No Greater Glory

Malachor V – The Serphants Stronghold

Serphants turned away from Atton Rand, distracted by the sound of a lightsaber cutting through one of his guards. One moment of distraction was all it took for Atton to body check the Mandalorian and then grapple with him. Howling like a lunatic and looking like one with an eye swollen shut and his clothes in bloody fragments, the Republic operative rammed his forehead into Serphants’ face.

The Mandalorian chief grunted and the two crashed to the ground amid the chaos of a melee. Ignoring the battle around him, Atton pulled back his fist and drove it down toward Serphants’ exposed throat. An experienced warrior, the chief kicked Atton sideways, deflecting his punch into the ground and then he pulled the operative close to him and wrapped his thick arm around Atton’s scrawny neck from below.

The operative felt the hollow sensation of the blood being cut off from his brain and his vision immediately began to dim. Weakly, he pounded on Serphants’ chest, but his struggle was futile – the Mandalorian was simply too powerful. With a last gasp, Atton drove his knee into his enemy’s groin and he was rewarded with a howl of pain and the loosening of the death grip around his neck.

Seizing the initiative, Atton bit deep into Serphants’ arm and he heard another howl and tasted blood. He pushed Serphants off his body and rolled away. As he completed his roll, Atton turned back to face his opponent just in time to see a vibrodagger slashing at him. With Echani-trained instincts, the operative twisted his body again to avoid a fatal blow, but the tip of the blade raked across his chest, flaying his skin and tunic open. Blood dribbled down his exposed front.

Atton winced, but tried to maintain focus. I only have to fight one right now.

Then, his blood chilled and he saw a guard out of the corner of his eye, launching an attack on him with a vibrodagger. Atton stepped into the cut and, with his open hand, he seized the man’s wrist. With amazing finesse, Atton torqued the Mandalorian’s hand around and plunged the man’s own dagger into his neck.

In near panic, Atton spun around to face Serphants, but the chief was gone.

“Where’d he go? Kayla, where’d Serphants go?”

The Jedi woman stood over several Mandalorian corpses and her blonde hair fluttered in a warm breeze. “I hurled him away with the Force, but he then fled. I was unable to pursue. You and Seja are in bad shape and…and I could not leave you behind.”

Atton rubbed his swollen eye and winced with his good one. “Not very Mandalorian of him, don’t you think?” he drawled, his characteristic insouciance sneaking back into his bruised face until he staggered a step, wobbled and then went down on one knee.

“Jaq? Jaq, are you okay?” Kayla asked as she rushed to him, cradling his head in her arms.

Atton quivered in pain for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Don’t sweat it, sister,” he said with a weak chuckle. “I knew this would bring you running.”

Kayla gave a disgusted grunt. “You are impossible, Jaq! Come, we have to get out of here before Serphants comes back with reinforcements. I’ve freed Seja and he’s secured us an exit.”

The operative stood slowly, holding out his arms for balance. His eyes registered surprise. “Seja, goodness gracious, I thought he was dead,” Atton said. Then, he narrowed one eye and his near-permanent smirk returned. “How’s he holding up? Serphants worked his ass over something fierce.”

“Not too good, I’m afraid. I think we’re all in bad shape,” Kayla said as she put her arm around Atton’s waist to help him walk. Together, they rushed to the exit where Seja was waiting.

Through his split lip, Atton smiled at his intelligence contact. “Glad you made it, Seja. Hey, I’m really sorry about Callista. Tough break.”

Seja nodded silently, his face impassive. He pointed out toward a wooded area. “The egress shuttle is hidden this way. We must hurry.”

A Starfighter in the Heat of Battle

Revan broke sharply to starboard after she had destroyed a Basilisk Droid with laser fire. The smoldering remains of her kill flew apart in all directions, peppering her shields with debris.

“Wooooo!” called her astromech droid, which sat right behind her like a copilot.

Guided by her awesome command of the Force, Revan yawed the nose of her starfighter to port and pressed the trigger, unleashing a torrent of laser bolts into another Mandalorian. The energy splattered on the Basilisk’s shields for a moment until they collapsed under the assault. Then, bolts raked across naked durasteel and armored plates disintegrated along with the droid.

“Splash two,” she said, announcing her two new kills. The heat of battle was growing in her soul.

Something tingled in her mind – the Force screamed a warning. Reaching out with her senses, she felt the two incoming missiles. Immediately, she slammed down on the left rudder pedal while slapping the control stick into her left thigh. The starfighter careened to the left and one missile shot by, exploding a mere 20 meters away.

The second missile was not so easily fooled and stayed with her through the turn. She quickly flipped on her electronic warfare suite and metallic chaff shot out of a dispenser along the ventral surface of her craft. Her jamming pod also emitted a barrage of radio-frequency energy to confuse the missile’s targeting system.

The deadly dart hesitated for just a moment, but it was all Revan needed. She reversed direction on a dime and shot off to the right, letting the missile shoot by. Before she could breathe, her senses warned her of a new threat and she yanked the stick back into her belly, pitching the nose of the starfighter over. In the blink of an eye, a Mandalorian craft flashed by and Revan unloaded her lasers. Bolts of plasma splashed along the fuselage of the enemy, shattering panels and systems. Trailing ignited fuel, the Mandalorian tumbled end over end until exploding.

“Splash one…I’m good for twenty three,” she announced with a smug smile. She took a deep breath and focused the Force around herself, letting her mind wrap around the entire battle. She switched frequencies to talk to the Eagle. “Implement the attack plan. May the Force be with you.”

“Wilco, Revan. Breaking formation….” came the reply.

With her awesome situational awareness, Revan saw her line of warships breaking formation and turning into Bendak’s fleet, which was parallel to her own. At first, her ships took a pounding at long range against the Mandalorian broadsides.

Stay focused…remain courageous, she thought as she reached out to give her crews strength against the ferocity of Mandalorian fire.

Several of Revan’s major vessels were burning and dead in space, but in a minute, the Republic fleet had closed.

“Fine maneuvering. The Mandalorians think that they have the advantage and will maintain formation,” she whispered as her individual ships now got behind individual Mandalorian vessels and unleashed their own broadsides at point-blank range. Revan turned her starfighter about to watch the devastation and was rewarded by several Mandalorian cruisers disintegrating in massive shockwaves. As expected, the enemy held tightly to their illusory advantage and the whole tide of the battle shifted in a minute.

Situated behind the enemy, the Republic ships continued to fire volleys into the engines of the Mandalorians, disabling their ability to maneuver. Bendak’s ships were sitting ducks. Only now were they beginning to react to her strategy – but it was too late.

“All capital ship, continue the assault until they break. Rejoin on me,” Revan then called to her flight of starfighters. “I’m going to defy the will of the Force…I want Bendak himself.”

As starfighters lined up behind her, she found the crippled dreadnaught that was Bendak’s flagship. They accelerated ahead amid a barrage of turbolaser fire. Revan’s helmet-mounted sight began displaying targeting cues on key systems of the ship and she pressed the trigger. Lasers streaked into turrets and shield generators, smashing them to dust. Boldly, she flew along the hull of the great beast, dodging return fire and obstacles. Fire and debris was pouring from numerous fissures along the body of the ship and Revan jinked to avoid a gout of flame. Again, her mind screamed.

Incoming torpedo.

One of her warships had launched a proton weapon and it would land just in front of her. Guided by the Force, she spun the starfighter away, but the cylinder slammed into the Blade Dancer and exploded. Revan gritted her teeth and prepared for the worst.

Here comes the shockwave.

Aboard the Assault Force Bound for Malachor VII

General Mai-Lyn T’Sing sat, strapped to a seat within one of hundreds of assault shuttles. A gray helmet encased much of her head and gray body armor covered the rest of her. She looked around the cabin to see men and women, soldiers and Jedi, who had been with her since Dxun…some since Dantooine.

I must be more like Revan and know my people. I must inspire them like she does.

Mai-Lyn turned and made eye contact with each and every one of the people in the cabin. She was rewarded with smiles and reassuring nods.

Floxel, Jorath, Hoff-Tau, my friends from Dantooine…. I can’t even envision the Enclave any longer. We have been through too much and too many have perished. It is nearly finished, my friends…this is the last full measure.

The general pulled down a viewing screen to observe the battle. My power is not as strong as yours Revan, where you can see everything in your head.

On the display, Mai-Lyn saw Revan’s squadron tearing through several Mandalorian ships, finally attacking the Blade Dancer. Revan’s starfighter, with its prominent transponder signal, flitted around the ship’s defenses while dealing out horrible damage to the enemy. Then, a torpedo struck the crippled ship where Revan’s craft should have been. Mai-Lyn gasped and her mind reached out into space in near panic.

Revan! By the Force, we cannot lose you now. The end is so near.

A moment passed, before, against hope, a voice answered in her head. Have no fear, Mai-Lyn. All is well. The fancy flying was all my own, but I learned a Force trick or two from that mysterious crone, Kreia. When all of this is finished, we shall seek her out and continue our learning.

The general sighed and settled back into her seat. For so long she had relied on the admiral’s guidance and calm strength to lead this crusade. She refocused on the display and saw Revan’s starfighter veering away from the Blade Dancer, which was careening out of control toward deep space. Red triangles, representing Bendak’s fleet, were winking out of existence in twos and threes now; several avenues of retreat cut off by Malak’s ships.

Though the Mandalorians would die for pride and glory, they were now being slaughtered like sheep.

“General T’Sing, the way to Malachor Seven is open. You may begin your landing,” called Revan, her voice to Mai-Lyn seeming oddly cheerful.

“Acknowledged, Admiral. We are approaching the outer atmosphere.”

On cue, the ride became rough and Mai-Lyn bounced against her safety harness. She had been through this a hundred times on a hundred worlds, but somehow, this one was different. Quickly, she reread a reconnaissance report by Revan’s operative, Jaq. It gave detailed descriptions of terrain and defenses along with personality assessments of the Mandalorian leaders.

So, that’s his name. This Jaq has proven to be most useful. I should love to meet him one day.

What Mai-Lyn didn’t know was that there was one thing Jaq’s report had not captured: the arrival of Mandalorian reinforcements including one, Canderous Ordo, who alone was worth a thousand warriors.

As the assault shuttles penetrated the atmosphere, anti-air artillery opened up, making the ride rougher still. The speakers crackled with a distorted voice from another shuttle. “We’re taking surface to air missiles and triple A from the fortress. Request planetary bombardment from the fleet.”

Mai-Lyn nodded and keyed her mike, but Revan was already on it.

“General T’Sing, I have two destroyers entering orbit with orders to support the landing.”

“Thank you, Admiral.”

The shuttle rocked from a near miss and the ion turbines whined as the craft went into a power dive. A SAM plowed into a nearby shuttle, shredding its metal skin and hurling flaming soldiers into the air. In a moment, the sky was filled with landing craft screaming toward the ground, streaking missiles, and bursts of laser fire. In short, it was pure hell.

Mai-Lyn dug her fingers into the arm rests of her seat and grit her teeth as G forces washed over her. Every second or two, she could hear a paff sound as chaff bundles shot from the shuttle to confuse Mandalorian sensors. Turbulence, exploding warheads, and the jinking of the shuttle by its pilot further shook the brave soldiers in the cabin. The general keyed her mike. “Commander Dodonna, now would be a good time.”

“Roger that. We’re beginning our strafing run.”

“This is Onasi, ready to rumble.”

Mai-Lyn strained to look up into the display where she could see Forn Dodonna’s starfighters streaking across the terrain, blanketing the defenses with missiles and rockets. The violent buffeting from enemy fire slackened and the shuttle continued to scream toward the icy ground.

“Prepare to egress in two minutes,” called the pilot, a man from Telos named Jordo Crae. “The LZ is hot. I say again, the LZ is hot.” Suddenly, the shuttle veered to the left, throwing Mai-Lyn against a soldier. “Missile inbound! Prepare for impact,” yelled Jordo.

A blinding flash lit up the sky in front of the shuttle and then a Republic starfighter shot past. “I took the missile out. You’re clear,” a man’s voice said.

“Thanks Carth, I owe you another one,” said Jordo with a sigh of relief. He looked back into the cabin. “Thirty seconds!”

The general unhitched her safety harness and powered her blaster rifle. As the roar of the ion turbines lessened, she stood sharply. “On your feet! Fifteen seconds!” The platoon stood in unison and moved to the egress hatches with a single purpose. The sensation of gravity changed and Mai-Lyn knew they were on the ground.

