Chapter 48
As the naval battle continued in space, the fighting between the Republic and Mandalorian forces on the ground was a different story. The battle of the Bugbear Mountains caused a lot of problems with both sides. The rough, rocky terrain made it difficult to maneuver and the large trees provided great cover positions for soldiers causing the battle to stall out due to nobody being able to blast anyone with their rifles. There was also the matter of the local bugbear populace. Beasts that neither side had ever seen before.
Bearing the qualities of both a bear and a large hornet, the beasts swarmed both forces with vicious snarls. Their intent to kill was obvious to many as the battle raging between the two forces disturbed them. Even worse, the bugbear’s hornets contained a poison. While not lethal, it incapacitated a few dozen soldiers from both sides. Normally, antidote kits would help here, but both sides were unprepared for an unpredicted situation like this as most medics had little to no antidote kits with them.
Regardless, both sides knew they had to keep fighting.
With Republic reinforcements arriving with Jedi Master Kavar, the allied forces swiftly moved on the offensive. Using the large trees and mountain terrain as cover, the allied forces quickly descended onto the Mandalorian camp. Some expected a swift victory, but the use of basilisk droids as well as the bugbears swarming at them from above caused the Republic offensive to falter.
The Mandalorians fared no better either. Although their encampment was well defended, they could not mount any offensive of their own. Though the terrain and large trees benefited them, their warriors had issues landing critical shots with their blasters. The terrain also rendered their basilisk droids completely immobile.
With neither side gaining ground, Jedi Master Kavar ordered his Jedi Knights to advance. With the Force on their side, the allied forces at last went on the offensive as Jedi lightsabers provided an extra layer of defense for Republic troopers. Slowly they began to eat away the Mandalorian defense; but to the shock of many, a few Mandalorians abandoned their rifles in favor of vibroswords. Suddenly, a swarm of angry, overzealous neo-crusaders charge at the Jedi with sword in hand.
At first, the Jedi thought nothing of this as they did not believe a Mandalorian could stand toe to toe with a Jedi. Their arrogance,however, became their downfall as the charging Mandalorians were somehow able to match some Knights blow to blow. While it didn’t turn the tide of the battle, it did stall the Republic troopers as their extra layer of defense was lost due to the fighting between the Jedi and the Mandalorians.
The fighting would be at a stalemate again, but that changed with the arrival of Mandalorian reinforcements.
Khal Dryll was an acting sub-commander in the Mandalorian ground army. While his forces were separated from the main force due to the destruction of their flagship, he did manage to rally his men. And after a brief skirmish with the Republic reserve forces, they finally rejoined their allies. With his timely arrival, the Mandalorians finally began their offensive.
Khal led his warriors to the front line. With his double-bladed vibrosword in hand, he charged at the Jedi with glee. The sight of so many worthy opponents delighted him to no end, and his excitement only grew the moment he crossed blades with a Jedi Knight that stood in his way. The Knight, surprised by the man’s sudden burst of emotion, attempted to throw back the Mandalorian warrior with a quick Form IV barrage. But Khal didn’t flinch.
Using the Jedi’s momentum, Khal countered the Jedi’s overextension with a punch to the jaw that staggered his opponent. Seeing his chance, he impaled the Jedi with his vibrosword, killing the Knight instantly.
It was a death that was seen across the entire battlefield. Khal let out a mighty roar as he raised his fist in victory. The Mandalorians who witnessed their sub-commander’s victory, also let off several war cries of their own. Soon, Khal’s triumph over a single Jedi invigorated the Mandalorian army. With their morale ever so high, the neo-crusaders began their counterattack.
The Republic was unprepared for this. Seeing a Jedi of all people fall at the hands of a Mandalorian caused some of the troopers to panic. While many high-ranking officials and Jedi ordered their panicked troops to calm down, their words fell on deaf ears. With their morale dwindling, the Republic made their retreat.
Seeing their allies in such a poor state, Jedi Master Kavar ordered his men to fall back as well, but not before taking a handful of Knights and Republic soldiers with him. He began to bark orders at his men, telling them to provide as much cover for their retreating allies as much as they can. He and his men charged at the Mandalorian forces, hoping that they could buy some time for their allies as well as the allied reinforcements that were coming their way.
One of the men that accompanied Master Kavar was Chessk Fess. Earlier, he had joined the Jedi Master in hopes that he could help bring an end to this conflict. If he were to assist the Jedi, it would help fulfill the life debt that he owed to Lyra Heartstrings. This was her home planet after all. And what better way of honoring her, the Scorekeeper, and his life debt than to protect the home she had been long searching for.
