The Fourteenth Great Jedi War left deep wounds across the surface of Arx. One such victim, unnoticed by the Brotherhood at large, was the Corrino Research Laboratory on the marshy continent of Uskil. The Collective had assaulted the Shadow Academy's Nesolat platform to gain access to the surface of Arx, its strategic importance dwarfing its role as an isolated research facility. When the battle moved to the planet's surface, the Nesolat was discarded like so much chaff, and debris from the disintegrating station was scattered across the planet.

Some of that debris struck the specimen habitat, damaging them enough for the specimens contained within to escape into Uskil’s swampy wilderness. In the aftermath of the invasion, playing animal control was a low priority for the Iron Throne, but the beasts became more of a nuisance—and even a danger—as time went on. Their exposure to the maelstrom of Force energies around Uskil, stirred up by the Grand Master’s ritual during the invasion, has made the creatures aggressive and unpredictable.

Rather than wandering Uskil’s swampy, storm-soaked wildlands, many of the escaped beasts have since returned to their ruined habitats, finding the climate more to their liking; it was designed for them, after all. They’ve since become extremely territorial, attacking any Shadow Academy staff who try to remove them so the habitats can be rebuilt. Rather than continue to delay the Academy’s research and sacrifice hapless construction workers and lab technicians, the Headmistress has put out a call to any members of the Brotherhood who are willing to help with the problem.

Your goal in this scenario is to subdue and capture the hostile creature so that it can be transported to a different facility for further testing. As the creature has been modified by the Academy’s scientists, the Headmistress would strongly prefer that you capture it alive, rather than killing it and forcing the researchers to make do with data from a dead specimen.

Granta Prackx had not admitted it, but she had never met a Shistavanen before. That had changed when Headmaster Tearnan had introduced her to Fenrir, who towered above even Prackx.

Conversation was minimal as the pair approached the damaged research facility. All that their briefing had stated was that a number of very dangerous animals had escaped from their holding pens and were at large in the area. Teams of two were now combing the continent of Uskill. The majority of the teams were members of the Brotherhood’s clans, but a few, like Prackx, preferred to keep their distance. She was planning on a trip to the Caelus system to confirm a rumour that her bitter enemy, Kookimarissia Mimosa, was no longer part of her beloved Andrelious’ life.

“So which of the clans are you part of?” Prackx asked casually.

“Plagueis,” Fenrir growled, not wasting any words.

“I think Andrelious was there for a while, along with that dreadful woman who used to treat him like some kind of slave. Did you hear anything about her disappearing?” Granta continued.

The Shistavanen turned to look at his partner, appearing to have not quite understood the question. He eventually shrugged his shoulders then pointed to the way ahead, a gesture that told the Human that Fenrir just wanted to get on with things.

Prackx nodded in response and the two Force users entered the remains of what appeared to be a heavily wooded area. Granta guessed immediately that this area had once been one of the many habitats created to house the deadly predators that the lab was researching.

“Best we keep moving. These things are probably going to try to jump us from the trees,” the Juggernaut declared, looking upwards to see if she could spot anything. Aside from a few small birds roosting, however, there was nothing.

As her foot snapped a small twig, she heard an unusual noise. The HUD in her helmet immediately began processing the noise to find out exactly what had made it. Seconds later, the HUD flashed a warning in deep red letters.

“I think we’ve found our prey. My helmet says that noise is most likely a Lylek. Be ready for a fight, they’re pack hunters. We might get outnumbered very quickly,” Prackx warned, tapping her helmet as if to emphasise her statement.

“Understood,” Fenris replied as he brandished his Mythosaur axe.

The female allowed herself a brief smirk at the Shistavanen’s weapon. It appeared primitive, but technology wasn’t always the answer; it was clear that the axe would be incredibly dangerous in the hands of somebody who knew how to handle it.

Granta had been hoping that she and Fenrir would have been able to spot their target from a distance, allowing her to use her DLT-20A, but with so many trees and the potential of multiple enemies, the correct choice of weapon was most likely her lightsaber.

As the crimson blade of the Sith’s lightsaber came into being, Fenrir growled and swung his axe. The swing was well-aimed and powerful, and it cut straight through the neck of a Lylek that was charging towards the Plagueian. Another two Lyleks started to approach Prackx, but the female went on the offensive, killing both with a single slash of her lightsaber.

“There’s going to be more where they came from! Let’s just hope the Queen’s not with them!” Prackx yelled as her HUD confirmed there were indeed many other Lyleks in the vicinity.

It was going to be a busy day.