COUNTDOWN TOWARDS EXTINCTION
At first, it had started out all right: Toah Jarsan had docked his vessel on to the Star Forge and then entered the station via a pressure tunnel. Once inside, he began moving through the station, slightly alarmed by the lack of guards throughout it. However, by the time he had reached the second deck, Toah suddenly dropped to his knees, panting heavily.
He was aware of disturbances in the Force, having felt such occurrences before. However, those were normally portrayed via headaches or a light punch in the chest; not like this. No, this disturbance ran far deeper than any he had felt before.
His clone- the man who called himself the Revanchist- was dead.
Toah rose to his feet, his whole legs feeling numb. He could still hear his "brother"'s dying screams ringing his head. At that moment, just as he was about to continue his journey to the command deck, a portal opened before him and two men stepped out, one of them looking very familiar.
"Anakin?" Toah said.
"Toah?" the other responded.
Anakin's large companion smirked. "I take it you two know each other?"
"Yes," Anakin said, smiling. "He's a Jedi."
"Was," Toah said, almost reflexively. "Anyway, there's no time for reunions. This station must be stopped before it can finish siphoning Coruscant's sun."
"Ah, good thing we're on the same page," Anakin's companion said. "You and Anakin can work on destroying the Star Forge, then. I shall deal with its... owners."
"I take it you know how to destroy it?" Toah asked Anakin.
The latter nodded. "Yes, follow me."
* * *
"You cannot hide, Shadow." Eclipse's voice managed to carry through the clamorous sounds of the battle, though Shadow knew that only he could hear the other agent's threats. "The Watcher will discover your betrayal and make short work of you."
Shadow, still in his scurrier form, came to a stop somewhere amongst the Glorians' army lines. This was it, he realized. There was no turning back. He had to do what needed to be done.
"I know what you're planning," Eclipse growled. "Do you have any idea on how stupid you are? You may be able to decimate our army, but it will do nothing to delay the inevitable."
"Watch me," Shadow replied.
Eclipse paused, no doubt slightly taken aback by Shadow's defiance, before saying, "Are you that willing to sacrifice yourself for a lost cause?"
"Let's find out."
With that, Shadow's form began to shift. In an instant, where once stood a scurrier, a massive amalgamation of creatures of all shapes and sizes emerged from the crowd of Glorian warriors and began its carnage, starting with the man whom it once considered its "boss".
* * *
Toah followed Anakin through the several corridors that comprised the Star Forge's second deck until they reached an elevator which transported them to the Command Center. Upon reaching it, the two of them then raced for the core reactor.
"It's sure to be heavily guarded," Anakin said as they ran. "That must be why we haven't encountered any Glorians yet."
However, much to their surprise, the giant metallic orb which served as the reactor was devoid of guards of any sort. In fact, they soon realized that they were the only ones in the Command Center.
"This is just too easy," Toah said, shaking his head. "This feels like a trap."
"Because it is, Jedi."
Toah and Anakin turned around to see a red-skinned male Twi'lek standing before them, clad in the black robes traditional of a Sith Lord.
Toah's eyes narrowed. "And just who are you?"
"My name is Darth Scythe," the Twi'lek said. "I was one of the Sith under Darth Vorath's command. After his demise, I took leadership over those who remained and brought them to Korriban."
"Were you there when Korriban vanished?" Anakin asked.
"Yes," Scythe said, "and no. I was indeed present on Korriban when the Glorians transported it. However, I managed to escape via a portal I had discovered shortly after our arrival.
"I had, at first, theorized that the device would allow me to travel through time. Unfortunately, it only achieved what the Glorians intended it: it transported me to Lehon, where they were constructing a new Star Forge.
"I was able to persuade the Glorians to spare me from their extensive labor and was instead put in charge of overseeing those whom the Glorians subjugated to work on this station. Once it was completed, I was placed here to guard the core reactor."
"So, you're here to stop us," Toah muttered.
"I'm afraid so," Scythe said. "If I was given the choice, I would destroy this station without a second thought. Alas, I am just another slave."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Toah said, his tone devoid of any empathy. "We came here to do one thing- to destroy this weapons of mass destruction- and I won't let you get in our way."
"That's fine," the Twi'lek said, a blade of scarlet energy appearing in his hand. "Because I came here to destroy you."
The Sith Lord lunged and Toah, for the first time in years, activated his lightsaber.
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