Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 142-144 - Twists and Turns (1.2 words, please vote)

On the other side of the Demon Moon, So walked under the cover of night, knowing full well that Stella was the smarter of the two siblings.

But that doesn't mean he's stupid.

So was a hunter from a young age, and after surviving in the wild for several weeks, he couldn't afford to be slow in learning.

Stella was in charge of planning the hunting route, while So was in charge of the actual execution.

Adaptability is a life-saving skill, which he learned during his first encounter with the mother Gravena guarding the nest.

Moreover, the identity of a rider is like that of a Lupinus, which cannot hide its wings; it is difficult to conceal from its peers.

So when So saw Alvira walking with an unsteady gait, like someone who was drunk at midday, he immediately understood that this woman spent much more time in heaven than on earth.

This discovery sparked his interest.

Alvira is a rider.

The Imperial Guard is the elite of the royal army, and no one dares to underestimate it.

He wouldn't be surprised if their Lupin riding skills were better than the best hunters.

But there seems to be some hidden problem here, though he hasn't figured it out yet.

This is purely intuition.

It was this intuition that allowed the ancient Ondron people to survive, wasn't it?

That's how he managed to survive until now.

So found Alvira in the shadow of a thick stone pillar.

This is one of their transit points, the central courtyard of an abandoned fortress.

The fortress's name has long been lost to time; it is now a hunter's camp or a resting place for travelers crossing the forest.

It's not difficult to disguise a rebel stronghold as a hunting party.

But they cannot stay long.

Before dawn, they must reach the base "nest" in the eastern highlands.

This place was just the meeting point he had arranged with Hatch's team.

They waited a while longer, hoping that Stella and Dono would appear... but their hopes were dashed.

Now all we can do is pray to the Purple King, hoping that the two of them will be safe and sound.

Stella and Dono were the most witty people So knew. They were eloquent and might be able to get the truth out of Alvira without leaving a trace.

As for So... he's not good at beating around the bush.

He prefers a straightforward approach.

For example, the blaster he's hiding on his back right now.

“You’re a beast rider, right?” So’s voice broke the silence.

Alvira suddenly looked up, slowly lowering his hands from his face, one hand loosely clenched into a fist.

If she was holding something in her hand, So would not be able to see it in the darkness.

"How did you know?" Alvira asked, her tone wary.

So crossed his arms over his chest. "That scruffy little beast on top is my mount."

He gestured with his chin toward the Lupin Beast perched among the dense foliage above him.

Alvira glanced in the direction he indicated, his body swaying slightly as if trying to regain his balance.

“There’s an old saying, isn’t there?” she snorted, “about the Lupin Beast and its wings that can’t be hidden.”

“You don’t ride a Lupin,” So shook his head definitively. “Riding a Lupin for too long will make your body stiff, but your symptoms don’t match.”

Alvira clenched his fist suddenly.

beep—

So reacted with lightning speed, drawing his blaster in an instant like a hungry Prithar.

The gun emitted a low hum as its energy cartridge charged, and the muzzle was steadily aimed at that clump of rust-red hair in the darkness.

“You’re not a Lupin Beast Rider, so you’re not a member of the Imperial Guard either,” So said coldly, his finger firmly on the trigger.

“I’m not lying,” Alvira replied with unusual calm. “I used to be a member of the Royal Guard.”

"So what exactly happened?" Sobi asked, pointing his gun forward. "What kind of war beasts are you space troops riding?"

“As an Izzi, you know quite a lot.” Alvira’s tone carried a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm.

“It’s not unusual to see war beasts outside the city walls; we’ve seen them all in Dox Pete.” So swallowed hard, his sharp gaze scanning her body for any possible weapons hidden within. “Now tell me, what exactly are you riding?”

“Dexon Raptor.” Alvira took a small step back, using one hand to steady herself against the cold stone pillar.

"Hold!"

So couldn't help but curse out loud.

None of Ondron's flying war beasts are easy to deal with, but the Dexon Raptor is recognized as the most troublesome.

Lu Ping Beast was loyal to the death.

The Drex Beast is terrifyingly large, but it behaves itself once it's fed.

What about Skrefs? It attacks whoever it doesn't like.

Adult Drexmon are dangerous, but also cautious.

Given their enormous size, even a small wound can lead to a fatal infection.

Therefore, in the past they preferred humans who were weak and harmless.

When they are not hunting, they hibernate.

Birds of prey, on the other hand, sometimes hunt purely for pleasure.

So had witnessed a raptor provoke a Drex beast five times its size, for no reason other than wanting to do so.

He didn't dare look too closely at the time, but he guessed that it wouldn't be long before the beast lord or the space force would have to deal with the two beasts.

Legend has it that there is also a bird of prey called Wardnaki, which is said to be as big as a Drexler.

It ravaged the eastern highlands for years until Queen Lena mobilized the entire royal army to subdue it.

Drexmon's behavior is predictable, while Skrefmon is completely unpredictable.

