STAR WARS/PREDATOR: MASTER XOL'S SAGA (PART ONE)

 

With Darth Vader defeated, the Galactic Empire has no Emperor and is struggling to stay unified.

Alliance sources indicate that the Imperial Senate led by Grand Moff Tarkin has assumed control until a new leader is chosen. Rumours have even surfaced that one already has.

The Rebellion’s exodus from Kaskyyyk and eventual reunification with their fleet outside the Yavin system was successful, making their next assault possible.

Their attack against the Imperial installations based on Yavin IV has been a beleaguered task, with so much opposition not only from elite troops but the disciplined acolytes of the Empire’s Sith Academy, it seems uncertain as to whether or not victory is possible.

Now fully healed of their injuries, Xol and Dex join the fight on the surface attempting to rout what remains of resistance and begin the task of bringing stability back to the galaxy…

Rain seems to stand still as Xol runs through the jungle, the drops hanging in the air before splashing against his helmet. His long strides and agile leaps through the forest allow him to swim through its tangled green web. Dex, trying to keep up, runs at full sprint, vaulting over fallen trees and rocks as he proceeds. The blaster rifle strapped to his back clacking against his armor as he runs.

“What is the rush, ya long legged Ronto?” Dex huffs between breaths.

“1165, you heard the comlink chatter, senior Imperial staff are surrounded and have taken refuge in an old temple east of our current position.” Xol replies hurriedly, impatience in his voice.

“I got that Xol, but, why in the name of a three tailed Twi’lek are we going so fast? They will still be there when we arrive, they’re holed up!”

“I do not want to allow them the chance for escape Dex, these old temples have countless secret passages and secrets I am sure even my Great Holocron is not aware of.”

Without another word said, the pair continues their hastened journey towards the temple. As they reach its base, the forest floor parts to reveal the awesome structure. The vine ravaged outer stone walls still lustrous after millennia of neglect. Ancient Sith language adorns the surface, listing off a long forgotten legacy of galactic conquerors that once lived here. The main entryway is blocked by crude barricades of rubble and battlefield wreckage. Rebel soldiers turn and salute Xol and Dex as they pass. Once they near the barricade a young, battle weary, female Alliance officer briskly walks toward the pair.

After a quick salute, she clears her throat nervously and begins speaking, “Jedi Master Xol. Commander Kamino. I am glad that you both are here. We have had some difficulty gaining entrance to the facility.”

“Have you sent a strike team in?” The robed Yautja inquires.

“I have tried, but they have Sith Knights with them sir, and have made short work of our teams. After the last assault, they barred the door from the inside.”

“Officer…” Xol begins.

“Lieutenant sir. Lieutenant Neela Davyn.” She interjects with an assertive tone.

“As I was saying, Lieutenant Davyn, there is a phrase Master Yoda once told me. Do or do not, there is no try. On that pearl of wisdom, it is my decision as the senior officer to attempt an entry myself with the assistance of Commander Kamino. We will enter the temple and flush out the enemy inside. Once secured, we will call for reinforcements to conduct a more thorough search of this installation and take into custody any Imperial officers they should come across. Their interrogation could yield invaluable details to aid us in our struggle. Is that understood Lieutenant?”

Her voice cracks with nervousness as she responds “Acknowledged, General, right away sir!”

Xol and his commando companion begin to walk toward the entrance as troops scramble to move their barricades out of their way. Once they are out of earshot of the other soldiers, Dex turns to Xol and asks, “Did you see the look on her face? I thought she was going to soil her fatigues when you set her straight.”

“DX, I wasn’t attempting to intimidate the young woman, she’s an officer and seemingly a strong willed one. All I wanted to do was offset some of her subconscious indecisiveness, we are at war and her inexperience or hesitation in judgment could result in her death or the death of others down the road. Your battle hardened instincts were given to you at birth and reinforced through training, most of the Alliance does not have that luxury and they regrettably will have to learn it through experience. This in war usually means someone’s demise or the demise of another.”

