Fiction Gallery

Vreva propped her feet up on the wall of the Nighthawk, braids dangling down past her seat. She watched the others from her topsy-turvy view as they gathered their things for the mission ahead. Everything she needed was with her pack. Her rifle was already cleaned and loaded, her blade sharpened.

She was so bored.

"Blood rushing to your head, yet?" Paum mused as he checked his pack.

"Not yet," she replied, though when she righted herself she felt just the slightest bit of nausea. She exhaled with a deep sigh as she bounced her knee. "When the kark are we getting there? Want to get this cleanup done so we can count the creds and be on to the next."

"On to the next?"

"I need to kill something."

Paum let out a whoosh of air through his blowhole. "Vreva. Not every mission has to be to the death. Creds are creds."

"Not for me." Vreva drew one knee up to her chest and wrapped her arms around it. She stared ahead at the far wall and refused to meet whatever look he gave her.

She could still hear the disappointment in his tone. "Vreva..."

"You knew what you signed up for, big guy. Just let me complain." She dragged her pack closer and started to sort out its contents on the seat beside her. Anything to keep her focus elsewhere. Paum wouldn't understand. He couldn't.

"How about a spar when we get back? You and me, like old times. Get some of that energy out."

"It's not that." Her brow furrowed as she returned each item in the same haphazard jumble within her pack.

"You want a challenge."

"I want to kill something." Vreva's yellow eyes turned on Paum. His own ruddy hues met her intimidating glare with a calmness that stifled her anger.

"What's wrong?" Paum asked.

His words caused her fire to flare again. Her nose wrinkled. "Nothing."

"Just a murderous streak?"

"I'm a paid murderer, Paum-Paum. It's what I do."

"You're more than a killer, Vreva."

Vreva laughed loud at that. Loud enough for others to glance her way. She gave a manic grin, daring them to say anything. This is what they paid her for. A Sith. A weapon.

"Didn't think you'd drink before a mission," she said in a biting snarl. Vreva knew it wasn't the truth, and Paum didn't flinch from her words. They both knew she was deflecting, concealing herself from him.

"If only. Might make this trip go by faster." Paum chuffed, then placed a large hand on the zabrak's shoulder. She shrugged off his touch as if burned by it, and his expression turned to a deep frown.

It hurt her in turn to see him so hurt, though she refused to give up her vitriol. "Let's just focus on the mission ahead," she said bitterly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Get this done, and see what comes next."

Paum remained silent at that and mirrored her stance. It was a quiet trip to Gethsemane.

Caerbannog valley, Kushibah.

It was nine years ago, in 16 ABY, when Wenet first experienced the Force. She had only just turned six a week prior, making her an adolescent for her kind and she was proud of it, as were her parents. It was late in the afternoon, they were just returning home from the market..

“Look at our Wenet, growing up so fast” Nun said to Unas as they pulled the wagon along the narrow path that led to their land. They watched their eldest daughter walking ahead of them with her siblings. She was holding hands with the twins, Tomna and Dashan, singing a song they had heard in town that day. Their brother hopped next to them, singing as well. “Few more years and she'll start a family of her own” Unas replied, but the way he said it made it sound sarcastic just as he intended. Nun looked at her husband “I do hope so. It is time she let go of those ridiculous dreams” she replied. According to them, Wenet was a dreamer, she had her head in the clouds, thinking about what else was out there in the galaxy. But Kushiban rarely left their home world, it just wasn't their way. So hearing their daughter talk about becoming a pilot was a shock, they even felt a little embarrassed about it, “I heard them talk in town, whispering when they saw her” Nun said softly, “I don't want her to get upset” she added. “Don't worry, we're still here” Unas replied and squeezed his wife's hand.

The sun stood low on the horizon, “we better hurry, It's going to be dark soon” Unas said as they continued their walk home. It was then when they heard a screech in the distance. All of them immediately stopped in their tracks, their ears stood straight on the top of their heads as they listened. Again, a loud screech that echoed across the valley. “Xinkras” Nun said, “kids, quiet.. we have to get home fast!” She didn't have to say it twice, they all knew the drill.

