Chapter 3 (Chapter 8)

Exar was taken with a squad of troopers and the HK droid on the mission to Raxus. Almost the whole ride there, Exar leered at the droid.

"Can I help you?" The droid asked.

"Who are you?" Exar asked.

"Protocol droid HK-47."

"You're not a Protocol Droid. Where are you from?"

"The Resistance."

"Who's your master?"

"The Resistance."

"Who manufactured you?"

"The Resistance."

Exar believed no word. "You're definitely not what you think you are. Are you programmed or are you an artificial intelligence unit?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand your question."

"You said yourself, you're an HK droid. 'HK-47' to be exact. An HK droid has not been seen in more than a millennium. One of the last to be seen was under the command of Darth Revan."

"Who?" A Resistance soldier asked.

"A sith of the old, old, old Republic."

"Like from the Clone War?"

"Like from a millennium before the Clone War. He left quite a legacy behind. He built a deadly HK assassin droid, but his was the last ever to be seen."

"Interesting story."

"An interesting story I'd like to hear is how you guys got this one."

"We. . . don't know."

"Who assigned it to you?"

. . .

"That is classified."

"In that case, be careful with this droid in the future. It's capable of much more than you realize."

"We think the same of you."

The Resistance squad landed on Nexus.

"He's here." Exar said. "I can sense him."

"Then we have no time to lose!"

"He does."

"Then it's your call." The second-in-command told him.

"Alright. . . Well, we ought to check in with the nearest and most efficient mining facilities. When we get our place in, we'll need a better distraction plan to nab 'im."

"That's a poorly basic plan."

"It's what I have thus far." Exar reasoned.

"Never mind, we'll discuss this next opportunity we get."

The small Resistance squad made it into town; they drew all sorts of eyes from the crowd as they perambulated the area. They found a holographic map of the city, hoping to pinpoint the mine locations.

"I see only one on this thing. We'll need something with wider range." Exar said to himself. "HK. The parts." He held out his hand as HK droid dispersed extension parts from its appendage and into the map. 'Never mind.' Exar thought as he let the droid do its work.

In a few seconds flat, the map expanded and highlited the many mines outside the city, in the outskirts.

"Impressive. Didn't think an HK droid would be so useful when watered down." Exar semi-complemented.

"Always a pleasure to exceed everyone's expectations." The droid retorted.

"You guys add a snarky attitude to this guy?" Exar asked.

"It wasn't our choice."

"Okay. We have a set of locations. Let's get a place and do a little research."

Exar rolled his palms over his forehead as he looked over all the research he had done in a rented room. "All these are basically the same. They mine the same materials for the same things. What else are we supposed to do? There's a one-in-four chance we'll actually catch him at the mine he arrives at."

"In that case, we'd better be precise." The commander said.

"Easier said than done!" Exar stress-panicked. "You guys make this seem so easy." He sighed. "I wish I had one of my old teams." He mumbled. "How do you guys do what you do? You've obviously been with the Resistance for a long time. How do you succeed like this?"

The commander removed his helmet and set it on the table, then sat down across from him. "I'm gonna be honest with you, kid. We don't win that often. Not by your viewpoint. The Resistance has immensely struggled to maintain its numbers in the war against the First Order; if I count my victories based on the numbers, then yeah we are losing. What really matters in a fight is your spirit, and will to fight for what you believe. That's what keeps us going. We lose so much every day; but our stronghold, our determination to win, is what keeps us from falling. If you keep your spirit alive, you will find a way."

Exar reclined in his seat and exhaled. "Dang. And I thought you were just another bland character. There's a lot more to this soldier thing than meets the eye."

"There's more to a soldier than the action. It's the blood, the dirt, and the grit of victory that builds us up and inspires us to keep fighting."

"What is it that defines you?" The HK droid asked.

Exar slowly looked down and unhooked his lightsaber from his belt; he admired it and the memories it held, the victories it helped him achieve. The family it came from. The family he surely missed despite harshness and resentment he received. It was where he belonged.

"My family." Exar finally responded. "I do this for my family."

The commander grabbed his helmet and stood up. "Rest yourself. He will most likely strike at night again."

"What happened to 'we don't have time to lose?' " Exar asked.

"That was just a push to get us started. We will rest; when we wake, we will prepare to take down Tarth Orden."

The team got settled in the "hotspot" near special possibly-targeted areas. They set up camp and refreshed and reloaded their weapons and supplies.

"So now with all of us after him and not you after me, we ought to be able to catch him. Right?" Exar asked sarcastically.

The leader looked up at Exar from cleaning his blaster, then back down. "Yeah. That's the plan."

"I stood a chance against him alone for a while. I hope we'll get him this time."

"Okay, I get it."

"So are we going to have a meeting with those in charge of the facilities?"

"Already been arranged. We're going to be there at 0700."

"When do we estimate Tarth will be there?"

"Much later. We'll have time to set him up."

"Aaaand what do we have to set him up with?"

"The element of surprise, for one."

"Okay, so what's the full plan?"

It was nighttime. The Resistance squad gained permission to oversee the area; now they were stealthily patrolling the mine site, waiting for Tarth to arrive.

"You in position?" The leader asked Exar.

"Affirmative."

"Wait for my signal."

"I've had no other thought since you last told me so five minutes ago."

Exar just sat, and cleared his mind. He meditated while he waited.

Exar awoke as he sensed movement in the force. "Guys, he's here." He commed through the open channel.

"Stay alert, men." The leader responded.

Exar looked over and waited for him to come into view. He pulled a long blaster -not quite advanced to be a sniper rifle, but good enough for Exar- and set it up over his peering view. "I'm all set." He said.

After a few moments, Exar felt a warning through the force and moved out of the way just as a dart flew into the wall where his head was positioned. He picked it up and looked at it. 'He knew we were coming.' Then he fully realized what he said. 'Oh no!' He thought! He activated his comlink and shouted, "Watch out!" He got no response.

Exar looked above the wall and found the Resistance pack passed out. He sensed Tarth behind him and faced him. "What was that?"

"Nothing they won't sleep off. I must admit: if you were going to try to get the drop on me, then don't be so predictable. If someone clearly not of the Resistance is after me, I know it won't be the last I see of him."

"However," Exar interrupted, pulling out his lightsaber. "I can't say the same about you."

"I can't agree with you." Tarth replied. "I'm not just a petty thief going after valuables. My mission is beyond your comprehension."

"Mhm. What's all the stuff for?"

". . . That I can't tell you. But I assure you, it is all for the greater good."

"Whose greater good?"

"Time." Tarth replied before taking out a small, circular device and opening two portals. Through one, his score came through all packaged up; and the other, he took everything and stepped through. Then it closed.

Exar remained a statue, dumbfounded at Tarth's answers. He clipped his deactivated lightsaber back onto his belt. For the first time in a while, he didn't know what to do next. At all.

Once he had time to reflect, Exar realized he passed on two careers. He thought, 'What am I going to do with my life?'

He left his home for a good reason, but his mind was a blur. He remembered Erk being a friend, but now he felt a genuine rivalry with him. Like he was an enemy, but he had a hunch that he needed to be kept alive. He vaguely remembered some achievements he and Erk accomplished together, then a phrase came to his head. 'One man can't do the job of two.'

He then knew where he had to go, what he had to do.

Erk stepped into a dark room, dimly lit by one fiery light. And he was greeted by the mechanical voice that hired him.

"My student, have you retrieved the target?"

"I have."

"Very good. Did you have any trouble?"

"No. The father was compliant."

"The Son of Ren will aid in our plan. Soon, we will put it in motion, and all of space and time will be in our grip."

THE END. . .