The Liberation of Cathar

late 158 ABY

Colony Forest Planet of Batorine

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (Mab Bathori & Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 1. Too close to home.}\*~**

On the quiet forest world of Batorine, a single small T-class cruiser makes its way down through the atmosphere, into the mists that seem to forever cling to the planet's surface and touches down gently on the platform next to a newly built villa hidden amongst the trees.

Several minutes later knight Terrogate walks purposefully out of the ship, his feline feet moving silently but quickly over the grass as he heads towards the house. Behind him his ship ROAR-1 was parked next to his lifemate Mab Bathoris ship ”The Busted Plugga”, both now bathing in the afternoon sun on their private landing platform located near the couples house.

Terrogate opens the large wooden front door to the home, he crosses the threshold and then slams the door behind him in a huff. The warrior was still dressed in his standard armour and dorning his weapons that he normally would remove and leave in the ship away from the sight or accidental reach of the children who had only recently returned from hiding along with Jovian, the Echani housecarl. The broad muscular knight was visibly upset by something and he didn't even think of removing them this time.

”I can't believe it!” he says angrily… ”THE WHOLE KRIFFING GALAXY IS AT ITS KNEES!”

”What's wrong my heart?” says Mab worryingly, looking up concerned from her seat at the study desk as she pours over several old texts that Terrogate did not possess the ability to read.

”I've just been in touch with the last of our remaining Tollere intelligence operatives who gave me the recent list of systems & planets that are now classed as ’front line’.”

Mab continues to look at him, waiting for what he would say next, clearly, there was bad news coming for her life partner to be this upset.

”Mab…” says the large Cathar now looking pleadingly at his love.. ”the war has now reached the outer rim, Mab.. Cathar is now on that list…my people..” He hunches over and places both hands palms down on the large dark wood dining table, his eyes looking down in sad focused thought.

Mab pushes her chair back and stands. Walking slowly over to her visibly upset mate she approached him and gently placed her ultra-chrome hand on his long, furry face softly lifting it so that his gaze met hers. “It’s happening again..” he says with soft sadness as he looks into her eyes.

”Go, my love..” she says.. Looking at him in earnest. ”If you mean to leave.. If you feel you must.. Then go. I will not try to stop you.” she continues softly.

The Cathar looks back at her, they had had this conversation before. But then it was he accepting her need to go to Prakith and follow the voices calling her in her dreams. Although it was a massive risk he had trusted her and she hadn't come to any lasting harm, she was careful and smart. She was stronger than any woman he had ever met and he was proud of her for taking on her challenges head-on and emerging victorious. He loved her more than life itself, and no one knew him better than she.

”But..” she continues, ”If you must go to try and to save them, then you better kriffing well save them!” She says her voice heightens for a moment before returning to her softer tone. ”And do not come back until they are free. Only then my love, my life..” she pauses for a moment as she stares into his eyes and tilts her head forwards ever so slightly. ”Only once you free them, then you will also be free.”

Her words rang true to the Knight. Since he had fled Cathar and arrived in the Empire four thousand years later the memory of the planet being attacked, his family and his people slaughtered by Mandalore the Ultimate and Cassus Fett had always been on his mind. It was a chain of his no doubt, weighing him down and guiding his actions. This was his opportunity for the first time in over four thousand years to break free of that chain. As once more he found his people under attack by invaders, but this time he was strong enough to do something about it, this time he could save them.

He turns his body to face his love and smiles, he needed this and she knew it. The golden horned Iktotchi woman standing before him now smiles gently, he returns the small smile then leans forwards and kisses her lightly on the lips. Then without breaking contact with the kiss he reaches down and picks her up off the ground, wrapped up and held against him in his large muscular arms he carries her up the stairs and into the open doorway of the main bedroom. Kicking the wooden door to the room closed behind them he throws her onto the bed and begins removing his armour...

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Colony Forest Planet of Batorine / Hyperspace

IC- Terrogate Artifex of Tollere (Mab Bathori, Khara Bathori, Jovian Kargri & Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 2. The stow away}\*~**

Standing just outside the open airlock of Terrogates ship ROAR-1 the Cathar embraces Mab like it may be for the very last time, it had been days since their decision for him to leave Batorine and travel to his homeworld. He had packed everything he would need and also decided to take Sheila, his security droid along with him.

He takes his time, savouring the moment of the couple's tender embrace and allowing all the small details of her to be locked into his memory. Her eyes, her scent, the sound of her voice as she spoke to him. Telling him to ”keep in contact” to ”free his people” and to come back home to her the very moment he is done.

Terrogate hugs her and kisses her passionately, Jovian stands behind her several steps away with their young daughter, the Ski’tri Khara. Terrogate releases Mab and kneels his arms wide apart. His stepdaughter realising this was her turn comes running into his arms, he hugs her tight and kisses her goodbye. ”Bye Papa,” she says. ”I’ll miss you,” she says with a tear forming in her eyes.

”Goodbye my butterfly,” he says to the young girl. ”I’ll be home as soon as I can.” he says, releasing her from his embrace. ” be a good girl for momma while I'm gone ok?” he says. ”Ok Papa, I'll try to be brave, like you showed me..” the young teal skinned girl says wiping the tears from her eyes and doing her best to show a strong demeanour. Terrogate touches her cheek as he raises to standing.

”Where’s Kas’sparr?” Terrogate says to Jovian the housecarl. ”I'm not sure master Terrogate.” The Echani says in earnest. ”He's been acting up and unruly lately. He says he wants to join in the fighting, not sitting at home playing in the trees.”

”He’s only 15.. He's still just a boy. Barely old enough to hold a blaster yet.” says the Cathar Knight. ”I know sir. I told him there was no way he was allowed off-world and that he would be better rewarded by putting his focus towards his studies, than dreams of war.” the Echani looked sad as he spoke the last words and Terrogate knew at once he had also seen battle. It was not glorious, it was brutal, ugly, unjust and only the strongest and most keen of minds could hope to survive long in an actual full-scale war, the rest would all perish indiscriminately. Soldiers or civilians both. Not the place for the soft of heart, and definitely not the place for a teenage boy. ”That’s ok Jovian,” said Terrogate. ”Just make sure you tell him I said goodbye and try to make sure he keeps with his studies.”

”I will master Terrogate. Good luck sir and I look forward to your swift return”

Terrogate nodded at Jovian in respect, he admired the man greatly. And owed him a great deal. Not only had he had a pivotal role in nursing Mab back to health from almost certain death several years ago, Jovian had also been tasked to travelling with and protecting the children in their time of hiding, and he had not failed them. He was one of them now in Terrogates mind, family. ”Goodbye Jovian. I will be back soon my friend”.

He turns once more and says a final goodbye to Mab and then enters his ship closing the airlock behind him. With his things packed and his security droid SH3-1LA safely secured in the storage hold Terrogate sits in the cockpit, straps himself into the pilot's chair and engages the thrusters. The extra weight of Sheila was noticeable as the small craft’s thrusters worked harder than usual lifting them off the platform but soon they had taken off and we're on their way out of the Batorine atmosphere and heading for outer space.

Successfully breaking through the atmosphere and the normal violent shaking of the light craft now subsided, Terrogate switches on the Navicom and sets coordinates to the Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6 Cathar. Pressing the corresponding controls for hyperspace travel he then hits the activation button and pulls the throttle activating the ion engine which shoots them into hyperspace. The main viewing screens lighting up with the blue and white swirling vortex of the hyperspace lane.

It will take several hours to reach his destination and with nothing to do now but wait Terrogate decides to go check on Sheila and make sure nothing had become unsecured in the cargo hold as they exited the atmosphere when leaving Batorine.

As Terrogate drops down the ladder from the top level where the cockpit is situated to the main hull of the ship he senses something faint in the force aboard the ship...

Terrogate moves to the sleeping quarters and removes one of his two heavy hand blaster pistols from his bag, then slowly makes his way through the ship towards the hold. Blaster raised he inched his way forward still picking up on the life force he senses is not a threat, but even so, he holds his blaster in the space in front of him.

Getting to the cargo hold, it's dark.. Terrogates feline eyes adjust in mere moments and see the 4 tonnes, 4 meters tall hulking mass of his custom security droid SH3-1LA as it sat hunched over on low power mode. Only the faint blue lights of her eyes illuminate contrast to the rest of her Jet Black form.

”AaaChoo…” Terrogate ears prick up at once.. .. That was a sneeze he was sure of it. Someone, not something was in here. Pointing his blaster out in front of him at the room, in general, the Cathar warrior calls out to the darkened cargo hold ”Come out… I know you're in here” he says with a stern growling voice. ”May as we'll make it easy on yourself before I find you and put a blaster to your head..”

Then he hears words spoken in an all too familiar tone coming out from behind Sheila as the stowaway finally reveals himself.. “Ok, Ok…. No need to get your robes in a twist.. Geez..”

”Kas’sparr!!?” exclaims the warrior with great surprise and visible confusion. ”What are you doing here?!” he says the hint of anger now growing in his tone..

”Why are YOU here? ANSWER ME NOW!.” growls the Cathar. His fury is now very noticeable as he demands an answer.

The young horned chiss male looks frightened at seeing his stepfather's anger at his sneaking aboard the ship. ”I...I wanted to come and help.. I want to fight. Like you and the others..”

Terrogate sighs and drops his blaster to his side.. ”Kas’sparr, you must listen to me. War is no place for children..” ”IM NOT A CHILD!” protests the young chiss pulling down his shirt and revealing the smallest wisp of very fine chest hairs. ”I CAN FIGHT! I CAN!” Terrogate smiles at the boy's fire and eagerness. ”Of course you can son..” he says. ”But there is a big difference between being able to pull a trigger and shoot a tin can target on the lawn at home, and taking another being's life. It changes you Kas’sparr… War changes you.” said the warrior. ”And not for the better.” he adds as he turns his back to the boy and begins to move slowly back towards the cockpit. Kas’sparr hurries to catch up now, following closely behind.

”Now, we can't send a message while in hyperspace like some of these other new fancy ships like The Busted Plugga so we will need to wait until we have arrived at Cathar before we can communicate back to Batorine and let your mother know where you are. And for both our sakes, I hope she's in a forgiving mood.

Terrogate lowers himself into the pilot's chair and takes out a food bar from the upper console. ”Here kid, eat this and relax. Maybe even get some shut-eye if you can” he growled.. ”Still several hours before we arrive at the Cathar system. And you never know what stage the fighting will be at when we arrive.” says Terrogate trying to remain calm so as not to scare the Chiss boy. But inside he was worried. Kas’sparr was too curious, too cocky.. And this was a warzone they were likely headed too. Who knows what situation they will find themselves in when they got there. And if anything should happen to Kas’sparr he and Mab's only son, she would never forgive him. And he would never be able to forgive himself.

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 3. Deathly silent}\*~**

Several hours later, a repeating alarm begins in the cockpit of Roar-1, slow and methodical in it's delivery both as an audible tone, and a flashing red light from the pilots central dashboard alerting anyone on board to the upcoming destination being close. Terrogate reaches up from his pilot's seat where he was sat, and switches a toggle lever on the overhead console switching off the sound. Behind him, his teenage step son Kas’sparr who had snuck aboard the ship is now curled up on the passenger seats fast asleep.

”Kas’sparr, Kas’sparr getup son..” Says the Cathar. ”We are close to arriving.. I need you to buckle up” he continues.

Kas’sparr wakes groggily and rubs his eyes, sits up and casually pulls the passenger seats safety belt across himself then buckles in with a long yawn..

”About time..” says the boy in a sarcastic tone.

Terrogate shakes his head lightly at the boy's comment then switching the autopilot off he takes the manual throttle in his left hand, switches on his primary deflector shields with his right, then waiting until the perfect timing pulls the ship out of hyperspace and into close proximity above their targeted planet of Cathar..

BEEEEB! BEEEEB! BEEEEB! BEEEEB!  Another alarm but louder and more violent sounds over the cockpits emergency speakers. Bright red warning beacons positioned on the walls of the cockpit and passenger area behind strobe on and off synchronised to the sound that now flooded the upper deck of the small cruiser, Terrogates heart skips a beat and he braces himself for what's to come.

As the swirling blue and white vortex of hyperspace gives way and the ship pulls in hard adjusting quickly to the required cruising speed, it's hyperdrive winding at the stress faintly audible over the warning sirens still filling the ship. As the bright flash of intense white light in the main viewing window dissipates revealing their location Terrogates eyes widen in fear. Before him in the viewing screen, and also all around them was the debris of a recent space battle.

ROAR-1 had entered into what looked like a major staged space battleground above the planet, Terrogate looks through the view screens as he scans the surroundings. Large Battlecruisers and a star Destroyer float aimlessly in the space surrounding them, visible signs of intense laser cannon fire cover large areas of the giant ships hulls and enormous chunks of the star destroyers aft and port sides had been broken away resulting in dozens of decks opened to the void of space. Random small flashes of light still visible in the opened wounds of the giant battleship's hull as sparks of it's damaged electrical systems continue to dissipate the gradual building up of electricity. Countless smaller vessels both whole and damaged, many almost beyond model identification surround the large ships floating in the darkness of space.

Terrogate reaches out with the force but senses no other lifeforms are close by other than he and Kas’sparr, this battle had finished a while ago and this…. This was now a graveyard.

Without warning a human male dressed in an Imperial officer's uniform bumps against the outside front view screen.. Kas’sparr gasps and pushes himself back harder into his chair, his hands grasping the safety belt tightly. The dead officer's eyes and mouth were both open as if in a wide surprise staring into the cockpit as his body bumped against the glass, his face was frozen over and on making contact with the ship his officers hat dislodged from his head revealing a jet black head of short military cut hair. His uniform dorning the emblem of house Dreadwar, the house of the Emperor.

Sensing no further life forms Terrogate switches off the still activated warning alarm and dims the ships lighting to 25%. ”Can’t be too careful,'' he says out loud as he activates the close proximity navigational sensors in preparation for guiding the craft through the minefield of scrap metal and bodies they found themselves in, all now caught in the orbital pull of the planet below. Kas’sparr seems spooked by the deathly stillness amidst the mass of destruction the pair now found themselves traveling through and decided to remain strapped into his seat.

”First things first…” Says Terrogate, “No, Don’t!!” Pleaded Kas’sparr from his seat. “Yes'' Replied the Cathar, “We are calling your mother!”

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 4. A rude welcome home}\*~**

….Terrogate leans over the center pilots console aboard his T-Class personal cruiser Roar-1 as it floats slowly and silently through the field of destroyed battleships, single fighters and the mass of floating bodies in orbit above the outer rim world of Cathar.

Taking a small calming breath the warrior presses down the ships comlink for activation. “No!” Says his step son Kas’sparr, who was sitting behind him strapped into one of the passenger seats. “Don’t call her..” he continues desperately.. “Silence Kas’sparr!” Says Terrogate abruptly. “How else did you see this going?” He says turning his head now looking towards the teenage chiss boy as he spoke, “Sneaking on board? Not telling anyone where you were going?... And knowing full well I was heading into a possible war zone Kas’sparr!” He says raising the intensity of his deep growling voice.. “She will be worried sick..” He says backing his voice off once more, turning his head to face the com mic mounted on the console and depresses the com link button activating it. “Contact, Batorine. Mab Bathori personal Comlink.” He says into the com mic and then waits for a response.

Just a few seconds later Mab replies “Terrogate?” she asks, her voice sounds worried. “yes it’s me, love” the Catharian responds as he glances at his stepson. “I didn’t expect you to call in now, is everything alright?” the witch asks softly. “yes all is good, we have just arrived at Cathar" “oh that’s good” for a moment she stays silent, they can only hear her breathing. “There’s something you need to know. '' Terrogate says and motions to Kas’sparr to speak, but the boy shakes head too ashamed to talk to his mother. Before the Cathar can say more Mab speaks “He's there isn’t he?” Both of them look at each other in shock. “Well?” Bathori asks impatiently. Again Terrogate motions to his stepson to speak which the boy again refuses. Angry the warrior kicks against Kas’Sparr’s chair. “Hey mom” the boy at once says. Mab doesn’t respond, the silence makes them both nervous. “mom? Are you there?” the blue skinned Iktotchi asks anxiously. “Oh... I am here Aro.. I am here.. you better start explaining yourself.” Scared the boy looks at Terrogate, who grins at him. “I... I... ehm.. i...” he stutters. “you what?.. hmmm? What?” both of them hear from her voice she is furious, and both felt relieved she was still back on Batorine. “I thought I could help Terrogate.. so snuck aboard.” Even the boy himself wasn’t convinced by his own explanation. Again it is silent, but both know it is the silence before the storm.

