Chapter 36: Terror

Preperations Arc, Part 2: Terror

General pov:

Obi-Wan: "I'm not accusing you of anything!"

Satine: "I told you before and I will say it again! Mandalore is neutral and this Mercenary "Zer0" is not one of us."

Obi-Wan and the Dutchess Satine were in a heated argument that had been going on for a while now.

Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Dutchess of Mandalore Satine Kryze, and Prime Minister Almec were all in the throne room.

Obi-Wan: "B-"

Qui-Gin stepped forward and interrupted his Padawan before another argument broke out and wasted even more time on uselessly going back and forth all day.

Qui-Gon: "But what my Padawan was trying to say, was that this Mercenary Zer0 wears Mandalorian armour. Could this individual could be a remnant from the Civil Wars years ago?"

Almec: "We had exiled them to our moon Concordia after the Civil War had ended. I have received reports that they had killed each other off with the barbaric warrior traditions by now."

Satine: "Prime Minister Almec is right. Zer0 could just be one of the many that didn't participate in the fighting or had simply found and pillaged the Beskar armour from Concordia. But my sources have told me nothing of him."

Qui-Gon: "Couldn't he have just changed his name and his armours design at some point to what they are now?"

Almec: "If they are a Mandalorian, then they wouldn't. It is apart if our tradition. If I was this "Zer0" and I was born on Mandalore as a Mandalorian. If I grew up keeping my actual face and name a secret, like what he had done. I wouldn't change my name unless it was recorded in our Databases, that way we would confirm the deeds I would have done, and give credit to me on my alias. I can change my armours design as many times as I choose, but my name would remain. Think of the Dutchess Satine, she is widely respected by the populace because she is known fir her deeds and actions. But if she uses a different name and appearance and had done all those deeds, would Satine Kryze have all that respect, or would the different persona?"

Qui-Gon: "Thank you. I somewhat have an understanding now."

Satine: "Are you sure he couldn't be an enigma from another world? Possibly the Outer or Mid-Rim Territories?"

Obi-Wan: "No...I can sense taht he still has ties to Mandalore in some way. But to what and by how much I'm unsure."

Satine didn't question Obi-Wan. When they were together on the run from insurgents that tried targeting her life for a while year (42BBY). She had come to trust him and his abilities in the so called Force which he and the Jedi uses.

Despite her behaviour and attitude she shows towards him, it was just how their relationship was and deep down they still hold feelings for one another, even if they don't fully realise it.

Qui-Gon: "I too had meditated and came to the sane conclusion with my Padawan's thoughts, he doesn't seem to hold any allegiance other than to himself."

Meanwhile, Almec was thinking of what he had just learned.

Almec: 'Is Zer0 a Traitor to Deathwatch? Vizsla never told me his name, but if I could learn his identity I could find his family if they yet live and blackmail him into dealing with the Dutchess. Perhaps even have him cause a tyrannical uprising where Deathwatch would come in and stop him along with the aid of the people. Even he wouldn't kill the people of Mandalore or he would forever remain their enemy. And if I have his family as an barging chip, he would be completely obedient. But...it would be dangerous, I would need to tred carefully. If it is a plan that wouldn't succeed, then it would be best if I forget this ludicrous plan or he would behead me."

He was snapped out of his thoughts when the conversation resumed.

Obi-Wan: "Please, there has to be something you could do to help us?"

Satine pondered and thought for a few moments thinking on anyway she could help to find a lead on Zer0's past.

Satine: "Hmm, you could check the birth records and use your "Jedi Powers" to help you find the name you may be looking for. But without any background informationto narrow down the list, you would have no choice but to search through every name on Mandalore until you found the one you are looking for. I am sorry I cannot help anymore beyond that, but it is the best that I could do."

Obi-Wan: "That is better then Nothing Nothing all. Thank you."

???: "Wait! You can't go in there! Stop!"

All four I them turned to look at the entrance where the voices of an guard could be heard shouting aloud.

Moments later an Ashen-Haired girl in robe like attire came sprinting and leaping Iver the heads of the guards in her way.

But when Qui-Gon saw who the girl was, he breathed a loud sighed, at the behaviour this girl would always display. But on his mind he was smiling at the trouble and mischief she would display.

Qui-Gon: "Ava..."

