[ IP ] The Gatekeeper

“ I am sorry initiate, but you are not ready. ” 
 
 The strong tones of the Gatekeeper ’ s voice rang out over the staircase. His likeness was being projected by a hovering droid with symbols designed by the ancient Jedi order. Already a tall man, the droid was higher still in the air beaming down his hologram. 
 
 A young human ’ s form rushed forward, blue light saber humming with energy, held out to her right. With a spinning slash as fast as a blur the light saber spun through the image and sizzled. The projection dematerialized; the droid rapidly elevated itself higher than she could reach. 
 
 Looking up, she thrust her left hand skyward, eyes focused on the blue multifaceted droid. 
 
 As it remained motionless her hand clenched and suddenly the droid destabilized. Quickly however, it righted itself and floated away out of sight. 
 
 She said, “ I am ready, ” and then extinguished her saber. 
 
 Snow had recently fallen on the abandoned structure. She knew that no one was here, no one other than dead Jedi and statues. She put her light saber securely into her belt and walked forward. 
 
 A rumble emanated from the dark innards of the structure. Her pinched expression was covered in shadow as she entered the dark chambers. 
 
 And she realized she had no light. She took her light saber off her belt and held it out again. She squinted passed the blue glow, stalking forward in a fighting stance. 
 
 Two blaster bolts shot out at her, going wide to her sides as she spun down and away from the fire. She had immediately extinguished the light saber. She was pressed up against a stone to the right of the entrance, blinking against the sudden dark, and the light leading out of the building. 
 
 “ You missed it you nerf herder, ” shouted some man in the distance. 
 
 And directed towards her an old voice, “ hey you got any friends? Anyone else coming in to die? ” 
 
 She leveled back at them, “ you have one chance to get out scum, or else, ” she was interrupted by another blast. 
 
 She heard a grunt, obviously they weren ’ t expecting a girl to be the one invading their stake, standing up against them. She stood, palms of her hands planted on the wall of the stone. 
 
 She could see that the area had numerous pillars and statues similar to those outside, as well as a large hall down the center. Now that she was inside she could see that to the far left was some light source, a tent and some shadows were moving along the walls. 
 
 Probably covering three angles, waiting for me to enter their field of view. 
 
 She dashed out across a pillar and in that split second she saw one catch a glimpse, but he didn ’ t have time to shoot. From cover she jumped up onto the top of the pillar, farther than was possible without her special strength. Kicking against the wall to make it to the top, which had a small contour around the edge she clutched to it, fingers straining. 
 
 “ She ’ s over there! Cover me. ” Barely a whisper. 
 
 One of them took the bait, and she could already hear two more. He whipped around the cover, ready to shoot. She let go, falling to the ground behind him, got underneath him, kicking out his legs. The loud krack was deafening, but it let her know it had worked. Her light saber cut through his arm, finishing him as he screamed his death rattle. 
 
 This time she walked out from cover, light saber at the ready, one was in front of her shooting wildly. She advanced, scowling illuminated in her weapon. His third shot actually was on target, she connected with her light saber and reflected it back, striking him dead. 
 
 The last one was shouting incoherently as he ran out to his friend ’ s body. Her mouth curled and she extinguished her light saber. He screamed. He ran, blindly firing behind himself. 
 
 It was over in an instant. She was over top him and in front of him, tripping him and kicking him on the ground, strong enough to snap something in his arm. He raised his weakened arm up, a last ditch effort. 
 
 She jumped, cart wheeling over him, able to grab the blaster from him with her momentum. 
 
 She ignited her light saber, held it down to the neck of the survivor. She tossed the blaster away rattling on the hard ground. He looked like a smuggler, a no name trying to plunder some Jedi sanctuary, or the lackey of one. She made her judgment. 
 
 “ Nothing of value here, fool. ” 
 
 He was begging, pleading and crying. She spun and severed and cauterized his neck in one complete blue lighting flash. 

