Summary/Disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Old and New Republics. Enjoy the 4700-word chapter. I do not own Star Wars; Disney and a few others do.
"This place is so… Dead," Cal said as Sask and Avar followed him inside.
"The corpses or the lack of any real Jedi?" Sask asked, curious as to what Cal meant. "Why a cliff? Not every single Jedi can make it here and this place is hardly defensible." Sask stated to which Avar was silent.
"This place was also home to many Jedi who wished to survive, who had no such idea of what a fight is," Avar stated to which Sask was silent.
The Jedi did not listen much. He did this to her only because he respected her and wished her to respect him.
Cal could sense the two Jedi showed more care to each other. It was an odd thing for them to fall apart upon, a very odd thing.
Granted? Both lacked certain traits but it was something he could and would have commented upon if he had to… Something within him told Cal the two Jedi were rather close in some form or fashion.
It was odd but it felt more and more as if he had known something they did not understand. They did not know and would not know.
Granted they would not know, could not understand what was at play for now and that was to be that sadly. It had to be done now and it would not help.
Cal did not know what was going through his mind, knowing what was growing on his mind.
He had a lot of different ideas now… As soldiers? They were too thrown off and the end of things?
Sask and Avar both looked over at each other as both thought of what was growing through his mind. They had plenty of work at the end of this rotation when it was all said and done once more.
Avar hummed and thought more and more of what the Republic had become in the time since they had been something to deal with for now and for a good reason.
Avar looked at the pair of dead Jedi, both of which were struck down… Both were an issue, something to be taken apart when it came down to it all.
He had a lot of different ideas and there was something worth attempting to break out of. It was too much when it was said and done when it would continue to distract him for now.
It was odd now, very odd within them. Cal could tell both Jedi had not yet adapted, they were still new to this world, to everything around them.
A world like this was not one for them. They were left alone, left to distract themselves from the horrors of this new galaxy.
It reminded him of the fact that he had been too distracted by the fact the empire was making moves all over the place.
Granted? It was odd, yet? There was nothing else left to deal with, the empire was going to clamp down on them hard.
And the end of it had been too much to distract it for now. He had a lot of ideas once more.
"I feel death all over this place," Avar said as Sask looked at the pair of dead Jedi.
Avar seemed to be distracted at the end of the day.
They had a lot more to deal with as he turned. Cal looked at the twin bodies of dead Jedi as Sask studied them and looked at the lightsaber marks on their bodies, the handiwork from a Sith.
Or a rogue Jedi. He turned to Avar with a deep frown as she shook her head and strode forward, the wisdom and grace of a Jedi Master from years ago, an age long past.
"Dagan was unable to shake his pursuit of Tanaloor from his mind. None were safe from his rampage and pursuit of his greatest discovery." Avar said as Sask hummed.
"And now he has an entire army to pursue it… The problem is we do not at all know what he had come here for." Sask stated before he closed his eyes.
He had more going through his mind, the Jedi in question was too distracted at the time when it came down to it as he thought of his next move now.
"This?" Cal asked as he used the force.
There was a cylinder the size of a small rock that flew to his hand, Sask looked at it with interest as Avar hummed.
"A compass? Why would… Oh no." Avar said as Sask put a hand to his chin.
"Why would he send his minions to get it if he could get it himself? Dagan would know that some raiders would not stop a Jedi from getting the compass." Sask stated as Avar frowned.
"Cal? We need to get this compass somewhere we can hide it… If not?" Avar stated before the whine of engines was heard.
Cal walked outside as the sound grew louder and louder. He knew it well, a sound from the Clone Wars.
"HYENA BOMBER!" Cal yelled before he turned and ran towards the back, gesturing Sask and Avar with him.
Both rushed towards the outer walls as the figure of the droid grew closer. It opened a hatch to release a pair of photon bombs which whirled through the air before reducing the structure to ash.
The droid turned and landed atop one of the rock spires, pausing only to collect its data from the work. The droid scanned the structure and then took off towards its grounded mothership.