Ava slid to a halt in from of the Four before she spoke with a smile on her youthful face.

Ava: "I hope I didn't keep you waiting old man!"

Qui-Gon's eyes twitched slightly at the name she would always call him.

She didn't dare call Master Yoda or Master Mace Windu with such a nickname directly nor in public, but for anybody else, she always would.

Her personality and behaviour began to change more and more since the fight against Zer0 at tge Jedi Temple.

Almost like it awakened something in her that had been locked away, and was slowly surfacing, changing her personality in the process.

But to Qui-Gon, this was a good change he thought.

Qui-Gon: 'At least she is happy as always.'

Qui-Gon was reminiscing on Ava's previous focused personality to this newly emerging playful and happy one.

Meanwhile, Satine told the guard to leave and it was fine for Ava to stay and for an introduction of her.

...

After introducing Ava, she had given a suggestion saying that she "feels" that Zer0 was born sometime in 946 RR (after Ruusan Reformation)

(a/n Aka. 51 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin))

We decided to give it a shot and follow her suggestion.

If it didn't work out, then that was one year worth of names less we would have to look through.

*******************

Ava pov:

All of us were looking through the lost of endless names of people that were born in 946 RR.

I thought we wouldn't find it and I was wrong, but then, in the Letter "H" section.

There was a particular family name that stood out to me.

Hawke...

Ava: "Wait. I think it's this one."

Almec: "Give me a moment. I will bring up the records on this family."

Prime Minister Almec swiped a few time on the Data Pad I had given back to him.

After he found the file on the Hawke family he showed it to me and the others.

Almec: "I'm sorry, but it seems that this family has a young girl and young boy, the mother and father are doctors. Their first child was a miscarriage in 946 RR. The year you wanted to search. It seems your hunch was off young Jedi."

Ava: "...! Wait a minute, I will try something."

I proceeded to Splice (Hack) into the main database that the Data pad was linked to.

In no time at all I was able to Splice the file on the Hawke family and discovered that someone had fabricated this report.

I was able to reverse the records and it revealed the true document.

Name: Adrian Hawke

D.O.B: 946 RR, Month 2, Day 21 (Primeday), Time - 00:01 PM

(A/n I'll post Calendar and stuff in Auxiliary, once I figured out how to explain it.)

Satine: "This...someone altered this file from our main databases?!"

Qui-Gon: "Most likely Zer0, to cover his tracks. But we can only know for certain once we find the family."

Obi-Wan: "Master. Look, somethings happened to her."

The duo of Jedi looked at Ava, who staring and holding the Datapad like she was in a trance and wouldn't wake from it.

Qui-Gon shook her and tried calling her name but she didn't respond.

As for Ava, all she could feel was an intense throwing in her head, but she couldn't move at all. She continued to stare and stay frozen frozen in place like she had been petrified, the moment she saw the name.

Adrian Hawke...

...

After some time, Qui-Gon had been able to reawaken Ava from her state with a Mind Trick on herself.

While Jedi, like Ava, are immune to Mind Tricks, but what he had done was just a method to restore one's mind.

And it had worked.

After that, she didn't know why it all happened, but she ignored it and focused on the task at hand.

Almec stayed behind to manage things in the Dutchess' place, while she had strongly made it clear she was coming along.

Zer0 and the Hawke family were Mandalorians and she needed to speak with them, so too did we three Jedi.

A group of guards accompanied the Dutchess for additional protection.

But I doubt it since three Jedi were with her.

We soon arrived at the home and entered it ad no one answered the door.

It was an house in a middle tier district.

A cube like home, like practically every other type on Mandalore, that was hanging on the edge of the city's borders.

It didn't look to great, nor to bad, it was average and one can tell it was an old home and wasn't in pristine clean condition like the high tier districts and the Palace.

Noone was home and it looked a mess. It seems they were in a hurry to go leave.

We spread out and fanned the home, searching it.

I couldn't find a single picture anywhere of Adrian Hawke as a child. It seemed like he really did cover his tracks well.

...

After some time, I eventually found a secret switch that opened up an hidden wall and revealed an elevator that. This was not on the edge, as the home was hanging in the air, but this was located above a large metallic pillar that held the home up.

I assume the pillar is actually hollow and the elevator uses it as a cover to keep it hidden in plain sight.

