The planet of Crait, known mostly for its salt covered red soil and minerals, became the setting for the reborn legend of Luke Skywalker. The tale of the First Order's siege upon the remnants of the Resistance and Skywalker’s solitary last stand spread like wildfire throughout the galaxy. The scars born of the siege still remain, alongside the breached and empty carcass of what was once a rebel base. After what became known as the Battle of Crait, the planet now sits forgotten by the First Order and Resistance alike. Which makes it the perfect place for scavengers and adventurers.

The crystalline flats extend far into the horizon until the distance ceases to hold meaning. The scorched salt mingle with the red soil, forcibly fused together by the violent discharge of heavy artillery fire. Old rebel speeders lie as skeletal reminders of the toll that the Resistance had paid in staging their last stand. Most of the parts have already stripped of what parts survived.

Standing opposite the endless flats is an expansive mountain side that stands almost completely vertical. Climbing it would be a difficult, if not impossible prospect. Tall, heavily armored doors—now breached—are built into the mountainside itself and mark the entrance to the abandoned base.

The approach to the base is lined by fallen turrets and crumbled trenches. Once inside, various crates and shrapnel litter the ground and offer nothing of value, save for cover when in need. The cave system expands outward from the entrance in a winding maze of crystalline pathways. If traveled long enough, and with some luck, an unmarked exit lies to be found. The hangar itself is divided into purposeful quadrants, with a command station situated deeper inside that leads to supply rooms and barracks.

Standing on the salted ground gives even the least perceptive a sense of gravity. The weight of what transpired is undeniable, with the visible reminders there for all to see if they care to look.

The planet is also known for its native crystal critters—Vulptex—which can leave the safety of their underground tunnels to investigate new visitors to their terrain.

It had finally come to this. Clan Plagueis had been pushed to it's ultimate limits, with Supreme Chancellor Appius Wight and Dread Lord Selika Roh facing off on another part of the planet. Grand Admiral Teebu Nyrrire however, had been tasked with crushing the remainder of the Clan's forces.

His shuttle descended from orbit, hovering over a group of eight All Terrain MegaCaliber Six Walkers. Just ahead of them on the moon of Crait was the base where the remainder of their forces had taken refuge. Originally it had been Teebu's plan to just eradicate them, but it was then that he spotted an old friend slowly exit from the base onto the field below. Nora Olen. The AT-M6's took aim at her, but the white armored Ewok raised his hand and spoke through his helmet's voice modulator in a metallic raspy voice similar to that of Darth Vader. "Hold. Bring the shuttle to the ground and lower the ramp."

The AT-M6's, with targeting locks active, did not fire upon the lone Plagueian member that stood below. It was only half a minute before the shuttle had lowered to the ground, with ramp lowered and off strode Teebu. His white cape flowed with the gusty winds that were present in the area they were, held on only by his golden epaulets and clasps. At his sides, were both of his white and golden lightsabers. His pistol holster was empty, having left it behind as he wanted to finish this war with honor.

Teebu stopped roughly sixty feet away from Nora, both of them staring at each other. He shrugged his shoulders upward, letting the clasps of his cape release and it immediately dropped to the ground.

He crossed his arms in front of him, grasping each of his lightsabers, pulling them forward quickly while activating them. The left blade was a brilliant red orange with a flaming glow, the right a somber light blue with a frosty cold glow.

"Hello, Nora," Teebu said, with a false sense of surprise in his voice, "I did not expect to see you here."

"Save it," Nora hissed as she clenched her fist, "You've basically already won this war, why are you being so savage?"

Teebu gave a shrug. "I am simply returning the favor."

"Then I will do what I must." Nora responded with a calm voice, raising and holding her lightsaber up in front of her, letting the blue blade ignite straight upward. She kept her eyes locked on Teebu, knowing the lives of everyone in the base behind her hinged on this battle. If she fell, those she was protecting would die. She could not fall. She would not.

Teebu held his lightsabers slightly behind him as he charged in towards her. He lept up into the air and spun around, spiraling his sabers in front of him. Nora took several steps back to avoid the first swing, raising her lightsaber to parry the second strike.

She moved inward, striking in and down to the left then to the right after it was directly parried. Each strike between them was fairly high speed, with Nora having an ever so slight advantage in skill. With that, Teebu was an expert with lightsabers as well despite not being a force sensitive.

Both of them were pacing themselves carefully to conserve energy, trying to weaken the other and force them to expend more energy than the other. Teebu was having an easier time of this than Nora, given his much higher athletic ability.

As they dueled, the wind picked up, kicking up red dust and salt that swirled around them. The AT-M6 walkers loomed in the background, silent witnesses to the fight.

Teebu took a step back, switching his stance and bringing his lightsabers up in a defensive position. "You fight well, Nora," he said. "But you cannot win."

