#thank you lertie......

[poisonous-transmissions]

It's okay. You get used to people wanting to lick you after a while. <:) There there.

~ @heavensentofficial

you WHHAT!!!!!!!!!!! :((((

[freereignastarwarsstory]

Chapter 5: Landfall

Disclaimer: I (@draksisreborn) own nothing but my OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Many thanks to @zazabelle once again for making this possible with me. Please review and enjoy this latest installment.

Rating: T

‘The fire, the smoke, the agony.

I couldn’t breath.

I couldn’t think.

I didn’t want to anymore.’

“Wake up Cenden. Come on, wake up.”

Cenden heard a voice as he watched the ship collapsing around him in flames.

He took in a sudden breath as his eyes flew open to blurry blobs and shapes.

His mind caught up with him and he slowed his breathing. Groaning he pushed himself into a sitting position. His head still pounded as he felt the buzzing feeling of a vision still swarming around in his mind.

Leaning up against his bed, he looked over towards the now solid figures of the crew standing crowded near him in his room with BX awkwardly leaning through the doorway.

“What happened Cenden? You just kind of collapsed and the holocron locked itself up again!” Nek rapidly fired out, holding the holocron out to him in a panic.

“Calm down Nek, I can open it again.” Cenden mumbled almost irritated as he rubbed his temples and took the holocron back from the Devoranian.

It was nice that he could say he could open it again with confidence though.

Lerti stepped forward.

“Ok, so explain what happened? You just have fainting man syndrome or something?” The Mandalorian teased, a hint of true interest in her voice.

At that, like a rush of water, the vision came flooding back through Cenden’s mind. His eyes flickered across the images he saw before his subconscious. He had to fight to keep his breathing steady.

‘A temple. A crash. What am I supposed to tell them?’

“I...I had a vision.” Cenden answered, trying to sort through the disturbing images still seared into his brain.

“What did you see?” Now Soron asked, yellow eyes filled with curiosity.

“I’m not sure. There was a temple. I’ve never zeen anything like it before… It wasn’t quite a Jedi temple that was for sure. Yet it didn’t look Sith either.” Cenden replied, uncertainty littering his words as he stroked his thumb across the holocron in his hand.

“Well? Can you show us? Do you know what planet it’s on?” Chol finally spoke, eyeing the device.

Cenden nodded, a pit dropping in his stomach. Bracing his arm on the bed side, he pushed himself into standing position, his body almost feeling hollow.

He let the Force come rushing into his mind, it filled his thoughts easily enough but it felt like pushing on a bruise. Letting the Force take hold of the holocron it lifted steadily from his fingers and began to unlock.

The glow emanated across the room as a star map sprang to life out of the tetradecagon surrounded by orbiting pyramids. Nek smiled while the rest of the crew stood, watching in amazement as the device seemed to be floating through the air held up by nothing. Even BX seemed to lean further into the doorway, a touch of curiosity seeming to appear in his empty eyes.

“It’s here, on the edge of the Unknown Regions.” Cenden told as he stepped forward and enhanced an area on the star map, pointing to one of the many moons surrounding a large gas planet.

“I recognize that planet.” Cholmon cut in. “I’ve overheard pirates talking about that planet’s moons containing unimaginable riches, but most disappear or give up after the fifth moon or so.” Cholmon explained as the crew looked at him.

“You can you get us there?” Soron and Cenden asked simultaneously, their tones conveying very different questions.

“I can put us in the planet’s orbit, but… uh, can we use the holocron thingy to tag the right moon? I won’t be able target our trajectory if the moon’s not on my star maps.” Cholmon replied, scratching his chin.

“Are you sure it's the best idea to go straight there? What if the Empire is waiting?” Cenden asked, a slight bit of worry in his voice.

“Cholmon should have no trouble with them, this ship is stealthier than it looks. Not to mention we can easily use the other moons to lose them if they chase us.” BX stated. Cholmon thanked him with a nod of his head.

“I still think it's a big risk.” Cenden mumbled. Lerti looked at him, dumbstruck.

“Weren’t you the one who just had a vision of this place? Why are you the one second guessing this?”

“Enough.” Soron interrupted. “I’m sure he’s just worried, as we all should. Chol how long should it take for us to reach the moon?”

“Probably a couple of days minimum, a week tops. I’ll go plug in the coordinates.” He replied, exiting the room with his hands in his pockets.

“Good. Nek, I want to go do a check up on the engine and weapon systems, we’re behind schedule on those. BX, be on standby to assist Chol with navigation. Lerti and Cenden, make sure your gear is ready for when we touch down. I’ll broadcast an update when we arrive in the system.” Soron finished, dismissing everyone. The crew minus Cenden nodded and went to do their jobs, while Cenden sat mulling over his vision.

‘I have to warn Soron about what I saw.’ He thought as he exited his room and chased after the Shistavanen.

“Soron, can I have a word? In private.” He whispered to his captain.

Soron raised an eyebrow then nodded.

“Walk with me.” The captain said gesturing as he turned and continued forward.

The two walked down the turning and twisting hallways of the ship. Cenden followed along in a daze. The still unfamiliar paths hardly passing his thoughts as he followed Soron into his room.

Taking in the simple bed and desk as well as the workbench, terminal, and small collection of books, Cenden was surprised to see the window that dominated the far wall, giving a glimpse into the vast expanse of space. Most quarters tried to avoid having that sort of installment for safety purposes, Soron must’ve had it specially installed for his room.

“So,” Soron began, pulling up two foldable chairs in front of the window, “What is it that you wish to discuss?”

“The Force...showed me something in my vision.” Cenden began, taking a seat next to Soron.

“That’s what visions tend to do right?” Soron said with a smirk.

Cenden tried to smile as he ran his hand over the back of his neck, “I’m not even sure how to explain what those are like.”

“I’m guessing how they work isn’t important right now is it?”

“It was something horrible.” Cenden continued, causing his captain’s demeanor to sour immediately. “It was of a ship crashing, breaking apart in the atmosphere before exploding on impact. I saw only one person escape, though I couldn’t make out their features.”

“And you're sure this has to do with our destination?” Soron asked.

“That ship crashed into our destination. And I think the ship is our ship.” Cenden finished. He watched Soron mull this over, eyes staring into the endless black expanse. The seconds turned into minutes as Cenden grew fidgety as Soron remained silent while the Jedi’s own mind snapped from one thought to the next. Cenden felt fear rising in him again.

“What would you have me do?” Soron finally asked, pulling Cenden back into reality.

Cenden’s eyes went wide.

“Isn’t it obvious? Don’t go there! Do you really want your crew to die!?” Cenden asked hysteria taking hold of him.

“Of course not!” Soron shot back. “But what other choice do we have? It's clear that we are supposed to go to this moon, who are we to argue with that?” Seeing Cenden open his mouth to argue he continued. “And besides, this may not have been our ship. But even if it is, it could just be one possibility among many, meant to test our determination.” He saw that Cenden was still unconvinced. Sighing, he continued, “Didn’t the Jedi of old put their trust in the Force, even when all signs pointed towards failure?”

“What reason do I have to put trust in it in return!?”

The two went silent.

Soron squeezed at the bridge of his nose.

“Cenden, I… I don’t know how to convince you otherwise. In case you haven't noticed, we don’t exactly have a goal in mind here. We’re just a bunch of mercenaries, tossed aside by whatever society is left in an ever expanding universe under the control of madmen with just as little idea about how everything really works as we do. Nothing is truly defined for us. All my life, I’ve wanted more. Not more material gain, but more knowledge. I want to do something that really matters, but when I try and think about what that might be, it’s like I’ve drawn a blank at the edge of time.”

Soron sighed again. “I don’t know why I do any of this. It’s not like I’m just going to suddenly become ‘one with the universe’ or some crap. There just has to be more than this. It would be foolish otherwise. A foolish waste of life.”

Cenden was silent for a moment, “There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force.” Cenden looked to Soron, an understanding passing between them.

“Back when I was a temple guard for the Jedi Order, the younger generations used to make fun of such sayings, but now I see zhe comfort in it. Soron, if you are truly going to learn to follow the Force, and if I am going to learn to put trust in it again, then I have to start remembering the truth. There is no death with the Force, but life is still worth discovering.”

“There is no life without discovery.” Soron said smiling as he stood.

Cenden gave a small nod and stood in return.

“I swear you are at least 10 times more spiritual than half the Jedi I ever knew. Alright. Let’s go to the vision moon then!” Cenden laughed as the two shook hands.

The captain and the Jedi turned to leave.

“We should probably tell the crew there’s a chance we might die though.”

“But there’s also a chance we might discover something great.” Soron finished.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dawn light filtered through the enormous accidental skylight running through the temple’s interior. Mist rose up through any breaks in the temple’s walls and waltzed through the decaying entrance, blanketing the ground.

From where I watched, all I wanted to do was cannonball down into the ground clouds.

I imagined myself falling endlessly through the mist void, tumbling through beams of light, the cool wind roaring around me. Wings flew from my shoulders and carried me across a sea of sky fluff. It was all very gray.

