The Knights of Mandalore: Rise of the Empire/Part 5

*The Knights of Mandalore: Rise of the Empire*
Chapters 1–3 | Chapters 4–6 | Chapters 7–9

## Chapter Thirteen

*The* Streller*, YT-2400 freighter, somewhere in Hyperspace*

*Fej Torra, who has been preparing the trials for Jonax Frostwalker to be accepted as a Son of Mandalore, walks out of his room and back to the living suite where the rest of the crew is gathered, except Gridlock, who has gone to sleep off his injuries.*

TORRA: Hey, catch.

*Torra violently throws a vibroblade directly towards Frostwalker. The cyborg catches it, but just barely.*

FROSTWALKER: What in Chaos?! THAT’S MY HEAD!!

ASTROVIOUS: Ah, a classic start, had to do this with mine as well.

TORRA: So it begins. *(lets out a short laugh)*

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* I do not like this.

*Jonax ignores what Ravager said.*

ASTROVIOUS: Hey Fej, you want help, I can use the force to make them more unpredictable.

TORRA: What shall I do next? hmm..

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* Oh no. No no no no and NO! Jonax this is not going to end well. Remember: You die, I die.

FROSTWALKER: *(barely audible)* I know.

ASTROVIOUS: Well, I trust Fej with you, if you need help Fej, just call, I’m gonna go meditate until we get to Tatooine.

*Astrovious heads to his room, puts on his helmet, and meditates, speaking with his former master.*

TORRA: *(to Frostwalker)* Never be loyal to your plan, for if you are, you are reluctant to assess surprises.

FROSTWALKER: I understand.

TORRA: For instance..

*Torra quickly throws an active deactivatable thermal detonator towards Frostwalker. However, Ravager chooses that moment to speak with Frostwalker, and he is distracted.*

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* Well at least we can get our eye fixed. When do we tell them about us?

FROSTWALKER: Soon. Maybe tomorrow. *sigh* They won’t understand about you or why you chose me.

RAVAGER: *(coming out of Frostwalker to speak face to face)* They will understand... in time. You trust me don’t you?

FROSTWALKER: Of course.

RAVAGER: *(still face to face)* Good. *(retreats back into Frostwalker's body)*

FROSTWALKER: *(seeing the thermal detonator and Torra staring curiously at him)* OH KARK!

TORRA: Whoa! *(jumps on the thermal detonator and quickly deactivates it)* Well I guess that's one way to do it. *(laughs)*

*Meanwhile, Astrovious is meditating in Cabin B. He suddenly takes off his helmet, throws it against the wall, checks to make sure there’s no dents, then looks at the object he has hidden from the rest of the crew.*

TORRA: What was that noise?

FROSTWALKER: What? (*sees Torra holding the thermal detonator)* Uhh... Nevermind. You saw anything?

TORRA: I saw you almost destroy our ship! ...Well, I guess that would have been partly my fault, but you were supposed to deactivate it. *(laughs again)*

FROSTWALKER: *(suspiciously, to Torra)* You saw nothing else?

*In Cabin B, Astrovious grabs the object, takes it apart, and starts cleaning it as he’s cursing. Torra walks over and knocks on the cabin's door.*

TORRA: Everything all good, Astro?

ASTROVIOUS: Yes, everything’s fine!

FROSTWALKER: Are you sure? That sounded bad.

ASTROVIOUS: No, everything’s fine! *(finishes cleaning object, puts it back, and exits room)* Why, what happened?

TORRA: Alright, okay, okay. Now, Jonax, what are you saying?

FROSTWALKER: *(in a suspicious tone)* You didn’t hear me say anything before throwing that karking detonator at me?

TORRA: I've heard you saying random things since you popped up! But, honestly, it's not my top worry at the moment.

FROSTWALKER: *(sighs in relief)* Well that’s good.

ASTROVIOUS: You threw a detonator at him? Grid would’ve killed you if that went off!

TORRA: Nah, we all would have died. And then we would have been ripped apart by time, due to our beings currently situated in hyperspace.

