Star Wars: The Vi'per's Bite

Petjo walked down the steps of Theed's palace, Imperial forces stood at every corner. A large grin lit his face up, the questions had been easy - he had stormed through them all with no problem at all. His hand went to his pack, and from it he pulled out a Lopez Softdrink, pulling the cork out and taking a long swill.

Stepping down from the bottom step, something caught his eye. Several people, of various species and from various planets were stood around a man in a dark robe.

"Vi'per..." Petjo spat as he said it, moving towards the group, and drawing his pistol. The group didn't notice him, they turned and walked away towards the Starport. Petjo picked up the pace, he needed to be sure of where they were going before he made his move.

Closeby, another person in a dark robe watched, two silver cylinders at his hilt, one on either side. "So this is the one who has caused all this trouble..." he said, moving from shadow to shadow stalking Petjo.

Petjo had been right, they were heading for the Starport. Vi'per's followers or bodyguards or whoever they were had only noticed him twice. The first time, they had thought him a passing civilian, not noticing his blaster. the other they had sent someone after him to try and get him to take a different route to whereever he was going.

They shoved him towards the cantina, but a couple of shots into the gut each took care of them.

Petjo ran the rest of the way, out into the centre of the Starport, where a Corvette was waiting Several of Vi'per's men had already boarded it. Slowly Petjo moved towards his target. He was about 15 feet away when two of Vi'per's bodyguards grabbed him, relieving him of his DL-44. Vi'per turned around.

"I wondered when you would show up again..." Vi'per said taking his pistol off one of his guards. He turned it over in his hand and then smashed it against the corvette. "So long" He said turning and boarding his corvette.

The guards dragged him off to the side as the corvette doors closed and the ship prepeared for take off.

The guards lay a fist into Petjo's ribs, Petjo's facecrunched up as he witheld a scream.

The other clocked man looked from the Corvette to petjo, "ah crap!" He ran over to the guards, pulling one of the silver sylinders off his hilt, and pushing a slide button on it. A blue flame shot out of it and sliced through one of the guards. The other turned, but was impaled before he could do anything.

Petjo fell to his knees, he had heard of something similar happen on Tatooine not long ago...but that had been an old man. This was a young boy, jet black hair, brown eyes and tanned skin. His hood had fallen off as he ran. He smiled giving Petjo a hand up, "come on!" he yelled pulling him towards the corvette, "we don't want to miss our ride!" he sensed something in Petjo that made him feel like he should come along. He dragged him towards one of the suply doors that was about to close and threw him in, jumpng in after him.

Petjo wasn't sure what was going on, everything had happened so fast. The robed man turned to him, "My name's Jacob Antica" he said, handing him a bottle of brandy, "drink up, you'll need it"

Petjo was slightly dazed, everything had happened so fast. The brandy had soothed his aching muscles and made him feel stronger. His hand gripped his new blaster firmly. He had found it in one of the supply crates, an old Z1 Republic Blaster. Jacob, the mysterious stranger who had saved his live only a few moments beforehand, held his cylindrical, metal object in his left hand. His right hand was reaching down to his waist to pull out a second identical one. He nodded to Petjo who pushed the button next to the door.

The door swung open and the two men leapt out into the corridor…empty. The corridor stretched out in both directions, before turning inwards. Petjo’s mind worked that from where they entered the ship, he must now be facing the front of the ship, and that was where they had to get to.

Jacob turned, the two of them moving slowly down the corridor to the end, where it bend inwards, to the right. Petjo glanced around the corner and then indicated to his partner that there were two men down there heading towards them. The two men were outfitted in a dark green armour. Their hands clasped DXR6 Carbine blasters.

Petjo was too fast for them, his hands moving like lightning and his aim true. The blasts knocked the two armed goons to the floor. Petjo and Jacob moved over them and to a lift. They stepped inside and rode it one floor up, and came face to face with three more guards. Petjo’s reflexes were fast, taking out one of the guards, but Jacob was faster. Two beams of light appeared – yellow and blue – cutting the remaining two men down, then they disappeared too.

“Who are you?” Petjo asked, stepping over the pieces.

“A survivor” Jacob simply answered moving down the corridor, past some yellow escape pods and through a door.

Petjo moved quickly after him. Above the corridor, unnoticed by either man lay a camera, it saw them both and transmitted the images to the bridge. A young officer turned around and walked over to the captain of the ship, who in turn got up and went to Vi’per.

“Sir, it appears that we have a problem on board. Not only is the gunslinger here, but there is also a robed man, the man who has been giving us the run around for the last several months.”

Vi’per snarled, looking out of the window ahead of him at the flashes of stars flying past them. “You know what to do Captain” was all he said.

The captain nodded and went over to one of the consoles, ready for when they left Hyperspace.

And so it was, the two men killing anyone in their way as they moved forwards and upwards, to the bridge of the ship. But when they got there, it was deserted, and all there was to indicate why was the planet of Yavin IV growing larger in front of them.