“I understand now big guy,” Dex responds, his voice low and apologetic. “I am sorry I failed to see what you were really trying to do.”

“Dex, do not feel the need to apologize,” Xol says, his hand resting on Dex’s shoulder. “It is my journey as a Jedi Master that has taught me to think this way about the universe and I do not expect you to reach the same conclusions overnight. You are a formidable combatant DX-1165 and a wise commander, I am certain there will come a time when you will teach me something about life.”

Nodding in agreement Dex responds, “Well I tried teaching you how to play Dejarik better but it seems that there are things even a Jedi will never truly master!”

The pair shares laughter as they climb the stairs to the main entryway. Its heavy stone door looms in front of them. Fear inspiring symbols of warning run along its edges. The surface is scorched by blaster fire in places and is pitted by small yield explosives in others. It would take a heavy volley of blaster fire to penetrate.

With a hand motion from Xol, Dex moves in close to the door. The commando reaches into his belt satchel and pulls out a thermal detonator. With a flick of its trigger, the grenade begins cycling its countdown. A nod toward the Yautja from Dex, signals his readiness. Receiving the signal, Xol begins to pry open the heavy doors with the Force. Slowly they part, their bulk grinding against the strain. Loud cracks and the whine of bending metal emanate from beyond the door. The objects the Empire has used to bar the door are giving way to the Jedi’s ability. Once the doors separate by a few feet, Dex quickly tosses the readied explosive inside, and runs from the opening.

Soon after, a thunderous boom sends dust and debris spewing from the narrow opening in the doorway. The screams of those just behind can be heard for just a moment before silence falls over the scene. Xol, feeling confident there is no immediate danger awaiting them now, resumes opening the doorway. Now with the enemy barricade destroyed, the doors slide with ease into their slots set in the stone walls.

The remaining smoke and dust from the explosion, pours out the open portal revealing the carnage left in the detonator’s wake. The bodies of Stormtroopers lie atop one another on either side of the entryway, pushed there by the force of the explosion. Stepping cautiously through the arch, Dex draws his rifle and scans the hall before signaling to Xol, he walks up from behind, unclipping his lightsabers and readying them in his hands.

The interior lighting of the temple has been updated. Blue industrial lights have been put in place of antiquated torch sconces. The pale blue illumination give a sense of cold foreboding as the pair makes their way down the first hallway. The end of the hall only leads to the right but, before they round the corner, Dex snaps his head out and quickly retracts it, attempting to assess if there is any danger lurking just around the bend. The commando motions to Xol that the way is clear and the two continue on their path further into the temple. Distant sounds of machinery and the echoing of voices comes from deep within, and stealthily the two warriors make their way through the passages, ever cautious of running into enemy resistance.

After nearly an hour of skulking from one corridor to another, the sounds they heard earlier become increasingly louder. They seem to emanate from beyond a small doorway at the base of a, long downward flight of stairs that is at the end of the hallway they are in. With a loud click, the sound of the door’s locks opening carries down the hall. Xol, hearing the sound, signals for Dex to take cover around a corner whilst the Yautja uses his abilities within the Force and cloaks himself from sight.

The plod of footsteps echo from the stairway and two Sith Knights emerge at the top, chatting as they walk, unaware of Xol or Dex’s presence.

“I wish we could get the heck out of this place already, I will feel much safer when we get back to Coruscant,” one says, his voice shaky.

“What are you worried about?” The second one says with his arm draped over his compatriot. “Those Rebels won’t be able to get through that door, you heard that explosion from earlier, they’re using their biggest ordnance and it will still take them a day to breach this facility. By then, we will be long gone with our cargo, having a drink at that bar with the flexible Zabrak dancer you like so much.”

“Yeah, you’re right nothing is going to…” The first one pauses before finishing his statement. “Do you feel that? I sense a disturbance.”

“I feel it too, from down the hall,” the second knight replies, firing up his lightsaber. “It’s strong but, you don’t think it’s the assassin do you?”

“That’s just Rebellion propaganda, Emperor Vader is on Coruscant in a secure location.” The first knight says, trying to assure his cohort. “Don’t buy into anything the enemy says.”