ASTROVIOUS: Yeah, then he’d kill you in the afterlife!

TORRA: Well, maybe. But, at that point, I wouldn't care. ...Jonax, you're starting to give me suspicion.

FROSTWALKER: No. Just— Nothing. So how long till Tatooine?

ASTROVIOUS: I’ve got a trial idea, if it’s fine with you Fej.

TORRA: Astro, give it to me. Although, secret. He must be unsuspecting.

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* We need to tell them about us!

FROSTWALKER: *(aloud)* Fine. GUYS WAIT!

ASTROVIOUS: *(whispering to Torra)* Well, it’s not too difficult, and non-lethal, but could be funny to watch, every warrior needs to know his weapon, yeah? Well, take his main blaster, take it apart, and watch him put it back together, will that work?

FROSTWALKER: *(eavesdropping, he whispers to Ravager)* Well, looks like my pistols are going to be taken apart.

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* No worries. I have excellent rebuilding skills since being bonded to you.

TORRA: *(to Astrovious)* Alright. I'll do that. When he's sleeping. *(to Frostwalker)* Yes, Jonax?!

ASTROVIOUS: Yeah new guy?

FROSTWALKER: Nothing. Just going to the cockpit to uh.. rest my feet for a while.

*Frostwalker goes to the cockpit and falls asleep in the captain’s chair. After talking some more, Astrovious and Torra agree to sleep in shifts so they can keep an eye on the strange Mandalorian until they reach Tatooine.*

## Chapter Fourteen

*Tatooine, 19 BBY*

*In the cockpit of the* Streller*, Jonax Frostwalker wakes up after a restless night. He yawns and looks out the cockpit window, to see they are now out of Hyperspace and orbiting a dusty planet with two suns.*

FROSTWALKER: We made it to Tatooine. Finally.

TORRA: *(watching him from nearby)* Morning. Well, whatever morning is. We're in space. About ten hours standard.

GRIDLOCK: *(entering the cockpit)* Get out of my chair!

FROSTWALKER: Sorry. Guess I fell asleep here. *(gets out of the captain's chair)*

GRIDLOCK: *(sits down in his chair)* You better be.

ASTROVIOUS: *(enters the cockpit, obviously tired)* Hey guys, what’s goin on?

FROSTWALKER: Oh nothing much. Cannot wait to get out if the ship and stretch my legs on solid ground for a while and get my eye fixed. *(staring at Astrovious)* ...You don’t look so good.

ASTROVIOUS: I’m fine, everything else doin good?

FROSTWALKER: Yeah. I did some work on on my eye and discovered that it just needed some cleaning, not a new power cell, but I did tinker with it just in case.

ASTROVIOUS: Ah, well, that’s good I guess, what about your blasters?

FROSTWALKER: *(looks down at holsters)* Where are my WESTAR-35s? *(remembering the conversation he overheard last night and playing dumb)* ...I guess I misplaced them. Mind helping me find them, Astro?

ASTROVIOUS: Check Fej’s room, he said he would take them to check them for... “problems.”

*Frostwalker walks towards Torra's room.*

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* I can put them together.

FROSTWALKER: You mean We.

RAVAGER: *(in Frostwalker's head)* Uh.. yes, We can put them together.

*Frostwalker knocks on Torra's door.*

FROSTWALKER: YO, Fej! I need my blasters.

*Hearing no reply, Frostwalker knocks on Torra's door again only to find it is ajar and opens easily. He sees his pistols inside the room.*

FROSTWALKER: ASTRO! Why are my pistols dismantled?! Haar'chak!

ASTROVIOUS: *(coming up behind him)* A soldier needs to know how to fix his weapons, in any situation. *(draws his A-180 and begins blasting at Frostwalker)*

FROSTWALKER: WOAH!

*Ravager, sensing danger, reveals himself as Frostwalker's shield.*

ASTROVIOUS: What the kriff is *that?!* *(converts his blaster to rifle mode and attempts to kill whatever* that *is)*

FROSTWALKER: WAIT! AHHHHHHH!