But why would a simple family like this need an secret elevator.

I called the others and we descended down it. It was small, so once group one arrived at the bottom, we waited for group two to arrive and we proceed through a series of tunnels.

...

We advanced with the utmost caution as we felt "strange eyes" watching us as we made our through the tunnels.

We came to a gigantic round chamber that was 700 metres in Radius (or 1400 metres Diameter (one side to the other in straight line)), and the rooms height was 400 metres.

(A/n Imperial Star Destroyer is 1,600 Metres in length.)

In the center of the gigantic chamber, that somehow had remained hidden for so long, had all sorts of machinery and mechanical limbs as well as four Stasis pods with the very family we were looking for!

Satine: "What is all this?!"

Qui-Gon: "I don't know but we have to get them out of those pods, i feel we aren't alone here."

We ran to the pods and examined a terminal taht was linked to the pods systems.

Guard: "They're healthy and vital signs are good. They are in Cryosleep and are scheduled for departure. It has a manifest which says the final preperations are being made to the pods to ensure no malfunctions upon transfer."

Obi-Wan: "Transfer?"

*Clank* *Clank* *Clank*

*Mechanical roars*

*Mechanical Screeches*

We all turned around to look towards the sounds that echo through the chamber.

Various mechanical droids of different kinds surrounded us, we had failed to notice it detect them with the Force.

There were hulking machines that appeared like brutes.

(A/n Terror Biodroid - image here)

There was various Humanoid armoured individuals, but they moved strongly, almost as if they weren't alive in the first place.

(A/n Terror Trooper - image here)

Hundreds of small spider droids that glowed with an bright yellow light.

(A/n Terror Spider Droid - image here)

*Clank* *Clank* *Clank*

*Mechanical Screeching*

We looked to the sound of the heavy clanking of metal.

It was a large mechanical Terror that walked on four spider-like limbs. It had glowing green orbs on it's head and two objects connected to it's head. As for wjat they do, I nor the others have any clue.

(A/n Terror Walker - image here)

???: "Well well well, I did not think you would arrive so soon before I did, but bravo."

I recognised the voice and immediately turned to it.

Ava: "Adrian Hawke!"

The man that spoke was non other then Zer0, or as we have just recently found out, Adrian Hawke.

He tilted his head upwards for me to continue my explanation as he moved his arms behind his back.

Acting like he was amused, and trying to play dumb that i was telling the truth.

Ava: "No use pretending! We know that is your name!"

He brought his arms from behind his back and shrugged.

Adrian: "Oh well. It was worth a shot. Most idiots just say "What?" Or "Who?" When questioned. That is ridiculously moronic since that just confirms it and sounds like the person is lying. I however don't do that, but you were clearly clever enough to see past it. So, you know my name, fantastic for you...but do you even know what I look like?"

Satine: "Then why don't you show us! It's too late now!"

Adrian: "Oh no it isn't Dutchess. As long as my identity beneath the mask remains hidden, knowing my name is worthless to you."

I tried reading his emotions, but all I felt was complete coldness.

Qui-Gon: "What have you done to the family?"

Adrian: "I am protecting them from you. What else?"

Obi-Wan: "From us? You ate kidnapping them! Your own family!"

Adrian: "As if a Jedi could understand the meaning of family! Don't talk to me about family Kenobi! When you Jedi have no heart and soul to feel the emotions of Love and what it means to sacrifice for it! I knew my life would be a dangerous one. Thus, I had erased all traces of my own existence from my family and made it so it seemed like my mother miscarried. I did all this to keep them safe and out of the life and enemies I would make along the way. Enemies like you three Jedi right now. You came here wanting to use them to get to me! To either question and interrogate them or to detaine them by placing them under house arrest! And dur what?! Because they are related or possibly associated with me?! Now that you Jedi know who they are. I can't leave them here any longer, they cannot live a normal life any longer. My sister and brother can't live in peace, grow up and have friends in school. My parents can no longer remain here to stay as doctors, which they adored with their hearts. All that is gone now because you Jedi had to get nosy and pry into my personal life! I have had enough of this! You scum sicken me! You want to know what love is Obi-Wan Kenobi? Dutchess Satine Kryze? I will show you! Kill them all, let non of them leave alive with what they know!"