Chapter 43

Starweird

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

Ahkilleon sat on the top of a ridge overlooking Chopper Base, he had his holopad out and pressed record, "Master, I'm not sure if you got my last message. From what General Gererra told me when we met her on Geonosis, you were recovering well but not yet awake. I wish you were, I need your wisdom. Our fears of what happened on Jabiim have come to light, though I have buried my shame it will never disappear. I still remember your words, we fight for a peace we may never see, but I have hope we may see that peace. I've given a message to Master Stormblade and his padawan to carry to you on their way back to Raxus, while I remain here at the rebel base. If you could see the way my friends look at me now, it was like what happened on Jabiim yesterday… recover soon Master, I need you." Ahkilleon said as he ended the recording and then sent the transmission on a private channel, the sun was starting to set on the surface and covered the world in an orange hue.

He set the holopad down, and looked at the base Sabine and Zeb were hooking up the new Militia shield generator, it wasn't like the old separatist model they'd found on Geonosis, instead it was a Militia model more angular and bulky than the older models. Ahkilleon sat down and rubbed his hands on the back of his neck before he heard the crunch of rocks under boots approaching him.

Breacher approached him, "Commander, what are you doing up here?"

"Trying to think." Ahkilleon said.

"Hmm, about what… sir?" he asked.

Breacher looked up at him, and thought of the revelation of what happened on Jabiim. "I did something terrible, on Jabiim and now my old friends know about it, I'm not sure what they think of me but it can't be good."
Breacher scoffed, "Some friends, come on I think I know what will cheer you up."

Ahkilleon slowly stood, "But you need to change."

"Why?" Ahkilleon asked.

Later after the sun was gone and the rebels were setting up the shield, the Tigers had built their barracks from earthworks and stones, having carved a area in the rock, to set up a campfire, the men were gathered around it with a dead Krykna skewered on a spit with one of their B5 battle droids rolling it over the flames. Corto was rolling over the spider with a ladle pouring over fat that was falling off it. Sabine and Zeb looked over and Zeb stuck his tongue out "They're eating one of those things?" he gagged.

Sabine looked over and didn't speak, back over by the fire. Breacher carrying a bag walked over and he was with a Militia pilot in a blue flight suit, wearing a helmet with a scarf covering his face. "How's it taste?" Breacher asked.

Khast, the Umbaran man, had a bowl of mutton soup made from the kryka "Not bad, little gamy?"

"Pass me a bowl then." Breacher sat down and gestured to the pilot, "Everyone this is Gex, he's one of the pilots who brought our recent shipment, including these." Breacher reached into his bag and pulled out two big green bottles of dark red liquid, "Raxus Sake, Compliments of Commander Tano." The tigers all let out happy cheers and clapped as Breacher passed out more bottles.

A large quarren with a scar on his cheek popped the bottle with his four fangs. "Where is the Commander, we should raise a toast?"
"He's an indisposed Triton, jedi stuff you know." Breacher said as he nudged Gex playfully, the two of them joined the circle, "Well at least we got the jedi on outside, 'this' time." Khast said, making a few of them snicker.

Ezra was walking by with a crate of tools for Sabine and Zeb as he overheard them, "What is it they say?" Triton asked, "Third time the charge?" Ezra turned around "What do you mean third?" Ezra asked them.

All the tigers looked at the padawan with a quiet look, Breacher broke the silence with a snap of a match on the rock to light a fresh cigar, "Easy lads, ain't his fault he doesn't know his history. What do they teach in rebel schools I wonder?"
"How to blow things up?" Sabine asked, arms crossed, Zeb came up with her his green eyes glaring at the Tigers. Her warning made the Militia laugh as they passed around the sake bottles, "Oh come of it mando, your people know war better than anyone. I wonder what they're calling this one in the core, the Second Separatists?" he asked.

"The New Separatists." a woman with red hair and a crooked smile, her hair was lighter than Rulf's dark red hair, he sat next to Jay who hadn't said anything.

The three rebels looked at one another as the Militia snickered, "Your kidding me, you two really don't know?" Breach asked as he took a sip of the bottle.

"Know what?" Ezra asked hands on his hips, Breacher sighed "This is the third war the Rim has tried to break away from the Core?"

"Break away, we're all in the same galaxy?" Sabine asked him, "Tell that to the Coruscanti." Breacher said to her, he gestured for them to join them and slowly, the rebels walked over and found some open rocks to sit on.

Breacher looked at them, then at Gex "You three may not know it, but this war is just of the same war that's been going on for half a century."

Zeb snickered "Oh yeah, if you know so much how come you haven't won it?" Zeb asked.

Breacher ignored him, "All started with an up jump pirate and smuggler named Iaco Stark." Ahkilleon's grandfather, who had kidnapped him and forced the rebels to come to the Wheel to save him.

"We've… heard of him." Ezra said, Breacher shrugged "Eh that saves us time, Iaco got all the other big pirate crews, smuggler rings, mercenary armies that all had to pay homage to the Five- then Four syndicates. Pykes, Black Sun, Hutts and Crymorah. The Outer Rim begged the Republic to come and help them, but they'd just send out a jedi who would arrest someone and take them back and a week later the person they arrested was already replaced. That was till Stark showed up." the rest of the militia started to listen to the tale "Iaco Stark was as charismatic as he was ruthless, they say, an unofficial pirate king. Got the lowest of the low to work together, built a fleet and went crazy on the core world ships and mid rim companies. I watched as a kid when one of his ships came to my world and sold what they stole for fractions of what the Republic corporations were charging."

Ezra frowned "With how you talk about him, I'm surprised he didn't give it away?" Ezra asked.

"Iaco Stark was a bastard, he used that folk hero act to trick other worlds into letting their young go off and join his fleet, the Stark Comercial Combine but we all called the Stark Rebellion. We thought finally someone had come to unite the people of the Rim and free us from the Syndicates, from the corporations like the Trade Federation, Techno Union and so on." Breacher stoked the fires with his stick "What a load or bantha shit." he grumbled as a log broke on the fire.

"Jedi came, they saw, they had a hard time of it. Iaco probably could have won, or maybe he knew that if they did win the Core would raise a real army to attack the rim. Either way he cut a deal with the jedi and sold out his entire fleet." Breacher said, the rebels knowing the real story was something more sinister, that Iaco Stark, Ahkilleon's grandfather sold out his fleet and his only son, at the time, Leo Rock, Ahkilleon's father to the Jedi to buy his freedom.

"And that was that." Khast snickered, sipping the leftovers in his bowel, "If only." Breacher sighed as he stoked the logs in the fire.

"The clone wars?" Ezra asked.

Breacher waved his hand off "Nah, that didn't come till later, the Outer Rim had no more teeth all the best fighting men were gone…. My own mothers included."

"Mothers?" Gex asked, his voice was gargled under his scarf Breacher nodded "Two moms, both tough as iron, few years later some pirates led an Attack on the Trade Federation Research Station, the Kashyyyk Trade Rebellion, Battle of Antar 4, Skirmish in the Ruby Nebula, so many more till Naboo."

