A year after the destruction of the second Death Star in the celebrated Battle of Endor, another war was waged between the New Republic and Galactic Empire. Basking beneath the desert sun of Jakku rests the remnants of this hostility. Shifting sands have since buried and uncovered countless treasures and relics—to the delight of scavengers eager who hope to recover tokens from either side of the conflict!

The harsh desert offers little shelter from the elements, remaining barren and flat against the imposing backdrop of a fallen Star Destroyer that was left uncovered after the famed Battle of Jakku. Rather than allowing the vessel to fall into the hands of the Republic after the self-destruct had been sabotaged, Captain Ciena Ree ordered the Inflictor evacuated and sent it crashing to the planet’s surface. Sunken into the shifting desert sea, the upper portion of the Inflictor’s hull and exhaust ports remain otherwise intact, preserved amidst the rubble of untold casualties that had once occurred on both sides. Although it has been scoured by the passing of several sandstorms, it still displays the former power and might of the Galactic Empire.

Countless scraps of metal and machines of war share the same grave, echoing the lives of those who fought and died among the perilous wastes. Hundreds of these relics sit untouched, lingering amidst the ghosts that tend and reside in Jakku’s graveyard.

Trenkyp felt it, a presence he hadn't felt since...

'Mustafar...'

Trenkyp opened his eyes and rose from the pile of scrap he was diligently searching through. His heart increased in pace as his breathing became shallow from the overwhelming sensations that crashed into him via the Force. There was no denying it. It had to be him. What in the Nine Corellian Hells was Appius doing on Jakku!?

The last Trenkyp had heard of his former Master was when Taldryan reformed into a Republic. Appius was named its first Supreme Chancellor.

'Good for him,' Trenkyp had thought with every bit of sarcasm intended. The scars of their fight on Mustafar still burned in his soul like the molten rivers that had surrounded them on that fateful day. He found himself clenching his fists in anger.

"No, this won't happen again. Not this time…"

Truthfully, Trenkyp was hoping to avoid Appius upon his return to Vizsla. Being in separate Clans helped, and Trenkyp held out the vain hope they'd never cross paths. He didn't know what he'd do when he saw Appius again. Those crimson eyes haunted his dreams after Mustafar. For better or for worse, that day had changed him.

Trenkyp struggled to trust people after their fight. How could he when the one person he trusted more than anything turned his back on him and tried to kill him? His only real friends now were the credits that filled his pockets, credits that afforded him the means to travel to Jakku in the first place to pick apart the fallen Star Destroyer for pieces that could be used to upgrade his cybernetic hand.

Alas, it seemed that his little excursion would have to wait. Trenkyp walked past the giant engines of the Star Destroyer out into the desert sands. The sun was unbearably hot, yet he found himself wandering a few paces out in the vague direction of where he felt Appius, not caring for the sweat that formed on his brow. If he knew his old Master, he likely felt Trenkyp in the Force and would be making a beeline straight towards him.

True to form, Trenkyp spotted a silhouette out in the distance, covered by the rising heat waves he could see in the air. Eventually, the whirring of an engine could be heard over the distance as a 74-Z Speeder Bike got closer. The one riding it wore bright-red Mandalorian armor, so bright in fact that it could be blinding in the sunlight if Trenkyp stared at it long enough. There was no mistaking the man who wore it, though. Appius could wear whatever set of armor he wanted, but the Kel Dor would recognise his old Master's sense of style anywhere in the universe. Only Appius would think bright red armor with a golden lightning bolt on the chestplate would be a good idea.

Appius dismounted off the bike several feet from Trenkyp. Appius' boots sank gently into the sand, leaving footprints behind as he approached them, though he didn't appear hostile.

At least not yet…

Trenkyp then held out one arm towards him. "That is close enough."

His words were laced with lingering malice, just enough to halt Appius in his advance.

"It really is you, Trenkyp…"

Trenkyp didn't dignify the statement with a response. He kept his eyes trained on Appius. If he so much as made the slightest movement, he'd be ready. He had to be.

"I've been looking for you for so long. When I heard you returned to the Brotherhood, I-"

"I said stay back!"

