Star Wars: Heir of the Menace (Book 1)

Chapter 5: Prisoners

Marquikise's POV

My heart sinks and my eyes flood as the weight of thousands of Jedi perish in a single moment. I open my eyes to the dark figure to my front. A single red blade appears in front of the hooded figure. It hums with the same dark energy as its owner. I give into my hate and charge toward them. My blade erupts a second before our blades meet.

"Marquikise!?" A voice calls out.

I turn around but find no owner to the voice. My attention returns to the figure in front of me. They cackle for a moment before the only noise that remains are the two lightsabers. His blade's low hum against my blade's buzz.

"Get up!" The voice calls out again.

"Wait, the Dark Lord." I speak before I return my attention to the Dark Lord.

"You're a fool, run back to your friends." He turns and leaves me.

"Get up Marquikise!" My eyes slowly open and come to focus on the Mandalorian in front of me.

"Where are we?" I ask, shaking my head to return my focus to the present.

"The Trade Federation Ship, remember?" She tilts her head to the side. "We're closing in on Geonosis. I overheard a couple droids talking about it."

"Ok." The day's events slowly come back.

"The droids also said we are to be executed, when we get to the surface." She shakes her head. "Great, just how I want to go out. A great bounty hunter defeated by cowards and insects."

"We'll get out of this." I pause, remembering Master Yoda's words. "The force will guide us."

"What is it with you Jedi and the Force." I look at her slightly surprised by her reaction. "I'm sorry, but I can't deal with your order's complacency. By the two suns of Tatooine, I will get out of this cell."

She stamps her foot on the grating, rattling the floor. The droids guarding the room look at her, startled. Knowing nothing I can say will calm her, I stay silent. The last few hours drag by I silence.

"Bring them to the cells in the lower tower." I look up to see a B-1 droid with yellow markings on its head and chest. There in the hallway, stand another dozen B-1 droids.

Two B-1 droids approach me and unlock my cuffs from the chain to the wall. They escort me out of the cell. Looking over my shoulder, I make eye contact with Dalka. She and I both know the dozens of blasters trained on us will stop us from escaping. We weave through the ship eventually passing the storage bay that I was smuggled aboard. Inplace of the shipping crates, stand a small army of B-1 droids. The Trade Federation has been busy making an army of droids. Judging from the mislabeled shipping crates, they could have significantly more units already built. With their influence and reach, they could have an invasion force on many Republic worlds. Their grand plan suddenly hits me. This information must go to the Republic at once.

We make it to the exit point on the Trade Federation Ship. The heat and blinding sun light hit me when I step out onto the planet's surface. The surface is changed by the Geonosian colonies. The couple visible ant-like structures stand several hundred meters tall. A short and well traveled path connects the landing platforms and the Geonosian superstructure we are heading toward. The structure towers overhead, almost as great as the Jedi temple's council chambers. After a short walk to the base of the structure, we enter a winding tunnel system down below the overhead structure. Each winding tunnel leads to another choice of tunnels, eventually arriving at point where they drop Dalka off in a makeshift cell. They leave two B-1 droids at the entrance before leading me deeper. We eventually arrive at my cell and the droids throw me in before locking the door behind me.