Ask Onderon Stone Cold Crazy

[Crix Aran]

Cleaning up messes made by the involvement of Jedi in local matters often felt like half the job – the other half being getting involved and causing those same messes in the pursuit of justice. Sometimes he understood when people asked him why the Jedi bothered to actually get involved in those situations in the first place even when they were asked by the locals.

Why get involved if your involvement usually escalated the situation?

Why get involved if you ended up causing more problems you need to return to fix?

The answer he had come to in his own meditation was a simplistic one as, at it’s core, it was the simple question of; Why not? Why shouldn’t the Jedi use their powers to help when they were asked to? Out of fear of the consequences of said assistance? If they refused to help when asked out of fear then they had failed as Jedi.

One example was the rebellious House from Onderon who’s plot had been uncovered and the locals had determined who had actually been part of the plot and who had been innocent of wrongdoing within the House. Crix was glad – he’d honestly feared the Royals would just burn the entire House down for the actions of the few who had genuinely rebelled.

However, the rebellious second son of the House had managed to escape the local police forces and had made his way to the planet’s devil moon – Dxun, to hide with anti-government rebels who were using a series of old ruins to evade recapture. The King of Onderon had requested assistance from the Jedi Order and Crix had been assigned to it.

He had grabbed a freshly healed Varyn as his company for said mission.

As Red Lancer landed the ship within a clearing in the dense forest of Dxun, Crix stood at the top of the ramp and glared down at the jungle with a deep and personal dislike that would be palpable through the Force for Varyn to feel. He decided to explain it as they touched down.

“Jungles don’t agree with me, Varyn.” He admitted with a sigh, “So have you got a full lightsaber yet? Because some of the beasties on this rock won’t even wince at your training blades. And given my luck in jungles, they’re going to make an appearance.”

It was the way of things.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Quite a bit had changed for Varyn since they'd last been on Onderon. It didn't seem the locals had managed to clean up most of what the pair of Jedi had uncovered, but he was glad he'd had a more productive time since then at least.

Among the things he had done was, yes, building his own lightsaber.

I do, he said, nodding enthusiastically. While he could sense that Crix didn't seem to like what was ahead of them, Varyn was quite excited. Jungles may not have been his absolute favorite, but he didn't mind them. It was like camping, but with an objective!

Nervous about something, Master? he asked, quirking an eyebrow. Or maybe a Padawan wasn't supposed to ask something like that, but he felt they had a good enough relationship for him to get away with it.

It'll be fun! he insisted, heading down the ramp and taking the first steps into the clearing. Even here, the grass was knee-high and he had that nagging feeling that at some point, something was going to be hiding in it. Surely some predator had adapted to that....

It feels so... alive here. I don't think we'll be tracking down our rogue Second Son with the Force. Did they give us any useful intel about where he might have gone? I thought I heard someone radioing something to you about a temple from back in the Mandalorian expansion days? he asked.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Ah to be young and, as of yet, unburdened by the horrible truth that all jungles were out to get you on a visceral level. He envied Varyn’s innocence even if he had a sinking suspicion that the Padawan would not leave Dxun with that same innocence… Crix was definitely going to avoid wording it like that for his official report. That he had a fully functioning lightsaber was not only good for their current assignment but a great step for Varyn.

“Glad to hear it – you earned it.” He assured the boy with a grin, “When you get as many knocks and cuts in jungles as I have had, Varyn, paranoia becomes normal when it comes to a walk through the jungle.”

He hoped that his paranoia would be misplaced but it never had been so far when it came to adventures on jungles. There was always a first time for everything but he could feel, in his gut, that this was likely not one of those times. Still, he didn’t do things because they were easy but because they needed to be done so he followed Varyn down into the grasses without hesitation.

The intel they had been given was sparse to be charitable.

As Varyn pointed out, Dxun was almost literally overflowing with life in the Force and the idea of finding one group of sentients through such white noise was just nonsense. He was sure that there were Jedi (and Sith) so powerful that they could do it but he was not one of them. So he had badgered the locals for information and been given… some.

“The locals say they tracked them to some ruins from that time, yeah.” He agreed as he started his way through the jungle, his lightsaber already in his right hand even if he didn’t ignite it straight away, “Trouble is that there are two main types of ruins on Dxun from what the Temple records say; Mandalorian ruins and Sith ruins. We’re closest to some Mandalorian encampment ruins so we’ll check that out first.”