The rubble moved as the trio of Jedi used force to lift the rubble as they tossed stones from centuries ago away.
"He wanted us to come here… He knew we would find the temple. Damn him, he is smarter than I thought he was." Sask stated, looking up towards the retreating bomber.
Avar who held the compass silently agreed. Dagan was many things but stupid was not one of them. If anything? He was probably counting on them to do the work for him now.
He was tired, too tired to even act a certain way. He had not yet allowed himself to get distracted for now and he would continue to deal with it for now.
They had a lot of different ideas as to what was growing on his mind for now.
"We need to get going. We cannot go after the raiders now; their guard is up and we are outnumbered." Sask stated before he sighed to himself.
He knew the battle coming up would be too much at the end of the day. There was more to deal with, more the trio of Jedi were dealing with now.
Something about it all had been too much. Sask knew Cal was busy dealing with issues… And those issues were more than he could ask Cal to put off with.
"Then we can head towards the Mantis. We need to head towards Jedha, there is another Jedi on that planet." Cal stated as he thought of his next move.
"Good… Then we regroup. If Dagan has the compass? Then he has what he needs. Right now? So long as he controls this planet… We cannot strike back." Sask stated as Avar sighed.
"Yes, he is right. The raiders control Koboh, so long as Dagan has an army? He is stronger and stronger than he was before. We are in too much danger on Koboh and so far? Since we cannot move freely? We do not know how to fight back." Avar stated before she hummed.
They both knew what was occurring at the end of the day, he had a lot more to deal with… As a Jedi? Cal knew what they could deal with for now and it was not what he could deal with.
He was all too distracted… They had plenty of work for now at the end of the rotation, a distraction, an idea now that he could not at all hold.
He knew what they would and could strike again and again. The bombing strike he had sent towards them? it showed Cal the Rouge Jedi had more resources than the three of them.
Cal would need to get reinforcements. He could not free Koboh without soldiers and without a commander for which they would fight.
Right now? They had something else on file, something else causing issues for the rotation which bothered him.
"Meet me at the Mantis," Cal stated before he turned and started to leave, knowing what was going to occur.
He had to think, he had plenty of things left to deal with for the time being. Something about this all had been too much to distract them.
They had a lot more, a LOT more within them at the end of today, something they were not at all used to.
Cal and Avar looked over to the side, something which he was not at all used to when it was said and done and done.
They were all too thrown off, they were divided on tactics. Generals and soldiers were not something that Jedi could continue to distract for the end of the day.
They were too much when it came down to it all. He had to fight and fight too much, at the end of the day? They were asked to fight.
Avar was too distracted by the next battle as she thought of something when it came down to it.
(10 minutes later)
Sask looked at the rest of the valley, knowing and guessing something was highly wrong, not that he would explain it too much.
Sask thought of his next move too easily. He knew the world around him had changed too much.
He was tired, too tired to say much. Yet? The Jedi was not stupid, the galaxy had changed.
When he had served under Revan? Sask understood the fact the enemy could be ruthless; they could take many forms. He had fought purely to take down the Sith and ended up believing him so much he had almost followed into the dark side.
When Revan had found him again? Sask had decided to almost be corrupted by that which he was trained to hate, his loyalty to Revan telling him that the master Jedi was somehow correct.
And again? Revan had taught him, defeated him, and saved him from running down a path he could not for the life of himself fathom traveling down.
It bothered him just how malleable he was to let the Dark Side taint him so much that he had almost gone against what he was taught to fight against.
When Revan had asked him to be placed in suspended animation as a messenger? A watcher over the galaxy that Revan planned to save? He needed not to have asked him twice.
Sask still remembered Avar encountering the tube and reaching out with force. It had felt like a thousand grasping little tendrils that had wrapped around his body.
He thought of her and then Cal. The Jedi Knight reminded him of those who had followed Revan, independent, willing to fight against the order's rules.
Cal was what some would have called a 'Grey Jedi.' A term he believed was extinct centuries ago.
"Do you think the raiders will strike while we are gone?" Avar asked, climbing up beside him.
