1

A Beast with No Nation

It was the violent shaking that woke him first and the explosions that reached his ears seconds later, jarring Avner from his deep sleep. He felt disoriented, the room tilting and swaying as he tried to adjust himself to the waking world and shake off the last vestiges of his fitful sleep. Lately, he had been having these strange dreams, vivid and nondescript all at once, images he recognized and others… He shook his head and stood just as the blast doors to the barracks opened.

"WE'VE BEEN AMBUSHED!" A man Avner recognized as his bunkmate and fellow soldier stopped before him. He was slightly shorter than him, his jaw cut like a square block, and his hair a pale-yellow cut close to his scalp. Trask Ulgo, Specialist Ensign first-class, homeworld Alderaan, and a crack shot with a Verpine shatter rifle. His last few days aboard this ship had been spent in the company of the human, both working similar shifts and often playing a game of Sabaac after they were dismissed for the day or slipping into the hangar to watch the small detachment of starfighters run their drills. "A Sith battle fleet just dropped out of hyperspace and ambushed the Endar Spire! We have to move!"

Sith…

A white-hot spike of pain lanced through Avner's head, and he nearly doubled over but held his composure, sucking in a sharp intake of breath through his teeth.

Trask glanced at him. "There are invaders on decks four, six, and eight, and decks one and two are completely destroyed."

Avner pulled on his boots as Trask continued with his rundown of the situation. It wasn't his first time being in an altercation with the Sith. Since joining the Republic military two years ago, he had been fighting against the Sith and their forces all over the Outer Rim. He yanked on his plastoid armor, tightening the straps before grabbing his EL-16 blaster rifle. He popped out the thermal clip within the chamber, checking its charge. Half full, good enough for now.

"What are our orders?" Avner asked, taking the right flank beside Trask as they exited the barracks together. Strangely, he hadn't received any or been alerted to the situation earlier. His comm was maddingly silent.

"For right now, none. Comm chatter is being jammed by the enemy, and I haven't encountered any superior officers except you, Sergeant. Protocol dictates we head for the bridge and assist any remaining superiors off the ship. Hopefully, Bastila Shan has been able to make her way there," Trask responded, peering slowly around a corner.

Pain once again pulsed through his head, though this time much more subdued. A flash of yellow flickered behind his eyelids. "Bastila?"

Trask glanced back at him. "Yeah, Bastila, the Jedi Knight assigned to this ship on special assignment from the Jedi Council. She's in charge of this mission, remember?"

Avner shifted through his recent memories. He recalled being pulled from his usual squad, a recon unit fighting along the edge of the Empress Teta system, and being reassigned to the Endar Spire for his combat experience and specialty in navigating the Outer Rim. He had been briefed quickly on the mission specs a few days ago and, since then, been stationed aboard the Endar Spire, and not once had he seen this Bastila Shan. Granted, the Endar Spire was a Hammerhead class cruiser and quite large for one of its kind; easy for one never to meet certain people aboard, especially since he had stayed mainly on the lower decks.

"We have to secure her survival above all else. It's our duty!"

Trask's spirited words interrupted his thoughts, and he nodded in agreement with the other man. Ulgo was always one to strictly adhere to the oath they had sworn when joining the Republic military. It was something Avner respected about the human.

"So, what's your assessment of the situation?"

Avner paused and checked his sites through an opened hatchway, noting the stray blaster bolts scorching the walls. They were getting closer to the fighting. "What do you mean?"

Trask huffed and waved his hand around them. "I've heard all about your reputation, Marek. Elite combat training, top of your unit, specialty operations with an advanced recon squad, and how you were handpicked for this mission by the captain of this ship. You must have some particular view of what's happening."

"The Sith saw an opportunity and took it. A lone cruiser traveling through Sith-occupied space would be easy to pick off. A perfect chance to collect intel. What I want to know is why Command approved sending only one cruiser through enemy territory without an escort."

"The Jedi insisted. Supposedly, Knight Shan is hunting for Darth Malak. Too many ships would reveal her presence and make it harder to search," Trask explained as they slipped down an empty access corridor.

