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| - The cargo ships slowly lumbered across the landscape. The sun was hidden by grey clouds, which ever darkened, threatening to rain on them. The twenty guards of the ships rode of hovercraft, pacing back and forth, their guns hanging loosely at their sides. No trouble could or would be expected. Not so far in the very center of the Mandalorian System. After all, who would dare fight off twenty thousand heavily armored, kick-you-butt-in-a-second, Mandalorian warriors? The captain of the guard sat, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Not only was foodstuff in these transports. But, also items of a more organic, living nature. He just hoped they would get to the capitol city before any unwanted visitors showed up. "Captain Graane," the head driver called out, "You look worried. What is it?" “Maybe not anything,” he replied. “You sure?' he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Let me just say I would be more at ease if these were in Sundari," he replied, talking about the transporters. He did not even so much as looked up when he talked. "Don't worry about it," the man replied, chewing on a piece of bread, "We'll be there by nightfall." "Perhaps," he said, standing up, "But, all the same, I would like to be on my guard." The driver shrugged as he fiddled with one of the controls. The sun was setting off in the distance. There was still two hours yet to go before reaching the capitol. Everyone was getting anxious. Why were they still this far off? They should be within sight of Sundari by now. The low hum of the ships were growing louder as night approached and the wildlife went to their holes or nests. Then, without warning, the ships let out a long, low groan and sloed to a complete stop. There was a bustling of vulgarity as the drivers tried to get their vehicles to start again. Some tried what seemed to be a very old technique which involved slamming their fists on the engine starters and shouting streams of vulgarity. Then, the guards’ hovercrafts crashed into the ground, spilling all of them off them. They were in a jumbled tangle on the ground, and having an extremely hard time extracting themselves from each other. "Of all the kiffers!" Graane shouted as a foot kicked him square in the nose, breaking it, "What's going on?" A driver looked confused at the mess. This couldn't happen by anything he could reason. It simply did not make sense. It just didn't make since. Graane got disentangled from the group and walked towards the skiff, holding his nose as blood rushed from the nostrils. “What is the reason for this delay?” he again asked, a dangerous edge to his voice. "Sir!" a guard shouted, reached for his gun, "Watch out!" But, the warning was too late. His head went flying off as the red laser blade swept it clean off its shoulders. The man drawing his gun was shot down by a bolt of blue energy, which left a smoking gap where his stomach should have been. Soon, seven swoop bikes were surrounding the guards. The riders of the bikes laughed, their faces unseen by the long black robes shrouding their faces. "You didn't see us coming, my pompous Mandalorians," the leader, who had a noticeably bigger bike, "Or, is the appropriate name, Taungs? I have never gotten it quiet right." "I got a name," another one said, "Imbeciles and dumbbells." The guards were not so easily scared. They at once all pulled their guns, but, the attackers were much faster. Most were shot down before they even pulled their guns out of their holsters, and the few that pulled them out didn't even get a shot fired off as they were racked with blaster fire. The drivers tried to run, but almost immediately stopped when two of the five were shot in the backs as they run and slammed face first into the cold dirt. "Now," the leader said, getting off his bike, "All of you just sit down and cool off, my fat fellows. May I ask what you have in these ships?" "Food stuff and clothing for Sundari," the head driver replied, “Nothing else.” "I sense life forms," the black robed man said, and when he said that, all the remaining six jumped down from their bikes. The leader slowly strode up to the leader, and against his will the man was slowly dragged up onto his feet, the blade less than a centimeter from his face. “Did you not say you carry only food stuff and clothing for Sundari?” he snarled, “Or, are you mistaken.” "Once in a while we transport some of the animals from the rain forests to the butchers in the city," one of the other drivers said, “So in fact, he didn't lie.” "Did I ask you what they were?" the leader demanded. "No, but I----" the man was shot in the head and the other two drivers looked at the body in shock, looking at the smoking hole where his nose had just been. "If any of you so much as cough without my asking you too," the leader snarled, throwing the head-driver to the ground, now sniveling like a mangy cur, "You will die." "What do you think is in there?" one of the other black robed men asked. "I sense sentient life forms," he said, pointing to the first car, "The Force is strong in this particular car." "I'll check it out," the other man said, and brining out his lightsaber, cut a five foot circular hole in the wall. He flicked his hand and the piece fell out onto the ground, dirt exploding up from the area as the large metal slab smacked the ground. He climbed in and disappeared into the truck. He soon returned with a blank look on his face. The leader looked at him, then watched him fall face first onto the ground. The leader rushed up to him, and saw the hole in his back. "Come here unbidden, you have," an elderly voice said, "Find it hard to leave, you will." A small green lightsaber flicked on and out jumped a small green Jedi, a Whill by the looks of him. The leader jumped back and they all flicked on their lightsabers. They knew this creature. "Master Yoda," the man sneered, "You have interfered with our affairs for the last time." "Indeed," Yoda replied, "Waited a long time for this moment I have, my large dark friend. Your business, at an end, it is." "Indeed, I share your sentiments" he said, turning on his second lightsaber, "I have waited a long time for this moment, my little green friend." Suddenly, the side of the second cargo ship exploded and out jumped a tall human, wearing Jedi robes. He turned his own golden blade on. "Master Anakin Skywalker," the man said, "You have made a grave mistake coming here tonight." "No, it is you who have made a mistake," he retorted, and the other three cargo ships exploded and out rushed fifty heavily armed Mandalorians, aiming their guns at them, “And this time, you are outwitted and out gunned.” The man did not wait. "Get out of here!" the leader shouted as fifty bolts came flying towards them. As they ran they fired back at the Mandalorians, many who were taking off on their jet packs, to gain the advantage of the air. Seven fell, but three of the bikers were shot down as they ran for their bikes. Yoda jumped out and attacked one of the bikers, who turned and swung at the little master with the same grace as a windmill. Yoda jumped over his head and when he landed on the ground, the man fell with a split open head. Anakin Skywalker used the force to grab one of the riderless bikes and throw it at sixth member of the gang. His lightsaber cut the bike in two as he took off, and the leader threw a bolt of lightning at the sky. It was of such intensity that it arched and took out all twelve Mandalorains in the sky, killing them instantly. Before they could pursue, the gang was gone. Yoda shut down his lightsaber, "Done well we have, Master Skywalker." Anakin nodded his head as he shut down his own. "But, those two are still out there," he said, surveying the deaths of over thirty men. “Long time it will take," Yoda said, grabbing his gimar stick from his side and walking with it, "before more trouble, they can cause."" "I wonder who they are," Anakin said, trying to ponder the events and information now thrown into light. "The Dark Side I sense in them," Yoda muttered, "But, the Light, overcome, it always will." Anakin nodded in agreement and they turned to the grisly task of looking after the dead and wounded.
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