"Yes. Dagan will want to expand his power and find other ways to reach his prize. If you are asking if I believe he will follow us across the galaxy? No. Dagan would be risking his prize to pursue us lightyears away, he will stay here in the system until he can find Tanaloor." Sask added, rubbing at his eyes as he did so.
She knew him. She had visited daily, monitoring him after the war with her enemy had died out. in her way? Avar had kept him from going insane with his thoughts and told him of what had occurred.
"The boy, he was correct about the Jedi being extinct?" Sask asked to which Avar hummed.
"From what little I pieced together? Yes. It appears so. The empire he claims has killed Jedi; they have wiped out most of us. If you were anywhere with the Republic's soldiers? They were shot in the back or killed by the Sith enforcer the Sith Lord contained." Avar stated as Sask hummed.
There was something else coming through his mind, an idea which he had to distract himself from.
"Do you think the people here will help us fight the raiders?" Avar asked to which he hummed.
"The first part of a war is making the enemy fear you. Cal said most of the Jedi are shown to be treated like terrorists who commit war crimes across the galaxy." Sask added before he turned. "Short answer? No, I do not, they might only if we show them there is something worth fighting. We have little in the way of willing soldiers, something like hope is in short supply." Sask stated before he sighed to himself.
He knew Avar was trying her best to hope for him. He had been too thrown off by the new environment around him. He had a lot more left to deal with for now and this was not helping him at the end of the day, the sights? The sounds? They all helped him in remaining calm but he was too unused to coming back after years of war.
He did not at all know what was growing within him but he did know he had a purpose, another war left to fight and a war left to hopefully overcome.
It was just too much, far too quickly. They had been crashed through different years, through more and more within themselves. It hurt him to know the years had not been kind to him at the end of the day.
Something about this all told him that what was coming up next was going to be VERY harsh to deal with for now, something that he was not used to.
He was tired, too tired at the end of the day… Something about this all had been too much now.
He and her finally descended towards the Mantis, guessing something else was going to hurt them, that it would hurt a LOT more distracted at the end of the day…
"Ah, another pair of Jedi. Real family reunion." Both heard from a Latero which appeared to be missing one arm and had it replaced with a prosthetic.
Avar gave a polite bow while Sask nodded, looking at them, curious as to HOW they had gained a wound like that now. It told him a LOT more about the company that Cal kept, it told him of things left to come and something he could not understand well enough.
To be fair? There was something else to be done, something far beyond pain now… It told him enough at the end of the day to be kept secret.
Then again? He had little in the way of knowing what was going on, little in the way of directions when it came to that, more and more had he become thrown off and more and more had Avar kept him with his feet planted firmly on solid ground now and for good.
As they boarded? Sask frowned, thinking of something.
"Cal? Did Dagan attack this town when he woke up?" Sask asked as the human shook his head.
"No. Rayvis caused trouble but I sent them packing." Cal said before Sask hummed.
"And Rayvis is the name of the warrior working for Dagan? His second in command?" Sask asked as Avar nodded. "Then we should be careful anyway… We can consider the entire system a battlefield so long as Dagan and Rayvis live." Sask added, frowning to himself.
Avar frowned but shared his sentiment. There was no telling what the dark Jedi would do with such an army and right now? He would take every move he could to tighten his control on Koboh and its moon.
He had a lot more to try and think of when it came down to it. Avar knew she would have to keep an eye on Sask who knew what the battle would be like.
"Sask? Are you all right to work? I know waking up from cold bacta is going to be a problem." Avar said as Sask hummed.
"Neither you nor Cal will have to worry about me, Avar… I know you want me to strategize so I will. Cal? You told me you fought in a war before? Meaning Lady Kriss is the only one of us three Jedi not to fight in the war?" Sask questioned, eyes half-lidded.
He had a lot more left to try and think of it when it was said and done.
"I am aware I am the only member of this team who has been born in times of peace." Sask heard before he looked at her. "But I have been to Jedha before… Cal? You said this Jedi is working with a group of freedom fighters going against the empire?" Sask heard before he drummed his hands on his side.