“You thought you could help?” she repeats, they hear something break it was obvious Mab just broke another mug in her anger, it wasn’t the first time that happened. “I told you NO!! I told you to stay home Aro!! Cathar is a warzone!!” the witch yells over the comm. “I know mom.  But..” “But what!!!” Mab interrupts him “you are just 15, a boy!!! A stranger in a unknown world, in chaos!! You aren’t even properly trained because YOU don’t like to study or train!!!!” when she pauses hear her breath, she is breathing fire that’s how angry she is. Terrogate clears his throat “Mab.. love" “ooh and YOU!!! You should have taken him home!” she yells at the Catharian. “we couldn’t return. We...” but again Mab interrupts “you should have checked before you left!! You knew he wanted to come” her voice becomes softer “what am I supposed to do? Just sit here and wait... I’m worried.” Terrogate looks at the boy and gives a nod “I know. I will make sure no harm comes to him.” The comm goes silent they only hear her sighs, Terrogate could feel she was crying “I promise you, I will bring your son back" he pauses, a grin appeares on his face and he adds “in one piece". At once he sees Kas’sparr’s eyes widen and over the comm he hears a chuckle. “you better keep that promise, or I WILL make a blanket out of you.” The Iktotchi responds with a giggle. “Kas’sparr. You listen to Terrogate.” “Yes mom. I will" the relief is visible on the boys face, but then his mother continues “don’t think you’ll get away with this...” her voice sounds threatening, both males know she is serious, there will be consequences to his actions waiting for him at home. “yes mom..” Kas’sparr answers soft and looks at Terrogate. “we will contact you as soon as possible, I love you.” The Cathar says and placed his finger on the comm button. “and I love you.... both... stay safe.”

……….

Terrogate presses the comlink once more and sighs… “Well, going back is not an option so it looks like I’m stuck with you kid.” He says looking back to Kas’sparr who still looks a little ashamed after hearing his mother’s words.

“Ok now look..” the Cathar begins. “When we get to the surface I have no idea what to expect. So I want you to stick close to Sheila and I need you to follow my instructions to the letter. Do not speak to anyone unless i give the ok. If I say hide, you hide. If I say run, you run. And if I..” the Catharian pauses for a moment… then continues in a slower, steady but very direct voice. “If I should fall.. you leave me do you understand? You run and you don’t look back. You don’t come back for me, and you don’t come looking for me. Period. You get to the ship, and you come home. I’ll pre-set the ship's autopilot just in case… all you need to do is start it by hitting this button, pull this lever to three quarters, then these two other buttons in sequence..”he says pointing to the controls so the Chiss teen could see what he was doing. “Then once you are in orbit, press this button to active hyper space and then pull the lever the rest of the way. To come out of Hyperspace once the alarm sounds, do that again but in reverse.”

Kas’sparr, still in the passenger seat, looks at his stepdad with wide eyes, the reality of what he is being asked to do now sinking in.. Not the controls, but the possibility of needing to make his way back without his stepfather.

“Kas’sparr, Son look at me..” Terrogate continues as he lifts himself out from the pilots seat, walks over and crouches down in front of the horned Chiss boy trying to focus him. “If for some reason, the ship is not operational, or gone I want you to go into hiding however you are able. Do whatever you need to do to survive Kas’sparr but you get yourself back to Batorine as soon as you get a safe opportunity. Ok…?”  The young Chiss says nothing but nods his head slowly looking at his deathly serious stepfather.. “Kas’sparr, this is important!” Terrogate says sternly. “I need to hear you say you understand what I’m telling you.” “I understand.” Replies the young Chiss softly. “Good” replies Terrogate. “Now remain in your seat, I’m taking us to the surface.” He says as he makes his way back to the pilots seat and prepares to enter the  atmosphere of the Planet below.

~\*~\*~

Some time later Roar-1 descends from the planet's atmosphere towards the Planet Cathars surface. The small long range cruiser bucks and shifts as they streak down through atmospheric ozone. Kas’Spar has his eyes closed and hands gripping his safety belt hard as his head rocks and jerks around in reaction to the ship's movement. The vibrations stop quickly as it breaks into the lower atmosphere and Terrogate reduces speed and straightens the ship from a nose dive to a more safe and comfortable angle of gradual descent.

Roar-1 moves swiftly over the land mass of large grassy plains, large lakes, enormous trees and baron savannas now where the once plentiful dense forests of Terrogates childhood once stood. They fly over the white sandy beaches of Oronni Bay, over the Great Dune Sea and cross the beautiful Vercor Mountains. Only a few other ships were visible on the scanners all moving to and from a central location in the distance.

Terrogate has his Navicom now set to a local commerce city center on the very edges of the Vast Veldt named Joffa, where he would try to blend in with the locals and see what information he could dig up. Kas’sparr unclips his seatbelt and joins Terrogate standing next to him at the pilots view screens. They are traveling low enough now that they are able to make out smaller shapes on the ground and Kas’sparr looks in wonder as he peers out of the side viewing screen and sees a herd of Giant horned hoppers making their way slowly across the mountainous ranges and Terrogate for a moment gets lost in the memories of his youth and the Blood hunt he had completed entering into the hive of a Kiltik Beetle swarm where he had successfully killed the queen. Something that had never been done in thousands of years of tradition. It was the very first time Terrogate, then known as Jaja, had by sheer will and desperation during what could have been his last moments unexpectedly used the force. It had saved him that day. And he had a feeling he would once again need to call on it soon to save not only them, but now also his entire homeworld.

The cruiser approaches the commerce city of Joffa in less than half an hour of standard flight time. Roar-1’s scanners locate a clearing only a few clicks due west of the city and he brings roar 1 down softly to land on a dusty clearing on the edge of the mountainous Vercor region below a cliff face. The ship was protected somewhat from the weather by the landscape and also hidden from obvious view being directly at the foot of the rock wall.

Once landed the Cathar Knight immediately speaks to Kas’sparr. “We need to sneak into town but I want us to keep together ok? I can’t afford for us to split up. Sheila for the time being will stay with the ship so I mean it when I say keep close and do as I say.” “Ok Terrogate… whatever you say.” Said the Chiss boy now starting to get excited to finally be leaving the ship.”  Terrogate gives him a steely glance just to let him know he was serious and the two make their way down to the main deck and over to the ship's hold to prepare.

A short time later the near 7 foot Cathar and the young teenage Chiss boy approach the main gates to the city of Joffa dressed in loose fitting robes with their hoods pulled over their heads disguised as regular citizens looking to make purchase in the commercial sectors great market. Although there were parts of Cathar which Terrogate knew to be quite beautiful and his memories of his childhood were of vast green plains and dense forest covering a lot of the planet, the fact was now that most of Cathar was a harsh arid world. Dry deserts and vast barren land mass that covered much of the world were the visible scars of a planet flogged by war over its history. Firsty Mandalore the Ultimate close to wiping the Cathar race from the galaxy itself, then Millenia later, after the people had finally returned and in the midst of rebuilding the Yuuzhan Vong had invaded and once again brought a great and devastating war to the people of Cathar. As such off -world travelers were rarely seen and the Cathar populace was close to 100% saturation by the native Cathar species. So it was important that to blend in the horned, blue skinned boy keep his robe hood up and his red eyes down as much as possible in public.

The City itself was very old and surrounded by a 10 metre high large sandstone wall that protected it from the harsh weather conditions. It’s cracked and weather beaten exterior showed signs of battle with visible laser scorching and many various sized chunks missing from its surface. Above the large open gateway were 2 lager cloth banners hung over the ramparts on either side of the entrance waiving lazily in the evening breeze. The banners were black with a white circular leafy crest central to the black background but no wording or slogan to speak of. Under the left banner on the wall itself but only a few meters off the ground “The Syndicate is the death of Cathar” was written with a crudely drawn picture of a Cathars skull with crosses as eyes sprayed in a black paint onto the stone wall. The words were hurried and the paint had run down the wall making their meaning no less shocking to Kas’sparr who looks up to Terrogate as he sees the clear warning written on the city’s entry. On the other side of the entrance, was a large poster hung eye height on the opposite wall. It was a wanted poster with more than a considerable sum for the capture of proof of death for a Cathar named Kenji “Tails” Dukain. The picture shows a rough looking male Cathar with scars on his face and a deep blue glowing cybernetic left eye.

Terrogate touches his hand gently on the Chiss boys shoulder reading the rising concern in the boys mind to try and calm him. “Head down son” he says to Kas’sparr in a low but firm voice. “ Head down and keep walking.” he says as the pair approach what looks like the entrance's security detail. Black heavily armoured and armed soldiers, 6 of them stand stationary at the city gates as the Cathar citizens move in and out of the gateway but do their best to give them a wide berth as they pass. Something seemed off, it was their faces.. Although they were all the same average size and build of a human their helmets were hollowed back somewhat, and inside, where you would expect to see eyes or a mouth or nose there were just amber neon lights glowing stark against the surrounding darkness.

Terrogate looked down quickly to the ground and focusing as they approached the guards tried to pick up a signature off the beings but he cannot identify it properly. They did give off a sign of lifeforce but it was very weak, barely existing at all like you may link to a terminally ill person on their deathbed as they slip away becoming one again with the force. Yet these soldiers who wore the same emblem on their uniforms as the black banners hung above them seemed strong and resolved in their duties. There was something off putting about it. “Synths..” Kas’sparr said suddenly under his breath as they approached the entrance.

Terrogate looked down at the young boy. He was right, that would explain the strange force signature he was picking up on undoubtedly, and the seemingly lack of a more traditional shaped head despite the bodys being the same as a humans. “Eyes down” Terrogate says as they pass the guards quickly on foot. Three of them had lined up side by side in the dead center of the huge stone archway that was Joffa City's entrance forcing civilians to walk either side of them both going in and out. Terrogate motioned to Kas’sparr to move to the right and the boy did as such as they passed the black armoured guards. One of the Synth guards seemed to notice them as they passed and raised its head in a jerking robotic fashion focusing on them. Twisting it slightly in an inquisitive sideways tilt staring at the pair as they walked quickly bye. Once they were past and about ten meters into the City Kas’sparr turns to look back.

Through the swarm of native Cathar moving the around main exit he sees that the guard had now turned around and was now standing deathly still but staring through the moving sea of bodies looking directly at them with its blaster rifle held diagonally upwards across its chest and with the same sideways tilt of its head as they walked quickly away from it and the entrance. Its amber neon eyes intensified and dulled off as its focus changed in and out. Terrogate looks down as they walk swiftly through the crowd and grabs Kas’sparr by the shoulder, spinning the boy around to face forwards again, Kas’sparr almost tripping at the forceful movement.. “Walk!” he says stiffly through clenched teeth as they move further and further away from the archway. The guard remains motionless behind them, staring in their direction until no longer able to be seen, swallowed up by the sea of Cathar citizens now between them.

The pair keep moving through the narrow, dust covered stone city streets. Rows and rows of small market tents line both sides of the street packed in tightly next to each other and everyday citizens flooded the streets making moving difficult. Cathar traders merchants under the cloth shades peddling their wares, the ones not already directly dealing with potential buyers calling out and trying to attract passers by with trinkets and promises of “genuine quality at the lowest prices'', items “Guaranteed to last a lifetime” and spices “So hot, you’ll think a piece of Chrovis fell from the sky and into your mouth.”

Terrogates attention is taken at two Cathar males in a stall on the left further up the street begin fighting, after a few choice words that would make even a Twi’lek slaver blush one of the pair swings a punch at the other knocking him stumbling backwards over a stall table and onto the flat of his back on the street. Not wanting to be caught up in a brawl that would undoubtedly cause a problem Terrogate moves on with the teen boy to try and pass the commotion.

As the two fighting Cathar continues to take their issues into the middle of the dusty street Terrogate tries to pass between them and the upturned table that the Merchant dressed in shabby rags, a Throwback, from the Great Dune Sea had now attended and was frantically picking up what looked like handcrafted necklaces and jewellery. As they began to pass the stand and its owner still on his knees collecting his spilled wears. Kas'sparr bends down to pick up a necklace that had been knocked off the table and was lying behind the stall owner out of his immediate sight, with the intention to give the necklace back to the stall owner whom he felt sorry for.

Terrogate turns realising his stepson had slowed to a stop and was about to shout out to the teen, but as Kas’sparr lifts his hand off the ground grasping the necklace a clawed, scabby and sun damaged hand grabs the boy's wrist. “THIEF!!” Yells the Throwback male still kneeling on the stone ground of the marketplace. “YOU DIRTY LITTLE KRIFFING THIEF!! GIVE IT BACK IT'S MINE!!” He shrieks at the top of his voice as the shabby looking merchant raises to his feet still with a firm hold on Kas’sparr’s wrist. “Let him go NOW!” Terrogate yells loudly to the merchant as he grabs hold of the Chiss boy's other arm and pulls him to his feet as Kas’sparr struggles, jerking his arm back and forth trying to free himself. In that moment Terrogate’s feline ears pick up scrambled robotic garble closing in from behind him over the noise of the now crowd of onlookers. Terrogate turns his head to see several of the synth security detail now quickly making their way through the crowd towards them, the amber glow of their eyes pushing quickly through the sea of bodies all stopped to watch the entertainment that was unfolding.

“Common Kas’sparr we have to go NOW! says Terrogate loudly. “I’m Trying but he has my arm!” replies the boy as he struggles to break free. The Merchant still holding on and refusing to let the boy's arm go responds over the commotion “NO!, you aren't going anywhere you.. you..THIEF!” and dropping his gathered jewellery grips Kas’sparr wrist now with his other hand as well. Kas’sparr feeling trapped squints his eyes, digs his right leg in dropping it back behind him then lowers his head and shoots forward at the Merchant headbutting the Throwback Cathar male in his stomach and knocking him backwards over the still upturned table. Causing him to lose his footing as well as his grip on Kas’sparrs arm as he stumbles backwards and eventually tripping over the stall table landing on his back, his skinny and scabby legs sticking upwards in the air..

Terrogate pulls at the Chiss boy’s arm indicating it was now well past time to move it as several of the black armoured synth now break through the crowd. All of which now have their rifles aimed upwards at the pair and also at the two Cathar males still wrestling on the ground next to them. Just as Terrogate shouts RUN KAS’SPARR! one of the Synth lets loose several rounds of blaster fire into the pair of fighting Cathar males and instantly the crowd of people watching now turns into a screaming panicking chaos. Citizens and merchants alike running in all directions to get away from the Synth troops that had just presumably murdered the two males. Terrogate still holding Kas’sparrs arm pulls him forwards with a jerk.. Common! We have to MOVE!” he says as they start to run further into the city.

Terrogate looks behind him and sees several of the Synth troopers were now following them  running to keep up with their blaster rifles aimed squarely at the two escaping males. Terrogate wanted to get away fast but there was too much of a crowd to use his force augmentation to speed up his escape and he also had Kas’sparr to worry about now. Facing forwards running in the panic Terrogate hears once more the electronic garble from the synth troops in pursuit then another blaster shot and another. In front of them but to the right several pieces of pottery sitting on a merchant's stall explode and shatter into pieces as the two continue to run. Terrogate can sense both Kas’sparrs anxiety and and heightened adrenaline as the two flee for their lives. Terrogate looks back at their pursuers and reaching out with Telekinesis picks up one of the Synth troopers and sends him flying sideways into another that was running right along beside him at the moment of blaster fire causing the shots to miss wide and put several holes into the canvas roof of the Merchant tent to the right of them as they raced down the narrow street.

Behind them two more Synth troops become visible and one sends yet another shot at them narrowly missing and hitting a wooden post less than a meter from Kas’sparrs left shoulder. Kas’Sparr was fast but he was tired and the synths were catching up fast. Soon Terrogate would be forced to use a more aggressive approach to save them, indeed that wasn’t part of the plan for him to give himself away as a threat and get on the enemy’s radar by killing any of them until he knew a lot more about what he was dealing with first. But it seemed he was running out of options and fast.

