SWRC: Hidden Pasts (Book 2)

Chapter 5 Mandalorian Wars.

The Mandalorian Wars have an arguable start.

It is believed to have begun with raids around 3976-3964 B.B.Y. The conflicts that resulted in the war between the Republic and the Mandalorians only really started in 3963 when the Mandalorians began invading in noted parts of Republic Space. It was followed by many battles that eventually ended on Malachor V when Mandalorian and Republic forces had their final battle in 3960. The leaders of the Republics forces, Jedi friends Revan and Malak, then lead an investigation to find out what had caused the Mandalorians to go to war. Their investigation lead them to discover a Sith presenses that unltimately took them over and began the next war in the Republic's history: The Jedi Civil War. 

But Neeran wasn't particually involved in the Mandalorian Wars as many other Jedi from the Jedi Order had been.

She and Zach had been in the Outer Rim in the system of Kubindi on the planet Stankajishita, quelling an uprising that had sprung up amongst the natives of the world.

But, whilst Neeran and Zach were busy there on Stankajishita, on the otherside of the galaxy, Juan was on the planet of Dazania in the system of Asmeru, chasing after a ghost of his past, having left Saval to pursue her own mission he'd assigned to her...

<3963 B.B.Y...>

Juan slipped quietly along the mostly deserted back alleys on one the planets six main cities in the district known as West Block, having finally closed in on his target.

'She won't get away from me this time.'

Juan stopped short of emerging out onto the street lane in front of him and instead reamined in the shadows of the alley whilst watching the building before him for any activity. The building remained eerily quiet as Juan watched it for a few moments before slipping silently across the slightly wider street and entering into the building though the ajar door that was only hanging form its upper hinges.

Juan pushed back his overcoat and drew his blaster as well as his small handheld torch, whilst scanning the enterance for anyone who would be in hiding. Flicking the torch on, Juan pulled it up to beside his face and scanned down the hall as far as the light would allow with the gun raised to beside his left shoulder.

Juan slowly made his way down the hall that lead to a set of stairs, with a few of the floor boards creaking beneath his weight as if they were going to break. Juan ascended the first flight of stairs and walked swiftly to the next until he finally got up onto the ninth floor where he knew the woman he was looking for would be.

Juan had only taken a few steps down the ninth hallway, when several rats suddenly scampered out and ran over and between his feet. Juan jumped back and went to fire at them before realising what they were.

"She's here," whispered Juan, flicking the torch back down the hall and hurrying towards the ninth door on the right, where the womans' force presence was most evident.

Switching the torch off and stowing it back under his overcoat, Juan carefully eased the doors' lock out of its rest and then waited for a moment before kicking the door open and dropping down on one knee whilst scanning the room with his blaster.

But there was no one there.

The only living things in the room were three rats; one varying shades of brown, another dark like the night and a final as white as falling snow, and Juan knew that they weren't really living. 

Lowering the gun to his side, Juan approached the three stationary rats and noticed the communication device that they were standing behind. 

"Coward," seethed Juan as he stared down at the squiggily lines that indicated someones breathing on the other side.