Lux had waited long enough, hidden in the scorching hot Dune. "I've got a plan to get in" he looked over at Katniss. "I'll get the chopper. I'm gonna make a path through that barbed wire, and when I do, be ready to run through it and find a place to hide. The droids will be focused on me, so you should be able to get in.
"Wait!" Katniss looked through her binoculars "Look!" They both observed the square again. the droids brought out two more prisoners and marched them by the statue of the Phantom Queen. One was Obi-wan Kenobi. The other was a rather good looking older man in a rough outfit, wearing a brown shirt. "That's my step-dad...and he's with a Jedi."
"General Kenobi!" Lux gasped. His mind raced "If HE'S here it means the Republic won't be too far behind. That means we gotta move fast if we are going to free our friends. This place is going to become a real war zone very soon!"
"I don't have many arrows, and they're no good against the droid troops. I don't know how we are going to go up against Dooku's elite!"
"Leave that to me!" Lux grinned.
Katniss looked at him, unamused. "Damned fool, I KNEW you were going to say that!"
Lux shrugged, figuring we all had to die of something. "Who's the more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?" They got up from their spot and ran back to the chopper.
The guards led Asajj down the long, darkly lit corridor. They pass several glass encased jail cells, each with a prisoner. Asajj viewed them with horror. Each prisoner looked emaciated, gaunt, like a hollowed out ghoul. Some were human, some were humanoid aliens. All of them wore the tattered uniforms of the Star devil pirates. "These men were all vicious pirates, captured by us in several conflicts."
"What have you done to them?" Her face almost felt pity.
Varda looked at them and her with sympathy. "They were put on trial, and each of them chose to face Eihort." She turned to him in shock. They continued to walk slowly to the trial area, but each prisoner they past looked worse and worse. "Eihort gave them all the choice. Those who did not choose to be crushed to death were returned to us. They await the birthing process."
The last prisoner at the end started screaming. He fell to the floor of his quarantined cell, convulsing, jerking around in agony. Hundreds of little lumps moved around his body. He was literally being eaten alive...from the inside. Ventress' face went even whiter in absolute terror of what she was witnessing. The prisoner writhed about, parts of him started bulging forth, pulsating with what looked like thousands of parasites eating their way out of him. The babies of Eihort finally exploded forth, busting out of his flesh, erupting like little squid-like spiders. the hapless pirate screamed one last time as his body was swarmed by thousands of gooey arachnid creatures.
One of the guards finally presses a button, unleashing a fire that engulfs the cell. The quarantined room has been cleansed of all living things, but the visual horror could not be unseen.
Ventress screamed in terror, and cried hard. She covered her face with her shaking hands at the sight. She slumped to her knees and could not move, so great was the terror. "Just shoot me now. Please, I'm guilty! DO YOU HEAR ME!? I'M GUILTY! SHOOT ME! I DESERVE IT! I deserve it..."
The guards waited patiently. Varda leaned down and put his arms around her. " I know, it's a terrible fate for those who fall to Eihort...but you must have faith. Our Prophecy has something better to show. The council no longer feels it can be fulfilled, but you may be the last hope we have."
It took her a few minutes to recover. It was all too much. For a few seconds, she had wished beyond all hope she had stayed with Riddick and died in the belly of the Sarlaac, to be slowly digested. "How am I supposed to do that? I'm the phantom Queen who destroyed your planet."
Varda helped her up "In order for the Nemon to have faith, you must believe it. that you will take flight with Badb and Macha, and forsake your old crown of hate. I have observed you since you landed here, and I know you have a new heart. I've seen how you try to take care of these strangers. You must show this to the council. You must have courage."
She was still shaky. Her legs would hardly move, feeling like lead weights as she was led closer to the open space where she would have judgement passed upon her. Ventress' heart now knew real fear, and uncertainty. Why couldn't they just execute her like most civilized people would do?
Back in the cell, the others waited. Ahsoka leaned against the wall, unable to look at the others, she felt helpless. The Doctor stood nearby, hoping to find the right words to comfort her, but he couldn't.