“Quick this way!” Terrogate said as he rounded the corner and headed into a smaller darker street trying to find an escape from the pursuit.  Terrogate halts and so does Kas’sparr as he runs around the corner almost running into Terrogate not expecting his stepfather to have stopped suddenly. The laneway was a short dead end with nowhere to hide and only a metal bin on the left side of the street pushed up against the old stone building. They were trapped.

Terrogate senses someone approaching fast from behind them. He turns, ushering Kas’sparr to fall in behind him and focusing on the alley's opening, his rage building and hands outstretched at his side ready to unleash a wave of crackling force lighting at whoever Cathar or Synth that was to approach looking to kill or capture them.

To his surprise in a flash a young, good looking by Cathar standards, athletically muscled male with golden fur on his back, and unusual white coloured fur on stomach, chest and face sprinted into the alley looking right passed them at the bin. The stranger looked like he was in his mid twenties and Terrogate sensing he meant them no immediate harm lowered his defences as not to change that fact.

In less than a moment the young Cathar had run right past them, opened the big metal waste bin and jumped inside. Lid still opened the stranger waves at Terrogate and Kas’sparr who now stood staring at the Cathar signalling them to follow. “Common…hurry! You wanna live or not?” He says looking desperately at the pair.

Terrogate without a word looks down at Kas’sparr and then the two run over to the bin and jump in pulling the lid closed after them. Inside it was pitch dark but only for a moment as then a small circle of dull light appeared from the floor. With a few small grunts the young Cathar had pulled a section of the flooring up revealing an opening and a ladder leading downwards. “Go on… get in... It’s safe.” Said the white chested Cathar. “The name’s Crush..” he said, not waiting for Terrogate or Kas’sparr to move first he lowered himself down into the hole making his way quickly down the ladder. “Don’t forget to close it again.. don’t want the Syndicate finding us.” He added. Terrogate nods to Kas’sparr and once the Chiss boy had descended Terrogate followed climbing down into the hole after him.

As he drags the steel circle back across the floor and back into place his feline ears pick up a faint mechanical garble and whirring coming from outside….

\*swwwwwsssshhhhh……….ka-clunk.\*

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 5. Resistance to the Syndicate}\*~**

Kas’sparr descends down the long metal ladder with Terrogate right behind him, the two following the newly met Cathar male who identified himself to the pair as ‘Crush’. The ladder was secured along one side of a deep, circular stone walled shaft, similar to an old well or sewer. Light shoots up from an unknown source below them as they make their way down approximately 30 meters into the earth. Once they get to the bottom Kas’sparr drops from the ladder to the bare floor as does Terroagate and finds Crush standing to one side, next to a small lit fire pit. At the bottom of the shaft the space opened up into a larger circular stone walled room with several archways shooting off into different directions.

Two other Cathar were also present. A large bare chested maleholding a single machete in his right hand with a thinning mane almost resembling a head of human hair, and also a female Cathar dressed in green armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. Terrogate places the male in his forties and the female barely in her twenties. They say nothing but place their hands on their weapons at seeing Terrogate and Kas’sparr drop to the floor. Terrogate grips his saber with both hands and readys himself in a defensive stance facing the two armed Cathar. Ready to defend himself and his son if he must.

Crush quickly moves between them all and raises his hands, palms up and facing the two obvious guards.. “Pog, Deadeye… cool your thrusters. It’s ok…” he says with a charming grin.. “T will want to see this…”  and with that the Cathar he called Pog and Deadeye slowly lowered their weapons and took a step back, eyeing Terrogate cautiously. Terrogate always releases his saber hilt and casually stands back upright. “Righto then Crush” said Pog, “Better get on with it then. And YOU better hope you know what you're doing.. not like the last one.” He continued.

“Phew.., That was a close one!” Said Crush lowering his arms and turning to face Terrogate with a relieved expression. “They weren’t messing around with you were they? And I can see why!” he continues, looking at Terrogate’s towering cloaked figure up and down with great interest. Then squinting and slightly tilting his head he also looks down at Kas’sparr with an intrigued expression on his face. As if somewhat confused at the sight of the blue skinned Iktotchi/Chiss hybrid. “Hhmm…. Ok come on then.. We better get going, he will want to meet you both.” Says Crush in a more casual tone snapping his gaze from Kas’sparr, looking again briefly at Terrogate and turning away sharply before beginning to walk down the northeast tunnel breaking off from the room they had now found themselves in.

“Terrogate looks down to his step-son and Kas’sparr looks right back up at him, his adolescent red eyes glowing in the shadowed hood of his robes. Looking back up at the ladder once more, then back down to Kas’ he decides to follow Crush who had already disappeared around the darkened corner of the entryway. Touching Kas’sparr on the shoulder reassuringly Terrogate pulls down his hood and takes off following Crush, crouching as he walks through the archway so as not to hit his head. “I think we should follow him,” says Terrogate to Kas’sparr who had yet to move away from the fire pit. “My gut says we will find our answers if we do.”

And Terrogates gut was almost never wrong.

~\*~

A short time later Crush leads Terrogate and the blue skinned boy through several long poorly lit tunnels littered with makeshift small tents and beds of old rags lying on the bare dirt. The air was stale and offensive to his sensitive feline nose, many Cathar citizens are loitering in the tunnels sitting and sleeping on the beds or just barely standing, slumped against the ancient stone walls. Dirty, homeless, desperate. Many look malnourished and sick. In the tunnel they are in the constant sound of a single cub crying can be heard echoing off the stone walls over the sounds of dry coughing and the low growling murmurs of idol chatter. Most of the Cathar don’t bother to even look up as they pass. Terrogate looks ahead at Crush trying his best not to draw any undue attention but Kas’sparr couldn’t help but to look at the Cathar lying at his feet. They pass a young female Cathar sitting cross legged rocking back and forth with her back against the cold stone wall, wearing tattered filthy rags and crying. The horned Chiss boy stops for a moment staring at her. She looks up at him with tears like rivers running down her boney discoloured cheeks, in her arms is a young babe not even a full cycle old lying on its back, barely moving.. it’s little chest rising and falling slowly and only ever so slightly with its eyes closed. It looked sick, and not long for the world.

“Grrrrrhhhmmssttrrrrrrr…. Pleaaseessrr…” she says in a broken attempt to communicate to the boy.. “Ggrrrrggg ppllll..pppesaaseee… hhaallppp'' she says stammering through dry cracked lips in desperation,  her thin weakened arms barely managing to hold her baby cub up in her hands, raising it upwards towards Kas’sparr. “Taeekkkk iirrrrmmm… hhaallppp pppesssseee” Her tears running freely down her face, off her whiskers onto her lap she begs the blue skinned boy. The cubs soft golden fur was dirty, and matted. It’s little face was drawn and eyes were hollowed and slightly sunken. “I..Immm…ummm. immmm...I’m ss..I’m sssorryy..” was all that Kas’sparr could muster as he reluctantly turned and dropped his head down now looking at the ground walking away from her, quickening his pace to catch up with Terrogate and Crush as they walked through the poverty of the underground slums. He was shaken to his core.. it was the brutality and casualty of war that Terrogate had warned him about. In the distance he hears the sound of the baby still crying, it’s cries echoing now not only off the walls but deep inside his mind. Tears begin welling in the young teens red eyes as he walks.

“What is this place?” Terrogate asks Crush as they make their way along, a small Cathar child runs up to Crush excitedly as they walk. Her furry face covered in dirt and only a pair of tattered shorts and a ripped pink singlet on.  “This is the real Cathar.” He responds without looking at the Knight as she comes in closer. She was very excited, her smile was wide and her hands clasped together. She shuffles around looking up at Crush who was now looking very serious. “Soooo….. did you get it?? Did you get one today Crush!!???”

Crush looks down to the girl who looked no older than 5 or 6 years old.

Getting on one knee he leans forward still looking downward at the girl, his face stern and serious. “Now Tilly.. I’ve been out every day the last three weeks and you ask me every day.. and every day my answer is no.” The girl's excitement fades immediately and she looks down in sadness and disappointment. “That’s ok…” she says now shyly, kicking the loose dirt underneath her with her bare feet looking a little embarrassed. “Maybe tomorrow.”  “No.” Crush says abruptly, the small girl looking up at him with visible disappointment now.

Crush instantly changes his demeanor and smiles, putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out a small knitted Cathar doll wearing a red dress. He holds it up in the space between the two. Smiling brightly waiting for the little girl's reaction at what he is about to say.

“Cos today I got it!” He says happily “YAAAAYYYYY!!!” the girl squeals excitedly wrapping her arms around Crush’s neck hugging him. “Thank you Crush! Thank you!” Tears of joy in her eyes.  “You’re welcome Tillybean” he says smiling and hugging her back. Standing up he ruffles her hair as the girl stands still holding and staring at the doll with a big smile on her dirty face.. “now go play with your new friend.” He says. “I WILL… THANKS CRUSH YOU'RE THE BEST! One day I wanna be a runner just like you!” She says and runs off excitedly hugging and kissing the doll.

Terrogate smiles.. “Runner?” “Hhh well you can probably guess what that job means” Crush says starting to walk again. “look.. I’ll take you to Tails. And he will explain everything.” Says Crush as he continues to lead Terrogate and Kas’sparr down the tunnel. “Tails?, Crush?, Deadeye??... what’s with the names..?” says Terrogate as they walk through the slum.

“Well….” said Crush as he pulls out a small piece of bread from his side pocket and hands it to an enderly frail male sitting against the bare stone wall, his eyes lighting up hungrily as he reaches up with two shaking hands accepting the food.. Crush smiles and keeps walking. “When we first started the resistance against the Syndicate.. Not long after they arrived and started killing us all, we soon learned that they aren't sentient.. Well, not entirely anyway. They are mostly machine..” ”Synths..” Kas’sparr blurts out suddenly joining the conversation. Crush pauses and looks down at him then smiles slightly.. “Yeah… Synths, that’s right… well we learnt that the Synths could send information back to a central hub. Which we have also learned is where the one they call “The Founder” is located.”  He continues, “Anyways, if any of the Synths heard us use our real names then they would run it through the Cathar royal database till they could identify the person visually and with even a partial name confirmation, then they would send a hit squad to our homes within the hour”.  He continues talking as if in remembering a deep painful memory, he pauses briefly again before continuing. “And then to our families homes,  and then they would kill everyone.” He said in a surprisingly now fairly casual tone, but his face was stern, his smile gone and eyes looking dead ahead to the upcoming archway leading from the tunnel. “It’s not far now, Just a little bit further....”

~\*~

Several minutes and a few turns later Crush leads Terrogate and Kas’sparr through another dark tunnel but his one was considerably shorter, and at the end of it was a heavy wooden door. And standing in front of it was a hooded short Cathar male.

“Rrrrrrreeeyyyy Crushhhh….” says the hooded Cathar. “Oh hey Skeet” says Crush. “We are here to see the boss. “Rrrrrrrreally...welll I isssnt sssooo surrrrrreeeerrrr” says Skeet in a very feline, purring voice. “Rrrrrmmmmmaybbbeee the bosssss rrrrrrr doesssnnt waaaant to be disturrrrrrbed” says Skeet. “Well trust me… he does for this. Oh that reminds me..” Crush says reaching down to his cargo shorts and removing a flask from his side pocket. “Fire Whisky.. just like you asked for.” he says holding it up in the space between them. “From Corellia, I’m pretty sure.” He says handing over the flask to Skeet who immediately takes it and places it into an internal jacket pocket out of sight. “Now, are you gonna let me inside with my friends here or are we gonna have issues?” “Rrrrrrrsssurrrrrrree Crrrrrussshh, yourrr wellcomme innnnn pppprrrrrrrrr”. Skeet says and pulling out a rusty old key he inserts it into the door and turns opening it, then steps to the side inclining his head allowing them entrance. “Thanks Skeet.” Says Crush as they walk past him and cross the threshold.

……..

Terrogate follows Crush and walks past the sly looking Cathar known as Skeet through the doorway with Kas’sparr following quickly behind. The room opens up into a space resembling a large old tavern. Candle lit and with several rough looking Cathar sitting around the main table in the center, they look like they are in deep discussion. “Ummm excuse me Tails… he’s here.” Says Crush looking slightly nervous, and then all at once the noise in the room goes deathly still. All turning they look at Terrogate as the knight  now removes his hood revealing his face.

Behind Terrogate the door closes and a brutish looking Cathar male steps in front of it. He was as large as Terrogate. Both in height and stature but in his mid 40’s Terrogate guesses. In one hand he holds a heavy looking axe. ”I thought you said he was impressive,” said the male snarling and looking Terrogate up and down, gripping his axe. ”Easy Bones..” said a voice coming from behind the gathering of Cathar on the centre table.. ”He’s no threat to us.. Right friend?”

The voice now revealing itself as the glow of a blue cybernetic eye becomes visible and quickly following is the rest of the person attached. ”Tails, I brought him as you instructed, and you were right.. he's charged.” says Crush standing beside the Cathar warrior. ”Charged?” says Terrogate confused.. ”come… sit.” says Tails motioning to the chair opposite him and waiving the other Cathar away.. ”We need to talk.”

[ Terrogate sits and listens to Tails tell him of the war going on. Once the Empire turned on itself it did not take long for the other factions in the unknown regions to take advantage of the lack of security the Empire once provided and start swarming and claiming the remains. Cathar was such a planet. It's original claimant Darth Voxyn had disappeared long ago even before the war, so Cathar remained unguarded and vulnerable.

The Syndicate as they know themselves to be are an army of synths led by a cyborg known only as ”The founder”. They brutally took control of the planet and have been stripping it of resources and enslaving the populace. Joffa City being a commerce hub has been spared as it creates profits for the Syndicate. As long as it has value, it will stand.

Not long ago Darth Dreadwar the Emperor of the Sith sent a small fleet to engage the Syndicate and reclaim the planet for himself. Although he was successful something must have gone wrong..

His fleet destroyed the Syndicates' space defences but then the remaining Dreadwar ships just left the system immediately following the battle. No one knows why.

No one knows what the Syndicates ultimate goal is other than profits, but it is known they don't like force users and the Founders directive is to eliminate them on site.

The Joffa City Resistance is only one of several. There is Khai'Arbydos, where the Royal palace is located, Joffa City, Delta City, Kyba, Imram'Lien, Uruk'Lien and the Shu'Yon Outpost chapters also. ]

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 6. The final hope}\*~**

Several hours later Tails and Terrogate sit alongside the resistance lieutenants Bones, Quali and the resistance city runner Crush. Kas’sparr had curled up on a bench seat that was pushed against the stone wall. He had now fallen asleep, although he twitched and whimpered as he slept. Clearly the chase, the site of the slums and the adrenaline leaving him had affected the boy, it was best if he tried to sleep if off.

Sat opposite the Joffa city resistance leader on the large center table Terrogate had spent the last three hours hearing Tails and Quali tell him of the tyrant known as “The Founder” who came from the unknown regions looking to capitalise on the weakened empire due to the civil war. Plans of claiming territory and resources for itself. As well as the Synth army at its command named The Syndicate who had made their headquarters in the Royal Palace on Khai'Arbydos. Greater Cathar was at its knees and the small pockets of resistance fighters had been taking the fight back up to the Syndicate through gorilla tactics and covert missions, but things were desperate, the Syndicate had been hunting them down in death squads and several resistance chapters had now been nothing but radio silence for a long time. Presumably eradicated.

Cathar now seemingly abandoned by its former Sith rulers, they were the only ones that stood in the way of the people being forced into slavery. He also learned that the Syndicate hated force users or as locals called them ”The Charged”, and their orders were to kill on site putting him and Kas’sparr both in jeopardy. He wasn’t sure if the Chiss boy knew it or not, but Terrogate had sensed the power of the force in him. Just as his mother had, but given her punishment at the hands of the Sith the two had decided to wait till he was older to see what, if anything he wanted to do with the gift.

The only good news Terrogate had heard was that The Dreadwar forces had been successful in destroying the majority of the Syndicates' space defences. Meaning the Syndicate were, for the time being, restricted to the planet itself. Although Tails did mention he had heard that several new transports and a dozen light fighters had been sited at the Palace. Clearly the Founder had larger plans, and Cathar was just a staging post until it could rebuild its fleet.

