Synopsis:
When a terrible vision reaching more than four
thousand years into the future alerts the secret Jedi
Covenant to the importance of Taris, they activate an
operative already on this planet overrun by Mandalorians.
There, in the deadly Undercity, Celeste Morne encounters
a monstrous threat as many war refugees as well as
Undercity residents have transformed into Rakghouls:
hulking, mindless monsters bent on destruction. One bite
from a Rakghoul and the transformation begins! Also
seeking refuge from the invading Mandalorians in the
Undercity are Zayne and Gryph who are desperately trying
to escape a horde of Rakghouls when they bump into
Celeste. Reluctantly Celeste rescues the bungling
twosome from the monsters but they all end up in the
deepest catacombs of the Undercity when they fall
through the floor. There the trio discover a Mandalorian
search party, not looking for refugees but for a lost
ancient Sith artefact.
The Mandalorian search party return with their find to
the ice world of Jebble, now a Mandalorian stronghold.
Unbeknown to the Mandalorians they have three stow-aways:
Zayne, Gryph and Celeste. En-route to Jebble Celeste
tries a Jedi mind-trick on Pulsipher, the leader of the
Mandalorian search party, to throw the artefact, known
as the Muur Talisman, away. However, Pulsipher is drawn
to it and is surprised when the talisman wraps itself
round his wrist, but when his colleagues try to remove
it they are killed by a mysterious power.
Arriving on Jebble, Zayne and Gryph are discovered but
fortunately are believed to be part of a group of new
recruits and are bundle off with the other recruits for
armour and weapons. But when Zayne spots Celeste spying
the Mandalorian command post, Gryph uses one of the
oldest tricks to get all of them past the guards. Once
inside, Celeste plans to continue searching for the
Talisman. However, it is not long before they are
discovered due to the clumsy actions of Gryph. Just as
it appears to be all over, some of the Mandalorians
suddenly transform in Rakghouls and both our trio and
the unaffected Mandalorians are fighting for their
lives. Celeste is mystified as to why Rakghouls are here
and why the transformation was so quick. Just barely
escaping the rampaging monsters, Celeste, Zayne and
Gryph discover a massive staging area for the imminent
invasion of Alderaan, an invasion that could see the
Rakghoul plague going galactic.
It is clear that the Muur Talisman is somehow
responsible for the transformation of the Mandalorian
army into a new form of Rakghouls: able to use modern
weapons these are Mando-Raks! Instead of invasion, the
unaffected Mandalorians are now fighting a bitter
struggle to hold back the rampaging Mando-Raks and
amongst this chaos an unlikely friendship begins between
Zayne and Celeste as they desperately try to warn the
Republic of the Mando-Rak threat. Meanwhile, Gryph is
rummaging for the possibility of financial gain when he
inadvertently stumbles upon an old message from Lucien
Draay - leader of the Jedi Covenant and Zayne's old
Master - commanding Celeste to recover the Talisman and
describing its power and effects. The Talisman's purpose
is to turn those within its proximity into mindless
thralls that could be commanded like soldiers; it has no
effect on Force-sensitive's and many non-human species;
and those already affected could spread further the
infection. For these reasons, the Covenant believes
there is a connection between the Talisman and the
ancient, unexplained Rakghoul plague.
As Zayne stands guard outside the comm-dome, Celeste's
only message is to her employer: Lucien Draay. He
instructs Celeste to obtain the Talisman and to kill
Zayne! But when Zayne enters the dome to send a message
warning the rest of the Mandalorians to keep away from
Jebble, her doubts of Zayne's guilt prevent her from
slaying him. Leaving Celeste behind, Zayne goes in
search of Gryph when he is captured by Pulsipher -
holder of the Talisman and controller of the Mando-Raks.
The power of the Talisman will restore Pulsipher's
position in the Mandalorian hierarchy and he believes
that Zayne can unlock its full potential. Instead the
Talisman suddenly uncoils itself from Pulsipher's arm
and while he finds himself the target of his own
Mando-Rak guards, the Talisman is attracted to Zayne.
Suddenly, Celeste bursts in killing the Mando-Raks and
pulls the Talisman away from Zayne. It quickly attaches
itself to Celeste whereupon she glimpses a vision - a
vision of the future?
Nearly overwhelmed by an ancient evil run rampant, the
Jedi Celeste Morne has made a choice of cosmic
significance: her attempt to use the Muur Talisman to
stop the spread of the Rakghoul plague has failed as the
Talisman contains something else: an ancient Sith
personality that strives to conquer the galaxy. Zayne
quickly realises that something or someone is
controlling Celeste, that she is not in full control of
the Mando-Raks and that she is merely performing the
wishes of someone else. However, for the time being,
Zayne and Gryph share Celeste's protection from the
Mando-Raks.
Gryph recites to Zayne the truth of Celeste and her
working for Lucien Draay. When Zayne confronts Celeste
he reminds her of her primary goal: to protect the
galaxy from the Sith. But, so long as she wears the
Talisman, she'll be working for the Sith. Celeste pleads
with Zayne to kill her, but Zayne cannot do this.
Instead he recalls a machine he'd seen and discussed by
Pulsipher: Lord Dreypa's Oubliette, an isolation
chamber capable of imprisoning Jedi and Sith alike. As
Celeste enters the chamber, Zayne promises to take the
chamber to the Sanctum of the Exalted on Odryn, the
place Celeste was instructed to take the Muur Talisman.
To assist Zayne's entry to the Sanctum, Celeste gives
Zayne her key.
But as the chamber is sealed, the control
previously held over the Mando-Raks is lost and both
Zayne and Gryph are soon fighting for their lives and
have to leave the chamber where it is. Zayne and Gryph
are forced to run for their lives when they are rescued
by their own ship, the Williwaw. As the Williwaw
enters orbit, the Mandalorian relief force Zayne had
previously contacted arrives. But as Zayne attempts
communication with the Mandalorian fleet, he witnesses
their total and complete annihilation of the planet's
surface to ensure the Rakghoul plague is destroyed.
Realising he has lost Celeste, Zayne promises to take
down the Covenant and to clear all their names in the
process. |