Now’s our time. Let us end this swiftly.

“Hatch opening!” called Jordo and red lights turned to green as the exit appeared.

The general slapped the back of the man in front of her. “Go go go!” Men dashed out of the shuttle and into the maw of death. A stream of blaster bolts slammed into armored men as they ran down the ramp. Blood, bits of metal, and body parts flew backward onto the men behind. Viscous red liquid sprayed into Mai-Lyn’s face and she saw the shuttle next to them explode.

“Keep going, we’re sitting ducks here!” she yelled, pushing men forward. Soldiers staggered into the snow, only to be riddled with blaster fire. A gunner on the shuttle swung his heavy blaster around and returned fire amid the smoke and chaos.

Jordo powered up his engines. “General, with all due respect, you have to get off of my shuttle. We’re taking hits!”

Mai-Lyn nodded and began hurling men off of the ramp. She let her rifle fall into the snow and her lightsaber flew to her hand. With a twist of her wrist, she powered the weapon and interposed it before a bolt of energy. The plasma struck the silver blade and it flew back the way it came. There was an explosion in the distance. She slashed another bolt away and kicked the last surviving soldier into the snow. “Pilot, get out of here!”

The ramp retracted as the shuttle dusted off, sending up swirls of white powder. Burning shuttles and smoldering corpses lay strewn about and Mai-Lyn motioned for her men to take cover. Amid explosions and flying chunks of ice, she scanned about and saw three armored walkers from the 1st Armored Cavalry, pressing against the enemy. One walker took a direct hit from a Mandalorian turbolaser and smoke poured from its hatches. Burning men leapt from the armored beast into the snow.

“Turtle, this is Spear Point,” she called on the comm, using callsigns. “Enemy position at grid coordinates two-five-lima-hotel. Take it out, we’ll support you.”

“We’re on it, General.”

The walkers swung to the right and began laying down fire with their heavy weapons. Mai-Lyn got to her knee and pointed to the left. “Take up flanking positions…move!” Men streamed from behind cover and ran through the frost to rock formations at the base of the icy heights.

Before they could continue a soldier stopped and fell over dead. “Sniper!” a man yelled out and the platoon dove for cover. Another bolt smashed into an icy rock, spraying sparks. To make matters worse, the eerie Mandalorian battle cry rose up from nearby.

The general scanned the area with a sensor and her blood ran cold. “Prepare to repel. They’re coming at us in at least company strength,” she ordered, letting the platoon know they would be heavily outnumbered. Although the quality of Mandalorian warriors had fallen off dramatically in the past year, they were not to be underestimated.

One of the Republic walkers approached, twin lasers blazing as the sound of the Mandalorian charge grew louder. An enemy warrior was cut in half and another burned to a crisp. Bolts streaked into the Mandies until a missile found the leg of the walker and it tumbled over in flames.

Mai-Lyn squeezed the handle of her lightsaber tightly. It was going to be a brawl at close quarters. Unexpectedly, the gray skies lit up and a beam from the heavens fell upon the Mandalorians. Screams and the stench of burnt meat rose from ahead of the Republic soldiers.

The orbital bombardment had begun. Turbolaser fire rained down around the perimeter, shattering Mandalorian men and vehicles. The slaughter was immense.

The general sank back against a cold rock. “The LZ is secured. I say again, the LZ is secured.”

“Good work, Mai-Lyn,” voiced Revan. “Bendak’s fleet is scattered. Move quickly to secure the fortress. Orbital bombardment will be useless against the site due to heavy shielding.”

The general quickly scanned the battle report. “Admiral, we are gathering in strength. I will be able to advance within the hour.”

“Excellent. The shield generators should be your priority. Revan out.”

Mai-Lyn nodded grimly. If the casualty reports were true…. Our victory will not be as swift as I thought and I can expect the Mandies to contest every bloody inch of ice and snow here.

Utmost Savagery

On a Shuttle Departing Malachor V

Seja sat on a bed in the main cabin of the escape shuttle, holding his hands over his wounds. His clothing was nearly torn to shreds and the pain of his injuries was written on his face. Kayla held a dirty rag over another wound, staunching the blood that sought to flow from it. She closed her eyes and whispy swirls of energy flowed into Seja and he breathed easier, relaxing his tense muscles.

“My power is nearly exhausted,” said Kayla as the shuttle’s ion engines thrummed. She looked briefly out the room’s viewport at the departing planet. “I’m glad to be away from there. I’d been on Malachor Five too long. I’ve given too much to end this war.”

Seja didn’t respond right away, but he merely looked up at the ceiling. A single tear rolled down his cheek and his face turned red, darkening the horrid ‘X’ shaped wound that Vako Serphants had given him. He said in nearly a whisper, “I too, have given much to end this war. Revan has always asked much of us.”

Kayla looked back at him and placed a med pack on his scarred cheek. “I heard…I’m sorry.”

Slowly, Seja turned and returned her gaze. “These scars will always remind me of Callista. I will never kill again, Kayla. This is my oath.”

The woman smiled weakly and squeezed Seja’s hand. “You are a great Jedi, Seja. You do the Order proud. I, on the other hand….”

Her thoughts were interrupted by Atton’s entry. He was limping along and holding a cold pack to his swollen eye. “Ugh, the Bantha that sat on my head got away,” he said. “One of these days, there’s going to be payback.”

Kayla turned around and sprung up to help Atton into a seat. She looked at his eye. “It’s getting better. You need to keep that pack on it for at least a couple more hours.”

“Yes, mother.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how Revan and Malak put up with you. We’re in the middle of a battle and you still can’t be serious, can you?”

He winked with his good eye. “Don’t you just love it.”

Kayla grunted with frustration and her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth pursed in disapproval. Then, her face relaxed and her expression changed as she recalled something. “Hey, did anyone see what happened to that Sith master? What was he doing with the Mandalorians? Did he escape?”

Seja nodded. “Like Serphants, he fled.”

Atton added, “It seems that the Mandalorians were trying to broker a treaty at the eleventh hour. They would trade intelligence about the Republic for military assistance. I’m sure no good can come of it.”

Kayla’s face registered horror. “This could prolong the war. We must notify Revan immediately.”

Atton paused a moment and seemed nervous. He turned, avoiding Kayla’s gaze and he sighed deeply.

She immediately sensed his reluctance. “What’s wrong? We’ve got to talk to Revan,” she said again with emphasis. “The admiral can be extremely unforgiving of disobedience.”

“Well, uhh, I have orders directly from Malak that say that I’m to report to him.” Atton shrugged. “You don’t mess with Malak.”

Kayla pursed her lips. “Something weird is going on between those two and I don’t particularly like it.”

Atton seemed taken aback. “You shouldn’t speak about our leaders like that.” He had completely discarded his flippant attitude at the mention of Revan and Malak. The awe and reverence that he felt for them was apparent to all. Although destiny would change his feelings, a younger, more naïve Atton would need to believe in the cause…even if it would eventually mean killing the very thing he would love.

“Revan…saved me. I was nothing…a lost and hopeless boy, wandering in the ruins of my city that the Mandalorians had destroyed. She-” He turned away and pressed the cold pack hard into his eye.

The woman shook her head. “No, I’m not criticizing them. I love Revan with all my heart and I would give my life for her. When she included me in the inner circle and told me of her plan to save the Republic, my heart leapt. When she defeated Master Vrook in that duel, I wept for joy. Her confidence in me to lead this covert operation on Malachor is my crowning achievement. Atton, my soul belongs to Revan.”

Atton’s nostrils flared, his natural suspicions still working on him, but he turned back to look at her. “Good, then we know where we stand.” He took the cold pack off and squinted his eye. “I can see pretty good again. You’re quite the medic. If you ever give up being a Jedi, you can easily have another gig.” With a sigh, Atton’s practiced insouciance returned and the edges of his mouth curled upward in a wry smile. “I’ll go and call Malak.”

He stood and walked out the door, his gait stronger. Kayla followed him and grasped his arm. “I give better care to those close to me.” Then, she hesitated. “Jaq, when this war is over I don’t know what I’ll do. I want to return to the Order, but I’ve betrayed everything it stands for. I defied the will of the Council, I’ve killed the enemies of the Republic, I’ve felt…love.” She gulped hard.

“Love, good for you. So, who is this lucky guy?”

Kayla sighed heavily. “For an intelligence operative, you are the dumbest man I know.” She seized the lapel of his torn ribbed jacket and pulled him in close.

“Oh! Me?”

“Yes, you,” she replied and kissed him passionately, awkwardly letting her fingers grip his shoulders. He gave in readily, tasting her fire, but then, he pulled away. She looked hurt. “Jaq?”

“No, Kayla, it’s just that I have to call Malak. We can’t keep him waiting.”

Her mouth opened wide. “Oh yes! Malak…no, let’s go call him,” she said breathlessly. Together, they entered the communications room and sealed the door.

He gave Kayla a nervous smile and then set in the communications parameters – he focused the array onto the transponder code that he knew to be Malak’s and entered the specific encryption code. He then beamed a narrowly-focused burst of energy to Malak’s ship and synced his frequency-hopping algorithm with the mother ship. “Our transmission is point to point so it will be very difficult to intercept.”

“Always the operative, huh?”

Atton was about to respond when a hologram of Malak appeared. The Jedi’s body was tense and he stroked his strong chin with a pensive hand. “Jaq, I thought you were dead. I am pleased by your escape.”

“Thank you, sir. We are not without our injuries though. I regret to inform you that Serphants has escaped, but his wounds are severe.”

Malak pondered for a moment and raised one eyebrow. “That is sufficient.”

“Sir, I also wanted to report that we observed Sith on Malachor Five.”

“Sith?” questioned Malak. “Are you sure?”

Atton nodded. “Without a doubt. Their leader is Master Uthar Wynn. He is on Malachor Five to make a treaty with the Mandalorians. Are you sure I shouldn’t notify Revan?”

“No, you were right to call me. Revan…cannot be bothered with such details at the moment. She is leading the final assault on Bendak’s fleet, while I sit here, butchering the last of the Ordo.”

Kayla noticed something odd in the tone of Malak’s voice and she could see tension along his jaw. “Sir, our mission is completed. Vako is slain, the Serphants Clan is in disarray thanks to Seja, and all of our reconnaissance reports and communications intercepts have been forwarded to you. Our ETA to your fleet is two hours.”

Malak held out his hand. “Wait, I have one more mission for you. A shuttle, carrying valuable cargo has…has been stolen from my ship by Mandalorian spies,” he began and Kayla and Atton exchanged glances, mouthing, “Mandalorian spies?”

“I want you to intercept the shuttle, kill its occupants, and send it to Malachor Five. You are to input this code into the cargo,” Malak finished as he transmitted some data. “Do you understand?”

Atton nodded as he read the code. “Yes, sir. We’re on it.”

Malak smiled warmly. “Good. You have always been one of our best operatives, Jaq. I shall let Revan know of your work and you shall be rewarded. There will be a place for you in the New Order when this is done.”

Atton beamed. “Thank you, sir.” The line went dead. “The New Order…I like the sound of that.”

Kayla sighed and her face darkened for a moment. “The New Order? I’m not so sure, Jaq. I just want this to end and for things to return to the way they were before this…this horrible war. I still hope that the Order will forgive me and allow me to return.”

“Don’t worry, I know Revan and Malak will be able to convince you to stay on.”

She made a lukewarm smile. “We’ll see. I’ll think upon it.”

He made a grin that went ear to ear. “And I can be very persuasive,” he said as he maneuvered her onto his lap. Something within him screamed that time was running out and he could no longer bear the tension between them. He brushed her blonde hair away from her eyes and gazed into their depths. Though she had seen much, her blue eyes shone of innocence and longing. His breathing quickened as he opened her robes to look upon her creamy skin which glistened with perspiration.

At first, she tried to push him away weakly. “Atton…I’m a Jedi…please.”

Gently, he turned her face back so she could look him in the eye. “Kayla, time is running out. Whatever happens here will change the galaxy forever. Time is running out.”

In a need born of fear and uncertainty, Kayla buried her face in Atton’s neck and inhaled his scent. She closed her eyes and let her lips brush his rough stubble. All of the oaths she had taken and all of the promises that she had made mattered not at the moment as she melded with him, letting her bare flesh chafe on Atton’s ribbed jacket. Their rhythm blended with the throbbing of the ion engines, allowing themselves to be lost in the depths of space and time until they were spent.