With his battle rifle on hand, Chessk used his time to take down a handful of unsuspecting enemy forces. The Mandalorians, surprised by the fact that a Trandoshan was present among the allied ranks, tried to fend off against the hulking behemoth, but it proved futile as Chessk’s strength and skill with the rifle overwhelmed the men who dared face him in combat. Satisfied, he decided that it was best to quickly rejoin the Jedi Master and help with the main forces’ retreat. But before he could go anywhere, he was ambushed by two sword wielding Mandalorian soldiers.
The attack caught the Trandoshan off-guard, forcing him to use his battle rifle as a shield against the swords. While his instincts saved his life, the attack rendered his rifle worthless. Furious, Chessk threw his useless battle rifle away. He quickly drew his two vibroswords that were strapped on his back and was ready to take out the two Mandalorians who dared to attack him. Both of his opponents came at him with their swords held high. They struck the Trandoshan, hoping that their combined strength would be enough to subdue him. But Chessk was strong. His days hunting out in the wilds of his home world and his time as a Big Game Hunter shaped him into a powerful warrior. And though he hated his enslavement at the hands of his greedy cousin, there was one thing he did appreciate during his time with the Exchange.
Dual weapon fencing. The ability to use two weapons on each hand.
Chessk let out a loud roar as he pushed aside both neo-crusaders with all his might. The Mandalorian duo, who were taken aback by his sheer strength, stumbled backward but were ready to strike again. One quickly attacked the Trandoshan’s left side but was immediately rebuffed with a hard kick to the stomach. With his ally down, the second Mandalorian swung at the Trandoshan with a powerful two-handed cleaving strike, but Chessk met the neo-crusader’s attack with a cleaving strike of his own. His blade and the Mandalorian’s were at a deadlock; but unlike the latter, the former’s left arm was still free.
Seizing the moment, Chessk used his free arm to strike at his opponent’s neck. The Mandalorian tried to fall back, but it was too late. The tip of the Trandoshan’s blade had already touched the neo-crusader’s neck. Blood spattered about as the fallen soldier began choking on his own blood.
With his first opponent neutralized, Chessk turned to face his other opponent, who was screaming furiously over the defeat of his companion. His facial expression couldn’t be seen as the man was wearing a helmet over his head, but it really didn’t matter to the Trandoshan anyway as his opponent charged at him with his sword held high. Chessk quickly tackled the man into the ground and—not wasting any time—took his two swords and plunged them into the neo-crusader’s chest, killing him instantly.
Sighing in relief, Chessk took his blood-stained blades and strapped them onto his back. Wiping the blood off his armor, he scanned the area for any signs of the allied forces but found nobody, not even a bugbear, nearby. Was the retreat successful perhaps? Possible, but the sight of another figure from a distance had caught his eye.
Another Mandalorian.
Luckily for Chessk, the neo-crusader didn’t look to be equipped with a rifle in hand, so he was safe from any blaster fire. He froze, however, when he saw a familiar double-bladed vibrosword clenched tightly on the Mandalorian’s hands. Granted, he had only seen this Mandalorian twice, but given this person’s history to the pony he’s sworn his life to, he immediately knew who he was dealing with. If his blaster rifle was working, he’d have a clear shot at the man right now; but alas, fate deemed that a duel between two swordsmen would take place instead.
Chessk sighed.
Drawing his two vibroswords once more, he charged headlong into his opponent. He’d hoped the sound of the battlefield would distract the Mandalorian enough for him to get a sneak attack in, but he was dead wrong. As soon as him leapt in for the kill, the Mandalorian quickly stepped back and raised the right half of his double-bladed vibrosword, shocking the hunter.
“Well this is certainly a surprise. To think, I’d be facing off against the Jedi’s lizard pet! Not that it matters. Your past actions deem you to be a worthy opponent,” said Khal Dryll as he and Chessk stood at a standstill. “You know, when I met your little Jedi earlier, I began to wonder where you were. Considering the connection between you two, I figured that you’d be at her side. But here you are fighting out in the front lines. I must say, the Jedi are indeed wise to ally with a being such as yourself.
Chessk grit his teeth. This man had already fought against Lyra! When? How?
“You need not worry about your companion, lizard. She is alright. In fact, the little Jedi ended up foiling one of my plans to sabotage the Republic’s reserve forces,” Khal explained, albeit with a hint of frustration on his lips. “All the more reason why I desire a rematch with her. For now, you will do.”
Pushing his left foot forward, Khal tilted his body to the right, which allowed the second half of his double-bladed weapon to strike at his foe. While Chessk was able to block the attack with ease, the amount of power his opponent showed was astonishing.
