ago." Tahiri said as the man seemed intrigued.
"That's news to me. I've never understood the Wookiee language. They always thought I was a ghost and stayed away from me. They'd leave food behind for me as a sort of peace offering, not that I'm complaining." The man grunted as Tahiri glanced at her fellow Padawans.
"They'll be fine. They've been stunned. It'll wear off eventually, Commander." The man said, earning a curious look from Tahiri.
"I'm no Commander." Tahiri said as the man pointed to her braid.
"You've got that braid and a lightsaber. That marks you as a Jedi Commander." The man replied.
"Do you know why the Trandoshans are down here?" Tahiri asked as the man shrugged.
"Not sure. I do know they're slavers, but I know they're not after Wookiee pelts. Dunno why." The man said.
"That seems unlike them."
Tahiri and the man both turned to see Grun standing up and leaning against the outside wall for support.
"Are you alright?" Tahiri asked.
"I'm a little confused." Grun said as they noticed the others had awoken as well.
"Alone, you are not." Yodin mumbled.
"What happened to us?" Hisari asked.
"Trandoshan slavers. They knocked out Master K'Kruhk, Able, and all of you but then this man saved me before they could stun me too. He helped me bring all of you here." Tahiri explained.
"I guess we owe you our thanks." Grun said as the man waved him off.
"Just sit down. You're the first people that can speak basic that I've met in years." The man said stirring the stew again while Grun looked at the crashed starship turned hovel curiously.
"This is an old Neimoidian shuttle if I'm not mistaken." Grun said.
"It was what the clankers were using to transport me to a Separatist prison when we got shot down. I finished off the surviving droids and when it became obvious I wasn't getting rescued, I turned this place into my home. It's been that way for decades." The man said as the Pack sat down.
"So who are you exactly?" Hisari asked as the man sighed and stood up, walking over to a section of the shuttle partitioned off by a series of animal hides. He pulled back the hides and knelt down over an old footlocker, opening it up and removing a brown top sheet.
"I already told you. By the way, hope you're ready for a fight. If we're going to rescue your friends, you better expect one." the man said as he pulled out a black body glove that had been kept in pristine condition.
"You'll help us?" Ronderu asked, mildly surprised as the man pulled the animal hide curtain across in front of him as he got dressed in private.
"Ever since those lizards started landing, I've had the gut feeling that they were up to something. My squad and I once busted up a Trandoshan slaver camp near here that's been shut down for over forty years. Now the damn lizards are back and using it for something. I'm not sure what, but I've just been itching for an opportunity to put a few rounds through those lizards. And now, here you are." The man said, as they heard the clicking and heavy clunking sounds of armor pieces being locked into place.
"What kind of defenses do they have?" Ronderu asked.
"Nominal. They don't expect anyone to find it and anything too big or powerful would just draw attention they'd rather not have. They have some sonic emitters up to keep the more dangerous wildlife away…that is, except for us." The man said as they heard the sound of a rifle being cocked. The man then pulled back the hide curtain, revealing himself in a suit of relatively well-preserved Katarn class Commando armor with red paint that made it look like blood spatter. Resting on his right shoulder was a fully functional DC-17m rifle with the blaster attachment while under his left arm was a helmet with blood-like paint spattered across the front.
"And to answer your question, Jedi. My designation is RC-1207. Call me Sev."
Inside the Trandoshan Camp…
K'Kruhk sat meditating in his cell within the camp, although the cell was actually more of a cage on wheels. Able was in the cell with him, although stripped of his weapons, helmet, and utility belt.
"Trandoshans. What do the lizards think they're doing here? The Wookiees are bound to find this place eventually." Able mumbled.
"There is a disturbance in the Force. There's something here that the Trandoshans are after." K'Kruhk said with his eyes shut.
"All due respect, General, but isn't the answer obvious? They're after the Wookiees…aren't they?" Able asked.
"Not this time. There's something here that has the Trandoshans afraid. Can you smell it, Commander? That stench? That is the smell of fear, and the Trandoshans are rank with it." K'Kruhk said as Able seemed curious as to the Jedi's meaning.
"What could possibly make the lizards so afraid? That ghost General Marek mentioned?" Able asked as K'Kruhk remained in his meditative pose.
"No…there's something here. I've been able to overhear some of their conversations. They speak of a beast, a great beast with a ravenous hunger that they've been hired to capture, and they're afraid." K'Kruhk explained.
