I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters.
Furies Gate was the outermost planet in the Tython system. Over the countless millennia, Fury station has been launching Tythan sleeper ships assigned to adventure out into the deep core. Run under strict treaty by the settled worlds, the station also monitored the void for returning ships. No ship has ever been detected entering the system. Until now.
Two of the operators of Furies station, a fair skinned middle aged human and a young Sith missing an eye, were the first to observe the signs of an approaching ship on the station's scanners.
"Sensors indicate something inbound, Captain Gost. Maybe one of the sleeper ships has finally found its way home?" suggested the Sith.
Captain Gost observed the monitor. Throughout his entire career and station at Furies Gate, the human captain had learned much about the sleeper ships that were sent out to explore the void. Though no ship had ever returned within his lifetime, or in all the history of the Tython system, there was one thing the captain did know. A sleeper ship would have announced its return to the station. This ship remained silent.
"A sleeper would answer our hails." reminded Captain Gost.
"Sensor readouts don't match any of our ships. But if it's not ours, then who—" wondered the Sith.
The strange ship vanished from the station's sensors as mysteriously as it had appeared.
"Where is it? Where'd it go?" asked Captain Gost.
"I don't know, sir. It just vanished!" stated the Sith.
A disappearing ship could only mean trouble. Captain Gost had trained for situations like this his entire career, but he never though he would actually have to deal with one within his lifetime.
"Inform the other planets in the system—they need to be alerted." ordered Captain Gost.
"Including Tython?" questioned the Sith.
"I will inform Tython." told a voice.
The owner of the voice turned and left, heading to the station's hanger. Both the captain and the Sith had forgotten the person was even there. Gost turned to the Sith, careful to keep his voice low enough that none but he and his companion would hear what he had to say.
"Skrag. I forgot the Je'daii was here…" whispered Captain Gost.
The Je'daii Captain Gost was talking about was none other than the Twi'lek Je'daii Ranger Hawk Ryo. Hawk was a famed Je'daii and easily recognizable to most from his time fighting in the Despot War. At least the blue skinned Twi'lek would have been recognized as a famous Despot War's hero if he did not do all he could to make himself less recognizable to Je'daii and non-Force sensitive alike. He dressed in simple dark clothing and light chest armour, covering his lekku with a hat. Some could have recognized Hawk from the Despot War because of his goatee and eyebrows, rare things for a Twi'lek to have, but not entirely unheard of. If anything, Hawk looked just like any other Je'daii brandishing the silver Ranger star on his belt and a sword across his back, drawing most people's attention away from the slugthrower he carried alongside the traditional weapon of the Je'daii.
Hawk pulled out his comm. link the moment he enter the hanger.
"Ship, relay the following message to Master Ketu on Tython—from Je'daii Ranger Hawk Ryo. Fury station detected a large incoming object—something from beyond out system…which then disappeared from their sensors…but not from the Force. I sense something still there. Calculated trajectory leads me to believe it is headed toward Tython. I will pursue in my Pteron fighter. I believe the Masters' Council should be informed and put on alert. And Master Ketu, be warned—what I sensed was something out of balance…something dark." relayed Hawk.
Hawk climbed into his ship and blasted off after the intruding vestal, sensing its movements through the Force. The Ranger could only hope that his message would reach Master Ketu and the other Temple Masters before it was too late.
XXX
Tython had yet to receive word of the vanishing ship. The Je'daii went about their daily lives, no idea what was about to befall upon them.
Shae Koda, a human Je'daii Journeyer of Dathomiri descent, walked to the labs Anil Kesh, the Temple of Science. Shae walked at a calm, leisurely place down the halls to the main science lab. She had memorized the path during her first weeks at the temple. She had been on her Great Journey for the past year now. Of all the temples she had visited, Anil Kesh was currently Shae Koda's favorite. The sixteen year old had spent the last few months at Anil Kesh studying alchemy, the study of melding the Force and science. Here Je'daii learned how to strengthen weapons and armour, and genetically manipulated wild creatures to serve the Force.
This was an important day for Shae. Shae brushed one of her multiple red braids behind her ear with a gloved hand, green eyes narrowing slightly at the thought of what lay before her. Nervously, Shae straightened her low cut tan tank top and brushed some imaginary dirt off her loose black pants (the hips were cut, exposing the tan shorts she wore underneath). The girl quickly tightened her belt and adjusted her standard sized and short bladed swords. She wiped the sweat from her brow, momentarily pausing as she touched the downward facing green triangle tattoo in the center of her forehead (an identical tattoo on each forearm) before finally entering the lab.