Malak, that name…

A sudden shot ripped through the air between the two men. Avner threw himself flat and rolled to the right, propping his rifle against his shoulder and firing off three consecutive shots. Two boarders dressed in silvery gray armor collapsed to the deck.

Sith troopers.

Avner pushed himself to his feet, aiming down his sites for any sign of movement.

"All clear," Trask reported.

A sudden crackle came over the comm. Avner saw Trask also perk up at the sound, meaning it was an all-systems message. "Attention, remaining crew of the Endar Spire, this is Carth Onasi, the Sith are threatening to overrun our position on the bridge; I repeat, the Sith are threatening to take the bridge! All hands to the brid-."

The message cut out, but Trask looked relieved. "Thank the Force Carth is still alive; we might have a chance of getting off this flaming wreck."

"Really?"

Trask nodded as they took off down the hall towards the main corridor. "He's one of the best pilots in the Republic, seen more combat than everyone aboard the Endar Spire put together. If anyone can pick their way through the dogfighting going on outside, it's him. Hopefully, Bastila's already with him, and we can all get off this ship together!"

They rounded a corner and immediately ducked behind a large stack of utility crates. Several other soldiers were also crouched behind them, engaged in a fierce firefight with a contingent of Sith troopers. Blaster fire peppered the crates, and smoke choked the corridor, making picking off targets exceedingly difficult.

Trask cursed and fired off a few shots. "This is the only way to the main elevator to the bridge. Is there any way through?"

"Negative, sir; resistance is too heavy," another soldier replied. A violent explosion rocked the hall, spilling the crates and men sideways. Blaster fire rained down on their position, and screams erupted from the remaining soldiers. Avner pulled himself up and leveled his blaster over one of the crates, slowing his breathing and ignoring the sharp ache in his ribs from being thrown. He fell back into his combat training, focusing and relying on all senses to find his target. His consciousness drifted, his focus pulled towards the far left, where a small grouping of life flickered in his mind's eye.

He squeezed the trigger, the flickers extinguishing one by one. He swung his rifle in a wide arc, spraying the corridor, before ducking down, the enemy fire halting temporarily. Trask looked at him in awe.

"How did… how?"

Avner shrugged. "Experience." The truth was he wasn't sure how he did that either. It was something that has always baffled him, his ability to just know. Know where other people were, sometimes what they were feeling, and even move faster than any normal being should be able to. His squadmates had jokingly called him a super soldier, but he had always just played it off as luck.

Before Trask could question him more, Avner turned his attention to a soldier beside him. "We need to get to the bridge. It's in danger of being overrun. Is there any other way of getting there besides the main elevator?"

The young Twi'lek man thought for a second before nodding. "There's a service elevator near here that will take you to Engineering Deck Seven. From there, you can access the inner workways of the ship and make your way to the bridge."

"Thanks, you coming to lend a hand?"

The Twi'lek shook his head. "We'll stay here and hold this chokepoint. Thanks for the assist, Sergeant."

He and Trask took off back down the main corridor at a fast clip, slipping past enemy patrols and quietly dispatching any they couldn't sneak around. They paused outside a small lift, and Trask punched in his clearance codes. The doors slid open, and they both crowded into the tiny space.

"The bridge may already be under Sith control," Avner remarked as the lift came to a stop.

"We can't know for sure until we get there," Trask said, looking around for the maintenance hatch.

"I know. I'm just saying we need to have another plan in place in case the bridge is compromised. This ship is falling apart, and we're severely outnumbered."

Trask sighed and ruefully ran a hand through his blonde hair. "It's not something I haven't considered, but I have to believe that we'll make it to the bridge, and Bastila and Carth will have a plan to get us out of here."

"You can't always rely on others to get you out of a bad situation," Avner noted. He spied the maintenance hatch and pried it open. It hissed as the clamps released, revealing a dark, cramped passage dimly lit by emergency lights. "Let's go."