"Of the beast?" Able asked as K'Kruhk glanced towards the old clone.
"Not just the Beast…their employer."
…
Outside the camp, a pair of Trandoshans stood guard outside of a small gate that led into the camp. They suddenly heard a rustling in the bushes nearby and a figure suddenly darted out for a split second, disappearing into another bush. The Trandoshans quickly raised their weapons and started approaching the edge of the woods, ready to blast anything that came their way, not noticing a masked Kaleesh Padawan slip up from behind, stepping in between them.
"Boo." She said calmly before activating her lightsabers, skewering both Trandoshans through the chest from behind. The two guards fell to the ground, dead, as the other four Padawans and Sev stepped out of the bushes, the Commando stepping up to the gate, kneeling down at a small control panel.
"It'll just take a second. Nice work on the lizards there by the way." Sev said as he started slicing into the gate controls. Ronderu gave a nod as she sat down, meditating.
"Any idea where they might be keeping their prisoners?" Grun asked.
"Probably in the detention center." Sev replied as the controls turned green, the gate swinging open.
"Lead the way." Tahiri said as Yodin leapt onto Sev's back, the old Commando taking point into the camp. He peered around a corner and motioned to stop, stepping back and turning to the Pack.
"Any of you know how to breach maneuver?" Sev asked. The Padawans looked at each other, then at Sev.
"Not really." Tahiri said as Sev sighed and shook his head before sticking his head back out around the corner, Yodin peeking out with him.
"There. A ventilation shaft there is." Yodin said, pointing towards grate near a door guarded by a pair of Trandoshan slavers.
"We can't risk letting them raise an alarm and I don't think that trick the Girl Grievous used will work this time. Not enough cover." Sev said, earning a curious look from Ronderu but she said nothing.
"We need to take them both out at once." Tahiri said as Hisari spun her lightsaber hilt in her hand with a grin.
"Leave that to me. I've been practicing this." Hisari said as she assumed a pre-running posture.
"This ought to be good." Sev mumbled before Hisari quickly leapt out from around the corner and threw her lightsaber, the twin yellow blades flashing wildly as it spun towards the unsuspecting Trandoshans, only for them both to be slashed through the chests, the lightsaber itself becoming stuck in the door they were guarding.
"Not bad." Sev said as they ran quickly towards the door, Ronderu using one of her lightsabers to cut the grate off the ventilation shaft for Yodin, the diminutive Padawan instantly leaping up and into the shaft.
"Wait for me, you will." Yodin said as Sev crouched down next to the door, his rifle raised towards the way they came so as to guard their six. The rest of the Padawans crouched down, Hisari having retrieved her lightsaber.
"I sense the Master is nearby." Grun said as Tahiri nodded in agreement.
"Me too, but I also sense something else." Tahiri said as the doors opened, revealing Yodin on the other side with a smug smirk.
"Judge me by my size, do you?" Yodin asked, leaping back onto Sev's back as they quickly and quietly slipped inside. The room they had entered was an armory, much to Sev's delight.
"Ah, nothing like a little extra ammo." Sev said as he picked up some thermal detonators and swiped a confiscated bowcaster off the wall rack. Meanwhile, Ronderu stumbled upon an old crate marked with hazard symbols. She cautiously opened the crate and found it packed with explosives.
"We need to be cautious with this one." Ronderu said calmly as Sev glanced over at the box.
"I'm no demolitions expert, but I do know that it takes more than a few stray blaster shots to set these off. We're perfectly safe. Just don't anyone drop a grenade in there." Sev said as he shrugged off his backpack, opened the lid, and started packing some of the explosives into it before putting the pack back on.
"Any read on the Master?" Tahiri asked as Grun stood in the center of the room, his eyes shut.
"He's close. I can't pin down where he is though." Grun said as Sev took notice of something peculiar.
"Where did the lizards get a Phase I helmet?" Sev asked, picking up a familiar helmet off of a table nearby.
"That's Able's helmet. He was with us when we were ambushed." Tahiri said as Ronderu found K'Kruhk's lightsaber, clipping it to her belt for safekeeping. Hisari also found Able's tool belt, picking it up as well and putting it on around her waist for ease of transportation.
"Able?" Sev asked.
"He's an old clone, like you. He came with us as escort on our mission." Tahiri explained as Sev looked at the helmet.
"Just a sec." Sev said as he turned back to the weapon racks looking them over until he picked up a blaster rifle, tossing it to Tahiri.
