The time of the republic

Chapter Twelve

Chron walked over to help Marly up. The mysterious lightsaber wielder stepped out of the shadows, a hood covering their face.

"Master Windu, it's truly amazing to see you. I could use the guidance of a member of the Jedi council."

The hood was thrown back revealing a woman's hair, framing a young human face that had been aged by life. She smiled and waved.

"I'm not who you think I am. My family is trying to escape. Do you have a ship?"

"For saving my life, I'll take you anywhere in the galaxy. These two about let me bite it there. Listen Chron, I know it's an honor to rejoin the Force and all but I've still got a lot of life left to live."

Chron led the way, his lightsaber back in his hands. Marly brought up the back as the mysterious woman guided them to her home. Chron stood guard as the small group came outside. The woman had her husband, son and father with her. She still held the lightsaber hilt in her hand.

"Where did you get that blade?"

"Years ago, at the end of the clone wars when the Jedi attempted to assassinate the supreme chancellor, my grandfather found it in the street. He planned to take it to the Jedi Temple the next day but we all saw the fire burn throughout the night. We've kept it safe in case a Jedi ever comes back to claim it. I'm Octavia, this is John, my husband, and Clark, my son."

Chron nodded and led the group, listening for these new warriors. Barely touching it, he reached out with the Force. People huddled around the corner up ahead, scared. Then suddenly they were all gone, rejoined with the Force. Chron stopped, Rey bumping into him.

"I felt it too. Could I borrow your weapon, ma'am?"

The two blades glowed to life as the group rounded the corner. Five of these monsters stood over bodies on the ground. Chron felt nothing from them. They had no presence in the Force. He held up his hand to signal his group to stop.

"Marly, keep them safe. Hello, I am Jedi Knight Chron Runa. You have committed a crime here but you can be redeemed. Allow me to contact the authorities."

"What are you doing?"

"Maybe they can be reasoned with."

Five sets of eyes locked onto Chron, staring into his own. One of them stepped forward and pointed a blade at the young Jedi.

"Jedi..."

Chron attempted something else, he reached out once more with the Force.

"You will let us pass."

The leader laughed loudly. He stepped to the side and waved at his group. They made a path between them, looking at Chron expectantly. He walked forward slowly, reaching the center of their group untouched. The group stepped forward, surrounding him. Chron pushed with all the Force he could summon, intending to throw the group back. But they only stumbled and raised their weapons.

Rose floated in front of the evil mask, staring defiantly into the eyes. The Sith'ari met her glare and held it.

"Where is the Jedi?"

Rose held her silence as the blade ignited, heat rushing against her cheek. The blade slowly moved closer, her hair sizzling and burning.

"I know you flew him. Where did he go? What did he do?"

"I don't know any Jedi besides Rey. I fly all kinds of people, I wouldn't remember one in a million."

"Maybe you just need a refresher."

Paro flew forward, the blade flying to meet her. It sunk deep into her shoulder, causing the young girl to scream. Rose turned in the air, forced to watch Paro's pain. The blade sunk back into the hilt and a cold hand raised the emitter, pressing it into the back of Paro's head.

"One more wrong answer, and we try a different councillor."

"What does he look like? A discerning feature, anything!"

"He looks like a gundark that was hit by a starship. A Korun male."

Chron swung his blade, catching the first monster in his chest. A blade cut through the Jedis leg as he turned. Rey screamed, launching herself into the air. Her borrowed blade swung down, removing the axe that had hit Chron. Blue and purple flashed as they blocked and parried attacks. Chron removed disarmed one attacker and jumped, kicking it in the face. The Force augmented his kick, sending the enemy to the ground. Chron landed and stumbled, his leg cut and the other foot hurting from the enemy's face. He spun, punching the next closest in the chest and swinging his blade into its weapon. It moved its blade back and buried a fist into the Jedis stomach. Chron fell to his knees as another blade raised above his head. A blaster bolt rang across the street, sending a smoking handle out of a monstrous hand. Chron rolled between the things legs and stood behind it. He swung his blade through its hip, bringing another to the ground. Three more still stood, Rey was fighting two as the third approached Marly. Qwinn stood beside the pilot, both blasting at the monster as it approached. With almost Jedi like reflexes, the monster dodged the blasts. Closing the distance, Chron launched over it and landed in its path. His blade raised defensively, Chron motioned for the beast to stop. It did. It looked at him and waited. Rey dispatched one of his fellows and the one in front of Chron hardly noticed.

"Who are you? What are you?"

"Yuuzhan Vong, Jedi."

"Mr.Vong, if you surrender now, I will not harm you."

The Yuuzhan Vong pointed at the other one with him and spoke again.

"Yuuzhan Vong."

He did not speak a third time as he charged towards Chron. The Jedi leapt over him, pulling a nearby trash can into the path with the Force. The Vong tripped and smashed his head into the ground. Chron kicked him in the head, knocking the Vong unconscious. Rey called for help as the final Vong warrior backed her into a corner. Chron pulled Marly's blaster to his hand and shot the Vong's leg. The beast roared and swung at Rey, who ducked in time. A loud crack echoed around them coming from high. Chron looked up to see a Zillo beast hand crushing the level above them. Its head peeked over, a roar escaping its throat. Chron watched it release its hold and the debris fall down. A sizable chunk smashed into Rey's attacker, knocking him to his knees. Rey stood and brought her blade through his chest.

"No! He was disarmed and injured."

"He wouldn't hesitate."

Chron waved to Marly's group and they ran, following the two Jedi.

"Can you feel them? In the Force?"

"No. I realized it in the first encounter. They're empty space. What'd that one say his name was?"

" I don't think it's his name, I think it's their race. Yuuzhan Vong."

"The Zillo, is it following us?"

"I think it's just destroying. Everything."

Chron led them down a few more turns, wishing he had a speeder. The alley split in two. Down one path, Chron could see a large group of these Yuuzhan Vong warriors. He turned to go down the other. Suddenly, electricity arced at the end of the alley. A Zillo beast rolled, its luminous eyes scanning the alley.

"Over here!"

A door flew open beside them, a man shouting at them. The group ran in and Chron pressed his ear to the door. He listened as the group of warriors ran by, their footsteps growing fainter. The man who had opened his door waved them further in. A dark hood buried his face in shadow.

"What's happening out there?"

"The end of the world."