Jedi Insurgency 192

Deflector shields constantly flickering under strain, and the boom of turbolasers firing every second, this was the current situation for the Executrix. 

The Empire's latest war machine was conducting her maiden voyage, and was flanked by dozens of other ISDs, and other support craft. Bombarding a Hutt corvette, the enemy craft was transformed into a hulking ruin after a minute of sustained fire. 

Meanwhile, the interior of the Emperor's newest toy was swiftly turning into a scene of slaughter. The Echani Jedi Knight and his five power armor wearing companions were cutting through wave after wave of troops. Security turrets were shot down, and emergency blast doors barely bought enough time for the next squad to get into place, only to suffer seconds later. 

At this rate, the entire complement of troops garrisoned upon this prototype would fall dead. 

‘Idiots.’ Hydra privately thought to herself as she watched the latest security footage. 

A blaze trooper had scoured the hallway ahead of himself, only to have his tubes scrunched by the Force. The resulting explosion had ripped a hole in the ISD, and killed the group of clone assassins before they could be deployed. 

The black haired Selphi ran a hand through her long black hair, and briefly touched upon a scar that marred her otherwise flawless face. Left behind during her duel with Revan six months ago, Hydra had been eagerly awaiting a day like today. Honing her blade, and focusing on the stealth skills that made her so deadly, she was twice the threat she had been back then. 

Glaring at the holorecording of that boy, she silently sneered. Whosoever slew Revan would be granted the title of Grand Inquisitor. That would mean holding dominion over the rest of the Inquisitorious, practically becoming the third most powerful person within the Empire overnight! Although the pretty boy wasn't Revan, he was the masked man's student. Hydra intended on capturing this boy-the one the ISB had identified as Jax-and use him as bait. Afterall, when hunting a wild Boolio, abducting their cubs was the surest means to success. 

She wouldn't mind taking liberties with the white haired teen either. Hydra licked her lips as she imagined the future pain she would be visiting upon Jax's backside. Sadistic urges coiled around her psyche, fueling the Darkside. 

Hungry. 

A pulse in the Force drew her out of her fantasy, putting a scowl back on her near-perfect face. Glancing to the side, her lips formed a thin line as she regarded her two companions. 

One was 7ft tall, bulkier than a Wookiee, had sharp claws the size of a chair seat, and was made out of a purple, sinewy muscle. 

The other ‘companion’ was 6ft tall, possessed flesh paler than paper, cloven hooved, and had a sword made of flesh for one of her arms. 

Each breath of these creatures was imbued with the malevolent energies of the Darkside. Alchemical abominations created by the enigmatic Emperor’s Hand, Cronal, they were dubbed as:

Sithspawn. 

During the formation of the Empire, Darth Sidious had gathered all those Darksiders who were drawn to his charisma, and unlimited power. Naturally, Hydra had followed him since the beginning, cultivated as a talent whilst the young Senator was under the tutelage of Plagueis. 

Cronal, however, had belonged to the secretive order: the Prophets of the Darkside. Wielding arcane knowledge about sorcery, the perpetually sick man had been hard at work. After six months of labor, his results had borne fruit. The pair of Sithspawn flanking her were proof of that. 

Capable of inducing nightmares upon their foes, and using Force enhanced limbs to clash with even the likes of lightsabers, they were the perfect tool to hunt Jedi. The perfect weapon to counteract those nerf herding science nerds within the Apothecarium. The T-1,000, admittedly, was a technological marvel, and even if their efforts to clone that hated droid General's brain were proceeding smoothly, it paled in comparison to the power of the Darkside. 

Hungry. 

A stronger pulse from the pair of monsters had her frown. 

‘Even if these Sithspawn eye me like a snack to be eaten, so long as I hold the control amulet, one of these creatures is worth ten of those Tarkin knock offs.’ Hydra reassured herself. 

However, seeing saliva drip down the large one's ugly face unnerved even her, a disciple of the Sith. 

“Hydra, it's time.” A smooth voice sounded over the comms, interrupting her thoughts. 

A pale blue hologram sprang to life, showing a stern man wearing the regalia of a Rear Admiral. 

“Admiral Thrawn, already? You know how to leave a girl waiting. It's all business with you. After this, how about letting me inspect your core reactor?” She said in a sultry tone of voice. The young Chiss had caught her eye earlier, and she wouldn't mind plumbing his secrets~ 

Thrawn raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her, and boredly stared at her. 

“Lord Vader expects perfection. Do not disappoint him.” Thrawn blandly stated, then cut the call. 

Hydra drew in a sharp breath, and unconsciously held her neck. The last time she had challenged the big asthmatic, it had not gone well. Swallowing her saliva, she focused on the talisman, and began to direct the Sithspawn. 

Thoughts of endless murder, hunger, and destruction met her mind, and she had to tamper down on these thoughts, lest she lose herself to the Force. Breathing deeply, a thin trickle of black blood leaked down her nose, and she swore the pair of monsters were about to pounce on her, and devour her right then and there. 

“Well?” She crossed her arms, and said authoritatively, acting tough. “Get to it then!” 

