Hey guys ParagonNate here, I know it's been a while and that I haven't updated Of Lesser Pantheons reecently. With the way my life's been going at the moment I doubt I will anytime soon, sorry to those of you wanting to read more. This little piece was bouncing around my head for a while, enjoy.

All characters, and various other items are properties of their respective owners, Games Workshop and Disney, I own nothing contained within this story and make no profit from it, this is written purely for my own and other fans enjoyment.

Regards, ParagonNate.

The white and red ship exited hyperspace with a bone shaking jolt, nearly launching it's occupants from their seats. Smoke trailed behind in a trio of dark plumes, one from the starboard engine and two from ruptures in the hull, the latter accompanied by the occasional piece of metal that had been knocked loose. The ship listed heavily to one side as it move sluggishly through the void. Kalxons sounded in the cokcpit as warning lights flashed on and off in a hail of half a dozen colors. Illuminating the normally dark interior well enough to make out the plain brown tunic, pants, and boots that the human male co-pilot wore, while reflecting haphazardly from the silver chasis of the pilot protocol droid. Jace gripped the arms of his chair in a white knuckle death grip, the leather padding groaning in protest at the abuse. His eye lids clenched tight over unseeing orbs, in a somehow comforting albeit useless gesture, while his stomach churned in protest.

"Give me something B-5!" Jace forced the words out through his tense jaw, he remembered why he hated flying now.

The protocol droids ever proper and precise voice was tinged with worry as it spoke, it's metalic fingers tapping rapidly across various displays and buttons.

"I'm terribly sorry sir." B-5 began, "An unidentified energy signature was detected just before we exited hyperspace, it appears to be of the same nature as the one that struck our vessel shortly after entering hyperspace."

That would explain the bumpy ride.Jace thought, as his stomach did another somesault. With a slight shake of his head to clear the nasuea Jace spoke up.

"Well how bad is it?" he asked, mentally bracing for the worst.

"Damage to the starboard engine as well as the hyperdrive, some superficial damage to the hull." The silver droid said, as he silenced the last of the alarms with the flick of a switch. "I'm afraid that in order to make the appropriat repairs we will need to land, fortunately we emerged over a habitable planet, and sensors have detected several small populated areas on the planet's surface."

Jace suppressed a sigh of relief as the ship began to level out, and slowly began making it's way toward the planet. Well whover they are, I hope they are friendly. the Jedi thought.

Ocluerus Prime, a green orb drifting in the bleak lifelessness of the void. It's three moons caught the yellow suns light and reflected it down into the dark night. Their silver glow touching down on the viscious tangle of plant life that was the planets untamable jungles. Faint calls from animals echoed through the boughs of the trees, as a gentle cool breeze rusted the leaves. Vines crossed over what few gaps the ancient trees possessed between their mighty trunks. Off in the distance a bestial scream was heard before suddenly falling silent as a predator pounced on it's prey.

The relative silence of the night was shattered when Jace's ship broke through the atmosphere with a bang, streaking across the night sky trailing smoke and flame. The ship's lone remaining engine letting out a wavering low hum as it struggle to hold the damaged bulk aloft. A piece of metal debris broke from the hull, careening erractically down into the jungle with the sound of broken branches and scattered foliage radiating out from it's point of impact. The various denizens of the jungle fell silent at the sound of the offworld intrusion, instinct urgin them into hiding in the face of the unknown. Hidden in the boughs of one great tree, a pair of ancient eyes peered out from underneath a hood, tracking the ships downward path, and marking it's landing place. As the ship dissapeared beneath the canopy the hooded figure darted off amongst the branches, vanishing into the green, as untraceable as a shadow.

Jace released the arms of his chair suppressing a sigh of relief as he felt the ship settle down onto it's landing gear, the metal groaning in protest as it did so. Rain tapped gently on the cockpit's viewports as the Jedi pushed himself to his feet, stretching to his full height with a grimace. With a small sigh Jace snatched his dark brown robe from where it hung on the wall, as he headed out of the cockpit and down the corridor into the main body of the ship.

As he pulled the robe on he said, "See what you can do about the ship, take stock of what's damaged and what we might need. I'm going to take a look around."

As Jace triggered the access hatch and the ramp descended B-5 spoke up, his voice echoing down the corridor from the cockpit. "Don't forget the-"

"Comlink?" Jace cut in, holding the device up. They had done this dance every time he set foot off the ship.