Appius had taken a single step forward, and that was more than enough to put Trenkyp on the defensive.

"Trenkyp, I… no, you have every right to be mad at me after what I did. I get it. Just, please let me explain."

"If you take one more step forward, I will not hesitate to defend myself."

Trenkyp watched Appius visibly tense. To his surprise, the Mandalorian clasped his hands on his helmet and removed it from his head, revealing the set of blue eyes on the face hidden behind the visor.

It was all lies. Trenkyp remembered the corrupt crimson-yellow as they blended into the burning fires of Mustafar. This was a trick. It had to be.

Appius held the helmet under his arm. "Trenkyp, I have no excuses. What I did was wrong. I was lost, grieving, corrupt, and taking all my anger out on everyone around, even those I cared for, even you, my apprentice."

"Including leaving me for dead on Mustafar," Trenkyp said, slowly shaking his head. "What do you want, Appius? Do you seek forgiveness?"

Appius slowly nodded his head. "I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I've made terrible mistakes, and I've hurt a lot of people, but I want to make amends."

If looks could kill, Appius would have been killed on the spot by the glare Trenkyp sent to him. What kind of feeble attempt at an apology was that supposed to be? Trenkyp knew the truth. He saw who the real Appius was on Mustafar. He would not be tricked like that ever again!

"Apology not accepted."

Appius visibly winced at the words like he'd been visibly punched in the gut.

"I owe you nothing," Trenkyp said. "The man that was my Master was nothing but a fraud and a liar, one corrupted by darkness destined to consume those around him. Now, if you are done. Leave me be. I have other matters to attend to."

Much to Trenkyp's charging, Appius wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Trenkyp, please. Let me-"

Appius took a step forward, and that was the biggest mistake he had made thus far. Trenkyp had warned him, and he didn't hesitate to act. He focused his mind, and outstretched his hand towards the Mandalorian. It took some willpower, but he wrapped the Force around Appius and pulled like he had tethered his former master to a rope.

Appius went wide-eyed, and dropped his helmet in the sand out of shock as he staggered forward. When he was in range, Trenkyp pulled back an arm and launched a clenched fist at Appius' nose. To the Kel Dor's surprise, Appius leaned back, his body bending at an unnatural angle. Trenkyp had no doubt the Force was at play here as his punch went straight over Appius.

The Mandalorian spun to face him immediately, though Trenkyp had not spent his time away from the Brotherhood being idle and twiddling his thumbs. He'd been training, a fact that had taken Appius by surprise as the Kel Dor unleashed a volley of strikes at his head. Trenkyp was faster, stronger, and more durable than ever. His technique had improved in leaps and bounds, and he planned on putting that to good use in staining the sand red with Appius' blood.

His catharsis would have to wait. Appius was faster than he gave him credit for, which was surprising, given how heavy his armor looked. However, whilst he was faster, he was not as physically strong, nor quite as skilled as Trenkyp in the art of Mandalorian Core. Blows were exchanged between the two, and Trenkyp struck at him with the malice of a hungry rancor. He was vicious, unrelenting, and he took out the frustration pent up within him out on the Mandalorian in front of him.

Appius was forced onto the defensive, seeking to find a way to break Trenkyp's sequence of attacks. He grimaced as Trenkyp seemingly had an answer for most of what he tried, a fact that was not lost on the Kel Dor. Appius finally overextended when he aimed a fist at Trenkyp's solar plexus. The Kel Dor twisted his body, grabbed hold of Appius' arm, and pulled him in close, following up with a hard knee to the gut.

Appius gasped in pain, keeling over from the impact. Trenkyp was about to hammer him in the back with his two hands when the Force rang out in his subconscious. He hesitated, and in that split second, Appius pressed his hands against the Kel Dor's chest, summoning an explosion of telekinetic energy. Trenkyp soared back towards the fallen Star Destroyer, though landed on his feet gracefully like a feline.

'He gotten desperate,' he correctly deduced. Appius was like a cornered animal, the kind that were most dangerous when they had nowhere to go. 'I let my guard down. I can't let that happen again.'

