Star Wars’ subsequent chapter of The Excessive Republic’s flashback part II is about to be upon us, because the state of affairs between the traditional Jedi Order and the Path of the Open Hand—a mysterious group that believes the Pressure just isn’t for anybody to make use of, particularly Jedi—will get worse. So it’s most likely a signal of issues to return that the following main ebook within the sequence is known as Cataclysm, proper?

Penned by Dr. Lydia Kang, Star Wars: The Excessive Republic – Cataclysm follows up with the ongoing disaster within the Outer Rim, in part II of the transmedia Star Wars prequel—itself set a whole bunch of years earlier than the occasions of the primary part, which was set round 200 years earlier than the Star Wars motion pictures. In part II, the Jedi Order and the fledgling Republic, slowly increasing its attain throughout the frontiers of area, have been thrust into the middle of a roiling warfare between two neighboring planets within the Outer Rim, Eiram and E’ronoh. However whereas the Jedi race to diffuse tensions between the worlds, the Path of the Open Hand and its sinister chief, Elecia Zeveron, have sought to govern the battle and switch galactic opinion towards the Jedi—and now Jedi Grasp Creighton Solar and Jedi Knight Aida Forte are about to seek out that their investigation into the Path has taken a darkish flip…

Try io9’s unique excerpt from Cataclysm under, as Creighton and Aida discover themselves cornered by the Path—of should you’d choose, hearken to it in audiobook kind with narration by Star Wars audiobook stalwart Marc Thompson!

“I heard that the Path had been nurturing a quite simple life right here on Dalna. Residing off the land . . . in higher climate, I’m certain it’s very bucolic,” Aida Fore mentioned.

“Sure.” Creighton Solar replied.

“Nicely . . . they certain aren’t taking good care of their crops a lot. It seems to be late summer season right here. This Dalnan corn is beginning to rot on the stalks. Looks like they’re distracted.”

“I agree. However distracted by what, I ponder.” Creighton pulled his hood somewhat nearer to his face to protect it from the rainfall. The constructions right here have been additionally not effectively stored. They cautiously opened a door or two, and located residing quarters that appeared uninhabited for the second, with tipped-over bottles and containers. A rain barrel stood outdoors, overflowing onto moist grime. “Aida. Flip off your comlink. We don’t need any messages coming by and exposing us. We’ll contact Yaddle as quickly as we’re executed.”

Aida nodded.

“Hey! What are you doing right here?”

Aida and Creighton spun round to see a Togruta Path member, a male, standing a ways away. He was carrying what gave the impression to be a fairly heavy bundle, however its contents have been obscured in fabric.

Creighton’s hand had already gone to know his lightsaber hidden underneath his cloak.

“Do I do know you? What’s your title and task?” the Path member requested, taking a slight step backward. Like Creighton, he had put his hand inside his cloak. He could possibly be holding some type of comlink.

Creighton might sense the paranoia emanating from the Togruta, his coronary heart beating a mite too quick. He relaxed and pressed his personal ideas towards the person, enveloping him inside one other consideration altogether. One which felt irresistibly true.

“We’re your brethren within the Path. We’re in your facet. And you’ll assist us,” Creighton mentioned, calmly.

Aida stayed silent and Creighton leaned on the person’s consciousness till, quite simply, he accepted the brand new ideas as his personal. The person’s demeanor morphed into one in every of persistence and virtually chemically induced rest.

“The place is everybody?” Aida requested.

“Within the caves,” the Path member mentioned.

“Why?” Creighton mentioned.

“I have no idea.”

“Take us with you. We’re working collectively, in spite of everything,” Creighton mentioned, and the person nodded.

Creighton and Aida adopted the Path member, who walked forward unsteadily, as if barely misplaced. They adopted him towards a number of rolling hills, previous an octagonal constructing and another constructions, together with one which seemed like a easy cottage.

As they crested over an increase, a number of Path members awaited entrance at a safety door tucked between two small hills.

“Moora,” Aida heard a Path member say to a younger little one leaning on her arm, “almost there. You possibly can relaxation quickly.”

“What about grandfather?” the kid mentioned.

“He’s coming later,” the Path member mentioned nervously. “Possibly he’s already there.”

