Four days later, Starkiller and Drexl Roosh led the way through the Junk Piles as the Rodians Scavengers trundled behind them, armed with weapons and gear suited for scavenging.
"What happens next, better be in our best interest." Said Drexl.
"I will direct you to the scrap." Said Starkiller. "You will focus on the profit it will make you."
"Hmm, Just make sure nothing bad happens to us." Roosh snorted, as he turned to his men, and even a few Jawas who had tagged along. "Alright boys, Time to get rich!"
The Junkers behind him cheered and jumped down as Starkiller led the charge, in the junk valley below them, scrap was everywhere, and salvage was practically and all you could eat buffet for Roosh and his lackeys, Starkiller than felt a strong presence in the force, as he looked up to the scrap tower.
"So…" He said to himself. "You're up there.."
Just then, a cry went up, all eyes turned to see a Rodian scrambling away from something that was rising up from the junk.
"W-What's that?" Asked one of the Rodians.
Starkiller felt a rush around him, as a jumbled mess of metal and wiring suddenly rose up, taking up a humanoid form that vaguely resembled some form of monstrosity, cobbled together and armed with unstable blasters, and blunt instruments for limbs.
"Abominations!" Cried Drexl. "Kill them!"
The Rodians took out their blasters and heavy artillery and fired upon the lumbering abominations, most of them were shot to pieces, but somehow, they didn't go down.
"The Force." Starkiller realized, as he pulled out his Lightsaber.
"Get them you scum!" Drexl ordered. "Fight back!" He took out his blade and slashed at one of the "droids" as they came at him, As the Rodians fought, the Jawas fled and Starkiller quickly slashed from one "droid" to the next, finally reaching the other side of the pile, he turned to look back and see Drexl Roosh and his gang still battling the droids.
"HEY! Where are you going?!" Drexl called out.
"You've got all the junk you want." Said Starkiller. "I leave you to it."
And he hopped down the slope as Drexl screamed after him. "You Son of a banthafoder-! I'll get you for this! You hear me, you womp rat! If I ever lay my eye on you-!"
Starkiller slid down the other side of the bank as the sounds of battle grew fainter, He continued walking for half a mile, Until he finally stood before the Junk Temple, a strange parody of the Jedi Temple.
As he trekked forward, he tapped into his comlink. "Juno, are you there?"
There was static for a moment, then Eclipse's voice came through. "...Ecli…To Starkiller… We're receiving you now."
"I'm at the Junk Temple." Starkiller reported. "Heading in now."
"What about those Junk dealers you were working with?" Juno asked.
"They were a worthy distraction." Starkiller said. "Besides, I saw imperial records, Roosh was wanted for thirty-eight counts of fraud, slave trading, and selling shit parts, He won't be missed."
"He could survive, you know." Juno said.
"And I'll worry then." Said Starkiller. "Now then, let's see what this Temple has to offer."
And he made his way inside, he found himself looking around at the cobbled together foyer, Buckled armor plates were hammered as close to flat as was possible, and welded into approximately level floors, Abandoned thrust tubes were used as columns, Sensor arrays were used as window frames, and curving tank walls created the illusion of ceilings high above.
As Starkiller walked cautiously forward, feeling the nearness of the Jedi Target, but still uncertain of his exact location, then the force whirled around him, as a great many bits and pieces of trash swirled together to create a massive beast! It had the head of an old separatist vulture droid and had a large club for a weapon.
"It's always something…" Starkiller groaned as he pulled out his Lightsaber.
The Titan lunged forward, slamming it's club into the ground, Starkiller jumped out of the way and threw a canister at it with the force, it bounced off the monstrosity and caused it to try and smash the apprentice again, But Starkiller caught it with the force, and ripped the weapon like appendage off, The monster swiped at Starkiller, who leaped over it and pulled up the club arm with the force, as the Junk Titan turned around, Starkiller took up the arm and impaled the thing with it, causing the whole being to explode into pieces.
Starkiller wasted no time and quickly made his way to the elevator, which platform had seen better days, it took him right to the top of the tower, he stepped through the door and found himself in a bizarre recreation of the middle tower, And inside, was a junk replica of the Jedi High Council Chamber, complete with mannequins of the long gone Jedi Masters, Starkiller knew their names, he also knew that the Emperor, His Master and their clone army had defeated them in the final years of the Clone Wars.
