Chapter 44: Maps, Fathers, and Beasts

Authors Notes: Well, had to take last week off to recharge. I think I mentioned I would say when that happened but it happened at the last minute so sorry about that. Ah well, almost done with Kashyyk and should finish this planet in the next two chapters at least. This fanfic could go longer then 70 chapters but we'll see. I hope you've all been enjoying it so far and may have to take some time to go over and edit at some point as there are probably errors in every chapter no doubt. Also please review as its not a regular treat for me to see this story reviewed. Makes me feel good to know people are liking my story and its chapters, and if you have any criticisms feel free to share those as well, but please don't be mean about it.

"Well, the device isn't far from here," Jolee said as he led them back past the Mandalorian Swoops.

"Great," Calak nodded.

He led their entire group minus the droids through the lower shadowlands. Grrwhar had returned to his home to recover the rest of the way and report the deaths of his people. Chuundar probably wouldn't do much about as his people were apparently expandable to him. He did not deserve to be chieftain.

But for now, they had to focus on the Star Map, then take out the Wookie hiding down here. Zalbaar's life depended on them killing that Wookie, but would Zalbaar want that? Calak would have to at least find out who the targeted Wookie was when they found him.

They soon came across a large metal mound that had a hologram projector in the middle of it as well as a familiar claw like mini structure next to it. The hologram was a fishlike alien that resembled the Mon Calamari species. It had a triangular head and a pair of eyes connected to the sides of that head. The skin color was masked in the hologram to look blue. Hind claws were shown on the back of its legs. This was not any species Calak was familiar with. Could it be a member of the species that built the Star Forge in the first place, the ones called the builders?

"Life forms detected," the alien hologram said. "Beginning mental scan."

"Yes, there's the thing," Jolee said. "But good look getting it to work."

The hologram looked at Calak and a beam of light from the bottom of its projector. It scanned him as well as well as the others. For a moment Calak was afraid they would only get one shot when the light suddenly focused on him and glowed green.

"Match found! Seeker detected!" the hologram said.

"What the?" Jolee exclaimed. "Match found? It always muttered something about 'rejected patterns' for me?"

"Maybe you had to actually know what you were looking for," Calak suggested.

"State your business, seeker," the hologram said.

"Do you have information on a Star Map, or the Star Forge?" Calak asked.

"Accessing, yes! I am the guardian of this worlds Star Map. I judge those who seek it and test them."

"Test them?" Calak asked.

"Indeed. You will be presented with questions on warfare to prove yourself worthy of finding the Star Forge," the projection told. "Answer correctly, and I will open the map. But if you do not, my defenses will terminate you."

Calak recalled the droids on Dantooine which had been resistant to his lightsaber. But thankfully he'd learned from that encounter and had his vibroblade as well should the need arise. He had Jolee as well as Canderous, Mission and Juhani with him right now.

"Based on your brainwave patterns, I fear you may have too much compassion," the hologram said. "But perhaps that is only directed toward those close to you. It is not a weakness to care for comrades but sacrifices are necessary and you must be prepared to do so and betray those that would betray you first."

Calak realized he was going to have to play by the rules of this alien species philosophy, but he had no idea what that philosophy might be. However, he could put the pieces together. These had to be the builders though, and they had constructed an empire in the days before the Republic. The projection had also mentioned he might have too much compassion. Perhaps it required a ruthless strategy that disregarded morals? But could Calak honestly do that? He sometimes did do somethings that might be morally questionably, but he often regretted them. And one thing he would never cross was killing beings that were completely innocent. If this projection believed he would do that, it was wrong.

"Begin your test," Calak said.

The projection did so. "Very well, I will run you through scenarios and see if you react as you should. You travel with a Wookie and both encounter complications, you and this Zalbaar are captured by the current authorities of a planet's government that mistake you for trespassers."

"How do you know Zalbaar's name?" Mission asked.

"My database is very advanced and is able to pick up much information on this planet. I've even hacked Chuundar's personal datapad without him knowing. Information is how you know your enemies. Now, the authorities offer you a deal, accuse the other and prove they are responsible. Though if you both say nothing, there is a chance you would both be free. What do you do? Be silent or accuse?"

Calak frowned. "I trust Zalbaar and would never accuse him of something he did not do. Nor would he me."

"Are you certain? Zalbaar's family is miled in treachery through his brother and his father proved an unreliable chieftain."

"Big Z is neither of them!" Mission objected.

"Silence!" the projection shouted before turning to Calak. "Your answer is incorrect. Any family who uses betrayal cannot be trusted and their clan must be wiped out."