Terrogate gets given a pint of ale and then begins to tell the resistance leaders of his own journey. The look of disbelief on the Cathar resistance leadership, especially Bones was enough to tell him they probably thought he was utterly mad.. or lying. And yet here he was, a lone Cathar, a force sensitive, and risking his and his son's lives to help them free the planet.

“Well…. Terrogate,” says Tails after hearing Terrogates story “If what you say is even half true then we’ve no time to waste.” “But Tails… tell me you don’t believe this kriff do ya!?” Says Bones angrily, slamming his fist down on the table and making his ale slop over the side of its mug. Kas’sparr opens his eyes and sits up sharply at the raised voice and thud of fist on wood. “I do believe him, and if you haven’t noticed the only other charged one we know of is a young girl who lives with the priests.” says Tails. “He claims he’s 4000 years old!! That he was head of the Royal Guard in the old times!!” Protested Bones. ” The Predator Warriors have been dead since before the Vong turned the forests to glass! HE CAN'T BE…”. “Well I believe him!” Interrupted Quali standing.. “Crush said he saw what he could do when he threw those Syndicate scum with his power on the street..” “YOU WHAT!” Said tails looking over at Crush. ”Don’t tell me they followed you?? Tell me you didn’t get down to the hopper entrance while they were chasing you did you!!??” Tails said angrily to Crush.. “I… I umm…. I wanted to get him here.. to see you T.. we are desperate.. the people are desperate out there.. we need hope!..” “I DONT GIVE A KRIFF… YOU SHO.....”

Cutting Tails off mid sentence is a deep rumbling in the walls.. the roof of the underground room shakes, dust and loose dirt fall from above and the chandelier now swings softly back and forth making the shadows dance across the walls.. “WHAT IN THE MOUNTAIN GODS WAS THAT?” Says Bones as he picks up his axe and stands. As if instantaneously responding to that question the door opens revealing not Skeet but another, a white haired male wearing and old silver royal guards armour pokes his head inside the door in a hurry.

“Tails!” He says in desperation, panting as though he’s been running. “What is it Hoss?” Says Tails. “They've collapsed the East entrance..” Tails gives a sharp look at Crush before looking back at Terrogate. “They know you're here,” Tails says in a most serious tone. Then at once an all too familiar sound echoes through the tunnels cutting the suspended silence like a knife, the sounds of blaster fire and then screaming.

“Tilly!” Says Crush out loud and runs out the door, “NO CRUSH”! Says Quali but it was already too late he had disappeared out the door with Hoss following closely behind. Terrogate turns to Kas’sparr “Stay here.” He says, Kas’sparr looks back at him with a blank and frightened expression. “Bones, go with Terrogate, Quali.. you and I will take the boy to the West exit and we will meet you there. Just make your way back here and then follow the tunnel West” says Tails.” He says standing and picking up his jacket in a hurry, “If the Syndicate knows you’re here, we are no longer safe”. “I’ll meet you soon”. Said Terrogate, nodding to Kas’sparr. “Come on, lets see if you're really worth getting killed over.” Says Bones with venom in his voice as he makes his way through the door and towards the sounds of blasters and screaming Cathar.

~\*~

The last of the blaster fire finally stops and Terrogate, breathing heavily and standing wide legged and upright, deactivates his lightsaber. He stands in the tunnel system known as the slums, bodies scattered all around and the sounds of crying and wounded Cathar fill the echoing darkness. The stone walls are now peppered in laser scorching from the Syndicate unloading their barrage, dust still swirling in the air from the earlier tremor. Many Cathar resistance fighters, easily a hundred civilians and no less than two dozen Synth armoured troops now lay dead and broken, scattered throughout the dark tunnel system. “They sent two entire death squadrons down here”. Says Bones as looks down to a recently cut down synth laying at his feet, it’s body was cut in two from Terrogates lightsaber. The direction leading from its right shoulder to his left  waist. The top half lay on its back looking up at the pair of large Cathar, the amber lenses in its helmet whirring and focusing in and out at it's now exposed inner body sparked and sizzled. Bones spits on it in contempt and raising his large booted foot brings his heel down hard on its amber lights where a face would normally be seen, crushing it under heel and sending the amber neons to black. Terrogate notices Bones arm was bleeding, the blood flowing freely down his muscular arm, along his hand and then down along the handle of his axe.

“This….this is on you” Bones says through gritted teeth to Terrogate, lifting his boot off the crushed Synth helmet and turning his back on the Knight. With that he walks off towards the West exit of the Tunnel without looking back. Terrogate now standing amongst the chaos takes a moment and surveys the carnage, bodies everywhere, some still moving and writhing in pain, badly injured and crying out for help. He looks ahead and sees the familiar body of a Cathar male with a white chest and face. Terrogate approaches the body, It was shot several times and lying on its back eyes open and lifeless, staring up at the ceiling. The white fur of its chest was now stained red with it's blood. Terrogate moves closer and kneels next to it. In the hand still gripped tight was a small doll, knitted with a red dress. Terrogate looks around but sees no sign of the little girl he had seen earlier. The knight places his hands on Crushes face and closes the Cathar's eyelids to rest. Terrogate reaches down and then takes the doll from Crushes hands and looks closely at it. Perhaps one day he hopes, if she still lives, he will be able to return it to her. “Tilly” Terrogate says out loud memorizing the name and places the doll in his pocket before standing and then following in Bones’ direction. Although the resistance fighter had already walked out the archway and rounded the corner out of sight.

~\*~

Approaching the East exit Terrogate finds Bones standing alongside Tails, Quali, Kas’sparr, Skeet and Deadeye. As well as three others he had not met. The Cathar seemed to be talking intensely to themselves with Kas’sparr standing off to the side. The exit itself was just a door like any other he had seen in the tunnel system but led upwards on a gradual slope for kilometres and ended in an escape hatch to the outside of the city hidden by dense bushes.

Tails looks at Terrogate as he walks towards them and the group falls silent. All eyes were on the Knight. Without a word Tails looks to Skeet. ”Skeet, I need you to find Ando, Crush, Buttons, Pog and Shuffles and then get the wounded and survivors out of the city. Take the North exit and meet up with Silks at the Fuff lounge and contact anyone left who can still fight. We will rendezvous at the temple” he says directly to the smaller hooded Cathar. ”Rrrrrrryeesssss bosss” replied Skeet as he begins to walk past Terrogate and back towards the tunnels... ”And I want you to collapse the East entrance tunnels once the wounded are out. We can't risk the Syndicate getting in again and capturing anyone or finding any leads to the other chapters” Tails adds. ”Crush is dead.” said Terrogate abruptly, ”and I don't think they had capture in mind.”

Tails stops still and looks at Terrogate with a piercing gaze, his blue cybernetic eye flicking about as he continues to speak to Skeet without shifting his gaze from the knight. ”Just hurry, more Syndicate troops could be on the way right now..” Tails then turns and starts walking out the West exit door and up the gradual slope, Terrogate and the others following behind him. Skeet then immediately scurrys off past Terrogate as fast as his legs will take him and out the entrance to complete his orders.

”You said you had a ship, yes?” Tails says to Terrogate as they walk the long inclined tunnel. ”Yes, it's just outside of town”, says Terrogate. We might even come out near it if this leads to the cliff face.” He says. ”Good”, says Tails, not bothering to look at the knight walking next to him.. ”I'd say you owe us a ride outta here hey Charger” he continues… ”We need to get to the Temple… It's time” he says lowering his voice to a deep growl. ”Time for what?” replies the Cathar Knight. Tails says nothing but keeps walking.. ”The final play.” says Quali as she walks next to them both on the way upwards. ”The last stand.” she continues ”We are out of time.. out of options and you Terrogate… you are our final hope.” she says in a matter of fact way. Terrogate looks down at Kassparr for a moment, the young horned chiss looks exhausted. And Terrogate could tell he’d been crying.  ”Together,” says Terrogate, we will take them down and places his hand on Kas’sparr’s shoulder.

~\*~

The group of resistance fighters accompanied by a Sith knight and his Chiss/Iktotchi Hybrid son finally emerge from the hidden entrance to the West tunnels and at first glance see no site of Syndicate troops. Carefully the group make their way over to the cliff face to where ROAR-1 was parked with Sheila remaining on low power inside the cargo hold.

Terrogate looks around and reaches out with his low level sensory abilities to try and sense anyone close by.. Nothing. No life forms as far as he can tell anyway, but the Synths we're extremely hard to read, and the battle, long day and long walk had started to fatigue him..

The group approached the ship slowly looking in all directions in case of an ambush. Kas’sparr buoyed by the site of the ship, and eager to get away from the memory of the slums and the Synths gets excited and runs ahead.

”Common Terrogate… Let's just get outta here” says Kas’sparr as he moves ahead quickly now separating himself from the slow moving and cautious group that were approaching the front of the ship. Kas’sparr rounds the the side hull of the ship with an excited pace. ”Kas’sparr No!!” says Terrogate loudly, but too late. As Kas’sparr approaches the rear air lock the door opens right in front of his face, the last thing the horned Chiss boy sees is the black armour of the Synth trooper, it's amber neon circular lights where it's face should be, and the butt of the troopers blaster rifle aimed square at the boys face as it strikes him hard knocking the boy unconscious with a devastating blow.

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 7. Ancient strength}\*~**

(\*the sharpness of blaster fire and then the low droning sound of ROAR-1’s thrusters is heard in the background as Kas’sparr floats in and out of consciousness \*)

[Bones] “…….Common!….. Get the boy inside... We gotta take off before more show up!......

[Hoss] ..”ahh Kriff it! Too late! Come and get me Synth scum! I’m no boy!.”

…

…

[Deadeye] “Hoss!!!! Noooooo!!!”

...

...

[Terrogate] “...Shelia! Full power mode now and sweep the area for any more Synthetic armoured troopers!!

…

{ the sound of ship thrusters firing up }

...

...

[Quali] “…….We have to get to the Temple...I told you, it's not on the damn map.. just give it here I'll show you…….”

…

...

[Tails] “…….you can leave your ship here, it's safe…..”

…

...

[Terrogate] “.... Is it far.?. His head is still bleeding….. Hold on Kas’, we are almost there..”

…

…

…

...

...

...

~\*~

”Boy?…....boy...?” the young woman's voice whispers softly into the darkness behind the blue skinned teens eyes. His head hurt greatly, it felt like a Bantha was sitting on it. He raises his hand and touches his forehead and realises it's bandaged. But that voice….that voice was so sweet to his ears, light and instantly soothing as if carried on the very winds of his mind.. ”Hey…..Hey…..boy!?” the voice continued. Kas’sparr gingerly opened his eyes, the fiery red of his pupils were a stark contrast to the darkened room surrounding him. He began to focus and quickly realised was lying on his back in a small but very old looking room, it's walls were stone-lined and several worn and faded cloth tapestries hung on the walls. Pictures of moon cycles, the Planet, the sun, and several images depicting what at first glance looked like a strange triangle building or mountain. On some it was as a three sided emblem, others a diamond, inverted on itself, but the same markings on all and also on all was an eye.

Kas’sparr lying flat on his back he could see the roof and the higher walls, just as he was able to focus a face moved into view over his face looking down at him, a young 18 year old white furred Trianii girl with bright blue eyes. Kas’sparr for a moment couldn't breath. His heart raced in his chest, \*she is beautiful, like an angel\* he thinks to himself. “Boy… Are you alright? What’s your name??” she says to him as she leant over the young teen. “I.. I'm fine” Kas’sparr groaned. “ I..I don't remember… Who.. Who are you? Where am I?”

“You don’t remember your own name?” She giggled “It's ok.. You're safe.” she said back to him smiling as she then sat down on the stool next to his bed. “Im Faera. I'm a priestess here at the Temple.” she said. “What Temple?” Kas’sparr asked as he sat up on the bed. “Wow, you must have hit your head harder than I thought, THE Temple you silly Moof-milker” she giggled. “There is only one close to the capital that's working with the resistance, if you're here you must have heard of it..” “Im sorry, no..” says the boy. “Well.. I must say I haven't seen anyone like you before. With your funny blue skin.” she lightly touches his arm as though studying it. Kas’sparr smiled nervously at her touch and giggled. “I overheard them talking to your father, all the priests are gathering and in three nights time we will perform the sacred Aether rite on you both. Give you the blessings of the mountain. It’s very exciting but I'm also a bit nervous, it will be my first time”. Faera says furrowing her brow. “Why would you be nervous”? Asked Kas’sparr. “Well, I’ve never summoned the smoke snakes before, and only the charged ones can do it. And father says I’m the very last one left. No one has summoned them from the earth since I was a little girl, but my father is insisting. He says this is a pivotal moment for our people. If we cannot beat the Syndicate, Cathar will be no more.”

Kas’sparr doesn’t speak as he lets the gravity of the situation sink in. \*Charged ones. Kas’sparr had heard that term before. He had overheard them talking about that back in the underground tunnels. “Force users”.. he says quietly. “My mother is one as well, but she’s back at home.” The boy missed her and sounded sad as he spoke, he was now feeling guilty for not listening to her and his bandaged haid was a reminder of what a mistake it was for coming. He wondered how long it would be before they could go home. He missed her more than he had wanted to admit to himself.

“And your father is too, I overheard father talking to one of the temple priests, so surely that must mean you're a charged one too? Faera says excitedly “My father? No my father wasn’t.. isn’t.. well i did think..” Kas’sparr struggles to get out the words, his mind was still foggy and the subject of his father sent images of D'amar, the man who raised him.. and Valmir his mentor whose he had looked up to as a father to the forefront of his thoughts. Then the boy's face changed, he felt an anger starting to rise in him and also fear as he remembered the time when the S’kytri Darth Skyllan visited their home on Prakith and Kas’sparr in his youth had asked if the Sith was the boy's real father. A wave of fear then washed over him as he remembered the sight of his mother, close to death from what the man who claimed to be like a father to her had done. Suddenly he finds it hard to breath. “Force users..” he repeated coldly.

Faera tilted her head a little to the side as though reading him and placed her hand on his shoulder.. instantly Kas’sparr felt the fear and anger drain from him as though the emotions were water in a tub, and she had pulled the plug with her touch.

“I’m sorry” she said as though she knew what was troubling him. “It’s just that large man called you son?” She said tilting her head to the side.

“Who?.. Terrogate?.. no he’s not my father. Not my \*real\* father anyway.” Faera smiles at him, sensing the awkwardness of the question she decides to move on from the topic and changes the subject. “By the way.. You never did tell me your name. Or should I just call you Moof-Milker…?” She says jokingly. Kas’sparr turns and moves his legs off the edge of the bed letting his feet touch the floor. He feels dizzy and starts to sway. “Easy…” The priestess says putting her hand on his shoulder and the other behind his head and indicating for him to lay back down. “You’ve been hurt pretty bad. Best off taking it slow..” Kas’sparr'' he says as he lays back down slowly on the bed. “What?” Faera replies.. “my name.. my name’s Kas’sparr..” Faera smiles at him as she removes her hand from behind his bandaged head letting the pillow take its weight. “Ok then, Kas’sparr.. it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” And inclines her head courteously.

Over the next three days Terrogate, Tails, Bones and Quali come up with a plan to take on the Syndicate once and for all. Tails had sent out word to the remaining Cathar alliance to gather at the Temple which was hidden deep in the jungle that now occupies the ruins of a Shu'Yon Outpost, about 5 kilometres outside the capital city of Khai'Arbydos. It was hidden in a deep ravine, the overgrown jungle hid it from view in the sky and made it near inaccessible for ground transports. The temple itself was partially underground and Terrogate doesn’t remember having heard of it even when he worked in the Royal guard. It’s history dating back Millenia, before even Terrogate’s time. Kas’sparr had spent much of the days at the temple sleeping and following Terrogate around, but it was the few hours he had managed to spend with Faera when she wasn’t busy cleaning or studying that he really enjoyed. He found the blue eyed Trianii fascinating and his heart skipped and his stomach knotted when he would see her. “Moofy” she would call him jokingly instead of his actual name. Despite being three years older than him Kas was the closest to her age at the temple and he enjoyed the time they spent together even though he had a feeling she had been tasked with babysitting him in Terrogates' absence.