At the moment of ecstasy, Atton’s mind was flooded with energy.

He stands over Kayla, his face twisted and unrecognizable. He holds a sharp implement to her neck and her body is flayed and bloody. “I can be very persuasive,” he coos those familiar words into her ear.

He expects her to scream, but she is quiet, whimpering with terror. Enraged, he grabs a rod, crackling with electricity and jams it into her form. Her body arches with pain, but still she remains silent.

“Are you ready to talk? Are you ready to join us?” he asks, haughty and sullen.

Kayla nods, her eyes full of pain and suffering. “Yes, come closer, Jaq. I’ll tell you all.”

With a smirk, he leans over her split lips and puts his ear over her mouth.

“Jaq, I love you,” she says and then, her lips and eyes are forever frozen.

Spasms wrack Atton’s body as he pulled himself into Kayla one last time. With ice in his gut from the vision, he immediately pushed away from her.

“Jaq? What’s wrong?”

He forced a smile, but he could not look at her. “Nothing, sweets. You just wiped me out is all,” he said with an immodest wink.

“I violated the Code and gave you my body and my heart. I would hope it means more than just sex.”

He forced himself to look at her and for a moment, he saw her as a corpse with pale, mottled skin and filmy, soulless eyes staring off into eternity and he felt sick. With an effort, he pushed aside the image, focusing on the face before him now. “It is, sweets. You mean the world to me. Come, let’s go bag Malak’s lost shuttle, shall we?”

Malachor VII

Canderous Ordo lay, half covered in snow, scanning the landing site with his optics while Xarga watched a monitor that was set against a rock. Mandalorian warriors knelt around them, hunkered down behind cover, waiting for the chance to bloody the Republic.

“Xarga, General T’Sing has taken the landing zone. Revan’s orbital bombardment has ended our counterattack,” Canderous said.

“Things are not going well for us. We should fall back to the fortress – I think we’re vulnerable to bombardment here.”

Canderous rolled to one side and propped his head up on one hand. “That’s why I’m having you set up the masking grid…so those damn ships can’t see us until it’s too late.” He then knelt and put a gauntleted hand on Xarga’s shoulder. “Remember…Strength is life, honor is life, death is life.”

The other Mandalorian nodded. “That is the way of Mandalore.”

“Good,” Ordo said. “Now tell me what is happening with Bendak’s fleet. Last I saw, he was pressing Malak pretty hard.”

Xarga grunted and rubbed his hands together to warm them. “The situation has changed, my friend,” he advised, turning the monitor so Canderous could see it. “Revan had her ships break formation and engage Bendak in small groups.”

Canderous narrowed his eyes – Bendak had spread his ships apart to battle the starfighters and allowed Revan’s capital ships to cluster around each vessel and eliminate them one by one. “His forces are now too far apart to support each other. He’s being annihilated. Look, Malak is swinging around to close the trap. Where are my people? Where is my clan?”

Xarga shook his head. “Gone. All gone. A few escaped back to Malachor Five.”

Ordo nodded. “Such is war,” he said stoically and turned back to look at the Republic forces. “General T’Sing has landed the bulk of her division. I can see her first brigade maneuvering to our left flank, screened by armor.” He thought for a moment before continuing, “They’ll expect us to attack. That would have been my preference, but perhaps that whiny Serphants had a point. Establish a reserve two klicks to the rear and have them stand by. Thin our left flank to give General T’Sing the appearance of weakness on our part.”

The other Mandalorian raised an eyebrow. “What’s this? Canderous Ordo taking the defensive? Now I’ve seen everything.” With a chuckle, Xarga donned his helmet and moved down the line to the left flank. There, he pointed to a number of warriors, including a red-haired woman bundled in thick furs.

“You warriors, report to the rear and form a reserve. Stand by for Canderous’ command to attack. Anyone failing to obey will be killed.”

The troops reluctantly began to move back and Xarga noticed the woman. “You there, what are you doing on the line? You are not Mandalorian. Who are you?”

The woman stopped and looked at the towering Mandalorian as her breath streamed in the cold air. “My name is Mira. I was a slave of the Serphants Clan, but my master, Vako, freed me to fight for the Mandalore. I can hold my own.”

Xarga paused for a moment. “Vako? He is a worthy warrior. Very well, fall in with the reserves.”

Mira nodded and continued to the rear. “Worthy warrior?” she whispered with a snicker. “More like a dead one. I’ll get out of this and be free of the Mandalorians yet.”

The Bridge of the RNS Indefatigable

Malak stood by his command seat and his hands gripped the armrest tightly, squeezing the black leather. Excitement was written across his face, his blue eyes wide and his teeth showing through a victorious smile. On his Tactical Display, clusters of Republic ships were hammering at individual Mandalorian vessels, using greater numbers and firepower to destroy the enemy.

“How could I have doubted Revan?” he whispered. He then turned to Bandon. “What is our status?”

The young man grinned broadly and wiped some soot away from his face. “Our shields are back to fifty percent and damage control crews are working on the engines, but we are battle worthy.”

“Good,” Malak said and pointed to Nisotsa at the helm. “Blow past the ruins of Ordo’s force. Let our frigates finish them. I want a piece of Bendak’s fleet before it’s gone. Have the Aquos, Lion, and Qi Ren follow us and establish a diamond formation.”

“Aye,” answered the commander as he input the course and activated the controls to open the massive ion injectors into the turbines. The great ship accelerated and its engines hummed and fuel sprayed into the combustion chambers. The fuel then ignited and a sharp blue flame roared out the back of the engines. Malak’s ship made for the nearest Mandalorian vessel, which was attempting to rejoin with several others for mutual support.

“Quickly, Nisotsa. I don’t want them ganging up on me,” Malak urged. He stood again, like the powerful hunter, one foot firmly planted on the deck with the other propped up on his seat. He leaned forward aggressively with his chin jutting out, looking down his nose at his prey. “Have the Aquos and Lion fire torpedoes at long range to slow them. I want us to close quickly to knife fighting range and we will beat them to a pulp. I like to grapple with my enemy and see his fear.”

“Forever bold,” said Bandon, citing Malak’s creed. “Forever forward.”

On that, Malak’s two escort ships opened fire. Streaks of fire left their torpedo tubes and rocketed toward the Mandalorian ship. “Electronic identification tells us that the ship is the Malachor Dawn,” announced Bandon. “Their weapons and shields are at full strength, but we’ll overtake them in two minutes.”

Malak watched with satisfaction as torpedo impacts lit up the Malachor Dawn’s shields. The enemy dreadnaught returned fire and torpedoes streaked back at the Republic. The muscular Jedi tensed, but did not flinch. “Countermeasures,” he commanded.

Bandon nodded and activated the countermeasure suite that began emitting powerful radio-frequency energy on a narrow bandwidth to confuse the targeting sensors. Next, giant canisters shot out of ports along the hull of the great ship and streaked away. Within the guts of these mysterious cylinders, emitters broadcast a signature that was identical to the Indefatigable – engines, electronics, acoustics. In essence, the torpedoes now saw five of Malak’s ship.

One Mandalorian torpedo shot by and vanished in deep space, deceived by the jamming. Two more slammed into the decoys, creating fireballs in the darkness.

However, two crashed into the Lion and her shields flashed from the blast. Holes appeared in her hull near the bridge and Malak could see her veer off course and begin to tumble.

“Stay on target,” he said passionately as the Aquos launched another volley. The Malachor Dawn shuddered under torpedo impacts and one of its engines grew dark.

“Malak, the enemy ship is slowing,” informed Bandon. “Turbolaser range in thirty seconds.”

Revan, do you doubt my skill now? I can be your equal if you let me. I can stand by your side in the New Order if you’ll have me. I will prove it to you.

“Malak, we’re in range.”

“Open fire…all batteries. Continue to close to point blank range,” the blond Jedi ordered. He then sat back down into his command chair as turbolaser batteries unleashed their energy and he whispered, “With that technician’s creation, Malachor Five will be my gift to Revan. Then, she and all of the galaxy will see that we are meant to dominate…together. My dream is unfolding.”

Little did Malak know, but his gift would be the galaxy’s curse and his dream would become a nightmare.

Aboard the Malachor Dawn in Bendak’s Fleet, now commanded by Thax

Aboard the massive dreadnaught and pride of the Mandalorian fleet, chaos reigned. With Bendak missing, Thax had assumed command of the fleet…or what was left of it. On the bridge of the Malachor Dawn, steam and flame shot in every direction and many warriors lay slumped over their consoles, dead as a result of the damage caused be turbolaser and torpedo hits on the ship. One officer, no more than a boy covered in soot and ash, ran from the bridge. “Malak is here!”

The Commander, a Mandalorian with graying brown hair, drew his pistol and shot the boy in the back. “You are no Mandalorian!”

The report of the weapon broke the panic that had infected the crew and the wails of the warriors vanished into the venting steam.

We are not the same Mandalorians that crossed into the Republic. Boys and old men are all that remain. Now Bendak and Canderous are gone…my leaders, my friends. We have seen every campaign together since the dawn of war. Looking at the tactical display, Thax shook his head. We came close this time, didn’t we? We bloodied Saul Karath and we hurt Malak pretty bad. We would have broken his line if not for Revan. Next time, Canderous…next time.

The Commander growled at his men. “Get back to your stations, you Banthas! Prepare warriors to repel boarders.”

Initially stunned, the Mandalorians focused on his words and then moved with a sense of purpose. A young man sat at the Ops terminal and glanced at the readout. “Shields are inoperative. Weapons offline. Engine thrust down seventy percent.”

“There is no use running,” the Commander said with a grunt. He drew his razor-sharp vibrosword and held it to his chest. “It is time to fight.”

A cold stillness replaced the hot panic from a moment ago and Thax was answered by the sound of vibrodaggers being hammered against armored chests. The great ship lurched and men staggered from the movement.

“They have a tractor beam on us,” announced one warrior. Then, a loud squeal sounded and the bridge lights flashed and sparks blew out of consoles. “Commander, they have disabled our targeting sensors and self-destruct systems.”

Thax clenched his fists. “I wasn’t going to blow myself up anyway…not without a shot at Malak.”

A deep, heavy crunch rang on the hull outside the bridge. Then, there was quiet for a moment before the sound of a cutting laser reverberated in the room. “That will be their assault droids. Do not fret yourselves,” said the Commander to calm his men. Anxious Mandalorians stood, blasters, disruptors, and swords drawn, waiting for the blow to fall.

Black lines appeared on the bulkhead along with hot sparks until an oval was formed on the durasteel.

“Warriors, stand ready!”

The oval blew inward with smoke and flame followed by grenades and blaster fire. Bright red, yellow, green, and blue bolts of lethal plasma sliced the dark, smoky air and men fell on both sides amid screams and the high-pitched whine of blaster fire. Republic marines in golden armor poured through the breach to meet the rapid fire of a heavy blaster and the assault stalled at the hole.

Thax stood next to the gun crew, directing the fire and bodies piled up. Smoke coiled off of the barrel and from the plasma chamber as heat radiated from the weapon.

“We have to change barrels, Commander!” called one gunner and his mate pulled out a long tube and another plasma chamber. As if on cue, a grenade flew toward them and began spewing thick, black smoke. Another grenade landed near a cluster of warriors and detonated, hurling frozen crystals on the men.

“No, keep firing!” countered the leader and he pointed his vibrosword at the now obscured breach. The blaster continued to belch flame and death, but the sounds of another Republic assault were growing. Men shouted and cried out as explosions rocked the corridor and then, marines poured through the smoke amid the renewed sounds of blaster fire.

The Commander saw the enemy rush at him, swords drawn and he rallied his warriors. “Throw them back!” he shouted and led them into the melee. He raised his durasteel to meet a cut and then forced the enemy’s weapon down with his arms. With a backhanded slash, the leader removed the marine’s head. He then spun the sword with the precision born from years of combat and clove the next man from shoulder to belly through golden armor.

His vibrosword stuck in the man’s falling body just long enough for another Republic marine to bring his weapons down on Thax’s helmet. The blade glanced off of the finely-made Mandalorian helm, but part of the durasteel was shorn away, revealing bare skin. On instinct, the Commander drew his arms back and drove the point of his weapon deep into the marine’s chest.

The first Republic assault had failed.