*Ravager, defending Frostwalker, takes over his body completely. He knocks the weapon out of Astrovious’ hand and pins him up against the wall, attempting to kill him.*

FROSTWALKER: NO! WE DO NOT EAT FRIENDS!!

GRIDLOCK: *(running up)* What is going on back there?

*Ravager looks between Astrovious and Gridlock with his big red eyes. Gridlock looks between the monstrous Ravager, and Astrovious, who is still pinned against the wall by Ravager's claws.*

GRIDLOCK: Hello.

RAVAGER: Hungry....

GRIDLOCK: Hi Hungry, I am Gridlock. Do you want a Ronto Wrap? *(holds out his breakfast as a peace offering)*

*Ravager knocks the food out of Gridlock’s hand and pushes him aside. He looks back at Astrovious with a look of hunger.*

GRIDLOCK: Ok, well I'm gonna land us.

*Gridlock picks up his breakfast and leaves, assuming Astrovious can deal with the situation using the Force. He lands the ship on Tatooine. Frostwalker manages to get back under control and releases Astrovious, both of them passing out in the process.*

GRIDLOCK: *(comes back to see Frostwalker and Astrovious lying on the floor, both unconscious)* We've landed! Hey Astro, Frosty, Hungry; do you want to explore the area? *(hears Torra yawning in his cabin)* Hey, Fej is up!

TORRA: Hey? What's all that noise?! *(he opens his door, yelling like an angry old man)*

GRIDLOCK: *(walks over to Torra)* We have a new member of the crew. He calls himself... hungry.

TORRA: *(sarcastically)* Care to let me in on the secret?

GRIDLOCK: What secret? ...I think he might eat your eggs, though.

TORRA: What the kriff hungry is?!

*Frostwalker regains consciousnesses and stands up.*

FROSTWALKER: Ugh... Well that hurt. What’s going on?

TORRA: *(runs over to Jonax, claws at his throat)* What the kriff did you do?!

GRIDLOCK: We met someone named Hungry.

FROSTWALKER: What about being hungry? I’m starving, Grid you got any of those wraps left?

TORRA: This isn't helping in the karking slightest, you know that, right?!

FROSTWALKER: Woah Fej, cool it.

GRIDLOCK: *(pulls wrap out of his pocket)* I have one.

FROSTWALKER: Great! *(he accepts the wrap as Gridlock hands it to him, and begins to eat it)*

GRIDLOCK: Fej, did something happen?

TORRA: I'm awakened by bloody screaming, and I come up and you're talking about something named hungry who would eat my eggs? And you expect me to talk about kriffing wraps?!

GRIDLOCK: He hasn't eaten them yet, but he might. He is hungry, after all.

TORRA: Who. Is. Hungry?

## Chapter Fifteen

*Gridlock, Torra, and Frostwalker are talking in the Streller, which has landed on Tatooine. Astrovious is lying unconscious nearby. Meanwhile, Tracinya is still sick and has decided to isolate in her room for the safety of Torra's eggs.*

*As Jonax continues eating his Ronto Wrap, Gridlock and Torra notice that his teeth seem... different.*

GRIDLOCK: What's with your teeth, Frosty?

TORRA: Am I dreaming? I'm dreaming. *(puts his hands on his mask in ultimate visible confusion)*

FROSTWALKER: *(feels his teeth)* Uhhh... *(thinking)* Kriff! Did Ravager nearly kill Astro? *sigh* Fine I’ll tell you the truth. You know how I’ve been talking to myself?

GRIDLOCK: Yeah, your Schizophrenia!

TORRA: Great? You're finally going to be honest with us?!

FROSTWALKER: Well... I have a parasite that talks to me.

TORRA: And you're on our kriffing ship?!

GRIDLOCK: Is it Hungry?

FROSTWALKER: Well, I had to keep him a secret. He is my friend.

GRIDLOCK: He didn't look that friendly.