Calak glared at it. "I know Zalbaar. He is loyal to me and has demonstrated that."

"Perhaps, but even if that is true it could change. Moving on. You are the leader of your army intercept plans of the enemy to attack one of your cities in ten days. What do you do?"

"Evacuate the city of citizens," Calak said. "And call on my allies to help reinforce it. Perhaps even attack the invaders from behind."

"Hmm. A two front counter attack. That is actually a decent strategy," the projection said. "Though it would have been more effective to use the opportunity to attack their own base which may have been vulnerable, but a strategy that could potentially rid you of the enemy army could work as well. I suppose that passes. Now, final question. You have successfully defeated your enemy and your reign has been peaceful. But the people begin to question your rule, thinking you have grown weak. You learn an attack is coming. What do you do?"

Calak thought. "I go out and meet the invaders, striking first."

"No, you would have been wiser to let the attack happen to show your strength. The fact you attack means you feel vulnerable and you leave the safety of your walls out of fear they will be overcome. Your people would see you still have the strength from the previous attack you repelled."

Yep, this programming was ruthless and had a different mindset.

"You do not match the pattern in memory. You are hereby sentenced to termination for unworthiness."

A group of battle droids suddenly emerged from underground around them. The group was caught by surprise, but quickly drew their weapons. By now they were very much used to having enemies practically around every corner. Carth, Mission, and Canderous threw ion grenades they had in their pockets while Calak and the other three Jedi use their powers or lightsabers to push the droids back or cut them down, Calak was relieved as he succeeded in doing so with one of them. Seemed they weren't resistant like those on Dantooine. Jolee shot them with force lightning or stunned them with some technique that disabled them, Calak and Juhani cut them down with their blue blades. The combined efforts of the now well-seasoned team made short work of the droids. They were perhaps as good as an elite team now, perhaps they'd always been. After all, not a single one of them had died since they'd left Taris. In the end, the droids were all reduced to piles of junk.

"It seems the initial test was wrong," the projection said behind them. "Your aptitude as a warrior is beyond my expectance. Not a single one of your comrades perished. Seems they are formidable as well."

"I think I've gotten better with my blaster!" Mission boasted.

"I'd say so," Carth agreed.

"But you may yet have plans to turn on them, or they you," the hologram said.

"I would never do that," Calak said. "And I trust every one of them."

His friends stood beside him proudly.

"Regardless, you have passed this test and shall now receive access to the Star Map."

The claw like structure next to the computer opened and like the ones on Dantooine and Tatooine, the holographic generator levitated out and displayed another section of the map. Calak got out his datapad and took pictures of it, adding it to the pictures of the other maps he'd taken. It still wasn't complete. But it was a step in the right direction. Just two more maps and they'd have it, hopefully.

Calak sighed in relief. "Well, let's find that Wookie, get Zalbaar back and then get out of this miserable planet."

"I hate leaving the Wookies to be enslaved," Mission said.

All of them felt the same way, except for one of their crew.

"If they aren't willing to fight back that's what they deserve," Canderous said.

They headed back north near where they had come in and took the path to the east they hadn't explored yet. Calak could sense a number of lifeforms in that direction, one of which felt different than the others, but not by much. At the same time it felt similar to the Wookies, Calak, but again not the same. Then again if the Wookie was indeed mad that could perhaps effect his presence and mindset in the force.

"I think the crazed wookie is this way," Calak said as he led them.

"Crazed?" Jolee asked. "No, just maddened with grief, I recognized this presence. I helped him escape when he was cast out by his tribe and Chuundar took over."

Calak looked at him. "Chuundar told me he was a mad wookie."

"And you believed him?" Jolee asked. "A slaver?"

Calak frowned, not at Jolee, but himself. "I guess I was more worried about Zalbaar. Well, let's find out his story. Maybe we can help him."

"But what about Big Z?" Mission asked.

"We'll figure something out Mission," Carth said. "We can't abandon a comrade, but we can't kill this Wookie if he's not mad and dangerous."

Mission had no retort. They continued forward until they saw the Wookie. He was old with dull brownish gray fur. He sat by a fire which roasted a skinned body of some kind. As he saw them, the Wookie growled and reached for a large double-bladed sword that was clearly of his people's origin.

"More of you Czerka core rats?" he asked in his language of growls, grunts and snarls. Though his tone was by far the angriest Calak had ever heard in a Wookie, like a ferocious animal. "Is even the heart of our planet not safe from you?"