Terrogate on the other hand when not planning with Tails and the other resistance lieutenants spends his time meditating, roaming the Temple grounds and reading in its library. It had been some years since he was required to read and speak in Catharese but it was as natural to him as breathing and much of the texts were in the older Catharese dialects which was perfect for him. there was not much written about the Battle of Mandalore which wasn’t surprising to the Warrior, he had since read over 90% of the Cathar population was exterminated or sold into slavery, and that it had taken more than three thousand years to recover the numbers from the culling. Although there was something that caught his attention, written in a faded and ancient scroll he had learned that Cathar was reduced to a desolate wasteland during the Mandalorian Wars for their part in opposing a Sith Lord named Exar Kun during the Great Sith War. Terrogate would put that information into his memory banks and would be certain to talk to Mab about it when he returned home and see if she knew anything about this Sith named Kun.

Terrogate spent much time talking to the Elder Sharman and it seems that priests that occupied the Temple were dedicated to the old ways of the Cathar. The keepers of knowledge and religion, they had endured war, genocide, plague and famine and yet here they were. The last of their kind they numbered now less than a dozen. Hidden and isolated they quietly go about their duty, preserving the ancient rituals and customs of the once great peoples of Cathar. Terrogate would see his people, his culture returned to its former glory, and that is why they had come. He was willing to risk it all, Including his very life to free them from this tyranny and not let the past, his past.. be repeated.

It was evening of the third day at the Temple and just before dusk, the sun was low in the sky with perhaps only an hour or two of daylight left and Terrogate, who was sitting in his room meditating, was summoned by an old grey furred priest along with Kas’sparr to the center room of the temple. Many other resistance fighters had arrived over the last twelve hours and the temple was alive with Cathar. The summons was for immediate attention so Terrogate collects his stepson and makes for the center room.

~\*~

Moments later Kas’sparr walks with Terrogate through the cold temple halls to the center room. It was a large round stone meditation room that reached up to a ceiling twelve meters high. Six Smooth  floor to ceiling stone pillars lined the walls and in the middle was a large fire pit with a small fire burning, lighting the room and warming the air in the room only but only a few degrees in such a big space. Around the room were circles cut into the floor each with different etchings and symbols and spaced in perfectly equal intervals surrounding the fire pit.

On the walls of the room itself were 3 large sculpted symbols carved into the temple's stone walls. The moon, the Sun, and a circle with a tree inside, the Cathar widely known and accepted symbol for earth or nature. Above it all, about 10 metres high up the wall was a giant carving of the same triangle Kas’sparr had seen in his room. The mountain god, Faera had told him in their time together. An eye carved into the center of it, signifying the wisdom and knowledge of the mountain.

Terrogate speaks to Kas’sparr and explains the carvings as they wait to be attended. “These are Aether, the Circle of Gods'' He says the boy who looks at the detailed carvings with interest. “The Aether are the circle of deities and gods that we pray to,” says a family familiar voice behind them and both Terrogate and Kas’sparr turn to see Faera approach from the room's entrance holding a lit torch and smiling. “Look here.” The young white furred Priestess says and starts pointing out the individual 3 symbols on the lower walls. .“The Sun God Raiya, the Moon Goddess Selari and of course the Earth Goddess Arkana. They make up the Divine Trinity and rule over the other gods.” Kas’sparr says nothing and smiles at her. His heart racing in his chest and looking flustered while Terrogate looks on with interest at relearning the names of the Aether he had originally learnt in his youth “please go on'' he says politely to the priestess.. She smiles and continues now pointing out the symbols and markings on the floor.

“ Well first we have the Deity of Death Khan, Deity of Birth & Rebirth Tzu, the Air God: Zhi, the Terra Goddess: Anakra who is the sister of Arkana”. She moves around the room from circle to circle as she talks “Then we have the Fire God Enlai, his opposite the Water Goddess Miyya, although I heard they were once lovers” she says to Terrogate with a smile. “Next is the Shadow God Shar, and his mortal enemy the Goddess of light Illya, the Warrior God Jaarl, the Goddess of Peace Ryokanthr, Healing Goddess Nyarah and last but not least the Fertility God: Dayah” she says as she gives a sideways look to Kas’sparr making the boy blush a bright shade of lavender.

Faera smiles cheekily, she could sense the teens feelings for her through the force and was enjoying having embarrassed the boy, “Errhhhrrmmm…” she clears her throat before continuing. “Each governs their own elemental tribute, but the ruling Gods are of course the Divine Trinity.” She says holding her torch up to the wall again, “The Gods of the Sun, the Moon and Earth.” She raises her torch outstretched and even higher showing the large depiction of the mountain. “But all of them, even the Trinity gods bow to the Mountain. The keeper of wisdom and knowledge.” At once she lowers her torch back to the normal eye level, “Come, please follow me, the light is beginning to fade.”

Priestess Faera leads Terrogate and Kas’sparr outside and along a small path leading away from the temple and they pass SH3-1LA standing among the trees. The large hulking droid was surveying the area as part of her patrols and bows her head as they walked past. “Just going for a stroll Sheila, no need to panic, we’ll be back soon.” Terrogate said to her as he passed. [Acknowledged] “yes Master Terrogate.” SH3-1LA replies. [Statement] “I sense your tracking beacon is fully operational. I will find you if you wish to signal me, or if your signal goes weaker than 10%”. the droid said in a robotic female voice. ''Thank you Sheila, please continue your partols unless I contact you directly.” Replies Terrogate. [Acknowledged] “Yes Master Terrogate, I look forward to your return.” Replies the custom security droid and turns, walking off towards the temple, the ground thudding lightly under her weight.

Following the Priestess in the dying light of the evening they wind their way down the jungle track until the ground begins to slope downwards. “Watch your step” the priestess says. Only 100 meters further along, the ground on either side of them slopes upwards steeply and they now are walking along a narrow space between the base of two tree covered mountains. Less than a minute later the path, now a lot narrower than before, leads them to a huge opening at the foot of the right mountain. The earth itself opens up into a wide underground cavern, Faera raises her torch to give more light and the three enter the path leading underneath the mountain.

Once inside the see many lights up ahead and Terrogate smells the sweet scent of fresh water. As they approach the lights Terrogate hears the murmurs of many growling voices and realises it's a great gathering of Cathar, Terrogate would place the number at 60 or 70 in all, many look like they have seen battle and some still carried wounds, but warriors all. Terrogate could feel their resolve, their focus and their confidence. None here feared death.

At about eight meters from the main group Faera stops and allows Kas’sparr to catch up and he comes to a stop standing next to her. Terrogate continues and approaches Tails, Quali and Bones who were standing next to a large pyre of logs arranged in a rectangular raised formation and strapped together looking similar to a standard warriors bed, dried grass and and leaves were packed tightly on it and on top of that was a Cathar male lying flat on his back. Eyes closed and unmoving, dressed in fine robes. Terrogate Approaches and  shakes hands with Tails and the others and begins talking with them. Looking around the cavern it looks like they were standing on a bank, a large body of slowly moving water passing from seemingly under the ground on the left of them and moving to the right disappearing into the darkness of the mountain cavern. The ceiling of the cavern was enormous, covered in stalactites and their voices echoed through it giving it an eerie aura. The bank was scattered with torches on long pikes that had been struck into the ground and illuminated the area in a low orange glow.

“What’s going on Faera?” Kas’sparr asks, looking at the Priestess. “There will be 2 rituals tonight Moofy” she replies. “We will be invoking the spirit of the mountain god and asking for his blessing, the Aether rite will be performed on your Father and the other Cathar warriors in hopes that the Warrior God Jaarl will be with them on their mission. But first, we must honour the dead with the Rite of Dusk.

Within a few moments of them arriving a group of three priests moved to the center of the gathering that was now surrounding the pyre. One of the priests that Terrogate knew to be the Temple Elder Sharman speaks and everyone instantly gives him their undivided attention.

“Friends! We are gathered here to call to the Mountain god to bless you all on your most important mission tomorrow to strike at the heart of the cancer that has spread across our world. But before we do, we must honour the dead via the Rite of Dusk. As was our fathers tradition and their fathers before that, leading back to the time of the gods and the great Mountain itself.” The priests then raise their arms as the Sharman continues, his words echoing through the cavern. “Shka ya priyat mait ni'sha vsеg raya”! He says in a deep growl speaking Catharese. More priests now emerge from the crowd carrying oils and herbs and begin to ceremoniously prepare the body on the pyre, applying them on selected areas and murmuring deeply in words that Kas’sparr could not hope to understand.

“Tails steps forwards and speaks as the sacred herbs and oils are applied. “Hoss was a good man, a good soldier, a good friend. He was a Royal Guard to the throne, a trusted lieutenant and he lay down his life for the cause. Now he will go, and join his family in the afterlife. Do not mourn him, instead remember and celebrate his life and his courage.”

The two priests next to the Sharman begin to chant, their voices eco loudly off the walls of the mountain. Tails steps away and back next to Terrogate as the Sharman speaks once more.

“As is the custom, the rite of Dusk is performed during the last light of the last hour of the day known as the golden hour”. Kas’sparr looked behind him to the cavern entrance, the sun was very low and basking the entrance in a deep and almost bloody orange.

The Cathar move closer and surround the pyre, Faera takes Kas’sparrs hand and leads him towards the Sharman, “what are you doing?” Whispers the boy looking a little worried. “Follow my lead, and trust me.” Faera said to him, smiling. And although he had only just met her a few days earlier, he did trust her, he trusted her completely.

As Faera and Kas’sparr made their way through the small crowd and stood next to the pyre, the Sharman spoke once more. “ I call on the youngest here gathered today to light the flames symbolizing the ever continuing cycle of death and rebirth”. The priests that were preparing the body now move away back into the crowd and Kas’sparr looks across to Terrogate standing with Tails, Quali and Bones. The Knight nods approvingly at the boy and Kas’sparr then turns to Faera who hands him the torch she was holding. He took the torch slowly and hesitantly, the air was cool in here and the horned Chiss boy seemed to calm at least a little with the fire's warmth as its heat touches his face.

As Kas’sparr turns nervously and places the torch end to the grass surrounding the dead warrior the flames erupt and he takes a step back from the heat shielding his face with his other hand, its intense heat also aided by the oil that had been applied. “Very well done Moofy'' the Trianii girl says smiling and takes the torch back from him. As the fire is lit the Sharman begins to speak a Hymn in Catharese that sounded to Kas’sparr only like a series of structured growls, but Terrogate understood the sacred words and joined the rest of the gathered Cathar in the ritual hymn of the Dusk rite.

\*Rite of Dusk: (Spoken/Sung in Catharese)\*

The Mother Earth weeps.

For today a warrior is lost.

The Mother Moon weaves.

Her lost forgotten song.

The Father Sun mourns.

For the child who passes on.

The Stars are alight above.

Like jewels of crimson fire.

A body returned to ash.

It’s spirit rises from the pyre.

The surrounding Cathar repeat the words until the body of Hoss is totally engulfed in flames, the dark smoke of his cremation moving upwards to the caverns high ceiling as the many Cathar saying the hymn echoes loudly through the darkness.

Faera takes a deep breath and steps forward away from Kas’sparr and over towards the water, her white fluffy tail poking out from under her light blue robes and swishing behind casually behind her as she steps ankle deep into the water. “Sir Terrogate, please join me” she says to the warrior knight and the Sharman claps his hands to signal the end to the rite of Dusk. Instantly the cavern goes silent as the echoes of the Hymn give way to the sharpness of the echoing clap. Terrogate moves over to the water's edge and stands in the coolness of the flowing stream leaving Kas’sparr standing with the rest of the crowd.  He feels the pressure of more than a hundred eyes fixed on him as he walks, but no one speaks. The only sounds are the crackling sizzle of pyres flames and the crunch of the soil beneath his feet.

The Sharman looks up to the ceiling and speaks once more. “Thus ends the Rite of Dusk. His spirit has made its way to the afterlife, reunited with his family and he now feasts with his ancestors.”

The Sharman then looks down at Faera and Terrogate. “My daughter, and our honoured guest will perform the ritual that has not been performed now for well over a decade.”  I will ask you all to join me in the ancient words.” At that the Cathar priests start a low and growling chant, it’s actual words lost to time but still Terrogate can feel the energy gathering in the air. “Come, join me in the ritual. We will summon the Gods together” Faera says to Terrogate as she takes a moment and draws the force into herself, throwing her torch into the water she holds both hands up outstretched, palms facing the burning pyre and using Telekinesis begins to slowly lift it off the ground. Terrogate looked at the Sharman for confirmation this was and his gaze was met with a nod of approval back in the knights direction, the Sharman eyes had turned a bright blue now and seemed to emanate an unnatural aura as he chanted. Terrogate had never seen such a colour in the natural world. \*Cathar Magic\* he thinks to himself.

Terrogate looks down at Faera as she uses her force ability; he had known that this is the girl that Bones had spoken of, as the only other charged one known on the whole planet. He had sensed her power the moment they came close to the temple. It was raw and somewhat untrained but he also sensed only the will to do good emanating from her force signature, it was the only reason he felt comfortable leaving Kas’sparr alone with her. For above all else, he now trusted fully in the force. Terrogate focuses his mind and extends his right hand pushing outwards with his feelings, using his own telekinesis abilities on the pyre. The burning structure raises and moves slowly into the air and then hovers over the bank, landing softly onto the water and keeping afloat. The gentle current of the underground river begins to move it slowly down stream, the thick smoke still rising from it and its flames licking against the darkness of the undermountain.

Faera starts to chant and Terrogate joins in along with her, in a few moments the rest of the cave seems to have joined in. The priestess breaks from her chant to direct Terrogate in the ritual. “Focus your energy” she tells him. “Speak unto the Divine Trinity and to the mountain god in your mind. Demand him to show himself. Demand him to give us the strength of the Warrior God Jaarl in our upcoming battle.”

Terrogate closes his mind and focuses inwards, the electric power of the force and the sounds of chanting echoing through the cavern from close to a hundred of Cathar warriors filling his very body and mind he smells the smoke from the pyre, the oils, herbs, wood and flesh.... He reaches outwards.. his mind pressing hard with the names he had been given to call upon.

“Hear us Devine ones! See us, God of the Mountain!” he says out loud, his voice echoing in the deep amidst the chanting. His mind in a  steeled focus, one with the force..  “ I call upon Raiya, Father and God of the Sun.  And the mothers, the Moon Goddess Selari, and Arkan, Goddess of the Earth!” Terrogate raises his hands, the mass of Cather surrounding him chanting in a deep, growling roar into the darkness of the mountains underbelly.

“We call unto you, unto the Mountain.. Give us the blessing of the Warrior in our battles. We beg of you! We invoke you!” Terrogate says what comes to heart, he follows no script in his words and Faera standing only a few feet from him, was also talking, chanting and attempting to summon the gods using different words than he. But her focus, her determination was clearly just as great.

“Mountain God hear us!! Show yourself and give us your blessing and the blessing of the Warrior Jaarl so that we may emerge victorious!!”

Terrogate feels the air grow unexpectedly warm around him. He opens his eyes and before him he sees that the smoke of the cremation fire had started to gather on the roof of the cavern, the dark smoke winding and whirling together gaining momentum and circling above them.

As the Cathar below continue to chant, the large body of smoke above them gathers and collects into a large swirling cloud, then, remarkably drives hard downwards breaking into the dark waters of the underground river like a waterfall of black smoke, causing the water to splash up violently as if a solid mass as large as a single fighter had flown into it, the Pyre luckily was far enough away at that point that it rocked back and forth on the waves but stayed afloat.

Then at once the Elder Sharman yells out at the top of his lungs “STOP!!” And immediately the chanting of close to 100 Cathar simultaneously halts, the noise of their ecos fades into the deep black of their surroundings.

For a moment the water calms to still, the ripples now rolling around their ankles and dissipating onto the bank they stood on… Terrogate looks over Faera, she is standing facing the water, eyes open wide in astonishment at what had just transpired. Her face then changes to one of amazement and disbelief and Terrogate turns his head to see the water of the lake bubbling steaming..

Within a few moments a huge snake lifts itself out of the water and into the cavern. Its body was blue and it had 2 horns on its head. Its body was easily 3 meters across and pushed its way out of the water moving and writhing like a snake of flesh and blood but it was not solid as such, it was more as if made from dense smoke. It’s eyes red and glowing brightly, cutting into the darkness of the cavern. The gigantic snake rose to 20 meters above the water and looked down at the gathering of Cathar head moving left and right surveying the area for a moment then its gaze moved downwards and locked onto the two force sensitives that had summoned it.