"Yeah, when the Trade Federation tried to take over a sovereign world." Zeb said with a grimace, Breacher nodded "Hey, no one said we liked the bug eyes."

A nemodian with beefy shoulders eating a piece of krykna on a stick said something in his own language, and everyone laughed "No offense Craig." Breach said, Breacher looked to Ezra, "That's what led to the Clone Wars."
"But the Jedi helped save Naboo?" Ezra asked him, "No, the Gungan Army saved Naboo, the Naboo Starfighter Corp saved Naboo, Queen Padme Amdialla saved Naboo, what idiot tried to assassinate her rather than turn her to the Seps, I'll never know. You all know the rest, the Corpos built the droid army, the Kaminioans built the clone army and we all lost."

There were many nods to that, "But not this time, this time the Jedi are on the right side." Breacher said patting Gex on the arm, "You mean the New Jedi?" Ezra asked him.

He shrugged "New Jedi, old Jedi as long as they're swinging those laser swords at the Empire, who cares." Khast said.

More nods, Craig the nemodian finished his food, "We have Demon, mightiest of Jedi." he said in broken basic. The nods and grunts of approval went on "Hey Reb?" one of the specter's asked, it was the woman with cropped hair "Is it true that the Commander use to run with you, that he stabbed Darth Vader when he was ten?"

"Well, he wasn't ten he was closer to our age and yes." Ezra explained.

"Pay up." the woman said to a nearby regular who had his helmet on his head, like hat he reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of death sticks handing them to her.

"What about him being the Gladiator on Nar Shaddaa, he defeated a Rancor in single combat, and numerous other champions, the imperial reports say he died in the battle what they call it the Smuggler Uprising?" one of them asked Zeb and Sabine looked at one another, the rebels knew that Sabine had suffered humiliation at the hands of Prince Xizor, not that she hadn't gotten well earned revenge.

Sabine nodded "Something like that."
"We serve a great lord." Khast muttered as he held up the bottle, "To Lord Tano."

The men who had cups hoisted theirs up, others held up their food plates or fists "Lord Tano."
"Yeah, well where is his 'Lordship'?" Ezra asked looking around before his eyes fell on the pilot 'Gex', who Ezra could sense was not what he appeared to be, Breacher answered "Preparing for our next mission I'd assume, training, which reminds me first thing tomorrow morning we'll be training hard, you all are getting lazy." Breacher grunted at the men who groaned like a bunch of kids being told to go to school.

They continued to speak and chat, "Will the Commander join us?"

"I will." Corto said and everyone burst out laughing, before they looked at Rulf who kept spinning the krykna, "Okay, but nobody hurt him to bad, he still cooks for us." Breacher said.

"Maybe he'll show you some jedi moves?" Gex muttered with a satiric tone in his voice, the men chuckled "Wouldn't say no to learning how to use a lightsaber." the short haired woman said, "You do you Tess." Khast said as he pulled out his hatchet "All I need to do is get in close with this."

Khast spun the axe in his hand, "Do Umbarns usually carry hatchets Khast?" Jay asked, he'd been there the whole time but quiet.

"Some did in the invasion, found it pretty useful to break apart imperial plastoid, Jay." Khast said as he turned to Rulf, "Oi, Rulf give us a song?" he asked.

Rulf the ginger had been eating his meal quietly, before he shook his head "Come on." Breacher jeered him, "Do it, Rulf." Jay said.

"Big guy sings?" Ezra asked.

"Like an angel." Tess said and Rulf's red freckles blended in with some rosey cheeks at the praise, "Sing, SING." Jay shouted and then the men joined in chanting "Sing-Sing-Sing-Sing!" over and over before Rulf set his bowel down and stood to the loud applause "Well, what do you want to hear?"
There was a long pause before Khast said "Sing of victory."

"No, sing of women, or men." Tess said smiling and winking at the other men, she appeared to be the only woman among them not wearing her helmet.

"How about we let Gex choose?" Breacher asked looking at him, Gex felt all eyes on him "Sing of home."

Rufl smiled, "I've got one, I was hoping to work on it some more but… here we go." He said as he took a breath and stood up straight, he wore bulky fatigues and body armor that made his pose awkward and then he opened his voice, like a song bird and sang:

Over the hills and over the main

Through Mustafaar, Lothal and Hypain

Warlords commands and we obey

Over the hills and far away

And we soared out of Raxus bound for Outer Rim harbour

With armor a-gleaming and pride to the fore

We'd little to hope but we tried hard to cherish

The thoughts of our loved ones on Raxus fair shore

And soon we were transported through hell and its fury

Through smoke and through fire, through shot and through flame

And at Naboo we stole Palatine's Retreat

And in that short time we were heroes of Naboo

And I met with a maiden hair black as the raven

Her eyes they did glister like two diamonds bright

We spoke not a word at our very first meeting

And I lay in her arms all that long Nabooian night

And we traveled together o'er mountain and valley

And she by my side through many's the fight

She tended my suffering and she saved me of pity

And bore me a daughter for my heart's delight

And we marched into the palace proud Ahkilleon's army

The war soon over it's homeward we're bound

And all on the quayside - the weeping and wailing

Four thousand women left on that cold ground

Farewell and adieu to you Naboo lady

Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Naboo

For we're under orders to sail home to Raxus

But I know in some time we'll return once again

And if ever I'm returning it's with gold in great plenty

And if I return it's with gold in great store

I'll search far and wide for my Spanish lady

Who brought me such peace in the midst of such war

Farewell and adieu to you Naboo lady

Farewell and adieu to you ladies of Naboo

For we're under orders to sail home to Raxus

But I know in some time we'll return once again

There was a long pause, and all the men sat there listening, the crackle of the fire the only noise, and they saw the look on Rulf's face, and everyone wondered who was the Naboo lady he'd met of raven hair and dark eyes, that inspired such a song. "What's her name?" Jay asked.

Rulf sat back down, "Elighta, I promised I'd come back one day and I will." Rulf sat down and picked up his food to eat, the song was beautiful and it shone hope, but also sadness, Breacher cleared his throat "Alright men, finish your food and then we're up at first light to train." Breacher said, setting his food down. "Gex, let's get you back to your ship." the one named Gex got up and followed him, they headed back to a secluded corner of the base and Ahkilleon removed his helmet.

"Well that was…. Educational." Ahkilleon said as he wiped the matted hair off his face, "You lead the men, you have to know who they are, what they're like? They worship you." Breacher said to him.

Ahkilleon set the helmet down on a crate, "Maybe they shouldn't, listen about Jabiim."
"I don't want to know." Breacher said.

"Too bad, Lt. I need you to know." he said as he took a moment to gather his thoughts, Breacher chewed on his cigar and listened "The death of the Imperial Governor, and the Jabiim rebels, it was me, all of it."
Breacher puffed out smoke, sensing there was more, "The Governor had his son with him, a boy, he died."
"How?" Breacher asked.