The whirring of a jetpack above him drew his eye to the sky. Again, the Force was Trenkyp's ally, warning him of the imminent threat Appius presented to him. Streaks of lightning shot down like the Mandalorian was a floating storm cloud in the clear blue sky. Trenkyp held out his hand, and the lightning dispersed around him, leaving him unharmed.

Appius landed with a hard thud on top of one of the Star Destroyer engines. Trenkyp slowly shook his head. "You even use Force Lightning. You claim you want forgiveness, but use powers designed to destroy and hurt against me."

"You attacked me. Did you expect me to just stand there and take it?" Appius protested, his tone of voice very matter-of-fact about the situation. "I don't want to fight you, Trenkyp. Please, let's talk about this and-"

"I'm done talking to you. I won't listen to your lies!" Trenkyp roared, his fists clenched at his side. Appius' shoulders sagged, and he closed his eyes.

"If this is how it has to be, Trenkyp. Then fine…" Appius' eyes shot open. Iris' filled with determination glared back at his former student. "As your Master, making you see sense will be my final lesson to you. Just remember, you brought this on yourself!"

Appius reached to his sides, pulling out Klars and Jendrii and connecting their ends. His saberstaff looked intimidating, and, if he weren’t overwhelmed by emotion, Trenkyp would have even complimented it. Instead, he launched himself at his former Master, right fist raised above his head.

Appius activated his weapon right before Trenkyp reached him, the Force warning him of the incoming attack. He raised the staff in front of his face, prepared to block the fist, but it never came as the Kel Dor raised his leg and kneed him in the chest. The Human reeled back, surprised by the hit.

“I’m getting my payback, Appius. I won’t kill you, as that’s the mercy you’ve shown me.” Trenkyp slowly circled around the Arcanist with his fists raised below his face, not breaking eye contact with his opponent. “I will dig your grave in this sandy hell and throw you in it, but it’ll be up to you to wake up before getting buried.”

Appius responded by raising his left hand and pulling it towards him, tendrils of the Force slowly but surely tugging Trenkyp closer.

“If you want to dig my grave so badly, use a weapon,” the Taldryan Supreme Chancellor remarked, expecting the Juggernaut to grab one of his many weapons that he had used while under his tutelage. “I saw a lightsaber behind that robe. Why aren’t you using it, Trenkyp? Are you that confident that you’ll beat me?”

“Shut. Up.” The Kel Dor imbued his legs with the Force and kicked the wrecked hull below himself, some of the fuselage around them being forced into the sand, shaking the structure they were standing on. The Taldryan Consul let go of his former Apprentice to stabilize himself, only to launch a barrage of lightning right towards him. The Juggernaut steeled himself, throwing his arms in front of him, the offensive energy harmlessly dissipating into an invisible wall.

Appius sighed, with obvious disappointment in his voice. “I did want to apologize, Trenkyp. I wanted to solve this like grown men,” the Human said as he charged at the Kel Dor. “But you’re not the same Trenkyp I remember.”

“I SAID SHUT UP!” the Juggernaut yelled, completely blinded by his emotions. He stared at the Arcanist charging towards him, looking for a way to counterattack his next attack. Appius swung the saberstaff downwards as he reached his former Apprentice, only for him to sidestep and punch with the might of the Force towards the Human’s left shoulder. The Taldryan Consul’s mind warned him of the incoming attack, managing to spin his weapon towards the attacker, grazing his torso. Trenkyp didn’t flinch, successfully connecting his strike with the Mandalorian’s armor, cracking it and sending its wearer flying backwards.

‘Damn, that stings,’ Appius thought as he landed on his back. He focused on his mind, numbing the pain in his shoulder. ‘At least it’s not broken.’

‘That was it. That’s the last hit he’s getting on me,’ Trenkyp thought as he healed his wound, slowly gaining back his burned flesh. “I hope that wasn’t all you got, Supreme Chancellor,” he said with a demeaning tone in his voice.

Appius activated his jetpack in response, kicking up sand and dust. He flew way above Trenkyp, so that the sun would be behind him from the Kel Dor’s perspective.

“Not running away now, are you?” the Vizsla member said, almost feeling relaxed to not be in direct combat, even for a second. He felt uneasy fighting his former Master all out, even though he claimed to be doing it for payback. But, after all, it was the only way he knew how to express himself.