Nora gritted her teeth and lunged forward, her lightsaber flashing as she aimed for Teebu's neck. He parried the blow with ease, then swung his left lightsaber in a wide arc. Nora dodged to the side, her foot slipping on the salted ground.

Teebu took advantage of her momentary imbalance, pressing his attack with renewed vigor. Nora struggled to keep up, her muscles beginning to ache from the strain.

But she refused to give up. She drew upon the last of her strength, driving Teebu back with a flurry of strikes that forced him to retreat. They circled each other, panting heavily, their lightsabers crackling with energy.

Suddenly, a loud rumble shook the ground beneath their feet. The walkers had started to move, their massive legs crushing the salt and red soil beneath them.

Teebu took advantage of the distraction, lunging forward with his lightsabers raised. Nora barely managed to deflect the blow, then spun around and kicked him in the stomach.

He stumbled back, his white armor clanging as he hit the ground. Nora raised her lightsaber, ready to deliver the killing blow.

But she hesitated. In that moment, Teebu's hand shot out and grabbed her ankle, pulling her off balance. He flipped up onto his feet, then swung his lightsabers in a swift arc that sent Nora's lightsaber flying out of her hand.

She stumbled back, her eyes widening in shock. Teebu advanced on her, his lightsabers humming as he prepared to strike.

But before he could, a group of Vulptex burst out of the ground, their crystalline fur shimmering in the sunlight. They surrounded Teebu, their high-pitched cries piercing the air.

Teebu hesitated, glancing around in confusion. It was enough of a distraction for Nora to dive for her lightsaber and ignite it, its blue blade humming to life.

She charged forward, her lightsaber flashing as she swung it at Teebu's head. He barely managed to block the blow, then retreated as Nora pressed her attack.

The Vulptex surrounded them, their cries growing louder and more urgent. The ground shook as the walkers approached, their massive legs crushing the crystals and dirt beneath them.

Nora and Teebu continued to duel, their lightsabers flashing as they circled each other. But their attention was split between each other and the approaching walkers, and they both knew that they were running out of time.

They exchanged one final blow, then broke apart and ran in opposite directions. Nora sprinted towards the base, her heart pounding in her chest. Teebu sprinted towards the walkers, his white armor glinting in the sunlight.

The Vulptex followed him, their cries echoing in the distance. Nora burst into the base, gasping for breath. She turned and watched as Teebu disappeared into the distance, his lightsabers humming in his hands.

The Battle of Crait was far from over. But for now, Nora had bought her clan some time. And that was all that mattered.

As Teebu made his way back into his shuttle, he immediately moved to the cockpit.

"Sir?" one of the pilots asked, "What are your orders?"

"Destroy that base," he yelled as he looked out the viewport, "Now!"

The AT-M6's turned their gaze to the main doors of the base and opened fire with a full barrage at the main gate. Other shuttles began to land on the ground, unloading troops that began to advance towards the base. As the walkers stopped firing, the main gate was completely blown wide open. The troops funneled their way inside, Teebu staring straight ahead out of the viewport.

It was but a minute or two before one of the unit leaders responded over a communications channel. "Sir, no sign of the remaining Plagueis forces. The base is empty."

Teebu slowly turned his head towards the console, reaching over the pilot and keying into the channel.

"What do you mean gone?" he hissed with an angry tone.

"The base is empty si-hold one moment," the leader started to respond, but then paused for a moment before continuing. "It seems there was a rear area that allowed them to escape from the base. The path itself is blocked by rubble, we have no way to pursue."

With a clenched fist, the Ewok slammed it on the shuttle's wall. "Sithspit. Send the forces into the mountain ranges behind the base, locate the Plagueians. I want them alive."

"Understood, sir." the leader responded before the comm closed. Teebu let out a sigh before proceeding to the back of the shuttle. "Take us back to orbit, check with the Summit Guard. I want to know the status of the Supreme Chancellor. And make sure the fleet blockades the planet, I don't want anyone leaving."

Though they had lost this brief battle, the war was definitely far from over. It would be a cold day before he allowed them to escape from Crait. Nora and the others would be his.

As Teebu's shuttle soared through the atmosphere, the Plagueis forces were already on the move, making their way through the treacherous mountain ranges behind the base. Nora and her team were leading the way, their hearts pounding with adrenaline as they ran through the narrow passages and rocky terrain.

They could hear the sounds of blaster fire in the distance, and they knew that the Summit Guard had arrived. They had to move quickly if they wanted to escape.

Nora's mind raced as she thought about their next move. They couldn't outrun the Summit Guard forever, but they couldn't fight their way out either. They needed a plan, and fast.

"Everyone, stop," she said, holding up a hand to signal for the others to halt. "We need to think this through."

They huddled together, their eyes scanning the rocky terrain for any sign of the enemy.

"We could split up," suggested one of the other Plagueians. "It would make it harder for them to find us."