Smoke coiled through the corridor while the hellish glow of fire danced along the walls and the Commander looked about to see only a few warriors still standing with him. Though his heart pounded and his breath came in ragged gulps, he stood proudly with his men.

“Strength is life!”

“Honor is life!”

“Death is….” he began before the sound of lightsabers tore the air and all fell silent.

The heavy blaster gunner pulled the trigger but nothing happened. Then, the weapon and the crew flew backwards and smashed against a blackened wall. Through the haze and fire stepped two Jedi – one with black hair and the other blond with red body armor.

“Malak….” said the Commander through gritted teeth, now visible through his shattered helmet. “I had prayed for this meeting.”

The Jedi curled the edge of his lip up and bared his teeth. “Then I hope it is all that you prayed for.”

The remaining Mandalorians hurled themselves at the two intruders and Bandon stood with a sneer upon his face. Before the charge could reach him, he thrust his violet-bladed lightsaber into the throat of a warrior and then spun, slicing the legs cleanly off of another. Bandon’s eyes glowed momentarily before he caught the arm of a third warrior with his hand and flung him into the bulkhead, smashing muscle and bone.

Malak seized the initiative, striding into the mass of warriors with his powerful physique. He unsubtly parried the blow of one man and then rammed the hilt of his lightsaber into his enemy’s face, splitting the helmet in two. Blood poured down the warrior’s chest as Malak wrapped his left arm around the man’s neck and snapped it.

The massive Jedi then delivered an uppercut, slashing through armor and flesh, sending another warrior pitching over backward. A third Mandalorian thrust forward with a sword, but Malak sidestepped, spun, and clove the man in two at the waist.

Without waiting for the rest of his men to die, Thax rushed in and cut down at Malak’s head with all of his might. The Jedi brought his blade up to meet the attack and durasteel clashed on pure energy with sparks and crackles. Malak turned his wrist and slashed at the Mandalorian’s flank, but the man twisted his blade downward and the weapons met again.

Malak’s crushing fist came down on the Mandalorian’s face and bits of metal, skin, and blood sprayed on the ground. The Commander staggered, but drove his armored boot into Malak’s shin. The Jedi howled and fell to one knee.

“Die!” Thax cried and plunged his sword down at Malak’s chest, but the Jedi batted the tip away and flipped the Commander over him onto the deck. As the Mandalorian crashed on his back, Malak rolled him over with his brute strength, mounted his back, and then twisted his head completely around.

Bones snapped as flecks of spit flew from Malak’s lips in his terrible fury. As the light of the Mandalorian’s eyes faded, Malak dropped the corpse to the ground. His eyes shone with the utmost savagery.

“No, it is you who died.”

Valley of the Shadow of Death

The Surface of Malachor VII

General Mai-Lyn T’Sing sat deep within the bowels of a massive armored vehicle as its tracks ground up the icy surface of the planet. The behemoth’s armored hide was more than a meter thick and it bristled with laser cannon, missile launchers, and antennae mounts.

Beside the juggernaut, smaller tanks and walkers moved along, screening the command vehicle from attack. Ahead, regiments of infantry ran through the snow while light flyers buzzed along with their repulsorlifts to scout the high, rocky terrain ahead.

This vehicle shall be my armored fist, which I will ram into the belly of the Mandalorians. I must overcome all resistance quickly and take the fortress. Her mind played over the strategies that she would use, but her thoughts kept coming back to images of dead friends and fallen Jedi.

How I long for this damn war to be over.

Mai-Lyn’s thoughts were drawn to a hologram forming on the communications platform. A whitish-blue figure of a familiar Rodian coalesced and the general nodded stiffly to himself. Though she tried being the warm, benevolent leader that was Revan, it was not easy…even with her closest friends.

“General T’Sing, my infantry is deployed in a skirmish line ahead of your armor. You may feel free to advance up the hill.”

Mai-Lyn looked down her nose, shrouded in the mantle of authority. “Colonel Jorath, our scans are showing that the high ground in front of us is empty. Revan’s destroyers are not showing anything either. However, I don’t trust what I am seeing. Is there anything that your infantry can determine yet?”

The Rodian shook his head, which was swathed in heavy cloaks to protect him from the cold. “No, but I’m hoping that Floxel’s flyers will spot something soon. Perhaps the Mandalorians bugged out back to the fortress.”

“You should know better than that. We should be prepared for an offensive at any moment. That is the way of Mandalore.”

Jorath’s flexible green lips pressed inward, signifying that he was thinking. Mai-Lyn could always read what was going through her fellow Jedi’s head. “I have trusted you thus far, General. The skirmish line that I have set up will absorb a Mandalorian assault. Your armor can then close and hammer them at will.”

“That is my intention. I have known you since we were Younglings and you have never failed me yet. Colonel…” she began, unsure of whether or not to use his rank or name, “May the Force be with you.”

Jorath saluted in the military way and his image faded into oblivion. As the bluish-white hologram fizzled, Mai-Lyn went back to watching the ineffective orbital bombardment of the fortress.

It’s too heavily shielded. We’ll have to go in on foot. At least the Mandalorians in the fortress will be occupied and can’t strike against me.

She closed her eyes for a moment, wishing that the intelligence reports were true. With the infantry advancing up the slopes, the general found that she had time for her mind to wander elsewhere, away from the valley of death. She turned to her adjutant, who was another wayward Jedi given a Republic commission.

“Major Ap-Sulas, I am reluctant to share this, but although this should be the moment of our greatest triumph, something gnaws at me.” Mai-Lyn could feel a terrible uneasiness building and she could no longer contain it or keep silent. “The Force is trying to tell me something…. I am trying to listen, but the sound is so faint. My connection to the Force feels so hollow.”

The young man seemed intimidated by her, his face flushed red and his eyes averted. “General…I-I don’t know what to say. You, Revan, and Malak have always led us well. Your confidence has given the Republic strength.”

Mai-Lyn sighed and her gut tightened. He doesn’t understand. He can’t possibly understand what I’m going through. She waved her hand dismissively, forcing herself to continue playing the role of general. “Yes, yes, of course. Thank you, Major. Please return to you duties.”

No one understands…not even Revan.

Jorath’s image sizzled back to life and Mai-Lyn’ gaze snapped back to him.

“General, it is as you expected; the intelligence was wrong and the Mandalorians are now attacking along a broad front. It seems that their forces are weak and depleted from our earlier action. Floxel’s scouts have indicated that their left flank is thin. I could counterattack and roll up the flank.”

The general’s mood changed abruptly at the news. “Yes, advance your brigade methodically, fix their center in place and hold them. I want your infantry to screen my armored advance.”

“Excellent, General. We’ll bring glory for Revan.”

As Jorath’s image faded again, Mai-Lyn gave the signal for the armor to proceed and the juggernaut crushed the land beneath its tracks on its way up the hill.

I don’t care what it takes. I’m going to finish this.

The Surface of Malachor VII

Canderous Ordo lay in the snow near a jagged rock formation that jutted out from the icy landscape. Flurries of white flakes danced in the cold breeze that swept the hills and plains of this frozen world. Frost covered his Mandalorian armor, giving him the appearance of being a child’s snowman.

Using his enhanced optics, he scanned down the rocky slope to observe the Republic infantry in a skirmish line, leading the way ahead of speeders and armored vehicles.

A Republic scout flyer buzzed by overhead, but Canderous did not flinch. In an instant, it was out of sight, searching the rough terrain for signs of the enemy.

“Your stealth field is working, Xarga. They cannot see us,” he said, as cold and dealy as the planet. His binoculars zoomed in on the massive tank that was at the center of the assault. “Can you raise the fortress? I want to coordinate my attack with them…I’ll need reinforcements and artillery to exploit my breakthrough.”

Xarga shook his head. “No such luck, Canderous. General T’Sing’s forces are jamming on all frequencies.”

“Hmm…perhaps that’s for the better. She’d detect any transmission anyway.” Canderous sighed ruefully. “She and Revan always have had ways of finding us. Besides, Xarga, we don’t want to share the glory anyhow.”

The last comment elicited a dark chuckle from the other Mandalorian. “Fighting is better than freezing,” Xarga said, hinting at their inevitable demise. He was about to continue when Canderous held out his hand.

“Republic skirmishers are now only a thousand meters away. Remain still…I want to draw them closer,” Ordo said, anticipation dripping in his voice. “Since our first clash with Revan I have longed for this moment. It is a chance to regain some of our honor before the end and an opportunity to bloody her nose.” Canderous turned to look at his fellow Mandalorian, someone who had fought by his side since before this war. “You know, Xarga, she has never been defeated. Yes,” he said, holding up his hand to forestall Xarga’s response, “we won other battles with the Republic when she was present or conquered other worlds that she had abandoned…but never when she was in direct command.”

Xarga nodded solemnly, his visor reflecting the snowy ground before them. He slowly picked up a detonator and laid it in his lap. “We will show them once again how war is fought.”

Canderous held his breath for a few moments, almost afraid to exhale for fear of being spotted. His heart pounded in his chest and his muscles twitched beneath heavy armor, as if he were a clan youth approaching his first kill. Exhaling reluctantly under the protection of his helmet, the warrior licked his lips, removing the salty sweat. His stomach too, tightened and churned, as if it too was barely restraining itself from leaping down the hill, barely able to wait

Finally, the moment approached. Canderous turned to Xarga and pointed a finger. “Now.”

His comrade twisted the knob on the detonator three times and called, “Fire in the hole,” and the hill erupted into fire and shrapnel.

Flame shot into the air amid screams and a shockwave rolled over the Mandalorians a moment later. Republic flyers crashed into the ground, swathed in burning plasma. Steam gushed from the blast area and drops of hot water rained down in sheets as Canderous stood and brought his Ordo blaster to bear.

The warrior unleashed a torrent of bolts into the steam and stepped over the melting mound while Xarga hurled grenades. Burning Republic soldiers staggered about in the chaos until the falling water extinguished the fires. Canderous pumped shots into the reeling enemy and walked calmly into their broken ranks.

Xarga joined him, spraying the field ahead with bolts until a metal behemoth could be seen lumbering through the fog. Canderous’ boots crunched over newly frozen ice and he crouched down, aiming his weapon. With a press of the trigger, a rocket burst from the muzzle and streaked toward the juggernaut. The rocket slammed into its metal hide and exploded in a shower of fire.

Canderous then turned to his friend. “Activate our reserves. Fall back and prepare to defend.”

General T’Sing’s Command Vehicle

The viewing port of the massive tank filled with flame and the lights in the command deck dimmed. Sparks flew from the monitors and consoles, but Mai-Lyn didn’t flinch.

“General,” called Major Ap-Sulas, “our infantry is in retreat. An entire regiment has been annihilated. The Command Vehicle has sustained damage.”

Despite her outward calm, a cold sweat formed above her lip. “Have the armor press forward. Direct Colonel Jorath to rally his troops and continue the assault.”

“Yes, General.”

Mai-Lyn returned her attention to the battle before her and through the sooty viewport she could see bodies strewed about in the slushy ice. The tracks and wheels of the mighty Command Vehicle rolled over the dead and wounded indifferently, grinding them to mush. A faint quiver of tension rippled along Mai-Lyn’s jaw.

It is for the greater good, dammit, she told herself over and over again. …the greater good.

With a beep, the targeting scanners had found several Mandalorians. Images of armored warriors dashing about appeared on the monitors and several of them stood out.

“There! Target that group,” the general commanded and laser turrets swung in response. A laser barrel aimed down at several Mandalorians, who were scrambling for cover. Bolts of plasma streaked off and impacted within the group. Warriors burst into fiery pieces while others, quicker or luckier, dove behind the rocky cover.

Mai-Lyn saw two Mandalorians dash to the side, one of them firing a rocket into a nearby walker. The Republic vehicle pitched over in smoke and flame. Laser cannon on the Command Vehicle swung around to target the warriors, but they scurried away behind cover.

“Bring those two down. Plot a pursuit,” the general commanded her vehicle’s driver and then turned to the sensor officer. “Report.”

The man turned a knob and said, “General, the warriors are falling back toward their left flank.”

Mai-Lyn stood and set her lip in grim determination. “We have them…. With my compliments, instruct Colonel Jorath to continue to press them there and our armor will support a breakthrough. We’ll be in the fortress by nightfall.”

