Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

    "Did you hear that?"

    Trey Courser lifted his head up, laying on a cot placed in the ray shield-protected cell he and the other Wraiths were in. "Hear what?" he muttered to Turman Durra.

    There was the faint sound of what sounded like lightning. 

    "That," the Clawdite actor said. "What's going on out there? There's never storms on Coruscant-"

    Suddenly, alarms were blaring through out the corridor. A bunch of prison guards ran past their cell, carrying blaster rifles and riot shields.

    "Guess there's been a breakout," Trey said. "If only we had that sort of luck."

    "Trey, Trey, Trey," Bhindi Drayson said, mock chidingly. "Why else do you think Wraith Squadron has been so successful if it hasn't been because of luck?"

    Trey shrugged. "I dunno. What, do you have a trick up your sleeve?"

    Before Bhindi could answer him, there was an explosion down the corridor, near the turbolift entrance. A Quarren male dropped down with the rubble of the ceiling. A quick burst of lightning from his fingertips made short work of the prison guards. The squid-headed alien then hit a control panel by the late warden's station, deactivating all of the cells' ray shields.

    "You're free!" the Quarren cried to the convicts. "Now join me as I take revenge on our captors!"

    Several of the escaped convicts cheered in assent as the Quarren released a burst of energy from his palms, creating an opening in the floor. The freed Wraiths watched as he and the convicts jumped through it.

    Bhindi smiled at Trey. "What was it we were talking about luck again?"

    "Call me a pessimist," Piggy murmured, "but I think that was bad luck we experienced."

*  *  *

    "This is Captain Shevu to all active units! We have a breakout at the Detention Center! I repeat, we-"

    Shevu cut himself off to dodge a Trandoshan convict charging at him. Sidestepping, he put his leg out to trip the reptilian, causing them to land face-first to the floor. Shevu then slammed the butt of his blaster into the convict's head, knocking them out cold.

    He returned his attention to the main conflict at hand. The reception room was in chaos as escaped convicts clashed with security officers and attempted to get out of the facility. He had been told that the cause of this breakout had been the Quarren which Captain Koral had brought in not too long ago, but he was nowhere to be seen.

    As he helped Lieutenant Teram detain a Zabrak convict, Shevu noticed a Kel Dor officer cautiously making his way towards the emergency exit, not doing anything to help in the conflict.

    "Hey!" Shevu called to him, causing the Kel Dor to freeze in place. "Where do you think you're going?"

    The Kel Dor slowly turned to face him. "To go get help, sir...."

    "By opening that door and giving these convicts the escape they need?" Shevu fixed the Kel Dor with a hard, cold stare. "State your name and rank."

    "Sergeant Saltai Deen, warden of Block 1236."

    "Warden, huh? In that case, you're fired because you're a lousy one. Now help me handle these thugs and-"

    "I'm sorry, captain." Saltai Deen's voice was suddenly cold as he raised his blaster at Shevu. "But I'm afraid I can not do that."

    Before the Kel Dor could pull the trigger, something hit him in the neck and he crumpled down to the floor, unconscious. Shevu then turned to see a Devaronian lowering a dart pistol. He met Shevu's gaze and flashed him a grin.

    "Don't ever mess with your doctor," the Devaronian said. "We can be deadly."

    With that, the horned alien joined in on the fight, leaving Shevu in mild bemusement.

*  *  *

    "This is Rikk-Deri, reporting live from outside the Coruscant Detention Center. A conflict is brewing behind closed doors as police and security officers are trying to prevent the convicts from getting out onto the streets. A dispatch of troopers are...."

    Director Girdun mentally drowned out the HoloNet reporter's voice and moved his eyes to his comlink on his desk. Picking it up, he contacted his counterpart at GA Security.

    "General Maddeus, have you heard the news?"

    "What news?"

    "There's been a breakout at the Detention Center." Alone in his office, Girdun allowed himself a cunning smile.

    "Oh dear," Maddeus said, doubtlessly doing the same in response. "How are my trusted officers handling the situation?" 

    "Don't know. Doesn't matter. I've already sent Mawarr to retrieve the Quarren. You know the drill."

    "Why certainly."

    The connection ended and Girdun leaned back comfortably in his chair, watching the viewscreen which displayed the Detention Center. In a matter of minutes, it was in flames, rocked by a series of explosions starting from the highest level all the way down.

*  *  *

    The brawl had quickly turned into a panic. Convicts and officers alike made a rune for the exit as rubble rained down on them; all around them, the facility was falling apart.

    Having regrouped with both of them during the fight, Face led his two teams of Wraiths- along with Wallen Nix and Taaku- out of the building, amongst a crowd of dozens. Barely a minute later, the facility crumpled down into dust, killing those who had not been fast enough.

    "What the kriff was that all about?" Sharr exclaimed when they were at a safe distance. "Do they let convicts practice pyrotechnics in their cells?"

    His response was a blaster clicking to his head. He slowly turned around to see the security captain who had admitted him into the Detention Center earlier.

    "Those weren't really 'yot beans', were they?" Shevu growled. "Thanks to your 'grocery delivery', I've lost two of my best men and-"

    "Oh, as if I have precedence in my record for taking innocent lives," Sharr retorted. "Unlike, say, that Quarren you let get away!"

    Shevu struck him with the side of his blaster. "Do you think I'm stupid? I know you were trying to free that Sith trash along with Loran! If that's not a good enough to shoot you right here and now, then-"

    "Peace, captain."

    Shevu spun around to see a burly, gruff-looking man arriving at the scene, dressed in the uniform of an Alliance general.

    "Supreme Commander!" Shevu exclaimed, quickly saluting him. "What are you doing here?"

    "Assessing the situation," General Hawk grunted. "And I'll have you know that General Loran and Commander Latt here would both rather dance naked for a Hutt than help a Sith wannabe break out of prison. Are we clear on that?"

    Shevu blinked in bemusement. "Er, yes, sir. Crystal."

    "Good. Now handle the crowds and convicts, and get help for any injured." Hawk then turned to Face. "Wraith Squadron, I'll be seeing you in my office."

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN

    Five thousand years.

    Relin Druur slumped himself into a chair in the freighter's cockpit. Everything around him felt surreal; even his rescuers seemed as if they were not of this galaxy, even though he knew that was not true.

    Five thousand years.

    Then again, if they were speaking the truth, he might as well have been in a different galaxy. Things had probably changed beyond recognition.

    Five. Thousand. Years.

    He turned to look at one of his Jedi saviors, who had identified himself as Jaden Korr. "The Order... is it still around?"

    "Yes, though it's been through some rough times," Jaden said. "Same goes for the Republic, though it's been through a lot and is now called the Galactic Alliance."