They both climbed in and squeezed through the narrow causeways, barely able to see two feet in front of themselves, all the while the Endar Spire rocked back and forth. The sound of blaster fire and shouts could be dimly heard all around them through the ship's hull. An alarm blared overhead, indicating the rear of the ship was heavily damaged, and the main engines were no longer working. They were adrift in space, completely at the mercy of the Sith fleet.

"Nearly there," Trask muttered, indicating to a marked point showing the bridge just up ahead above them. Avner followed Trask up the ladder to the constricted passage located directly below the floor of the bridge. Trask moved to open the maintenance hatchway, but Avner grabbed his shoulder and pointed up to the slotted grating. Above them, numerous boots walk back and forth across the floor, voices muffled, except for one which rang out clearly.

"Where is the Jedi?"

No answer. Avner crept along the causeway, peering through the grating when he could. Sith troops were rushing around the bridge, slicing into terminals and trying to unlock the controls. A distinctive snap-hiss drew his attention to a tall, dark figure looming over two bound Republic fleet officers, one that Avner recognized as the Captain.

"I won't ask you again, where is the Jedi?" The man inquired calmly. His voice was ice-cold, belaying no emotion except perhaps a perverse pleasure in the fear he was causing.

"W-we don't know," stammered one of the men. A flash of red, and the man slumped backward. Avner shifted back in shock. Captain Yelna made no move to answer, instead lifting his chin in silent defiance as the dark figure swung his red saber, cleaving the man's head from his shoulders.

Kriff!

"Shavit, that's a Sith!" Trask whispered, suddenly beside him, eyes fixed on the man above them. With the prisoners slumped over on the floor, he could better see the warrior. Black armor covered his massive frame, skin an ashen pale, and his features cut sharply like granite from a roughly hewn block.

The man shook his head. "Such a waste. Major, finish slicing these terminals, then sweep this deck again. I want that Jedi found!" He turned and swept off the bridge, the doors closing behind him.

"There's nothing left for us here," Avner murmured, moving away and back towards the ladder.

"That Sith is still looking for Bastila," muttered Trask. "If she's not here on the bridge, then it's possible she's made it to the escape pods."

Avner nodded and pushed forward. They both scaled down the ladder and weaved through the compact compartments. Smoke began to grow thicker the farther they climbed along the narrow causeways. Trask coughed behind him, and Avner himself could feel it getting harder to breathe. He ducked down another passageway and stopped before a closed hatch.

Trask coughed and shook his head. "We don't know what's out there."

"We stay in here and we suffocate." Avner shoved his shoulder up against the hatch while turning the lock bar, stumbling out into an empty storage room. It was quiet besides their fitful coughing. Several scorch marks pocketed the walls around them, evidence of a previous fight. The Sith must have already swept through here.

"I think we're close to the escape pods; they're just on the deck adjacent to us," Ulgo said, peering out from their room. "Let's go."

They rushed down the empty hallway, the ship rocking violently beneath their feet, explosions flashing outside the viewports. Several blaster bolts cut across their path, and Avner rolled to avoid getting hit, returning fire. "Trask, move!"

His fellow soldier pressed on ahead, opening the blast doors and slipping inside. Avner let loose another salvo of shots, taking out the remaining Sith troopers. He turned to follow his friend and stopped short. Through the blast doors, Trask was suspended in midair, clawing fruitlessly at his neck, trying to furtively twist away from the invisible hands wrapped around his windpipe. Behind him was the same Sith they had seen on the bridge, cool yellow eyes locking onto Avner's brown orbs. His mouth twisted into a chilling smile, and he stepped towards Avner, throwing Trask to the side, his body hitting the wall hard with a sickening crunch. Avner lifted his rifle and fired off several shots. The Sith dodged, igniting his red saber, deflecting several bolts back his way, one searing across his left bicep as he threw himself to the side. Too close. Avner grunted, ignoring the burning pain that lanced up and down his arm, and instead attempted to line up another shot. The rifle was unceremoniously ripped from his hands and pulled toward the man in black.

"Nowhere to run," he chuckled ominously.