On the tactical display, Republic flyers strafed enemy positions, pinning the Mandalorians while Jorath’s infantry dressed their lines and scaled the slopes. Within ten minutes, the Mandalorian left flank was in disarray and bolts of light flew back and forth between the lines in a horrible, bloody hail.

Mai-Lyn watched the two warriors dodging back and forth, avoiding blaster and rocket fire as they fled toward their collapsing troops. She pointed at them as they scooted behind cover once more.

“I have to give them credit…they are brave,” she told her crew. “If those men should survive, I would like to meet them.”

She had recovered her morale from the earlier setback and the promise of victory drove her on now. Her heart surged with pride in her tactics. The Command Vehicle ground forward and crested the hill, crushing ice and stone beneath it. “It looks like the Mandalorian flank has collapsed. I want to sweep around and encircle -”

An explosion rocked the Command Vehicle and the monitors blurred. When the sensors had refocused, a picture of chaos emerged on the display. Republic flyers were hotly engaged with Basilisk Droids and infantry blazed away at each other at close quarters. Blaster fire poured into the Republic ranks and lines of dead men lay in the snow. The lines were faltering and small groups of men clumped together under cover from the murderous Mandalorian fire. There was a flash in the distance.

An officer turned to Mai-Lyn. “Rockets inbound!”

“Countermeasures!” she shouted. Despite the defensive action, some of the rockets got through and hammered on the hull of the behemoth. Lights dimmed and the beast shook. Its lasers returned fire and the Mandalorian vehicles and droids erupted in spouts of flame. Rapid-fire blasters rang out a staccato burst of energy and a kneeling blue line of Mandalorian warriors were shredded and fell in neat ranks.

Again, Mai-Lyn saw the two warriors in the distance, rush about, rallying men and directing fire. She saw a Mandalorian heavy blaster open fire and long streaks of light shot into the Republic’s ragged ranks. Around her vehicle, a shattered battalion broke and ran screaming back down the hill. She zoomed the sensor in on the leader and saw that he bore the insignia of Clan Ordo.

“I want that man brought down,” she reiterated impatiently.

On her orders, a withering torrent of fire bore down on the Ordo warrior and vehicles and artillery pieces ruptured into parts around him, but he seemed blessed by fate. Even as the general watched Mandalorians fall around the Ordo leader he rallied a small force and charged at the Command Vehicle.

The warrior dodged and wove, shooting down any Republic soldier in his way and continued to close. Ice, snow, and shrapnel rained down on the Ordo man, but he would not fall. His force was whittled down until only a handful remained, but still he pressed on.

With a grunt, Mai-Lyn stood and grasped her lightsaber. “I will deal with this myself,” she said as she walked out of the room.

In front of the great Command Vehicle

Shards of ice and debris rained down on Canderous as he dashed forward in a zig-zag pattern. Across the battlefield, the staccato noise of blasters was mixed with the deep whine of heavy lasers. His eyes half closed in fear, he let out his war cry to bolster his confidence. “Strength is life!”

Ordo sprinted into a platoon of Republic troopers in their white armor and he blasted an officer. Bolts whizzed past him as he butt stroked another man, knocking him back. He followed up by plunging a bayonet into the man’s torso. Without waiting, Canderous brought his blaster around and sprayed shots into the enemy, all the while hollering at the top of his lungs. There was a hammering blow to his chest and his leg, but he barely noticed. He shot a fleeing trooper in the back and then his ears rang as something slammed into his armored head.

Leaving their dead and wounded, the Republic men were in full, disorganized retreat. Ordo saw his target ahead and bellowing like an ox, resumed his charge. Men fell around him, hit by plasma or ripped apart in explosions. Flashes of light from the muzzles of the juggernaut’s weapons meant instant death for anyone hit and great holes were blown into the Mandalorian ranks. Dodging a spray of blaster fire, Canderous slowed down only just enough to shoot a cowering Mandalorian teen.

Xarga ran beside him, spraying blindly with his blaster, screaming at the top of his lungs. Then, an explosion flipped him, end over end, into the snow. Canderous looked back for a second and saw Xarga struggling in a slushy crater, blood smeared over his armor. Canderous stopped and started back, but the wounded warrior waved him off. “No, keep going! Don’t stop! Death is life, my friend!”

Ordo blinked, but then resumed his charge, the sound of wailing, whizzing bolts, and detonations filling his ears. Somehow, he had lost his helmet, but he couldn’t recall how or when. Blood covered his head and the salty taste of it filled his mouth. A laser bolt hit a man next to him and smoking bits of Mandalorian armor and flesh splattered over his face.

On instinct now, Canderous reached into his pack and pulled out a Thermite Charge. Despite his pain and fatigue, he sprinted the last meters to the Command Vehicle and hurled the charge at the belly of the beast.

“Death is life!” he cried and dashed away, but then he was surrounded in light…and shockwave.

Now I am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds – Part 1

In the Sick Bay Aboard the RNS Indefatigable

In a private room in the medbay, the Zabrak technician, Bao-Dur, lay on a bed , senseless, groaning in pain. His gray skin was covered in rivulets of perspiration and the muscles of his face were taut as a drum. Medical droids hovered nearby, probing the stump of his left arm with mechanical implements. Amid the hum of the floating droids, monitors around Bao-Dur’s bed throbbed with the sound of his erratic heartbeat.

Entering the room from the dimly-lit hallway outside of the room, two men entered the room and stepped into the warm light – Malak and Bandon. Still clad in his red armor, Malak looked down on his gravely-wounded technician without emotion. “Can you wake him?” he asked the lead droid.

The metal medic’s eyes flashed. “Master, it is possible, but ill advised. The Zabrak has lost a great deal of blood and is in highly critical condition.”

Malak grunted and ran his hand through his golden hair, his face now betraying his agitation. “Bandon, the Mandalorians stole my weapon from under my nose, but we can salvage the situation. I must know how the weapon operates and only Bao-Dur can tell us.” He slumped his shoulders and bowed his head in an expression of resignation. He looked back to the droid. “I can’t let Revan know what has happened. We must proceed.” He looked back to the droid. “Wake him.”

“Yes, Master.” A long metal arm emerged from the droid that was tipped with a long syringe. The point of the needle slid into Bao-Dur’s gray skin at his neck and fluids surged into his arteries.

The Zabrak’s dark eyes fluttered open, filled with pain. “No…. The Mass Shadow Generator…we must stop them.”

Malak leaned over and gently put his hand on Bao-Dur’s cheek. “Bao-Dur, listen. It’s your commander, Malak,” he said, pulling the Zabrak’s face closer to look at him. “I know what happened and I have sent operatives to recover the weapon. I need to know how it operates. I need to know how to control it.”

A wild look came into Bao-Dur’s eyes and he began thrashing about with his one arm. “Sir, you can’t control it. I realize that now. What have I done? What have I done?”

Malak seized his arm and pinned it to the bed. His face was pinched up in irritation. “You’re not listening to me. You need to tell me how to operate the weapon. We will recapture it very soon,” he said forcefully and tendrils of the Force lashed out into Bao-Dur’s mind.

“Sir…I…I…it’s power…beyond all imagining. What have created? It will tear the very fabric of…of-” the Zabrak tried to say, but Malak’s power was great. Bao-Dur struggled for a moment more before his muscles relaxed and his breathing eased. His lips parted to mechanically unleash the death of millions. “Sir, here is the code: Eight-Six-One-Nine-Four-Five. You can then enter the detonation sequence which is….”

Malak smiled broadly as Bao-Dur detailed the operation of the weapon. He would be the hero of Malachor. The tall Jedi released the Zabrak. “Droid, put him back to sleep. See that he gets the finest medical care. I don’t want him waking up until this is over.”

“Yes, Master,” the droid answered in an eerily cheerful mechanical voice and another syringe plunged into Bao-Dur’s neck.

A Shuttle Racing Toward Revan’s Fleet

Atton Rand pushed the throttle forward as far as it could go and the shuttle accelerated ahead through space. Needles on the gauges of the instrument panel spiked higher into the red, but Atton was unfazed.

“Jaq…Jaq, I don’t think this is wise,” voiced Kayla. “The ion stream is overheating.”

He looked back for a moment and saw her and Seja, their eyes bulging and their lips curled with nervousness. “Don’t worry none, sweets. I’ve done this before. She’ll hold together,” he said carelessly and then tapped the instrument panel with his hand. “Come on baby, hold together,” he whispered.

The temperature in the cabin quickly rose and steam seeped through gaps in the panels and boards. “Jaq, she won’t hold,” said Kayla. “You’ve got to throttle back.”

Atton grunted and his hand on the throttle twitched, but something caught his attention on the sensor. “That’s them! We’ve got you!” he shouted with glee and then turned back to the two Jedi. “Fire up those lightsabers, you two and prepare to board.”

He vectored the shuttle toward his prey and they shot ahead toward the escaping craft. Seja stood and began heading aft, but Kayla glanced over at the sensors. “Jaq, that shuttle has some unusual energy readings. What’s on that thing?”

“I didn’t ask Malak and you shouldn’t worry about it, hun. Just get ready to go.”

Kayla made a face, but then ran after Seja. When she had gone, Atton extended the grappling claws and came in over the hijacked craft. The metal claws dug into its hull with a grinding sound and Atton yanked the throttle back. “We have them! Get ready,” he called aft and then leapt out of the pilot’s seat. He sprinted back and drew a borrowed blaster pistol. Seja knelt down at the boarding hatch on the floor and extended the coupling to connect with the other ship.

“Boarding tube in place,” Seja said. “Atmosphere in the green…I’m punching a hole in the hull.”

There was a blast and a dull thud beneath the hatch and then Seja flung it open. Smoke greeted them and Seja jumped into the narrow hole, which was too small for the Jedi to ignite his weapon. Atton heard the sound of a lightsaber powering up and then blaster shots. He pushed his way past Kayla and leapt down into the enemy ship. Through the smoke he could see Seja’s lightsaber deflecting away streaking bolts. Atton rolled toward cover as two bolts sizzled by where he had stood. He came up and leveled his own weapon, aiming down the barrel. Two shots rang out from his blaster and a man pitched over.

Atton advanced, but Seja seemed entirely on the defensive, swatting away bolts. Kayla leapt down and looked around to get her bearings, but the smoke and confusion slowed her. Atton charged up to a door and put his blaster around the corner. He fired and was rewarded by a scream.

He was about to move when someone grabbed his weapon arm and slammed it into the wall. With a cry of pain, he dropped his blaster. He moved into the corridor and saw his assailant holding a pistol on him. Instinctively, he slapped the weapon upward before the man could shoot him and it went off, sending a bolt screeching by his face into the wall behind. Atton bull rushed forward, throwing his shoulder into the man’s chest and slamming him into the opposite wall.

The man grunted, stunned. He shook his head and reached down for a second blaster, but Atton whipped his hand across the man’s throat. The man stopped and felt his neck. Blood trickled down, followed by a torrent and the last thing the man saw was the vibrodagger in Atton’s hand. The man’s eyes rolled upward and he slid to the ground.

The ship was silent now and Atton sighed. “Thanks for the help, you two.” He reached down and pulled papers from the dead man’s pocket. “Hmmm, sorry I had to kill you, Henrik,” he said softly, looking around the room. “Now where are you hiding Malak’s treasure?”

“I found it,” called Seja. “It’s over here.”

Atton walked over to look into an open crate. There was a long cylinder in it. “It looks like a common torpedo.”

Kayla approached and peered over Atton’s shoulder. “I think it is a torpedo of some sort. I think this is the source of the unusual readings.”

“I think you’re right. We should notify Malak and let him figure this out,” said Atton and he walked over to a communications panel in the bay. With a little tweaking, he dialed in the correct frequency and then attached a data pad to the terminal. “I’ll need a little encryption and frequency-hopping to avoid any attention to our call.”

A ghostly, pale-blue hologram of Malak appeared and Atton bowed his head. “Sir, we have taken control of the escaped shuttle. The item is in our possession.”

The Jedi Knight’s face brightened and a warm smile formed on his lips. “You have done well. There will be a place for you in the New Order, Jaq. What I need you to do now is to enter this code into the device,” he said and the data streamed onto Atton’s pad. “Then, access the system menu and enter these commands. Finally, set the shuttle on a course for Malachor Five. When that is done, return to my ship. Speak to no one else until I’ve had the chance to meet with you. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Malak’s image faded and Atton turned back to his friends. “Okay, let’s fire her up.”