    Relin slowly nodded, still trying to comprehend these revelations. "And the Sith?"

    Jaden noticeably hesitated before answering. "They have been defeated, but we are currently dealing with a Dark Jedi who's seeking out Sith relics. And he's awakened an ancient Sith Lord."

    The other Jedi, Toah Jarsan, gave him an alarmed look. "You never said anything about that."

    Jaden shrugged. "Never got the chance. No one knows where he is, nor his rescuer."

    Relin frowned. "That is not good at all. I hope the Jedi are doing everything they can to find and stop this Sith Lord."

    "So do I," Jaden quietly agreed.

    They both turned to watch the blue hyperspace tunnel that swirled before the ship's viewport. The Cerean co-pilot, Marr Idi-Shael soon said, "We're reaching the Adega system."

    "Dropping out now," Khedryn Faal murmured as he gradually moved the hyperdrive switch. The Junker dropped out of lightspeed and Ossus came into view.

    Relin sucked in his breath. He had been to Ossus before, while learning under Master Imar Deez. It had been a lush world, with beautiful gardens and forests stretching across the landscape. Now it appeared to be an arid world, all of its past beauty lost.

    "What... what happened here?" he breathed, dismayed by the sight.

    "It's a long story," Toah said grimly. "But the Jedi are slowly yet surely bringing back the planet's grace."

    For some reason, those words failed to assuage Relin's aching spirit. So much had indeed changed... and none of it for the best.

*  *  *

    The Sullustan Jedi Master hovered a few meters in the air. His short legs were crossed while his hands rested on his knees. The group of five Jedi apprentices were doing the same, or at least attempting to. Most of them were repeatedly dropping to the ground, but quick to return to their meditative position.

    One such apprentice, however, was turning it from a learning process to a major grievance.

    Without opening his eyes, Master Dalus Nurn quietly sighed. "Teeva, you mustn't be easily distracted. You must immerse yourself in-"

    "I heard the roar of a ship's engine, Master," the Rodian girl replied.

    Dalus opened one eye at this, his facial jowls quivering as he frowned. "I have some of the best hearing on this planet, young one. I don't hear any-"

    He let out a wail as he suddenly heard exactly what Teeva had. Losing concentration, he tumbled to the ground, eliciting laughter from his students.

    Dalus quickly got back to his feet and looked up to see a Corellian freighter emerging from the clouds. It came to a slow and careful land, touching down a few feet away from the teaching grounds. The boarding ramp lowered and a familiar face appeared.

    "Jaden Korr!" Dalus said cheerfully. "Master Katarn was worried where you had run off to."

    Jaden chuckled. "Knowing him, I think he's less worried and more upset about missing out on the fun I've been having; especially since I ran into an old friend of his."

    As if on cue, a second person appeared, one Dalus did not think he would see for a long time, if ever again.

    "Toah Jarsan!" the Sullustan exclaimed. At this, the apprentices erupted into awed murmurs. They had all heard of the Jedi who had helped saved the galaxy twice, but were too young to have met him.

    Startled by Toah's presence as he was, Dalus almost didn't notice the third man standing behind the other two. Bruised and bandaged, he wore the tatters of a Jedi robe.

    "Is that man all right?" Dalus asked in concern.

    Jaden shook his head. "He needs to see Master Cilghal immediately."

    The Sullustan nodded and rushed over to help the man. As he and Jaden carried him towards the Jedi Temple, he said to his students, "Class dismissed. Go to Master Solusar for lightsaber training."

*  *  *

    Saes Rrogon groggily awoke to find himself alone in the hyperdrive chamber. There was no sign of his former master. He moved to get up, but his body ached too much to even move. At that moment, a group of Massassi warriors rushed into the chamber and, upon seeing Saes' weakened form, moved to assist him.

    "Captain, we have been looking all over for you!" the leader of the group said as he supported the Kaleesh Sith. "The bridge has been taken out. Colonel Dor and the rest are dead."

    Saes growled. "Take me to the emergency bridge."

    "But, my lord, your injuries-"

    "Do as I say!" the fallen Jedi bellowed.

    The Massassi complied with his orders and carried Saes to the emergency bridge, located on the Harbinger's lower levels. Once there, they gently lowered him into the command chair.

    Looking out the viewport, Saes said, "Have we reached Kirrek?"

    "Negative, captain," said a human officer. "We've reached an uncharted system beyond the Outer Rim instead."

    Saes scowled. "Can we make the jump to Kirrek?"

    "Negative. The hyperdrive is too damaged."

    Saes cursed under his breath. "Set up the comm station then, and get into contact with the Dark Lord, or Lord Dakhan, or someone. We need to get these crystals transported."

    "Yes, captain."

    As the new bridge crew set to work, Saes continued to stare out the viewport. He swore that he would find his former master... and finish the job that he could not bring himself to.

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX

    Sharr quietly hummed a tune to himself as he patiently waited in line at the Galactic Alliance Detention Center's reception office. With him were two security officers: one a male Duros, the other a female Togruta. And in his hands were two bags of yot beans.

    At least, that's what he told anyone who asked.

    Upon reaching the receptionist's desk, run by a bored-looking male Twi'lek, the Duros said, "This man is requesting to deliver these beans to Garik Loran."

    The receptionist looked skeptically at Sharr before saying, "I'll have the guards take them to him."

    "Best not do that," Sharr said with a sheepish smiled. "These are very touchy beans; shake them or poke them too much and they explode. I've had experience handling yot beans, so best leave it to me to carry them."

    The Twi'lek arched a hairless eyebrow before looking up at the Duros. "Is he telling the truth?"

    The officer nodded curtly.

    The receptionist's lekku (or head-tails) quivered slightly. "All right. He's on Detention Block 1236, cell 327."

    The two officers led Sharr away from the desk and into an empty turbolift. As it ascended up through the building, the Togruta officer looked at the beans in Sharr's grocery bags.

    "Are you sure those are yot beans?" she asked. "They look more like uly beans, found on Agamar. Are you sure you got those on Dantooine?"

    Sharr did his best to keep his cool. "Yeah, I got them from an old merchant. He said they were yot beans...."

    "He must have been mistaken," the Togruta murmured. "Did he also tell you they were explosive?"

    "No, I saw it for myself. Poor guy's face was covered in brown."

    "So you didn't recognize them as uly beans," the Duros said, "yet you said you had experience in handling them. Wouldn't have know they were called uly beans and not yot beans?"

    Sharr sighed exasperatedly. "Yot beans, uly beans, bula beans. A bean's a bean. They all make you gassy anyway."

    The Duros chuckled. "Good point."

    The turbolift came to a stop and the three of them stepped into the detention block, watched over by a Kel Dor warden. As they walked down the corridor, Sharr could hear loud cries of outrage but could not see the prisoners which the voices belonged to, hidden behind closed blast doors.