"When I killed the governor, the man was armed. His son picked up the blaster. I tried to deflect it, but I was so in shock, I'd never killed anyone in front of their family, let alone a child that the bolt ricocheted off my sword into the boy." Ahkilleon said Breacher sucked in his cigar the embers burning up the ash before it finally fell.

He huffed out a column of smoke and took it out of his mouth, "A few years after the Clone Wars ended, my outfit and I were on the run. No longer militia we were outlaws, at first we just stole food and medical supplies to survive, then my Captain started getting greedy. We started robbing civilians, we never went after the Imperials, even the unguarded transports didn't sit right with some of us." He said as he spoke, "Captain killed his first officer and other men who said we were soldiers not bandits."

"I was to afraid to say anything, but I was only a year or so older than you." Breacher said as he looked at the cigar, "I watched the men, that I had worshiped, who I bled with become monsters who would kill, steal and rape just to get what they wanted from people we once swore to protect." Breacher said.

Ahkilleon remained silent, "Finally I couldn't stand it anymore, bounties were on all our heads even if I just watched. So one night, while we made camp I stood guard, I cut the throat of every man and woman who I was with, hopped on the first ship I could find and never looked back."
Breacher sucked on his cigar, "They were my friends once, but they weren't anymore. That Imperial governor, a monster, the rebels you fought terrorists, the boy…. War makes monsters out of men, and we need monsters to fight the real ones."

THE NEXT DAY

The Militia were up at sunrise drilling and training outside they're camp, "COME ON YOU DOGS, HIT'EM!" Breacher shouted, the two dozen men were broken up into pairs with their melee weapons out, they had their swords out and were hacking and slashing at one another, some carried their shields others only their short vibro swords and hatchets. Ahkilleon watched them arms crossed pacing as he observed. "They know how to fight easily." Ahkilleon said as he looked at them, watching them fight. Zeb and Ezra were watching from a distance as Hera spoke with Kanan and Sato at the command center, the rabble of training echoing over the base. Some rebels noticed them as they watched.

Corto had a training sword, a metal rod with a strip off cloth for a hilt wrapped around it, he was training with Khast off to the side, who was showing the movements of a sword, up and down slashes, Corto did show his basic training as a jedi with proper footwork and listening intently to Khast, the umbaran helped straighten his back before Ahkilleon nodded to Breacher, "Company, ATTENTION!" The streak of soldiers looked to Ahkilleon who walked forward.

"Good, for a warmup." He said to them,

Ahkilleon went through the two rows of them, "In the Gladiator schools of Nar Shaddaa the men don't train with armor, or medics, or water knowing one day they may have had to fight the men they trained with, to the death." Ahkilleon said as he paced.

"You all proved yourself on Naboo, you followed me with only your faith. But the war only gets harder from here, reports are coming in that the Cyber Spider Fleet is engaged in another Imperial fleet in the occupied Hutt Space, the Mavericks have already repelled an Imperial fleet from Geonosis, the Free Company has launched another attack on Felucia, at any moment they may call on us. While Lord Asimov and the Vanguard recover we will be ready." Ahkilleon said to them.

"Corto." Ahkilleon said, the healer walked forward and stood in front of him, he had some beads of sweat on his face from his training with Khast. Yumi, his sister, was off to the side meditating. She turned her head when she heard his name.

"Form the circle." Ahkilleon said and the Militia all stood back, and formed a dueling circle, Corto looked around and his heart started to race before Ahkilleon nodded "Attack me, if you can."

Corto looked at him and at everyone else, the soldiers, the Militia, watched him. He had asked to train with them, and now he was getting his first real lesson. Corto held up the training stick and swung it at Ahkilleon who dodged it and flung his fist right into Corto's gut. He gasped the wind going out of his gut before he keeled over. Yumi shot to her feet and Ahkilleon walked past him "Lesson number one men, unless you can dodge, always wear armor." Ahkilleon said.

Corto coughed before he struggled to his feet, "Unless you think you can win." Corto swung his training sword at Ahkilleon again, Ahkilleon blocked it with his gauntlet and punched Ahkilleon in the face, "Run?" he asked.

Ahkilleon then swung his boot and kicked Corto in the stomach, knocking him over, causing Yumi to run to the circle "Brother."

"Whoa." Ezra gasped, drawing the rebels' attention, Ahkilleon looked down at Corto who wheezed struggling to rise, "...get up…. get up." Ahkilleon whispered.

Corto leaned on the stick, Ahkilleon drew back his fist again and got ready to strike before Corto dropped the training stick and held his hand out in surrender. Ahkilleon stopped and sighed "Khast, drill him." Ahkilleon said as he lowered his arm, "Hard."
Over at the rebel command center, they watched the militia resume their training, Rex had joined them "Not much of training as it is humiliation?" Hera muttered.

"No, it's not that. I overheard them last night, Corto wants to learn how to fight. Ahkilleon was testing him, he failed." Rex said somberly.

Just then one of the rebel soldiers came up and handed, Sato a datapad he looked it over and his eyes went wide, Commander Sato cleared his throat, "If you'll excuse me Captain, we have something incredible just fall into our lap."
"Commander?" Hera asked.

He linked the datapad with the holotable and showed them a Star Destroyer, upside down and at an oblong angle, "A Star Destroyer has gone missing from the Imperial fleet in a nearby sector, one of our rebel smugglers passed by it and found it adrift, no scans of life, abandoned and by all appearances still functional."
Hera's eyes lit up, "If we managed to secure a Star Destroyer for the rebel fleet, we'd have more than an upper hand against Imperial frigates, not to mention more supplies than ever." Hera said, Kanan felt her optimism but he didn't share it "What happened to the crew?"
"That is something I'd like the Ghost and her crew to investigate, if the ship is still functional with a full cargo, this is too great an opportunity to miss." Commander Sato said to them.

Kanan shook his head "I don't like it, the Ghost can't cover an entire ship alone it may be a trap. We should bring the Tigers with us."
"Kanan?" Hera asked him, both of them knowing what Ahkilleon had done on Jabiim, "The Tigers quadruple our numbers, we can cover the ship quicker and be back before any Imperials show up to you know take back their ship?" he asked.

Sato looked to Hera "The decision is yours Captain."

LATER

The Ghost and the Revenant had disembarked from Hyperspace to approach the Star Destroyer at the coordinates the rebel smuggler had given them, as they approached they flew up into the hangar and had to park perpendicular for both ships to fit in it's small bay. When the ramps went down the Rebels walked out but the Militia filed out led by Ahkilleon and Breacher, in rows of two in full combat gear, each man with a laser shield at their arm, and blaster slung over their shoulder, Jay and Rulf came out last last with Beetoo rolling up to the nearest terminal to sink in.

Across from them the rebels walked out seeing the hangar was in pristine condition but not a soul around, "No life signs when we scanned the ship on our approach, and nothing on Chopper's radars." Sabine said to Hera.

"Creepy?" Ezra said looking around, Ahkilleon was speaking to Breacher and Khast before they went over to Hera.