A Nameless Hill on Malachor VII

General Mai-Lyn T’Sing somersaulted away from the egress hatch of the great armored beast as blast and fire tore through the metal juggernaut’s guts. Wheels and bits of track flew past her as she landed in the bloody, sooty snow. Immediately she drew her lightsaber and it hissed its presence. She wiped the smoke from her eyes and saw the Ordo warrior stagger to his feet.

“So, we meet at last, Mandalorian.”

He shook his head to clear it and focused his eyes on her. “General T’Sing, I presume?”

Mai-Lyn nodded and made a curt bow. As Revan had taught her, she inverted her lightsaber and placed the butt to her chest in a Mandalorian salute. Then, she took a stance from the Shii-Cho, balanced and even.

Ordo drew his vibrodagger and held it, blade down, to his chest. “This is how it should be. I am Canderous of the Clan Ordo. I want you to know my name before you die.” He then placed the dagger in his left hand and drew a vibrosword with his right. He advanced boldly, in the Mandalorian style, points of his weapons held toward her throat.

Mai-Lyn stood her ground, angling her blade across her body. The Mandalorian twirled his sword and sliced down at her head to which the Jedi darted sideways and parried horizontally. Energy met durasteel with a sizzle before Mai-Lyn pushed the blade away even as the dagger stabbed at her throat. She arched her back, nearly doubled over in a move from Ataru, to avoid the thrust. As Ordo recovered, Mai-Lyn continued the move, flipping over to kick him in the face.

The warrior grunted, but continued to advance, cutting diagonally with the sword. The Jedi stepped right into the attack and met it with brute force this time. Sparks flew and Canderous retreated a step. He grunted and began circling, looking for an opening. “General…nice use of Shien. Force against force. I see Revan taught you well.”

She settled into a powerful stance as was the style, low, with knees bent. Her lightsaber was held tightly with two hands. “You know our techniques, Ordo?”

“As much as Revan knows ours.”

Mai-Lyn switched to the offensive and spun her body to deliver a powerful blow. Canderous intercepted it with his dagger and slammed his right fist into her jaw. Stars erupted in her vision and she barely saw the sword cut in time to parry it. The dagger came again and she cartwheeled away. Another cut, another thrust and Mai-Lyn swatted the attacks down in a growing desperation, retreating up the snowy slope. She was tiring and her power ebbed from her limbs.

Ordo pressed his advantage, pushing her up the hill toward his own men as Republic soldiers fled downward in the rout. He continued to hack at her, but each time, she would dodge or parry.

With a long step backward, Mai-Lyn maneuvered over an icy rock and then kicked it up into Ordo’s eyes where it shattered. Temporarily blinded, he lashed out into thin air and the Jedi slammed her silver blade into his side.

Energy met armor and smoke and fire shot from the point of impact. Canderous cried out in pain and fell backward, dropping his sword. General T’Sing raised her lightsaber again. “Die with honor, Canderous Ordo,” she said, her bloody teeth bared.

On instinct, Ordo reached out and seized Mai-Lyn’s legs, pulling her feet from under her. She toppled over and tried to sit up, but she saw the dagger flash. In a desperate move, she leaned back again, but the dagger raked across her chest, baring flesh. Blood spattered in the snow and she shrieked in pain. The Jedi rolled away before Ordo could follow up and came up in another Shien stance, low to the ground with her saber over her head.

Then, her comm link crackled. “General T’Sing, this is Colonel Jorath. I am surrounded by Mandalorians. I need assistance immediately.”

Mai-Lyn froze. She glanced over at the wounded warrior for a second and then leapt away from him in a dazzling jump. “Live to fight another day, Canderous. We shall meet again.”

Ordo licked the blood on his dagger and nodded. “Indeed we shall.”

I am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds - Part II

An Icy Hill on Malachor VII

On a rocky hill, dubbed Mount Austen by the general, one of the final assaults in the Mandalorian Campaign was developing into a full fury. Shattered Republic regiments streamed down the slopes in full retreat from the savage Mandalorians. Nearby, in the frozen Tenaru Riverbed, the giant Republic Command Vehicle lay broken from Canderous’ mad charge.

Amid random flashes of blaster fire and explosions, General Mai-Lyn T’Sing rushed up the hill into panicked soldiers. One of them sprinted by her in a panic.

“The Mandalorians have overrun us, General! They’re not stopping for shit!”

Covered in frost, she looked into the faces of her men, full of mindless fear. Many of them had thrown down their weapons and looked back over their shoulders as if the Mandalore himself were on their heels.

Something has to be done. I must stop the rout and rally the division. It’s all on me now. Okay, just like Revan has done. I can do it.

Mai-Lyn held out her lightsaber before the troops and activated it with her thumb. The loud hiss of the energy brought the men’s attention to the glowing silver rod. The general scanned the faces of the men again, this time with calm determination. “Soldiers of the Thirty-Fifth, rally behind me! Your general will lead you to victory!”

Fleeing men came to a stop and watched her, while others stooped down to pick up discarded weapons. The wild, horrified expressions faded from the mob and Mai-Lyn waved her lightsaber toward the hill. “We must advance! Colonel Jorath is surrounded. You, Captain Kavis,” she said to an officer, “reform the line. Sergeant Trosher, get artillery to hit the Mandalorians hard. We need time.”

The young captain brandished his vibrosword. “Yes, General,” he said as rockets and blaster fire whizzed by. He stomped off in front of the mass and pushed men back into line by force of will despite a few falling to stray shots.

The sergeant knelt down and put the mike of a comm unit to his mouth. “Hammer, this is Spear. I need a fire mission at grid coordinates Hotel-Oscar-Delta-Five-Two-Zero.”

Mai-Lyn nodded and turned to face the hill that had defeated her. In a moment, a few blasts of artillery pummeled the pursuing Mandalorians. She turned back to Sergeant Trocher and made a fist.

“Fire for effect!” called the sergeant. “Fire for effect.”

A storm of shells burst upon the Mandalorian warriors, rending armor and shredding flesh. Bodies flew into the air with arms and legs cartwheeling into the snow. The deafening roar of the barrage had most of the men, including the general, covering their ears. Like rolling thunder, the sound of the attack floated down the hill.

Crump! Crump! Crump!

Mai-Lyn made a slicing motion across her throat and the sergeant spoke through the mike, “Hammer, cease fire! Cease fire!” and the barrage went silent. The general looked up the hill to see the devastation – shattered rock and ice, smoke, and burning bodies. Mandalorians staggered about, some missing limbs and others holding their shattered ears.

“Now,” she declared, “follow me!”

Mai-Lyn took off at a run and a battle cry rose up from her troops as they surged back up the hill. Within a minute, she ran into a Mandalorian, screaming incoherently and walking in circles, such was the horror of the artillery barrage. Upon seeing her, he tried to unholster a blaster pistol, but she clove him in two with a single stroke of her weapon. All around her, Republic soldiers were gunning down the stunned warriors.

We have the initiative! The tide is turning. You have to hold, Jorath.

On metal tracks or repulsorlifts, Republic armor ground up the hill, pumping massive laser bolts into the enemy. Mai-Lyn ran beside the metal monsters, leading her infantry by spinning her lightsaber. However, every step they took increased the resistance that she faced. She turned to see a warrior with sword drawn, standing firm and ready. The effects of the barrage are wearing off. Those Mandalorians are resilient.

The warrior advanced through the snow with his boots crunching with every step. Mai-Lyn took an elegant, balanced stance from Makashi, tall with feet shoulder-width apart – this Form was perfect for one-on-one combat. The Mandalorian brought his sword back to strike, but blaster bolts hammered into his armor and he pitched over, dead. The general looked about, confused, but Captain Pavis rushed past her.

“No time to waste, General. Come on!”

She gave him a sly smile and took a step forward before a rocket slammed into the captain and body parts sprayed over her. Stunned momentarily, Mai-Lyn blinked several times and wiped the gore from her face.

There’s no time to mourn. We must advance.

Again, she waved her men up the bloody hill and meter, by deadly meter, they pushed the enemy back.

“General, it’s Colonel Jorath,” said Sergeant Trocher, handing her the mike.

She seized the handset and knelt as men streamed past her, up the hill. “What’s your situation, Colonel?”

“Desperate,” he said calmly, despite his predicament. “I’m completely cut off and under heavy fire. We must break out and fall back.”

A storm of emotions passed over Mai-Lyn’s face and she bared her teeth. “I didn’t come all the way back up this damn hill to fall back again. You hold your position and you hold it until I get there!” she ordered her friend and fellow Jedi.

An audible sigh came over the speaker along with the sound of the constant hammering of bolts and shells. “Very well, General. As you command.”

The Peak of Mount Austen

Mai-Lyn and the men of three regiments surged over the crest of the hill to see Jorath’s force pinned down in a gulley. Mandalorian warriors were closing in from all sides and Republic soldier were falling in droves.

“Quickly! They can’t hold much longer,” she called to her troops and they poured fired down on the besiegers. The general ran ahead into the smoke and fire, which stung her eyes and clogged her lungs. Following the Force, she continued ahead and ran into the backs of Mandalorian troops. With her lightsaber, she ran one warrior through the back and then sliced the head off of another in a clean stroke.

Now alerted, the enemy turned and brought blasters to bear. The Force guided the general to shift her weight to the rear in a stance from Soresu. On the defensive, she swatted bolts away, some of them flying back into their owners. More Mandalorians fell amid the chaos and Mai-Lyn launched into an attack with strikes from the Shien Form. She lay about her in a wide swath, leaving a silver afterimage of her cut and three warriors collapsed in smoking heaps.

She was about to finish the last two men, when she heard a call from up ahead through the smoke.

“Victory is life!” came the chant from many lips and her blood ran cold.

I’m too late.

In a near fury, she waved her hand, flinging the warriors backward and charged through the dense smoke. She hacked down Mandalorians indiscriminately before bursting from the cloud and leaping into the gulley.

Three warriors stood there, one of them with a sword raised over Jorath, who was on his back, torn and bloody. Before she could react, the Mandalorian plunged the sword into Jorath’s belly and the Jedi cried out in pain.

“No!” she cried and leapt forward, bringing her weapon down on one warrior’s head. With a sizzle, the rod of energy split helmet and skull and the man dropped like a sack of stolen credits.

The other two turned to face her, but in a blur of speed, Mai-Lyn rushed up and cut away a warrior’s throat. The final man slashed at her and she tried to speed away, but her energy was drained. Metal bit into her thigh, flaying open clothes and skin. The vibration of the blade tore nerves and tendons and she sagged to one knee.

She thrust up at the warrior, but he swatted the attack aside with a downward parry and then clubbed her across the cheek with the hilt.

Mai-Lyn’s vision exploded in white stars and hot pain. She rolled away and crawled a few steps until she heard the hiss of another lightsaber. She shook her head and groped around, but the heavy body of the Mandalorian fell upon her.

Republic soldiers quickly helped her up and she staggered over to Jorath. Blood from his many wounds pooled in the white snow and dribbled down his chin. “I got him…I got him for you, General,” he whispered to her.

Ignoring her own pain, she cradled his head, letting the blood coat her hands. “Hang on, my friend. We’ve taken the hill. Victory is ours. Just hang on.”

His eyes began to glaze over and his struggling weakened. “General,” he said, reaching up to touch her and leaving a red streak on her cheek, “I held the high ground for you. You take that fortress now.”

“No no…. I’m not going anywhere,” she said and a tear rolled down her cheek into the bloody smear, where it froze on her face. “Medic! I need a medic!” she wailed, losing her cool. “My power is exhausted, Jorath. Just hang on. We’ll evac you.”

“It’s too late,” he said, wheezing. “Remember Dantooine? Remember Master Kavar? I always thought you had a thing for him. Too bad I won’t be around to see that. I finally gave my life for Revan…. She was my light…my hope. From the jungles of Dxun to the ice of Malachor Seven I fought by your side…to free the Republic.”

With that, one last steam of breath escaped his lips and then frost coated his open eyes.

A feral scream burst from Mai-Lyn’s throat and she tore at her clothes. Men tried to pull her away, but she rocked Jorath’s head at her breast, babbling, “It’s my fault…it’s my fault. I told him to hold.”

Several soldiers grabbed her and brought her to her feet. She snarled and tried to break free, but to no avail. “General,” they said, “You have to go. Revan has ordered you to take the fortress. The Mandalorians are shattered and the way is open.”

