Five hours later, Ali stood in a dimly lit meeting room alongside the other five acolytes. The tense silence was broken only by the measured voice of an Empire pilot, who was standing at the front of the room, briefing them on the mission.
"I'll drop you near the coordinates we received from the last research squad," the pilot began, his voice steady but with an edge of caution.
"From there, the six of you will need to navigate to the objective and retrieve it as quickly as possible. Speed and efficiency are critical!"
The pilot paused, letting his words sink in. "If everything goes according to plan, we'll be back on this ship in six hours-at most. Regarding the lightning," he added, glancing at the nervous acolytes, "the ship's hull is coated with specially engineered metal. It's designed to shield us from the Force-induced thunderstorms on Vorrath."
The pilot finished with a few additional technical details before dismissing them, and the group headed toward the ship in silence.
Ali moved with a calm, measured stride, his sharp black eyes scanning the faces of the other acolytes. Their unease was palpable; the faint tremors in their hands and the rigid tension in their postures betrayed their fear. Acolytes for a reason, Ali thought, his gaze flicking away dismissively as he boarded the ship.
Once inside, Ali strapped himself securely into a seat, pulling the belt tight across his chest. He glanced out of the small circular window at his side, his expression calm as he watched the ship lift off from the hangar and ascend into the dark void of space.
Ali turned his attention ahead, his eyes narrowing as the dark blue sphere of Vorrath came into sight. Smaller than Korriban, yet larger than Earth, its surface was veiled in ominous, swirling storms.
The pilot skilfully guided the ship into Vorrath's atmosphere, but the descent was anything but smooth. The vessel shook violently as it passed through the thick Force-charged clouds. Ali's hands gripped the armrests tightly as the turbulence worsened, though his face remained composed.
Bright blue streaks of lightning tore across the storm-laden sky, illuminating the blackened clouds in stark flashes. Ali's sharp gaze tracked the strikes, each one a harbinger of the planet's volatile nature. 'If one of those hits us', we're done, Ali thought grimly, though he trusted the pilot to keep them alive.
After what felt like an eternity, the ship broke through the storm layer, and the terrain below came into view. Ali's eyes widened slightly as he took in the alien landscape.
Massive mountain peaks jutted up from the ground, clustered so closely together that they almost appeared to form a jagged, interconnected labyrinth. Each peak was slick with rain and mist, their surfaces treacherous and uninviting. Death pits and ravines yawned between the mountains, their depths lost in shadows.
It was a world of sharp edges and peril, inhospitable to life and devoid of mercy.
"We're approaching the drop zone," the pilot's voice crackled over the comms.
"Be ready to jump."
The acolytes unbuckled their straps and rose from their seats, gripping the handles overhead to steady themselves against the ship's continued turbulence.
Ali stood at the front of the group, one hand firmly gripping the metal bar above him as he prepared for the descent.
The door at the side of the ship began to slide open, revealing the storm-swept peaks below. Rain and wind howled into the cabin, whipping against their faces and making the metal groan in protest.
"NOOO-!"
The pilot's panicked scream shattered the tension just moments before disaster struck.
B000000OM.
Ali's eyes widened as a massive, serrated leg-white as bone-pierced through the side of the ship. The limb skewered the hull with terrifying force, tearing through metal and circuitry as if it were paper. Sparks erupted from the destroyed engine as the ship shuddered violently and began plummeting toward the peaks below.
Thrown off balance, Ali slammed into the wall of the cabin, bracing himself as the ship spiralled out of control.
B000000000M.
The crash was deafening. The vessel struck the side of one of the towering peaks, tearing through rock and metal alike as it came to a brutal halt. Inside, Ali felt his skull crack against the wall, the impact sending waves of pain through his head before everything went black.
Ten minutes later, Ali's senses returned in a haze of agony. The metallic screech of the ship shifting against the rocks jolted him awake. His body screamed in protest as he opened his eyes, his vision swimming.
The first thing he noticed was the shard of metal protruding from his stomach, its jagged edges glinting faintly in the flickering light of the ruined cabin. Blood pooled around the wound, seeping into his clothes and dripping onto the broken floor beneath him.
Ali groaned, his teeth gritting against the pain as he gripped the shard with both hands. With a deep breath, he yanked the metal free in one swift motion. His vision blurred momentarily as fresh blood gushed from the wound, and his intestines began to slip out.
The scene was gruesome, but Ali remained eerily calm. Pressing his intestines back into place with both hands, he applied firm pressure to the wound, waiting for his body's healing cells got to work.
As his breathing steadied, Ali forced himself to take stock of his surroundings.
The ship was a wreck, its interior mangled beyond recognition. Cables sparked above him, casting intermittent light over the carnage. The other acolytes lay scattered throughout the cabin, but none of them were alive. Their bodies were torn apart, their limbs crushed and broken by the crash.
Ali stepped carefully over the shattered remains of the acolytes. ' What the hell was that thing?' he thought, recalling the brief glimpse he'd had of the monstrous limb that had destroyed the ship.