He smirked over his shoulder at Varyn.

“Because I’m an optimist.”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

It occurred to Varyn that if Crix was an optimist, then he wouldn't like to meet a Jedi pessimist. Not that Crix was super pessimistic, but he wasn't exactly an optimist.

It strikes me that if "Mandalorian ruins" is our better option, we're in a bad spot, he said, pursing his lips together. He could only imagine Mando ruins were filled with traps, explosives, and other terrible things. These ruins worried him much more than the jungle, though only time would tell if that was actually the correct thing to worry about.

Alrighty then, off we go, he said, patting the lightsaber on his belt as he made his way into the forest. In addition to the saber itself, he had brought along a vibromachete for hacking through the dense foliage, and made his way through with that in hand.

Hack, hack, hack.

The going wasn't particularly quick, but after a short distance they broke along and found a river. It wasn't flowing too quickly, but he had heard about how they could be deceptively fast and dangerous.

If we follow along the bank we might be able to avoid the thick brush again, he suggested, looking back at Crix for his thoughts. They also may run into more animals this way, so as with all things, it was a trade off.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

There was a joke in there about the “bad spot” they found themselves in – a joke about how Dxun didn’t get it’s unofficial title by being a sunny holiday destination. But he held it back in favor of just giving Varyn a rueful smile. His version of optimism was probably a far cry from the true meaning of the word and he blamed his own Master for that.

As they began making their way through the jungle, Crix ducked and bobbed and weaved between branches and leaves rather than carving through them. He knew enough about the insect life on Dxun to not want them getting angry at him for whatever reason.

“At least the Mandalorian ruins are less likely to be as active even if they’re deserted.” He pointed out reasonably, “The Sith tend to leave things active long after they’re gone because they’re just petty like that.”

And their spirits clung on desperately beyond what people might expect. Reaching the river was something of a boon but also something else to keep an eye on. Orbalisk colonies were reaching out from under the undergrowth, testing the air to see if the two Jedi would be suitable hosts for their parasitic needs.

With their shells being resistant to even lightsabers, Crix wanted to steer very clear of them for now even if they were only really attracted to the Dark Side of the Force.

“Have you done much in history lessons at the Temple about the Mandalorians on Dxun and Onderon?” he asked Varyn as he felt the weight of eyes upon him, “Don’t suppose you did much research into the creatures with two tails?”

Everything could be a lesson… especially being stalked by a small pack of predators.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

As they proceeded along, Varyn was bit more... shall we say "oblivious" to what was going on around them than Crix was. He was far too focused on their destination and clearing the path to be too terribly concerned about the bugs and whatnot. It would be fine.

As Crix asked him about the "creatures with two tails" Varyn had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. Of course, he didn't want to say "I have no idea what you're talking about" so he had to think quickly on his feet.

I did a little bit of reading in the archives... he started, which was true he had done a little bit. With the emphasis on "little" but still.

...but I didn't... and that was when he spotted something he could change the subject to.

Hey, look, master! Is... is that an old foot path? he asked. It was severely overgrown, but it looked as if something out here had laid stones or perhaps pavement leading somewhere. Meanwhile, Varyn remained totally oblivious to whatever predators were stalking them.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

An old footpath?

It certainly looked like it had seen use in the past and, if his tracking skills hadn’t gone entirely to shite with the death of his own Master, he would say recent use as well. Which was a lead well spotted by Varyn – Crix just wished the Padawan had the awareness as a whole rather than this hyper-focused variant he seemed to have.

Always looking toward the future, the goal and destination… he was going to have to come up with some wisdom about living in the moment or something wasn’t he? Ugh, the Living Force was never something he enjoyed talking about. Though, in the Padawan's defense, the Maalraas of Dxun were rather accustomed to being very hard to track even by those with the Force.

"Padawan, you and I are going to have a conversation about doing research before heading out on a mission." he mutters, mostly to himself, as they continue to make their way down the pathway, "Don't react... but there's a small pack of predators stalking us."

He placed a calming hand on Varyn's shoulder and palmed his lightsaber in the other hand. Crix didn't look anywhere but ahead of them, no jerky movements to make the pack think their stealth had failed. As they progressed down the path, they came to what, on first glance, appeared to be a wall of vegetation but was actually poured stone walls covered in vines with a gap in the middle - some kind of entrance to somewhere once worth protecting.