In the middle of the room, Was a short gray figure with a long-skull.
"Kazdan Paratus at last." Starkiller said.
The figure turned, and snarled, He was an Aleena, a short benign with a large skull, bright eyes, and long fingers, he was held up by four spider-like robot legs, all connected to a harness around his torso, he took up a lightsaber pike and ignited it, a blue blade emitting from it.
"Don't worry Masters!" He said to the faux manquines. "I'll protect you from this Sith scum!"
Starkiller ignited his own blade and countered Paratus as he jabbed at him, swiped at him twice, and then flipped into the air to deliver an ax attack that Starkiller dodged under, The sith apprentice than kicked at the Aleena and sent him tumbling at the feet of one of the masters, a junk replica of Master Plo Koon as he got up, Starkiller nearly stabbed at him, But Paratus was quicker, he brought up his pikesaber and blocked the attack, as they pressed their blades closer, the Aleenan Jedi kicked at Starkiller with his feet, breaking off the struggle as he grabbed the Jedi by the throat with one of his arms and tossed him to the floor.
"Now you die!" Paratus declared and he stabbed at the floor, Starkiller barely had enough time to roll out of the way from this attack and scrambled back to his feet.
The began their dual again, Hacking, stabbing and jabbing they went, Starkiller quickly shot out a jet of lightning at Kazdan, which he blocked with his saber, forgetting about the lightning, Starkiller forced pushed the crazed Jedi and sent him skidding back against the force, mere inches from the small Junk Grandmaster.
"I will stop him, Master Yoda!" Kazdan declared. "I will!"
Starkiller stopped and turned to the rest of the Junk Council, and Idea forming in his mind, He quickly Decapitated the Mannequin of Sassane Tinn.
Kazdan gaped as the apprentice then force pulled the Junk likeness of Agan Kolar towards him and impaled him, followed by slashing down on Kit Fisto. "No!"
Kazdan charged forward, but Starkiller flipped over him and stabbed Mace Windu, followed by him pulling up Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi, who he smashed together and threw out the window, and than shot Ki Adi Mundi with a jedi of Lightning, effectively melting him.
Kazdan Paratus cried out in anguish as each junk master fell, bawling in pain as if they were alive before, Shaak Ti, Coleman Kcaj and Stass Allie, met the same end, Starkiller finally moved to Master Yoda, he picked him up with the force, shocked it with lightning, and threw him at Paratus, who quickly jumped out of the way and climbed up a nearby pilar, using the force, he threw various floating debris at Starkillers direction, these were either pushed back by Starkiller or knocked him off guard, allowing for Paratus to jumped off the pillar and charge down at him like an Ion torpedo, knocking Starkiller off his feet once again, The Aleenan than went on the offensive, stabbing at Starkiller as he got to his feet, the latter than shot a jet of lightning at him, But Kazdan blocked it with the force and a small purple streak of lightning, But Starkiller was stronger and he pushed him back to the edge, Kazdan than grabbed a repulser with the force and threw it at Starkiller, who caught it and pushed it back, Kazdan than jumped onto a beam, with Starkiller followed, they duel for a bit, until Kazdan force pushed him and Starkiller force pushed him back harder, The small Jedi retreeeted to the very top of the tower, quickly followed by Starkiller, there, he saw Kazdan throw another repulser at him, But Starkiller managed to push it back, they traded back and forth for while, Until Kazdan was knocked back to the ground, with the repulser crashing into pieces.
Kazdan lay mortally wounded as Starkiller leapt down and looked over him.
"I'm sorry… Masters…" He croaked. "I've… failed you… again…"
And thus ended the life of Kazdan Paratus.
Starkiller looked at the body, a feeling of… pity arousing in him, But he quickly suppressed it, He took up his Comlink and switched it on. "Juno, I'm done here."
"I have a lock on your Location." Came the reply. "We're on our way."
To Be Continued.
And that my friends, Puts a wrap on the whole Kazdan Paratus storyline. I'll be taking a break from this story to focus on other ones, I hope you all enjoyed it.
In other news, Be sure to look out for the next Chapter of Carrie White, Jedi of the Old Republic, coming soon.
Stay Tuned for now. :)