Mai-Lyn fought to control her raging emotions. She rubbed her eyes and then wiped the blood from her hands. Taking three deep breaths, she raised her head and scanned the opposite slope where isolated Mandalorian warriors were being overwhelmed in merciless slaughter – Republic soldiers were exacting a savage revenge.

Amid the carnage, a Republic walker vehicle stepped on two warriors who were fleeing back to the fortress while a bronze-colored Hunter Killer droid unleashed a torrent of flame into a cave where resisters were hiding.

The wild look in the general’s eyes faded and the bearing that had led her men to numerous victories returned. She looked at the faces of her surviving staff. Now is not the time to fall apart. I must hold it together for Revan. The end is near now.

“Yes, we must press on to victory. Losses are not an issue. It is for the greater good.”

The Mandalorian Fortress on Malachor VII

Rockets and artillery rained down on the shields surrounding the massive fortress, exploding on the invisible barrier. Bit by bit, the only thing that kept the once-mighty Mandalorians safe was being eroded by angry hordes of Republic soldiers bent on revenge.

The fireworks display would have been magnificent to a casual observer – one who was not caught up in the horror of this icy graveyard. In the distance, Republic artillery pieces and rocket batteries belched flame and plasma and missiles danced and wove pretty patterns before detonating on the shield.

Standing in neat ranks behind cover were dozens of magnificent Hunter Killer droids, awaiting their orders for the final assault. One droid in particular, stood out. It had a solid, bronze chassis with sinister, orange eyes. It stood behind the rest, in a position of command and held its blaster rifle in a menacing posture.

The droid’s head twitched right to left like a bird’s, constantly scanning the terrain ahead. Its inhumanly enhanced vision and hearing picked up on General T’Sing nearby, who was directing the mechanized artillery.

“Direct your attack at that weak point! Keep up your fire,” she commanded the colonel of the artillery to do.

In his thick, white uniform, the colonel looked down at his monitor and then back at her. A smile came over his fur-lined face. “Yes, General. We are about to breach the shields!”

The general made a fist. “Good work, Colonel. I’m going to signal the advance. You are not to cease fire.”

“General? What about our own people?”

“Casualties of war. I want that fortress.”

“…Yes, General.”

The droid saw the general walk up to him and he stood at attention. “Greetings, Master. I am HK-47, sent personally by Revan with her compliments.”

The general nodded, her breath streaming in the cold air. “I will thank the Admiral later. For now, you are to lead the droid assault on the gate. My men will advance to cover your flank with armor in the reserve. The artillery bombardment will continue so you will have to move swiftly. Do you understand?”

“Comprehension: Yes, General…we lowly droids will have to brave your meatbag shit storm to accomplish our mission.”

General T’Sing was taken aback and her face scrunched up tight. “HK whatever, how dare you call me a meatbag. Who taught you to address your superiors like that?”

“Informative: That would be Revan…your superior…meatbag.”

She rolled her eyes but held her tongue. “Fine, whatever. Prepare to advance.”

“If it means killing Mandalorians, it will be my pleasure!” he called with glee and shouldered his weapon. With mechanical precision, the legion of droids first marched and then ran forward.

As foretold, the shields collapsed in a sparkling sizzle and the whole line of the Grand Army of the Republic surged toward destiny. Mandalorian batteries opened up and explosions tore the battlefield. HK sprinted ahead as droids blew up around him. He fired on the run, sending bolts into laser cannon on the walls of the fortress as Republic rockets smashed the walls and the main gate to ruin.

As the gate came crashing down, Mandalorian warriors emerged to repel the assault. “Git some!” HK called as he unleashed a burst into their midst and three warriors fell. Leading a squad of droids, HK stepped through the opening past the mangled gate. Seeing one wounded Mandalorian crawling away, he lowered the muzzle of his weapon at the man. “Observation: Death is life, so you say. Here’s to life,” he said with mechanized glee and pulled the trigger.

Sparks then flashed on his armor as warriors in the courtyard rained bolts down on his group. An ion bolt just missed HK, but impacted on droid behind him and the automaton jiggled in a crazy dance before collapsing in a heap. “Mocking taunt: Your aim is worse than your looks,” he uttered with contempt as he gunned down the Mandalorian. Bolts sprayed back and forth across the open field, but HK pressed on, oblivious to the danger. Tactical air speeders landed nearby, disgorging Republic troops under heavy fire. Missiles and rockets found their marks and more than a few speeders erupted in orange explosions, scattering men into the air.

A smoldering body crashed onto the ground in front of HK and he stepped over it like a speed bump. “Caution: Watch where you’re falling, meatbag, you could hurt someone.”

At a quick jaunt, HK ran at the fortress keep, where the chief of the Mandalorian forces for the planet would surely be. Organic troops began assembling and lay down a cover fire for the droids to advance while artillery rained down on all sides, churning up the frozen ground in icy hunks.

To add to the confusion, swirls of snow blew through the air, obscuring the melee – a blizzard had come to Malachor VII. Amid howling wind, HK switched his optics to Infrared and began picking out hot targets ahead of him. “Gratitude: I am touched by your warmth, meatbag,” he said as he picked off a Mandalorian with a sniper shot. He walked calmly, his metal feet crunching in the growing mounds of frost. With cool precision, he occasionally took an unhurried shot, which was followed by a scream.

HK made for the charred opening in the keep wall where Mandalorians were trying to shore up the defenses. Piles of dead warriors lay at the gap in the stone, crumpled and slumped over. The psychotic droid’s orange eyes glowed brightly at the anticipation of mayhem and he announced himself boldly, “Disappointment: What? No red carpet for the droid?”

The warriors responded immediately and unleashed a fusillade of fire into the droid host, which was already spraying bolts in return. Metal and flesh exploded in a chorus of mayhem as the droids stormed the gap in the wall amid the raging blizzard. Mandalorian reinforcements rushed up and threw the droids back into the courtyard. Under withering fire, HK regrouped his remaining forces.

“Exhortation: We can’t let the meatbags get the better of us. What’s wrong with you machines?”

He received no reply but the droid forces surged forward again, this time backed by human troops. At the tear in the wall, the two sides held their ground and hammered away at each other at point blank range. Smoke billowed from the gap along with screams and howls and sparks from fallen droids. HK opened a panel in his abdomen and removed a red grenade. With a flick of his mechanical fingers he powered the sphere and tossed it into the hole beyond. A second later, plasma vaporized a majority of the warriors in an enormous explosion. Stone, bits of metal, and body parts were ejected out of the gap, rending the walls around.

“Satisfaction: That must have hurt.”

HK was about to step into the gap, when a voice caught his attention. “I’ll take it from here, droid. You can rally your legion and mop up resistance.”

It was the general.

I am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds - Part III

The Mandalorian Fortress on Malachor VII

At the walls of the great fortress, Republic artillery and rockets had blasted the gate and had created gaping holes in the walls of the structure. The psychotic droid, HK-47 led an assault that had gained entrance into one of the massive breaches. Stubborn to the end, the Mandalorians held the droids back until the arrival of the general.

With her fur lined uniform hanging in tatters, courtesy of her brawl with Canderous, Mai-Lyn stepped into the breach into the fortress and deflected a half dozen bolts away, using the Soresu Form. Standing low to the ground like a tiger, she whirled her lightsaber in front of her as the deadly plasma shot away in different directions. So fast was her lightsaber, it was like a silver shield that protected her from the Mandalorians who poured fire at the general. With a snarl on her lips, she rocked to one side and angled her blade, flinging one bolt back to its maker. The warrior pitched over as the plasma slammed into his chest.

“For Mandalore!” cried one armored warrior and they drew vibroswords and rushed at her down the narrow hallway. From the side, the rust-colored droid picked off one Mandalorian just before they crashed into Mai-Lyn.

The lithe Jedi leapt to the side and sliced one man’s sword in two. As he gasped, looking at the half blade, she whirled the blade in an upper cut, cleaving him from groin to sternum.

Two warriors thrust their weapons at her in tandem and she stepped back, parrying in a low circle, leaving a silver afterimage of energy. Enveloping their points, the general riposted, driving the tip of her lightsaber into one man’s face. Smoke and sparks erupted from his head, blinding the Jedi for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, the other warrior slashed her down the left arm, leaving her flesh flayed open. In pain and exhaustion, Mai-Lyn cried out and drew what little energy she had left to summon the Force. With a wave of her hand, the Mandalorian flew backward into his brethren, toppling them all like bowling pins.

With his blaster rifle held to his metal cheek, HK-47 poured bolts into the pile, shouting, “Elation: You are making this too easy, meatbags.”

Bolts streaked into the fallen men, tearing off bits of armor. The warriors struggled and fell over as HK’s shots hit home time and again. Several warriors scrambled out and reformed to launch another attack. More were now appearing in the dark hall to throw back the Republic assault and the general’s droids were pinned down at the breach.

I can’t hold back their counterattack. I’ll have to give up this ground that I’ve bled for.

The general had but a moment to think before the Mandalorian wave crashed down on her and HK. HK hurled grenades into the horde. One burst into thick goo, cementing warriors to the ground. Another detonated into blast and fragmentation, shredding a few more.

The general saw the warriors waver for a moment. I can’t let Revan down. Too many have died for this ground. I must advance…I must prevail.

Mai-Lyn took a deep breath and let out a battle cry.

Aboard a Starfighter

Deep in space, the epic naval battle was winding down and a lone craft darted ahead of the massive Republic task force. Secure in the cockpit of her Jedi starfighter, Admiral Revan sat, grinning from ear to ear. The Mandalorian fleet lay in tatters and the detritus of war floated lazily in the vacuum of space. Bits of durasteel hull, ruined ion engines, and Mandalorian bodies drifted with the tides of battle. Here and there, a lone warship or a handful of Basilisk Droids fought on against the overwhelming might of Revan’s war machine.

I have crafted the finest military force the galaxy has ever seen. It will be a shame to lay down my sword when this is over.

Raising the visor of her black helmet, she looked down at her systems display and several red lights were blinking. “Tee Two, I’m leaking oxygen and fuel. The lateral thruster is acting up as well. See what you can do.”

“Bee boooo!”

“Thanks.”

As the astromech droid poked and prodded the starfighter’s controls, the Force called to Revan. Enemy ships were trying to reform a defense. In her mind, she could visualize the Mandalorian warships gathering and she reached out beyond the confines of her body.

Malak, now is the time, my Rock. Strike the Mandalorians while they are reforming. You can cut off their escape. Capture as many as you can. I may have need of them later.

In her thoughts, she could see her lover nod. He was obedient, but there was something there…something he was not telling her. She focused her power and extended it into him, burrowing into his mind.

What is it, Malak? I sense something in you.

She could see him shudder under her mental probe, but the call of the droid broke her concentration. “Bleep bebop.”

“Huh? Oh, good…you’ve made repairs. Excellent, let’s get back in the fight.”

“Bwaaaa!”

Revan put the disturbing thought of Malak’s resistance out of her mind and maneuvered the starfighter toward a cluster of enemy ships. With the Force, she could sense Malak’s fleet closing in on the last line of resistance…along with another presence.

There is something else…a shuttle heading for Malachor Five…unusual power readings.

Attempting to focus in on the shuttle, Revan turned her thoughts in that direction, but something flashed by her canopy.

A laser bolt! Damn, I was distracted.

Revan jinked sharply to the left and a Basilisk Droid shot by, cannons blazing. She jammed down hard on the right rudder pedal and the nose of her craft spun to face the enemy…only there were now five of them.

Revan yawed the nose of her craft to starboard and unleashed a rippling tide of laser fire that tore through one droid. The droid tumbled end over end before bursting like an egg, scattering parts and plasma. “Guns kill!” she called on the comm link.

The other droids fired in unison, but Revan felt the bolts before they were launched and streaked away, letting the plasma trails burn through empty space.

With her helmet mounted sight, she looked right at one droid as they passed and a targeting reticule appeared over the enemy, followed by a loud warbling tone. She pressed the button on her stick and a missile shot from a weapons bay. “Fox Two!”

Peeling away from the formation, the bandit rolled and flares burst from its hull as the missile turned hard to starboard. Revan continued on, attempting to find another target – the missile would track on its own. She pitched the nose upward and unleashed another volley of energy, raking the belly of a passing droid. Bolts sizzled through the beast’s armor and into its sensitive innards. A glow appeared through the holes in its hide, followed by flame and explosion.

“Guns kill, second bandit.”