Nora shook her head. "No, that's too risky. We need to stay together."

"Then what do we do?" asked another.

Nora paused, her mind racing with possibilities. And then it hit her.

"We need to find a way off this planet," she said. "We can't keep running forever. But if we can find a way off this planet, we can regroup and come back stronger."

The others nodded in agreement, and they set off again, moving quickly through the rocky terrain.

As they ran, Nora's mind raced with possibilities. There had to be a way off this planet, some kind of escape pod or shuttle that they could use.

And then she saw it. A small, rusted shuttle sat nestled in a rocky crevice, its engines smoking and sputtering.

"Over there," she shouted, pointing towards the shuttle. "That's our way out."

They sprinted towards the shuttle, their hearts pounding with excitement. As they drew closer, they could see that the shuttle was badly damaged, its hull scorched and pitted.

"We can't fly this thing," said one of the Plagueians, shaking his head. "It's too damaged."

Nora frowned, her mind racing with possibilities. And then she had an idea.

"We don't need to fly it," she said. "We just need to get it into orbit. If we can signal for help, we can get off this planet."

The others nodded in agreement, and they set to work, using their lightsabers to pry open the shuttle's hatch.

As they climbed inside, they could hear the sounds of blaster fire in the distance. They had to move quickly if they wanted to get off the planet alive.

Nora raced to the cockpit, her fingers flying over the controls as she tried to bring the engines online.

And then she felt it. A sudden jolt rocked the shuttle, sending her flying backwards. She could hear the sounds of metal tearing and twisting, and she knew that they were in trouble.

"Everyone, brace yourselves," she shouted, holding on tight to the controls as the shuttle began to shake violently.

And then, with a final, wrenching jolt, the shuttle broke free of the rocky crevice and soared into the sky.

Nora breathed a sigh of relief as they climbed higher and higher, leaving the planet's surface far behind. But she knew that their problems were far from over.

They had to signal for help, and they had to do it fast. But with the shuttle badly damaged and their supplies running low, their chances of survival were slim.

As they soared through the depths of space, Nora's mind raced with possibilities. They had to find a way to signal for help.

Nora and her team huddled in the cockpit of the damaged shuttle, their eyes scanning the stars for any sign of rescue. They had been floating in space for hours, their supplies running dangerously low.

"We have to conserve our resources," Nora said, her voice quiet but firm. "We don't know how long we'll be out here."

The others nodded in agreement, their faces drawn with exhaustion and fear.

They spent the next few hours huddled together, their minds racing with possibilities. They could try to repair the shuttle, but without the proper tools and supplies, it seemed unlikely. They could try to make a distress call, but with the shuttle's communications system damaged, they weren't sure if anyone would hear them.

As they sat in silence, Nora's thoughts turned to the Plagueis forces they had left behind on the planet's surface. She couldn't help but wonder if they had made it out alive, or if they had been captured or killed by the Summit Guard.

She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind. They had to focus on their own survival, at least for now.

And then, out of the darkness, a faint blip appeared on the shuttle's sensors. Nora's heart leapt in her chest as she realized what it was.

"A ship," she whispered, pointing towards the screen. "It's coming towards us."

The others crowded around, their eyes fixed on the screen as the blip grew larger and larger.

And then, with a burst of light, the ship appeared before them, its sleek hull gleaming in the starlight.

Nora's heart raced as she realized what it was. It was a Republic cruiser, the very same ship that had been sent to investigate the Plagueis outpost.

She quickly activated the shuttle's distress beacon, hoping that the Republic forces would pick up the signal.

And then, with a final burst of energy, the shuttle's engines sputtered and died. They were adrift once again, their fate now in the hands of the Republic.

As they waited in tense silence, Nora's mind raced with possibilities. What would happen when the Republic arrived? Would they be rescued, or would they be taken prisoner? And what would become of the Plagueis forces they had left behind?

The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity. And then, finally, they saw it. A group of Republic fighters appeared on the horizon, their engines roaring as they approached the shuttle.

Nora's heart leapt in her chest as she realized what it meant. They had been saved.

The Republic forces quickly boarded the shuttle, their faces grim with concern as they surveyed the damage.

"We got your distress signal," one of the soldiers said, his voice calm but urgent. "We're here to help."

Nora breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that they had made it. They were going to be rescued.

As they were taken aboard the Republic cruiser, Nora's mind raced with possibilities. What would become of them now? Would they be hailed as heroes, or would they be taken into custody as suspected terrorists?

She shook her head, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind. For now, all that mattered was that they were safe.

As they settled into their quarters aboard the cruiser, Nora couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. They had narrowly escaped death, but their fight was far from over.

The Plagueis forces were still out there, still fighting against the tyranny of the Summit Guard. And as long as they continued to fight, Nora knew that they would always be a part of their struggle.

For now, though, they would rest, and they would wait for the next chapter of their journey to unfold.