Star Wars: Dread Awaking

This is my first attempt at making a short story of Star Wars, enjoy!

Star Wars: Dread Awaking

1BBY
Secret outpost of Trulis…

‘Dismiss,’ ordered Commander Velix as he waved off a squad of Stormtroopers in front of him, turning to the right before marching off in clip formation order down the corridor to carry out their reassigned patrol circuits.

Swiftly turning away from the Stormtroopers, Velix headed towards the waiting elevator, his lieutenant following close beside him but mindful of keeping a step back as Velix had firmly sowed the seeds of fear into the men under his command, his punishments for the slightest of errors going beyond simple discipline and order but of cruelty and malice.

Stepping into the lift, Velix stood with his arms folded behind his back, standing firmly in the centre as he waited. Taking the silent command without hesitation, the lieutenant pressed one of the many buttons on the control panel beside the door, watching the two black doors come together before briefly feeling himself pulled towards the ground as the elevator began to ascend.

‘Lieutenant,’ Velix said, calling him by his rank rather his name ‘some of the troops, I feel that they are starting to falter in their duty in guarding this facility,’ Velix spoke, his gaze fixed sternly at the lift doors ‘perhaps I am being too lenient?’

‘I…I…’ stuttered the lieutenant, struggling to find the right words to say ‘spit out lieutenant,’ Velix ordered, forcing the struggling lieutenant’s hand ‘I believe that they are doing an adequate job at…’

‘Adequate job?’ Velix cut off ‘they are waning lieutenant, it is plain to see. Sometimes I think I am the only one round here who knows what’s going on,’ Velix stated ‘examples. We should have to make examples in the near-future if we are to get these soldiers back into shape.’

Not wanting to incur his commander’s wrathful lecturing again, the lieutenant simply stood to attention until the end of the trip. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before the lift began to slow in its speed, coming to a complete halt at the top level of the base.

The doors opening, Velix marched on out and into the command centre, immediately presented to him on one side of the room, a long and lengthy window stretched out before Velix.

On a clear day, Velix could see the imposing four towers that ranged out before the base with snow white fields and mountain ranges crisscrossing the distance but today a blizzard had blown in from the nearby coast to the south of the base, creating a wall of whiteness on the panel.

Ignoring the dreary weather raging outside, Velix walked over to the sitting operators of the control tower ‘report,’ Velix ordered to the sitting nearest operator ‘Sir, the weather is scrambling the systems on our radar network, making it near difficult to discern anything approaching the base, but it is still operational,’ replied the controller, his agitated face hidden behind the black egg shape helmet he wore.

‘Very good, carry on with your duties,’ Velix responded, his run of the mill officer tone a close of a sign of him expressing joy in a situation. ‘Let us inspect the barrack next,’ Velix announced to his lieutenant as he turned back to the lift ‘Sir, something has just appeared on the radar,’ called the engineer.

Standing behind the operator, Velix looked down at his console, seeing a small bright green dot on what is a featureless black circular panel, with the base being at the centre of the panel.

‘It was not scheduled,’ Velix said ‘it’s transmitting Imperial codes Sir, should I allow it to land?’ asked the engineer.

‘Permit it to land, but I want two squads Stormtroopers waiting for our unexpected guest.’

#

Watching and waiting from his high advantage point, Velix alongside with his lieutenant watched as the ship come into view beyond the glass window of the command centre.

During the time it had taking for the craft to fly to the base, the blizzard had let up slightly in its assault, allowing the two officers enough clearance to see the craft.

Below them to the left, three landing pads sat adjacent to each other in midair, with long sturdy metal frames holding them in place while a bridge connected them to the base they were in.

‘A Lambda-class T-4a shuttle,’ Velix noted, a common sight throughout the Imperial Navy as he had used them often enough when meeting important dignitaries of the Emperor off world.

High above the platforms, the Lamba shuttle began to fold its lower wings as it started to descend. Drawing nearer, small tiny thrusters spurted from underneath the belly of craft, helping it stabilise itself before landing completely on the ground.

Standing ready on each side of the platform, the Stormtroopers trained their weapons on the cockpit and ramp, unwavering in their aims. With a hiss of escaping steam and air, the ramp started to lower itself, a dark robed figure striding down it toward the waiting troopers.