"Pop quiz Varyn. What is the best way to spring an ambush when you know you're caught in one?"

Because they definitely were and he was going to use it as a teachable moment again.

By his count there were no fewer than three of the creatures were surrounding them - two ahead of them atop the walls, naturally cloaked in the Force and visible only by their weight against the vines. Behind them the one that was driving them forward.

"Two ahead, one behind. Maybe more to come. Ready?"

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn's gut jumped when he heard that they were being stalked by a predator and he grabbed the hilt of his lightsaber pretty much immediately.

What? he hissed in concern before calming himself down and clearing his throat. Okay, yeah, we got this, he said with a nod that was once again mostly to himself.

When we have the advantage, he said. Kind of vague, but true, and that advantage could take a myriad of different forms.

Or when we can funnel them, he said. He could just barely make out the shifts in the jungle now that it had been mentioned, and they certainly had their work cut out for them.

Yeah, on three, he said, counting them in. He moved quickly, saber flashing to life as he darted toward one of the closest creatures. If they managed to kill at least one in time they could turn on the other quickly and even the fight. At least that was the hope.

The creatures started moving immediately as well, leaping through the air at the two Jedi. Varyn was more thankful for the power of the Force than he could have said. It was the only reason he avoided taking a set of claws to the face as he brought his saber slashing down on the creature as it landed next to him.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Varyn's panic was short-lived or, at least, he allowed it to rule him only briefly before he was fully onboard with getting the advantage in the ambush. Just by knowing that you were in the middle of an ambush, you already held the advantage so long as those trying to spring the trap didn't know it. They would expect unawares prey and they would receive a rude awakening for believing it.

Funneling them so that their numbers wouldn't count as much and the Jedi wouldn't be able to be caught off-guard by needing to guard different directions at the same time. As Varyn began to count them in, Crix drew the Force into himself and began to manipulate it even as he muttered to himself.

"I hate the jungle..."

Igniting his own lightsaber, he sprinted forward to match the charge of the creature pouncing down towards him from it's vantage point atop the wall. Rather than trusting his saber to cut through the hide and bone of the creature like it did to so many others, Crix leaned to the side to score a red-hot line along the flank of the creature as it passed him by. Maalraas were resistant to the lightsaber but the pained howl was enough to tell him that it was not happy with the heat.

However, his main reason for not engaging fully with the one that leapt from the front was the one that had been driving them forward, the one who took his turned back as a weakness. He grunted and flexed his free hand, the Force shimmering slightly behind him as he formed a defensive barrier of the Force that the Maalraas in question slammed into with surprising strength, sending Crix staggering forward and breaking bones within the skull of the creature as it's own momentum was turned against it's face.

Turning, he twirled his lightsaber as the two Maalraas in front of him dropped their attempts at stealth and he got a good look at the predators.

"Hm." he grunted to himself, "Varyn - I can hold two off for awhile. Might need you to come pull my arse out the fire when you're done, yeah?

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn's lightsaber didn't have the effect he had hoped. Sure it hit and he was real proud of that, but rather than bissecting the cat-ish-like creature, it just left a nasty cut that was an inch or two deep.

Noooooope, nope, nope, nope, he thought to himself, leaping back as the creature made another swipe at him with its claw followed immediately by snapping of its razor-sharp teeth. Nah, those weren't teeth, those were straight up dagger fangs.

Yeah, okay! he shouted back at Crix, trying to project that everything was okay. It was not okay. It was really not okay. Now their whole survival hinged on him and his ability to dispatch a lightsaber-resistant creature quickly. And if he couldn't do that, then they might be dead. Oh boy.

He continued his retreat backwards tripping momentarily as he avoided another swipe but managing to catch himself before landing fully on his back. Another swipe with his saber that was far more panicked and sporadic this time bounced off the creature's face long enough for it to keep its face away from another bite.

Do something, do something, do something, he thought to himself before pulling the Force into himself and sending the animal backwards with a blast of energy that slammed it against a tree.

