[Takadona Maz Kanata’s Castle](Asset Not Found)

When the First Order beset on Takadona, Maz Kanata’s castle took the brunt of the assault. Located on the shore of a lake that was owned by the pirate Maz Kanata, it served as a haven for travelers, smugglers and other unsavory characters. Sensor grids and advanced communication gear secured the castle from unannounced attacks, giving its owner and visitors enough notice to flee the scene.

The area around it is rumored to have been the battleground for the Jedi and Sith, being of strategic value for those willing to seek control over Takadona, and is littered with ancient ruins that resemble the structure of the castle itself. Inside, the castle’s gray exterior vanishes into shades of brown, the color of sandstone. Tables and chairs fill the cluttered spaces where travelers could share tales or pursue their own controversial interests. Unfiltered smoke permeates the air, clogging the senses with a sweet odor. Various criminal groups have at some time or another sought shelter in the castle, their passage evidenced by the many-colored banners outside bearing their insignia.

[Takadona Maz Kanata’s Castle](Asset Not Found)

Now, the castle remains uninhabited. Several of its towers have crumbled under the First Order’s assault. Stonework pillars have toppled over, scorched from turbolasers and blaster fire. Other segments lie in ruin, still too new for the forest to have reclaimed the land around the castle.

Granta Prackx was used to the sight of a battleground, but the sheer amount of devastation that the First Order had brought to Maz Kanata’s castle shocked her a little. Although she had once served with the Empire, she was long gone by the time its remnants became the First Order.

Such a waste of manpower. Whatever these criminals did to Snoke, the response was simply too costly. Prackx thought to herself as she continued to survey the wreckage.

The Juggernaut spotted some movement on one of the fallen pillars. Moving to investigate, she spotted a droid with long, spindly legs making its way towards her.

“What do we have here?” Granta questioned, noticing the droid’s unusual colour scheme. The droid moved even closer, its head bobbing up and down.

“Oh. Scanning me? I don’t think so!” the female snarled, unclipping her WESTAR-M5. She fired directly at the droid’s optical sensors, but the shot missed as the automaton speedily backed away. The Sith tracked her target’s movement, forcing it further and further back with more well-aimed shots. Eventually, the droid seemed to get the message that it was not welcome and skittered away behind the remains of a wall.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that a droid likely had an owner, and Granta started reaching out with the Force. At first she could only sense the local fauna, but as she widened the search, she quickly felt the unmistakable cold presence of another dark side user, hiding in the same direction that the droid had retreated.

“You! Show yourself!” Prackx commanded, briskly walking towards the presence. As she approached, she swapped her blaster for her lightsaber.

“Keep your distance, Human!” an accented male voice responded.

“Only when I’m satisfied that your droid didn’t record me,” Granta shouted back.

“Given you attacked my droid, I’ll be keeping the record of you. For my own protection,” the voice answered.

“Your decision. But it’ll be your last,” the Juggernaut warned.

Gana’sati moved into view. He was carrying a pair of jet black electro-swords, but Prackx’s gaze was immediately drawn to his unusual face. Her helmet’s HUD quickly informed her that she was dealing with an Ongree.

“What? You worried you won’t know which end of the head you’ll need to cut off?” the Ongree quipped.

Prackx didn’t answer as she moved in to attack. She swung her lightsaber straight for Gana’sati’s chest, hoping to end the battle before it could begin, but the alien was agile enough to dodge the attack. The Juggernaut noticed that her target moved his blades well away from the incoming lightsaber.

“You’re going to take me on with just those?” Prackx taunted.

Gana’sati simply smirked. He leaned forward to attack, steering his weapons past the woman’s determined defence with a little help from the Force. Cursing, Granta took a step back, but the edge of one of the electro-swords caught her armour, sparking against the thick duraplast.

“Nice move. At least you’re going to go down fighting!” Granta snarled.