Revan looked to the left and saw her missile close on the targeted bandit. It weaved past flares, rolling and pitching with the Mandalorian and finally streaked into its engines. The warhead detonated, hurling plasma and frag through the ion turbines, rupturing the volatile fuel cells and the droid burst into orange radiation.

“Fox Two kill, third-”

Something slammed into her and flame and debris filled her canopy. A Mandalorian had rammed her in a suicide attack.

“I’m hit! Shields gone. Tee Two!”

There was no response. Revan’s starfighter spun out of control with red lights flashing on her Master Caution Panel. Sweat rolled down her body within her black, form-fitting flight suit.

“Structural integrity compromised…shields inoperative…engine fire left…APU inoperative…sensors inoperative….”

The crack on her canopy was the worst of the lot. She looked back to see her droid sparking and its head spinning wildly.

“Bwwaaaaaaa!”

Two Basilisk Droids darted by and came about. Revan reached down and grabbed the handles of her ejection mechanism, but the two droid erupted in flame.

“Admiral Revan, this is Commander Dodonna. We’ve got you covered,” her squadron commander called as eight Republic starfighters flew by.

“Down ya go!” came another call from a man with a familiar voice.

Forn Dodonna spoke again, “Carth, shut up. The Admiral has better things to do than to listen to your hooting.”

The admiral sighed with relief and turned her starfighter back toward the Eagle. “You two are a credit to the Republic. I shall see that you get everything you deserve.”

“Thank you, Admiral. We’ll escort you right into the landing bay,” Carth said with a hint of pride in his voice.

Forming a protective ring around the admiral, the Republic pilots guided Revan into the bay, where she put the starfighter on the deck. She opened the cracked canopy and handed her black helmet to the crew chief, who gave her a worried look.

“I thought we’d lost you, Admiral.”

She wiped the sweat from her face with a towel and stepped down from the damaged craft. “It’ll take a bit more than a few Mandalorians to take me down, Chief.”

“Glad to have you back, Admiral. You’re needed on the bridge right away. There are some new developments.”

Revan nodded and sprinted away.

On the bridge of the mighty flagship, Revan took her seat and analyzed the hologram of the battle.

“Admiral,” spoke the Communications Officer, “Captain Karath reports his starfighters have eliminated the defense grid entirely.”

“Put him on.”

Saul appeared as a hologram on the bridge of the Eagle. “My compliments, Admiral Revan. The way to Malachor Five is clear.”

“Outstanding, Captain. You may begin bombardment of the planet. Do your best to target only military facilities.”

Saul nodded curtly and the hologram faded.

Suddenly, a blinding flash filled the viewscreen and Revan covered her eyes. Her insides were torn apart as the lives of billions were snuffed out. She let out an audible gasp and her being was engulfed in horror as the Force was torn asunder.

Snippets of visions filled her mind and she saw how Malak had hidden things from her. She saw the shuttle and a long cylinder hurtling toward Malachor V.

“Malak,” she whispered, her body doubled over in pain, “What have you done?”

A shuttle near Malachor V

From the cockpit of his own ship, Atton watched the shuttle containing the Mass Shadow Generator streak away toward Malachor V. Medpacks covered the numerous superficial wounds that he had sustained in the last day and his cheek and right eye were swollen and black. He looked over to Kayla, who was in the next seat. “We better get out of here,” he said and began to turn the ship about. “The Mandalorians are likely to come looking for us.”

The Jedi looked pensive, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed. “I don’t want to question Malak’s orders, but this whole thing makes me nervous.”

“Why’s that? I say we just do what we’re told, don’t get killed, and reap the benefits when it’s done.”

“Jaq, he’s keeping Revan out of the loop for some reason…no good can come of that.”

Atton sat back into the pilot’s seat and sighed, rubbing his injured eye. “Look, don’t think about it too deeply. Why don’t you go check on Seja.”

That statement had a finality in it that told Kayla the matter was closed. She opened her mouth to speak, but rolled her eyes and headed aft, leaving Atton to his thoughts.

The Republic operative grunted and dialed in the coordinates to Malak’s flagship. Oh, bantha poodoo, Malak is closing the vise on the Mandalorians’ neck. I don’t think we want to get there too quickly. I’ll take my time and let him finish that battle. I’ve had enough fighting for one war. Damn, where’s my Pazaak deck?

Atton pulled the throttle back and applied forward thrusters to slow his speed. He leaned back and laced his hands behind his head, watching Malak grind the Mandalorians into dust.

That guy has a certain…overwhelm and obliterate your adversary technique. I don’t know much about all of this Jedi crap but he doesn’t seem very ‘peaceful’ like they all say they’re suppose to be. Man, is Kayla right? Revan’s pretty strict about these things. Aww, dammit, quit ruminating about it. What’s done is done.

Atton put on the ‘devil may care’ face he had cultivated over in his youth and kicked his feet up on the instrument panel as he watched Malak’s ships surge like a tidal wave, smashing the Mandalorian remnants.

What’s done is done.

Then, from the direction of Malachor V, there was a blinding flash that lit up the entire star system.

The Mandalorian Fortress on Malachor VII

With her most fearsome war face, Mai-Lyn shouted at the top of her lungs as she charged into the Mandalorian horde. Using the Shien Style, she hacked fiercely into the knot of enemy warriors, cleaving swords and lopping off limbs. Still, on they came, utterly fearless. Strong arms grasped at her, seizing her tattered clothing. Her left arm hung, useless, and she could not fend off so many. Even the constant firing and taunting of the HK droid could not hold them back.

“Mocking Statement: Is that all you got?”

Mai-Lyn collapsed under the weight of enemy warriors and they piled on top of her, pounding and kicking. She drove her blade up through the belly of one Mandalorian like a hot poker through butter. Amid the screams and shouts, she could hear the sound of a rocket. Instinctively, she ducked down and covered her head.

No, don’t hit here.

An explosion filled the hall and shrapnel rained down on the pile atop of her. More Mandalorians screamed and she was able to pull herself free. Smoke and soot filled her eyes and she staggered up. In her blurry vision, she thought she saw a red-haired woman aim her hand at the mass of Mandalorians. Another rocket flew from the woman’s wrist and Mai-Lyn dove to the ground. She looked back, but the red-haired woman was gone.

Another blast tore the hallway and warriors flew about like rag dolls. With the last once of power in her being, Mai-Lyn used the Force to shield herself. Debris bounced off of the psychic barrier and fell harmlessly to the ground. Amid groans and acrid smoke, the general staggered back toward the breach.

“Greetings: General, you’re still alive? Your soft meaty organic components surely could not have survived that blast.”

Coughing, Mai-Lyn sneered at the droid. “Don’t make me ionize you.”

“Insulted: Why General, I was complimenting your skills and toughness. Why surely-”

Before HK could finish, a flash lit up the sky, drawing everyone’s attention upward. Mai-Lyn dropped to one knee and doubled over in pain. Her entire being was wreathed in ethereal fire as a billion souls perished in a millisecond. In the agony of her mind, she could see the Force ripping apart and she screamed in terror.

As the blinding light in the sky faded to swirling snow, Mai-Lyn looked up into the orange eyes of HK-47. “Am…am I dead?”

“Speculation: Your red organic fluid still oozes from your squishy pink covering, your vocabulator is still functioning, and your logic circuit are at least minimally active so I would guess the answer would be…no. You are still your meatbag self.”

She shook her head and brushed the snow from her blonde hair. As she pushed herself up, Republic soldiers formed a circle around her.

“Protect the general!”

“What happened?” she asked a major who was at her side, holding a comm unit.

“There’s a massive electromagnetic pulse and interference all along the frequency band that is degrading our communications. It seems to be coming from Malachor Five. We can’t get anything at the moment.”

Mai-Lyn pursed her lips, thinking about his words. “Up your power output to burn through. I must speak to Revan. What’s our status?”

“We’ve broken through in several areas, but resistance is still fierce. They’re fighting us room by room,” the major said and turned to give the signal to boost power to communications. The message was relayed back to a mobile command post two kilometers away and it burned out its batteries to burn through the interference.

The major nodded. “Power output at maximum. You won’t have much time.”

Mai-Lyn keyed the mike. “Revan, I have breached the fortress. What just happened?”

A shuttle near Malachor V

Kayla sat next to Seja, who was sleeping soundly, his face covered in thick bandages. She felt the tear in the Force the moment it occurred and it woke the sleeping Jedi as well and his eyes shot open.

“Wh…what happened?” he asked, bewildered.

“…a billion souls vaporized….”

Kayla sank to the floor and buried her face in her hands. “What have we done?”

Atton came back and saw the Jedi in the throes of psychic agony. He could not understand…not for many years to come. “What’s the deal? I think we just won the war.” He reached down to touch Kayla, but she recoiled.

“Don’t touch me, Jaq! What have we done?”

“We wasted Malachor Five. The war’s over. Malak’s a great hero in my book.”

“You just don’t get it, do you?”

Atton sighed and made a face that showed restrained impatience. He reached for her again, but again, she shrunk away. “Look…Kayla…why…don’t…you explain it to me,” he said slowly, enunciating every word with a forced smile.

Seja stood, but the effort was clearly painful for him. “Jaq, why don’t you leave her be for now. Something terrible has happened to the Force.”

Atton made a motion and started to speak, but he merely grunted and made a face. “Fine, whatever. I’ll just drive the ship.” He started to walk away, but turned one last time. “If you need to talk, you know where to find me,” he said with an uncharacteristic sadness in his voice.

With that, he turned his back on her and walked back to the cockpit, leaving Kayla in a sobbing heap.

The Bridge of the RNS Eagle

When the flash faded from view, the tactical display showed Malachor V as being nearly devoid of Mandalorian units. Revan and the Jedi on the bridge sat in stunned horror. Amid flashing lights and klaxons, a Republic officer shouted, “We have a shockwave and EMP…origin…Malachor Five!”

The display of the Mandalorian homeworld showed a dark splotch on the surface of the planet, like a void, which quickly spread like a raging virus to consume the sphere with radiation and toxic vapors. The greatest horror could not be seen, but by the most powerful of Force users. The essence, which bound all things together, was torn and wounded…perhaps fatally.

Revan watched in horror and then, she stood…stiffly, painfully. “Get Malak on the line this instant,” she said with a cracking voice.

The hologram of the blond Jedi appeared. “Admiral? I have the honor of informing you that we have eliminated the Mandalorians once and for all…Is there something else that you need?” he asked with a hint of impatience. She sensed that he had prepared the statement for her and had expected her call.

Shaking, Revan pointed her finger at him. “You’ve tainted my victory and ruined Malachor Five. You’ve annihilated the entire planet! We are not murderers. The worst of the damage cannot even be seen.”

She stopped and looked down, taking a deep breath. She hated to say this, but it needed to be said. Malak was becoming more willful, resistant…secretive. “Consider this a warning, Malak. I am very displeased that you did this behind my back.”

He bowed curtly…his face contrite. “I am sorry, Revan…forgive me. It shall not happen again.” He said with the barest hint of a smile.

Revan wanted to say more, wanted him to hold her and to beg for her forgiveness. She wanted the old trust, absolute and unwavering, but somewhere in her heart, she knew it would never be again. Her chest tightened into a cold knot and she nodded and switched the commlink off.

Malachor Five is destroyed. We’ve obliterated their homeworld…their people. All chance for peace is over. The Mandalorians will now fight to the death…every last one of them. Those that survive will haunt us for decades.

Her thoughts were broken by the Communications Officer. “Admiral, General T’Sing is calling. The destruction of Malachor Five is causing a lot of interference.”

The general’s hologram appeared, fuzzy and indistinct. “…evan, what happened? I am…tting EMP from within the system…have breached…fortress, but resistance is…heavy. Please advise.”

“It’s gone, Mai-Lyn.”

“Gone? Wh….s gone?”

“Malachor Five…Malak destroyed it…. I destroyed it. It’s my responsibility.”

Mai-Lyn seemed stunned. “All of those people…obliterated. That’s what I felt. The Force….”

“I felt it too,” Revan added. She paused and took a moment to think. “General, we will address this later. For now, complete your assault. You can use this to your advantage. With their interplanetary communications down, the Mandalorians will not know what happened. Let them think that I have been destroyed and stage a retreat. They will smell blood and pursue you. You will know what to do.”

The general nodded grimly. “I do. I will bring you victory.”

Mai-Lyn