One other Path member simply contained in the door instructed them to move to a room down the hall.

Aida grabbed Creighton’s arm. “It seems like aged and kids are inside someplace. C’mon, Creighton. You simply aged fifty years.”

“I’m not that outdated, Aida. We might as effectively reverse this charade. Your thoughts is powerful sufficient to idiot them.”

“Sure, however as my grasp as soon as taught me—it’s simpler to let water run downhill than it’s to push rain again into the clouds.”

He groaned. “I see your level however it could be good subsequent time should you threw in a praise about knowledge and the years, to melt the blow.” He bent over, leaned on Aida, and commenced to hobble. The Togruta Path member took his flip getting into the code, and the sentry droid opened the door. They adopted him in.

“My grandfather is feeling unwell,” Aida mentioned to the Path member simply inside, a brief lady who peered at them as they got here nearer. Creighton might really feel Aida manipulate her imaginative and prescient of Creighton’s kind.

“Grandfather?” Creighton growled quietly. “Am I your grandfather now?”

“You see, the rain makes him really feel ailing.” She smiled and patted Creighton’s hunched again.

“The aged are to remain aboveground. Within the huts,” the lady mentioned.

“Within the huts,” Aida repeated, her face questioning.

“To maintain them protected. They’re our protect, because the Mom says.”

Defend? Towards what? Creighton puzzled with disgust.

“Please. Only for a short time,” Aida pleaded.

The lady sighed. “Very effectively. Head to the chambers on the suitable. Keep till you might be summoned.”

“Summoned for what?” Aida requested, urgent the Pressure by the lady, loosening the stored secrets and techniques in her thoughts.

“You’ll know once I know.”

“Thanks,” Aida mentioned. She and Creighton hobbled previous her. Below the lip of the cave entrance, the temperature dropped ten levels and a cool clamminess emanated from past. Their moist robes left trails of water on the bottom, already slick from water trickling in from the cave entrance. Small lights illuminated the best way, with coloured markings on the wall. To the suitable have been a number of passages that opened to bigger rooms. They walked by, noting there have been principally youngsters inside them, taking part in quietly.

Past these caves, the passageway was abruptly blocked by a set of three burly guards. In contrast to the opposite Path members that they had seen on Dalna, these wore bandoliers of ammunition, with blasters holstered at their sides.

“For a peaceable group of people that consider in retaining the Pressure free for all, they certain are decked out with numerous firepower,” Aida mentioned. “How are we going to get previous them? We will affect just a few, however we are able to’t tackle that many individuals directly.”

“Let’s wait. Subsequent time somebody comes by to cross them, we’ll add ourselves on as in the event that they miscounted what number of are of their celebration. It’s simpler to mildly sway many by influencing their ideas than altering the set mindsets of some.”

Aida and Creighton ducked into one of many rooms and waited. A shadow grew close to the doorway of the chamber. Creighton noticed a bunch of three Path members, dragging one other individual in ropes behind them, a Teevan man with telltale silver-tinted pores and skin. The person seemed ailing, his Path clothes torn and bruises on his face. Although Creighton and Aida have been hidden within the shadows, the person’s head swiveled and Creighton was shocked to see the Teevan’s blue eyes instantly discover his personal.

The look in his eyes was plaintive: You see me. Please assist me.

Creighton sensed the Pressure about him, disturbed, stronger than most, however weakening. Creighton pulled again into the shadows out of the eyesight of the captured man. Aida put her arm on Creighton.

“That prisoner. Is he a Jedi?”

“I don’t suppose so. He’s dressed like a Path member. However he’s Pressure-sensitive, there’s little doubt about it.”

“Please,” the Teevan man wheezed. “Please don’t do that. I don’t use the Pressure, I swear, it’s only a reward—”

“Silence!” A human guard turned and punched the prisoner within the face. The Teevan’s entire physique went slack. “The Pressure just isn’t one thing to be gifted. It’s neither given nor taken. And you’ve got used it. There are witnesses. You shouldn’t have the suitable to name your self one of many Path any longer.” Blood fell from the mouth of the prisoner with dribbles of saliva. They dragged him ahead.