It stares at Terrogate for a moment and then slithering, lowers its head and moves closer to Faera and Terrogate standing in the water. Its massive head easily the height of Terrogates entire body. The warrior can feel something pulling lightly at his ankles under the water. “Jaja Deke!” the enormous smoke snake hisses at him and Terrogate feels the heat of the snake's aura run through his body… how did the snake know his real name? “I am the Mountain serpent, I see all..” it said as if reading the warrior's mind. “You are not the first of your line to summon the will of the Mountain.” It hissed. Terrogate was puzzled, had one of his ancestors also been force sensitive? He knew he came from a long line of famous warriors. Perhaps it was true. “We two have summoned you oh mighty Mountain to help guide us, and bless us with the strength of the Warrior God Jaarl in our coming battle.” Faera said out loud, she extruded confidence and strength now in her words. The Smoke snake sharply turns his head to her, locking her in his steely red gaze. “There were 3 that summoned me here young Priestess Faera Sigyn..” The Snake hisses and turns its giant head to look directly at Kas’sparr.. “Powerful blood runs through this one's veins” he hisses to Kas’sparr..

Kas’sparr freezes still in fear as the enormous smoke snake directs his full attention to the blue skinned Iktotchi boy. He feels something immensely powerful force its way into the boy's mind. Dominating his thoughts and his head pounds at its enormity. \*”You will be powerful one day, the force is strong in you, but beware.. Pride is a dangerous indulgence and at the heart of any poor soul not at one with the force, there is only void. You must join the two in the water...... Aro son of Dra'kris'styion!” the voice in his head hisses.. And then at once, it withdraws leaving the blue-skinned boy with only the memory of its words, and an intense headache as Kas’sparr obeys the serpent and starts moving forward, wincing at his splitting headache he wades into the cool water standing next to his step-father he feels a light pull at his feet as if the water was trying to gently guide him into its depths. The serpent's eyes follow the boy as he moves, keeping the piercing red gaze.

Terrogate speaks.. “Great Serpent of the mountain, we have summoned you for your blessings” he says loud and confident. “At dawn we go to war, the fate of all Cathar will be decided by our success or our failure. It’s people will die and its vast memory erased if we are not victorious”.  The Giant smoke serpent raises its head once more high into the air some 30 meters and looks down at them as if contemplating its decision. “You… you are the son of the great warrior Juju Dekè… You were born with the blessing of the God Jaarl in your blood.” It hisses slowly moving back and forth as it speaks, seemingly studying the Knight. “I will grant your war party the blessing.” the Snake hisses, now more loudly for all the Cathar gathered to hear.

“But you… you Jaja, I grant the blessing of the mountain itself, just as I granted your father. And it will be you who shall decide the fate of your people, just as it was your fathers.” And with that the snake opens its enormous mouth wide and dives down fast and crashes over the three force sensitives standing on the bank. It strikes down hard and fast as if to swallow them whole but instead, it moves through them and over them and crashes against the ground exploding in a wave of dark blue smoke that completely covers the bank of the cavern and all the Cathar standing on it like a tidal wave of crackling energy.

As the smoke starts to dissipate, Terrogate is first to open his eyes and looks around the cavern. Many Cathar were shielding their faces and Kas’sparr had both hands covering his face in a defensive pose. Faera was crouched and had her hands covering the back of her head. Terrogate feels the energy of the Mountain inside him. It quickens him, similar to that of the force as he calls on his rage during a duel. Then he hears a voice speak inside his head, touching his mind.. \*“You have the Mountain god inside you now Jaja, you may call on my smoke snakes again if you must.. They will help guide your path.”\* and then it was gone. As quick as it had appeared.

Terrogate looked around, the water was back to a slow flowing stillness and the large snake was gone. In the distance he sees the light of pyre disappearing into the under mountain in the distance. He thinks to himself now with the blessing of the warrior, and the mountain. They may just stand a chance.

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 8.The assault on the Palace}\*~**

{ ~Dawn~  Terrogate, Bones, Quali and Tails lead a small army of almost one hundred resistance fighters accompanied by his custom security droid SH3-1LA down into the ancient, forgotten underground tunnels of Cathar leading from the outlying hidden Shu'Yon outpost ruins and resurfacing at the forest outskirts of the Cathar Royal Palace at Khai'Arbydos. The place where the synth army of the Syndicate had now occupied and made their base of operations. His son Kas’sparr had been forbidden to come along and remained at the hidden Temple with Silks, the female Cathar Joffa city brothel owner / resistance member and the temple priests. The force sensitive priestess Faera had begged to be allowed to join in the battle and after much discussion, was allowed. Although still young and mostly untrained in battle she was the only other known force user on the planet and could prove invaluable to the war effort. If the Cathar were to free their planet of the Syndicates tyranny, then this was the battle they could not afford to lose, and they must risk much.~ }

~\*~

The group moves through the underground on their way to war. The tunnels themselves were ancient natural caverns and weren’t on any maps, the Shu’Yon presumably used them to move their Caravans through to Khai'Arbydos without risk of being stolen by Cathar gangs several Millennia ago. Possibly even using it to move materials for creation of the original palace itself. The Mandalorians and the Vong had destroyed the Palace twice already as well as a major Cathar uprising that all but leveled the outer buildings and fortifications but the Cathar people had continued to rebuild it as it was an important mark of the planet's authority, making it larger and more aesthetically pleasing each time. Building vast gardens, courtyards, temples, and plazas in its grounds.

“So let’s go over the plan one more time” Quali said as they walked in front of the main group. Tails and Faera walked on either side of her, Terrogate and Bones and was close enough to hear. “Arrrrhh we’ve already been over it fourteen times!” Complained the large heavily muscled Cathar to the slight Cathar female dressed in green leathers. “We get in there, kick down the front door and beat their Synth heads in. And while we are busy doing that, the Mountain gods pet here is gonna sneak inside and take out the Founder. It’s pretty simple.” Said Bones. Quali smirked, it was a rudimentary summarily but still, more or less basically accurate. And she was thankful to have him with them.

“We have 4 teams and we spread our attack. Tails, you, me and Button will each have a team”. “Where is Button anyways?” Bones asked cutting her off. Haven’t seen him since last night, or Skeet for that matter. “They took two Joffa runners and left during the night to scout ahead. They should be waiting for us near the exit to update us. We can’t risk radio contact so we need to stay in the dark at least until the battle starts.” Said Quali. “It really is our only chance, we need to create a distraction for Terrogate here and clear the way for him to get inside and take out the Founder” said Tails. “Well that won’t be too hard, unless they know we are coming of course.” joked Bones. But no one smiled at the thought, not even him.

Terrogate slows and turns his head looking at the small force following them. Many Cathar of different ages, males, females, some carrying wounds but all had that same look in their eyes. The look of determined resolve. The blessing of the Warrior and the Mountain god showing himself in the form of a giant smoke snake had buoyed them, and this rag tag army of one hundred was ready to unleash the full fury of a warrior culture dating back to even before the Tho Yor. They were ready to die, all of them at any moment for this one chance of victory for their people. And behind them, coming up the rear was the large hulking security droid Sheila. Her large jet black frame accented by the glow of her two neon blue eyes alone.

“We will not fail.” Said Terrogate, turning back to face the front and continuing his walk through the dark underground tunnel system. He knew the strength of his people, he just hoped the Syndicate didn’t.

~\*~

Many hours later the large group of resistance fighters approach the cavern opening leading out of the tunnel. At the opening a light coloured male stood leaning against the wall with two others. One was a female with a light brown fur and red tattoos on her cheeks, a pair of matching blaster pistols holstered on each side of her belt. The other was a dirty brown skinned male with a tattoo on his arm of the sun god that stretched all the way down to his elbow. On his back was a long katana sword, its sheath mounted vertically so the grip was visible above his head.

Tails signals out with a hand gesture that was obviously some sort of secret code, and the light skinned male signals back before all three runners approach them. “Button, Princess, Pickles. I’m glad to see you all, how’s it looking”? Tails askes. “Not great” replied Button. “At first we scouted the perimeter and all was clear, only a few dozen Synths on regular patrols. Nothing out of the ordinary.. Then about an hour ago something suspicious happened.” he said with a furrowed brow. “What do you mean?” said Quali. “They sent out a convoy of transports” said the female with the red facial tattoos stepping forward. “Have to have been at least twelve or so, all heading towards Joffa and Delta City.” she continued.

“That is suspicious. Way too many for a death squad.. Where are they going.?.” said Tails touching his whiskers and pondering the unanswered questions. Then something triggered his memory, someone was missing.. “And where is Skeet?” “He went out on his scout run the same as us but never made it back to the rendezvous point. We can only assume he has been killed.” Pickles said, which was a fair assumption. The Syndicate didn’t take prisoners, they just shot on site.” Tails looked sad. Skeet had been with him since they were forced underground, he was quiet and a little selfish at times but he was a good soldier, and a friend.

“We can’t afford to wait around here any longer just stroking our manes,” said Bones. “ We have to hit them now and hard, before they suspect anything”. He looked behind him at the Cathar resistance fighters who stood gathered together in the darkness. “Now is our chance.”  “No” said Tails.. “ We need to wait, to strike when the sun is low. We have to follow the plan.” Tails finished. He could tell Bones was not happy about it, but the plan was set for a reason, to give them the best chance at success.

Terrogate feels strange… something feels off about this. Through the force he senses something is wrong but can’t pinpoint the exact cause. Was it a warning? Something in the force telling him this was a bad idea. Did the Synths know they were coming? He couldn't be certain so he had no choice but to push on regardless. After all he had come too far and risked too much to stop now, all these men and women behind him in the darkness of the tunnel believed in Tails, and in him as well as the cause, and he could not afford to fail them. But he also didn’t like going against his gut.

~\*~

Some time later the forces of the Cathar resistance stand crouching and hidden along the treeline that surrounds the Cathar Royal Palace. The sun is now low and setting behind them. The plan due to recent increased security Syndicate forces had now slightly changed and they were split between three groups instead of four. The central and largest force led by Bones and Tails would command a direct assault on the main entrance that led into Palace courtyards and try to smash through the defences. Once engaged Quali and Button would both lead a smaller group each scaling the outer walls, taking our perimeter defences and flanking the main Synth forces in the courtyard. This however was only the distraction part of the plan. The reason for the assault was not to break down the front door, the Palace’s physical  defenses were too tough, too well defended for soldiers on foot with swords and simple blasters. No, this was only meant to drag out the Syndicate troops into a conflict in the outer courtyards and gardens removing them from the Palace itself to allow one lone Cathar, the Knight Terrogate, to sneak his way inside undetected and face the Founder, the head of the serpent that was the Syndicate.

Tails had given him a corrupted brain chip as the walked the tunnels that many Cathar had given their lives to obtain, and Terrogate was to somehow get to the Founder, and swap it for the Syndicate leaders own releasing a virus that in theory would backfeed to all the Syndicate forces via their hivemind and destroy them. For this to work Terrogate was not to be seen by any Synths until he faced the Founder. If even just one spotted him inside the Palace that information would feed back to the Founder and their plan could be undone in an instant, and their lives extinguished for nothing.

Looking outwards from the trees the Cathar army noticed the Synth troops had bolstered their forces in the courtyard grounds and along the perimeter walls scanning the area. The resistance were hidden in the trees of the surrounding forest and crouched low to the ground. Moving silently, and slowly as not to be seen. Several troop transports had returned to the Palace as the Cathar resistance waited patiently for the sun to set behind them. They knew this only made things harder once they attacked as the number of  Syndicate defenders grew but it had been a key aspect of the plan. Thanks to the Syndicates ban on civilians having weapons, the Cathar were armed only with a mixed assortment of light blasters, some home made explosives and melee weapons. The Synth troopers on the other hand had blaster rifles and those positioned high on the Palace walls and towers would cut them down before they could reach the courtyards if they tried to charge them in broad daylight or even the night time.

The feline eyes of the Cathar could see in the dark and was normally a sound advantage but so could the Synth troopers use there night vision. The only way they could cross the 300 meters of barren ground that separated the trees from the Palace without being slaughtered was to have the sun directly behind them and have it act as a natural flair against the sensitive Syndicate troopers electronic visual sensors. It was a small window of time, just five or six minutes when the sun was at its optimal position for them to charge.

Once the sun was low enough Tails turned to Terrogate, “Now is the time my friend. You must go now and find your way into the Palace. We will give you as much time as we are able. This may be the last time we speak, the resistance believes in you Terrogate. As do I.” Terrogate places his hand on the resistance leader's shoulder and nods to him. “I will not fail our people” Says Terrogate and then moves off into the darkness of the trees.

Tails turns back around as Terrogate leaves and then looks around him. The resistance fighters that surrounded him were focused and fierce. Bones, Buttons, Princess and Quali all were looking at him and nodded in readiness, knowing that now was their time to act. Next to Faera’s position a few rows back from Tails was the stark deep blue neon eyes of Sheila who stood tall and hulkling in the shadows. Terrogate had instructed the droid to join the battle and take care of the Priestess during the fight. He had sensed great potential in the young Trianii girl and sending his security droid to watch out for her was all that he could do to try and ensure her safety.

Tails stands and takes several steps out of the tree line into the baron stretch of land that separated them and the Synth Army and turns to face the trees. The bright orange light bathed him as he stood alone, a beacon of hope and inspiration to all those ready to fight and to die under his command. Taking his blaster in one hand and removing a machete from its sheath in his other he holds the blade high in the air and speaks loud enough for the Cathar force behind him who was now also standing to hear. At the top of his lungs, his voice roared with the fury and passion of a man who had been taken over the edge and with nothing left to lose he yells out loud his war cry..”IN THE NAME OF THE MOUNTAIN GOD WE GO TO WAR!........FOR A FREE CATHAR!!” And turning back to face the palace, not waiting to see if anyone even followed he began running towards the enemy invaders at the top of his speed. He would not have needed his heightened feline hearing to pick up the one hundred strong resistance fighters eco his words behind him as they also joined him and began their assault on the Palace.

Within moments the hundred Cathar warriors surge like a wave towards the Synth barricades and perimeter defences. Bones and Tails leading the main force central to the main gatehouse, Quali and Pickles with a dozen fighters each split off to either side of the main force. Blaster fire rains down from the dozens of Synth defenders mounted on the towers and towers of the Palace.  Although the shots are not accurate with the bright intense light of the setting Cathar sun behind them at least twenty Cathar are shot down as they close distance. Faera, the Trianii priestess is three back from Tails and next to her light footsteps the heavy thud of Sheila shakes the ground. Faera raises her staff high infront of her as she runs and starts to chant. Her staff's top mounted fist blue orb glows brightly and a vast translucent barrier appears from it and starts to grow in size. Around her at first, and then expanding quickly over others in close proximity. The Cathar outside of the barrier when hit by a stray blaster shot still buckled or fell to the ground injured or worse but the blaster rounds that found the barrier just bounced off it. The priestess and those close to her protected, safe from harm.

The lines of the charging Cathar were beginning to thin but they were so close now to entering the courtyard. Tails looked to either side and saw both Quali’s and Buttons' group that now numbered just 9 & 7 respectively had both reached the Palace walls, attached their grappling hooks and were already starting to scale the perimeters. It was working, there were casualties yes of course but it was working! “FORWARDS”!!! Yells Tails as they close to within 30 meters of the entrance to the Palace but as they clear the last of the built up soft barriers they see the might of the Synth defence stationed in the courtyard. Some 200 plus strong synthetic troops had spread out armed with blasters and specially designed short electro shock batons, each positioned and ready inside the inner courtyard and gardens. Their amber neon eyes now starting to be protected from the sun as it slowly disappears behind the trees and Palace walls ready and waiting to snuff out the Cathar resistances assault.

As the Cathar forces breach the outer entrance they were met with a wall of blaster fire. Some of the Cathar who had been outside of the priestesses force shield had been cut down instantly and lay dead on the dusty stone courtyard floor. The rest had now quickly closed in and huddled inside the protective arch as it was battered hard by the Syndicate forces. They were being shot at like fish in a barrel and the Priestess was wavering with the sheer force of fire power looking to destroy her protective barrier and kill them all. Something was about to break and the Cathar resistance looked surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned.

