Episode IX The Legacy of the Sith

Subtlety

The five young Padawans sat defeatedly in a circle, their hands bound with tight fetters behind their backs. Three of the bounty hunters stood nearby, aiming blasters at them with vigilant attention. The two humanoid women and one of the Weequay men were chosen as guards being the most resistant to Jedi mind tricks; one of the human men had already learned the dangers of Jedi mind control with his life. He lay dead outside of the circle, a charred blaster wound in his chest after Sakiah had used a Jedi mind trick to attempt an escape.

The kyber crystal magnet was turned off, now that the Padawans were restrained, and the lightsabers collected in a pack, carried by the Rodian female.

"What do they want?" Darren asked Ben in a whisper.

"Apparently there is a bounty for us," Ben replied.

"Why?" Darren questioned.

"I don't know, Shorts."

The Weequay guard kicked Ben in the thigh. "Enough of that!"

Ben and Darren straightened up and became quiet.

The powered torches remained on, illuminating a small patch of the forest. The bounty hunters were apparently not worried much about being discovered, although the other Weequay, the Rodian, and one of the men were in the dark shadows watching as sentinels for any approachers.

"It sure is taking a long time for him to come," the pale white female said.

"I was sure he was coming right behind us," the Weequay said.

There was a snapping of twigs in the forest not far away.

"There, that must be him," the blue female said.

An electric hum could barely be heard as some more underbrush movement created a rustling in the distance. Shortly after that, a blaster shot rang out, followed by an alarming scream.

The three bounty hunter guards turned their blasters to the woods.

"What was that?" the white female asked.

For a moment there was silence. The Weequay wiped the sweat from his face and stared, eyes wide open into the inky black void of the forest. Another rustle of vegetation was audible. The Weequay reactively squeezed the trigger, sending a red blaster streak into the darkness. The pale white humanoid telegraphed a disapproving glance in his direction.

Just then the bounty hunter man ran into the light yelling, "It's him!"

A blaster from behind him in the shadows shot him in the back before he could say another word. The man fell dead at their feet.

The bounty hunters raised their blasters and fired blindly into the dark woods where they saw the shot originate. A green lightsaber ignited; the same electric buzz they had heard earlier radiated from the blade. A robed figure approached enwrapped in the pale light. He blocked the blaster fire with his blade.  He without care, cast away the blaster that he had fired. Then the figure rushed forward, still blocking fire with the green lightsaber. He held out his arm and pushed the Weequay with the Force, his body flying back and impacting a large tree trunk. With a whipping slash, he blocked a blast that the blue woman had fired and deflected it back at her, striking her in the abdomen.

The robed figure then pulled out another lightsaber in his other hand, the lightsaber hilt having a circular knuckle guard. Its blade erupted red. He rushed the pale female, slicing the gun in half with the green saber and impaling her with the other.

The male Weequay just now catching his breath from hitting the tree, gathered himself and raised his quivering arm to aim at the assailant. His mouth dropped when he saw him in the light.