The children let go of each other's hands and began to run on all fours, they were faster that way. Wenet looked over her shoulder to her parents. They weren't as fast as they were pulling the wagon with supplies. She had a bad feeling but knew she had to get her brothers and sister back to their home. The sound of screeching became louder, the Xinkra were getting closer.

It took only a couple of minutes until they reached the farm. Unas and Nun brought the kids inside. The twins immediately jumped into bed, hiding themselves under their blanket. Wenet and her brother, Lochtay, stood at the window, looking outside. “Get away from that window” Nun pulled them away just before a large pack of Xinkras appeared. Screeching loudly they moved around the house, the ground trembled as they were searching for their prey hiding inside the house. Unas looked out of the window, “we have to scare them off, they are destroying our crops” he told his wives. In a few weeks the harvest would start, they couldn't afford losing everything now. He grabbed the scythe and walked to the door “there's too many Unas” Nun told him, hoping he would stay. “Listen” he replied, they could hear the bells in town “the people are coming, we just need to hold them off for a few minutes. Or we'll have no crops left” he added and opened the door. “Then I'm coming with you!” Nun replied and grabbed a burning torch, fire often scared them off. “Mommy!” The twins cried when they saw their mom leave. “Watch your brothers and sister, Wenet. Don't come outside.” The door closed behind her.

At once Wenet and her brother returned to the window, watching their parents trying to scare the Xinkras off. At first they seemed to succeed but then all of a sudden another beast appeared out of nowhere. The Alpha, it was bigger than any of the others in the pack and with ease It scooped their father up with its massive jaw. “NOOO!!!!” Lochtay yelled and hugged his sister, burying his face in her fur. Wenet kept looking, she saw how the beast threw their father up in the air and swallowed him whole “Dad!.. no.”

Wenet peeled her brother's arms off her. “Stay here!” she said as she rushed to the door. “Wenet! You can't” but she was already outside and had picked up her father's scythe. Her mother was still trying to fight off the beasts with fire, but the alpha wasn't afraid at all. With its tail it hit the burning torch out of her hands, causing her to fall. The towering beast stepped on her, crushing her to death.

“NOOOOOOO!!!” seeing it happen, Wenet was filled with rage. She began to sprint toward her mom, feeling a burst of energy that made her unnaturally fast. Just as the alpha picked up Nun, Wenet launched herself at him and struck him with the scythe across its head. The beast roared and slammed Wenet with its claw to the ground.

boom!

The last thing she saw was the beast running off with the lifeless body of her mom between its jaws. It was chased away by a mob of townspeople carrying torches and primitive weapons.

Not until much later, Wenet finally learned it was Force that she had felt that awful night. Sparked by the raw emotions she felt, anger, fear and love. It made her faster and stronger and it gave her courage to do what she did. Unfortunately without training or experience even she never stood a chance. She was left with an ugly scar across her face, to remind her every single day of that dreadful night when she lost both her parents...

Aris found himself walking down a small town shopping district, the sound of the townsfolk and merchants filling the air around him. He was in somewhat of a sad mood due to his Master’s passing around this time last year. He decided that his Master would not want him to lose heart or forget his training. He carried on the ways and traditions of the Jedi for his Master.

He became a Padawan just before the establishment of the New Republic. His master taught him to control his feelings just as she was taught by her master before the Clone Wars.

He spaced out slightly, thinking about his master as he made his way back to his ship. He didn’t notice a figure in a black cloak walking towards him. They bumped shoulders but the figure kept moving. Aris stopped for a moment and looked back at the figure. He could tell they were female by the manner in which they moved as well as the long, brown hair moving just past the edge of her cloak as the current of the breeze blew past her.

He could feel the conflict within her. The confusion. The hatred. He wanted to stop her but decided to carry on his way.

The figure in the black cloak looked behind her, revealing her face as she stared at the man she had bumped shoulders with. It was Elaine. Her green and blue eyes lingered on him for a moment after sensing the light side of The Force within him. She wondered what it must feel like to not have conflict. Not carry the hatred that haunted her.