The faint creaking of metal drew his attention downward. Through a large hole in the hull, he saw the jagged rock that was precariously supporting the wreckage.
The ship swayed ominously, threatening to slide into the abyss below.
Ali quickened his pace, checking his weapons to ensure they were intact. Both guns were still holstered by his waist hidden under his uniform, and his quinque was secure. Moving toward the cockpit, he stepped over shattered glass and twisted metal, finally reaching the remains of the controls.
The pilot's body-or what was left of it-was slumped against the dashboard. A large rock had smashed through the cockpit's glass, crushing the man's upper body beyond recognition. Only the lower half of his uniform identified him as Imperial personnel.
'What a way to go...' Ali thought, his gaze lingering on the shattered controls.
A crackling voice from a nearby radio snapped him out of his thoughts. "You there? I repeat, can anyone hear me?"
Ali spotted the damaged radio hanging from a cluster of exposed wires. Grabbing it, he pressed the side button to respond. "We've crashed," he said tersely. "Only one survivor left."
The voice on the other end returned. "Good. Do you have any idea where you are?"
Ali shoved aside the shattered glass on the dashboard, ignoring the cuts it left on his hands. Looking out, he scanned the peaks below and spotted a larger, intact research ship nestled between several close peaks.
"I'm east of the research ship," Ali replied. "But our vessel is destroyed and about to fall. Send a rescue now!"
The radio crackled again, but the transmission was garbled. "Retrieve the-device-and create a signal... four hours... discovered by rescue..."
The line went dead.
"FUCK!" Ali shouted, slamming the radio against the wall.
Suddenly, the ship tilted sharply, and Ali had only moments to act. Kicking out the remaining shards of glass in the cockpit, he jumped onto the wet rocks of the peak, grabbing hold of a jagged outcropping just as the wreckage gave way.
He looked down as the ruined ship plummeted into the darkness below, disappearing into the void.
KEEEEEEEEE.
A piercing, insect-like screech echoed from the depths, sending a chill down Ali's spine. Moments later, a massive white leg, identical to the one that had destroyed the ship, stabbed into the base of the peak.
Ali's eyes widened as the monstrous creature began scaling the rock face, its sharp limbs anchoring into the slippery stone with ease.
'Shit', Ali thought, his mind racing. He scanned the area and spotted a larger rock formation with just enough space behind it to hide.
Wasting no time, Ali leapt from his position, scrambling up the wet stone. Black veins pulsed over his arms, activating his muscles to their peak strength as he climbed.
Behind him, the sound of the creature's legs smashing into the rock grew louder.
Each impact sent vibrations through the stone, making the climb even more treacherous.
Ali reached the shelter just as the creature's head emerged over the ledge. He pressed himself against the rock, holding his breath as the massive insectoid creature loomed on the other side.
The creature was enormous, its white, chitinous body glistening in the storm's faint light. Its head was grotesque and alien, its pale, glistening surface marred by jagged ridges and angular features.
Two massive mandibles protruded from its jaws, clicking hungrily as its glowing, blood-red eyes scanned the area. It had four long, spindly legs tipped with razor-sharp points that stabbed into the wet stone with terrifying precision, holding its massive frame steady on the peak.
Ali's muscles tensed as the creature leaned closer, its head moving in jerky, insect-like motions. Its maw opened wide, revealing rows of sharp teeth glistening with an unknown fluid. A sharp, high-pitched keening buzz radiated from the creature, vibrating the air around it.
Ali dared not move. He pressed himself further into the small crevice behind the rock, his heartbeat steady but his mind working furiously.
'If it finds me, I'll have to fight it head-on… but it's enormous. Even with the Force, this is a long shot.'
The creature's massive head jerked to the side, scanning the ledge as if searching for prey. Ali's eyes followed its movements, noting every twitch and vibration. Its sheer size and speed were overwhelming—it would be a deadly adversary in any fight.
The insect suddenly paused, its head snapping in Ali's direction. He froze, his hands slowly moving to his quinque.
Just as its mandibles twitched and its legs began to adjust for a lunge, the storm intervened.
BOOOOOOOM.
A crackling streak of Force-charged lightning struck the peak directly above them. The blinding flash of light illuminated the entire area for a split second, followed by an explosive rumble that shook the mountain.
The insect let out a shrill screech of alarm, its legs scrabbling on the slick stone as it recoiled. The thunderous impact sent jagged rocks tumbling down, forcing the creature to retreat.
With a powerful leap, it launched itself through the air to a neighbouring peak, landing with unnatural grace.
Ali shielded himself from the falling debris, activating his quinque in a swift motion. The blade extended with a deep hiss, its crimson-red hue glowing faintly in the stormy light. He used the oversized weapon to deflect falling rocks, the heavy blade absorbing the impact of each strike until the storm subsided and the rocks stopped falling.
Ali deactivated the weapon and exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the cold, rain-soaked air.
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