"Captain Syndulla, my men are prepared to move through the station, I recommend we secure the life support, engines, bridge and armory first." Ahkilleon said, keeping it formal.

Hera looked at him "We'll split up, Kanan you, Ezra and Chopper will go to the engines to make sure they're working, Sabine, Zeb and I will make for the bridge, Commander Tano and his men will secure the life support and armory." she said.

"You're coming with us, Hera?" Zeb asked Hera, "The Ghost will be fine, I can't stay in the ship all the time." Hera said.

Ahkilleon cleared his throat "If you'll allow it, I have ample men Sargent Khast can accompany Ezra and Kanan, Rulf, Jay and Beetoo can also come with you Captain, Beetoo has been upgraded with all imperial schematics and codes."

Zeb snickered "Yeah well we got something better than a droid, we got Sabine hehe."

Some of the Tigers stopped what they were doing, to glare at the Lasat "Maybe cool it on the anti droid jokes, we accept the assistance but have Rulf and Jay come with us, Sargent Khast can accompany Ezra, Kanan And Chopper." Hera said before they could start anything.

"Roger, roger." Ahkilleon said before he slipped his helmet on, "Breacher secure the armory, I'll head to the life support."

Breacher had his bucket hat on and nodded "You heard'em men, move it out, Bix, Craig you stay with the ship." Breacher said to the large nemodian and a helmeted soldier. Rex leaned on the cargo hold and watched them go.

"Thanks for taking care of the Ghost Rex." Hera said as she checked her blaster "Feels good to go into the field."

Rex smiled, "And I'll keep an eye out on long range sensors for any Imps if they come looking."
The four teams joined together, and the Militia brought out a large crate with the Militia Hex on it, prying it open they started to hand out metal linked belts that all the men started to put on. "What is this a fashion show?" Zeb asked.

"The latest tech from Lord Hood, they removed the droideka shield generator and applied it to a belt for infantry." Breacher said as he hooked the belt around his waist and pressed a button in the center, a blue light came on and a blue hued shield wrapped around his entire body in a bubble making Zeb step back. Zeb looked it over and banged his fist on it causing a ripple "Just remember a slow grenade can penetrate it." Kanan warned them.

Breacher smirked, "Try it."

Zeb slowly poked his paw at it and got a zap, the Militia regulars laughed as Zeb rubbed his hand "Belt will send a discharge at any physical object trying to penetrate the shield at a slower speed, knock it back." Breacher said before he turned to the men who were all belted now "The belts are prototypes, have an approximate charge of an hour, but the more it gets hit the more energy it uses, blue your good, yellow your half and red you don't have that shield for much longer, move out." He said to them.

The rebels and Militia split up into their respective teams and began to make their way through the ship, and just like the hangar there wasn't a soul in sight. No Stormtroopers, not officers, no technicians or engineers. Hera's team went up some steps with Khast and his men who watched the hallways, coming up to a floor cleaning droid that was ramming its head into a wall before they passed "This really is a Ghost ship." Khast said.

"What could make the imps abandon it?" one of his men asked.

"Hopefully, we'll have it back to Chopper Base before we find out." Hera said to them.

They continued on toward a lift, Sabine started to turn it on "Ships energy is all over the place, I'll try to get power back on. Could be anything that caused the crew to leave, faulty reactor, life support damaged…. But then we couldn't breathe?"

The elevator opened and piled in, rising to the bridge, it was a cramped ride to the top and a silent one. When the doors opened they walked out onto the bridge to see the entire bridge was empty too, from the holotable in the back to the front deck with the trenches around the walkways the officers would go through. Hera walked forward looking around still no sign of people, there was an officer's hat on the floor and a remote cleaner droid ramming into the wall like before. "Sabine, slice into the systems see what's what?" Hera asked her.

"You got it." Zeb held his borifle close, sniffing the air "Smell anything?" Hera asked.

Zeb nodded, he walked over to the sunken floor where Imperial technicians would monitor the ships vitals like doctors in a hospital, "Yeah, blood." Hera looke down to see on the floor was a dark red stain of dried blood.

Elsewhere, Ahkilleon was with a small squad of men, moving to the life support section of the ship, they came past some broken wall lights, and Ahkilleon kicked a stormtrooper helmet before he picked it up, he noticed something around the collar a dark brown stain that he rubbed his fingers on before sniffing it under his helmet "Blood." He pressed his coms behind the fin of his helmet, "Specter's, Tigers, this is Tano, I found a stormtrooper helmet, it's got some blood on it."
"Shouldn't be anything new." Ezra muttered under his breath, but not over the comlink "You didn't find who it belonged to?" Kanan asked.

Ahkilleon entered some barracks in the ship with his men all the lights off, the beds were all either folded neatly or blankets pushed back, there were lockers and crates filled with effects of the crew "No sign of anyone, barracks are still full of stuff."

Elsewhere in the ship, Breacher and his team were walking through the mess hall of the ship, their were trays of rations, water, and blue milk still on the tables, some of them had their food spilled on the floor "Same here, we're in the ships caf, no sign of… hold on." Breacher said when he spotted something on the wall burn marks from blaster fire "We got signs of blaster fire here."
Back with Hera's team, Khasts men had scouted around the bridge"Same here, right into the walls, found a blaster too." one of Khasts men handed him an E-11 blaster. The standard issue of any stormtrooper or soldier.

Hera looked at it and Khast waited on her word, "Were they boarded?"
"There'd be more bodies." Zeb said to Sabine's question, "But by who?" Ahkilleon asked as they went down the halls and found a large stain of blood on the floor, dried and the iron making it turn brown "Or What?" Sabine asked.
Hera cleared the tension "Let's focus on the mission, Sabine, how's itcoming?" She asked.

"Got it." Sabine was standing over one of the main terminals and started to turn more of the ships computers, "The ships named the Decimator, you got to love how the Empire always stays on theme."

Hera walked to the front of the bridge and looked around the dark vacuum of space "And the ships manifest?"

Sabine continued to scroll, "Full complement of missiles, weapons, and more; even the latest Imperial codes there's a passcode required but I think if I had some time I could hack it. It's a gold mine Hera."

Down with Ezra and Kanan who were heading to the engines, Rulf and Jay walked silently behind the Jedi. "Specter One, Specter Six, how's it coming?" Hera asked, both Jedi led the two cadets into the engine room the three large engines had pillar like interiors that spread out over the roof to support it, Chopper rolled up and plugged into the system, Chopper beeped at them as Jay and Rulf looked around holding their E-7's in silence, "Chop says the Engines need a bit of maintenance, but the hyperdrive isn't functional, still no signs of anyone?"

"This is Ahkilleon, we secured the life support system, more blood stains." Ahkilleon said as he and his squad looked around the ship.

Breacher and his men entered the armory soon after, a giant room with blasters on racks, extra armor, rocket launchers, and even assault vehicles "This is Breacher, we're at the armory walkers, blasters… lot of them are missing" he trailed off.

"Missing ho-" Ahkilleon cut himself off.