"Yes. Cere was putting together a group to help people escape the empire. They are where most of the rebels are, hopefully, Dagan does not know about it." Cal stated before he sighed.
"The best resource in war is information, Cal. So long as he does not know what we want? He does not know how to counter it; it goes both ways but right now? We operate on the idea he does not know and cannot find out yet." Sask added, frowning.
All of them were divided, far too divided at the end of the rotation. Avar looked over at the others, knowing the history of the Jedi was different between all three generations of them.
Something that could change easily was their chances for the fight. An idea like fighting back was going to bother the peace-seeking Jedi but she knew damn well they had stepped into a war they could not yet overcome nor fight against so it was clear every single move had to be calculated.
It was only then that they all fought together where they could stand the test of time and fight the threats they were meant to fight, otherwise? They would be screwed.
"How much should we worry when we get over to Jedha?" Avar asked to which she paused.
They were going to be in for it. He could tell, that was too distracted at the time being.
He was all too distracted either way, knowing what was going to occur, what would end for now.
"Well, it depends if Skritons still exist, if there are still sandstorms that can eat people alive, and if the empire cares enough to station an army there. If the empire controls Jedha? More than usual, I do not know at the rotation, I am going to guess we will still need to understand things." Sask stated, amused for now.
He knew more and more about something to deal with, he had to plan, plot, and scheme about things he did not know the details about. Jedha was a battlefield, one he did not know… He had a lot of doubts about what to tell them.
Something within him was going to break, he would need to break, something…
Avar finally pushed herself away from the wall, heading towards the back of the craft. He looked over towards her, pausing, thinking for a moment.
"I will end up being in the back of the craft if you need me. When it is over 12 hours? I will end up coming out." Avar stated before using the force to close the door.
Sask simply rolled his eyes and let it occur as he leaned back at the table, leaning back on the wall.
"She will be there for a while, you will not be seeing more of her until we make progress," Sask stated as he sighed and rubbed at his temples.
The Mirialan Jedi sighed and rubbed at his eyes, knowing damn well that he would be distracted.
"You sound like you have talked to her a lot," Cal stated before he looked to the side, stars streaking past the window.
"I have. I have many times before she went into suspended animation, she would visit the bacta tube every day she was on Koboh." Sask stated, rubbing at his temples. "She is many things but she is not naïve or a bad Jedi, Cal. She is caring and kind when it comes to helping others." Sask added, smiling. "She just does not understand things outside of being a good Jedi. She can teach and fight but she lacks the skill of being used to fighting dirty." Sask stated before Cal hummed.
"Did you follow Revan? The Jedi who turned Sith then back?" Cal asked to which Sask hummed.
"I did. I fought in his army as one of the generals, he taught many of us how to fight beyond being Jedi, how to strike, and how to fight. He was evil for a time but he learned tricks even then, he learned how to engage the enemy on even terms." Sask stated, amusement across his face.
Something about that told him there was work left to do, the trip would give him some time to iron out a plan of attack, to catch up on things.
He was all too much at the end of the day, something about it all had been too much.
Sask rubbed at his fingers, the pain from being put in a bacta tube for years? It had been odder when it came down to it.
Something about it made him amused for now. Sask knew what the next move was to be sooner or later and it was bothering him.
Sask turned to look to the other Jedi, clearing his throat at the time being. He looked over towards the Jedi and began to speak once more, wiping the dust off his body.
"Cal? You were telling me how the Jedi were wiped out. All of them were exterminated? Meaning the temple and everyone is dead?" Sask asked to which Cal nodded.
"Yeah, why?" Cal asked before Sask sighed.
"Because I heard Revan talk about the Jedi, he said eventually they would fall apart, a great darkness which they could not handle," Sask stated before he sighed to himself.
"Why do you ask?" Cal asked before Sask hummed.
"Because it means almost every single civilian? Each one we run into could be an enemy. The empire controls most of the galaxy and we are at war with them, their servants will be at Jedha." Sask added before he sighed to himself once more.