Bones, the large rouged, broad shouldered resistance lieutenant grips his twin axes, eyeing the axe heads and amidst the chaos surrounding them and their impending doom he was smiling. “BROTHERS, SISTERS!” He says, his voice booming and inspired “GRAB YOUR WEAPONS AND STEEL YOUR HEARTS!” The look of the warriors around him seemed to turn from that of surprise to strength. “REMEMBER WE HAVE THE BLESSING OF THE WARRIOR AND THE MOUNTAIN WITH US TODAY! WE FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF CATHAR.. FOR FREEDOM!! FOLLOW ME TO VICTORY!! DEATH TO THE SYNDICATE!!” And with that the Priestess Faera, who was concentrating so hard on holding the barrier together that her arms were shaking, her nose and eyes were bleeding, then gave a last almighty push outwards with the force. The barrier she had created pushed outwards sharply and with the speed of sound. Out past the Cathar that had been huddled inside its protection and crashing into the very walls of the courtyard surprising and confusing the Syndicate forces creating a split second break in the barrage. The Priestess fell to the ground, passed out from exhaustion but then quickly scooped up by a large jet black metallic hand of SH3-1LA.

Bones, Tails, and the newly rejuvenated Cathar central force exploded outwards instantly in the confusion and in all directions towards the Syndicate defenders firing blasters, yelling war cries and brandishing machetes, razor sharp swords and war staffs of their family’s. As the two forces clashed together the smaller groups of Quali and Button made their way across the outer walls and towers clearing out the Synth sharpshooters and taking away their high ground advantage.

~\*~

Terrogate had already made his way quickly along the trees towards the West side of the Palace walls when he heard the first of the blaster fire ring out. His force augmentation power meant that he could cover ground at an astonishing pace and he had already run several kilometres breaking away from the attentions of the main battle. As the sounds of blasters rang out in the distance he focused and began to slow down looking over the ground, he was looking for something. Something that would allow him access without being seen or tripping any kind of defences. Something the Synthetic troopers of the Syndicate would not have considered.. the sewerage system. And there it was, even after more than four thousand years it was still there. It was a small maintenance tunnel hatch built into the forest ground. Below it was the waste tunnel that led from the Palace, joined to a small underground stream and then washed out into the nearby underground lake system.

Terrogate moves over to the where the iron lid should be and finds it overgrown and basically non visible to anyone who didn’t know it was already there. Trying the hatch Terrogate finds it was rusted shut and even his strength would not budge it open. He knows this is the only most probably unguarded access inside and he removes his black curved hilted lightsaber from it’s holster on his belt. It’s crimson red blade crackles with powerful energy and he plunges it into the iron lid of the hatch. Burning with the heat of the dark side energy emitting from its kyber crystal he moved its white hot crimson blade in a circle burning a new entry into the tunnel below large enough for him to enter. And as the last of the iron hatch gives way to this knight's blade and as it crashes to the ground below Terrogate gives a thought to the many brave Cathar risking their lives in the distance against the Syndicate army. And then, saber still ignited; he too drops into the darkness of the sewer below.

THE LIBERATION OF CATHAR

late 158 ABY

Outer Rim territories, Quelii sector, Cathar system, N-6, Planet Cathar

IC- Terrogate, Artifex of Tollere (& Kas’sparr Bathori).

### **~\*{CHAPTER 9. Facing a Tyrant}\*~**

{ As the battle rages in the Palaces external courtyards and gardens between the Syndicate defenders and the Cathar resistance fighters, Terrogate had separated from the battle and found an old sewer tunnel leading to the Royal Palaces interior. His mission was to infiltrate the palace undetected before confronting the Founder, the leader and hive mind of the Syndicate. Using whatever means to implant a virus into its core system which would back feed into the rest of the linked Synth troops, scrambling their programming and thus eliminating the synth factions oppression of the Planet. }

~\*~

Terrogate drops down from the planet's surface through the freshly lightsaber cut hole from the rusted shut maintenance hatch among the trees just outside the royal Palace. Falling down just three and a half meters the Cathar warrior lands lightly on his feline feet. It was dark down here even for him and Terrogate holds his still ignited lightsaber up in front of him casting a red glow into the space around him. The air was stale, the scent of effluent was lingering but not overwhelming. Glancing around the Cathar stood on the side of the tunnel floor, the ladder next to him was rusted out and parts had fallen off onto the ground next to him. The floor itself was stoned and flat, with a meter wide trench running through the centre. Along the trench water trickles along slowly away from the Palace, it was where normally the city's waste would run but being the Syndicate had killed all the Cathar that had inhabited the palace and the synths we're not required to ingest food this was now unused with only the water of the stream running through the trench. At least that is what Terrogate had been hoping for when he thought to enter the palace this way and his assumption was found correct.

Terrogate continues forwards quickly and cautiously, moving down into the darkness of the sewer heading towards the Palace and his objective.

~\*~

Outside in the Palace grounds a fierce battle was taking place, the Synth troopers were holding fast but the Cathar warriors were relentless in their close quarter combat using their natural agility and strength to easily match the Syndicate forces. And for every Cathar that fell three Synth soldiers also were crushed. Button had fallen victim to a stray blaster shot to the neck and bleed out high on the defensive wall but Quali and the remainder of Buttons’ forces had eliminated the remaining sharpshooters and had now joined the fighting down on the floor of the courtyard.

Bones ran through the synth troopers, twisting, evading and swinging his large axes, cutting a destructive path into the enemies defensive line. Tails and Pickles we're holding their own in a fire fight along with a dozen other resistance fighters who had taken cover behind stone garden beds and sculpture ruins. Princess also was showing her talents with her duel blasters.

SH3-1LA had moved away from the fighting with the unconscious Priestess safely in hand, the large droid set her down gently and somewhat hidden in the corner of the east courtyard between some bushes and then after being hit by blaster shots from behind by two Synth troopers had then turned and charged them grabbing each in her large robot hands. Crushing the mid section of one causing sparks and lubricant to spill out onto her hand setting it alight and the other she threw hard into an already weakened stone palace fountain that cracked and fell onto the trooper crushing it under the weight.

The Cathar resistance looked to be taking the momentum of the fight and would at this rate surly win the day but what they didn't know, only ten kilometers away, four full Syndicate troop transport carrying twenty Synth shock troopers each was making their way back from Delta City to bolster the troops at the Palace. Terrogate needed to hurry.

~\*~

Terrogate rises out of the lavatory hole in the servants quarters having first peaked out from the hole to make sure the coast was clear. The privy was unlike the rest of the Place when upgraded, when it was rebuilt it was still merely a wooden bench with several holes covering a wide circular dug longdrop. Easily enough room for a Cathar, even one of Terrogates size to make his way upwards and out.

He raises his head and looks around. It had been a long time since he had been here. In his mind it was only ten years but in actuality it was now well over four thousand and the place had been rebuilt several times over. He moved quietly and slowly through the room to the corridor. Again he still felt that feeling of dread inside the pit of his stomach, something was off.. This time he pushed out with the force and unlike what he expected to be the same only very faint force signatures of the Synth troopers he now senses the full presence of two other beings, their minds were unfocused though and he could not read them. One he knew was strong with the force and the Cathar warrior now becomes worried. Not only did he need to find and overcome the Founder, but may need to overcome at least one other force-sensitive who potentially could find him through the force. Terrogate focuses as he was shown by his Master Deleritas on concealing his force essence to hide his signature making him invisible in the force. Taking a deep breath and now focused on the skill he continues quietly, crouching low to the ground, down the corridors to the central palace throne room.

~\*~

Outside the battle had hit a stalemate, the remaining 22 Cathar fighters were now pinned down on one side of courtyard and on the other the 40+Syndicate troopers had dug in behind fountains and rubble, Sheila had retreated to the corner to protect the now conscious Princess as she slowly recovered from her injuries.

“I'm almost out..” said Princess as she fired the last of one of her weapons munitions then sinking down low behind the cover of a stone garden bed that was being peppered with Syndicate blaster fire. “Me too” said a Cathar male in a black shirt taking cover next to Tails throwing his single blaster pistol to the floor and gripping his knife, he had a bloody and wounded shoulder and a patch over one eye. Tails didn't know his name but had been told he used to be an engineer at Kyba in his life before the Syndicate invaded and killed his family. “What are we going to do? We can't stay here forever and they have us out gunned”. Said Bones who was also pinned down on the other side of Tails.” Tails looked to each side and all around, the Cathar around him all looked desperate. They had risked and lost so much already, family, homes, livelihoods. How much more could they be expected to give.

The Cathar male with the eye patch next to him puts his head up from his cover, “That tower” he says pointing to the large tower directly next to the section where the majority of the Synth defenders had positioned themselves. “it's foundations are weak, I saw the cracks in the base stone works… If we could only \*TWACK!\* ahahhhhhh. The man was cut off as a blaster bolt strikes him in the head sending him backwards and laying him lifeless on the courtyard floor, blood pooling around where his head now rests. One eye looking up unblinking into the evening sky, Dead.

As he fell backwards, arms outstretched to the ground his black top lifts up revealing two homemade pipe bombs. Their trigger points were only modified primitive cigar lighter flint's so a quick flick of the thumb would light them. Tails thinks for a moment on the situation and in the distance over the sound of blaster fire hitting stone he hears another Carhar scream out in pain and hit the floor and he hesitates no longer. Tails reaches down grabbing the pipe bombs from the dead Cathars belt and turns to Bones, his blue cybernetic eye locking onto his gaze for a moment. Bones shakes his head as he knows what is about to happen. “WHATEVER THE COST” Tails says, his tone meeting the dramatic climate of the moment and with each thumb he flicks the ignition flint on each of the pipe bombs, the sizzle of the internal wicks beginning to burn audible even over the chaos around them.. “No,” said Bones softly, but Tails neither heard nor acknowledged it as he turned and jumped the stoney cover and ran towards the tower as fast as his old legs could carry him.

Princess, who had seen this also broke cover and ran away from the weakened tower shooting her last remaining blaster at the Synth invadors trying to draw there attention from Tails suicide run. It worked briefly as for that moment the entirety of the defending Syndicate Blaster rifle fire turned their attention to the more immediate threat and found her, cutting her to pieces in the open courtyard. Her bloody body was now almost unrecognisable from the amount of carbon scorching and blaster bolt holes that had been put in her.

The Synths then turned their sights back to what the Founders program logic had deemed the secondary threat, the old Cathar running at the tower adjacent to them. The resistance leader had covered much ground and was almost at his target and as the Synth defenders repeating blaster fire began to riddle his body with blaster bolt holes and the last thoughts of Tails were of his dead family. His loving wife and laughing children before the Syndicate had sent their death squads to erase them from the planet. The old Cathars body finally gives up and drops to the ground of the courtyard dead, only a meter from the tower and peppered with blaster fire. A smile on his blood covered face and hands outstretched as he is laid flat onto his stomach, the two lit pipe bombs release from his dead hands and with the remaining momentum roll freely forwards. And then as if in slow motion they slowly, gradually roll to the base of the weakened tower before clinking together and coming to a stop…….”COVER!!”  yells Bones as he ducks his head beyond the stone flower bed, covering his face with his arms.

~\*~

Terrogate’s balance is shifted sideways and he stumbles slightly as the floor and walls shake and move from the tremor that felt throughout the entire building. Immediately a loud repeating alarm goes off over the Palace warning system and a sprinkler system turns on covering the entrance hall leading to the throne room that Terrogate was standing in, in a fine mist of water. Other than a half dozen Synth troops that had marched past him on the way out the Throne room door there was no one else around that he could see. Terrogate had been lucky enough to have heard the radio static and whirring of their motion sensors just moments before they had rounded the corner of the hall he was walking down and had hid in an open cleaners closet as they passed by.

He could sense the presence of the two sentients very close by as he approached the Palace’s throne room doors, the Knight pulls back his robe and removes his lightsaber holding it in his right hand, getting ready for what was to follow he leans in and places his hand on the door latch.

“Rrrrrholld ittttt riiight tthhherrree……” says a familiar voice from behind him and Terrogate releases the door latch and lowers his hands to his side. “Skeet you double crossing no good..” says Terrogate, annoyed at himself for allowing himself to have been taken by surprise so easily. The sound of the alarm and the sprinklers going off had obstructed his hearing and the shady Cathar had gotten the jump on him. “Rrrr….ittsss overrrr, drrrop the weapon and turrrrn arrrrrround..” Skeet said in his scratching feline voice. “Dad...” said another voice full of fear and Terrogates eyes widen. “Kas.. No!” He says and turns to face the blue skinned teen that was standing in front of Skeet, a hostage. Skeet held a blaster pointed at the boy’s head and another pointed at Terrogate. Skeet shot the blaster facing Terrogate and the blast flew past the warriors head and hit the door creating a splintered hole.

“Rrrrr I said drrrrop itt, orrrrrr the boy gettsss ittt..” Immediately Terrogate drops his lightsaber to the wet polished floor and puts his hands up, palms forward. “It’ll be ok Kas’sparr” he says trying to calm his step son who looked frightened half to death, tears streaming down his face and mixing with the misty water coming down from the sprinkler system. “Rrrr I wouldn’ttt bet on thatttt” says Skeet. “Not forrrr Silkssss, orrrr thossee priessstsss… But the Founderrrrr will rewarrrrd me verrrry well forr two live charrrrgerrrrss inssstead offf jussst the bboy”

“The priests.. You killed them.. And Silks too! You are a traitor and disgrace to our people.” says Terrogate, his words like venom.  “Rrrr… you have noo rrright to speak.. You wherrrrr not herrree for the worrrrst of it strrrangerrr.. I have lost muchhh, and i willll not be wiped ooout like the rrrrrrrest of the rrrresistance, inssstead i’ll spennnd my daysss innn comforrrrrrrrtt… not undergrrrrround orrrr dead.. Like yooou..now moooove”.  Says Skeet pointing and waving his gun at Terrogate indicating him to turn back around and open the door..

Clearly the Founder was inside the throne room. If the situation at hand had any sort of benefit it was now at least Terrogate knew he was in the right spot. And the 2 lifeforms he had picked up on were standing right in front of him. As Terrogate turned opened the door, the sprinklers were on in here too, the room was massive with Polished floors and except for the position of the twin Thrones at the very back of the room it was not at all like he remembered it.  As he started to walk he wondered if Kas’sparr was focused enough to be open to his suggestions and he pushed outwards with the force, focusing on connecting with the boy… “\*Kas.. Kas… can you hear me son\*” he projected into the boy's mind but nothing returned. Terrogate should have known better. Kas was blessed like his mother with the force but he was untapped and untrained. The mountain god had spoken to him just the night before telling him of this fact but Kas who was unaware of his abilities nearly collapsed afterwards from the mental stress, unable  to handle the power of its telekinetic press into the boy's consciousness. Terrogate however was nowhere near as skilled or powerful in the force as the mountain god and could only hope the Chiss boy could hear him now.

Terrogate pushed and tried again to reach Kas’sparr “\*cough if you hear me\*” he projected. And to his relief, Kas’sparr who was slowly walking through the Palace’s throne room with a blaster pointed at the back of his neck, coughed loudly.” Terrogate smiled inside. “\*on the count of three.. Drop to the ground.. Cough if you understand\*” and again Kas’sparr coughed. “Rrrrshutt itt and walk boy, unlesss yooou want to be shottt dead rrrrright nowwww” said Skeet and pushed Kas hard inbetween the shoulder blades with the tip of his blaster shoving him forwards. Kas stumbes forwards from the push separating himself from the blaster tip but still keeps his feet and Terrogate pulls on the power of the force in readiness, \*“3,2,1..now!”\* Terrogate projects through the force and Kas’sparr flops immediately to the ground as if his whole body had gone instantly limp.

As Kas’sparr hits the ground Terrogate turns with his hands raised, then using a combination of Cryokinesis and Telekinesis he freezes the water drops that were falling from the sprinkler system in a meter arch directly in front of him then sends them flying forwards at blistering pace towards Skeet like a wave of pallets from heavy close range slugthrower. Skeet who was caught off guard at the perfectly timed move managed to miss taking a shot at Kas’sparr as he dropped from the shadowy Cathar’s immediate view. But the blaster that was facing the Artifex of Tollere fired a single shot before its owner took a powerful spray of ice bullets to the chest and face, sending him flying backwards onto the polished palace floor. Dead. Terrogate runs to his son and kneels hugging him on the wet floor of the Palace as the water from the sprinklers continues to fall on them. Blood ran from his left oblique where Skeets blaster had found its mark but the adrenaline in Terrogates system and the utter relief for his step sons safety masked the pain for now.