Creighton nodded to Aida, and so they pressed their intentions to not be observed onto the three guards, in addition to those heading deeper into the caves. Quietly, they slipped behind the group of 4 as they handed the guards, who blinked and shook their heads as if cobwebs had descended upon them.

The prisoner let his ft drag more durable, slowing the guards down. Creighton might really feel the Pressure emanating from him, an unfocused beacon calling out in misery. Glancing at Aida, he noticed her concentrating onerous but additionally doubtless sensing the prisoner reaching out to them. For assist. And but proper now, they couldn’t assist him.

One other guard kicked the prisoner for slowing the tempo as he was dragged ever downward. They didn’t discover Creighton and Aida following shut behind. It was painful for Creighton to see his bloodied ankles and ft dragging within the cave grime earlier than them. With just a few swings of his lightsaber, Creighton and Aida might simply incapacitate the guards, save this man, and escape. However to what finish? They have been right here to stop the doable slaughter of numerous extra. Why would the Path select to imprison this man as a substitute of merely kicking him out of the compound? And what else existed in these caves? If all went effectively, they’d save him, too. However not but.

“Focus, Aida,” Creighton mentioned. “I do know what you are feeling. We should stick with the plan.”

There have been a number of offshoots of tunnels that went left and proper.

Some led to extra storage areas; some have been filled with Path members sitting, consuming, speaking; others who have been reviewing plans on holos the Jedi couldn’t get shut sufficient to see. The Path weren’t performing like folks readying for a chilly winter forward. They have been planning one thing. However what?

The guards and the prisoner reached a round metallic door flanked by extra guards with blasters.

“The Mom in there?” requested one of many guards holding the prisoner.

A tall, muscular human guard on the door nodded. Creighton and Aida gave an imperceptible look at one another.

“The Leveler, too?” requested one of many prisoner’s guards.

“The place there’s one, you’ll discover the opposite,” mentioned the opposite door guard, a Weequay lady. She lowered her voice. “I heard it might kill a whole bunch. Possibly extra.”

“It’ll change the whole lot,” the prisoner’s guard mentioned. “Nicely, let’s get a transfer on. I’ve been instructed to feed it.”

“Be fast about it. We’ve been ordered to assemble. Everyone seems to be gathering,” the Weequay lady mentioned.

The prisoner sagged almost to the ground, as if exhausted by the change. The Pressure was emanating from him in fitful bursts. His vitality was waning. Aida frowned deeply. Creighton, too, was upset by the prisoner’s makes an attempt to achieve out for assist in the one means he might.

The heavy blast door to the chamber was meant to maintain out armies, not genteel farmers. Was the Mom going to kill this individual? Why? Creighton puzzled what they meant by the Leveler. Was it a instrument? A weapon?

Feed it, one in every of them had mentioned. As if talking about an animal of some type. One guard punched in a code to the door. It opened, and a puff of air escaped, washing over Creighton and Aida, fluttering their robes.

Creighton was nearer to the door, and he felt a weird sensation wash over him instantly. He stumbled and reached out to regular himself towards the wall. Aida wavered at his facet, and he grabbed her arm. However there have been seven guards now clustering across the door, plus the prisoner. After which he felt it once more, even stronger.

A way like he was trapped, like fingers have been rising up out of nowhere and clawing his legs, pulling him downward. Right down to what? There was no water to drown in, no mire under. And but that was the overwhelming feeling. He didn’t know why. None of it made sense. He noticed Aida squeezing her eyes shut, fingers shaking. He had by no means seen her like this. He pulled her to him, and so they slowly backed away from the group. The prisoner was being dragged contained in the place previous the blast door, and was now screaming on the high of his lungs, a devastating sound.

However there was one other voice, too, an unrecognizable, chillingly soothing voice that reached to his core like a dagger.

You’re doomed, Creighton.

Reprinted from Star Wars: The Excessive Republic: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang. © 2023 by Lucasfilm Ltd. Revealed by Random Home Worlds, an imprint of Random Home, a division of Penguin Random Home LLC. Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random Home Audio from Star Wars: Cataclysm (The Excessive Republic) by Lydia Kang, learn by Marc Thompson.

Star Wars: The Excessive Republic – Cataclysm releases in hardback and audiobook April 4, simply in time for this yr’s Star Wars Celebration in London, England, working April 7-10.

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