I shook myself from my daydream with nervous excitement, ‘Focus Vis. They could be here any moment. Right?’

I felt the Force surround my mind. In the distance of time, I could feel a presence walking among the ruins, still at least what felt like several days away. But it could be sooner or later. Either way I had to be ready.

“Alright, let’s go over this again.”

I sat tucked away in a nook crumbled out of a wall in the temple that had long since been eroded by water damage and such. For me, it made a nice little hidey hole type room overlooking the far left half of the temple plus the one of the main entrances to the whole first building. No one’s ever made the effort to get past my traps or the Force’s traps, but there’s a first time for everything.

I was so excited I could barely sleep. The shifting hue of my freckles, I guessed, were in their bright green state of ecstasy 24/7.

The Force was excited for me too I think. In the middle of the night I would feel my own spirit intertwine with it’s and pull me from my sleep to the edges of the “balcony” outside each room to watch the stars through the sky light. On some night I would catch a glimpse of several moons or even a HUGE planet in the sky, and I could just smile and laugh.

Wherever whoever or whatever was coming going to be from that planet? Where they going to be from the other edge of the galaxy!? Sometimes on those night I would just close my eyes and let my mind unravel across the stars. Letting my guide lead me through nebulas and star systems and space ships passing through it all…

Pulling myself from the thoughts once again, a smile quickly stretched from one end of my face to the other.

Taking a shaky breath, I reached over to my side and grabbed the smooth round cylinder resting a few safe inches away from me. The weight of the damaged lightsaber felt calming and cool in my grasp. I couldn’t believe I had found one. Or rather, that the Force had finally shown me where in the temple to find one. I was tempted to relive the little adventure in my head, but I had more pressing matters to attend to.

I adjusted the possible death tube away from my face, making sure my fingers weren’t on the trigger, I decided to hold the saber upside down. It just felt safer. I didn’t have a physical master of any kind, but it wouldn’t make much sense to give a deadly weapon to a 13 year old, much less use it. But who was I kidding? I was definitely going to turn it on. Just not when I was jumping from a ledge onto the slippery mist floor.

‘Now for the finishing touch!’ I thought to myself now grabbing the temple guard mask.

I slid the mask over my face, letting it rest snuggly on my temples. Surprisingly, I could see out of the slits in the mask really well! It wasn’t perfect, but it didn’t totally suck either.

“Why didn’t more Jedi wear these? They seem like such a great idea!” I asked the Force.

I could almost hear it laughing. That was the best feeling in the whole galaxy.

“Ok, show me where to go!” I laughed back to it.

I gathered the Force around me.

A dominant scenario begin to be strung from one marker, one foot step, one flying leap after another.

I would fight someone as soon as they walked past me.

There was a chance I’d win and a chance I’d loose.

It didn’t matter if I lost, I was just suppose to do my best and that would do it.

I laughed and leapt down from my spot.

I stood and felt myself in the right path turn on my lightsaber, I would speak, they would speak. I ran forward. I swung up, ducked right, rolled across the ground, swung as I spun, jabbed twice, got punched in the mask, went with the momentum, rolled again, swung.

From there it branched off into three highly likely scenarios that I couldn’t quite make out. But if I just followed the first steps, everything would work out.

“Will they be a friend? Someone I know? ...A Force wielder!?” I asked excited, I didn’t want to speculate but this is huge! “I can’t believe someone’s finally coming for me. Someone finally heard you. They know I’m here… This whole training thing is to prove myself right?”

The Force caressed a few of my thoughts, it was hard to make out, but at least I knew I was right somehow with one of those!

“I’m going to turn the lightsaber on now.”

I pressed the switch.

The lightsaber ignited, sparks flew out of it, and a burst of white hot light shot out of it.

“OH SHOOT.”

A shock flew through me.

I dropped the saber as I fell on my butt.

“Ow ow ow…” My arm felt all tingling,

I took off the mask. Examining my arms, nothing much had happened except my freckles turning bright yellow and red with shock and fear. I let out a breath before I started laughing and plopped onto my back.

“Could’ve warned me about that!” I looked at the saber, “...Huh. Ok I see where you were going with that, I have the idea now.”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

‘I… I will go. I never thought we’d see the day when a real opportunity presented itself, and if it’s fate we die, then we die searching.’

‘Well I, for one, am going. Vision or not, I’m the pilot of this ship, and we have a mission. Would it honestly help to worry about something petty like death?’

‘The logic in vision is not within my coding. Logic in attempt is, however.’

‘...I don’t know. One minute you all are trying to convince me stuff like the Force actually exists. Now I know it’s real and we’re choosing to take a chance on something like flying right into death? That, to me, seems rash, and risky, and wrong... I thought I’d never rub off on you guys. I’m in. But if I die, I swear I will kill all of you, starting with Cenden.’

Soron stood in the cockpit, gazing out into the massive gas planet looming through space as Chomon began his change in direction towards a small moon.

Cholmon looked to his captain one last time for confirmation, an unspoken question in his eyes. Soron stood and reflected on the crew’s reaction to Cenden’s vision of a fiery crash.

‘Could this really be it?’ Soron’s mind whispered.

Soron tried to shake himself out of the feeling of being torn between contemplating his last thoughts or focusing on the present. He took a breath of uncertainty and with that, nodded to Chol before reaching for the comm.

“Alright everyone, this is it. Cholmon will be setting us down via Cenden’s instructions. I want Cenden, Lerti, and Nek in the cargo hold ready to go. BX will stay with Cholmon and serve as our rear guard.” Soron paused. “Be prepared for anything but cower from nothing. May the Force be with us.” He finished as he shut off the comm and sat in the copilot’s seat. Even if he couldn’t pilot to save his life he wanted to be there to see this through.

“Ya know you don’t have to be up here right? I can handle everything on my own.” Cholmon commented as the ship dipped towards the moon.

“I know, but… this is what we’ve been looking for for so long. I mean, we’ve been temple robbing for long enough, you and me especially; it’s nice to be going somewhere with understanding and purpose rather than a blaster. ” Soron replied as the moon loomed up on them.

“Don’t need to remind me. I still remember when we first met.” The pilot replied.

Any further conversation was cut off when the ship began to shake slightly as they entered the atmosphere.

The ship’s hull dipped slowly into the ozone layer of the moon, falling into orbit around the moon’s surface.

Cholmon’s fingers twitched across the console, his eyes darting nervously from one system status to another.

Soron’s eyes remained locked ahead, his hands laid steadily across the controls, ready to do whatever he could muster up inside himself to help.

The ship shook.

The two looked at each other.

The ship shook again, violently jolting about the sky.

Cholmon reached for his comm, “BX! Are you still in the engine room!? How are we looking down there!?”

“Everything is running smoothly. We seem to only be experiencing turbulence.”

“Turbulence. When we were prophesied to die in a fiery crash. Lovely.” Chol mumbled to himself, his eyes locked on the sky.

“Don’t talk like that. Show some faith.” Soron spat back, the fur along the ridge of his neck visibly standing on end no matter how calm his demeanor claimed to be. “Cenden. Any idea where we’re needing to land yet?”

Down in the cargo hold, Cenden, Lerti, and Nek stood. They had all three braced themselves up against the hold wall, grasping onto the railings lining the walls.

“Not yet Soron. I’ll let you know when I’m told.” Cenden answered back, glancing wearily at the supplies of Lerti’s rocket launcher ammo. “I wish that wasn’t on the ship.”

“Shut up.” Lerti shot back at Cenden.

Cenden sighed.

‘Ok, no fear. Just trust.’ He let his eyes fall shut.

He reached out into the Force. His mind unraveling through clouds of thought and emotion. He connected with the energy inside himself, the energy, his mind, continued to push through the clouds and into the energy within the space around him in the ship. He unraveled further, into the sky around them, he stretched out across the planet.

A pressure in his mind built up as he reached across the world.

Then he felt it.

The Force took the line and tied it to the land. Like an anchor in the sea, the man was tethered to the marker. The Force gushed and pulsated about the marker. Burrowing deep into the earth, it veined out across the planet, like a heart.

“Soron! Chol! We have our heading!”

“Where are we landing?” Chol answered back.

“Keep heading east, in about thirty minutes there should be a strip of clearing in the landscape below. What do we know about this moon?” Cenden commanded.

Chol cleared his throat, “From what I remember, it’s mainly a deciduous forest biome, but the forest floor looks more like a jungle marsh. Colder up north, warmer down south, and not inhabited. Though as I told you, it does have a reputation for driving people away.”

The ship jolted again.

Lerti could hear Nek praying under his breath.

Maybe she should’ve ditched the explosives.

BX came over the comms.

“We have a slight leak in one of the backup compressors. It will now be fixed promptly.”

“We’re ok everyone. Just stick to the course.” Soron’s voice came next over the comms.

For the next thirty minutes, everyone sat about, waiting. They either talked quietly in the cargo hold, or made weather observations up the cockpit, but it all felt wasteful. Like any words at all would not amount to what could be their last words. So then, everyone sat in silence. Of course, then even their thoughts felt unimportant.