"Hold onto this. We'll give it to the other clone when we find him." Sev said as Tahiri looked the weapon over, curiously before Ronderu approached with a length of leather string, helping the young Padawan to tie the weapon to her back so she could be free to use her lightsaber.
"Alright, where to next 07?" Tahiri asked as Sev stepped over towards a doorway, the door opening automatically.
"Through here." He said as he led them into a room that was full of animal carcasses and raw meat.
"The stench, like Hisari it is." Yodin said, pinching his nose while irritating the Zabrak Padawan.
"You're not exactly a bed of roses yourself, frog." Hisari grumbled.
"Quiet." Sev said softly but with enough force to get his point across.
"These poor Wookiees." Grun said sadly.
"These aren't Wookiees. These are mostly some of the more common animals here, like Bantha and Nerfs. Look at the size of the meat itself." Sev said as they looked the meat and carcasses over.
"Why would the Trandoshans need so much meat? They can't eat all of it themselves can they?" Tahiri asked.
"No. This is too much even for Trandoshans. Even if they fed all the Wookiees being kept here and themselves, they'd still have a lot left over…unless." Grun said, as he thought for a moment.
"Unless they were planning to feed something much bigger." Ronderu added as all eyes turned towards Sev.
"What?" he asked.
"What's the largest species of carnivore on Kashyyyk?" Tahiri asked cautiously. Sev was silent for a moment, the Padawans sensing a slight sense of dread coming from the old commando.
"In the forty plus years I've been here, I've run across a lot of nasty things, most of which I recognized from a briefing my Squad got before we dropped here on the various carnivores here. But there was one I didn't recognize. Bigger than a Rancor and twice as vicious. Long horns, big fangs, and venom dripping from its mouth. I've had several run-ins with it, and each time I barely escaped with my life." Sev explained. The Padawans were worried now.
"Why would the Trandoshans be after this thing?" Hisari asked as Sev stepped over towards the door opposite the one they came in through.
"We can figure it out later. But for now, we need to find the Master." Tahiri said as they caught up to Sev, the old commando cautiously opening the door, revealing an open yard full of cages, each of them with Wookiees occupying them. The cages were too small for any of the Wookiees to stand up, so they were all forced to sit inside.
"They're alive." Hisari said with a grin.
"But they're not alone! Lizards!" Sev exclaimed as he raised his blaster and the Jedi ignited their lightsabers as several Trandoshan slavers noticed their entrance. Ronderu immediately started spinning her lightsabers, deflecting blaster shots from the Wookiees. Yodin however started using his lightsaber to cut the locks off the cages, allowing the angry Wookiee captives to break free and start attacking the Trandoshans, ripping them apart. The skirmish was short lived and soon each of the Trandoshans in the yard were dead. One of the Wookiees approached the commando, grunting his thanks.
"Uh…what did he say?" Sev asked.
"He's saying thank you." Tahiri said as she deactivated her lightsaber.
"Just make sure he understands I don't need or want a life debt." Sev said, the Wookiee grunting something else.
"He understands basic by the way." Tahiri said as Sev gulped up at the Wookiee.
"Uh, he's not going to rip my arms off is he?" Sev asked nervously.
"No. You're not the first person to refuse a life-debt. But that's for another time. We need to find Master K'Kruhk and Able." Tahiri said as she approached the Wookiees.
"Have any of you seen a Whiphid and an old human in white and red armor?" Tahiri asked, the Wookiees grunting amongst themselves before one of them approached her, roaring something.
"He says they haven't seen anyone besides us and the Trandoshans. They did hear the Trandos talking about some offworlders they'd caught recently." Tahiri said as one of the Wookiees turned to Hisari.
"Uh, I'm still learning Shyriiwook, can someone translate for me?" Hisari asked.
"He's asking where they can find their weapons." Tahiri asked before pointing towards the door they entered from.
"Through the meat locker and out the door on the other side." Tahiri said as the Wookiees hurried towards the door.
"Come on, the Master has to be close by." Ronderu said as they hurried for another door, Sev taking point. As they hurried through the hallway, the alarms started to go off as the sound of Wookiee roars and blaster fire could be heard across the camp.
"Sounds like the Wookiees are having fun." Sev said as the Jedi activated their lightsabers.
"Here!" Ronderu exclaimed as she stopped at a point in the wall.
"Why are we stopping?" Sev asked, confused.