    Sharr suppressed a shudder. He had read stories about Imperial prisons and this was not unlike the descriptions he had heard of them. True, this building was probably repurposed from a building established during the Empire's reign... but after over thirty years, he would think the Alliance would have remodeled by now.

    They came to a stop before a cell and the Duros opened it. Sitting comfortably against the wall was a bald man with a goatee, a scar running from his forehead across his nose. Face Loran looked up at his visitors and looked confused at first before flashing a grim smile at Sharr.

    "Hello, Sharr," the former actor and general said. "What brings you here?"

   Sharr grinned. "Special delivery." He began to reach into one of the bags before stopping. He then turned to look at the two officers.

    "As a reward for your patience with me, I would like to offer you a treat." He pulled out of the bag two violet-colored beans. "W'den beans. A rare legume grown on Kattada."

    The Togruta looked skeptical while the Duros eagerly accepted the gift. 

    "Thank you, kind sir," the latter said as he happily popped the bean into his mouth. After chewing it, his red eyes suddenly widened. "By the Falls of Trehalt... it's the most wonderful thing I've ever tasted."

    Her curiosity piqued, the Togruta ate her bean as well and also began murmuring words of awe. With the two guards left frozen and mesmerized, Sharr turned back to Face with a wide grin.

    "Shall we make our getaway?"

    Face chuckled as he got up. "Sure, but what about the warden?"

    Sharr pulled out what the beans had concealed: a gas bomb. He casually tossed it to the side. "He won't be seeing us."

    "Wrong." The grenade ended up in a wrinkled orange hand as the Kel Dor warden came into view. "I see you."

    Sharr's face blanched. "Oops," he murmured. "I probably should have offered you a bean, too."

    "I wouldn't have been able to eat it anyway," the Kel Dor said dryly, rubbing the black antiox mask which concealed his mouth. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay here while-"

    He was cut off by a loud explosion, which shook the room. At the end of the corridor, emerging from the rubble that had once been a cell door, was a male Quarren clad in black garments. Lightning crackled from his webbed hands.

    "Nothing can restrain a Sith!" the Quarren shrieked, his eyes flaring with rage. "Prepare to face my wrath!"

    Alarmed, the Kel Dor fished out his comlink. "This is Sergeant Saltai Deen! We have a breakout on Detention Block 1236, cell 348!"

    The Quarren Sith unleashed a barrage of lightning but the warden deflected it with a riot shield he had slung over his back. While it protected him, Sharr, and Face from the attack, the shield was left charred and useless.

    "Head for the turbolift!" Saltai cried, rushing back down the corridor to get to the elevator ahead of Sharr and Face. 

    As the two men followed the Kel Dor, Face said to Sharr, "We need to find Bhindi and the others before we can get out of here."

    "Bhindi?" Sharr raised an eyebrow at the mention of his old comrade. "What others?"

    "The other Wraiths."

    His mouth fell open. "Other Wraiths? I thought we were the only ones."

    Face smirked. "Guess not."

    Sharr shook his head in wonder. The former actor never failed to surprise him.

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

    Jass Kropp, the self-proclaimed Hunter of Fhost, was scared.

    For a brief moment, his target- the Corellian freighter Junker- was right there, ripe for the taking. Then, a massive dreadnaught, armed to the teeth, dropped out of hyperspace between him and his quarry. Dozens of turbolasers, some damaged, were aimed at him, ready to fire.

    "This ain't worth the creds," Kropp murmured to himself. A storm of sweat breaking out on his face, he quickly spun his ship around and kicked the hyperdrive. Needless to say, Reegas Vance would not be seeing him again anytime soon.

*  *  *

    Jaden Korr stared in awe and disbelief at the ancient Sith dreadnaught. This couldn't be possible; such a ship had not seen use since the collapse of the Old Sith Empire. Even the subsequent Sith factions had eschewed the design.

    While Khedryn Faal and Marr Idi-Shael were simply awed by the sight, Toah Jarsan also seemed to be concerned by the presence of this ship. "Impossible... how could such an ancient ship still be holding together?"

    "It's sure seen better days," Khedryn said, noting the scratches and dents that were all over the dreadnaught.

    "We should investigate it," Jaden said. 

    Khedryn gave him an incredulous look. "Excuse me? That frozen moon was bad enough; I'm not in a mood to explore old, damaged ships."

    "It is strong in the dark side," Toah murmured, ignoring the salvage operator. "Very strong. Its crew must be still alive."

    "Its bridge has been taken out," Marr pointed out. "Are you sure about that?"

    "Let's investigate it and find out." Jaden got out of his seat. "Find a docking bay-"

    "Uh-uh. No way." Khedryn spun around in his seat and gave Jaden a hard stare, an impressive feat given his lazy eye. "I only agreed to take you to the frozen moon and back to Fhost. You never said anything about detours... unless you're paying extra."

    Jaden frowned, realizing that the pilot was right. After thinking for a moment, he finally said, "Take us to Ossus instead and drop us off there. I'll ask the Jedi Council to investigate the ship, as long as it doesn't move from here. I don't think it's capable of going far, though."

    Khedryn nodded. "Fair enough. Tell me how to get there and-"

    Before he could finish, something caught his eye, as well as those of Jaden and the others: an escape pod launching from the dreadnaught....

*  *  *

    Relin Druur groaned in pain, clutching his cracked ribcage with his good left hand. It was a bit cramped up in the escape pod he was in, but that was the least of his concerns. It was better to die here than the Harbinger, which still wallowed in the dark side.

    After the mag-grenades on the hyperdrive had detonate, he had been knocked out unconscious. When he awoke, Saes was still unconscious as well and the ship was practically dead. He wasn't sure what had happened while he was out, but since he had still sensed the Lignan crystals on the ship, he figured that the Harbinger had failed to make the jump to Kirrek. The mission was a success.

    Relin took in a ragged breath, causing great pain in his chest. He doubt that any ship would come across his pod in time to save him. The radiation poisoning had made his limbs numb and it hurt to breathe; he would be joining Drev in the Force soon.

    Laugh even when you die. His apprentice's mantra rang vividly in his head. Perhaps he would have laughed, just to honor his late Padawan, if only it didn't hurt so much....

    Suddenly, he felt his pod lurch to a stop. Before he could properly react, he was moving again, this time at a slower, steadier pace, as if being pulled in by a tractor beam. He looked out his pod's viewport and saw the source of the beam to be a roundly shaped light freighter of a model he did not recognized.

    Relin grimaced. Unless it was a medical ship, he doubt he would be anything more to the crew than a corpse.

