Myrkr is a dangerous world for nearly all sentients. Although once settled by the Neti, it has long since evolved from those days. The flora of Myrkr has a high metal-count, making it easy to hide from sensors and the perfect spot to set-up a pirate base or other criminal operation. What also made this world perfect for all manner of seedy individuals is the presence of ysalamiri—creatures with the ability to neutralize the Force.

The ysalamiri are located deep within the forests of Myrkr, where you have also found yourself. They have evolved the ability to make a bubble that excludes the Force to protect themselves from dangerous predators called vornskrs. These dangerous, canine-like predators hunt using the Force, and as such are highly attracted to anything that is Force-sensitive.

The forests of Myrkr are not for the faint-of-heart. It was used by the Yuuzhan Vong to create monstrosities, and continues to be utilized by the seedier elements of the galaxy. The dangers that lurk under the shadowy canopy cannot be underestimated. Not even the Force can protect you from the dangers of the forest.

You stand seemingly alone in a small clearing. Though you can feel the Force at the moment, you know that not far from this clearing, many of Myrkr’s horrors lie – including the Force-negating ysalamiri – can easily be found… You quickly realize this clearing won’t be safe for long as you sense you are not alone.

Bentre spun around. Again he had the feeling he was being watched. It was quite possible though. He was on Myrkr where life was all around in that jungle. He was there because of a job. Something about someone being in a base and them needing to die. He tightened his fist. Again the feeling nagged at him, but this time it was stronger.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" He shouted with anger. He heard rustling and turned to face it. Out from the trees came a wookie of various shades of brown wearing a black belt and a sash of the same color, but with a strange red hand like mark on it. He was accompanied by a male in black robes with his face covered by a hood.

"Welcome," The man in the cloak said, "I see you got my lord's message." The man pointed at the wookie.

"What are you talking about? I was sent here to kill someone." Bentre said.

"Yes see... that was a lie. The only way to get you here." The man said. "Taysar, the arm of Lord Death, wishes to have you on his side."

"What?"

"He wishes for you to join him." The man said again.

"Why would I join you?" Bentre asked getting frustrated with him. Taysar said something and the man nodded.

"You would join him, or you would die." The man stated bluntly.

"Well there's no way I'm joining...some strange cult thing? Whatever your group is I’m not interested." Bentre said. Taysar ignited his lightsaber and brought up his shield. He also seemed to activate another thing, yet Bentre didn’t see what it was.

“If you do not join Lor Death, then you will be an acceptable sacrifice to him.” The male told Bentre. Bentre reached for his pistol. He was now going to have to fight.

Bentre was more than a little cranky. He had hiked all this way to hunt down some nitwit of one sort or another. The Human Obelisk had wondered why anybody would order a hit on some random Jedi who as far as he could figure had wandered too far from home. It was probably something like that, the Corellian crumbled to himself. Honestly at that point he had sweat in his buttcrack, and was determined to end this as quickly as possible.

So very much like the whiner that you are. the droning raspy voice started in on him. Once a few weeks ago, Bentre might have tried to reason away or argue with the voice. After he received his replacement eyeball, the voice had been a constant companion; it was an annoying souvenir of Macron’s work. He would just have to ignore it, as the Wookie was a far more pressing issue.

“So he thinks I prove an acceptable sacrifice, huh?” the Assassin looked sidelong at the man he assumed was the majordomo to the big hairy brute.

At least that seems the case. Unless there is some kind of creepy puppeteering going on here.

You would know all about being a puppet, huh?

Bentre tilted his head and motioned off to the right from himself and his Wookie opponent. He tried to lock eyes with whoever lurked in the darkness beyond the brim of the hood.“That is all well and good, I suppose. I have never tried to kill a Wookie before. Who knows, it might prove fun. Just one thing though, if you don’t mind too much,” the Corellian pointed off to the right again. “Could you step back a little bit? I can’t have men in creepy robes getting in the way while I am working.”

As he returned his gaze to his larger opponent, the Assassin saw a brief nod of respect. Or maybe I imagined that. His eyes paused from their normal manic searching after a moment. The beast looked as though it was barely breathing, let alone moving enough to give a nod. Is the old man screwing with me? He doesn’t look like he’s ready for a fight.

Without warning, the Wookie lurched forward, driving the large shield forward. With a loud yelp, Bentre dove to the side, out of the path of the attack. The Human Obelisk sighed, and chuckled a little. Well, at least this won’t prove too boring.

The large Wookie still seemed calm when the Assassin looked back up. This whole fight is kind of creepy. I just want to be done here. The Jedi Hunter took aim quickly, pulling the trigger of his SE-14 a few times to pepper the furry Obelisk with blaster bolts. The bolts did not make their mark, stopping shortly before hitting their mark.

“What in the Nine Hells!?” Bentre glanced over at the old man, and then back to the Guardian before him. “Well kark me.” The Wookie did not respond, charging forward to try and bash the shield into the Jedi Hunter again. The Human was more prepared for the attack this time though, managing to barely jump sideways off to the left. Then, Bentre felt a ripping sensation, pain, and the warmth of blood oozing from his shoulder. Oddly, he had not felt the moment of the impact, but he must have been caught as he passed. It must have been adrenaline rush. He rotated his shoulder to see how tender the wound was. The pain arched through his shoulder, proving the fight was going to be harder than he had hoped.

Maybe if I keep running and shooting, I can catch him off guard or something. He shook his head. This fight is just a little too surreal.

“I am going to make you pay for that,” Bentre growled at the Wookie. Taysar stood staring at the Human in silent defiance. The smallest of grimaces seemed to to cross the Marauder’s features before he gave a low growl and a roar. There was little other warning before the Wookie strode forward. There was a madness in his eyes.

Bentre could not deny it. This fight was quickly getting worse for him. For the first time in a few months, a fear of death caused a cold chill to trickle down his spine. He was going to have to fight a bit harder, or Wookie was going to get his sacrifice.

I would probably disappoint my master too, I suppose.