"The Master's on the other side of this wall!" Grun exclaimed as Sev approached, pulling an explosive charge from his pack, attaching the charge to the wall.
"Watch my back." Sev said as he started prepping the charge.
"Company, we have!" Yodin exclaimed as the Padawans quickly started deflecting blaster fire from a number of Trandoshan slavers.
"They're behind us too!" Ronderu exclaimed as she and Hisari started deflecting blaster fire from the other direction, Sev working feverishly to get the charge ready.
"Sev! How much longer?!" Grun exclaimed as he, Yodin, and Tahiri continued to hold off the slavers.
"Almost there! Just keep them off my back!" Sev exclaimed, still prepping the charge.
"Grenade!" Tahiri exclaimed as one of the slavers threw a thermal detonator at them, but Yodin used the Force to throw the charge back at the slavers, obliterating all but two of them in the explosion.
"Done! Take cover!" Sev exclaimed as he and the Jedi leapt clear, Sev pressing the button on a detonator, causing the wall to explode, leaving a large hole where the charge was planted.
"Quick, inside before the wall collapses!" Sev ordered as the Jedi quickly ducked inside with Sev close behind. Once inside, the wall suddenly collapsed, sealing the hole behind them.
"That was close." Grun said, catching his breath.
"Indeed it was, Padawan Grun."
"Master K'Kruhk!" Tahiri said excitedly as they turned to see K'Kruhk and Able in their cell on wheels.
"I'm glad to see that each of you are alright." K'Kruhk said as the Padawans motioned to Sev.
"We could never have made it without Sev." Grun said as Sev stepped up to the cage as Yodin cut the lock off the cage. Able was startled upon seeing Sev however.
"A Commando? Where did you come from?" Able asked in awe as Sev cut the blaster rifle from Tahiri's back, handing it to his fellow clone.
"Allow us to introduce you to the alleged Ghost of the Shadowlands." Tahiri said as Sev gave a nod.
"RC-1207. Delta Squad. Reporting for duty, sir." The old commando said to K'Kruhk while handing Able his helmet.
"From the sound of things, you've been busy since we got separated." K'Kruhk said as Ronderu handed him his lightsaber.
"We might've freed the captured Wookiees and pointed them towards the armory." Sev replied.
"A good strategy. Now let us make sure that this camp is shut down permanently." K'Kruhk said as he and the Padawans ignited their lightsabers near the door leading to the outside as Able approached the door, pulling a small charge from Sev's pack and placing it on the door.
"Charge set…CLEAR!" Able exclaimed, running clear before the charge detonated, causing the door to fly open, Sev tossing a detonator into the breach and waiting for it to explode, the explosion taking several Trandoshans with it, before he and Able ducked through with the Padawans running in only to find themselves inside of a large landing area and confronted by the giant Trandoshan and several other equally large Trandoshans standing around a large metal crate being loaded onto a familiar looking slaver vessel with its owner standing in front of it.
"Well thisssss is a ssssurprise." The lead Trandoshan hissed.
"I know your face, bounty hunter. You're Bossk." K'Kruhk said as the Trandoshan hissed again.
"Thatsss correct." Bossk said as the Jedi began to realize that they were surrounded by Trandoshans on the catwalks surrounding the landing area, each of them with their weapons trained on the Jedi and the two clones.
"We know you're not here after Wookiee pelts, otherwise some of your prisoners would've been dead." Tahiri said, the Jedi forming a defensive circle to deflect any blaster fire that may come at them.
"The Wookieessss were not our quarry on thissss hunt. We were hired to catch something bigger and more dangeroussssss." Bossk said as they heard a roar come from inside of the large crate inside the Hound's Tooth.
"And what is this beast you've acquired?" K'Kruhk asked, as Bossk chuckled and headed for the boarding ramp into his ship.
"That'sssss for my employersssss to know and you to find out…Jedi." Bossk said as he climbed aboard his ship, the cargo and boarding ramps retracting on the Hound's Tooth, its engines starting up as the large Trandoshans trained their weapons on the Jedi and clones who stood ready to defend themselves. Onboard his ship, Bossk looked out of the bridge at the eight captives. He was about to raise a comlink and give the order to fire, when a humanoid figure dropped down from out of nowhere, landing behind the large Trandoshans and sending out a powerful shockwave that tossed them away, one of them flying towards the captives and getting sliced in half by one of the Jedi lightsabers before he could land. The figure proceeded to stand up and ignite a green lightsaber held in a reversed grip, the figure turning with a smirk towards the captives.
