The Jedi and the Beast

Chapter VII: Unleashed

The acrid smell of burnt electronics filled the air, a stark contrast to the sterile environment Zane had grown accustomed to. Questions hammered in her mind, mirroring the frantic beat of her heart. "What were you doing here, Xon?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she surveyed the ravaged lab.

Xon, his face a mask of despair, ignored her for a moment, his eyes glued to the flickering display on his console. It was a recording of the lab, moments before the explosion. Zane leaned closer, a gasp escaping her lips as the recording revealed the horrifying truth.

The secret compartment stood open, the kolto tank lay in pieces, its emerald contents pooling like spilled viscera on the floor. But what truly sent a jolt of terror through Zane was the empty chamber – the grotesque figure Xon had created was nowhere to be seen.

Xon finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "The war, Zane. The losses we've suffered... The Kaminoans can't keep up with the clones we need. Their methods are too slow. I... I thought there might be another way."

He glanced at Zane, a desperate plea flickering in his eyes. "By merging Jedi DNA with a bio-engineered organism, I could create an army of beings capable of wielding the Force. An army that could end this war, save countless lives."

Zane felt a wave of nausea wash over her. "But Xon, the power of the Force isn't something you can just... manufacture! It requires training, discipline. It's too dangerous!"

Xon ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "That's why I've been recording Krieger's training sessions with you, Zane," he admitted. "I hoped that by infusing the creature with his DNA, it would somehow inherit his skills."

The revelation struck Zane like a physical blow. The datapad Xon had been holding moments before – the one containing the recording of her training – now lay fried on the floor, its contents irrevocably lost. A cold dread settled in her stomach.

Suddenly, an invisible force slammed into her. Zane yelped in surprise as she was lifted from the ground and thrown through the air with an inhuman force. The impact with the opposite wall sent a jolt of pain through her body, but before she could recover, a metallic clang echoed in the hallway. Her quarters door had slammed shut, effectively sealing her inside.

Panic clawed at Zane's throat as she scrambled to her feet, pounding on the unyielding metal door. "Xon! What's happening?" she screamed, her voice raw with fear.

Silence answered her pleas. Zane's frantic gaze darted around the room, landing on an unnaturally dark corner. A primal fear urged her to stay away, but a sliver of hope flickered within her. She approached it cautiously...

The world became a blur of movement and pain. An invisible force slammed her against the wall, holding her suspended, feet dangling uselessly. Choking for breath, Zane reached for her lightsaber, her only solace in this unfolding nightmare. But it was ripped from her grasp with an unseen hand.

The hilt of her lightsaber materialised in the darkness, ignited with a chilling blue glow. The monstrous figure emerged from the shadows, a grotesque parody of a man, towering over Zane, his skin an unnatural shade of green and grey. One eye stared back at her, devoid of any humanity, while the other socket gaped open, a testament to the incomplete creation process.

Without a word, the creature stalked towards Zane. The blue blade hummed menacingly, its light reflecting in the terrified young Padawan's eyes. Then, with agonising slowness, the creature raised the lightsaber, its grip surprisingly strong and purposeful.

A choked scream tore from Zane's throat as the blue blade sliced through the air, extinguishing her life in a single, brutal stroke. The creature deactivated the lightsaber, the hum fading into an eerie silence. It cradled the hilt in one massive hand, a flicker of... something... crossing its vacant features. Was it satisfaction? Curiosity?

With a final glance at Zane's lifeless body, the creature opened the previously locked door and vanished into the labyrinthine corridors of the Venator. Xon, who had witnessed the entire scene through the lab's security feeds, slumped against the console, a look of abject horror and despair etched on his face.