Appius launched a series of lightning bolts towards his former Apprentice, the latter only sensing a warning from the Force but not being able to see what was headed his way. He steeled himself but still got hit, his modified robes absorbing some of the energy. The Kel Dor managed to ease the pain, as his body was nothing more than a tool to him, but any more would have knocked him out. The Human landed ten meters away from the Juggernaut, with his saberstaff in hand as it spun almost tauntingly towards his opponent.

“Oh, now you’ve done it,” Trenkyp said with obvious anger in his voice. Trenkyp felt the Force flowing through him and, empowered by his rage, he let go of any of his physical limitations. His rage became his fighting spirit, his mind focused on one goal. Beat the frack out of Appius.

There they stood, staring each other down. The Taldryan Supreme Chancellor, a Master of Niman, and his former Apprentice, a Master of the Mandalorian Core. The elegance of the lightsaber against the power of a loose beast. Their names didn’t matter, their ranks didn’t matter. They were just doing what they do best. One was hoping to teach his former protege a final lesson, the other was letting out all of his emotions in the only way he knew. For one second, they understood each other. Then, they charged once more, neither of them ready to lose yet.

Appius felt it like a hammer striking his heart. Trenkyp poured every ounce of anger, hate, rage, and fury into every strike. Even with a weapon, Appius struggled to find an opening. Every swing left him exposed, and Trenkyp seemed to have little regard for his own safety as he advanced toward him. Words that Farrin once said to him echoed in his mind;

'Your actions have consequences. Be mindful of them, Appius.'

He was seeing first-hand the consequences of what he'd done. What once was a young apprentice filled with light and hope for a better future, was now a bitter, resentful being that had closed his soul to the galaxy and trusted no-one.

And it was all Appius' fault.

He didn't notice the single tear that fell from his eye until it was halfway down his face. Trenkyp's strikes hurt, but what hurt more was the fury and darkness hiding behind them. It was said that warriors could communicate with each other through their strikes. Appius thought that was a load of kark, but as Trenkyp punched him in his chest, questions seemingly accompanied the pain.

Why did you attack me?

Why did you hurt me?

Why did you abandon me?

Appius didn't have a good answer. Nothing he said would satisfy Trenkyp now. He had effectively destroyed the bond they once had.

Or had he?

Despite the rage, despite the anger, despite everything, there was something deep inside Trenkyp that hesitated. Appius only felt it for a fraction of a second at a time, but it was there. It was just a question of how to bring it to the surface. The former Apprentice blocked a swing of Appius' saberstaff, using the distraction to land a hard right punch to his cheek. The impact knocked Appius onto his hands and knees as his saberstaff rolled out of his hand.

Why did you betray me?

Appius felt a strong tug on his back. Trenkyp had grabbed hold of his jetpack and pried it off him. He tossed it aside, out of sight and out of mind.

"No more running!" Trenkyp raised his boot and stomped downwards.

What have you done?

Appius barely managed to roll out of the way. The bruises adorning his body flared like hot embers on his skin as he escaped Trenkyp's assault. Before Trenkyp could catch him, Appius grabbed a fistful of the sand that littered the landscape and threw it in the Kel Dor's eyes.

"GAH!"

Trenkyp recoiled, clawing at his eyes with his hands. Appius staggered back to his feet and summoned his power. He threw forward both hands, sending Trenkyp careening into a pile of durasteel panels. The Kel Dor crashed, the clanging sound cascaded over the humid landscape as sharp debris fell on top of him.

Appius wasn't done. He reached over to a part of the old Star Destroyer. Did he know what it was? No. Did he care? No. It was big, easily the length of an X-Wing. It was heavy too, and he launched it at Trenkyp regardless. The former apprentice ducked underneath the flying scrap as it crashed further into the junk Trenkyp had piled up in his expedition. Glass shattered, oil spilt, and jagged bits of metal threatened to cut him as they fell. Thankfully, he moved forward away from the chaos before anything could cut his mask.