*  *  *

    Khedryn watched as Jaden and Toah undid the latch to the escape pod that they had brought into the Junker's cargo hold. The lid hissed open and the two Jedi kept their lightsaber hilts in hand, in case the pod's occupant turned out to be a Sith.

    Instead, they found a bruised man with a missing hand clutching his broken ribcage.

    "Someone get a medpac, now!" Jaden shouted.

    Khedryn rushed to retrieve a first-aid kit while the two Jedi carefully extracted the man from the pod. When Khedryn returned with the medpac, Jaden and Toah quickly set to work, applying bacta patches and other medicines while trying to heal his wounds with the Force.

    After a few minutes, the man finally spoke, his voice coming out as a hoarse croak. "Are... are you Jedi?"

    "Yes," Toah replied. "Now keep still, it won't do your body any better."

    "We'll take you to the Jedi Temple on Ossus," Jaden told the man. "Master Cilghal will see to your full recovery."

    "Ossus?" The man tried to shake his head but it merely twitched slightly. "No, I need to go to Koros Major and rejoin Master Nadill... tell him and the others what happened."

    Toah's brow furrowed. "Koros Major? That planet was destroyed by the Empire nearly thirty years ago."

    The man's eyes widened. "Destroyed? No... that can't be true. Impossible...."

    "Easy," Jaden said, placing a hand on the man's heaving chest. "Who is this Master Nadill? I've never heard of a Jedi by that name."

    "What do you mean?" the man asked. "Jedi Master Memit Nadill is one of the most revered in our Order. He is the trusted advisor of Empress Teta-"

    "Wait," Toah said. "Did you say Empress Teta?"

    "Indeed. She's the ruler of Koros Major."

    Toah bit his lip and gave Jaden a meaningful look. The other Jedi Knight returned it. 

    Toah then said to the man, "What year do you think it is?"

    The man thought for a moment. "31,453 TYA, I believe."

    Jaden took the date he mentioned and applied the math to it in his head, using the current galactic calendar system. He then sighed as he looked down at the man.

    "I don't know how else to put this," he said grimly, "but you've been out of the know for over five thousand years."

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR

-Present (40 ABY)-

    "General Face Loran has been arrested."

    The gathered Wraiths sitting before him- Wran, Thaymes, Huhunna, and Drikall Bessarah- all wore stunned looks after Sharr Latt had provided them with this news. After a short silence, Thaymes spoke up.

    "When did you find out?"

    "A couple hours ago," Sharr replied. "He sent me a message on my datapad."

    "What was he charged with?" Wran asked.

    "'Ticking off Director Girdun' is what he told me," Sharr said dryly. "Unfortunately, he didn't leave any further instructions for us to do after acquiring the data we needed from the Imps' base here."

    "So what do we do?" Drikall asked.

    Sharr was silent as he thought for a moment. He then said, "We'll go to Coruscant and try to figure out what's going on. Then maybe we can break Face out."

    "What if Girdun tries to arrest us?" Thaymes asked.

    Sharr smiled. "With a Wookiee on our side, that might not be a smart move on his part."

*  *  *

    Captain Lon Shevu of the GA Security Force stood crisply as the Alliance shuttle transporting Fost Bramsin and Haydnat Treen docked at the Senate Building on Coruscant. Normally security details such as the one he was commanding were not necessary to see to senators' safe arrivals- the already-present Palace Guards provided more than enough protection. However, General Maddeus of Security had insisted that Shevu and his men see the two senators to safety personally.

    It wasn't Shevu's place to question his orders, but he still had to wonder why they were given. Was it out of fear that the Imperials- who controlled Orinda- had the senators targeted?

    The shuttle's boarding ramp lowered and Senators Treen and Bramsin filed out, the former in the lead with her long, sweeping, and elegant Kuati robes. Behind her, Bramsin struggled to keep up.

    "Welcome back, senators," Shevu said to them with a nod. "My men and I have been ordered to escort you to the Convocation Chamber."

    Treen nodded. "Then by all means, do so."

    Shevu's units instantly began to surround the two senators in a protective formation. Three stood on either side, two in the back, and Shevu in the front. They then began to march into the building, keeping an eye out for possible assassins. Thankfully, they encountered none and brought the senators safely to the Convocation Chamber, where the Senate was preparing to begin its session.

    "Thank you for the escort," Bramsin said curtly once Shevu's unit had broken their formation. He and Treen then headed for respective repulsorpods. 

    As Shevu began to lead his team away, his comlink buzzed and he answered it. "Captain Shevu, here?"

    "Sir, we have five X-wings here asking for clearance to land," said his lieutenant Teram. "They're transmitting codes that aren't registering. Should we shoot them down?"

    "No," Shevu said sternly. "That may be Girdun and Maddeus' new way of doing things, but I'm not going to allow possibly innocent lives be wasted just because they look suspicious. Let them land and I'll handle the situation."

    Putting away his comlink, Shevu cursed to himself. If anything, this 'extra security' was just making everyone's lives more difficult.

*  *  *

    "What do you mean my identification code isn't registering?" Sharr nearly screamed into his comlink.

    The young security officer stammered for a response. "It... it isn't in any of our files. I'm sorry, sir, but you and your friends will have to leave."

    Sharr glowered at the human male- presumably the officer- standing down below as he and the other Wraiths circled over him. "Excuse me? I've been in wars, son: the Sith War, the Glorian War... okay, not a lot, but probably more than you've been in."

    "Probably, sir, but I can't authorize your landing until-"

    "I can," a new voice spoke, sounding older than the other. "Unidentified X-wings, you are clear to land, but please exit your fighters with your hands in the air while we search you and your vessels for weapons or explosives."

    "Thank you," Sharr said exasperatedly as he brought his X-wing fighter down. Once he and the other Wraiths had touched down, they did as told and climbed out of their fighters with their hands up. A security detail, led by a man in his late twenties, awaited them. The man then directed his officers to inspect each X-wing.

    "Now then," he said to Sharr. "What brings you here to Coruscant?"

    "My job," Sharr said irritably. "I work here for GA Intelligence."

    "Really? Who's your boss?"

    "General Garik Loran," Sharr replied, feigning ignorance on the man's recent arrest.

    "That right?" the security captain said. "I hate to inform you of this, but General Loran was placed under arrest recently and his operations were shut down. That's probably why your ID codes didn't register."

    Sharr slowly nodded. "That's a possibility."

    "Where were you last before returning to Coruscant?" the captain asked.

    "Dantooine," Sharr lied. "We were on Dantooine."

    "Why?"

    "To pick up some groceries."

    The captain gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

    "It's true!" Sharr insisted. "General Loran is a very busy man- he barely has enough time to spend it with his family. So he kindly asked us to perform some errands for him, and since yot beans are very lovely this time of year, we decided to do our grocery shopping on Dantooine."

