Crookvi Zla

''"Well commandos, we're being killed everywhere else. Wouldn't you rather go to the capital to die where it's brighter?" ''--- Crookvi Zla during The Battle Of Umbara

Crookvi Zla was a male Zabrak Jedi Master during the Clone Wars. He was aprenticed to the Twi'lek Jedi Aayla Secura. Becoming a respected Jedi Master, he went one to lead Clone Troopers during the Clone Wars, becoming known for his caring command style, treating his troops almost like family.

Birth And Childhood
In 40 BBY young Crookvi Zla was born on Dathomir in the village of the Nightbrothers. Before he was born, his mother was said to have had many force visions of her growing child's future greatness. When he was around five standard years old his parents were killed in a raid by the Talzin Coven of Nightsisters. The boy was adopted by a close freind of his parent's, a Zabrak woman by the name of Shining Star. Shining Star looked after the young Zla, and it was rumered at some point he had contact with the son of Shining Star's sister, a boy called Savage Opress.

Taken In By The Jedi
By the time Crookvi was ten standard years old, his life took an unexpected turn. One day, the Jedi Masters Aayla Secura, and Plo Koon arrived on Dathomir. The two Jedi were sent by Coruscant in an effort to reduce violence between the Nightsisters and the Nightbrother Zabrak colonists. The presence of the two Jedi had exactly the opposite effect however. The devious Mother Talzin sent assassins after Plo and Aayla. Young Zla saw the female warriors attacking the Jedi and felt compelled to help. He climbed a nearby rock face and tossed rocks down on the Nightsisters. The Jedi repulsed their attackers, and Zla walked down to greet them. He was especially amazed by Aayla Secura, her blue alien beauty was somthing new to the Zabrak boy. Both Jedi immediately recognized vast force potential in the boy. Aayla took the boy in her arms, intending to find his mother. Walking back to Zla's village the Jedi discovered it in ruins. Nightsisters had attacked while the Jedi were busy. Aayla and Plo found Zla's stepmother Shining Star in the street, cradling the young Zabrak Feral in her arms. Feral and his brother Savage had their entire family killed. The two Jedi brought her back to her house and asked if they could take young Crookvi with them. Knowing in her heart it was for the best, and having two more mouths to feed, she agreed. Zla said a tearful goodbye to Shining Star and set off for the huge unknown world of the Jedi.



Jedi Training
Once at the Jedi Temple, Aayla Secura was granted the permission to take Crookvi Zla as her Padawan. Over his years as Secura's aprentice. Zla learned quickly, developing vast force abilities, and becoming a skilled duelist. By 32 BBY he had passed his trials and assumed the title of Jedi Knight. In his insatiable search for knowledge he attended additional studies at Jedi academies on the planets of Cobal, Daghee, and Mestare. On Mestare Zla studied the way's of it's ancient consulars. By 20 BBY he was a respected Jedi Master.

The Clone Wars And The Battle Of Mirial
When the war started, Crookvi Zla like every other Jedi Master was given the rank of general in the republic's Grand Army. Zla quickly developed strong friendships with the clones under his command. They became like the family he had lost, and he became the family they had never had. Shortly after Geonosis, Zla was given an Umbaran padawan learner named Prix Nala. She, like her master proved to be a fast learner, quickly assuming Zla's piloting and dueling skills. The two of them became close friends. As the early battles of the war rapid fired past. Zla remained largely under the radar, untill Mirial. General Greivous launched a massive attack on the planet using another battle, on Lanteeb as a cover. The republic forces protecting the Mirialans fell swiftly. Resistance abounded in the capital of Mirial however. In Ree'shoo city, small holdouts of the 23rd recon battalion continued to fight on. With republic forces streached thin, the Jedi council agreed at a general war meeting to place Crookvi Zla in charge of the effort to relieve the vanguard troopers on the surface. Zla's padawan Prix Nala lead an advanced team to mirial, consisting of herself and the elite Clone Commandos of Taal squad, Sergeant Jaro, Elb, Kay and Throttle. Using a transponder code stolen from a separatist spy, the group was able to slip past the enemy fleet. However the separatist blockade failed to inform ground forces, and the group was shot down by a squadron of Vulture droids, near the wreck of the Republic Assault Ship Vigilance. The Vigilance had been blown from space during the initial enemy assault. Before seting out to recon the wreck, his team called in to Zla's personal comm channel at the Jedi Temple. Crookvi Zla was in the middle of a dinner at his private chambers with the Venerated Jedi Masters Obi-Wan kenobi, Taria Damsin, and Aphotic. Taking leave of his guests with Master Aphotic (his joint commander) Zla made a quick trip across coruscant to retrieve the experienced special forces soldier SaiTorr Shipclanker to join in the attack. On the hyperspace journey to Mirial. Zla had a powerfull force vision in his dreams. He saw a Jedi Hero of the old republic, Belth Allusis, whose last stand at the Battle of Bothawui against the sith empire was legand. In the dream, he shook his head sadly at Zla, "What a mess you have gotten into", he said. Than before vanishing the ghost, as if replying to some silent question said, "It looks like you have much more to accomplish young Zla" than Allusis disappeared. The next day Zla and Aphotic's fleet burst out of hyperspace around Mirial, the strategy was to quickly overwhelm the enemy fleet and burst through the blockade before the separatists could retaliate. The plan worked to perfection and the republic fleet landed outside Ree'shoo with little or no casualties. However Zla soon found out, that during a separatist push through the capital, Prix Nala's force had been traped behind enemy lines with four civilians and two troopers from the RAS Vigilance. For 7 days Zla gave them intell and kept the enemy busy while Nala and the commandos pushed out of their trap.

