New Republic

The New Republic

Prologue

Date: 5 ABY

Location: the planet of Dorlo

Qu Rahn had retrieved the linguistics expert. Casualties had been received but the mission was almost complete. They had retreated back to the ship under constant harassment from Imperial forces. “Sir, 100 metres and closing fast. Looks like an entire company.” Qu Rahn stopped and stared back through the narrow mountain pass they had just left. Behind them were many storm troopers. They became an ordered rank and marched through the pass, and the first laser blasts from the front row went wide around the small Republican group.

“Take the package into the corvette. We’ll hold them as long as we can. Signal when you’re ready.”

“Yes Sir!” With those words, Druno Dree took Nij Por Ral inside the ship, and the remaining soldiers stood their ground.

Before the storm troopers could exit the mountain pass, the Republican soldiers opened fire. Five fell, but the others didn’t relent. The first soldiers of the Republic fell to laser blasts. Despite fierce resistance, all was lost the moment the first vehicles came through the pass. By now, only three remained. Qu Rahn, the Jedi Master, Cee Norley, a heavy weapons expert and Rolanda Gron. “Qu Rahn! The corvette’s ready, get in now!” Qu Rahn hit back lasers with his lightsaber before beckoning to the survivors.

“Hurry, the ship is ready!” Rolanda was a blur as he ran inside the ship, and Qu Rahn followed. He looked back quickly, only to see Cee Norley standing her ground. She had the rocket launcher, and was aiming at one of the vehicles.

“Go! I’ll hold them here.” She fired a rocket straight at one of the vehicles. It hit the side, and the vehicle crumpled in and crashed into a storm trooper. She suddenly dropped the weapon and clutched at her throat. As the door to the ship began to close, Qu Rahn saw a dark robed figure extending his hand towards her, his fingers twisted into a malicious grip on the air. He saw a single laser blast burn through her chest, and she fell to the ground, dead.

The ship left the death behind as she climbed ever higher into the sky, and eventually the comforting dark of space greeted Qu Rahn as they left the planet in silence. “Qu Rahn, Sir? Radar’s got movement. Looks like a flagship.”

“Where?” Druno nervously licked his lips and cleared his throat before continuing.

“Close enough that we won’t escape, Sir.” Qu Rahn looked at the pitiful collection of survivors. Nij Por Ral was dirty and covered in wounds from torture. Only more would await him now. The ship suddenly jerked to a halt, and Qu Rahn fell to the floor from the sudden jolt. Before Druno spoke, he knew what had happened. “Tractor beam!”

They waited, and it seemed like hours passed. “What are they waiting for?” Nij Por Ral rasped. Qu Rahn heard a hissing in the ventilation shafts. A green gas oozed from the vents all over the ship, and Qu Rahn inhaled a deep load of the gas before he stumbled backwards and collapsed heavily to the ground. The rest was darkness.

Qu Rahn awoke on board an unfamiliar ship. He could feel the engine humming through the wall he was propped up against. For a brief moment, he thought he’d been rescued. His hope was dashed as he heard a voice he had heard many times. “Prisoner’s are starting to wake. Send for the Sith.” Imperial troopers had been watching him in the darkest corner of the room. He saw them exit, and he looked around. His cell was large, and the bodies of the others on the corvette surrounded him. They were slowly rousing. “What happened to us? What ship are we on?” Qu Rahn shushed them.

“We’re on an Imperial ship. They’re coming for us. Any minute now. I am going to be blunt. They will kill us all. There is no doubt about that. Under no circumstances are you to say anything. Tell them nothing. They are coming. I can sense the energy of the dark side approaching.” The door in the room slid open, and a single figure walked inside.

“Qu Rahn, I should have expected you to be the perpetrator. It’s a shame that a Jedi as strong as you was captured in such a small fight. The bloodshed should have been much larger.”

They were taken from the cell one by one. When only Qu Rahn and Nij Por Ral were the last, they took them both together. Jerec awaited them. Qu Rahn and the linguistic were forced to kneel. Jerec took his lightsaber from inside his robe. He held it casually, and a beam of red elongated from the handle. He chuckled at Qu Rahn, and then in a single swift motion, he beheaded Nij Por Ral. Qu Rahn could only close his eyes as the body of the man he had sworn to save thudded to the metal deck.

Jerec looked down at Qu Rahn and said only one thing. “The valley of the Jedi.” Qu Rahn felt memories flooding back at the mention of the sole thing Qu Rahn had devoted his life to finding. And before he could lock the memories and knowledge he had learned away, Jerec had placed his hands on Qu Rahn, and began probing his mind. Qu Rahn grunted with the effort of coping with the pain, and he knew he had failed as the knowledge flooded from him and into Jerec.

Jerec released Qu Rahn, coughing and shuddering. “Interesting. It seemed you did a lot of the work for me. Impressive. But now I’m afraid, you must die.” Qu Rahn looked up then, and stared into the hard eyes of his enemy.

“No… You won’t live long enough the harness that sacred power.” Jerec feigned a look of surprise and burst out laughing. While he did, Qu Rahn quickly used the force, and a lightsaber flew into his hand. He closed his grip on the weapon, and unleashed it at an angle, cutting through his chains. He made to cut through Jerec, but the Sith was too fast, and quickly deflected the wild stab. He force pushed Qu Rahn to the back of the room.

“Maw, deal with him.” Jerec left the room, and Maw ran at Qu Rahn, lightsaber at the ready. Qu Rahn stood, and countered the charge. He quickly swung the lightsaber backwards, cutting through the flesh of Maw’s ribs. He yelled and crumpled to the floor. Before he could turn to face the next Sith, a lightsaber speared him through the chest, and he was cut down by a gang of Sith, unable to stop his enemy.

nice. when i read Qu Rahn i couldnt stop thinkin about my favourite book

Ha! I was thinking about you everytime I wrote his name.
He is a real Star Wars character though.