    The captain and his lieutenant stared at him in disbelief. The awkward silence was broken when one of the officers inspecting the X-wings spoke up.

    "He's telling the truth, sir," the male Duros said. "I see a bunch of grocery bags in one of their fighters."

    "Yes, and don't touch them," Sharr said sternly. "Yot beans sometimes explode if you poke them too much."

    The Duros quickly backed away from the X-wing, fearful of the food.

    The captain sighed. "All right, we'll take the groceries to Loran's cell."

    "Sure you want to take that risk?" Sharr asked. "It would be a dear shame if you got that suit of yours stained with yot bean juice."

    The captain stared at him again before saying, "I'll have two of my men escort you to Loran's cell."

    Sharr nodded. "Excellent choice."

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

--Over five thousand years ago--

    Once the Sith shuttle had arrived in one of the Harbinger's landing bays, Relin jumped off of it and swiftly moved through the hangar, evading the sights of personnel. Once he was outside the hangar, the Jedi Master made his way towards where he presumed the dreadnaught's hyperdrive was.

    As he turned a corner, he immediately came face-to-face with a security detail of four Massassi warrior. He attempted to mask himself from their sight with the Force, but the leader of the group raised their lanvarok pole arm weapon before he could.

    "State your name and business," the Massassi growled.

    Relin thought fast. "Er, I am Lieutenant Drassin. My shuttle just arrived with some Lignan ore, but it's suffering a leak. Could you check it out."

    The large red-skinned warrior looked him up and down, taking note of the flexsuit Relin was wearing. "Who is your superior?"

    When Relin hesitated to answer, the Massassi stepped towards him menacingly, pressing the tip of his lanvarok against the Jedi's neck. "Who is your superior?" the Sith snarled.

    Relin knew that there would be no easy way out of this. Eventually, he said, "Memit Nadill."

    The Massassi's crimson brow creased. "Never heard of him."

    "He's a Jedi Master. On Kirrek."

    The warrior's yellow eyes widened in realization. Fishing out his comlink, the Massassi shouted, "This is Drophan of Security Detail Five! We have a Jed-IEEEE!"

    The Sith warrior was cut short as Relin's emerald lightsaber blade slashed across his chest, killing him. The other three Massassi attacked but were swiftly cut down as well.

    Putting away his lightsaber, Relin quickly went down the corridor, knowing that his presence had now been discovered.

*  *  *

    Drophan's short-lived report had reached Saes' ears; there was a Jedi on board. Glancing briefly at the infiltrator that the Sith starfighters were still pursuing, the Kaleesh said to Los Dor, "Status."

    "Harbinger crew at one hundred percent, Omen at ninety-eight."

    "Good enough. Prepare the jump for lightspeed." Saes turned to leave the bridge. "I shall handle the intruder."

    Los Dor watched the Kaleesh Sith as he exited the bridge. Once he was sure Saes was far enough away, the colonel turned to one of the bridge officers.

    "Locate whatever corridor the captain is going down and keep our cameras trained on him."

*  *  *

    "Master, the Harbinger's about to go into hyperspace!"

    Upon hearing this news from his apprentice, Relin quickened his pace, propelling himself with the Force. "I'm on my way towards the hyperdrive, Drev," he said into his comlink. "Hang in there."

    In short time, he reached the chamber where the hyperdrive was being held, its door guarded by two Sith guards. Relin pushed them both aside with the Force, hard enough to knock them unconscious. He then brought out an electronic device to override the door's lock and stormed in.

    Overseeing the hyperdrive were two technicians. Relin used the same technique he did on the guards to incapacitate them. He then carefully approached the hyperdrive, which was glowing blue with radiation as it prepared to put the Harbinger into hyperspace. Relin could feel the radiation poisoning beginning to infect him; he would have to make this quick.

    Forcing himself through the blue energy crackling around the hyperdrive, Relin quickly attached three mag-grenades to it, setting them on a timer. Pulling away, he contacted his apprentice.

    "It's done, Drev. Go into hyperspace; get away from here."

    "I'm not leaving you, master," Drev protested.

    "There's no time to argue! Flee now-"

    "No one is going anywhere."

    Relin whirled around. Standing in the doorway to the chamber was his once and former apprentice: Saes Rrogon.

    "Hello, master," the Kaleesh hissed. "It's been too long."

    Relin stared into Saes' eyes, which were poisoned by the dark side. "Yes, it has. Any chance I'll have better luck bringing you back up from the brink of darkness you've fallen over?"

    Saes shook his head. "No more than I have to bring you over it with me." As he said this, a scarlet lightsaber blade appeared in his hand.

    Relin brought out his own blade. "So be it then."

    He raised his lightsaber in a defensive position as Saes lunged and clashed blades. Former master and apprentice began to duel, though Relin knew that he would not last long, what with the radiation poisoning coursing through his body. He would still need to keep up the fight, at least long enough for the grenades to detonate.

    "You were always the fool," Saes said as their blades locked. "You should not have come here expecting to survive."

    "I didn't," Relin retorted. "You know me, Saes. I never expect anything, for nothing is ever certain."

    The Kaleesh snarled as he pushed his former master back before unleashing a blast of lightning from his palm. The attack was enough to bring Relin to his knees, though the Jedi Master quickly recovered and returned to the duel.

    As he locked blades again with Saes, Relin suddenly heard Drev's voice holler from his comlink. "Master! I've been hit!"

    Momentarily distracted by this, Relin did not notice Saes break off from their saber-lock until the Kaleesh spun his blade around and sliced off his former master's right forearm. Relin cried out in pain, though his screams were immediately drowned out as the grenades detonated.

*  *  *

    Drev gritted his teeth as he struggled to regain control of the infiltrator. The Sith starfighters were still on his tail. There was no way he could lose them; it was practically impossible to perform an maneuvers.

    He spared a glance at the Harbinger. The Sith dreadnaught was still preparing to go to lightspeed, as if nothing had been done to the hyperdrive. Had his master failed to attach the grenades? Had he been delayed or stopped by the Sith?

    Drev sighed. He couldn't wait any longer; if the Sith forces at Kirrek got the Lignan, it would mean total chaos for the galaxy.

    He spun around the infiltrator and shot towards the Harbinger's bridge. As he came closer and closer, he could see the terrified looks on the face of the crew.

    Seconds before impact, he let out a hearty laugh.

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO

Present (40 ABY)

    General Garik Loran, better known to some to as Face, was not in a good mood. Then again, anyone being forced to be in the same room as Heol Girdun would be hard-pressed to be in anything but.

    The Director of Galactic Alliance Intelligence sat at his desk, viewing a datapad while silence reigned over the two men. It had been like this for the past twenty minutes. Finally, Girdun spoke.