A Deeper Plot
SaiTorr Shipclanker was meanwhile scouting spearatist forces in the city. Druing day 13 of the battle he discovered a substantial separatists presence at a sprawling oil refinery complex outside of the city. Zla and Aphotic poured over the report. They noticed with great dismay, the presence of the violent war criminal, Commander Vernal Leibvesk. Leibvesk was a highly respected scientist before he defected to the Separatists. This raised serious concerns with Zla, While Aphotic stressed caution Zla shrugged him off and ordered a multi pronged assault on the refinery. Within three days of bombardment, it became clear a stealth incursion was called for, At Aphotic's urging, SaiTorr was dispatched into the refinery. He returned with good news. A new team of scientists was to arrive at the refinery tomorrow. One was a red skined Zabrak, a smile formed on SaiTorr's face as he explained the similarities between Zla and this woman. So with that, Zla untied his hair, made slight cosmetic adjustments to his face, and put on a baggy lab coat. The next day he, disguised as a she, entered the compound. During a dinner at Leibvesk''s lavish mansion inside the compound, Zla heard part of the real reason the separatists were there. Leibvesk mentioned an excavation site. To Zla's horror he recalled Mirial had a long history with both the Jedi and Sith. Could the seps be unearthing sith artifacts to use against the Jedi? Leibvesk said no more unfortunately, and Zla left the mansion, disabling the compund's auto turrets. Under the cover of the night, Aphotic lead the clones into the refinery beside Prix Nala, who had linked up with Aphotic's forces at the compound. Zla shed his disguise and joined the fray, fighting back to back with Aphotic and Nala in the confused rubble of the battle. Then, as the republic forces moved toward the excavation, the ground gave way, and Zla, SaiTorr, Taal squad, Nala, and the two troopers and three of the civilians whom Taal squad had rescued, plummeted into the void.''

The Heart Of Darkness
Zla abd his friends found themselves in commander Leibvesk's underground lab. They group was quickly captured and the insane Leibvesk invited them to watch, "as their doom was born". In the center of the room, stood a statue of two children, the children were members of the ancient Sith species. Leibvesk turned to his captive audience. "Beautiful aren't they?" he said "They will signal the end of your' republic". Then as Leibvesk turned a swithc, the statues began to glow. They were not staues at all, Zla realized, but actual carbon-frozon sith children! The enemy's plan must be to train these two as spys and assassins. The two children, a boy, and an older girl, perhaps 14, slowly un-froze. The were suddenly free and looked around the room with wide eyed, fearful expressions. Then the girl pulled a dagger and began murdering the scientists. In the flurry of confusion Zla and his comrads escaped their bonds and tried to make for the labratory exit. but Leibvesk, bleeding and broken, sealed it off, traping Zla in the labratory. Zla and his companions reasoned the only way out might be from a set of ancient catacombs branching off from the lab. But first Zla walked over to the corner where the two sith children sat cowering. With his best soothing voice he coaxed them to follow the group to a way out. For two days the group wandered underground, their food began to run out. While underground Zla developed a budding friendship with the two sith children, who seemed mesmerized by him. Also one of the clones fell deeply in love with one of the civilians that Taal squad rescued. Eventually the group found an exit, only to see it in the midst of a battle between the separatists and Master Aphotic's forces. The group tried to run the guantlet, but it was nearly impossible. Zla was gravely injured. He heard Belth Allusis in his head, "This is the moment" he said. Zla fought down the pain and managed to stop the blood pouring from his chest. He resolved that if he wasn't making it, than SaiTirr, Nala, the civilians, and the clones would. He fought through the enemy forces like a demon, eventually, he collapsed of blood loss. While he lay there dying. He heard Allusis again. His vision clarified and he was standing in a black void. Allusis walked toward him. "Zla" he said hands outstretched, "what a mess you are in!". Zla looked at the ghost of Allusis and asked, "Is this my destiny master? to die for those I love?". Allusis smiled ruefully, " I thought we wern't allowed to love?" Zla returned the smile, "If aren't allowed it then I am quite a failure as a Jedi". "You are more a Jedi than i have ever seen Crookvi, and you have much more to acomplish." Allusis disapeared and the next thing Zla new he was staring at the saddened face of Sergeant Jaro. "Sir!" he gasped when Zla smiled at him "Your. . .Your". "Still alive my friend". Zla replied.