This lab specialized in genetically engendered animals. Shae had been working with her master, Quan-Jang, on a genetically engineered Rancor. They had given the large, monstrous beast a set of massive wings. Today would be the first time they would test the Rancor's wings in the field, and Shae was nervous. It had taken her weeks to convince Master Quan-Jang to test their Rancor in their field. Quan-Jang was the Temple Master of Anil Kesh and a strict teacher, but he had faith in Shae's abilities, though he still remained uncertain about taking the beast out for a field test so soon.
A late middle-aged dark skinned human stood near a cage containing a winged Rancor. Shae recognized the man as Quan-Jang. The Anil Kesh Temple Master was very recognizable with his constantly goggled eyes and bald head that still possessed a long dark braid. The Je'daii Master was clad in dark clothing and armour, his weapon nowhere in sight.
"Greetings, Master Quan-Jang." politely greeted Shae.
The Je'daii Master only giving his apprentice a subtle smile in reply. Shae walked up to the cage, warmly greeting the Rancor.
"Hey Butch. Ready to go girl?" said Shae.
Butch, the Rancor, nudged Shae's hand. Shae smiled at the beast. Quan-Jang opened the cage and the master and apprentice got to work. The master and apprentice ran a few tests on the winged Rancor before binding it and taking it to the surface of the temple. They were greeted by a storm raging around the temple.
This was a storm unlike any that had raged over Anil Kesh before. As the temple straddled the deep and fathomless Chasm, which none had ever seen the bottom, mysterious and strange occurrences were a daily part of life. There were hundreds, thousands of stories about Je'daii journeying down into the depths of the Chasm, never to be heard from again. Those few who did manage to return from the Chasm's unfathomable depths went mad, a fate almost worse than death.
Butch tugged against the ropes Shae Koda and Quan-Jang held her by, thrashing and raving about. Shae pulled on the rope trying to regain control of the raging beast.
"Stop it, Butch! Bad girl!" scolded Shae.
"Hold tight, Shae Koda, or all our efforts creating this beast will be for nothing!" exclaimed Quan-Jang.
"I don't understand this, Master Quan-Jang! She wasn't like this down in the lab!" questioned Shae.
"Tython is out of Balance and our Rancor-Dragon senses it. A Force Storm brews—a big one. It stirs up energies in the Chasm below." explained Quan-Jang.
Suddenly, the ropes snapped. Butch roared, flying away from the master and apprentice. Shae was not going to let Butch get away. She had put too much time and effort into Butch. And no storm was going to stop her.
"I'll get her!" told Shae.
Shae jumped off the edge of Anil Kesh, falling into the Chasm after the Rancor.
"Get back here, Butch! I told Master I sensed you were ready! Quit making me look stupid!" shouted Shae.
"Shae! Use the Force! Control her! Do not let her take you deeper into the Chasm!" warned Quan-Jang.
"Yeah, yean, I know…Fall in the Chasm, go mad, get dead. Like I haven't been told that a ba-zillion times…" quietly muttered Shae.
Shae put a hand on Butch, sending out controlling waves through the Force.
"Right, Master! You hear, Butch? Calm down and haul jets outta here!" ordered Shae.
A shadowy figure clad completely in armour appeared before Shae.
"What the…?! Who…?! Space me!" gasped Shae.
Butch kept going deeper and deeper into the Chasm, taking Shae Koda with her. Quan-Jang pressed his lips into a thin line, the only visible sign of his impatience showing physically or in the Force.
"Hm. This is what come of letting them name the experiments…" sighed Quan-Jang.
Without a moment's hesitation, Quan-Jang dove head first off of Anil Kesh Temple. The Temple Master landed on the raging Rancor's back, quickly taking control. He grabbed hold of his apprentice, who was caught in some sort of vision.
"Well, I didn't give you a pet name—creature. You will hear me. My will is your will. Obey." commanded Quan-Jang.
Butch calmed, completely under the Je'daii Master's control. The winged Rancor flew upwards upon the master's command. A soft groan got Quan-Jang's attention. Shae Koda had returned to herself, the vision having dissipated. Relief flooded the Je'daii Master, grateful that his apprentice had not been harmed.
"Shae. What happened?" asked Quan-Jang.
"I'm not sure, Master. I saw a vision…felt a summoning in the Force." confusedly told Shae.
"A Je'daii cannot ignore such a summoning. Follow it. Take…"Butch." Go where you must." insisted Quan-Jang.
"Thank you, Master!" said Shae.
Quan-Jang jumped off Butch, landing gracefully back on the temple. He watched his apprentice fly away, the Force Storm growing stronger the further they flew from Anil Kesh.
"And may the Force be with you…" confidently spoke Quan-Jang.
I'll be making up some things about characters' pasts and their ages. Comment if you like the story.