    "I'm sure you have a few questions on your mind," he muttered.

    "A few?" Face snapped, glaring at the director. "I can make a novel with all of the questions on my mind, and it could then be adapted into a full-length feature film with me as the starring actor. But you wouldn't be able to bring your kids to see it, because there would be some words you wouldn't even let your own mother hear you say."

    Girdun gave him a mirthless grin. "Good thing I have no intention of answering each and every one. Instead, I'll give you the facts and leave it to you to decide whether they answer them or not."

    Face scowled but nodded for him to continue.

    "Number one," Girdun started, "you are under arrest for committing treason against the Galactic Alliance."

    "Elaborate on that, please," Face said irritably. "What do you mean by 'treason?'"

    "Capturing Moff Drikl Lecersen on the flimsiest of reasons."

    Face's brow furrowed. "Lecersen is with the Imperial Remnant. I may dislike you, Girdun, but I never had you pegged as that dumb."

    "Nor I you, Loran," Girdun said coldly. "The Imperial Remnant is affiliated with the Alliance. Thus, acting against them counts as acting against the Alliance."

    Face sighed in resignation. "All right, I'll give you that. But we've found evidence that Lecersen is involved with a plot against the Alliance itself."

    "Yes, I read that in the unofficial report you sent before you were brought in." Girdun snorted in disdain. "I think it's a pile of bantha dung."

    "And sometimes, bantha dung makes useful fertilizer."

    Girdun glared at him. Face grinned.

    "Snappy retorts aren't going to get you out of this," the former said coldly. "You are hereby relieved of your rank of general and discharged from duty."

    "Fine, but we haven't gotten past the first item on your list of facts. Maybe I'll raise a good-enough counterpoint to one of them that'll make you change your mind."

    "Unlikely," Girdun retorted. "Two: you unofficially and illegally reformed Wraith Squadron without the permission of either the Director of Intelligence, Supreme Commander of the Defense Force, or the Chief of State."

    Face made a buzzing sound. "False. Wrong. Shortly before you replaced her, Belindi Kalenda authorized the reformation, but kept it in very secret files, ones that even you don't have access to."

    Girdun's mouth fell open, his eyes full of anger. "Impossible. As Director of Intelligence, I have access to all of the Alliance's records- even yours!"

    "Are you sure about that? I don't thinks even the Chief of State trusts you enough to let you see every single one."

    "But it was her who made me Director in the first place!"

    Face snorted. "Right, and I've got a bridge-city on Cato Neimoidia to sell you."

    Girdun shot up from his seat, seething with rage. "You're trying to get to me, aren't you? You're trying to humiliate me and get me fired. But you're only going to fail."

    "Explain."

    Girdun suddenly grinned like a hungry rancor. "Just as Belindi was able to authorize Wraith Squadron's reformation without anyone knowing, I can authorize your imprisonment for life without anyone knowing."

    Face said nothing, maintaining an impassive expression.

    Girdun sneered. "What's the matter? No snappy comebacks this time?"

    "Give me a moment. I'll think of one."

    "Too late." The director pressed a button to a speaker on his desk. "Guards, please escort Mr. Loran to his holding cell."

    Behind Face, the office door opened and two armored Alliance guards walked in and hefted the former general out of his seat, slapping a pair of stun cuffs onto his wrists. As they proceeded to escort him out, Face gave Girdun one last glare.

    "You've won this round," the former actor said to him. "But this game is far from over."

    Girdun snorted. "True. But I know how it's going to end."

*  *  *

    The Wookiee warrior swung from a vine and gracefully landed on a large branch. The forests of Agamar reminded her of those on her homeworld of Kashyyyk, though she greatly preferred the latter. After making sure the coast was clear, Huhunna dropped down from the tree.

    Waiting for her down below was a young man with fair skin and dark curly hair. He did not notice her at first until she brushed his shoulder with a hairy hand.

    "Stars! Don't do that!" Thaymes Fodrick exclaimed, though not too loud for anyone else to hear. "Did you find anything out? Where's Two?"

    Huhunna gestured in the direction she had come from, growling in her native language.

    Thaymes gave her a blank look, having never understood a single word of the Wookiee tongue. "Is he coming or not? Blink once for yes."

    Huhunna blinked.

    "Then where is-" Before Thaymes could finish, a thin-haired, dark-skinned man emerged from the bushes, a sniper rifle strapped across his back.

    "What's the situation, Two?" Thaymes asked him.

    Wran Narcassan shook his head. "No situation, at least not yet. Might have aroused some suspicion with a Wookiee walking around, though."

    "I'm sure Leader already accounted for that when he sent you guys." Thaymes brought out his comlink and activated it. "Leader, Three here. Two and Four are back. We're ready for drop out."

    Instantly, the ground beneath their feet vanished and the three of them went tumbling down a slide. They eventually reached a stop and ended up in their small base.

    "Whoever made this place sure had a lot of their time on their hands," Thaymes commented.

    "And thank the stars they did, because it's sure as heck useful." A white-haired man came into view, cleaning his hands with an oil-stained rag. "So, Wraiths, give me the bad news first to get it out of the way, because I've got even worse."

Star Wars Endgame: Episode IV, Chapter One

STAR WARS: ENDGAME

Episode IV: The Yesterday Jedi

   Timeline: 40 ABY (hours to moments after Episode III)

CHAPTER ONE

5,040 years ago (5000 BBY)

    Two mighty Sith dreadnaughts, both bristling with weapons, orbited the planet known as Phaegon III. Located in the Grumani sector, it was primarily known for its moon, which was rich with the ore Lignan. Knowing that Lignan crystals were very powerful in the dark side of the Force, the Dark Lord of the Sith had sent the two warships to retrieve it.

    Standing on the bridge of his vessel, the Harbinger, Saes Rrogon watched as his crew slowly but surely recovered the crystals. He knew that they were being pressed for time, for Lord Naga Sadow would need these crystals for his upcoming invasion of Kirrek.

    Growling impatiently, Saes said, "Status report."

    "Harbinger recovery team is at seventy-five percent," said Colonel Los Dor. "Omen team at seventy-two."

    "Tell them to go faster," Saes snarled. "Lord Sadow will be contacting us any moment now. He won't be pleased if we tell him-"

    "Won't be pleased with what, Rrogon?"

    Saes cursed under his breath as he turned to face the life-sized holographic representation of Naga Sadow, ruler of the Sith Empire.

    "My lord," the Kaleesh captain murmured. "The process of recovering the Lignan ore is... going slow."

    Even from across the galaxy, the Dark Lord's severe disappointment could be felt. "It's been nearly four hours, Rrogon," Sadow said coldly. "I would think you'd be done by now."