"Hope you don't mind if we crash this party!" Kento said as the dark canopy overhead lit up from spotlights attached to dozens of Wookiee catamarans, the Wookiees on board opening fire on the Trandoshans below. One of the large Trandoshans finally recovered from his flight, and started to charge towards the Jedi only for Ailyn to land in front of him with her jetpack and unleash a jet of flames at him, immolating the towering lizard before she started blasting the remaining Trandoshans with her blaster rifle. Bossk let out an angry hiss as the Hound's Tooth started to take flight, only for Kento to spin around and grab onto it with the Force, keeping the ship from taking off. Bossk knew what to do however, and pressed a button, causing a pair of small blaster cannons to emerge from underneath some side panels and open fire, forcing him onto the defensive with his lightsaber, allowing the bounty hunter to escape, blasting through a couple of catamarans as he escaped to the surface, slipping past the Republic ships in orbit before making the jump to lightspeed.
Back in Kachirho…
"Excellent work freeing those Wookiees. I'm sure that they're eager to get back to their loved ones." A hologram of Luke said to the Pack as they stood gathered around the holoprojector in the city center. Along with Luke stood holograms of Galen and Mara Jade. Kento stood off to the side with Able, Sev, and Ailyn, the two old clones standing guard.
"We owe much of our success to Sev. I don't think we could've been able to infiltrate the compound otherwise." Tahiri said as the rest of the Pack nodded in agreement.
"I always suspected there was more to that whole, 'Ghost of the Shadowlands' rumor." Galen said as he turned to face Sev.
"You are to be commended for your service, 07. The New Republic could use someone with your kind of experience." Galen said as Mara Jade scratched her head.
"I'm still trying to figure out how he's still alive. I thought the average lifespan for a clone trooper was shorter than that. I mean if you hadn't gotten Able that special serum that ceased the aging process for clones, he'd've been dead long ago." Mara said.
"Commandos got the serum after ten years so we wouldn't age out of service as fast. By the time the war started, all the Commandos were aging like normal humans." Sev replied.
"Makes sense. Why spend the credits to breed and train a new batch when you can maximize the amount of time you get with the originals." Kento said.
"So did you find anything in the Slaver Camp that could point to what they were doing there? If Wookiee pelts weren't their objective, what was it anyway?" Luke asked the Pack.
"We're not sure, but we know that Bossk was after something big." Grun replied.
"Bossk? The Trandoshan Bounty Hunter?" Galen asked, mildly surprised to hear mention of the Bounty Hunter.
"Yes. He and his Trandoshans had captured some beast for an unknown employer. Whatever it was had the Trandoshans worried." K'Kruhk answered.
"The remaining slavers are being rounded up and shipped off to a Republic Detention Facility for interrogation. We'll find out who their employers are, although I think we can safely assume who that is." Kento said as he, K'Kruhk, and the Pack exchanged concerned looks.
Elsewhere in the galaxy…
The Hound's Tooth dropped out of hyperspace. Almost as soon as it had, Bossk activated a hologram, causing the image of a Talortai Sith Lord to appear.
"Do you have it?" Darth Fenrir asked.
"Do you have my payment ready?" Bossk asked back.
"Excellent work, Bossk. You will be well compensated for your work." Fenrir said as the Bounty Hunter glanced away slightly.
"There wassss…one complication. A group of Jedi found usssss. They freed the Wookieessss and killed or captured my men." Bossk said as Fenrir clasped his hands behind his back.
"The Wookiees are inconsequential and your men were expendable. We needn't worry about them anyway. They don't know enough about our plans." Fenrir said as Bossk hissed in annoyance at him.
"They were my men! I picked out each and every one of them!" Bossk hissed.
"Perhaps if you reread the terms of the contract we gave you, you'll notice that you get the shares of any of your men who didn't survive or got captured…and since you're the only survivor, it looks like you'll be getting all of their shares as well as your own. You're about to become a very wealthy Trandoshan." Fenrir said as Bossk licked his scaly lips with a grin.
"Well when you put it that way." Bossk said as the Hound's Tooth approached a Sith Destroyer.
End Episode 2.
I own Ronderu, Yodin, Grun, and Hisari. I also wanted to use the opportunity to bring Sev from the Star Wars classic: Star Wars: Republic Commando back as his fate was never revealed in the expanded universe, only that he was listed as MIA after the Battle of Kashyyyk during the Clone Wars.