TORRA: You're friends with a parasite? So, you are deranged?

GRIDLOCK: Says the guy who collects eggs.

FROSTWALKER: He isn’t used to other people. Only me and his name is Ravager. *(to Torra)* Ouch. He’s got you there, Fej and quick question: Eggs?

TORRA: And he named it. He named the parasite. *(puts his head against the wall)*

GRIDLOCK: His name is Hungry, right?

TORRA: *(to Frostwalker)* I keep various eggs for biological purposes. Some developed through genes, some found from intergalactic travels. I have a few from other GALAXIES.

FROSTWALKER: Actually, that was his name. I did not name it.

GRIDLOCK: Why?

FROSTWALKER: Why what?

GRIDLOCK: Why didnt you name it?

TORRA: If you're not going to get to the point, you're going to get kicked out.

GRIDLOCK: *(drawing his blaster)* Point of my A-280.

FROSTWALKER: That was his name when he introduced himself to me after he saved my life.

*Frostwalker has a flashback to a battle in his life, a time when he was fighting alongside pirates known as the Night Sentinels.*

CAPTAIN: NIGHT SENTINELS, WE SHOW NO MERCY TO OUR ENEMIES! RIGHT?

NIGHT SENTINELS: YES CAPTAIN!

*The flashback moves forward by five years. Frostwalker is barely alive from the previous battle and betrayal. A meteor crashes near his position. An unknown life form finds Frostwalker asleep and binds itself to him. Frostwalker awakes, and the creature introduces himself as Ravager. The flashback ends.*

FROSTWALKER: *(finishes explaining flashback)* And there you have it.

TORRA: Fascinating.. *(writes in a notepad on his wrist gauntlet)*

FROSTWALKER: Symbiote cannot live without a host. It's a parasite.

RAVAGER: PARASITE?! APOLOGIZE

FROSTWALKER: No.

RAVAGER: APOLOGIZE

FROSTWALKER: Alright I’m sorry.

GRIDLOCK: Ravager? sounds weird. How about... Hungry.

RAVAGER: Geonosis will freeze over before I change my name you nerf-herder!

*Frostwalker stifles a chuckle.*

GRIDLOCK: Sorry, Hungry.

TORRA: Symbiote, hmm... I note many symbioses. May I... see.. it—er.. him?

FROSTWALKER: Him and yes. ...GRRRAHHHHH! *(lets Ravager take over his body once more, transforming into the red-and-black alien appearance)*

TORRA: What the k— *(he falls backwards)*

*Ravager laughs.*

TORRA: You're almost aqueous! Are you in there, Jonax?

RAVAGER: Jonax can hear you, however he cannot speak to you unless we switch back. To keep it simple for your simple mind, Jonax calls it a Jeckle and Hyde relationship between us.

TORRA: Are you calling me a simple mind? I'll let that slide. Can I have a piece of your.. umm... anything?

RAVAGER: if you do keep a piece, do not be surprised if it tried to make you its host. Be my guest.

TORRA: I'll keep in contained in this... *(pulls out an empty test tube)* It's my own allow of Beskar and Zillo scales, I only have two. These seems like a good option.

*Torra pricks a piece of Ravager and puts it in the test tube. Ravager switches back to Frostwalker.*

FROSTWALKER: Now you know my full story. I still want my revenge against the Night Sentinels.

GRIDLOCK: Ok

*Now that Frostwalker has explained his backstory and about the symbiote Ravager, and they have established that no one is going to be killing anyone else, Fej goes to his room to study the symbiote sample, while Gridlock and Frostwalker look after the unconscious Astrovious.*

*A few minutes later, Tracinya finally appears from her cabin, just as Astrovious is waking up.*

TRACINYA: Have we landed? Why is everyone looking at me like I'm a ghost or something? It was just a cold. ...And who the *shab* is that? *(draws her beskad and points it at Frostwalker)*

*The Knights of Mandalore: Rise of the Empire*
Chapters 1–3 | Chapters 4–6 | Chapters 7–9