If the droid was offended he showed no sign. "Yes sir." he said.

Jace nodded and puled his hood up, nearly hiding his face in it's shadow as he began to make his way off the ship.

"Oh! and sir." B-5 cried.

"Hmmmm?" Jace siad, an eyebrow arching as he turned from the hatch.

The droid paused for a moment, searching for words. "Just...do be careful."

Jace chuckled quietly. "Hey." he said, gesturing towards his body, "It's me." Without waiting for a response he turned and walked through the hatch.

As the hatch closed with a faint mechanical hiss B-5 turned back to the control pannel. "That, is precisely what has me worried." the droid said to the empty ship. With a metallic sigh he began tapping at the controlls while muttering to himself, "Oh dear, oh dear."

Flood lights lit up the clearing around the ship, bathing the sodden jungle in pools of warm light. As Jace stepped out of the hatch, the same eyes that had witnessed his ships descent tracked his every move from the canopy of a nearby tree, on the far edge of the clearing. Watching him as he moved, hunched under the relative dryness of his robe, his hands tucked into the voluminous sleeves in an attempt to ward off the chill night air. Off in the distance, beyond the range of human hearing, a faint detonation sounded. Drawing the cloaked figures attention away from the curious human, but also drawing the humans attention towards it, somehow.

Jace's head snapped to the side as if he had been struck, now facing towards the disturbance he had felt reverberate through the Force. Anger, pain, rage, fear, death. All flowed strongly from that direction. His mouth setting in a grim line, Jace lifted his comlink to his lips.

"B-5." he began, unhooking the long hilt of his lightsaber from his belt.

"Sir?" the droids voice sounded even more mechanical over the comlink.

"Warm up the defense systems, I'm going to check something out." Jace said, thumbing off the comlink before the droid could respond. Taking a deep breath, Jace fell into the Force, allowing it to guide his steps, and calling upon it to speed his body. The Jedi ran off into the jungle, appearing to be no more than a blur.

The watcher blinked in surprise, this human became stranger and stranger. He warranted observation indeed. Moving off through the leafy canopy, the observer shadowed the human, stepping lightly from branch to branch, such was it's speed the limbs barely bent under it's weight, all without making a sound.

Corporal Juliana Stammler stumbled through the jungle, kicking up thick clumps of mud with each step. Nearly tripping over unseen roots and only half managing to avoid getting smacked in the face by low hanging branches, in the dark night only occasional brilliant flashes of lightning lit the way for the battered woman. The rain was coming down in sheets as thick as lead, her olive green fatigues underneath her Flak vest were soaked through, clinging to her chilled flesh like adhesive tape. One arm pressed tight against her side, trying in vain to stem the flow of blood from a jagged wound. Pain shooting from the tear in her flesh with each ragged breath. Her standard issue lasgun was sandwiched between her free arm and her stomach, for all the good it did her now.

One booted foot snagged on a gnarled root, sending the Guardswoman sprawling into the mud with a strangled grunt of pain. Her body gouging a trough in the thick black sludge and green as momentum carried her forward. Groaning and spitting out a mouthful of the vile stuff as she coerced her battered body into motion, planting her free hand in the mud and pushing her body up against the relentless pull of gravity.

Suck it up Juli. She thought as she forced one leg to move, then the other as she pushed her body into motion. She knew that to stop was to die, she could hear them behind her, crashing through the foliage laughing all the while. The greenskin xeno filth didn't know the meaning of the words mercy or parley, only slaughter and maim. Finally standing up right after a heroic effort the green clad mud caked woman began moving again, her weary legs moving stiffly as if they were made of metal rather than flesh.

They had hit the convoy hard, emerging from the jungle in a tide of greenskin fury, sweeping away what little protection the convoy had in a few bloody chaotic moments. Juliana had watched as some of her closest friends had been hacked appart by greenskin choppas. Rolf had gone down fighting, swearing as he fired his lasgun, a whithering hail of crimson beams cutting down ork after ork, each one closer than the last, until one got to close, nearly cleaving him in two with a single swing. As the last of the Chimeras went up in flames and smoke, as the Commissar met his grisly end with the crude edge of a Nob's choppa Juliana had turned and ran, fear barring every thought but one, run. She wouldn't get away without a scratch, a stray slug from an ork shoota had torn into her side, mere moments before she had hit the tree line, pulling a cry of pain up from her lungs. Drawing the attention of several orks, who chased after her with glee.