Kas’sparr was sobbing and holding Terrogates neck tightly as they huddled together in the wet, the dead body of Skeet lay next to them, his blood washing onto the floor of the Throne room. Then among the sounds of the alarm and the water falling onto them from above Terrogate hears the all too familiar sound of electrical scanners whirring as they focused in and out looking to lock onto their target, and the sounds of weapons charging.

~\*~

Outside, the debris of the collapsed tower covered the many now crushed bodies of the Synth troopers and its collapse had momentarily halted the chaos of the fight, as a thick powdery blanket of masonry dust covered the courtyard grounds. As the dust settles and the vision of her leader and yet another friend's death in her head Quali was the first to react “DEATH TO THE SYNDICATE!” she yelled and the remaining Cathar numbering less than twenty emerged from their cover and stormed the remaining Synth troopers. What ensued in the next few moments was brutal and desperate as the resistance gave what left over energy they had left to the fight, slashing, clawing, shooting, winning. It was only when the four fully loaded troop transports finally arrived at the Palace, pulling in fast at the Palace entrance and the near on eighty Synth Shock troopers pulled from Delta City to crush the rebellion’s assault started blocking the entrance in attack formations did they realise that their victory was far from won.

The Syndicate shock troopers stormed the Palace entrance cutting off any and all chance of retreat, they quickly took position and began shooting at the remaining Cathar and Synth defenders alike, the resistance was taken by surprise at the attack from behind and many remaining Cathar fell to the blaster fire. Bones who had already been shot in the left leg and right bicep grabbed Quali and dove behind a section of fallen tower narrowly missing a barrage of blaster fire and saving her life. But he had taken a third shot, this time to the shoulder, and now even the mighty Bones was slowly starting to bleed out, his ability to fight on all but taken away from him. Behind them the dead and dying Cathar lay all around the debris of the tower along with the crushed and destroyed bodies of the original Synth defenders. Quali looked across the courtyard, Pickles and three other Cathar were cowering under cover of a section of fallen roof but the look in their face said it all. It was over. All they could do now was sit and wait for the Synth Troopers to advance and cut them down. They had only one hope for survival and he was quickly running out of time.

~\*~

Terrogate grabbed Kas’sparr in a low bear hug and picked him up off the wet floor as he half ran half stumbled as fast as he was able to the rear of the twin thrones looking for cover, the boy's feet dragging along the ground as he dove for safety. A stream of rapid blaster fire followed them, ploughing a long trail of carbon scorching into the floor and then decimated the large thrones that now provided them with some temporary cover.

Terrogate let go of Kas’sparr looking him up and down and was glad to see the blood that covered the boys front was Cathars own and not his sons. “Stay here.. and stay low..” said the Cathar over the sound of the alarm and blaster fire. Kas’sparr nodded acknowledging the instruction and tried to speak, to tell his stepdad to be careful, to come back soon.. to tell him how afraid he was but the only thing that escaped the boy's throat was the whimper of a frightened child. Terrogate groaned as he removed his robe, it was soaked through and heavy now. The blaster fire stops and a sharp, piercing electronic voice hissed out [“You can not win, the Syndicate moves forwards with its objectives and you will all die”]

Terrogate places his robe over Kas’sparr who was lying down in the fetal position entirely covering him “It will be OK son” he reassured Kas as he covered his head with the robe. He would have told him to run but realistically there was no hope for the boy if the Cathar knight should fall, and running at this stage would only risk his life.

The Sprinkler system and the alarm finally stops and Terrogate slowly raises himself up off the floor, blood streaming from his blaster wound and down his pants. As he moves out from behind the throne he finally spots the owner of the voice… “The Founder?” he says, loud enough for the synth leader to hear, it was more of an acknowledgment than a question. The Founder was not like other Syndicate synth troops he had seen with their full black uniform and faceless helmets. To Terrogates surprise it looked more human, severely enhanced with cybernetics but still had the factual features you would expect. A nose, a black head of hair that reached to its shoulders, eyebrows and facial skin that looked very real if it wasn't. Where it's eyes were positioned on its right side was a bright amber cybernetic eyeball inset into the socket and the left side was an externally mounted cybernetic attachment with a red neon that Terrogate assumed was for targeting systems of it's two shoulder-mounted mini laser cannons.  Both the laser cannons had five bar-like steps that were slowly illuminating in red filling the steps and Terrogate could only guess these were charging indicators. In its arms it held a repeating blaster rifle, it's nozzle smoking and steaming from the water evaporating off its hot metal pipe.

Behind it's facial skin glowed an visible electric amber maze of circuits and below it's nose, covering its mouth and jaw was a metal synthesiser that flashed a luminescent blue as it spoke. It's body, although human in shape, was entirely robotic but with slender smooth metallic curves giving the appearance of a female. Perhaps it was once a human Terrogate can't help but wonder.

Terrogate focuses on his pain coming from the wound in his side, he accepts it and then uses the force to push that pain out of his conscious mind, separating himself from it. It was an old trick he had picked up in the Academy, using it almost instantly the pain disappears but the injury still remains until treated with proper medical care. It wasn't normally taught openly or even used by the Sith, as they preferred to use their pain to fuel their hate and give themselves an advantage in combat. But Terrigste needed to clear anything that may slow him down or cause him to hesitate.

“[ I am the Founder… the Mother…the Mainframe…I AM THE SYNDICATE AND I CAN CANNOT BE STOPPED! ]” the Founder screeched, dropping the blaster rifle to the wet floor just as the lights on her shoulder-mounted lasers cannons move to full bars.

Terrogate sprints to the right towards the Palace wall and begins to run the perimeter as the Founders laser cannons fire a deadly volley of red blasts following him around the room. Terrogate speeds up using his force augmentation to try and stay ahead of the Founders targeting system, his plan was to get in behind the Synth then try to overpower it. This seemingly good, if not still very basic plan was undone almost instantly as the Founder also started moving, walking quickly around chasing Terrogates position. Chasing the Cathar with its cybernetic sight assisted cannon fire only a fraction behind its target, leaving the palace walls scorched and damaged and Terrogate no time to slow or change direction.

Within seconds the Syndicate leader had put itself unknowingly into the line of sight of Kar’sparr who was still huddling on the floor at the base of the twin Thrones, hidden underneath Terrogates robes. Terrogate can’t afford to cross back along the way he wanted when trying to flank the synth putting Kas’sparr into the path or fire, he needed a new plan and fast. He looked behind him and the Founder had not given up the hunt with red lasers hitting the walls, statues, columns and banners, the Palace was quickly becoming a warsone and one of the large Royal banners that ran from floor to ceiling was cut in half behind him from the laser fire and strips of cloth dropped to the floor. Terrogate faced forwards and looked around desperately to find anything that may help him, the answer lay above them as he saw the enormous sheets of light pink silk that ran from the edges of the Throne room and joined in the center at a huge blue crystal chandelier.

There was only one thing he could do without putting his son at risk but it would come at a cost, the Cathar warrior reduces his speed and refocuses the power of the force that ran through him into his legs and inner core and springs upwards as high as he can with a Force Jump looking to grab hold of the decorative silk sheets. But, as Terrogate slowed his run and coiled to jump the laser fire of the founder caught up with him and sent four shots into the Cathars left shoulder, right thigh, arm and hand.

Terrogate roared with pain and protracted his claws as he jumped high up into the air reaching upwards with his now injured arms and grabbed at the massive sheet, his 117kg frame pulling it immediately from its rear anchors. Gravity coupled with the strength of the chandelier and his claws that had ripped into the material sent him both swinging and sliding downwards towards the Founder who was stood still and shooting but the sheer mass of the falling sheet had disrupted its targeting systems and it was now firing blindly into the ceiling of the throne room burning holes into the silk sheets.

Terrogate swings and releases the sheet shooting him forwards through the air, the pain of his injuries filling his mind. Terrogate falls and lands hard onto the body of the Founder sending it flying backwards and crashing into the polished wet floor with the Cathar on top of it. Its shoulder mounted lasers shot several times in all directions, narrowly missing the Cathars face as he lay on top of the Syndicate leader. Terrogate was starting to panic, the only thing holding the Founder down was his own weight and the Cathar Knight was severely wounded and was only a matter of time before one of the lasers found a mark.

Then as if it had been the force itself responding to his desperation the red charge bars next to Terrogates face started flickering and then disappeared all together indicating the white hot mini laser cannons had now run dry of charge and they now were doing nothing but make impotent clicking sounds. But they had already done more than enough damage to the throne room, and to Terrogate. [“AM THE SYNDICATE! I CANNOT BE STOPPED!”] The Founder screeches struggling to get up but Terrogates weight had him pinned down and its metal feet couldn’t find purchase on the wet ground. Terrogate needed to get in behind its neck to access the chip slot and as The Cathar tried to stand and plant his feet he found his legs were too badly damaged, the floor was covered in several inches of water and the Cathar's blood made it slippery. His right arm wasn’t obeying him either and to compound things even more the charge bars on the mini lasers were once again starting to fill.. he couldn’t stand, he could hardly even move and the lack of blood and excursion of prolonged force energy made him weak. So with just the use of his injured right arm and doing his best to command his damaged legs he wraps himself around the Founder so it could not have a chance to move until Terrogate either succeeded, or passed out from the blood loss.

“KAS’SPARR….. KAS’SPARR!!!! COME HERE BOY!....HURRY!” Terrogate called out.

[“YOU CANNOT STOP ME, YOU WILL ALL DIE!”] the pinned down Founder shrieked.. [“IT IS OVER YOU HAVE LOST!”] It said struggling to free itself.

“KAS!! NOW.. I NEED YOU!!!!” Terrogate roars, blood now beginning to run from his nose and he could instantly recognise its familiar metallic taste as it dripped across his lips and into his mouth as he shouted.

Slowly the blue skinned boy pops his head out from under the wet robe and quickly scampers on hands and knees towards Terrogate who was still laying on top of the Synth Leader. Terrogate sees his approach from his peripheral and barks instructions to the boy. Time was of the essence, millions of lives including theirs and the resistance fighters outside were at stake and there was no time to soften the moment.

“Reach into my back pocket and get the chip… then when I roll put it in the brain slot.” O...Ok…..” said Kas’sparr, his boyish voice shaking nervously as he tried carefully to reach into Terrogates pocket to remove the chip, each time the Founder tried to struggle shifting the Cathars weight Kas’sparr flinched, he was too scared. He froze as he saw the face of the Founder up close.. “NOW!” Roared Terrogate which seemed to spark the boy into action and he then reached in quickly and grabbed the chip containing the virus in one fast motion, removing it and holding it up.

As Kas’sparr straightened himself with the virus chip in hand and a shocked look on his face the Founders cybernetic eye moved and spun rapidly back and forth as it had identified the kind of chip the boy was holding. It’s amber circuits under its skin began to glow bright now and clearly visible, its cybernetic eye whirred and span, the data codes of the abundance of information visible as it ran across the lens.

“Quick!” Terrogate said and then using his remaining strength he rolled, grunting and groaning in agony over onto his back pulling the Founder now on top of him. Then he held on as though millions of lives had depended on it.

“Hurry…. Kas’sparr…. the chip……. now!” he said, his words were stretched and tortured in the painful agony of his injuries and Terrogate coughs, blood spraying out of his mouth and over the face of the struggling Founder. They didn’t have long, Terrogate could feel the Synth taking control and his own strength slipping fast.

At his dying stepfather's word Kas’sparr mustered what little courage he could find. He thought of his Mother, his sister Khara and how much he missed them. And how sorry he was for ever coming to this place. Gritting his teeth, tears still streaming down his face, with his free hand he reaches down and pulls the black hair aside revealing the Founders neck and an empty secondary protocol card slot… [“YOU WILL ALL DIE! THIS PLANET IS MINE! ITS PROFIT IS MINE! YOU CANNOT WIN!!”] The Founder screeched in its high pitched robotic voice, its voice modulator flashing a blue so bright as it spoke it pushed into white at its peak. It’s pitch Piercing and threatening. Kas’sparr holding the founders hair to one side sniffs and wipes his tears away with his sleeve “no, you dumb Synth, it’s you who will loose”. He says and inserts the corrupted chip in the open slot.

~\*~

Outside in the courtyard the close to eighty newly arrived Syndicate shock troopers pressed forwards one step at a time into the war zone that was the inner courtyard of the Palace grounds. Their blaster fire peppering the cover of the remaining handful of Cathar resistance fighters huddled behind their rubble cover. Quali wrapped her hands around Bones neck in an attempt to comfort them both as the Synth troopers now standing in three evenly formed lines drew to within 20 meters of their location, they had only a matter of seconds before they would clear the cover of the resistance and slaughter the remaining Cathar.

But then, quite amazingly a loud vortex of wind began to gather and shape, creating a mini tornado in the entrance of the courtyard, rapidly it grew and with the sun now completely gone the dark grey clouds in the night sky quickly gathered above it swirling and merging angrily. Small flashes of lighting appeared and the tornado that was only a moment ago a meter tall was now reaching from the ground to the sky itself and twisting and swirling like a devastating force of nature.

Then out from the group of bushes and small trees in the corner of the courtyard stepped a young white haired Trianii girl in flowing robes, her hair whipping around from the chaotic winds and dried blood on her face. It was Faera. The young girl now recovered from her earlier exhaustion and sensing the desperation of the moment had rallied and gathered her strength in the light side of the force. Her glowing crystal staff shining brightly like a beacon of hope raised high above her head. Her eyes were of blue fire and she chanted into the cool darkness of night, channeling the very air around them with the force and making it into a powerful weapon. Only a few of the Synth troopers even noticed at first, and once they turned managed to let loose just a few unsuccessful blaster shots towards the Priestess before the large hulking 4 tonne mass of Jet Black Durasteel plated security droid exploded into action from the protective position he had been guarding Faera from just moments ago.

SH3-1LA who’s primary primary directive was to protect Faera at all costs ran at top speed on all fours towards the Synth shock troopers that shot at the Priestess. The droids' weighty frame pounding hard onto the courtyard floor, cracking and breaking the stone below. Sheila leaps into battles as it reaches its targets picking them up, throwing them and snapping their bodies like they were nothing more than simple tree branches.

Faera now feeling the full power of the force charging through her thrusts her staff forwards towards the Shock Troops position and the tornado started moving their way, picking up almost an entire quadron of the Syndicate troopers from the formation into the tornado and sending troopers, branches and pieces of rock and stone flying in all directions. The effort was mighty but not nearly enough as the rest of the troopers continued their relentless march forwards, only a few now turning to face her and many of the ones that had been down picking themselves and their weapons up in preparation to continue the fight.

SH3-1LA has been targeted by many of the troopers as she continued to fight them off her large arms swinging and breaking many metal armoured bodies. But not without cost. Blaster fire sparking across her durasteel frame with several bolt holes now clearly visible in her metal chassis shiela now calculating the chances of victory over the vast number of attackers now stopped and made her way back to Faera, shielding the priestess as the troops turned their attentions to the force sensitive girl, SH3-1LA’s own body now riddled with blaster holes as she obediently follows her masters primary directive.

Faera was safe from blaster fire thanks to Sheila’s sacrifice but things then went from very bad to even worse as the blue crystal on Faera’s staff was now starting to quickly dim. She had spent her stamina creating the tornado and now it was too beginning to fade out with still more than three quarters of the Syndicate troops still upright and firing.. All seemed lost and tears started to pour freely down her furry face mixing with the blood and dirt in the realization that she would now surely die today. There was no possible victory now, and she then closed her eyes tightly, both hands on her staff and dropping to her knees ready for the end.

And then… just as the first wave of black armoured trooper’s amber helmet mounted sensors came into view of Quali, Bones and the other hand full of remaining Cathar resistance fighters huddled together, something remarkable happened. The Shock troops, once hell bent on the destruction of the Cathar resistance, all at once simply stopped still in their tracks. The sounds of dozens of blasters firing all at once into the stoney rubble of the destroyed tower stopped in an instant and as if time had frozen still, the only thing left was the sound of the tornadoes’ wind gusts dissipating, their now gently breeze only rustling the remaining leaves of the trees and bushes in the utterly destroyed courtyard.

Terrogate had done it… They had won.