The Sithspawn then ignored her, and tore through the room's door, causing an ear splitting, metal shriek to pierce her elongated ears. Wincing in pain, Hydra cursed herself for an idiot, and then cast a shroud of ‘ignore me’ over herself. For all intents and purposes, she was now invisible, undetectable, and the perfect killer. 

A cruel smirk spread across her face once more as she regained her confidence. By the end of today, that cute white haired boy would be pounded mercilessly by her toy lightsaber~ 

~~~~~~~~~

Jax didn't know why, but his backside shivered, as he felt an awful premonition in the Force. Deflecting a laser bolt into the faceplate of a clone, he looked all around, and stretched his senses out, but he couldn't pinpoint where this discomfort was coming from. 

However, what he did know, is that a pair of powerful Darksiders were due to arrive any second now. Positioning himself in the central corridor, the area was wide, with many side hallways that he could maneuver through, should the situation call for it. 

“Echo, Tech, have either of you hacked into the security feed yet? Do we know where Omega, Triss, or Yon are? Can you identify the Sith who are enroute?” Jax asked between a flourish, in which he cut one man's arms clean off, and then swept low, cutting another's legs to bits. 

“Every time I approach a terminal, it goes dark, this is highly infuriating!” Tech slammed his fist on a screen in helpless fury. 

Jax furrowed his brows. Tech was typically a savvy, relaxed man, to see him acting up…Omega's abduction was really hitting him hard! 

“Sorry, Ghost.” Echo apologized whilst blasting a man dead, then shooting a grenade out of the air. “The enemy commander is really on it today. System shutdowns are instantaneous.” 

“Then we shoot our way through deck by deck! Run the halls red with blood and blaster bolts, oi say!” Wrecker declared, unloading his autocannon into a side room, pumping a group full of cowering naval personnel with heavy blaster bolts, transforming them into charred remains. 

“Easy with the big gun, Wrecker, no need to waste ammo on these grunts.” Hunter said in concern. 

“Only good Imp, is a dead Imp, fars oi'm concerned, brotha.” Wrecker rebuffed. “But yer right, the blaster's to good fer this lot! Traitors deserve worse!” 

Picking up a blaze trooper's corpse like it weighed nothing, the big man wielded the flamer with practiced ease. Room by room he went, the sound of screams, and smell of charred remains sang in the Force, before being cut, as their deaths were swift to follow. 

Jax pursed his lips, he hated war, but he wouldn't stop Wrecker, unless he was killing innocent civilians, or surrendered troops. At the end of the day, the Imperials had volunteered for this. Flamers were an unethical weapon, yet the cost of victory was a steep price to pay. A Jedi must do what is right, limit unnecessary deaths, and above all else, he would protect his family. 

Clenching his weapons tight, he blasted his aura to the max, refreshing all of the ‘so-called buffs’ that he had learned from his Master. Shielding himself & his allies from energy, physical, and Force-based attacks, he was ready. 

Seconds later, a cold presence began to ooze around them. Sinister whispers attempted to penetrate his mind, and a foul wind swept down the hall. A smell akin to a pile of dead insects wafted in the air. 

Jax countered this presence by releasing a small fraction of the Zilo beast's majesty. An invisible clash of wills charged the ship's atmosphere, causing the hallway to shake, as if it were under the strain of increased gravity. 

“Here they come! Give them all you've got!” Jax steadily intoned. 

“You heard the Commander, as soon as they turn that corner, light them up!” Hunter said, shouting where Jax had remained quiet, and calm. 

The corridor shuddered as something heavy struck the deck plating.

Jax felt it through his boots before he saw it.

Emergency lights bathed the Imperial Star Destroyer’s passageway in pulsing red. Smoke hung low, sharp with ozone and scorched circuitry. Jax stood ready, at the center of the corridor, twin blue lightsabers humming softly in his hands. 

Then creatures emerged, Sithspawn his mind supplied. 

The first slid out of the shadows like a nightmare given form. Once female, perhaps, it now wore a grotesque mockery of that form. Its left arm had fused into a curved blade of black chitin, its appearance took on a serrated form, and glossy hue. The thing smiled with too many teeth, its eyes glowing with hunger. Darkside energy rolled off it in oily waves, prickling Jax’s skin.

The second announced itself with a roar. 

The deck buckled as the towering brute smashed through a blast door, tearing it free of its hinges. Seven feet of purple, sinewy flesh loomed over Jax.. Long claws scraped sparks from the floor as it moved, each talon thick enough to rival a lightsaber blade. Its presence in the Force was a roaring furnace of rage, pain, and unwilling obedience. 

“GET SOME YA BLOODY WANKERS!!! AHHHHH!!!” Wrecker roared in defiance, bathing the corridor with flame in one hand, and pumping all of his load with the autocannon in the other. 

“Make each shot count, lads.” Hunter added on, placing every bolt between the eyes, or at perceived weak points. 

“They're not going down!” Echo said, beginning to panic. 

“Some sort of shield covers them…it is not electronic in nature.” Tech muttered. 

“Ideas, Ghost?!” Hunter asked in a hurry as the pair of monsters began to run through the fire & flames like it was a stiff breeze. 