    Saes scowled behind his tribal mask. "Perhaps if I were assigned a more efficient partner rather than that fool Korsin-"

    "Are you questioning my judgment, captain?"

    Saes quickly lowered his head in shame. "No, my lord. I will see to it that my crew performs faster."

    "Please do," the Dark Lord said. "I will be seeing you in less than an hour."

    With that, Sadow vanished from view. Saes then snapped his attention to his crew.

    "You heard him. Move it!"

*  *  *

    Under the notice of the two Sith warships, busy as they were, an infiltrator starfighter exited hyperspace, being careful not to attract the dreadnaughts' sensors. Likewise, its two passengers did well to cloak themselves with the Force so that none of the crew sensed them.

    Watching the two dreadnaughts as they extracted strange minerals from the moon of Phaegon III, Jedi Padawan Drev Hassin murmured, "What are they digging out?"

    His master, Relin Druur, watched with similar curiosity. "It's certainly an ore of some sort... very strong in the dark side."

    "Which is probably why the Sith want it," Drev muttered. 

    Cautiously, they brought their starfighter towards the nearby asteroid belt and watched the dreadnaughts from afar. They had been pursuing the warships for a while now, ever since they were spotted breaking away from the Sith armada at Primus Goluud. After the Republic had been informed of this, Relin and his apprentice had been sent to pursue the ships and find out what they were up to.

    Upon getting a better look at the moon which the Sith were extracting the ore from, Relin realized what exact type of crystal it was.

    "Lignan," he murmured.

    "Lignan?" Drev repeated in an incredulous tone. "I didn't think they actually existed, and if they did, very few places had them."

    "Clearly the Sith have found such a location," Relin said darkly. "I can't begin to imagine what Naga Sadow wants to use it for."

    Drev smiled. "I doubt for decorative purposes."

    Relin gave his Askajian apprentice a sharp look. "This is serious, Drev. The Sith could win the war if they got a hold of these crystals."

    Drev's shoulders sagged. "I know, I know. Just trying to make light of the situation."

    "Not everything has light to be found in, my young Padawan."

    "That's not what my people believe," Drev said. "We believe that you can find happiness in everything."

    "You can also find pain in everything," Relin noted. "But we're wasting time in discussing cultural differences. Bring out fighter closer to the Harbinger while I fetch a flexsuit and a packet of mag-grenades."

    Drev frowned as his master left his seat. "What are you planning?"

    "To ensure that those crystals don't go anywhere."

*  *  *

    "Status report."

    "Harbinger extraction at ninety-six percent, Omen at ninety three."

    Saes nodded in satisfaction. Both crews had gotten the memo and were working at their fastest pace. By the time Sadow contacted them again to check on their progress, they would already be bringing the Lignan crystals to him.

    "Captain?"

    The Kaleesh Sith Lord turned his gaze to a human officer. "What is it?" he growled.

    "We've detected an unidentified starfighter. Not one of our own."

    "Deploy the blades," Saes ordered. "Have them destroy the fighter."

    "Yes, sir."

*  *  *

    Relin knew that he was pressed for time; the Harbinger would be detecting his and Drev's starfighter any moment now.

    Clad in his flextsuit, which would allow him to survive the vacuum of space for a short time- at least long enough to get onto the Harbinger- Relin stood in the infiltrator's airlock, waiting for a shuttle transporting Lignan to the dreadnaught to pass.

    "I'm going in, Drev," he told his apprentice via comlink. "Wish me luck."

    "Right," Drev replied. "And, just a word of advice... it wouldn't hurt to smile every once in a while."

    Relin frowned. "What good would that do me?"

    "Never mind." He heard Drev sigh. "May the Force be with you, master."

    At that moment, the shuttle came up close enough to the starfighter for Relin to make the jump. In an instant, Drev was flying the infiltrator away. Moments later, a squadron of Blade-class starfighters where chasing after him.

    As the shuttle came closer to the Harbinger, Relin sighed, bracing myself. He knew who awaited him on the dreadnaught, and he could only hope that, just maybe, he could bring his former apprentice back to the light or die trying....

Bionicle Alternatives: Empire of Makuta I, Chapter Ten & Epilogue

CHAPTER TEN

    "By the Great Spirit," Norik murmured in wonder as he watched dozens of Rahi beasts, led by Krahka, converged on Makuta's position. "I would never think an event such as this could happen."

    "It helps that Makuta forcibly removed them from their territories," Bomonga said. "Now they can reclaim their lost homes."

    Iruini chuckled. "It's like the Matoran say: 'Payback bites worse than a Muaka.'"

    Just as the Rahaga prepared to watch the brewing action, Kualus said, "Where's the Toa of Fire?"

    The others frowned as they looked. Toa Nuhrii was nowhere to be seen.

*  *  *

    "I have ended wars," Teridax growled as he zapped a bolt of lightning at a charging Kane-Ra bull. "I have topple warlords and empires."

    A Nui-Jaga lashed out its stinger tail, which the Makuta grabbed and used to heave the scorpion around, crashing it into a Nui-Rama.

    "Many a Toa have trembled in my presence." A Power Scream shattered the ears of a flock of Gukko birds and they came crashing to the ground. "I dwell in the nightmares of Matoran villagers. My name is whispered in fear when Turaga elders tell of my accomplishments."

    A chain of lightning burnt a pair of Stone Apes. A blast of plasma saw to the end of a Manas crab. Poison began to corrode a Kraawa's systems.

    "The Barraki couldn't stop me. Makuta Miserix couldn't stop me. Even Mata Nui couldn't stop me." Teridax spread his arms widely. "What makes you think you mere animals can stop me?"

    Now in the form of a multi-armed warrior, Krahka brandished a multitude of weapons as she glared at the Makuta. "Because, unlike you, we don't have a thousand-strong army at our disposal, or a wide range of powers that we can use with a mere flick of the wrist."

    She took a step forward. "Unlike you, we actually work. We toil away to feed ourselves, to scare away unwanted visitors, and to make ourselves comfortable. We don't crave power; we crave to live."

    And with that, she attacked.

*  *  *

    "Wow," Ehrye murmured, watching the Rahi's battle with Makuta from the sidelines. "I would never think a Rahi could come up with a powerful speech."

    "They're buying us time," Vhisola said. "Quick, we need a plan to finish off Makuta."

    "Well, I am the tactical leader," Nuhrii said, suddenly joining them. "Maybe I can cook something up."

    Ahkmou sneered at him. "Had a nice nap, fire-spitter?"

    "Shut it, rock-head," Tehutti snapped. "What do you suggest, Nuhrii?"

    "I heard what those creatures were saying," the Toa of Fire said. "About unity. What if we used our powers together against him?"