Jolee noticed the Wookie's demeanor as well. "He's almost feral after all this time! Calm yourself Freyr! Don't you remember me?"

"I remember only the cruelty of humans and outsiders!" the Wookie, Freyr, roared. "You will not have me as your slave!"

"I'm not here to enslave you!" Calak shouted.

Freyr's only response was to spun his weapon ferociously.

Jolee sighed. "Well, this may prove difficult."

"Don't hurt him!" Calak shouted as he lit his lightsaber. "He's been forced away from his kind for a long time by Chuundar!"

Freyr charged at them as they all drew their weapons.

"Set your blasters to stun!" Carth ordered.

"Push him back!" Bastila said as she sent out a wave of force energy.

It pushed Freyr back and Juhani reached out as well, encasing him in a force stasis field that glowed around him. His limbs could not move, though Calak could sense his frustration, which increased along with his anger at the current predicament. Everyone hesitated, unsure what to do while Juhani held Freyr in place. Then an idea occurred to Calak, he reached out and used the force to pull Freyr's weapon out of his grasp and into his own. It was a heavy weapon with two massive blades, truly meant for strong Wookies.

As the weapon left its owners hands, Juhani released her hold on the Wookie. Freyr looked at Calak in defeat, but then glared in defiance.

"I am beaten," he growled. "But I will not come quietly. End me now, outsider! I will not be your slave. Take my pelt if you wish! At least I shall die free. If you manage to take me alive, I will fall on my own claws."

"We don't want to kill you!" Calak stated. "Just listen!"

Freyr shook his head in disbelief. "The word of outsiders are tainted with lies! You cannot convince me otherwise!"

Calak frowned, then thought of something. "Well, do the names Zalbaar and Chuundar mean anything to you?"

Freyr looked at him in shock. "What? Those are the names of my sons!"

Sons? This was their father? Calak's eyes widened in shock, this was the former chieftain who Chuundar claimed had gone mad? The father that had exiled Zalbaar for using his claws?

"Why do you speak them? Chuundar I could understand, he likely sent you to kill me."

"He did," Calak admitted. "But I only wanted to do it to free Zalbaar."

Freyr's eyes widened. "Zalbaar is here? How?"

"He came with us," Mission said.

Freyr looked at them, glaring again at Calak. "Do you dare to claim to be my son's owner?"

"No," Calak answered honestly. "He follows me because of a life debt."

"Does he now?" Freyr asked, his hostility lessening. "Then perhaps he sees something of worth in you. Very well, I will listen to what you have to say. Gullibility has clouded my mind in the past. I trusted Chuundar over Zalbaar because of tradition and exiled him thinking him mad for using his claws. Yet Chuundar was the one that betrayed me and our people, selling them for his own gain. He later overthrew me after spreading lies of my own madness."

"I want to stop him," Calak said. "Is there any way we can do that?"

"He has a strong web of lies," Freyr said, a glimmer of hope appearing. "But there may be a way. Our tribe tells of a sword blade that is sacred to our people. It is rumored to lodged in the flesh of an ancient creature that has lived here in the darkest reaches for centuries if not millennia. But all those who have tried to vanquish it have fallen. But if I could slay it and claim the blade, I would be able to return and rally allies to my cause of freeing them."

"Do you know where this creature is?" Calak asked.

"There is a sacred place nearby where our greatest warriors go to summon it. But it has not been done in many years, not since I was a pup myself. An outsider came, one that carried light swords like you. But he fell as well. My father forbade any further attempts to slay the creature as it seemed a lost battle. But now, desperate times call for desperate measures."

Calak handed Freyr his weapon back and old chief led them south to hopefully recover the weapon.

"We need kinrath to lure the beast," Freyr said. "Good thing there is a hive nearby."

They soon came upon the insect like creatures and fired blaster bolts or cut them down with lightsabers. Freyr then carried one of the creatures to a clearing further south where an ancient stone marker had carved instructions in runes.

"The beast comes when lured by prey. Brave warriors face it, but only the greatest shall triumph," Freyr read. "May you be one of the greatest, for we need that blade now."

He wrapped the corpse of the kinrath in a long dangling vine that almost touched the surface. They waited, and soon, a large beast came. Calak felt a shiver run down his spine as he saw it was the same beast that had chased off the Czerka poachers, or another of its kind perhaps. Regardless, it was a terentatek, and they were known Jedi killers.

"We can take it," Juhani said. "There are nine of us and only one of it!"

