Star Wars: Dar'Aliit

Chapter Three: Wrong Side of Heaven

20 BBY Umbara

We all know the plan. I crouch beside Nyo. Hook has his back to the tree across from us. On my left is the 212th trooper, Aftermath. The plan is to capture a Jedi. My blaster wavers ready in my hands.

My head hasn't really been able to stop reeling, however. In the silent shadowy world I feel almost like something is coming from every side. The Captain took several troopers back to base. We're holding the forest in case he runs.

He is a Jedi after all. That's the part I can't reconcile no matter how tightly I grip my blaster nor my ideals. The Jedi are supposed to be on our side, fighting with us, for us, for the Republic. But the Captain called him a traitor. He said this guy was using us.

Why? Who would do that?

I shake my head and focus. Somewhere in the distance there's blasterfire and my stomach clenches. You had your chance to speak up. But you know what you're doing.

No one trains us to kill Jedi, though. Let alone apprehend them.

"Relax," Nyo mutters to me. I glance down at him and take a couple of breaths.

"Think of him like a big monster, or beast," Nyo drones on. "Aim for the head and stun."

"You'd think they would teach us what to do when these guys go rogue," Aftermath echoed my own sentiments. He peeks around the corner. "Coming this way," his whisper is rushed.

I see the green double bladed lightsabers seconds later as they slice through bodies. Screaming. I can't unclamp my hands from my blaster.

What's worse is the Jedi is laughing. He leaps between the trees and lands with a thud feet behind us and in that instant I realize that no matter what we might've dreamed about, no matter whether our goals were realistic or just some ideal, it all ends here.

There's carnage in this Jedi's wake. He has no remorse, no feeling for us. We are nothing to him.

And he smiles as he whirls, lightsabers twirling, and I can see that he's relishing this. We're his prey.

"Traitor!" Hook lunges out of hiding. He fires wild. I almost leap out after him, but Nyo grabs me. I almost stumble, eyes on Hook as the jedi whirls, zeroing in on Hook.

"We have to rescue him!" I stagger out. "Hook!" I fire two stun bolts. With a twirl of his hand, General Krell deflects both and finishes by sinking the lightsaber through Hook's chest.

I gag.

We're spotted.

"Insolent clones," Krell sputters and he's sailing toward us, running faster than I would've imagined an alien of his size could.

"Go!" Nyo yells.

Aftermath leaps out in front of me. I fire stun bolts over Aftermath's shoulder. Nyo runs around and we fire at the blinding light of whirling lightsabers which barely mask the shadow barreling down on us. Aftermath lunges aside as a lightsaber sweeps his way. I back up a step. I want to run, and I want to see this guy dead.

Then the Jedi pauses, and I look up. I have a clear shot at his head. I could kill him right here, right now, but he's gloating. He knows we're nothing.

And I know it too.

"Useless," Krell hisses.

I snap up my blaster already knowing I won't make it. The green blade cuts the sky.

"Kian!" Nyo skids up in front of me and gets off a shot. It sails uselessly through the sky, though and the green lightsaber completes it's path, carving through Nyo's body instead of mine.