Meanwhile, the pair of creatures were moving in on Crix, moving wide like clever girls to flank him on either side.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

He hated leaving Varyn to fend for himself like this but he was resolved because of it – he needed to end his own fight so that he could get over there and help out the Padawan with his own fight. Seeing the two he was facing start to use their brains to try and split his attention again, Crix decided that he needed to act quickly and decisively to keep them off guard.

Charging forward at one of them, he practically ignored the other in favor of attacking his chosen target full-force. To its credit, it didn’t hesitate much but he was enough for Crix to get the first cut in – the creature seemed confident in its hide due to the minimal damage he had dealt to it in the past.

Which was why it didn’t instinctively move its head out of the way as the point of Crix’s saber skidded across its head horizontally. The flesh the blade touched was cut but not deeply – but the eyes were seared and boiled to uselessness instantly and the creature went flopping to the ground with its front paws over its snout in pitiful pain before dashing for the undergrowth.

It was not ideal.

As a Jedi, Crix did not want to cause even these creatures such pain but there were fewer options than he would have liked. Of course, he didn’t get long to be concerned by it before the second pounced, slamming into his back with enough force to sent him sprawling. He had the presence of mind to deactivate his lightsaber as he went flying, the creature atop of him digging it’s claws deep into his back through the light armor and cloth.

Gasping in pain, Crix twisted on the ground, narrowly causing the snapping jaw to miss the back of his neck. The Maalraas reared back for another bite and Crix did what he thought was best – he reached right up and caught the creature by its jaws.

Even through the reinforcement with the Force, the teeth bit into his hands and it was only through sheer stubbornness and the reinforcement that they were cut through as he literally wrestled to keep the jaws from closing on him.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was doing slightly better but only because he was facing a single creature instead of two. The one he had launched backwards struck a tree, leaving a nasty indent in its surface and stunning the creature for at least a few moments. It might have been in his head, but he thought her heard a bone snap, too, but he wasn't holding his breath.

He leapt forward in the few moments of opening that he had and did something that some people might call un-Jedi. It wasn't something he really thought about, it just... happened.

He took his saber, grabbed the creature's stunned head, and shoved his lightsaber all the way down its throat. Their outer scales might be tough, but the inside likely less so. He could feel the pain radiating in the Force as soon as he did it, but he didn't do it out of malice or spite. Perhaps a bit of fear? He wasn't trying to do anything wrong.

There wasn't time to linger on it, though, as he turned to see Crix's dire situation. He pulled the Force to himself again and sent it flying out of his hand, looking to knock the animal off of the top of his master. Or... well, maybe not his master, but the master. Right, not enough upper Jedi to go around for all the peons these days.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

It was a relief that he had enough self-control not to draw attention to with a deep sigh when the creature was torn off from his front by Varyn’s Force Push. Still, he might not literally be in the jaws of death any longer but he couldn’t afford to just leave it there. Even with one creature turned away and the other dead. The sole remaining maalraas snarled and tried to right itself to go on the attack again.

Unfortunately for its efforts, Crix was no longer splitting his attention so had little trouble in seizing control of the creature’s movements with the Force. Drawing his shoto-saber, he ignited it only when the emitter with pressed close to the creature’s eye, the blade igniting straight through the weak point in the skull to kill the creature quickly and, mostly, painlessly.

He extinguished his shoto-saber before calling his main lightsaber back to his belt with the Force. Setting his shoto-saber back along his belt, he smiled a little bit at Varyn.

“Nicely handled.” He praised the Padawan, placing a hand atop his head as he made a show of looking him over, “Nothing been bitten off Padawan? Don’t want to have to fill out form 27c – Padawans missing fingers due to aggressive fauna or flora.”

He was joking but he did reach out with the Force to connect with Varyn, a gentle sort of feeling that would make it clear that he did care and he was interested in making sure he was alright. Crix did note he’d gotten a little bit of blood atop his head from his cut fingers but nothing too bad. Idly, he tugged lightly at Varyn’s Padawan braid.

“Five credit bet on which is worse, the people or the wildlife?”

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn was relieved that Crix had managed to finish off the other creature quickly and decisively. The last wounded creature was quick to flee into the jungles hopefully not to return while the two Jedi licked their wounds.

I'm fine, he reassured, but the look on his face said that he was more worried about Crix than himself. While Crix may have been joking and laughing it off, Varyn seemed a bit more serious on the topic. Ironically, he'd probably have been playing it off if it happened to himself.