A serrated bolt whipped past the Sith's shaved head. It was Trask kneeling where he had originally fallen, panting heavily, blaster pistol aimed at the Sith.

The dark warrior scowled. "Your resistance would almost be amusing if it weren't so pathetic."

Trask locked eyes with him from across the room. The message was clear… get out of here; you can't save me.

'But I can save you!' Avner thought as he lunged forward.

"Trask no!" Too late. Trask aimed his blaster at the blast door's control panel and fired. The Sith whipped around, face twisting in fury as the doors slammed shut.

"Shavit! Trask! Trask!?!" Avner slammed his fist on the heavy metal. No answer. Sudden sparking from his left drew his attention to a flashing console spewing black smoke. One of the Sith's deflected shots must have hit the terminal, overloading its circuits. Too late to move! Avner threw up his arms, attempting to shield his face as the console blew. He felt the heat on his body, the force of the explosion knocking him backward off his feet, making him land heavily on his back. The air whooshed out from his lungs, and he coughed, rolling over to put out flames he was sure were eating up his body. Funny how he always imagined being burned to death as more painful than what he was experiencing now. He glanced down at his arms and chest, blinking in disbelief at the lack of severe burns. Being that close to the searing heat should have melted the skin from his body; instead, only several scorch marks dotted his forearms and palms.

"Impossible," Avner murmured. The hiss of his comm brought his attention back to the situation at hand.

"This is Carth Onasi. To any surviving crew of the Endar Spire, head to the escape pods for immediate evacuation. I can't wait much longer, ge… to... escape…..."

The message cut out. Avner stood and glanced back at the door Trask had locked. Even if he could find a way to pry the doors open, fire and debris blocked the entrance. There was no way the Kiffar could get inside now. He was defenseless and injured. Trask…

"I'm sorry." He turned and ran down the opposite corridor, cutting through the starboard crew hold, picking off several enemies across his path with nothing but his bare hands. Watching Trask's face disappear behind that damned blast door sparked something to life within his inner being, which began to burn deep within his chest, a constant thrum of pressure trying to push itself to the forefront of his consciousness, but no matter how hard it pushed invisible bonds kept it tied down. Still, strands of the strange sensation escaped from their binds and spilled out of him. He instinctively knew where every enemy soldier was before they even revealed themselves. His body reacted faster than they could, darting in between them, his blows landing so hard they sometimes cracked armor; soldiers lay haphazardly in his wake, limbs askew and bodies broken.

He was angry.

An inferno was building within him.

He stalked through the last blast door before him, startling the man already hunched over the controls of the last remaining escape pod. He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing the smoking uniform of a Republic soldier, hair a deep woodsy brown that matched the color of his eyes, the shadow of a beard tracing his jaw. Quick as a vine snake, the other man drew his blaster pistol, aiming it directly at his chest. Avner could only imagine what he looked like: half scorched, knuckles cracked and bleeding, eyes wild. A madman, to be sure, a beast rife with violence.

He slowly raised his hands skywards. "Don't shoot. I'm a soldier, Sergeant Avner Marek."

The man hesitated for a second, then lowered his blaster. "Lieutenant Carth Onasi, you're the only one who showed up after I sent out my call."

"I don't think there's anyone left to answer it," Avner revealed. He knew it was true even though there was no way to validate this. Hostility and hatred emanated from every deck of the ship; all other familiar presences were snuffed out. Trask… snuffed out.

Carth grimaced but holstered his weapon. "We can't know for sure." A massive blast rocked the Endar Spire, sending both men to their knees. "Kriff! But there's no more time left to wait. The ships coming apart! We have to get out of here!"

"What about Bastila?"

Carth scrambled over to the control console. "She's already away. I sent her on ahead with some survivors while I waited here for any stragglers. She wasn't in the best of shape… speaking of, you don't look too good either."

Avner could feel the floor beneath his feet starting to shift. It was as if all his strength had been sapped away in that second, leaving him swaying precariously on his feet. His vision swam, and the last thing he saw before blacking out was Carth lunging at him with arms outstretched.