"You think the empire is all over Jedha?" Cal asked before Sask nodded.
"When the Sith Empire brought their military back to the galaxy? They spread their soldiers everywhere, even if it was as worthless to them as Tatooine." Sask added, leaning over the table.
"They are hunting whatever threatens them. We could be the last remnant of the Jedi, does not matter. We are a threat to them and they hate the very idea we could be a threat to them." Sask added, frowning.
"I have been fighting the empire for 5 years. They have not gotten us yet." Cal said as Sask nodded, chuckling.
"All I am saying is expect this war of yours on Jedha. They will not care if it is a dust ball, they want to rule everything and kill everything they do not rule." Sask said before he closed his eyes pulling off his Jedi robes and then setting it down on the table.
"That doesn't mean you can give up," Cal said as Sask chuckled.
"I never give up. Ask Avar… I am going to sleep for a while, then I will talk with Avar. She is not going to leave that compartment until we sit down on Jedha, she always meditates when she has time and needs to pace herself." Sask said, rubbing at his temples one last time.
He moved towards the crew quarters, deciding to sleep lest he pass out, tired… Right now? He needed to get his head in the game.
Something about it all made the Jedi Knight pause. He looked at where both Sask and Avar had gone, wondering what it was like to be the last of the Jedi. He knew damn well there was NOTHING he could do besides fight.
He knew that things were going to be harder and harder to deal with for now as he relaxed for now… They were too much distracted at the end of the day.
He knew more and more the coming battle was something he was not used to. It would hurt, be more unpleasant than anything he had dealt with before and it would be too much of a hassle.
There were a few seconds of silence, too much within him was burning with pride. He knew damn well there was something else to address.
"Cal? Another question. When I and Kriss were at the bar? We heard about inquisitors, those with red blades. Since the Sith do not employ Sith as soldiers, I am going to assume these are others enticed to the dark side?" Sask questioned, raising an eyebrow.
He knew damn well they were Dark Jedi, only Dark Jedi would serve a Sith like an army. Sith did not train each other to act as armies, they trained cannon fodder which was tossed at the enemy like fresh meat from a butcher.
Cal's nod only doubled his dislike of things. If they were hunting Jedi? The empire would soon call its masters to come and hunt the Jedi for them.
It bothered him, cut him very deep inside and outside. Right now? All he wanted was to be free.
But he knew Avar had woken him up because she needed a soldier, another weapon for a war she was not prepared to fight.
Despite Sask's reservations against the Jedi? He felt he trusted Kriss. And Cal? Well, he was beginning to see Cal was going to act, unlike the other Jedi.
That was a good enough thing, good enough for him to understand they were not fighting by the rules right but still acting according to the way things were.
Granted? He still had to fight but Sask was good at two things, planning and fighting, he was a mine that could go off at any damn second.
It was intense and he worked well when things were like that when he was asked to put his feet up to the fire.
Sask also knew damn well that he would be putting up with odds he could not easily overcome, not now and not ever.
To be fair? He was all too ready to fight and strike out against the enemy, against the odds he knew he was too distracted to do a lot of work when it was said and done.
She had a lot more left to deal with, something within him was all too much for now. He was all too tired and he had to rest anyway… So, he closed the door behind him and slumped down against the wall, he knew more and more that he would not get much sleep at the end of the day.
He was all too much to deal with for now.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
Since Dagan and Rayvis will be the main villains and not the empire and Sith? Not YET? I am going to be making Dagan and Rayvis more active than they were in the game.
Sask is meant to represent the Jedi of the Old Republic who fought in wars and with Revan, Avar the High Republic when there was little war, and Cal the Clone Wars and modern Republic. That is a part of the story.
Cal is still the main character and Avar and Sask are more secondary protagonists.
The next chapter will show more of Avar and Sask, them arriving on Jedha and Dagan's schemes to take control of Tanaloor. Until then? Lighting Wolf out! Until the 900-6500 word chapter in 2-10 months, Lighting Wolf out!
