Talyc stood before the large team he had assembled. Clan Kandera was present, along with members of other clans who had volunteered to fight the Jedi’s war again, even though it was not a Mandalorian’s duty. The pirates with their Cathar leader were there as well. Some of them looked a little too eager. It didn’t matter; they’d be killing Sith, as long as they remembered that.
            Fane stood to Talyc’s left; Shadie and Knarf stood farther back behind the larger group. The ship was already in hyperspace; they were in one of the Mandalorians’ larger vessels. Many smaller vessels were ready for takeoff in the main hangar, along with starfighters, though Shadie had assured Talyc that most of the battle would be taking place on planet.
            ‘We fight to protect the Jedi Master called Lian,’ Talyc said to them all. A holoimage of Lian was projected so that all knew the face of the Twi’lek they’d be fighting to protect. ‘He is the only one capable of diverting Relsor’s Force attacks. If you feel you are living an illusion, or that someone or something is messing with your mind, voice it immediately. Relsor is known to toy with the minds of others.’ Talyc looked about, and then went on.
            ‘All Mandos are required, upon the request of another, to remove their helmet. I do not make this demand lightly. It is grave that we lost our recent clan leader, Kelbourn, and I do not wish to lose any one of my clan mates today, nor any of my brethren or friends.
            ‘We will head straight for Jedi Lian’s location and fend off any Sith who stand in our way. I believe we are all capable of doing that!’
            There was a roar of cheers and war cries from many.
            ‘The Jedi among us will work their way to Lian and protect him directly. The rest of us are to kill as many Sith as possible.’
            ‘Easy!’ exclaimed one of the pirates.
            ‘If things start to get chaotic,’ continued Talyc, ‘we will divide into two groups. I will lead the first group; Fane will lead the second. Are there any questions?’
            ‘Why does he get to lead the second group?’ said one of Talyc’s clan mates.
            ‘Because he‘s the one who wakes up next to our clan leader in his bed every morning, that’s why,’ said another.
            ‘Well, when you put it that way.’
            ‘Just saying.’
            Fane giggled and looked down. Talyc felt his face get hot. He looked at Fane who reflected back his own shyness.
            ‘Okay,’ Talyc said. ‘You may ready yourselves as you see fit.’
            He turned to Fane and took his hand, and squeezed it gently.

Continue reading Chapter Six

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The Krayt Dragon was in hyperspace and had made its last jump. Brenum sat at the controls; Trylia was at the co-pilot’s seat. Shadie sat next to Fane discussing strategies. Talyc and Knarf sat farther back.
            ‘So, you know what the next step in your relationship is?’ said Knarf, cocking his head in Fane’s direction.
            ‘Yes, I do,’ replied Talyc. ‘You know what the next step in yours is?’ he asked, cocking his head in Shadie’s direction. ‘The next logical step…’
            ‘I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about that. I thought Jedi weren’t allowed…’
            ‘My eye you haven’t thought about it,’ said Talyc, leaning in closer to Knarf to continue in a whisper. ‘And the Jedi Council has granted a lot of permissions for the two of you. As if they’d stop there now.’
            ‘It’s just that it scares me, what with all this dark side power thing and the whole claiming of the Crypt thing. I know I don’t want to lose her, and I am committed to her, for the long haul.’
            ‘So, what’s the problem, then?’ Talyc didn’t get it. Knarf and Shadie were it; they were the embodiment of true love.
            ‘I know what it would mean for Shadie, what it represents in the Force. I guess I just need to find what it means for me, within me.’
            ‘Fair enough.’
            The ship returned to real space as the starlines stopped, and the Crypt, the strange asteroid-like station, loomed in the viewport at a distance.
            ‘We’re approaching the Crypt,’ said Brenum, ‘on a direct vector.’ He turned to look at Fane and at Talyc. ‘Can I trust the two of you with my ship?’
            Fane looked aghast. ‘Brenum! What do you think we’re going to get up to?’
            ‘No, not that!’ Brenum laughed. ‘I mean, can I trust you to fly her gracefully.’
            ‘Oh,’ said Fane, blushing.
            ‘Fly her gracefully?’ said Talyc. ‘Yes. Leave her unscathed? No guarantees.’
            ‘I suppose that’s the best I can hope for,’ said Brenum, looking worried.
            ‘All jokes aside, I’ll take good care of her,’ said Talyc, chuckling.
            They had determined that it would be safer for Talyc and Fane to remain with the ship, seeing as Talyc wasn’t a Force-user, and he and Fane didn’t have a strong Force-bond like Shadie and Knarf or Brenum and Trylia did. They needed to play it safe just in case Relsor was there and would attempt to create illusions in the Force. Besides, someone needed to fly the ship in the event the others needed a quick escape.
            Talyc stood and walked to the viewport as the ship entered the atmospheric field of the Crypt. He shuddered. There was something about it he didn’t like.
            ‘I’m not Force-sensitive,’ he said, ‘but even I feel that.’
            ‘That,’ said Shadie, ‘is the dark side, in its purest and rawest form.’
            ‘Be careful down there, Master,’ said Fane. ‘Stay safe.’
            Talyc looked at Fane; his worry was evident. He took Fane’s hand and squeezed gently. Fane closed his eyes and took a deep breath; a Jedi trick to clear the mind, Talyc knew it to be. He looked at Knarf who understood his concern and nodded back to him. He’d lost one close friend recently; he didn’t need to lose another.

* * *

            The Crypt felt much the same as it had the last time Shadie had been here: heavy, dank, with a strange smell about it, and the dark side being ever strong, ever raw, feeling ever pure. She could feel it calling out to her, craving for her to take it in her bosom and embrace it. 
            ‘Wow,’ said Knarf. ‘This is intense.’
            Brenum and Trylia looked uneasy, but they could use the Force more easily than Knarf could to keep themselves from becoming overwhelmed. Knarf put his helmet on. Shadie had instructed him to relay anything he could back to Talyc, just in case anything went wrong. So far, they were alone, but she knew there were others here, she knew Relsor and Perce were here; she could feel them through the Force.
            They walked along the large area. The Krayt Dragon took flight as soon as they had exited the ship and it now lurked somewhere, secure for now, and hidden. They passed the area where Shadie had fought Kromus the first time, when the dark side had empowered her and somewhat taken over her. She could feel Kromus’s signature in the Force. His presence had been strong.
            “The dark side is absolute,” he had told her. Strangely enough, Relsor has said those same words to Knarf.
            They walked some more, and then she was hit from the side with a blast of intense dark side energy. Her stomach lurched and she felt like keeling over. She held on to Knarf’s arm, feeling dizzy. She looked up: quite a distance away, yet close enough to be seen in full detail, stood Relsor and Perce.

Continue reading Chapter Five

Catch up on previous Star Wars Fan-Fiction from the Shadie story series.

Perhaps you’ll also enjoy Stardust Destinies I: Variate Facing; fantasy action-adventure taking place in a realm strong with magic where prophecies are dictated by dragons. https://binkyproductions.com/stardustdestinies