Kanan answered "What is it?" down in the engine room, Rulf walked toward a nearby window looking out into the black vacuum of space, he started to get closer to it.

"That's just Kanan, nothing, it's too easy." Ahkilleon said.

"And that's not a good thing?" Zeb asked over the comlink "No, I mean I can't feel anything in the force, no signs of life, no echoes, we need to leave." Ahkilleon said.

Hera held her comlink up "Absolutely not, we have to get this ship back to Chopper Base, a full Destroyer for the Rebellion or can you give us a few Dreadnoughts, Commander?" Hera asked conceited.

Ahkilleon was silent, "I didn't think so."

Down in the engine room, Rulf was at the window he gazed out and among the small white pinholes of stars, he saw… something moving? "Rulf?" Jay asked.

Rulf spun around "Did you see that?"

"See what, a ship?" Jay asked looking out into the window, he couldn't see anything. "No, something… probably just some wreckage."

Jay nodded "Yeah, this place got me jumping at shadows."

"Yeah." He shook his head and rubbed his brow, a bead of sweat on it, Jay gestured for him to follow "Come on, let's stay close to the Jedi."
Both boys headed over to Ezra and Kanan who stood by as Chopper worked on the engines, "So, Master Jarrus, you fought in the clone wars like my father?"
"That's right, and it's Kanan." Kanan corrected Jay.

"Sorry, I grew up around so many other Jedi it's a habit." Jay said setting his rifle down to sit on a nearby crate, "My father always told me great stories of the Jedi, I wanted to be one but… don't have much a talent for uh…" He held his hand out and wiggled his fingers.

Ezra smirked "I've never heard anyone describe the force as." He wiggled his fingers.

Rulf loosened up "I always thought of it as a-" he waved his hand and spoke in a low tone "You will do what I say."

"We don't sound like that when we use the force." Kanan said, Ezra shrugged and made a wirey reply "Well… sometimes."

"May I ask you two something?" Jay asked.

Both rebels glanced at one another "Sure?"
"Why have you not come to Arcadia, your people are there?" Jay asked him.

There was a long silence, "The Jedi aren't a people, it's a belief." Kanan said.

"That makes sense, but you survived the Purge and so did others, there on Arcadia. I don't know but if I lost my people, er I mean Order, I'd do anything to see them?" Jay asked him.

"We've considered it, and we did visit once, that was when Ahkilleon betrayed- I mean left us." Ezra corrected him.

Rulf's face soured at that "You may want to cut the Commander some slack, I don't what the new beef is between you all and him, but he's a hero to us."
"Hero?" Ezra asked "Woulda Hero kill-" "Ezra." Kanan cut him off before he could spill the truth to them. But neither Cadet new, and Jay stood "You've killed people haven't you?" Jay asked.

Ezra lowered his voice "Not when I could help it, and I've never enjoyed it."

"I'm not saying Ahkilleon enjoys killing, but when the dust settles and we're all still standing. The Empire running away, we're just fine."

Up in the bridge, Hera was pacing back and forth "How's it coming Spectere's?"
"I found the Captain's log, looks like they were on their way to reinforce Felucia, and then it gets weird?" Sabine said.

Hera walked back to them "Weird how?"
"Listen to this." Sabine said "Five days ago from the log, 'We lost two technicians who were repairing our outer haul, we stayed for as long as possible scanning for the lost crew members but no life sings and our Fighters couldn't cover the fuel range so we continued on. Following their disappearance our hyperdrive gave out."

Zeb heard her and said, "That's not good."

"The ship has parts to repair it, and that's what they started to do." Sabine said as she continued to read 'We stopped for repairs, and while I didn't know the technicians I mourned their loss, a waste of good men. Repairs proceeded when four more crew members suddenly vanished, three stormtroopers and an engineer and the men were starting to whisper about a saboteur. Naturally I doubled patrols through the ship, on guard of all major sections of the ship. With Crew confined to quarters when not on duty."

Hera looked over her shoulder as Sabine moved to the next log "'Something isn't right, more crew are starting to disappear, my second in command has vanished. A mother of four, for the sake of the crew I have decided to risk pushing the engines as we continue to try and repair the hyperdrive. All suspects have been questioned and locked in the brig but when we open their cells to let them out, they're gone."

"Okay, that's definitely not good." Zeb whispered.

Khast and his men were moving through the bridge "This is the log two days ago, it's a lot." Sabine said continuing to read it "'Half the crew is missing, I have ordered all remaining crew members to arm themselves, blasters for every man and woman, all crew are to share quarters with remaining members. But still more are going missing. We hear screams throughout the ship, there is something here, something on the ship, around the ship and it is hunting us."

Hera raised her comlink "Kanan, how's the repairs coming?" Hera saked.

"Chopper needs more parts, can you send anyone?" Kanan asked.

Hera didn't answer, she was listening to Sabine "Oh stars." Sabine said as she read aloud, Khast and his men were listening too "'Gone, they are all gone. My men, who trusted me, are gone. I heard screams in the night, terrible screams watching me. Whatever it is, it's watching me. I can hear it coming. Please if anyone finds this log, do not stay here, this ship is cursed. The screams are getting closer, they are coming for me."

Sabine turned to Hera who still had Kanan asking for a response, "Hera?"

But Hera was frozen looking out the bridge window and saw something, the outline of a humanoid but long and gangly, "Hera?" Sabine asked, Sabine spun to the mandalorian and looked at the window, there was nothing there.

"... Send the parts to Chopper, the sooner we get out of here the better." Hera said.

Zeb cleared his throat, "Hera, didn't you hear Sabine, something isn't right here."

"That was days ago, whatever happened here has moved on, unless…. No it couldn't be." Hera said as she shook her head "Couldn't be…. What Phoenix Leader?" Sargent Khast asked walking up to her, his helmet had a row of fangs painted on the face and he removed it to look her in the eye.

She looked at him "Nothing that concerns you Sargent, it's an old pilot's tale."
"Try me?" Khast asked.

Both Sabine and Zeb looked at her too, "No, we need to get this ship running and on the move."
"But what if whatever attacked the crew, is still here?" Sabine asked Hera.

The twi'lek pondered it, "Kanan, do you sense anything in the engine room?" she asked.

Rulf overheard her, "No, I…" Kanan did sense Rulf's uneasiness "Rulf?" Kanan asked.

"Well, I think I saw something out the window but I wasn't sure."
"Rulf says he thinks he saw something out the window." Kanan copied to her, Hera shut her eyes and tucked her lip "I wish I was the only one."
"What, what did you see?" Ahkilleon asked in the life support room, "I'm not sure, but I don't want to find out. Sabine download everything you can from the ships computers, then we're leaving."

Ahkilleon let out a sigh of relief, "All Tigers, make for the hangar, shields up."

Ezra held up his comlink "What, just like that, but Hera you said we couldn't waste the opportunity?"

"I know, I know, but something in my gut is telling me we need to go." Hera said throug her comink.