“You’re slow, lizard!” taunted Khal as he quickly resumed his offensive with quick but powerful horizontal strikes. Chessk snarled upon hearing the insult, but his defense did not falter. After blocking an incoming strike at his left side, he immediately raised his right arm and swung an overhead blow directly at Khal’s left shoulder. To his disappointment, his opponent dodged the attack, but not before the blade grazed his armor.
Khal, snarling furiously, lunged at his prey once more. Chessk calmly readied himself as he blocked the incoming blow to his right shoulder. He then countered with another overhead strike, but his opponent blocked it and countered with a swipe at the Trandoshan’s neck. Chessk ducked and countered once more, but the end result was the same. No matter what attack he threw, the Mandalorian would simply block and counter.
This awkward pattern would continue for some time, which nearly led Chessk to believe this man was nothing more than a protocol droid built for combat. But it soon dawned on him. This man is entirely reactionary. Despite being an intimidating, hulking Mandalorian, this man was as patient as a rock, relying on his opponent to take the offensive and then counter with powerful cleaves of his double-bladed sword.
A remarkable feat really. When younglings from his tribe got into sword fighting, they’d often rely on reckless offense to end the fight as quickly as possible. However, a skilled swordsman can weather that recklessness with a stalwart defensive mindset, turning their foe’s offense against them. This passive aggressive mindset is one of the reasons why Chessk became known as a Big Game Hunter.
In all likelihood, Khal must’ve used this mindset to get above his peers. But has he ever fought against someone who had the same mentality as him? Chessk was about to find out as he swung his right arm. The sword that he gripped on his hand struck the Mandalorian’s shoulder pads. It appeared to have done no damage, but the slight flinch on his opponent’s face told the Trandoshan everything he needed to know.
Khal angrily shouted at his opponent as he suddenly went on the offensive. Chessk raised a brow as he blocked an incoming strike. Was this man really going to abandon his defensive strategy over a few small mistakes? If so, it was his loss.
Deflecting a strike from his left, Chessk countered with a powerful chop to his opponent’s head. Khal dodged it, but not before the sword grazed his armor once more. A straight vertical line could be seen on the chest plate.
Khal cursed out loud as he saw the state of his armor. The calm, malevolent façade he wore on his face earlier had all but disappeared. “What the kriff is going on!” the man shouted. His age and inexperience were now starting to show. “I spent years preparing myself to fight Jedi, and yet this lizard is beating me? How is this possible?”
The answer was a lot simpler than Khal would’ve thought, but there wasn’t any point in telling him that. Going on the offensive, Chessk raised his swords up high as he charged directly at his disgruntled foe. He would’ve ended the fight right then and there, but something caught his attention. From a distance, he could see a gleaming red light shimmering behind his opponent. He didn’t know what it was at first, but he sure wished he reacted a lot quicker as two pairs of blaster bolts pierced through his right shoulder.
Chessk howled as he felt a rush of agonizing pain coursing in his body. He was still standing thanks to the durability of his armor; but in his moment of weakness, he lost his grip of the sword he wielded on his right hand, making him vulnerable to a counterattack. Sensing danger, he quickly ran to a nearby tree for cover, hoping to avoid any more incoming blaster fire.
“Someone dares to interrupt my duel! Show yourself, now!” demanded Khal Dryll as he shouted in the direction at which the blaster bolts came from. Immediately two, Mandalorian soldiers appeared from out of the forest. Much to Chessk’s distain, both were equipped with blaster rifles.
“Sub-commander, sir!” greeted one of the Mandalorians. “My squadmate and I saw that you were having difficulties with that Trandoshan, so we decided to intervene. Are you alright, sir? Do you need any medical assistance?”
Khal grit his teeth as he gave his ally a vicious glare. Eventually, he angrily shouted back at his own men. “You idiots! I didn’t need your help, nor did I ask for it!” he shouted back. “Nobody, and I mean nobody, should be interrupting such an honorable duel! If we weren’t at war, I’d petition you both to be killed on the spot!”
Chessk couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was this man actually berating his soldiers for coming to his rescue? Why? If it weren’t for them, he'd be at his death bed right about now.
The Trandoshan shook his head. These Mandalorians were as stubborn as one could be. At least show a little appreciation to your allies.
Still, with these new enemies here, he couldn’t continue the fight as he wanted. If he had his blaster rifle, then perhaps he could continue to fight after applying a med kit to his injury, but sword fighting was his only option given his rifle’s destruction earlier.