Appius panted, his chest heaving in and out. His eyes looked to Trenkyp who appeared to be in no better condition. He was struggling for air as he staggered forward. It took Appius a moment to realise what had happened.

Trenkyp might have improved, but he still had much to learn.

"It's over, Trenkyp," Appius said, lowering his arms to his side.

"This is over… when you are beaten…" Trenkyp said, continuing to walk forward.

Appius shook his head in disbelief. "Trenkyp, look at you! You are exhausted, and you are struggling to walk."

"And let you go… unpunished? I think not."

Appius couldn't take it anymore. His fists were clenched tight at his sides. "Yes! I've made mistakes! What do you want me to do, Trenkyp? What do I have to do to prove to you that I'm not the same as I was before?"

Trenkyp stopped walking, but didn't answer.

"Do you want me to shout how much of a frakk up I am as loud as I can!?" Appius stretched out his arms and screamed at the top of his lungs. "My name is Appius Wight, and I am a complete frakk up, I admit it! But here I am, trying to move on. Why won't you let me, Trenkyp!? Why do we have to do it this way? Answer me!"

Trenkyp began walking towards him again. "I don't… have to answer to you."

Appius shook his head and closed his eyes. He only had a minute, maybe two at most before Trenkyp reached him. He focused on tapping into the ethereal power of the Living Force. It poured through his body like liquid honey, revitalising him. Did it help with his injuries? No, they still hurt like hell, but the fatigue from his use of the Force had been erased.

"Trenkyp, I will defend myself," Appius said. "Please don't make me do it."

The Kel Dor kept walking, still not answering. His footsteps crunched in the sand, getting louder in Appius' ears.

"Trenkyp, please…"

The former apprentice pulled back his arm, ready to strike at Appius. Even grossly fatigued, it would be a cold day in Hell before Trenkyp surrendered. Appius was going to have to do this the hard way.

"I'm sorry…" was all Appius said as his eyes shot open.

He reached out towards his fallen weapon, summoning it to his hand. As Trenkyp launched his fist forward, Appius poured the Force into his body, moving faster than Trenkyp as he activated his makeshift saberstaff. The emerald blade cleaved through the Vizsla member's cybernetic hand. Sparks jitterbug out of the circuitry, and Trenkyp sank to his knees, clutching at it. Even if it was cybernetic, the pain receptors within it ensured he felt every bit of pain as if it were organic.

Appius recoiled back and withdrew the blades on his lightsabers. He watched Trenkyp tense and hunch over. He looked like a small boulder in the sand. Appius swallowed the lump in his throat and placed his weapons back on his hip.

"I'm sorry, Trenkyp. I failed you… I really failed you. Try to move on if you can. Don't let this anger consume you or…" Appius hesitated for a moment. "Or you'll end up like me, like I was. Goodbye, Trenkyp."

Appius turned to leave when he heard Trenkyp's voice.

"You don't get… to leave… just like that…"

Appius could have retorted, given Trenkyp an answer. He certainly considered it, but no. He chose not to. Trenkyp needed to be released from his anger, he needed to be released from him. Walking away now was the best option, no matter how much it hurt in his heart. He reached out towards the sands of Jakku and his helmet gently floated back into his hands. He placed it on his head and began to walk away.

"Stay there…"

It was ironic. When Trenkyp said those words the first time, he wanted to keep Appius away, now he was trying to stop him from leaving. Yet, leaving was what Appius needed to do.

"APPIUS!"

He ignored Trenkyp's roar, even as it ground on his nerves. He mounted his speeder bike and disappeared into the endless sea of sand, possibly never to see Trenkyp again.

The Juggernaut lunged with full power when he got close enough to Appius, right fist moving towards his opponent’s solar plexus. Warned by the Force, he spun his saberstaff in front of him, forcing the Kel Dor to plant his feet in the ground in order to stop himself. For one moment, he was defenseless, focused on his body, the Taldryanite taking advantage of this and swinging his weapon horizontally at his former student’s torso. His body was alerted before he could realize it, his mind being just a wire connecting the almighty Force to his physical being. He twisted himself backwards in a freakish pose and took a step closer to his former Master under his blade, kicking him in the shin.