Cenden assumed a state of meditation, something he hadn’t done in a while. It felt nice to just let his mind wander through the Force, it’s purposes, it’s paths, it’s thoughts. Eventually, he could even sense the wind currents surrounding the ship, predicting the next bump in the current or shift in the torrent. He pushed down his fear, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to sense a point of crash.

This was comforting at first, but in the back of his mind, he knew that just because you couldn’t sense something was about to happen, didn’t mean it wouldn’t happen. He learned that the hard way once, he didn’t want to relearn that again.

His thoughts were interrupted and his heart skipped a beat as Chol’s voice came over the comms suddenly.

“I see our landing spot! We’re heading down! Seven minutes and counting ‘til we make landfall.”

The three pilgrims in the cargo hold gathered together readying themselves to make leave.

Lerti stood adjusting her armor and helmet, “Ya know Cenden, I’m actually glad I’m here to get to do this. I would’ve thought I would’ve had to stay on the ship. I’m not exactly ‘the spiritual type’ ya know.”

“Oh we know.” Nek piped.

“Anyway. Just, I guess, maybe you’re not totally as useless or fake as I originally thought.” Lerti finished, tweaking the positions of her holsters.

“Wait. Was that a complement? Or an apology?” Cenden smiled mockingly at her.

“For the second time today, shut up.” Lerti retorted, “And yes.”

Nek laughed. Perhaps out of humor, perhaps out of hysteria. Either way it was a much needed sound as the ship made its final descent.

Cholmon and Soron both let out a sigh of relief as the ship brushed the tips of the treetops before touching down in the clearing, contrasted with the sound of Lerti and Nek’s faint cheering coming from the cargo hold.

“Guess it's time to see what there is. I’ll keep in contact with you and BX.” Soron said as he stood up and left the room. Cholmon gave a simple nod in response.

Soron quickly stopped by his room to grab his 9118 carbine before entering the cargo hold to see the shore party armed and ready.

“Alright everyone,” He said as he opened the cargo door, revealing the lush jungle. “Same procedure as last time. Cenden and I will take the lead while Lerti and Nek will cover the rear. Now then, let’s get this started.” He finished as he readied his carbine and stepped outside.

Lerti smirked and gave a mock war cry. “Let’s go desecrate some ancient history!” She shouted, earning mild chuckles from the group as they advanced.

The trees loomed up around them, the heart-shaped leaves tipped in purple. The trucks grew so close together they crew could barely see a hundred yards past where they stood.

“So where now, Master Jedi?” Lerti asked wistfully as she looked out across the scene.

Cenden still felt the tether pulling at his energy, drawing him into the woods.

“I guess we just follow the Force.” Cenden mumbled, he felt eerily at peace here.

“Easier said than done for us I suppose.” Soron responded, his voice the same peaceful murmur.

Nek remained silent, his eyes wide and darting about.

“Chol we’ll keep you posted.” Soron informed the pilot over the comms.

Cenden started forward, the other following close behind as they wove their way through the dense flora. Everything was so peaceful, so beautiful. It didn’t feel real.

“So there’s really a Jedi temple on this moon?” Nek asked, his voice sounding far off.

“Maybe not a Jedi temple, but a temple, yes.” Cenden answered.

“I believe it.” Nek sighed.

Cenden smiled.

The Force felt different here. It felt more open and alive. The deep connection with nature here definitely helped, he had to admit, it had been a while since he’d been on a planet not in the city territory. But was so calm here, he didn’t even need to lift a finger to his weapons…

CRACK!

His thoughts were cut off as Lerti suddenly disappeared from sight, falling deep into a hole that had not been there a second earlier. Nek let out a yelp of surprise and Cenden rushed over to the hole.

“Lerti!” He shouted. “Are you al…” He trailed off as Lerti slowly rose out of the hole with her jetpack, arms crossed.

“You two forgot I had this didn’t you?” She deadpanned, earning sheepish looks from the human and Devaronian. As she touched down Soron knelt by the hole, examining it.

“To be fair, you did lose it last time.” Nek joked.

“Probably just a sinkhole or something.” Lerti said with a shrug as she continued walking.

“No.” Soron said, stopping her in her tracks. “This looks like a trap. A primitive one, but a trap all the same.” He said, standing up and facing the group.

“Are you saying that someone is trying to keep us out?” Nek asked. All eyes turned to Cenden.

“Maybe. It’s unlikely given the temple’s age and location, but with how strong the Force here is it's possible these were set up centuries ago.” The Jedi replied.

Soron’s hair bristled a bit before he calmed the involuntary action. “We aren’t going to let this someone try and keep us out. We’ve come too far. But we will be more careful from now on.” He said, earning nods from the others as they continued moving, their formation tightening the closer they got to the temple.

However, Soron felt each step grow more tiresome, the peaceful and calm feeling that had earlier had such a powerful hold on their consciousnesses had turned into a growing sense of calm before the storm. A pressure had built up and with each step it grew more and more urgent. Soron gave a quick glance around the group confirmed that they felt it too. Soron chalked it up to the presence he felt, which had gone from a light prodding on his mind to a full fledged assault on his psyche. His head ached, his legs felt like they were encased in durasteel, and his mind at war with the presence.

Yet it felt different, like the fear existed outside his own mind and was trying to force its way through. Everything felt groggy or anxious.

But he trudged on. He wouldn’t let this presence control him, he hadn’t let himself give into that since-

He sighed, “Cenden, do you know how much farther? Or are we being lead somewhere else?”

“I honestly can’t tell at this point, I still have the lead, but I can’t be for sure that it’s where we want to go or where we need to go.”

The pressure kept building.

Lerti groaned and clutched at her head, “Anyone else have a headache?”

“What is that?” Nek asked rubbing at his own temples.

“I’m not sure.” Cenden mumbled, he felt it but it wasn’t bothering him so much.

Was… was the Force trying to connect with them?

“We should… keep moving.” Soron stuttered.

The captain looked terrible. His eyes darting from one place to another, his breath seemed heavily, his whole demeanor was that of a man who had been fighting for all too long, but he was still fighting.

He moved Cenden aside and kept walking forward, Lerti followed behind.

“Hey wait. Soron. Lerti.” Cenden exclaimed following them through the brush. “Maybe we should take a rest? I’m not sure what’s going on, but it seems to be taking a toll on everyone.”

“We. Are. Fine!” Soron suddenly snapped.

“Hey I’m just trying to help!”

“Well maybe you should keep your mouth shut and just stick to your Jedi mumbo jum…”

“Hey guys?” Lerti interjected.

“What!?” The two said at once.

“Where’s Nek?”

Everyone went silent.

“Nek? Nek!?” Soron shouted.

Nothing.

They looked around them, nothing looked familiar at all.

“What the heck!? Where did he go!?” Lerti’s voice laced with panic as she leapt through the nearest brush patch. “This has to be the way we came!”

She screamed.

Soron and Cenden leapt through the brush.

Lerti had disappeared.

“What in the galaxy is going on!?” Soron screamed.

“Soron…” Cenden put a hand on his shoulder.

A ruined temple now lay in front of them, stretching for miles in any direction, buried in the earth and grown into the trees. An involuntary gasp escaped the two. Soron was astounded by the age of the temple and its beauty, despite the many collapsed walls and plant life that seemed to be choking the life out of the building itself. It looked different from any other temple they had explored, just as Cenden had said, and despite his awe he felt a nagging fear in the back of his mind, a fear of what this temple held. Did this really have answers or more dead ends?

The pressure broke.

Soron’s mind seized up.

He crumbled to the ground.

“Captain!” Cenden yelled driving for his falling body, his dead weight nearly pulling him to the ground with him.

Grabbing the captain around the arm and waist, he hoisted him up. Whatever was going on, the temple was there only source of shelter where they could contact Chol.

He dragged Soron towards the temple, the building drawing him in, yet still seeming weary in his sensing of the place.

The Jedi came to the first entrance he could see, old crumbling stairs sunken into the ground leading up to an equally crumbling gateway.

His feet marched heavily up the nearly decayed steps and through the cool, vine ladened entry way. He set Soron down and checked the man’s pulse. He was alive, good.

Standing, he looked about the immense foyer of the temple. Deep pools bore into the ground along with the most noticeable feature being the giant hole stretching from the ceiling to the ground floor.

Walking forward, he emerged from the shadows into the sunlight from the sky pouring through.

‘How did that happen?’ Cenden wondered.

He felt the Force suddenly break around him, centering around movement behind him.

He turned as a gray figure leapt from a crack in the wall, green trench coat fluttering through the air.

They stood, a mask he never thought he’d see again placed across the figure’s face.

A Temple Guard.

Their green lightsaber flashed to life.

“What are you doing in my home?”