Are you okay? he asked, already starting to reach into his belt for his medpack. That's going to get infected, he said. He was far from being a healer and really wasn't planning to become a healer, but he knew at least some basic wrapping and bacta from the mandatory courses at the temple.

Hopefully the animals are worse, he said, since they were off to a bad start already. If the people were worse... yikes.

Come here, let me patch things up, he said. He wasn't really supposed to give orders, but it was a suggestion. At least I don't have to fill out forms, he said, making a bad, bad joke.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

He had been doing his best to ignore the way his fingers were bleeding and the pain that came from them – it was almost second nature to most Jedi these days to be able to block the pain out to keep going. If you froze up the first time you got hurt by the Sith, after all, you were dead. But this was not a pitched battle between Jedi and their ancestral rivals and Crix had to remind himself of that – had to let out a slow breath and allow himself to come down from the adrenaline dump the fight with the damnable creatures had given him.

Without complaint he held out his hands for Varyn’s inspection, palms up, so that they could both see the damage. None of them were in danger of falling off or nerve damage but they were a rather start contrast between blood and pale skin. His left hand shook ever so slightly and Crix was glad he could tell Varyn it was because of the cuts.

“Yeah I don’t actually know what’s been in their mouths but it’s probably not sanitary.” He agreed with a small grin, “No, you don’t need to report on me. Alex might give me a hiding if you do so keep it between us that you had to patch me up in the field, yeah?”

He gave Varyn a wink even as he let the Padawan work on his hands without complaint – he was usually a very restless patient but he didn’t so much as twitch. Varyn needed some experience in field healing and Crix was happy that he was able to be an example rather than some poor civilian or something much worse.

“People can be better or worse than animals.” He acknowledge quietly, “I’d like to say that they’re always better but I think you’d know that was a lie, Varyn. Be mindful of their emotions in the Force if we do meet them – but don’t let their emotions guide how you handle the situation. Let their actions speak for them.”

Why people did what they did was important, of course, but having the proper emotional reasoning behind an action didn’t mean that action couldn’t be wrong regardless. Making sure the wrappings around his fingers and hands were tight, he grinned at Varyn in thanks before they moved up again. There was still an ever-present sting of the cuts across his hands but he ignored them as they moved past the perimeter walls and stepped back in time.

The Mandalorian encampment was a semi-cleared area of jungle with a couple of squat duracrete structures covered in moss. What he did notice almost straight away was that there were some signs of habitation – clothing and a tent set up against one of the duracrete bunkers, a fire with dying embers not too far away.

Crix didn’t say anything, he just motioned with a hand for Varyn to follow him toward the same bunker, towards the door to said bunker that appeared to be open, a very faint glow emanating from within.

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

Varyn wasn't going to second guess the shaking in Crix's fingers. He would be able to see now that Varyn was fumbling through his own medpack that his hands were shaking as well. The adrenaline was still running its course through his system.

He pulled out some gauze, bacta, and a bandage, wiping up the blood and putting pressure to keep it from bleeding anymore.

Yeah, I think that's probably a safe assessment, he agreed, pulling a small antibacterial spray out and squirting it over the wounds just in case. It would no doubt sting, but was a necessity as he sprayed it on the wound.

Yeah, I don't have high expectations for a warm welcome, he said, not quite grumbling, but a bit more hesitant about their situation and their odds as things went forward.

Guess we'll deal with that, too, he said, though he silently wondered if "deal with that" was going to mean more killing. He knew that Jedi fought to protect the innocent, but man, there were definitely a lot people that ended up dying at Jedi hands. Varyn didn't think it was wrong, but he understood why some people were wary of Jedi.

After a few more minutes, he had the injury patched up and they were on their way again. The Mandalorian ruins came into view and there were signs of life all around. No visible enemies in sight, but he could tell there were people here recently. Or just inside.

He followed silently along to the bunker and peeked inside. His saber hilt was clutched in his hands, but he silently found himself hoping he wouldn't have to use it right now.

Can we draw them out? Do we know how many there are? he whispered very, very quietly. He didn't want to charge in sabers out - shocking statement really - but perhaps they could subdue these guys one at a time.

Can you like... mimic people's voices? he asked. That seemed like an ability of the Force? Maybe? Maybe not?