Shame and fear tugged at her insides, twisting her stomach into knots. Should have went down with them. Juliana thought. Better to die with friends than out here all alone.

To much of a coward though, aren't you Juli? Her father's words dredged up from her memories, biting deeper than they ever had before. Damn it, she had joined the Guard to prove those words wrong, not confirm them.

With one last desperate gasp for air she stumbled to a halt, leaning heavily on the rough bark of a rain soaked tree with a wet thud, her boots sinking into the mud. Swallowing the knot in her thoat she grit her teeth. No, she thought, I'm no coward da. I'll prove you wrong if it's the last thing I do.

Hissing in pain she turned toward the racket her pursuers made, propping herself up against the tree and sluggishly lifting her lasgun up from her side, fumbling with numb fingers, nearly dropping it into the mud. Bringing the weapon to bear, Juliana thumbed the power setting to max, no need to conserve power now. Eye's narrowing in concentration, Juliana waited with baited breath, ignoring the knots in her stomach and shoving aside instincts to flee. God-Emperor, she prayed, make me swift and accurate so that I might strike down your foes.

Emerging from the foliage in front of her a band of greeskins hooted and yelped as they ran down their prey. The first one that burst forth caught a las-shot full in the face, it's hoot of glee cut short as it's head was blasted completely appart and it's body crumple like a puppet with it's strings cut, sending up a wave of mud as it hit the soaked ground. While their companions neck stump still smoldered several more orks charged from the green, howling with bloodlust, their beady red eyes shining with a mixture of rage and joy. With a grunt Juliana shifted her aim to the next ork in line and squeezed the trigger, the bolt went wide, only scorching the brutes arm and burning a hole in the tree trunk next to it. The beast roared in pain and jerked to the side slightly, it's forward movement stuttering momentarily. A moment was all the time Juliana needed, correcting her aim she squeezed the trigger again. The bolt hit dead center on the orks side, boring a smoldering hole through xeno flesh and bone, blasting the beast clean off it's feat. Even as it's body fell Juliana was already moving, swinging the lasgun around to her next target, pulling the trigger the second her sights settled on it. The bolt went low, catching the xeno in the thick stump of it's thigh, launching the beasts legs out from underneath it, the ork's face slammed into the mud with a wet thwack.

She had done well for herself, but time was not on the Guardswoman's side, one xeno had already closed the distance and now loomed over the woman with it's crude weapon raised overhead. Juliana glared up at the greeskin, determined not to flinch as the blade began it's descent. A flicker of brown passed between her aand the xeno, a bright beam of blue light leaping out with a snap and hum. The beam neatly intercepted the ork's swing, meating the crude wooden shaft and cutting clean through it. Even as her saviors weapon cut, a free hand reached out, it's open palm connecting with the ork's chest, the xeno launched back into his oncoming comrades. The three of them rolling back into the mud in a tangle of limbs.

The blade of the greenskins weapon continued on towards Juliana however, having been severed from it's owner did not stop gravity from pulling it downward towards her helmeted head. Despite herself Juliana squeezed her eyes shut at the last second as the blade closed in, expecting to feel a flash of white hot pain any moment. When the pain didn't come she tentatively opened her eyes, just in time to see the blade go flying sideways, burrying it's edge in a nearby tree with a muffled thud.

How? The shocked woman asked herself silently. Her stunned gaze shifted to her savior as he spoke.

"Stay behind me." the man said quietly, his gaze never wavering from the orks as they began to untangle themselves.

Unable to find her voice Juliana nodded.

The robed man stepped away from her, stopping roughly halfway between her and the xenos as they rose to their feet. The brilliant cerulian blade, traced slow circles in the air, the rain evaporating with a hiss and puff of steam whenever a drop made contact.

"Zog, who'z dat?" One greenskin said, raising one hand to scratch his head in confusion, remembering that he had a knife in said hand only when he nearly cut off his own ear.

The second shrugged, while the third stared stupidly at the stump of his ruined weapon. His beady red eyes eventually bouncing between Juliana's rescuer and the still smoking shaft. The xeno's face slowly twisted into anger.

"Oi! Youz broke mah favrit choppa!" The xeno bellowed loud enough for the whole jungle to hear, throwing the ruined weapon into the mud before pulling out a knife larger than Juliana's thigh from a sheath on his belt.