[dlux0124]

Legitimate accident

I was at a local park earlier today, it was a gorgeous day, blue skies almost 70° f light breeze. A perfect day for a couple mile walk through the woods. After having parked and situated myself I set off down the trail. Enjoying the simple beauty of nature, listening to the birds sing their love songs. There were a couple other cars in the parking lot so I knew I wasn't the only person out here but good lord is it peaceful. After strolling through the woods for 45 minutes to an hour, I felt my bladder letting me know that its a good time to start looking for a tree. I look around and there isn't a soul to be seen or heard. Figuring I was clear, I unzipped my jeans pulled myself out of my boxer briefs and let it flow. I have a large bladder so I'm standing there for what seems like 20 minutes (really 2-3 minutes of constant heavy stream) as I feel my bladder nearing empty, there's another sensation that begins. And just as I start uncontrollably pooping myself like a toddler, I hear what sounds like 2 or 3 younger women coming down the trail towards me. I panic and tuck myself hastily back in my now poopy underwear not realizing I hadn't quite finished peeing yet. At this point the damage had been done, my pants looked more like those you would find on a toddler in his first week of getting to wear big boy undies. As I was looking for a rock to crawl under before these women walk up on me. Alas it was not meant to be, just as I turn I see 3 attractive women each with a baby strapped to their chest. They see me but as they were walking across the trail I stayed where I was so they could pass. We exchanged smiles and hellos, and hoping to myself that they hadn't noticed the huge wet spot on my pants or the smell hanging all around me. It seemed like they were going to walk right by and indeed hadn't noticed my embarrassment. Unfortunately again I jumped to my conclusion to early, because as soon as they got to the wide spot I was standing on the edge of they all start sniffing the air like hound dogs, and all lifted up the baby strapped to their chest and gave their diapered buts the sniff test. Still blocking my way as well as I was terrified to move they all look at each other and confirm that the smell isn't coming from their child, the woman furthest from me taps one of the other women and announces as she points, "I'm betting that its the big little boy over trying to hide while he finishes his accident since he forgot his diaper today." And they all look at me with a smile curling from the corner of their mouth and eyebrows raised.

I finally find my voice right after the wet spot on my jeans got bigger as I really emptied my bladder. And they all nod in agreement at their friends assumption. I finally speak up "I'm so sorry about my accident I thought I checked well enough for people but I also wasn't expecting to fill my pants. So again I apologize, if you would excuse me I'll go and head home to shower and change into clean clothes." And the woman not wearing a wedding ring speaks up " we are sorry you went potty in your pants and we aren't trying to embarrass you or make you feel ashamed. Do you have a clean pair of pants to drive home in? Do you have anything to spread on your seat? How far do you have to go?" She asked. "I do not have a change of any clothes, no I don't have anything for my seats, and I live about 30-45 minutes from here. But its OK I'm by myself so no one has to smell my dirty pants, I just need to squeeze by you so I can be on my way." I reply

"Look I live walking distance from here. You can see my house from the parking lot, why don't you come over and get cleaned up there. My ex boyfriend was your size, he left a bunch of his clothes when he left me. I won't take no for an answer." And she unclips the child from her chest and hands the little girl back to her mother, and thanking them for the walk and lerti g them know she'd be calling them later, she reaches out and grabs my arm pulling me back towards the parking lot. She holds my hand the whole walk back to her house. She walks me straight to the bathroom.

"OK just take everything off and jump in the shower and I'll come back in with clean clothes and get these dirty ones cleaned then in the wash. OK sweetie?" She instructs. I reply, "I can at least drop the big..." She cuts me off "no young man, are you going to do what I tell you too or do I have to give you a spanking!?" And she punctuates her statement with a hard slap to my butt. I start undoing my belt and shift myself to turn on and adjust the shower.

"Are you going to take those poopy pants off?" She says standing in the doorway tapping her foot. "Yes I thought you were coming back, my apologies." And I start shyly trying to strip off my messy shame. With a sharp sigh, she storms back over to me and yanks my pants down to my ankles, reaching right back up and hastily pulling my briefs down and having me step out of both. And as I turn to get in the shower.

"Stop, not yet, I've gotta wipe those big pieces of poop off." I feel a baby wipe sweep down my butt crack. She has me bend over and spread my butt and she finishes cleaning me up. "Oh my bad I got you all clean! You don't need a shower just yet. Come with me let's get you those clothes." And she turns off the shower and grabs my pants with one hand and my hand with the other. As she marched me through her house butt naked we pause for her to set my pants on the washer. And 2 doors down she opens the door pulling me into a nursery, standing naked in the middle of the room I bashfully cross my hands trying to hide my peepee and she turns her attention toward me from the closet she stood in front of. She giggles at my posture then holds out pair of what looked like jeans nods and grabs a shirt socks and shoes and walks over to the dresser in the room with everything. She turns to me and says "I don't mind washing pants or helping to clean you up, but since we are here because of your accident I will not have you running around peeing all over the place and leaving poop stains everywhere. So I'm going to insist you wear this diaper." I look at her and shrug my shoulders, its not like I have a lot of choice. You threw my underwear in the trash, my pants still have poop on them and my socks and shoes are still soaked with pee. So I'm kinda at your mercy, you want a diaper on me I'm gonna have to wear a diaper, you want me to drink from a bottle and suck on a pacifier? I'm doing that too I guess.

She smiles "lay down so I can put you in a diaper and get you dressed." I do as instructed and as she finishes tapping me in the diaper " I'm so sorry but I gotta go poop again" she looks at me and a puzzled OK? And she looks down at the diaper she just put on me. I knew shat she was implying but I wanted to be extra clear. "Could you take my diaper off so I can go poop in the potty? " "no honey, I'm not wasting diapers, you are in it the only way to get it off now is to go peepee or make a big boom boom." And she slips the shirt over my head, and that's when I notice, its a onesie, and the jeans are more like sweats and they have snaps down the legs and through the crotch. And just as she's finishing my tummy grumbles again and with minimal pushing my diaper starts getting weighted down in the seat and the front starts swelling.

"Did someone just make a big stinky?! I think that you did! Come on I'm gonna give you a few minutes just to make sure you're done this time." And she starts heading us toward the front door. "My two girlfriend's that I was with, they want to meet the big baby once he has a clean diaper on.

[freereignastarwarsstory]

Chapter 4: Temples

Disclaimer: I (@draksisreborn) own nothing but my OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Many thanks to @zazabelle once again for making this possible with me. Please review and enjoy this latest installment.

Rating: T

‘This is turning out to be a fool’s errand.’ Lerti thought, reflecting on the last few weeks of their little “missions.”

Half a dozen temples, under Imperial control or so old there was nearly nothing left of them. And they were no closer to their goal then they were that night on Nar Shadda. Jedha, Tyroth, the list goes on. Nothing.

Hours spent running through disheveled corridors and courtyards slowly overtaken by the environment.

Hours spent reading manuscripts that looked as if they would crumble in their hands.

Hours spent analyzing proverbs that only raised more questions than answers, giving the entire crew splitting headaches.

Hours spent looking for data packages that supposedly contained all the information a Jedi could ever need or “holocrons”, according to Cenden.

‘The guards have been the worst part.’ Lerti thought. Damn bucketheads were swarming at each of them, forcing them to sneak past them or risk fighting the entire planet’s garrison.

A blaster bolt whizzed by her head, forcing her back to the present as they ran through the temple, stormtroopers hot on their heels. She grimaced under her helmet as she fell to the rear of the group. “Soron, I’m gonna grenade them. Once we get to the courtyard call Cholmon and BX for a pick up.”

“You sure that's a good idea?” Nek yelled from the front as he impaled a flanker with his double vibroblade.

“It's the only chance we got.” Soron yelled, carbine firing over Lerti’s shoulder. “Go for it.”

Her unseen grimace morphed into a grin as she stopped and slid her grenade launcher off her back. She quickly kneeled and fired off a few grenades, bouncing them off the jagged walls into the entrance behind them. She was rewarded with one of the tunnels collapsing, trapping whatever troopers were there.

“Please be careful, this structure is very old and you may bring the whole thing down on our heads!” Cenden yelled, although his advice went unheeded by the Mandolorian.

She took off running again, following her crew as they came into the courtyard. As her crewmates took cover and began to fire on the stormtroopers spilling into the room, Lerti erupted into the air as she activated her jetpack. Pushing herself quickly off the ground, she swivelled her body as she landed abruptly on one of the over hangs of what used to be the ceiling, giving her a view of the entire courtyard below.

Stormtroopers seemed to flood in from two of the three entrances. It was safe to bet that the third entrance held a trap for her and her crew members as they were being cornered into the only available “escape” route.

She ducked as bolt flew inches past her head. Tumbling behind one of the broken stone pillars still left on this level, another few shots fired past her. Below she could hear her teammate’s rapid fire on the advancing troopers. Lerti took a breath, her fingers caressing the triggers of her blaster she had slid out of her holster.

Her breath let out.

Quickly the Mandalorian twisted and rose from her hiding spot and rained down as much fire as she could on any moving thing she knew to be an enemy.

Blasts whizzed by, she ducks and spins in anyway she can in order to evade oncoming fire, her arms always outstretched and firing back on her less than graceful attackers. Below, she watched Nek jab and swing his vibroblade at the distracted stormtroopers while Soron and Cenden kneeled opposite each other and focused fire on the tunnels.

‘Not a bad idea.’ Lerti thought, again sliding the grenade launcher out from under the holder below her jetpack.