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Neither of them mentioned his shaking hand and Crix was glad of it, glad that they could move on past it quickly enough to write it off as a side effect of the wounds. He didn’t think Varyn would hold his mental health against him but telling your attending Padawan that you suffered from PTSD was not a way to promote trust – at least not when on a combat mission.

And despite what they both wanted to happen, they both knew that combat was likely on this mission. It had already happened against the wildlife but there was bound to be more it the humans involved objected to their presence. With his injuries wrapped up tight enough to be both good for healing and out of the way when it came to a fight, they moved on.

Moving up to the edge of the bunker that they could see light spilling out of, Crix frowned ever so slightly.

“With the Force? No.” he admitted to Varyn about if he could tell how many people there were, “But we don’t need the Force really…”

He pointed to some of the clothes strung up like, well, laundry. Specifically he probably embarrassed the Padawan by pointing at a pair of men’s underwear, which was the only pair of underwear on the line at all.

“Either its one person or they’re gross as hell.”

Staying in the jungle long enough to need to wash your clothes meant that anyone in the group would need to do the same… was his explanation at least. It was either a good bit of deductive reasoning or it really wasn’t.

He really hoped it was.

Mimicking people's voices was not a talent he had ever picked up but it was one that Jedi Shadows picked up a lot from his experience working with them. Thinking about it for a moment, he shook his head at Varyn before moving away from the bunker.

"You hide off to the side of the doorway - I'll draw attention to myself so they don't notice you. When they're out of the doorway, capture alive, got it?"

Moving further away from the bunker, Crix cleared his throat a little bit before calling out loudly to those within.

"HELLO THE CAMP!" he called out, his voice loud and clear but not amplified with the Force, "MIGHT I TROUBLE YOU FOR A CUP OF SUGAR?"

@Phoenix

 

[Varyn Atrix]

You're not in to going commando? he asked, knowing but evidently not caring that this probably wasn't the best time to be making jokes. That was the tone Crix had set!

Varyn nodded as Crix gave him instructions about where to go and what to do. He moved over to the side of the door and kept his saber hilt clutched in hand. He wasn't the biggest person, so actually wrestling someone to the ground wouldn't be easy, but he had the Force and a blunt force object in his hand.

The man - a human who wasn't actually much larger than Varyn - came out and the Padawan decided to try to subdue him anyway, leaping on his back and putting him in a choke hold. All going well.

And then the wookiee emerged. Large and grabbing Varyn to literally fling him ten yards away. As he was grabbed, Varyn started to panic slightly.

No pants! No pants! he shouted. Because wookiees didn't wear pants...

On the bright side, his impact with the ground several meters away wasn't exactly gentle, but it didn't leave anything broken as he scrambled back to his feat again.

@Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

All was going well until all of a sudden it really wasn't going well anymore.

Crix ignited his lightsaber in his right hand both as a defensive measure and to immediately let the two know who and what he was. A Jedi was someone that people tended not to mess with after all and Crix was more than willing to use that reputation to try and deescalate the whole thing. He held out his left hand, palm up, and tried his best to smile.

"Alright we got off on the wrong foot but we're Jedi Knights, here on the authority of the crown of Onderon to-"

The human immediately cursed when Crix mentioned that they were here on the authority of the crown and drew a blaster pistol before firing off a couple of shots directly at Crix's face. Cursing, Crix quickly brought his lightsaber up in a block but it was subpar in it's execution because he didn't actually want to kill or harm either of the people they had startled out of the encampment they had stumbled upon.

Neither shot hit him but that wasn't the reason why the block was subpar - it was because he momentarily had to cover his own vision with his glowing blade in order to do it.

Which meant the first indication he had of the Wookiee's charge was a roar before everything beyond his blade was suddenly dark brown and furry. Slicing his blade up on reflex, Crix's blade caused the Wookiee's charge to peter out but did nothing to stop his follow-up kick to the gut that sent Crix sprawling backwards violently.

Laying on the ground for a second, Crix groaned.

The snapping and cracking sounds had been his armour inserts but he could already tell that he was going to be pissing blood for days even with bacta treatments. Groaning, he cursed and immediately rolled to the side to avoid the Wookiee's attempt to stomp his head into paste, scrambling to get to his feet with enough haste that it took his a second to realize he'd lost his lightsaber in the scrambling.

@Phoenix