“****” uttered, slowly and quietly from Petjo’s mouth as he looked around.

Hidden from sight at first, because of the shock from the planet and the consoles, lay the dead bodies of the crew. All, except those of the Captain and Vi’per. The consoles were jammed; there was no way to alter the course of the ship.

The two men rushed back down the corridors and into one of the many rooms containing escape pods. One was already missing; they each clambered into separate pods. Jacob said to meet him at the Temple of Exar Kun, should they get separated. Petjo knew the place well. He had visited it once before, it was an old temple dedicated to a long dead Dark Jedi, but unbeknownst to him was that the place was still filled with energy of the Dark Side of the Force.

Yavin IV was a dangerous place to be at the best of times. It was worse now, with a relic of a gun, and an evil Trandoshan on his way to the Temple of Exar Kun, a focal point for the Dark Side. Some said the spirit of Exar Kun still hung around in there.

Petjo was lucky enough to know exactly where it was he had landed; it was just to the East of a Mining Outpost. The corvette had crashed into the See just to the north. Jacob had landed close-by; it meant that the two of them wouldn’t have to meet at the temple. They ran through the thick forests East-bound, towards the temple. Leaping over felled trees, rocks and creatures, who given the chance would eat them for lunch, breakfast, dinner, whatever meal they pleased.

Vi’per and his captain were already inside the temple, when they arrived. The Trandoshan snarled again, deeper this time, and more annoyed.

“Petjo, you take the human. This one’s mine!” Jacob yelled, lighting his yellow blade, the one in his right hand. Vi’per lit his red blade, made from the crystal Petjo had found under fort Tuskan. The two charged each other.

Petjo shot the DE-10 blaster straight out of the captain’s hand, ready to kill him with another shot…but that would have been too easy. And for whatever reason, something didn’t want him too anyway as his blaster jammed. Petjo looked up to see the captain charge and tackle him to the ground.

Petjo’s fists swung wildly, catching the captain on the jaw, stunning him enough for Petjo to toss him off of him. Struggling to his feet Petjo ran at the captain, holding his right hand back for another swing. The captain was ready for him, knocking him down to the floor. The captain reached into his boot and pulled out a D18 pistol, Petjo leapt, dodging the blasts and grabbing the Z1 and hoping it would shoot this time. It did, hitting the captain in the shoulder. Another blast hit the mans leg, then a final one hit his chest. He was down.

Jacob spun, lighting his other sabre, and launching a flurry of attacks, all of which were defected. Vi’per held the yellow blade in place, throwing his weight into it to throw it away and moving to block the blue one. He leant back to avoid a sweep from the yellow one, moving forward far quicker than expected to headbut Jacob. Taking this opportunity he moved in for the kill, but was caught off by a block from the yellow blade, and a spin that caught Vi’per’s right arm with a small burn. Vi’per hissed, but shook off the blow.

Jacob had many years of experience, albeit without anyone to teach him. He was only a youngling at the time of the clone war. His cowardice and hiding on a ship had meant his masters death and a deep, unforgiving guilt. Vi’per meanwhile was being controlled by his rage, his nature, the dark side that filled the temple.

Now it was Vi’per’s turn to show his anger, he moved far faster than anyone could have ever expected. His captain was reaching for his hidden blaster to finish the meddling gunslinger, meddling just like his father had. This would be over soon. His blade cut through the air, hitting the beams of light and bouncing back for more. Again and again, eventually knocking the yellow blade away from Jacob and to the far side of the room. Jacob was too used to relying on two blades, and without the second one caused him to slip up. Moving too late to block with his other blade meant that Vi’per was able to disarm him – literally. He fell to the floor in agony and looked up as Vi’per brought his blade down on him.

Petjo looked up, having just dropped the captain. Anger filled him as he lifted the blaster and let out a multitude of shots. All of which were quickly deflected. He moved quickly, avoiding Vi’per’s charge and rolling on the floor. He dropped the pistol, it would be useless now. Leaping to the side he dodged another of Vi’per’s attacks. Moving quickly as to not get caught, his eyes were on Vi’per, not where he was going. His feet were too low and he fell backwards over a rock, slamming his head into the ground enough to disorientate him. Looking up he saw Vi’per stood over him.

“This is where it ends!” Vi’per said.

Fear gripped Petjo as his hands felt the floor for something, anything to help him…nothing….nothing…noth…..no…..something……Jacob’s yellow lightsabre. His hands grasped it, his thumb instinctively hitting the switch on it and thrusting it upwards into Vi’per’s belly. He twisted it, and rolled away as Vi’per fell down where he had been laid.

Petjo looked around him; he was the only one who had survived. He looked down at his feet and moved around the room. Collecting what he would need to get started again in life. The DE-10, a new, powerful gun and Jacob’s two lightsabres, to remind him of his departed friend, and because something was telling him to.

He walked outside, into the rain and looked up at the sky. Letting the water run down his face…something told him this was just the beginning.

~Fin