They are ferocious monsters.

And now, the most crucial point is that they usually only have one rider.

This means that, unlike the Drexler, which can carry twenty people, the raptor is likely silently following its owner and tracking them.

"Where is it?" So's voice tightened.

“If you shoot me, you’ll know immediately,” Alvira said with a hint of provocation.

"Bluster!" So sternly accused. "Birds of prey don't recognize their masters; they're more likely to fly away than attack us."

"You want to take a gamble?" Alvira said without backing down. "Your men are exhausted, you're carrying pack animals and supplies, while my 'Red Gallia' has a wingspan of over twenty meters and it's hungry."

Alvira stayed with them the whole time, and the raptor, left unattended, was likely starving...

Thinking of this, Suo involuntarily shivered and suddenly looked up at the dense canopy, as if he could see through the darkness and find a Dexteran raptor that didn't want to be discovered.

Will he be able to warn the people in the camp before she blows the summoning whistle?

There were several hundred of them, but only one bird of prey...

But if by the time they subdue the monster they have suffered heavy casualties, it will be pointless.

Alvira moved again, and So immediately became alert: "Put down what you're holding! Now! Put your hands where I can see them!"

The defector made an almost childlike face, raising his hands and spreading his palms.

A small device fell onto the damp, mossy ground.

In the darkness, a glaring red dot flashed rapidly.

Communicator.

Without hesitation, So stomped down hard, crushing it.

“I underestimated you,” Alvira’s voice was tinged with bitterness and a weariness that made So uneasy. “I thought your sister was the tough one to deal with.”

“Stella always thinks the best of people, which makes her an excellent leader.” So moved around her like a dangerous beast, pressing his blaster against her back and pushing her toward the camp. “I only believe what I see. It was you who suggested asking the Jedi for help, and now Stella and Dono are missing.”

“That was a great idea!” Alvira protested. “Can you honestly say you weren’t tempted?”

“I should have realized it sooner!” So ​​growled in her ear. “You handed them both over to your own people…they might already be dead!”

“They’re very smart,” Alvira laughed, her laughter jarring in the silence. “If your sister is really as smart as I think, she’ll live by proving her worth.”

Suo froze instantly. A scalding sensation, like liquid spice, rushed into her veins, blurring her vision.

His finger instinctively tightened on the trigger.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” he roared. “Stella would never betray us—!”

After the roar, there was a suffocating silence.

Suddenly, the branches overhead rustled. Suo abruptly raised his gun and aimed it upwards, expecting to see a drooling Dexteran raptor.

But there was nothing there, perhaps only a few Izzi monkeys, looking at them with puzzlement.

“…Wait,” So turned the gun back, “is your Skreef nearby?”

Alvira let out a cold laugh. "Your petty resistance is meaningless, Gerala. Your vision is too narrow. Billions of people are dying outside, yet you place your pride above the entire galaxy!"

“That’s just an empty number! We all know what’s going on outside, why should we worry about it?” So gritted his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth, “When has the galaxy ever cared about us? We could have lived peacefully like our ancestors, until you greedy, opportunistic nobles took the first bait that Count Dooku threw out! Now, we can’t even protect our own streets!”

Alvira shook his head. "The faster the war ends, the faster those robots will leave."

"Don't give me that 'safe evacuation' nonsense!" So scoffed. "Those robots are building a base deep in our jungle! If we don't get rid of them, they'll stay here forever."

Alvira took a deep breath, his shoulders heaving.

"It's pointless to reason with unreasonable people."

She muttered something under her breath.

"Unreasonable!? Yes, of course we're unreasonable! You exile cursed by Unifar, you've been away from Izzi for a year! You have no idea what it's like to live under the watchful eyes of robots, their metal boots treading on your neck..."

boom--!
The forest trembled violently, even the tallest and thickest Sentinel Tree and Emperor Tree were shaking.

A gust of wind swept across the bushes above, and then fruits and nuts rained down on the mossy ground like hail.

So quickly ducked under a low-hanging tree, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alvira also swiftly hide in a nearby stone archway.

boom--!
Another thunderous roar exploded in the forest.

The Lupins in their camp shrieked in terror, flapping their wings and taking flight from their high perches, stirring up the fallen leaves that burned with amber, purple, and gold light.

"Swoosh!" Hatch ran wildly across the forest clearing, dodging the thick, vine-like nuts that could smash a skull. "Something's happened! Something terrible!"

So stared intently at Alvira, her stern expression a stark contrast to the dismissive attitude she had displayed when speaking to him earlier.

His thoughts instantly jumped back to the communicator she had just been holding, and then he glanced at the Lupin Beasts, who were acting out of character and scattering like Picoby mice at the slightest sound.

The remaining anger in his heart was instantly overwhelmed by a chilling panic.

It wasn't fear; he wasn't afraid of death either.

Instead, it's a concern.

Because the only thing that could make Lupin Beast flee in such terror was...