Suddenly, a set of growls sounded and two more terentateks appeared.

"Oh, that might be a problem," Bastila said.

"They must be drawn to the strength of our combined force powers!" Jolee exclaimed.

The terentateks roared and charged them before they had time to form a plan, expecting only one of the beasts... but three! At least they had four Jedi in total now, as well as other allies. Carth, Canderous and Mission retreated to a safer distance to get away from the beasts which depended on close combat. The four Jedi and the former Wookie Chieftain however charged forward with their blades. Jolee and Freyr attacked one of the giant beasts, Calak and Bastila gained up on the other, and Juhani fought the third on her own.

"Watch the claws!" Carth shouted from behind them where he, Canderous and Mission stood.

"Move to the side so we can get clear shots!" Canderous yelled as he aimed his heavy repeater.

The four Jedi and Wookie did so, struggling to avoid the large arms of the beasts. Calak tried to push his terentatek back but it was so large that a wave of force energy had no effect on it. He tried to lift it instead, as objects that were lifted with the force shouldn't be able to resist even if they were a ton. But the terentateks were strong in the dark side of the force and could resist these attempts. Calak gritted his teeth. Not knowing if there was any power that could penetrate the monster's defenses, Calak leapt back and threw his lightsaber. At the same time one of the blaster wielders shot at Calak's beast from behind with powerful and many shots, that had to be Canderous's heavy repeater. The lightsaber gashed the beasts hide, but it was so thick, or perhaps augmented by Sith experiments that had created these creatures in the first place, that it resisted the worst of the lightsaber effects. Instead of cutting straight through the creature, it only created a burning slash mark. The heavy blaster bolts though, managed to unleash a volley that caused the terentatek to howl and turn towards Canderous. But as it did so, Bastila leapt on top of the beasts back and thrusted her lightsaber into its brain. The terentatek fell, releasing a gas from its body as it died. Bastila's mouth opened in surprise and she inhaled the gas, immediately beginning to cough.

"Bastila!" Calak exclaimed.

"Its alright! Just poison! I can fight it off!" Bastila told him. "Help the others!"

Calak looked around. Carth and Mission were using their blaster pistols to try and take down the terentatek Juhani was battling. But their bolts weren't powerful enough to pierce the thick hide. Canderous meanwhile had turned his heavier weapon toward the beast Jolee and Freyr were fighting. Jolee had managed to encase that third monster in a stasis field, so apparently the terentatek wasn't completely immune to the force. Freyr cut at with his sword as Canderous hit it from behind with his heavy blaster, drawing blood.

Calak decided to go and help Juhani.

But he was too late as she was cut by the huge claws, blood spurting from her mouth.

"Juhani!" Calak yelled as he leapt and called upon the force to empower him.

He leapt forward and landed a slash across the terentatek's front, cutting it almost in half. Like it's other fallen packmate, the monster released a poisonous gas. Calak felt it enter his lungs and began to cough. He'd finished it off though and he could still move. He made his way to Juhani as she lay there bleeding and also coughing, seemed the terentatek's claws were also poisonous. Calak looked at the last terentatek which was still trapped as all the others besides him, Bastila and Juhani turned to it. Blasters fired, and the twin blades of Freyr's sword cut, and then Jolee came forward, piercing the beast's heart.

Calak breathed in relief then focused his force energy inward to fight the poison that had entered him. Bastila had already managed to do so, but Juhani screamed in agony. She did not know force heal and so needed help.

"Hang on Juhani!" Bastila said as she ran over.

She put a hand on her fellow Jedi and transferred force energy to her, closing the wounds from the terentatek and curing the poison as well.

"That should do," Bastila said. "But try not to move. You lost quite a bit of blood there Juhani. You will need some rest."

Calak sighed in relief. "We always seem to just pull through."

"You fight well," Freyr praised. "Too many numbers perhaps but if it had been less I'm sure you would have perished against those three beasts. Usually only one comes. Perhaps it sense it faced more than three as is the usual permitted amount."

He then looked at the flesh of each of the beasts and eventually pulled a blade from one of their hides. That monster must have lived with that blade lodged in for centuries at least. Apparently the terentateks did not age like other beings, or they could hibernate for a long long time.

"This is it!" Freyr said branding the bloody blade which Calak noted was red even under the blood. "The blade of Bacca, who forged it from the remains of the first starship that crashed on this world. With this, I have a chance to reclaim my chiefdom! I will free my people from my son's oppressive claws and make things right with Zalbaar!"

Calak smiled. The Wookies would soon be free after all.