She quickly dismissed the feelings and hope she was feeling for she knew that she could never know that freedom. She was trapped and any curiosity of what the light side held would get her killed. She was a Sith among many others who were more powerful than her.

She carried on with her mission and returned to her bedchambers in the Monolith. She laid there on her bed, in the dark, looking up at the ceiling while she was lost in thought as she doubted her way of life.

Why am I here? What’s the point? She thought. Her line of thinking only made her angry at herself for being so confused. She turned onto her side and closed her eyes then allowed herself to drift off to sleep.

A Few Hours Into The Night

Elaine opened her eyes, looking around what appears to be a town alleyway. Where am I and how did I get here? She thought.

She noticed a shadow that was much larger than her own being cast on the ground in front of her. She turned around and saw a big, white, furry creature that had sharp teeth and two horns pointing towards its mouth.

She swiftly leapt backwards and reached for her lightsaber. Much to her surprise, it was missing. My lightsaber! She thought as she looked for any other one of her weapons.

Where are my weapons?! More importantly, what is a wampa doing in a place like this? She had a feeling of trepidation while she tried to think of what to do next.

Unfortunately this concludes the fiction as I was unable to finish it in the required time. I do apologize and hope you enjoyed reading what little there was.

Raven Requiem "Nite Owl" Edition

Hector Von Ricmore sat within the cockpit of his personal vessel, Raven Requiem. The ship had exited hyperspace in the Umbara system and slowly drifted towards Umbara. While the vessel lacked any electronic methods for disguising its signature, Hector had slowed the vessel down to reduce its emissions and made use of the vessels current dark color scheme to aid in repelling the eyes of most sentients.

Aboard the craft were 28 sentients including Hector. Each man and woman were garbed in dark gray armor and had been outfitted with Light Amplification goggles and a suppressed slugthrower in addition to their regular weaponry. These beings had mixed backgrounds. Some were Iron Legion soldiers. Others were Mandalorian and Non Mandalorian members of Vizsla. All had been chosen for their stealth capabilities and their professionalism. Despite their differences they would work together to accomplish the mission.

This group had a simple task. Acquire an ancient mandalorian insignia from an Umbara dig site. Vizsla intelligence claimed that the dig leader was a Duros named Renick Voss. He was known to be involved in black market archaeology trades. Voss could prove to be a useful asset and the group set out with the secondary objective of capturing him for Clan Vizsla.

The nature of the dig site as a black market zone made this mission a simple one. Without having to worry about innocent civilians the group merely had to ensure that Voss was not caught in the crossfire.

Hector landed his vessel and disembarked alongside his allies. Each turned on their low light amplification goggles. The 28 man strike force was divided into 4 groups of 7.

The teams separated; each approached the dig site from a different angle.

Hector’s team pushed forward towards the digsite. The planet of Umbara experienced no sunlight on its surface. The eternal night would aid the teams in approaching unseen.

The Kiffar held his slugthrower rifle in hand as he led the group from the front. His eyes caught sight of the slightest movement from the planet's surface. He raised his rifle, thumbing the fire selector switch to automatic, and let loose a torrent of suppressed shots at the tendril barrelling towards him.

Death’s embrace was one of the flora native to Umbara. It was a predatory plant that would lie in wait; grasping and strangeling sentients when the opportunity arose.

Hector’s allies joined him in firing on the plant, which soon ceased its struggles entirely.

“Umbara is filled with dangerous wildlife. Keep your eyes and ears open.” The Dark Jedi reminded the group. His allies nodded as the squad resumed their trek towards the dig site.

The various teams had arrived at the location. They began to stealthily take down roaming guards with their suppressed slugthrowers.

The unit came across Renick Voss. Before they could secure him a horde of animals flew towards them.

“Banshees fast and low!” A soldier called.

They abandoned their slugthrowers, pulling out blaster rifles and firing at the beasts.

Hector fired his slugthrower until the magazine ran out of ammo. Instead of reloading he held out his right hand, throwing arcs of lightning into the creatures.

With the beasts slain one of the troops fired a stun blast into Renick. The dealer had the artifact on his person.

With their objective complete the Vizsla force returned to Hector’s ship and headed home.