Down in the engine room, Chopper let out a squawk of annoyance at having to stop working, before rolling to the door, Rulf breathed a sigh of relief and so did Jay "You see, nothing to worry about." Jay said as they headed to the exit. Ezra reluctantly followed them to the door and when it opened they all froze.

"What…. The hell…. is that." Jay said looking down the hallway in a part of the ship where the lights were flickering on and off, stood no, it was floating. 'That' was a tall and gaunt creature shaped like a humanoid, it had long gangly arms that had paper thin like skin that was torn and flowing like dead fabric, it possessed long, sharp talons, wild white hair that waved around it's head like it was underwater. Its face sunken like a corpse with fangs, no nose and haunting glowing eyes.

Rulf and Jay raised their blasters, turning on their shields round blue tinted bubbles of energy appeared around them, "Kanan?" Ezra asked "Whatever it is… I don't like it, move away slowly."
"Wait, maybe I can connect with it?" Ezra asked.

"Connect with it, we don't even know what it is?" Jay asked him, "Hera, we found something, something weird?" Ezra said into his comlinks as the creature floated ahead of them.

Ezra looked at it, "Some sort of creature, humanoid, white hair, glowing eyes and ripped like skin? Does that make any sense?"

"No… Ezra, Kanan, get out of there, get out of there now!" snapped at them "I'm going to try and connect with it."
Ahkilleon heard him over the comlinks "Ezra, no."
Ezra walked forward hand outstretched, "We aren't here to hurt you, I'm Ezra… whats your name?" Ezra asked, the creature looked at Ezra cocking it's head and then it started to tremble opening it's skeletal mouth. It opened with "Ezra it's a Starweird- RUN!"

Before they could, the Starweird unleashed the loudest, most horrifying scream like a starfighter engine but from the darkest pits of hell where agony wasn't even close to what they felt. Ezra grabbed the side of his ears and fell to his knees, Kanan dropped his comlink and held his own ears both Rulf and Jay were affected as well. The Starweird rushed at Ezra flying and startling speed to swipe at him with its claws ready to slash Ezra to pieces before Rulf grabbed him pulling him into his shield the Starweird claws bounced off him and then it slashed it's claws again at the shield getting electrocuted.

Jay fought through the pain of the scream and took out his blaster shooting at the monster, it was pelted with blaster fire but that just made it angrier. "Mayday, mayday we're under attack." Jay said into his comlink.

Kanan grabbed his lightsaber and leapt over the shield to attack the Starweird, he swung his lightsaber at it and made contact, the Starweird howled like a banshee, it felt it's arm burn at the lightsaber before it vanished "What, where did it go?" Ezra aske feeling his ears before he got up, he looked at his hand to see blood coming from his ears.

"I don't know, and I don't want to stay to find out." Kanan said helping him up, "Rulf, can that shield expand?"
Rulf nodded "It'll drain the battery, but yes Master Jedi."

"I said it's- fine, Ezra stay close to Rulf, I'll stay close to Jay." Kanan said picking up the comlink "Hera, can you hear me?"

"Kanan! Oh thank force, what happened, where's Ezra?" she asked worried sick "Alive, we all are we encountered that thing… a Starweird, how is that possible?" Kanan asked.

Hera shook her head "I don't know."
"What kind of karabast is a Starweird?" Zeb asked aboard the bridge, Hera looked at him and her green face went pale." Hera said pointing out the window for them all to see at the very edge of the star destroyer window was another Starweird, Khast and his men held up their blasters activating their shields moving in front of Hera "There suppose to be extinct ancient creatures that resonated with the Force."
"Resonated with the force, I don't like the sound of that." Sabine held her blasters up, "Well at least it's out there." Zeb said looking at the thick glass window between them and the Starweird, and then the creature phased right through the glass, and it wasn't alone. Two more appeared hey were very tall and extremely gaunt—to the point of almost being skeletal—and wore ephemeral rags that hung from their two arms. Each starweird had long, wild white hair that floated around their heads even when influenced by gravity. The creatures had pale skin that varied slightly in color from one starweird to another, and their faces were desiccated. The Starweirds each had a large, toothy mouth and eyes that glowed in a way that some individuals described as eerie. Their arms were bony and ended in hands with three large, sharp, black talons.

Zeb raised his blaster "Me and my big mouth." He said to shoot "Fall back, if we hit the glass we'll get sucked out." Hera said as the Starweirds let out echoing screams that made everyone suffer as they fled to the turbolft.

"Go, go- aah go!" Khast shouted, the Tigers ran for the elevator and turned their shields off to get in, but raised their arm shields to form a line at the doorway as everyone go in the scream making Hera's ears bleed "Chew on this you fucks." Khast took out a thermal detonator and threw it out the door before it closed and they went down.

The ship rumbled above them as they went down, "aaah, Kanan we just ran into three more Starweirds."
"Three, that's never happened before?" Kanan said as he and Ezra were running back through the ship, "You know about these things Kanan?" Ezra asked.

"Old ghost stories told to us as padawans Ezra, Starweirds were believed to be extinct, created by the Sith and hunted by the Jedi. They hate force wielders."

The tigers in the armory and life support system were running too "Well that's just great!" Breacher said as he and Ahkilleon were moving through the hallways, two more Starweirds chasing them screaming bloody murderer, "And did these jedi lessons tell you how to kill them?" Breacher shot back through his shield as they ran.

"No, just to run- RUN!" Ahkilleon shouted to his men, be wheeled around and drew back each of his arms before he unleashed a blast of force lightning at both Starweirds when the bolts of lightning hit them the monsters howled at him and sucked in the force lightning like it was nothing "What!" Ahkilleon gasped no one, no thing had ever been able to take his force lightning.

"Try this." Breacher said as he came around, raising up an imperial D-72w flamethrower, the fire burst out against the Starweirds, the creatures screamed even louder this time in pain, their ephemeral skin bursting into flames before they fled away.

Both men sighed in relief, "This is Tano, fire hurts them."

"Our lightsabers, are they afraid of them?" Ezra asked.

"Right because who isn't afraid of a freaking laser sword." Jay snapped at him "Whoa take it easy." Ezra said.

"EASY!" Jay shouted at him "You karking Jedi brought us into a ghost ship with nightmare monsters, how can I take it easy?" Jay snapped as they rounded a corner.

Hera's team made it out of the elevator and Khast's men formed a ring around them with their shields, "Move, move." Hera said as they saw more Starweirds flying toward them, they ran down the halls when a Starweird burst out of the floor howling it knocked Khast back inside his shield away from the others he landed on his belt's battery pack and it shattered, losing his shield. "Sargent!" One man shouted "Oh kark!" Khast shouted shooting at the Starweirds who swarmed him, Hera, Zeb and Sabine watched as the monsters slashed Khast apart with their black talons blood flying everywhere and biting into him his screams echoing before they saw him grab one of his thermal detonators with his hand before it was sliced off and they heard it primed "GO!" Hera pushed Sabine forward and the grenade exploded.