Trained on the lone figure, troopers waited patiently for the order to open fire. Walking before the new arrival, the officer of the squad brought his weapon down as he began to converse with the person.

After a minute of discussing, the robed figure waved his hand in the air before raising his hands up in surrender. Bringing his hand to his helmet inbuilt comlink, the officer reported to Velix ‘Sir, the man has surrendered. He goes by the name of Fenok and is apparently an informant with information of several rebel base locations.’

Pondering on what to do, Velix considered what he should do. Follow orders and kill this intruder, who has discovered and entered his base, or enquire further in acquiring information on rebel bases, earn himself some elevation in the rank and file of the Imperial Army to some nice cosy post ‘Bring him in.’

#

Riding down the lift again, Velix walked down the corridor with his second in command in tow. Turning a bend, Velix saw the gathered Stormtroopers with their charge in the middle of them at the junction, their guns still trained on him.

Waiting for Velix’s arrival, the officer of the squads stood to attention, his chest out regardless of the being out in the chilly weather ‘Sir, this is the informant,’ the officer presented.

Stepping past the officer, Velix stood before the black robed figure. Inspecting him, Velix noted that protruding out of the back of his head were two long red lekkus that came round the neck and down the front sides of his torso ‘so, you think you have something of value to offer to the Empire?’

Nodding, the robed figured brought his hands up to his head, receiving an immediate reaction from the troopers as they aimed at him. Untying the knot at the back of his head, the person unwrap the cloth round his head, slowly revealing the person beneath it.

With red skin, the informant glared at Velix with hate filled eyes, a long scar cutting vertically from the top down below the eye, possibly caused by a knife of some sorts.

‘What I have to offer is more fulfilling that mere information,’ said the informant. ‘And what else could you possibly offer that I would be interested in?’ Velix asked curiously ‘release,’ stated the man.

Flopping to the ground, the Stormtroopers fell like puppets that have had their strings cut, their limbs spread out before them with their weapons falling far from their grasps. Staring with a wide mouth, Velix looked at the Twi’lek as his face turned in rage.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Velix turned to see his lieutenant running for his life back down the corridor. Hearing a wooshing noise, Velix saw a blur of twirling red light fly through the air, briefly touching his side as it carried on after his lieutenant, slamming into his back before he fell, his torso coming away from his hip and legs.

Thudding next to his feet, Velix looked down with wide eyes as he saw the severed limb of his arm lying on the metal mesh floor, no blood covering it where it lay. Bringing his arm up, Velix saw nothing but a stump, cleanly cut away at the elbow.

Looking up at the Twi’lek, Velix watched as he held a long black staff in his hands, with a light sabre protruding out of only one end of the blade ‘its a lightcane my poor misguided friend,’ the Twi’lek said ‘rarely used by anyone but a devastating weapon in the right, trained hands. But this is merely a symbolic gesture as my power comes from a more subtle, more destructive form.’

Holding the shaft of his weapon in his right hand, the Twi’lek raised his other hand out at Velix. Coughing for air, Velix felt the windpipe in his throat beginning to close, gasping desperately for air. Coming away beneath him, Velix no longer felt the ground under his feet as he was lifted up off the air.

‘The Force, as you simple creatures call it, is a much preferred choice of weapon, especially for executions.’

Trying to speak, Velix felt his head being pushed backwards, feeling the bones of his neck protest as they were bent into a wrong shape. Pushed further, Velix tried to cry out but he could not, his voice constricted by the exuding force on his throat.

Unable to hold on any longer, Velix’s neck snapped like a twig, ending his life as his corpse dangled in the air. Channelling the Force, the Twi’lek tossed the Imperial Commander’s body down the corridor, flipping end over end backwards until it crashed at the wall at the end.

Inspecting the body, a pair of Stormtroopers stood round it before they saw the Twi’lek, raising their E-11 blaster rifles before firing several ruby lasers towards the invader.

Spinning his blade, the Twi’lek deflected the bolts, sending them into the walls of the corridor before sending two back into the chests of the troopers, killing them with their own shoots ‘all shall know of the rise of Darth Dread.’