Ducking back behind her pillar, she reached up for her comm. “Guys, I’m going to blow out the tunnels. All three. Once the tunnels are down climb up top and we’ll request our pickup. Sound like a plan!?”

“DO IT!” Soron yelled back through the comm.

Adjusting the smooth canister onto her shoulder, Lerti took aim. She had used up her blast bombs and was left only with the time detonated ones. They would have to do, she just had to launch them far enough into the tunnels that they wouldn’t roll back into the courtyard.

She quickly pulled down the viewfinder on her helmet.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Fire!

One bomb in the hole. She readjusted her aim to the next tunnel.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Fire!

The bomb flew into the second tunnel.

BOOM!

The whole temple shook as the first tunnel exploded into flames and flying troopers while the stones supporting the tunnel collapsed.

Aiming for the third tunnel she fired just as the second tunnel went up in flames and broken stone. She launched the last grenade into the third tunnel. On the ground she heard Soron calling Chol as all three of them remained hunched on the ground waiting for the last explosion.

Lerti squinted as she saw movement in the third tunnel.

White armor emerged from the shadows running forward with something blinking in her hand.

The trooper took a step.

They threw the bomb up towards the balcony.

“I hate when they try to be heroes.” Lerti mumbled as she watched in frozen shock while the armed bomb came sailing towards her.

Lerti heard a shot from a blaster and a scream, quickly shaking herself out of it she turned and ran. Her blood pumping in her ears as she ran towards the sheer drop on the other side of the temple.

‘Jump off. Activate jetpack. Jump off. Activate jetpack. Jump off…’

BOOM!

Lerti felt her body go sailing forward as the ground collapsed beneath her. She tumbled about in a cascade of her own limbs and piercing rock debris for an eternity before she saw the ground beneath her and the world went dark with a violent thump.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lerti groaned as she slowly regained consciousness.

‘Damn that hurt.’ She hissed in pain as her left arm moved.

Coughing and sputtering she moved her limbs about under the dirt that had enclosed her. Stumbling to her feet, she held her burning arm as she looked around where she had fallen. Light poured in from a hole in the ground above, it seemed Lerti was down in some sort of underground cavern. The surrounding area seemed to be swimming in darkness and dust clouds. Below her feet, mounds of debris and flooring sections formed into a monumental pile.

She reached for her comm. Her hand hit the empty hair where the device normally hung on her side. Cursing, she looked about the cavern. Her comm must’ve been knocked off during the fall. Taking inventory, her blasters remained in place but it seemed her jetpack along with the grenade launcher had also managed to stage a vanishing act. Sighing she began to weigh her odds, if she stayed put Soron would be able to find her easy enough, but the troopers might get to her first.

Glancing over the edge of the pile, Lerti realized would have to slide down on her backside if she was going to keep moving but there was no telling how she’d be able to slow herself on the way down. She winced as she again became aware of the pain in her arm.

‘It’s either take a much slower fall, or wait to see if a trooper decides to throw another grenade and this time right onto my head.’ Lerti finally rationalized as she took one last look up at the sunlight streaming through into the gloom. ‘They better be ok.’

Carefully shimmying to the edge on her bottom, Lerti’s muscles tensed as she scooted off and rapidly began her descent to the darkened ground below. The rough ground beneath her seemed to poke and jab at her body as she skidded towards the ground. Cuts and scrapes seemed to suddenly appear on her body while she continued to clutch at her arm. Lerti’s eyes remained locked on the ground’s approach, her heart beating in her mouth.

She braced herself.

Her feet impacted the ground.

SPLASH.

Lerti gasped as she slid through the water and soft mud caking the surface of the cavern. She quickly landed with a soft squish onto her back.

Holding in a scream of pain, she took a breath and struggled out of the mud.

“Ok this is shaping up to be the opposite of the ‘peaceful temple on Auratera’.” Lerti whispered angrily to herself.

She squinted through the shadows, off in the distance she saw the glimmer of light coming through the surface of the ground. An exit? Sighing, she began her trudge through the mud.

What were we even doing here?

What was she doing here?

Did they think this was going to make some kind of difference? All these temples were filled with a whole-lotta-nothing. Up until a few weeks ago, she hadn’t even believed the Jedi existed. But even Lerti had to admit, being through all these temples made her disgusted with herself that she had ever been lead to believe that the force-wielders were nothing more than fantasy. These had been the homes of hundreds of people at one time. The Empire laid waste to hundreds of villages and cities everyday, but to manage to wipe out the memory of such a vast quantity of people in such a seemingly short period of time was staggering to say the least.

I suppose she couldn’t say that they hadn’t been benefiting from the trips. The days they had been spent reading ancient history and proverbs and learning about the ‘will of the force’ had been genuinely interesting. Half of it was religious mumbo jumbo but she had taken a few of her favorite sayings to heart that were just good advice in general.

Lerti pushed on, the cold water soaking her into her clothes and chilling her to the bone. She kept her focus on the glow emanating from the water and not her shivering hurting body or the sow panic starting to build in her the darker the space around her became. Maybe the glow wasn’t a way out, maybe it was her comm, or her jetpack, or…?

She stopped just above the light.

Just in front of her feet sat a some sort of device lodged just under the mud. Out of pure curiosity, the Mandalorian reached for the glow. Her gloved hand enclosing around the object, she gingerly raised what looked like some sort of decorative box out of the water.

“Wait… Is this one of those…?”

She heard movement behind her coming from the hole in the cavern ceiling.

Lerti turned to see the silhouette of someone being lowered down through the hole by someone above.

“LERTI!” Cenden’s voice sounded, echoing through the underground.

“Do you see her down there!?” Soron called out from farther off.

“No! But I know she’s down here!”

“HEY GUYS!” Lerti called out, waving her good arm holding the glowing box. “CENDEN I FOUND ONE! I FOUND A HOLOCRON!”

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

“So...how do you open this thing?” Lerti asked, twisting the holocron about in her good arm, carefully examining each side.

In the medical room, Nek focused intently on binding up Lerti’s fractured arm while Cenden stood in the doorway, appearing a million miles away.

“Would you be careful with that thing? Also, hold still. Seriously I don’t want to mis-split your arm and have it wind up all crooked.” Nek complained as he wound the bandages around the bacta, eyeing the box wearily.

“Cool your jets. And what? I don't the special healer’s treatment like you got?” Lerti retorted back, glaring playfully at Nek.

At that, Cenden seemed to snap out of his daze. Sighing, he walked over to Lerti and held out his hand.

“Can I see it please?” He asked Lerti staring solemnly at the holocron.

Continuing her playful manner she smiled and laughed, “Finder’s keepers, Jedi. Just tell me how to open it.”

An exacerbated Cenden snatched the holocron from her grasp with a roll of his eyes.

“It can only be opened using the Force. The crystalline material reacts to the connection of the metachlorians or something like that. And as for your arm, I will attempt to heal it, but after I find what we’re looking for using this.” He explained gesturing with the holorcron, “Using the Force takes energy just the same as sprinting a few miles might. So be patient and I’ll get to it.”

“No, ‘thanks Lerti for finding the Jedi box’?” Lerti asked sarcastically.

For a moment, Cenden almost smiled, “Thank you Lerti. You did good.”

“Darn right I did.” Lerti responded as she hopped off the medical table. “Thanks for the patch up Nek. I’m going to go talk with Chol for a while, do either of you need any stemcafe or anything?”

“We should be offering that to you.” Nek mentioned as he gathered the remainder bandages together.

“I can make some for myself.” Lerti said with a shrug followed by a grimace before walking out of the room.

From some ways down the hall the remaining two could hear Lerti yell back, “May the Force be with you!”

Nek let out a small chuckle as he followed Cenden out of the med bay. “Good o’le Lerti. Hey Cenden, where you going?” He asked their resident Jedi.

“My room, to open the holocron. Why do you ask?”

“Mind if I come with? I want to see it open” Nek asked as he followed him down the hallway, eyeing said holocron slightly.

“Why would you want to see that? It's just a box with some holograms and maps.” Cenden replied as he slowed his pace slightly.

“Well…” Nek started, kicking the floor slightly, “I’ve heard so much about the Jedi, and considering I was nearly dead the last time you used the Force I’d really like to see you use it. If that's ok with you of course.” Nek finished a bit sheepishly.

Cenden smiled a bit at the younger alien. “Of course. Just as long as you're quiet.” He answered, getting a big grin from the Devaronian.

They both entered Cenden’s new room, Cenden pausing a bit on entry. It was hard to believe at times that this was his room. Previously a miscellaneous storeroom, it now housed a low bed, a desk, and several shelves holding various pieces of Cenden’s armor, books, and the odd trinkets from his temple guard days.

‘Certainly better than temple or medic accommodations.’ Cenden thought.

“Nek to Cenden, over. Can you hear me, over.” Nek asked, waving his hands in front of Cenden’s face.

The Jedi shook his head slightly. “Sorry. I spaced out for a second there.”

“You do that a lot don’t you?” Nek asked. “Ah forget about it, I should let you work.” He said as he plopped down on the desk’s chair.