Back in the hangar, both the Ghost and the Revenant had raised their shield with a group of Starweirds flying around the two ships, Bix and Craig were shooting at them with Rex who was hiding behind the shield with his two blasters, one Starweird flew past Bix, she turned her shield up again to full blast as more Starweirds smashed against it, the battery going from yellow to red before it gave out. "No, no- no!" she wailed before the Starwierds grabbed her and pulled her out of the hangar and into space where she went silent.

Craig the big nemodian roared and rushed the nearest Starweird, "NO!" Rex shouted watching the nemodian draw his vibrosword he swung at it slashing the starweird who howled at him, despite the nemodian's bravery he was no match for the starweirds who overloaded his shield and skewered him with their talons, blood gushing out him before Kanan and Ahkilleon's team came back into the hangar to see him getting eaten alive. "We have to help him." Ezra shouted.

Breacher raised his flamethrower "Get back." Breacher ignited the flamethrower and burned the Starweirds into flying off, Craig fell down bleeding and his green skin burned black, Ezra ran up and started to swat out the flames on his uniform "Pain- Pain!" Craig shouted before he drew his blaster pistol pressing it against his head and shooting.

Ezra went pale, he had never seen anyone kill themselves or corpses so mangled "Dammit." Ahkilleon grunted, "Alright, get his body on the ship, Jay I want a head count, we're getting out of here now."

"Roger, Roger." Jay said out of breath, "Did we get any data?" Hera asked Sabine, she shook his head "No, I didn't have time."

"To hell with the data, we need to get out of here." Zeb said to them, "We can't." Kanan said.

"What do you mean we can't, we're at the ships, let's go?" Breacher snapped at him "It's not that simple, Starweirds can enter ships in hyperspace, one must have boarded the Destroyer it drew the others, it had to be a massacre."

Ahkilleon paced around "It's a damn infestation, we know fire can hurt them, but why not my lightning?" Ahkilleon asked.

"They live in space, fire doesn't exist in space or can't without oxygen from a ship-" "But force lightning comes from the force, so did the Starweirds they absorb it like we eat food." Kanan finished for Hera.

"Then how do we get out of here?" Ezra asked.

Another long pause, "...We have to kill them, all of them." Ahkilleon said as he looked to Breacher, "Get the thing."
"Thing, what thing?" Hera asked him, "A bomb."
"You have a bomb?!" Ezra asked him, "And you brought it with you?" Zeb asked, Breacher and some of the men went into the ship and came out with another large crate before they opened it, inside surrounded by foam was a helmet sized device with a timer and heavy capsules around it. Jay gulped when he recognized it was the same type of bomb they'd used to destroy the Lothal factory, where they lost Stratos he looked around his count interrupted and he went white "Rulf… Rulf?" He looked around.

Everyone started to look for the red haired soldier, "Where's Rulf?"

"He was right here a second ago?" Ezra asked looking around.

"He must have fallen behind when we were running?" Kanan asked, "Why weren't you two watching him?" Breacher asked the jedi.

"We were running for our lives from the space monsters, is it not our fault?" Ezra asked him Breacher glared "Enough!" Ahkilleon shouted walking up to Beetoo.

"Buddy, scan for his signal." Beetoo beeped back at him after the droid located Rulf, bringing up his hologram of the ship and showing it in the bowels of the ship, "What is that place?" Ahkilleon asked Sabine.

She looked at it, taking her helmet off "It's the coolant system, cycles the ships water and heat? Why would he be there?"

"Turok once told me lots of animals choose dark damp and warm spots to make nests, this place isn't just a ghost ship, it's a breeding ground for these things?" Ahkilleon said, eyes dark "The crew was the first meal, it sent them into a feeding frenzy…"
Zeb gagged "And then what, they got busy, that's disgusting."

"We can't leave him." Jay said coming back down with more flamethrowers, the rest of the crew all started to grab them and get ready. "No." Ahkilleon said.

Ahkilleon walked over to the bomb and picked it out of the box strapping it over his back, "Commander?" Breacher asked "We already lost three men, I'm not losing anyone else. I'm going, alone."
"Are you insane?" Ezra asked him, still worried for his friend.

Ahkilleon didn't answer; he just got ready, grabbing one of the flamethrowers "If someone doesn't destroy this ship, the next ship will feed them, and the next and next it ends here." Ahkilleon said heading to the door. "Don't be stubborn, I can connect with them I know if I just try-" "NO!" Ahkilleon shouted at him.

Ahkilleon took his helmet off and tossed it to Breacher, "You just don't get it, none of you get it." he said to the rebels "These aren't purrgils trying to migrate, or lothcats looking for food. These are monsters, all they know is how to kill, eat and make more of them. If the legends of Starweirds are true they we can't risk it."
"Wait if these are animals, and if they were extinct what right do we have to wipe them out?" Hera asked, Ahkilleon grabbed one of the shield belts and through it around his waist.

Ahkilleon gawked at her, along with the rest of the Tigers "Are you joking, this isn't a humanitarian debate Hera?"

"I'm not saying that, I'm saying we should run while we can."

"And leave Rulf?" Jay asked her to tighten his grip on his flamethrower "No way."
"That's not what I'm saying, but-" BUT NOTHING!" Ahkilleon shouted at her, "These Starweirds want to be at the top of the food chain, but now I'm going to show them what a real monster is, if I'm not back in an hour leave without me, that's an order Lt." Ahkilleon said, heading back into the ship.

Some of the men were about to follow but Breacher held up his hand, knowing his orders. "We're going aren't we?" Ezra asked.

Hera looked at the dead nemodian, being put into a bodybag "No, we get ready to leave."
"Hera?" Sabine gasped.

"Ahkilleon is on his own." Hera said while he ran through the hallways of the ship, with the bomb strapped to his back and his flamethrower, a starweird screamed, making him stop, his ears bled under his helmet. He saw it flying right at him and he blasted it with fire . It flew off in flames before Ahkilleon ran down some stairs going deeper into the ship, following Rulf's signal. More starweirds came and he unleashed the flames on them as he saw more of their ephemeral skin on the walls of the ship, the creatures turning the vessel into a nest that resembled their own being.

He went deeper and deeper the screams getting worse and louder, the fire making him sweat under his armor "RULF!" he shouted looking for him, the signal getting stronger "RULF!" he howled louder trying to find the cadet. He came into a room that was covered in the ephemeral stuff, the pale skin like coverings lit up by the wall lights, showing veins and bubbles, like living tissue and he stepped on something a bone, licked clean and nearly gagged. The floor was covered with the bones and bodies of Star Destroyer's crew, eaten by the starweirds with only their skeletons tangled with their uniforms and armor. And on top of them all in clusters of white hair like oval shaped things, were eggs. Starweird eggs hundreds of them littered around the dead bodies.

He looked around and felt the signal growing stronger, till he saw Rulf his upper torso poking out of the strange nest against the wall he ran for it, "Rulf, Rulf wake up soldier." He shook him and then frozen, it was Rulf, his upper torso but that was it, he was embedded into the wall his entire lower body and right arm gone sliced off by the Starweirds, dead- Rulf's eyes shot open and he gasped like only one of his lungs was working "C-C- Commander." he gasped.