"I'ma take me back up choppa and chop youz up good. Then I'ma take that shiny there choppa uf yourz and chop, and stomp, that scrawny humie real good." The other two xenos nodded eagerly, their grins returning as they behand to spread out.

"No, you won't." the robed man said, sinking into a lower stance, his free hand extending out in front of him, while his blade rested casually behind him, the long silver hilt running along the inside of his forearm. As the trio of xenos closed in the man moved, his blade trailing a stream of brilliant blue light, raindrops evaporating with a hiss and puff of steam as the blade carved it's way through the downpour. Moving with confidence a Commisar would envy the man swung his weapon to meet the foremost xeno's choppa, a massive jagged axe, the blue blade easily burned through the rusty gore smeared metal. Even as his blade cut the man flowed around the greeskin's bulk, smoothly ducking under the outstretched hand of another xeno, continuing his blade's forward motion, the cerulean length arced upward as it finished carving through the xeno's weapon connecting, and then passing quickly through the thick stump of the first xeno's neck. Momentum carried the huge bulk forward, even as it toppled like a puppet with it's strings cut, sending up a wave of thick muck and water as it gouged into the sodden ground, it's head bore a perplexed expresion as it landed with a dull thud near Juliana's feat.

The woman would have recoiled from the sight, if she had noticed, however her eyes were locked on her rescuer as he carved through the two remaining greeskins. His movements were fluid, precise, lethal, and carrried out with such speed that she could barely follow them.

Bringing his weapon down from where he had severed the beast's head, her savior pivoted around the hulk of the second greenskin, his free hand coming up to grip the silver hilt with both hands as he slashed at the beasts back while he spun passed it. The blade connected just above the hip, then burned through xeno flesh, carving clean through the beast's torso, emerging from it's front, leaving a long narrow piece of it's body missing and smoking as it slumped, lifeless, into the mud, nearly cut in two. The last greenskin roared as it leapt forward, arms spread wide as it brought it's weapons down and inward toward it's elusive target. Calmly her rescuer suddenly stopped his spinning movement, darting inside the ork's arms faster than the beast could respond, his blade coming up smoothly, thrusting upward through the xeno's lower jaw, the tip emerging from the top of the greenskin's head, the blue blade burned away all of the brute's thoughts and brain matter. Cutting it's cry short into a strangled grunt.

Her rescuer easily avoided the xeno's falling form, flowing around the massive bulk as it landed with a wet thwack, it's weight driving it down into the mud. Juliana gaped, three orks dead in seconds in close combat, a feat she had only thought achievable by Space Marines. The xeno she had shot in the leg struggled to prop itself up with it's choppa, the shot from her lasgun had severed the brute's limb from it's body, leaving a cauterized stump in it's place.

Her rescuer steadily approached the downed xeno, his blade steadily rotating as he rolled his wrist, before extending his arm, placing the weapons tip underneath the greenskins chin.

"You have one-" the robed man began to speak, his voice steady and unwavering.

The xeno cut him off with a roar, attempting to launch itself at him, clumsily swinging it's choppa in an attempt to bat the blade away. Her rescuer responded with a quick flick of his wrist, the blade taking the brute's head from it's shoulders with ease.

With a sigh and shake of his head the man deactivated his weapon, the blue blade vanishing with a hum as he placed the hilt on his belt, before turning and moving toward Juliana.

What are you? Juliana thought as he approached, before a lance of pain from her side tore through her mind as the adrenaline wore off. Gritting her teeth, the Guardswoman leaned on the tree for support, clenching her lasgun to her chest.

"Whoa there." the man said, taking the last few steps to close the distance, reaching out to help keep her upright.

"That's a pretty nasty cut." her savior said, "You need medical attention, come on, my ship's not far."

Lifting one of her arms over his shoulders and letting the woman lean on him for support Jace began to lead her away through the jungle.

The watcher tracked the duo as the moved through the undergrowth, a slender hand reached up and tapped a communicator, transferring a brief message before falling silent and following the pair through the jungle, moving with complete silence and ease.

Guess who's following our wayward Knight, go on guess. What will happen with are wounded Guardswoman? Will the Emperor finally get up off his lazy butt and do something? Are Orks considered vegetables? We may never know.

Always been a fan of Star Wars, and over the last few years have been getting into 40k more and more. Wanted to throw my take on how a Jedi would fit into the grim darkness of the future.

If any one has any criticism or comments/suggestions feel free to throw them out.

Regards, ParagonNate.