    "It's worth a shot," Orkahm said. "At this point, it's got to work."

    "Then what are we waiting for?" Ehrye asked. "Let's-"

    The Toa of Ice was cut off when Krahka's battered form went flying over their heads. The six Toa Metru then turned to see Makuta storming towards them, his mask contorted in rage.

    "This is your last chance," he growled. "Surrender or be destroyed."

    Nuhrii was the first to respond, sending out a jet of flame at the Makuta of Metru Nui. The attack did little more than scorch his armor, but the Toa of Fire pressed on.

    Ehrye and Vhisola joined him, sending out their Ice and Water powers respectively. While the Makuta had been able to endure the fire, the additional two assaults made him stagger. When Tehutti made the earth shake with his Elemental Power, it was enough to bring Makuta to his knees, as he struggled to muster a counter-attack.

    A boulder courtesy of Ahkmou, propelled by a gust of wind from Orkahm, ensured that he did not.

    The Toa Metru ceased their attack. Cautiously, Nuhrii approached the defeated Makuta. The dethroned ruler was still alive, his red eyes flaring through his Mask of Shadows. However, his armor was cracked and dented in various places. Nuhrii unsheathed one of his two blades and aimed it at Makuta's neck.

    "Concede," the Toa of Fire said sternly. "At least while you still have some dignity."

    Makuta snorted. "I shall admit defeat. But if you think I'm going to give you the satisfaction of imprisoning me...."

    The former ruler of Metru Nui did not finish his sentence, for in an instance, he had vanished from the Toa's sights.

    Nuhrii put away his blade. "Whatever works."

*  *  *

    In the few days that followed Makuta's defeat and departure from Metru Nui, Nuparu would have thought that things would be more lively and peaceful like they were before the Great Cataclysm. While he was correct on the latter part, the former had not changed. Matoran still worked and moved about with glum expressions like before.

    He knew that this was because Mata Nui was still asleep, but he had thought that everyone would be filled with new found hope. Then again, even he was struggling to feel such an emotion.

    As he tinkered with abandoned Vahki and Rahkshi parts to create something that would help in the repair of the Coliseum and the rest of the city, he noticed someone standing in the corner of his eye. He turned around to see Macku.

    "Oh. Hey," Nuparu muttered. "Do you need anything?"

    Macku shook her head. "No, it's just... I've been worried about you."

    "About me? Why?"

    "Well...." The Ga-Matoran shifted her feet. "When Makuta... absorbed your Kralik, I looked at you and... you were in complete distraught. You wanted to redeem yourself for the Vahki and the Kralhi, and your third attempt had just failed."

    Nuparu returned to his work, not facing her. "And? Come on, Macku, where are you going with this?"

    Macku sighed. "Honestly, I was afraid you were going to snap."

    Nuparu turned around again and walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "To be honest with you, Macku, I thought so, too. I thought I was going to lose it. But then I realized...."

    The Onu-Matoran paused for a moment, considering his next words. "I realized that everyone makes mistakes, sometimes several ones. But in the end, you either just give up and move on or figure what it was you did wrong."

    "And in your case?" Macku asked.

    Nuparu turned back to his project. "Right now, I'm staring from a clean slate. Instead of making something like a Vahki- a brutal enforcer- I'm making the opposite."

    "Which would be...?"

    He showed her his work-in-progress: a small robot that was as high as a Matoran's knee. "I call it the Auxium. If things go right, it'll be able to fix the Coliseum faster than those Po-Matoran out there."

    Macku shushed him before giggling. "Don't let Hewkii hear that."

    Nuparu snorted. "What's the worst he can do, chuck a rock at me?" He then blanched. "Though it would depend on the size of the rock, wouldn't it?"

    The two Matoran's laughter went well into the night.

EPILOGUE

    Very little light lived in the Makuta Fortress of Destral. The only sources of light were torches lined up on the stone walls, but even those burned faintly. Water dripped from unattended pipes, the sound amplified by the hollowness of the fortress. Sound rarely traveled through here; on some days, one could hear the rattling of chains and the cries of prisoners, but those were usually silenced in short order.

    Makuta Icarax was used to all of these things on a daily basis. As he rested comfortably on the obsidian throne of the Brotherhood, the Makuta of Karzahni admired the several Kanohi masks, Toa Tools, and Rahi heads that adorned the throne room's walls. But what gave him the most pleasure whenever he laid his eyes on it was the large container placed in a corner near the entrance. Sculpted by Po-Matoran prisoners, it was made to serve a very special purpose, which Icarax anticipated the day for with bated breath.

    That day had finally arrived.

    Barging through the doors, staggering with each step, was Makuta Teridax. His armor was cracked and dented, Antidermis energies threatening to leak out. Icarax quickly stood up from the throne just as the leader of the Makuta crumpled to the ground.

    "Lord Teridax, what happened?" Icarax asked, rushing to his fellow Makuta's side.

    Teridax groaned as he struggled to get up. "Toa... defeated me. Metru Nui... is lost."

    Icarax frowned, though on the inside he was grinning like the arrogant maniac he was. "Dear me, what an upsetting setback."

    "A setback, yes," Teridax muttered. "But one we shall prevail over."

    Icarax nodded. "Indeed. Would you like me to find you a new body to transfer your essence to?"

    "No. Just get some Nynrah Ghosts over here to fix mine."

    "I'm afraid that won't do you much good. If mere Toa were able to do this to you, then someone stronger than them would be able to do much worse."

    Teridax scowled. "What would you have me do then? Inhabit some weak Exo-Toa suit?"

    "Of course not." Icarax hefted the Makuta of Metru Nui to his feet and slowly led him to the container in the corner of the room. "I'll have the Nynrah Ghosts build you a better, stronger suit of armor."

    "That will take too long," Teridax growled. "By then my body will fail me and my essence will leak out."

    Icarax grinned. "Don't worry. I've made the necessary precautions."

    Moving swiftly, he grabbed each side of Teridax's Kanohi Kraahkan and tore the Mask of Shadows from his face. He then shoved the Makuta of Metru Nui towards an open hatch in the container, letting his Antidermis pour out into it. Too weak to move, Teridax remained where he was.

    While the container filled up, Icarax admired the mask in his hands. "Do not worry," he said nonchalantly. "This vat will keep your essence alive for at least a few months. That should be more than enough time for the Ghosts to make you a new body."

    He grinned as he replaced his own Mask of Scavenging with the Kraahkan. "In the meantime, I shall oversee our empire's further conquest of the universe. And who knows... I just might prove myself to be a better ruler."

    As the Makuta of Karzahni let out a harsh cackle, the essence of Makuta Teridax let out a silent scream of rage, though it fell upon deaf ears.

TO BE CONTINUED