Chessk sighed.
Opening the grenade pouch on his utility belt, he pulled out three smoke grenades. These should at least be enough to cover his tracks. If not, then he can toss some hand grenades in the mix. Bracing himself, Chessk was about to lob the grenades directly at the Mandalorians but stopped when he heard footsteps quickly approaching him. Acting on instinct, he looked around to see who it was; however, the large trees around him made it difficult for him to see.
Great, more enemy reinforcements. Guess he’ll need to use more grenades this time. Perhaps a thermal detonator would do the trick.
But to Chessk’s surprise, the sound of a lightsaber activating was heard along with the incoming footsteps.
“Jedi!” shouted one of the Mandalorians. He, along with the other Mandalorian from earlier, began to shoot their rifles in the opposite direction of where Chessk was. Peeking out from the tree where he was hiding, the Trandoshan saw a man blocking the bolts that came its way. The man suddenly flew across the air and landed behind the two neo-crusaders.
Wearing the signature brown tunic of a Jedi Knight, the man was a slim but tall humanoid and wielded a blue hued lightsaber blade. Chessk attempted to get a look at his savior’s face, but the hood on Jedi’s tunic had covered it. “Mandalorians. Scum of the galaxy. Your lives will end here!” the Jedi said with a scowl.
Khal chuckled. “Scum of the galaxy, eh. While the insult isn’t particularly new, it’s strange to hear such venom come from a Jedi. Are you certain your masters would appreciate you talking like that?”
“Shut up!” shouted the Jedi as he charged at the Mandalorian squad in front of him. The two neo-crusaders that had battle rifles tried to shoot at him, but the Jedi simply swatted the bolts aside like it was nothing. He eventually closed the gap and quickly cut down the two Mandalorians, leaving him and Khal at a standoff.
This was it! A moment that Chessk cannot afford to lose. Taking a med-kit from his utility belt, he immediately applied it to the wound on his right shoulder. Though he still couldn’t move his shoulder properly, the pain had all but subsided.
Leaping out of cover, he immediately charged at the Mandalorian, ready to assist the Jedi at any moment’s notice. Shortly after he made his presence known, however, the Jedi had raised his free hand to stop the Trandoshan in his place. This gesture confused Chessk at first, but the moment he saw the Jedi’s hand raised, he soon found himself unable to move his body.
“Don’t even think about interrupting my fight, lizard. Fall back and leave this Mandalorian to me,” ordered the Jedi.
Chessk stared at the Jedi in disbelief as he struggled but failed to regain control of his body. By the Scorekeeper, what kind of power did this man use on him? Aside from his eyes, he’s completely paralyzed from head to toe!
Sensing the defiance in Chessk’s eyes, the Jedi let loose a Force Push that sent the Trandoshan flying backward into a large tree, causing the former hunter to roar out in pain and lose his grip on the remaining weapon he had. To make matters worse, the impact had only worsened the damage on Chessk’s right shoulder. Oh boy, he’s definitely going to need a lot more Kolto at this rate. If he’s lucky, a quick bath in the healing liquid would prevent him from having any kind of surgery.
Khal stared at the Jedi with some hint of curiosity. “If you were to have teamed up with that Trandoshan, the both of you would’ve taken me down. And yet you tossed him aside. Why? Are you so confident in your abilities that you can take me out on your own, Jedi?”
The Jedi scoffed. “The name is Luka Emira, Mandalorian, and I don’t need some overgrown lizard to help me in a fight. Especially against a barbarian such as yourself!” he said.
Wait, Luka Emira? The man who started yelling insults at Lyra back on the Sunrider yesterday? Chessk cursed himself for being rescued by someone who showed so much disrespect against his savior and her master. However, he kept his thoughts to himself as Khal scoffed at the Jedi’s overconfidence.
“Oh, please. You are no Jedi. The Jedi of old would not accept an emotional brat such as yourself!” Khal rebuked as he resumed his fighting stance. His insult seemed to have irked Luka as he immediately struck the Mandalorian in retaliation.
Chessk winced in pain as he observed the fight from a distance. He still did not understand why the Jedi did this to him nor does he understand why the man was so willing to fight on his own. Regardless, he was in no condition to fight. His shoulder injury was just too much to bear. With no other choice, he fled the area to rendezvous with the rest of the allied forces.
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May the force be with you Lyra Heartstrings🙏
Is this the part where Luke dies. considering that Lyra and Khal must still have their fated duel. Khal killing a jedi should not be taken lightly. he's clearly trained to fight them, and damn, gotta give props to Chessk to complitely dominating in his fight.