"Rulf- hold on I'll-I'll-" Ahkilleon gasped looking for a way to get him out, but he saw that the ephemeral layer of nest was molded with his body, his neck and arm keeping him alive, "C-Commander I can't feel my legs…" He gasped.

Ahkilleon looked at him, and knew there wasn't anything he could do to get Rulf out, without killing him "It's okay, I'm going to get you home, your going to see your Naboo lady, remember, think of her, okay think of her while I get out out, close your eyes."

"I-I'll try…" Rulf said, Ahkilleon took out his lightsaber and Rulf looked at him ready to get cut free but Ahkilleon pressed the dark iron lightsaber a small space between Rulf's chest and turned it on, killing Rulf to spare him the suffering of being eaten alive "Elighta…." Rulf said eyes wide looking at Ahkilleon, there was surprise in them, but no anger, or fear of betrayal, he just closed them like he was going asleep against the red light. Ahkilleon pressed his forehead against Rulf, "Forgive me Rulf…." He heard a Starweird scream in the distance, "You will be avenged." Ahkilleon turned the flamethrower on the eggs and unleashed it, sending the cluster of eggs up in flames to the sound of hundreds of eggs popping and dying. Ahkilleon burned them all.

When the flamethrower ran out of fuel, he dropped it and set the bomb down in the center of the room, he held up his comlink on his arm "I found Rulf, he's gone, setting the bomb."
"What!" Jay shouted "No, he can't be, Ahkilleon please-" "Get the ship ready Cadet, that's an Order, I'm arming the bomb get ready to leave."

Ahkilleon set the bomb, with a countdown of fifteen minutes, plenty of time to get out and

KRRRRRRIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

He grabbed onto his ears and felt the Starweirds swarm over the flaming nest, the inferno of their dead young sending them into a rage, Ahkilleon looked around to see dozens of them soaring over him and through the floors and walls like phantoms, he fought the pain and grabbed his lightsabers and swung them at the closest Starweird burning it, but not cutting it in half. He used the force to send them back but it was only a strong wind to them. Ahkilleon could feel their presence now, their bloodthirst and anger of beasts, and he welcomed it.

He started to fight his way to the exit, but one Starweird flew toward him and knocked him off his feet, he flew back into the mountain of bones, some cracking under him before another Starweird flew at him, it picked him up with it's massive talons scraping against his armor and smashed Ahkilleing onto the upper wall of the coolant system chamber. This one was larger, it's hair longer it's eyes glowing red, it had to be the mother of the rest, the alpha, it didn't matter.

KRRRRRRIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

It sent a psionic scream so loud and so painful into his mind his ears, his eyes started to bleed he felt his insides twist and burn the sound so terrifying it was tearing him apart, and like so many times, when Ahkilleon was backed into a corner, with no way out, staring at the abyss. He stared back.

Ahkilleon opened both his eyes, the green burning into yellowish gold and he screamed right back at the Starweird, that scream turned into a roar and he channeled everything he could into it, all his anger, all his malice, all his pain but not just the dark side emotions. Rulf had been Ahkilleon's friend, his brother in arms, they had fought together, laughed together, he focused on Ruff's big smile, his angelic voice, how he only spoke when he had something to say he may have not known Rulf as well as others, but he would keep his promise, Rulf would be avenged. "RRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

From the deepest part of Ahkilleon, he channeled the force into his voice to form the echos of a might roar that made the Starweirds grab onto the sides of their heads, they pulled at their hair tore from their skin and the large starweird that had grabbed him dropped him, Ahkilleon didn't go for his lightsabers he leapt at the Starweird and grabbed onto it's head "You wanted me, then take it, TAKE IT ALL!" Ahkilleon channeled the force lighting into the monster's head and yelled before the Starweirds red eyes burned brighter before exploding along with its entire body the other starweirds howled in terror fleeing the coolant system.

Ahkilleon hit the floor the fires around the burning next raging around the bomb, he looked at it to see the countdown was down to five minutes, how long had the Starweird been screaming at him, forcing himself up he looked back at Rulf, he wouldn't leave his body here, what was left of it. He cut the Rulf's free and carried his torso and head over his shoulder running back to the hangar.

He ran in silence, the Starweirds that were still in the ship fleeing around him before he made it back to the hangar, when they saw him come in, his armor blackened by the soot, Rulf's blood running down his back "Oh my gosh…" Hera said as he walked in "Take him." Ahkilleon said to some of his men who took Rulf's remains, Jay watched in horror but he held his emotions in and boarded the ship. Ahkilleon panting headed toward his ship "I bought us time, we go now."

"Ahkilleon what happened-" "I said we go." Ahkilleon barked at Ezra "We leave this nightmare behind."
The rebels hips took off, heading out of the hangar and when they were far enough about to jump into hyperspace, they could see Starweirds hovering around the ships haul, before the timer ran out, the entire Star Destroyer blew up from the inside the bomb sending a chain reaction consuming the rest of the Starweirds in an inferno of metal and death.

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

"It's called a what?" Ahkilleon asked, as he was sitting outside the Revenant as Corto patched him up, the rebels and militia had returned empty handed, but alive minus the four men they'd lost to get back. Corto sealed any wounds that Ahkilleon had incurred from the Starweirds "A force scream, it's a force power that manifests when dark emotions like grief or anger are too much to control." Corto said somberly.

He shook his head "Poor Rulf, you know he wanted to sing at the Raxulon Opera after the war ended."
"... I… didn't know." Ahkilleon said as he looked over at the Militia, they had gathered Rulf's remains and were putting him alongside Craig's body in hover coffins, both draped with Militia flags, ready to be shipped back to Arcadia to be buried.

"Did he have any family?" Ahkilleon asked "Us." Corto replied.

Ahkilleon shut his eyes, the grief still so near "I'm done." Corto said.

Ahkilleon nodded at him, "Thank you, tomorrow we'll train one on one, deal?"
Corto smiled "I'd like that." He packed up his medical equipment and walked off, Ahkilleon watched as the fallen bodies were being loaded up on a transport ship with full military honors by the Tigers, Jay was walking with Rulf's casket when Ahkilleon called out "Cadet Freeman."

Jay turned, and walked toward Ahkilleon, he stood up straight, fighting to keep his composure, Ahkilleon rose to his feet stiffly, "At ease."

Jay's face was red and puffy, he had been fighting back tears all the while they had come back "Rulf was a brave soldier, and a friend, I want you to know if I could have saved him, I would have."
Jay looked forward, not at him, but forward. "Is that why he had a lightsaber hole in his chest, sir?"

"I won't lie to you Jay, you're my friend I-" "He-was-my-friend…. Sir." Jay growled a single tear running down his cheek.

Ahkilleon could feel his pain, and he held his arm up, "I'm so… so sorry." Jay clenched his fists tight, and bowed his head before he cried, Ahkilleon pulled him into a hug and held Jay as he wept, knowing another friend had died, for nothing.