Colonel Hendricksson sat on a small bench near the entrance. He waited, and relaxed. No point in getting riled up and bounce off the walls. They were stuck here.
Barriss sat near a corner, wrapped up in Conradin's arms. They both stared ahead, but he held her close. "Dooku will have us killed, but I am ready" She finally contemplated. "At least you are here. I don't what I'd do if you hadn't agreed to help us. Though all of this...all of it is my fault. I couldn't take the war, and Ahsoka rescued me, but now we all will die. None of you deserved this. You all tried to help and I have condemned us to death. I'm so sorry you and your friends had to be dragged into this trap. Vincent, Riddick, Lux...now Asajj...and Ahsoka...the Doctor...and you. How could I have failed you all so badly?"
"Shhh, Don't talk like this" He whispered in her ear. "You have to say strong. I have been, and always shall be here by your side."
She looked at him, and sighed "You would stay here with a traitor who tried to kill her best friend..."
"I would stay with the one person who made me stronger when this war nearly tore me apart." He nuzzled his face against hers, getting quieter. "Dooku once had a dream. To fix the Republic and fight the Sith. I believed in that dream. He became corrupted and fell into a dark place. I guess war does that to us all sooner or later. I felt despair, felt that the war could never be won. I felt I was losing my soul...I am grateful I met you. I still remember, in that arena on Geonosis how strong you were in the Force. You fought and behaved like a true Jedi for so long. Even when I was stuck serving the Sepratists and Count Dooku...you were a beacon for the Republic and the values we fought to restore, and I could not help but admire that from a distance. We felt it together on Geidi Prime when you saved me from death and we thought the planet would be wiped out, but you never gave up." She sensed his heart, and knew he was pouring out his soul.
The moment was interrupted by the entrance of Count Dooku. He walked to the center of the room, his cape sweeping about. "Touching final moments?" he grinned "Enjoy it for another minute!"
"What do you want, Dooku!?" Ahsoka voiced her contempt.
Dooku didn't miss a beat "You will all be taken into my custody. the men will, of course, be sent to Cato Nemoidia to face their own trial and execution." Dooku looked over at Conrad as he held Barriss. Dooku sneered "You will face a particularly nasty punishment, my former apprentice!"
Conradin grimaced "Hey, I'm your huckleberry."
Dooku looked at Ahsoka with a menacing stare "The ladies will accompany me to my ship. There, you will be given medical attention to all your wounds and injuries. Then, I will train you in the art of pain and servitude. You will become my *new* apprentices!"
"You've got to be joking!" Ahsoka almost yelled "I'll make your life so miserable you'll be begging the Republic to accept your surrender!" Ahsoka sneered back. Barriss turned to face him. She wiped her eyes and stared at Dooku. She didn't respond, but Dooku could see rebellion in her eyes.
Dooku walked out of the room "I'm late for the trial. I will give Ventress one final knife in the back before she is sent to her death...Then...I'm coming back for you. Make peace with your Gods, for no one will save you this time! Guards! Prepare them for the shuttles!" He exited, but Ahsoka wasn't ready to give up so easily. The droids marched them all out to the square.
Asajj finally entered the arena where the elders held court. They were in the middle of proclaiming a lone man on the arena ground guilty. "Kastor lieberung!" One elder called out. Ventress noticed that although the pirate stood defiantly, she sensed the fear in him. The elder continued "You have been found guilty of looting our planet, murdering an unarmed civilian or our dwindling population, and you have been found guilty. You have a chance to choose your punishment. You can die with the dignity of our last firing squad of troops, or..." Ventress held her breath, though the Nemon looked rather mundane in this dramatic moment "...you can choose to meet Eihort in the land of the dead below our world. Though you may live longer in the maze, there is much joy beauty and painlessness in the immediate execution we offer"
The pirate, Kastor, spit on the ground in contempt. He was only sorry he got caught in his crimes. "I choose the maze! I will dig my way out and be free!"
The elder was not impressed "You will try."