“I guess it’s hard not to with all the recent events going on… and their ability to connect to past events.”

Nodding, Nek took on a silent composure as he watched Cenden.

Cenden didn’t necessarily want Nek here for this. Heck, he didn’t want to be here himself. Since the Order, it had felt like his own mind wanted to eat away at itself at the slightest thought of the sudden blasts and screaming of death.

For such a long time, he had told himself it was trauma. He gave himself meds for the mental strains, but it didn’t help. It was more than that. He still felt the gnawing at his spirit. The fear in his heart threatening to overrun his every move.

It was the Force.

He’d know it all along, but something was so very wrong with it. The energy was still inside him, nothing had left but everything had changed. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only change form. And his lifeforce had long ago morphed into something corrupted. He bottled it up, but it was still there. Twisted and misshapen by his own fear, and hatred, and distrust, for the very thing giving him power. He had sensed this power in the Sith before. He bottled it up so tight, the cork could almost not be loosened. More actions out of fear. But how could he go back to the trust the Jedi were so confident they had?

“The Force works in mysterious ways.” He had heard that all his life. It never meant anything to him. Sometimes something unexplainably terrible would happen to someone who didn’t deserve it, but “The Force works in mysterious ways” was always the answer. But that was no answer at all, it just meant, “We don’t know. We will never know. Stop asking.” Well now the Jedi probably wished they had asked further before the mystery was upon them in a swirling torrent of destruction. Their power could not save them when their power was against them.

Too many night of asking ‘why?’

Too many days of buried thought.

‘What do I do? What could I have done?’ Echoed in the back of Cenden’s thoughts before dragging him back to reality.

“Nek. I never thought I would ever see one of these things again. In all honesty, I never wanted to. But I guess if anyone is going to be here for anything, it should be you. You happened to drag me back into this, I guess we may as well continue from there.” Cenden said as he stared at the holocron in his hand.

Nek stared too, whispering, “I think we both know coincidences don’t exist.”

Cenden took a breath.

Sitting down onto his bed, he closed his eyes.

His stomach twisted in knots in anticipation.

‘You have to be honest with yourself now. This is the time to find answers.’ Cenden thought to himself. ‘You’re nervous because you’re afraid. Afraid to see what you’ve become. The Force is still with you, but for how much longer can you live like this? Trying to hide from yourself? From the future?…’ His thoughts went silent for a moment as he felt a shiver run down his spine. A thought came to his mind that didn’t feel like his own. But it felt more real than any thought he had had in a long time. ‘You’re afraid the holocron won’t open for you because you don’t want it to. You think you feel betrayed, but is that how you really feel? The Force is with you Cenden. It is you. So… How does the Force feel about itself?’

“I don’t know.” Cenden mumbled into the pulsating blue light of the holocron.

‘Keep going. Find out.’

The Force built up inside him. It flowed through his body and around his being. It caressed the holocron through his fingertips like an old friend. He felt the Force’s eyes on him. Watching him in suspicion. He felt that gnawing again.

“Please. I don’t want to be in the dark anymore.” Cenden whispered a prayer, his eyes draped shut.

A rush on energy burst through him suddenly.

He gasped as his body convulsed slightly and the holocron flew from his fingertips, unraveling in the air.

Cenden’s being relaxed slightly but he still buzzed with the energy as star charts, files, teaching opened from the Jedi’s data keeper.

Cenden stood slowly, bringing up the star chart, “Show us where to go.”

A connection unrolled from his soul, glancing over the planets. It moved from one to the next, like an insect flitting from flower to flower.

It settled suddenly and forcefully over a spot. An empty spot.

No not empty, nearly invisible. It had settled over a small moon scattered among thousands surrounding a planet he was not familiar with.

“This one.” Cenden reached out and marked it with his fingertip.

“That one? Why?” Nek asked quietly.

Almost as if to answer and without warning, the Force convulsed once again inside him, violently bringing all the energy released back on his mind.

As his vision went dark, he smiled a bit.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve had a vision.’

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Link to character designs: https://zazabelle.tumblr.com/post/163154250430/hello-everyone-over-the-course-of-this-summer-me

[freereignastarwarsstory]

Chapter 1: Just Business

Disclaimer: I (@draksisreborn) own nothing but my OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Many thanks to my fellow writer @zazabelle, who has been amazing as always and who also did the cover art and character designs for this project. Please review and critique this tribute to the characters of SW who are never spoken of, the ones who only wish to survive.

Rating: T (sci-fi violence and language)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soron arrived in the cargo hold, the rest of the crew, minus Cholmon, already ringed around the crates that they had risked their lives for. He nodded to BX, who bent over and helped him pull the lid off the first container.

“Now then, let's see what we have...here.” Soron’s voice faded as he examined the contents of the crate.

The only sound in the cabin hold was the deafening vibrations of BX letting the crate lid crash to the floor as the crew stared in utter horror.

Food.

That was it. Food, some basic weapons that you probably find lying around in the street in an only slightly better condition, and some clothes.

“No, this can’t be right.” Soron muttered, scratching behind his left ear, his breathing increased and Nek’s morbid chuckling became an unpleasant background noise. “Check the next one BX.”

“Captain there is no error. These are the goods Dordo hired us to collect.” The droid responded dryly. “And no, my circuitry does not need to be checked.” He said to Lerti, cutting the Mandalorian off as he saw her mouth open to argue.

“But… what? Why would he have us risk our lives for some damn fruit!” Soron exclaimed, only to be met with howls from behind him. Nek was curled into a ball on the deck of the hold, laughing to the point of tears.

“Just what the hell is so funny about this Nek?” Lerti barked, fists clenched in anger.

“The Empire wanted FRUIT!” Nek laughed as he stood up, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Can it. Both of you.” Soron ordered, rubbing his temples. “Alright, let's reseal this crate. How long until we reach Basteel?” He asked Cholmon over the comms.

“Thirty minutes or so.” Came the reply.

“Everyone suit up. Be back in here fully ready five minutes before landing.” Soron commanded before climbing the ladder towards the upper decks and his own room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Raving Titan landed on the large landing pad of Elardo City, cold winds lashing its hull. It was placed in holding in one of the many caverns of the subterranean city, its gangplank lowering and allowing its crew to enter the bustling bazaar.

Slinging his 9118 heavy carbine across his back, Soron turned to his fully armed and armored crew. On Basteel one could never be too careful, even by Outer Rim standards.

“Cholmon, go find whatever parts the ship needs to keep flying, and add fuel to that list. Lerti, see if you can sniff any jobs out of our usual clients. Be sure to check up with old Leatherface in Lynwood Cantina. BX, you’re with me. And Nek, you’re staying with the ship this time. Try not to wander off.”

“Aye aye captain.” Nek drawled, plopping himself down onto the gangplank.

“Alright people, let's get this done smoothly and we can leave this cave.” Soron said as he began to push the automated cart that held their cargo. BX fell into line behind him, right hand resting lightly on the hilt of his vibrosword as the rest of the crew fanned out across the bustling market place.

Soron and BX made their way down the main roads for the good part of an hour before arriving at the front of a dilapidated warehouse. Emerging from the crowd the two made their way towards the entrance, two human guards leveling their blasters at them. Both eyeing the droid nervously.

They waited for only a moment before a grainy voice called from inside.

“It's alright, let them in.”

The doors were heaved open from the inside as Soron pushed past the guards, not paying them any mind. BX briefly stared at one, and judging by the reaction he got the guard almost soiled himself. If a droid could smile, BX would be split ear to ear.

The old warehouse seemed to stretch off for eternity in the darkness that enveloped the inside of the building. A few lights near the front of the room shone down on the posi surrounding and guarding the lone Dug reclining in the center of the room. Dordo looked up from the datapad in his foot and and with his free appendage removed the cigarette from his mouth.

“Greetings friends, it's been a while.” He called, gesturing grandly with his hand-like feet.

Soron’s fist came down on the nearest crate.

“Dordo, I am not your damn grocer. Please explain those.” Soron growled, pointing an accusatory finger at the crates beside him.

“Ah yes, I was looking forward to your reaction.” Dordo laughed.

“You think this is funny!? My crew and I risked our lives for those crates and THEY’RE FILLED WITH FRUIT!” Soron bellowed.

“Soron, I was conscripted to transport those supplies to a Rebel planet. One that was under Imperial blockade. The ship you scavenged from was shot down, I’m guessing the Empire came back to finish the job.” He finished, replacing his cigarette.

“Is that the truth?” BX questioned, earning a glare from Dordo.

“What is it to you droid?”

“This is simply unexpected from someone in your profession. I was simply curious why someone as pragmatic as you would take up a relief mission.” BX replied impassively.

“Well, I have a saying. ‘I will do anything if the price is right.’ And the price was more than right.”

“Then why hire us? You know we prefer not to get tangled up in rebel activity.” Soron asked, folding his arms.

“Unfortunately, the rebel’s price has been right several times in the past and I can’t afford the Empire tracking any of my men’s ships back to me.”

“And there’s the Dordo we all know and love.” Soron cut in, earning a slight chuckle from said dealer. “Now, I believe we have upheld our end of the bargain. Time for you to do the same.”