"War Beast!"

Hatch nodded vigorously, swallowing hard. "What do we do, boss?"

"How many?"

"Just... just one! But it's huge... terrifyingly huge..."

The world before my eyes suddenly went dark.

The faint sunlight that had been filtering through the dense, green canopy of trees was completely swallowed up by a huge shadow that swept by.

The ensuing gale swept through the bushes, roughly pushing everything aside, and the ancient trees bent painfully under its brute force.

The forest was already dark, but in that instant, it was as if daylight had suddenly fallen into dusk, and then directly into night.

Maybe only a second or two has passed, but when a rampaging Drexler is right above you, every second feels like an eternity.

"Are you sure they're coming for us?" So asked sharply.

“Even if they didn’t, they must have seen our Lupins with their reins on,” Hatch answered in a low voice, though he didn’t understand why he was lowering his voice. “Our mounts are still tethered.”

In the deathly silence of wild animals, another gust of wind carrying a fishy smell swept through the bushes.

Suo felt a primal fear rising from his very bones.

The soaring tyrant of the sky was slowly circling, and with just one flap of its wings, the sound was like a drumbeat that shook the world.

"What should we do?!" Hatch's voice was filled with despair and undisguised fear.

There is no feasible answer.

There was simply no time to do anything.

The war beast, like a moving mountain, smashed through the forest barrier!

Its sharp claws tore through leaves, and its enormous tail lashed out violently, snapping twisted branches and towering trees in two, clearing a path for its massive body.

The unobstructed sunlight shone down, illuminating the dust and broken branches, tearing a huge, dragon-shaped gap in the forest's protective canopy.

The colossal beast writhed in the dust, crushing everything in its path as it approached the camp.

Suo swallowed hard.

The entire camp was deathly silent, and everyone stood frozen like stone statues.

The monster's massive pincers clicked in the mist, and its mouthful of tentacles probed for the scent of prey among the ferns.

The Drexbeasts have very poor eyesight, so they can only hope that the monsters won't be able to detect their presence with their disgusting tentacles.

"People from the city!" A voice with a heavy accent came from the back of the war beast, piercing the silence. "Your machines have occupied our wilderness, and now you've brought your army into our territory! Give me an explanation: get out, or fight!?"

So turned sharply to look at Alvira, whose stern expression had turned into a fierce rage.

He almost laughed.

The Demon Moon is favoring them! These people aren't space soldiers, they're beast riders!

This is the person they've been searching for!

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows where he was hiding.

He could feel the anxious gazes of more than a hundred companions behind him, pressing heavily on his back.

"Beast Rider!" he shouted at the behemoth, "Those machines have taken over our city! We can only seek refuge in your wilderness now!"

A tall, agile figure leaped off the war beast's back, grabbing the protruding bone spikes to slow down as it landed.

A mask carved from dark decaf wood, depicting a ferocious Prithal beast, is warily "watching" him.

The beast lord raised the explosive carbine in his hand, and the gleaming ammunition belt slung across his shoulder made a slight metallic sound as it moved, colliding with the tactical equipment on his body.

“Oh?” asked the masked beast rider, his voice muffled through the mask. “Then, the Amroth Clan welcomes you. The cowardly Krazka and the treacherous Ezelk have already sided with the machines. We will not. Anyone who fights against the machines is our friend.”

“We only ask for a safe haven,” So decided, carefully choosing his words.

After all, it would be unwise to anger someone who possesses a ninety-meter-long, devouring behemoth, "until we can reclaim our city in the name of the rightful king."

“There is only one rightful king!” Amros proclaimed, extending a hand weathered and scarred. “Our beast lord, the Kira clan, will be pleased to have your allegiance.”

The Kira Clan—Clan Kira!?

Suo gasped, barely managing to suppress a violent cough.

Is he referring to the Kira family, who founded the royal dynasty?
Are they eyeing the Royal Court?
He didn't even dare to think about who the current Kira Lord was. He suspected that even the various families themselves didn't know... Wait, didn't the Kira family refuse the royal summons?
So and Stella want to help Ramses Dendup regain the throne, and he will definitely banish the robots.

But if a member of the Kira family also wants to sit on the throne... in Japrael, who can stop them?

He could sense the people in the camp cautiously emerging from behind the bushes, their expectations weighing heavily on his shoulders like the gaze of a war beast.

So quickly glanced back and saw Hachi nod slightly before his gaze fell on the spot where Alvira had just been standing.

There was nothing there.

She's gone.

His heart tightened.

This means their actions could be exposed at any time.

The robot will soon pounce, fueled by Dexter's fury.

The only way to survive...

"We are loyal to you."

So announced loudly, his voice echoing through the woods.

The beast rider appeared to be grinning beneath his mask.

The war beast let out a low, long cry, a sound beyond So's comprehension of war beasts.

“Then, warrior,” said the beast rider, “follow us to Kira Fortress.”

(End of this chapter)