Appius nearly lost his stability, swinging his saber downwards to regain it, slicing into the wrecked ship. The Mystic stepped away and struck the Taldryan Consul in the shoulder with his elbow, cracking his previously damaged armor even more.

‘What in the Force is Trenkyp even doing?’ the Mandalorian thought to himself, no longer sensing his opponent through the Force. All he could feel was a slight glimmer of what he remembered Trenkyp being, surrounded by concentrated Dark Side forces. ‘*Is he even in control?’ he contemplated as he quickly stepped away.

The Juggernaut charged at the Arcanist again, the Force cursing through his veins as his body was doing the only thing the mind had thought of. Appius raised his hands, making a wall out of thin air as his former disciple was launching blow after blow towards his enemy.

All Trenkyp could see was a training dummy, his body and mind completely disconnected. His memories of his combat training sparked up, his limbs doing attacks he’d learned on the Supreme Chancellor’s Force-amplified shield, unable to see that they weren’t connecting with his target. After a few seconds, he stepped back, only to see his opponent completely unharmed.

“Done yet, Trenkyp?” Appius said after the Juggernaut stopped attacking, stepping back and spinning his saberstaff.

The Kel Dor took a step towards the Human, his hands raised to his chest. The Arcanist mimicked a stab to his opponent, his former Disciple stepping to the left. He swung his lightsaber towards him, melting some of his cybernetic hand. Not even acknowledging the wound, the Mystic moved towards Appius and punched his hands upwards in the small opening he found, knocking the weapon out of his hands before he could notice. Barely able to react, the Human reached out to the Force and pushed his adversary as far as he could. Using the Force so much in so little time was enough to delay his next attack, the lightning coming out of his fingers nearly half a second later than it usually would have taken.

As his body saw the lightning before the mind could, the Juggernaut stepped to the side, nearly jumping off the wreck as his entire body was still overflowing with power. The Kel Dor launched himself at his former Master, one final attack prepared as he lowered his left hand, ready to smash Appius’ face in. The Taldryanite raised his hands, the Force warning him of the incoming strike. Trenkyp struck as hard as he could below his beskar vambraces, managing to hit an uppercut on his former Master’s chin. Pushed backwards by the hit, the Consul fell on his back, with his head still on his shoulders.

“That last hit… Trenkyp, are you… are you done?” the Arcanist said, convinced that the power he had seen just moments prior finally faded away.

“Yeah… I think so…” the Kel Dor said as he fell on his back from exhaustion. “Did I… did I get you?”

“I’m still here… Damn, what have you been doing, Trenkyp?”

“Appius… Maybe I did learn something from you. Though something you probably wouldn’t have wanted me to learn. You said what happened last time was because of grief?” Trenkyp rhetorically asked, breathing heavily.

“Yeah, why? Wait, is your family…?”

“My parents, no idea. Aliit ori'shya tal'din,” the Mystic said, completely unable to move. “Your apology is acknowledged. You took off your helmet. That takes guts, Appius. But when I tell you to not do something, I don’t care if you’re the Grand Master or Luke Skywalker himself, you do not take my word lightly. But it was nice fighting you. Very cathartic.”

“Heh… not bad, Trenkyp. But don’t be like I was. Don’t let the grief take over. I felt the Dark Side inside you, and you’re not used to it, not like darjetti,” the Taldryanite said as he rose to his feet.

Trenkyp stood there, thinking about the last words his former Master said. He was not going to give in to the Dark Side, no matter how much he wanted it. He wanted to take revenge for all those he had lost, but not at the cost of his humanity.

“I’ll be leaving now,” Appius said with his helmet back on his head and his lightsabers attached to his hips. “If we see each other again, I am nobody to you. Farewell, Trenkyp.”

“Right, right. Who would believe that my Master was the first Taldryan Supreme Chancellor?” Trenkyp said sarcastically. “But yeah, I get it. See you never, nobody,” the Mystic said as the Seer got on his 74-Z Speeder Bike.

The Juggernaut slowly got back on his feet, going inside the shipwreck. His body a little worse for wear, his mind cleared, he returned to looking for parts for his newly damaged hand. He knew that the path to revenge would be long, but he was ready to traverse it.