Jax's ice blue eyes slowly opened as he centered himself within the galaxy. 

The Force flowed through him like cold air. He was silent, focused, unyielding.

No words were said to the men he came to respect, but his silence, and the Force said it all. Taking a small step forward, he lunged into the sea of weaponsfire, confident that his friends wouldn't strike him. Their fire support would be critical to achieving victory. 

The female Sithspawn darted forward with terrifying speed, her chitin blade whooshed through the air as it met Jax’s left saber. The impact jarred his arms; the organic weapon surprisingly held, deflecting the super hot plasma instead of burning away. At the same instant, the brute lunged, claws slashing in a terrifying horizontal arc.

Jax twisted, barely dodging the strike. One claw grazed his shoulder, slicing through fabric and flesh alike. Pain flared through his system as bright red blood splattered through the air, but he did not cry out. He couldn't afford to. 

Spinning low, his blue blades crossed behind his back, catching another chitin strike that was aimed at the crown of his head. Then, he rolled forward, deactivating his lightsabers, and squeezing between the muscular creature's legs, reactivated them at the last second, trying to cut them in half. Unfortunately, this only left scorch marks, and didn't 100% cut through this vicious alchemical creation. The brute slammed both fists into the deck where he had stood a moment ago, and the female's momentum carried forward, right into its path! 

A wet cracking sound resounded in the corridor, as the chitin hand was struck, and a large piece of muscle was sliced. 

CF-99 took this opportunity to continue with their covering fire, and took special care to aim at these freshly created wounds. 

Jax hissed as he rolled his shoulder. A small green glow spread from his hand throughout his body, and he was good as new. 

Within seconds, they were upon him once more. Jax moved constantly, taking short steps, tight spins, and economical strikes. Each and every movement was meant to maximize blaster fire, and make these two large Sithspawn get in one another's way as much as possible. His sabers traced cold arcs of blue light, parrying claw and chitin again and again. The Sithspawn pressed him mercilessly. 

Forcing him back with its large size, and sheer power, the brute's every blow threatened to shatter his bones, and broke durasteel plating. The female circled around him with swift agility, her blade-arm was constantly snapping toward his throat, legs, and wrists.

One misstep and it would be over.

During this fast paced, difficult fight, a claw caught his right saber hilt, tearing it from his grip and sending it skittering down the corridor. The brute roared in triumph and backhanded Jax across the chest. He crashed into the wall hard enough to crack the plating, and felt his ribs explode into his lungs. 

The female Sithspawn lunged, blade raised for the killing strike.

Hunter ran forward, a captured lightsaber from the clone assassins was in his hand, and he moved to cut at her legs. 

Hissing in annoyance, she halted in her step, parried his lightsaber, and then bitch slapped him to the side. 

For Jax, time seemed to slow as he saw his life flash before his eyes.

Reaching deep into the Force, he let the pain anchor him, let the cold focus sharpen to a killing edge. As the chitin blade fell towards Hunter's prone form, Jax snapped his remaining saber upward and stepped into the attack. The serrated chitin blade cut clean through one of his mechanical arms, and right when it was going to remove the other one, Jax drove his saber straight through the Sithspawn’s chest! 

Blue light burst from her back, and she opened her mouth to scream, but no noise came forth. Eyes rolling to the back of her head, she collapsed. 

Dead. 

Unfortunately, there was no time to rest.

The brute charged, eyes blazing, claws descending like executioner’s axes. Jax dove, rolled, and barely dodged as the creature’s claws smashed sparks from the floor inches from his skull.

He rose into a full spin, saber flashing.

One blade-after repeated strikes-severed a claw at the wrist, and as it tried to go again, Wrecker came in from the side, and met muscle with muscle. The big man kicked the Sithspawn down from behind, but caught a spiked elbow to the gut for his trouble. 

“Do it, Ghost, finish the mission!” Wrecker roared. 

With a final surge of strength, the brute grabbed Jax by the torso and lifted him bodily from the deck. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision as the creature squeezed.

With the last of his strength, Jax stabbed downward, and drove his lightsaber straight into its skull. Super heated flesh smoked, and bubbled, making the creature's grip slacken. 

Collapsing atop its corpse, Jax lay there for several long seconds, staring up at the flickering emergency lights, pain radiating through every inch of his body. Blood soaked the torn cloth on his shoulder, and his arm sparked…but he, and his friends were alive.

At last, Jax rolled onto one knee, pushed himself upright, and extinguished his saber.  He swayed, nearly falling, then was supported by Hunter. 

“Think ya can heal the big man?” Hunter toothily grinned after the hard-fought victory. 

“Oi'm not that soft. Tech, get me dat bacta spray!” Wrecker demanded from the floor. 

Jax was about to heal, when a micro second warning in the Force had him thumb his lightsaber. However, he was too slow! 

“I've changed my mind. Heal this!” An acidic woman's voice intoned. 

The last thing Jax saw was a red beam heading for his neck.