“Straight to the point as always. Here.” Dordo answered, holding a stack of credits.

“Where’s the rest? This is not the amount we agreed to.” Soron growled in displeasure.

“Well you did open one of the crates when I did not give you permission to do so, so your pay was reduced. So take the credits I am so generously offering you or go back to your ship with Imperial contraband. Your choice.” He finished with a sickening grin.

BX let out a growl-like sound, one hand reaching for his vibrosword, the other going for his E-5 blaster. Soron grabbed the droid’s arm as the various guards aimed their weapons at the two.

“Not this time.” He muttered under his breath, right eye narrowing slightly.

BX took a step back, hands off his weapons.

Soron angrily snatched the credits out of the Dug’s hand, stuffing them into his pocket before turning on his heel. “World keeps on turning Dordo.”

“That only matters to the people on the Rim.” Came the reply.

They kept walking.

“You would think you would’ve learned by now it doesn’t seem to matter how much you pay or how much you gain, only that you become limited the further you string yourself along down that path, you lose your freedom.”

Only a few steps from the warehouse entrance.

“What are you? A Jedi?” He laughed under his breath, “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to take some of the ‘special cargo’ to feed that pretentious attitude?” Soron growled as the doors were heaved open.

The sound of stormtrooper’s order flew through the opening.

“OPEN FIRE.”

Soron and BX dove to the ground as blasts rained through the warehouse doors. The two crawling to opposing sides of the wide door frame and readying their weapons as they listened to the rhythmic sound of stormtrooper formations closing ranks on the building’s only opening.

From inside, the two watched as the Gotalian hunter nearest to Dordo grabbed the Dug by the throat and placed a charged blaster to his head.

“Sorry boss, but you understand. ‘Whatever pays’ right? I know you’re afraid but don’t worry, the Empire won’t hurt you as long as you tell them what they need to know.” the Gotalian yelled into Dordo’s ear above the firefight.

One of the guards turned to open fire from his hiding spot.

He screamed as five blasts hit him head on.

His body fell near Soron. The look of shock instilled in his face became mirrored in Soron’s as he and BX slowly looked at each other from across the doorway.

“Shoot diagonally and use Dordo’s capture as a distraction?” BX spoke.

“Took the words right out of my mouth.”

From the door frame the two crewmates opened fire from their low point.

BANG BANG!

The Gotal was dragging Dordo from his chair.

BANG BANG BANG!

The Gotal stumbled forward with the writhing mass fighting in his arms.

BANG!

He stepped through the doorway.

BX aimed and shot at the hunter’s leg.

“AH!” The burn mark smoked at his flesh as he fell to the ground.

“Why?” Soron asked as he jumped to his feet.

“The longer he has to drag Dordo to the transport ship the longer we have to run.”

“Makes sense…” Soron watched as two stormtrooper ran over to assist the wounded hunter and his prey, “Wait for it… Now!”

The two ran out firing at the surrounding stormtroopers. Soron reached for his comm.

“Everyone! Back to the ship! Cholmon we need a pickup near our location now!”

The remaining posi emerged from the warehouse now firing back at the surprise party. BX grabbed at the vibroblade on his back.

Jumping from the ground, the battle droid swiftly jabbed the blade at the troopers as he came in for impact before landing and swinging the side of his body out to slash across the next bunch.

“BX! WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!” Soron howled as he watched an Imperial ship landing in the loading docks, probably filled with more stormtroopers.

The droid turned from his calculations of mass slaughter to process Soron’s words before throwing a trooper across the field by his bucket head and began his sprint towards the captain. Soron and BX made their move towards the market place.

“Need some help?” Lerti’s voice came across the comms.

“Lerti? Sorry kinda hard to hear your voice above all the screaming and panic.” Soron said as he began to shove his way through the quickly moving crowd with BX and at least ten stormtroopers close on their tail.

“Understandable. Just meet in the center square! I hear Cholmon is letting Nek borrow his baby.”

Soron smiled.

“Well that is good news then!”

Running into the market square the trampling panic and fearful shouts suddenly turned quiet as the sound of blaster being loaded erupted from all directions of the square.

Troopers surrounded the square coming in from every street corner and roof top.

Soron and BX lowered their weapons as they watched the skies.

From behind him, Soron heard a man whispering to himself.

“Please. Not again. Please. Not again.”

Soron turned to the blonde haired human starring at the dozen of stormtroopers, seemingly paralyzed. In the distance Soron heard the approaching sound of ship engines.

He grabbed the man by the shoulder.

“I would duck if I were you.”

The wind gusted about as The Raving Titan suddenly veered overhead. The gangplank open to reveal Nek standing at the ready with Cholmon’s Z-6 rotary blaster cannon and a huge smile stretched across his face.

“I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO TRY THIS THING!” Nek shouted from the ship as his hand went to the trigger.

Soron, BX, and the human fell to the ground along with most of the crowd as Nek demonstrated just how terrifying it can look when a Devorian shows off their devilish appearance behind the barrel of a gun. All around them the shouts of troopers rang out, quickly followed by another order to open fire.

Closer ranged blasters echoed behind them as Lerti stepped through the crowd.

“Hey guys! Lovely evening, right?” She fired again.

“Another day out on the town!” Soron grabbed his blaster.

“I take it you two are being sarcastic?” BX stood and joined the firefight.

The crowd began to thin out as everyone ran for their lives in every direction. The blonde haired man continued to stand close, revealing a small hand blaster concealed on his belt he quickly took aim and began to shoot off concise bursts towards the bucketheads.

“Not that I’m complaining for the extra help but shouldn’t you be off cowering somewhere?” Lerti shouted towards the man.

“I am no coward and ze say third time's the charm right?” The man’s harsh accent seeming to erupt over the shots. “And it seems anyone attempting to run isn’t having luck with your man or the troopers so I’m good here.”

From the ship, Nek continued to rain down punishment on the troopers, his hands seemingly unfettered by the rapid overheating of the weapon. He ceased for a moment as the ship lowered further to the ground and the crew made its way for the open plank.

The captain, Lerti, and BX climbed onto the ship, Nek ushering them in. The ship began to rise steadily into the air. They were going to make it!

A blast rang out.

Nek screamed.

The three watched as he went tumbling over the edge of the rising ship’s gangplank.

“NEK!” Soron and Lerti ran over to the edge while BX stood watching and waiting.

They saw him sprawled out on the ground below. A clean hit had torn right through his shoulder, blood seeping out of the large wound.

He began to twitch and struggle to his feet as trooper began to make a run towards him.

“We need to leave.” BX spoke.

“No way! We are not leaving without him!” Lerti screamed as the started towards the cannon.

“Cholmon keep the ship low! Nek’s down!” Soron spoke into his comm.

“Wait down there or, like, down, down!?”

“BOTH!”

Trooper were closing in.

Lerti cocked the gun.

They watched as Nek moved painfully slow for his double bladed vibroblade.

Two shots fired and they all winced as someone screamed.

They looked down to see the blonde haired man had stepped in front of Nek and had opened fire on the trooper while taking a direct hit to the thigh. Crumpling to the ground, the man continued to fire nearly shielding the Devorian with his own body. The troopers kept firing but each shot missed its target despite the two being only feet away. Lerti rained down aimed fire with Cholmon’s baby before the ship lowered itself to near landing position.

“Let's go.” the man said through clentched teeth to a half conscious Nek.

He leaned over to hoist the smaller alien up only to find him much denser than expected. Suddenly two lanky robotic arms lifted the crewmember from the ground and hustled back onto the ship, causing the man to flinch. Flanking the man, Soron and Lerti grabbed an arm and began nearly dragging him onto the ship.

“You know where we can find a decent healer?” Soron asked the man between breaths.

“I am one.” He nearly whispered.

 Lerti rolled her eyes.

“Welcome aboard.”

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Link to character designs: https://zazabelle.tumblr.com/post/163154250430/hello-everyone-over-the-course-of-this-summer-me

[freereignastarwarsstory]

Prologue: Run

Disclaimer: I (@draksisreborn) own nothing but my OCs. Star Wars belongs to Lucasfilm and Disney. Many thanks to my fellow writer @zazabelle, who has been amazing as always and who also did the cover art and character designs for this project. Please review and critique this tribute to the characters of SW who are never spoken of, the ones who only wish to survive.

Rating: T (sci-fi violence and language)

The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion. - Albert Camus

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The fire, the smoke, the agony.

I couldn’t breath.

I couldn’t think.

I didn’t want to anymore.

The closet door had caved in on me during impact, I couldn’t tell if my vision had gone dark or if I was being smothered to death. There was blood coming out of me somewhere I could feel it. Gashes, bruises, blood, I didn’t want to move. My lips tried to open, they tried to make a sound come out of me, but nothing worked.

What do I do… What could I have done?

Suddenly, I felt something tug at me. Pulling at my heartstrings.

My guide was still with me.

My mind snapped back into place.

My guide! My guide please help me! My thoughts screamed in panic as the fog in my mind began to clear and the smoke in the room thickened.