With the first knight now having his lightsaber ignited, the two Sith drench the hall in red light from the blades. They move slowly, ever watchful for the enemy.

“Now!” Xol yells as he uncloaks, firing up his lightsabers.

In a synchronized motion, Dex rolls into the hallway, blaster firing rapidly. Bolts race toward the knights, who skillfully deflect them to their sides. However, their focus diverted, Xol pushes them with the Force down the hall lifting them off their feet. The forceful impact against the far wall leaves both knights stunned, and defenseless. With one final push, the two Sith collide again with the wall with such ferocity that they are knocked unconscious.

“You spared them?” Dex asks.

“My Jedi teachings have shown me the importance of life, no matter what form it takes,” the Yautja replies.

“I get that Xol, but, usually when it comes to Imperials, you will kill them if they threaten you.”

“A valid observation Dex, but these two based on their conversation, know much of what goes on here, making it necessary to take them prisoner in this instance.”

“Got it,” Dex replies with a laugh. “You want to know where that flexible dancer works huh?”

Xol gives Dex a playful swat against his helmet before moving over to the knights and disarming them. Using his abilities, the Jedi dismantles their lightsabers and lays the components strewn across the floor. Taking the crystals to ensure the enemy weapons ineffectiveness he and Dex continue toward the downward stair. Fearing that the short scuffle in the hall may have alerted the occupants beyond the door to their presence, Xol uses his helmet’s HUD and attempts to see any heat signatures that may be there. His helmet does not reveal any discernable heat plumes or shapes from beyond the door. Not wanting to take any chances, he instructs Dex to step back as he plunges his lightsabers into the door. The rock pops from the energy and heat of the weapons, as Xol carves along the door’s edges. With a screech, the stone gives way in one solid piece and falls into the room with a crash. Xol leading, the pair enters the room, and is surprised to find it empty. Though judging by its condition, it had been recently hurriedly vacated.

The room is immense, easily the size of the Wayfarers hangar bay. It is adorned in a contradiction of items all around. High tech medical equipment and devices that seem to be stasis pods situated next to written scripture, stone tablets and antique ceramic jars. The pods transparisteel cases are open and bacta steam rolls out from them. The chamber is quite cold, a stark contrast to the climate of Yavin IV, which is why Xol could not see any of this equipment through the stone. A lone, deactivated, power droid set in the corner is all that remains of the Empire’s presence. As the two look around at the artifacts, Dex comes to a realization while inspecting one of the sarcophagi-like containers left open.

“Xol, these are Kaminoan!” he exclaims.

“Dex, there are hundreds of cloners in the employ of the Empire, how can you be sure?”

“No mistaking these Xol, just as my group was finishing up training on Kamino near the end of the war, the Kaminoans were experimenting with hyper-accelerated growth chambers, producing fully trained, fully grown troopers in less than a year. Scuttlebutt around the unit was that the project was scrapped due to complications with the stability of clone DNA.”

“You are certain these are those same cloning devices?”

“Absolutely certain, these were the future for our kind. The Republic was expected to make up for all of its losses in the war within ten years and bring peace to all systems.”

“A noble idea, but suppression in the guise of peacekeeping is still tyranny.”

Xol continues to rummage around the artifacts and pauses briefly as he picks up an urn. Its markings are near identical to the ones found throughout this temple. “Dex, I believe these are canopic jars. The Great Holocron speaks of these only briefly. They are akin to urns used by ancient Sith Lords during burial.”

“So what?” Dex laughs, “The Empire is cloning the dead?”

The Yautja Jedi, wanting to believe his friend’s suggestion is laughable, feels a sense of dread wash over him as if he once again was in the presence of the Dark Side’s manifestations.

“Whatever the Empire has planned 1165, we must report our findings to the Alliance as well as Master Yoda, perhaps they can shed some light on what sort of experiments might have been conducted here.”

“Whatever it is Xol, ol’ buddy, one way or another, I got a bad feeling about this.”

TO BE CONTINUED…