I began to wiggle under the weight of the door as I tried to pull myself free.

I saw the fire rise in the hull of the ship, and with that I found my voice.

“Please! You told me this was going to happen! I tried to warn them! Why didn’t they listen!? Why won’t you help me!” I screamed as tears ran down my face with the taste of soot gathering around my lips.

I built up pressure in my head to try and speak with the guide. Everything in the room began to become connected in my head. I felt everything. The rapid vibration of the fire. The energy draining from the ship’s hull and the draining of… no.

“NO PLEASE! MOMMY HELP ME! SOMEONE!”

I screamed for my mommy, I felt her. Her energy draining with the ship. I felt my family. All of them. Dwindling.

I screamed as the pressure in my head was released.

The door fell away.

The guide desperately pulled at me.

The path was clear, there was somewhere else I needed to be. But I didn’t want to go. There had to be something I could do with all this power, with all this rage. I could stop their energy from draining. I could stop their death.

I ran from the path. I ran to my mom. My seven year old legs propelling me on through our burning ship.

The guide still telling me where to go. But this felt different, it felt… wrong. Nonetheless, there she was, shrapnel piercing her skin all over. Her blood spilling out.

“MOMMY!” I ran to her side, her eyes barely focusing.

Her head lolled to her side as she turned to look at me.

“Vis… Go… Please…” she whispered above the sound of my crying.

“I won’t leave you! I can fix this! There has to be another way!” I built up the pressure in my head and placed my hand of her as I tried to make the guide fix this.

She took my hand and she took a breath.

“Vis… I feel it now. All those times you tried to explain it to me. The connection to everything. I. Can. Feel. It.” Her breath labored, “The guide you talk so much about. Your path does not lay here with me. Your connection, I… we, will never leave you. Your guide connects us. Follow it’s path. You can see it. I know you can… Find what you’re looking for. I. Love… you…”

Her energy left.

It was gone.

And yet, the guide was still there, so quiet amongst the raging flames, but it was there. The path was clear. The future uncertain. And all I could think about was my mommy laying in the crashed ship that was my home, now burning on a planet I didn’t know.

I stood, the guide almost pulling me along by my empty hand as I walked numbly through the smoke filled ship. It took my hand, I would grab an object, and this continued as I shuffled past the bodies of my adoptive scavenger family. I couldn’t make the connection cut off, it was the only thing making me walk, but their pain swelled over my body and it was a silently awful relief when I felt their energy slip through my fingers and meld into the guide’s path. I was being puppeted, and I felt the familiar pressure in my head trying to snap me back to thinking.

“Please. Just, keep telling me what to do.” I choked out as I looked at the trinkets the guide had told me to pick up, one of my tears falling and rolling off the smooth river stone my mother loved so much.

The guide flowed on, directing each one of my hollow legs towards the bundle of cloth lying on the ground. The scavenger captain’s green trench coat. My chest sputtered as I became wracked with tears. I picked it up and hugged the favorite thing of the man that had helped raise me. I felt his bravery in the cloth. It flowed into me as I continued to let the guide push me down the singeing walls of the hallways, down the breaking stairways, and out through a hole on the ship’s hull.

I watched as my feet walked through the moist dirt of the dense forest that surrounded the broken ship. I looked down at the trench coat in my arms, as tears kept streaming down my face mingling with the blood running out of my nose, I slipped it on.

In my hand still, I looked at the trinkets of the family who had loved me, the family who had taught me to keep looking for all the paths I could take to find what I was looking for, the family that accidentally introduced me to the guide, the guide that always showed me the way.

I wanted to look back… but there was a new path. I sensed something hiding in the forest. A place I would grow to love. A place I would grow to protect and avenge for the family I couldn’t say the same for.

“Where are we going?” I asked as the guide kept pulling me on.

And for the first time, it answered.

Home.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

“The vault is sealed captain. The goods are likely still intact.” A robotic voice calls out from across the derelict transport ship.

The old CIS droid, a BX series commando droid, crouched at one of the many sealed doors, its connector plugged into the one of the ship’s control boards as it scans for the contents of each room. The droid looks over at his organic partners, it’s chassis is worn from age but still durable, with a line of fresh white paint down its face and a white eagle emblazoned on its chest. He beckons the two over.

“Lerti, pass BX-19 the breach charge.” The voice commanded from behind the sealed faceplate of his spacesuit.

“On it captain.” A third voice responded.

The Mandalorian female of the two, clad in red and dull white armor, hands the explosive to the droid, who applies it to the sealed door of the cargo vault before walking off a few feet and hitting the detonator without warning.

The captain and Lerti jump back in surprise, their arms shielding their faceplates.

The charge creates a small explosion, shattering the handle, allowing BX-19 to pull open the vault door and inspect its contents. Five light brown cargo containers, left by the ship’s former occupants as they fled towards the escape pods.

“A little more warning next time BX?” Lerti asks curtly as they approach the broken door.

“Might I remind you that we need to move fast? What we are doing is not legal, and I didn’t realize I needed to be your babysitter.” The droid retorted, obviously mimicking the sarcastic voice of another crew member.

“Okay, we got the goods. Now let’s load them up and get out off this wreck.” The captain ordered through his communications device as he grabbed the first crate, his two companions following suit.

Silence went through the comm.

“Cholmon! Are you listening!?” The captain nearly yelled into the comm.

“Ya sorry! Roger that captain.” The pilot, a Mon Calamari, responded over the comm before going back to lazily tracing the edge of the control panel in the cockpit of his Simiyiar-class ship.

He could spend hours tracing the delicate, ornate curves of the Raving Titan, lost in the beauty of its design. He listened over the comm as his crew began loading up the cargo, only half paying attention to the empty space around him decked in escape pods while the transport ship sparked.

Suddenly he was startled out of his daydreaming by a soft beeping sound, sending a shiver down his spine as he hoped against hope that it wasn’t what he thought. Quickly knocking several items off the panel he examined the radar system, a stream of curses rolling off his tongue in Mon Cal.

“Soron we have a major problem. Imperial Star Destroyer incoming.”

“Have they scanned us yet!?” The captain growled over the comms.

“I don’t know, no way I can tell from here.”

“Alright shut it down. Everything but air systems. BX, Lerti, double time it now!” He commanded as he increased his pace as much as he could, the other two following suit.

Back on the ship, the pilot began struggling to shut everything off.

“Nek! Get up here now!” The pilot yelled over his shoulder.

Thirty-seconds later a relatively short Devaronian sprinted through the door, panting slightly.

“What is it you need Cholmon?” The devilish-looking alien panted.

“Get your red behind down to the engine room, shut down everything!” Cholmon shouted, clearly not in the mood.

“On it, no need for such nastiness.” Nek replied before sprinting out of the room.

“Talk to me Chol, how's it looking up there?” Soron asked as he approached the cargo door.

“I can’t tell captain, they seem to be ignoring us.” Immediately the radar system began to beep rapidly.

“Nevermind, they just deployed TIEs. ETA 3 minutes.” Chol groaned.

“Everyone in now.” Soron commanded as the other two passed by him onto the ship with the goods, the door closing behind them. He quickly took his helmet off, revealing his black furred Shistavanen appearance with glowing yellow eyes.

“Lerti, man the left turret, I’ll get on the right. BX, get to the cockpit and be ready to have Chol use the ion cannon.” He then took off on a dead sprint towards the cannon. Sliding into the seat and putting on the headset he quickly contacted Nek over the backup comms. “Nek power the engine back up, we’ll be cutting this one close. And make sure the ion cannon is prepped.”

“On it boss.” Came the reply.

The sleek ship powered back up, accompanied with a pleased grunt from its pilot, and pulled away from the derelict ship, turning to face the incoming swarm of TIE fighters. Chol turned the Titan to face the swarm, turrets already working to eliminate a few fighters.

“Any day now BX.” He growled, itching to fire the ion cannon.

“Wait for it.” The droid responded.

“They’re closing in, I have to fire now!” The pilot panicked, seeming to forget the cool down time of the cannon and his finger hovering over the trigger. “They’re almost on top of us!”

“Wait.” BX continued, voice never losing its monotone quality. He clenched the back of Chol’s seat, running through a million calculations at once, they couldn’t afford to miss this shot.

The TIEs sped closer.

They started to fire.

“Now!” The droid shouted as the last fighter came into critical range.

The pilot blasted the cannon.

Like watching a lightning show, the chain reaction in the blast disabled most of the TIEs immediately and forced the rest to scatter. By the time the rest of the fighters had regrouped the ship had already escaped to hyperspace. 

Soron sighed as he collapsed into the gunner’s seat, hearing the victory cheers from the Mandalorian across the hall.

Yeah, He sighed mentally, we won. For now…

The captain reached for the comms.

“Alright crew, let’s take a look at this cargo that apparently ‘the Empire doesn’t care about at all.’” Soron said sarcastically as he started for the cargo hold. “I swear when we see Dordo I’m going to ask him for his definition of an easy job.”

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Link to character designs: https://zazabelle.tumblr.com/post/163154250430/hello-everyone-over-the-course-of-this-summer-me