A large, ornate gold door portcullis behind the prisoner had lifted up. It revealed a large roundish tunnel, a tunnel that looked as if it were hollowed out by something large, almost a little bigger than a bantha. The pirate did not smile, but was apprehensive as he stared down the tunnel. It was surprisingly well lit but phosphorescent slimy substances. But it still branched into a cyclopian maze that stretched in all directions. He ran in, taking his chances. The door closed behind him, cracking into the floor with thunder that sent shivers down Asajj's spine.
Varda put his arm around her in comfort. "All you need do is confess. You will be declared guilty and offered the choice. You are no mere pirate. Do not think of this as a hopeless thing. You are designed for a greater purpose!" he smiled.
"Why are you so kind to me?" she asked "Why are you doing this?" He smiled gently, like a grandfather. He didn't have time to talk. The elder sitting with the council above called out.
"Phantom Queen! You have returned to our planet!" The council and all the Nemon guards chanted a small phrase in their ancient language. It echoed in the hall as Ventress walked to the center of the arena for her trial. The elder continued "You are a special case, indeed. You may not be aware of our culture, but there is a beauty in the justice we seek."
She snorted a little with a sarcastic expression "There's always beauty in getting revenge for your people."
"No, not revenge." The councilman corrected "We seek justice. Not only for the dead, and the dying..." he glanced around him at the others "But justice that you may find inside of you. You are aware of why you are here?"
She nodded "Yes..."
"Do you wish to confess to the crimes of Genocide, destruction of property and the environment? To the three billion counts of murder?"
She almost answered when Count Dooku stepped out of the shadows "She most certainly DOES!" Ventress' heart sank some more. Could this get any worse? All she wanted was to confess and get it over with. Dooku relished in stretching out the trial to maximize her agony.
The guards led Ahsoka and the others out into the square. Conradin saw Obi-wan and recognized his friend, Captain Mal. "Malcolm!" He called out "you're alive!"
Mal smiled a little "I was too damn pretty to die I guess."
Conradin and Mal faced each other as the group waited "You ok? Kat?"
Mal nodded his head "I threw her into an escape pod. She's around here somewhere, probably mad as hell at me...but I'll take that over the alternative"
Ahsoka ran up to Obi-wan and hugged him "They captured you too!"
"Only for the moment. it's all part of my master plan. get captured, then..." Everyone waited for him to finish. Obi-wan shrugged, surprised he had their attention "...well, I'm still figuring it out as I go. In the meantime, I understand we are all being sent to our deaths? Sounds depressing"
Conradin nodded, with some seriousness, but also gratitude that Obi-wan's sense of humor had not diminished "Just us men."
Ahsoka looked at him with urgency "Dooku is planning on taking Barriss and myself. I think he means to torture us! Turn us to the darkside." Obi-wan nodded, understanding. Ahsoka put her hand on his shoulder to reassure him "We will be ok. We'll figure out an escape! I won't let him succeed!"
"I know" Obi-wan smiled. He took a moment to smile at Barriss. She wasn't sure how to take his expression "I hope you are doing well, Barriss Offee." He said gently. Barriss felt awkward, but smiled politely. Obi-wan looked around "Ventress?"
Ahsoka frowned "She's on trial. She attacked this world three years ago. It doesn't look good."
Their thoughts were interrupted by the shuttle engines warming up and a delegation of Nemon citizens and guards walking towards the statue in the square. One of the guards went to talk to the droids "We are conducting a wedding today. Please shut down your shuttle craft and give us some space. we do not want your war here. Let us conduct the ceremony quickly, then you may take away your prisoners." The droids were taken aback by the request, but give in for the moment. Dooku was taking his time anyway, relishing in tormenting Ventress.
Everyone backs away. The wedding crowd gathers in front of the statue. The droids watch the Nemon carefully, but are generally calm. The prisoners watch from behind wedding crowd as the "husband and wife" approach the statue.
"It's nice to see traditions still celebrated, even in a place such as this." Obi-wan contemplated.
Hendricksson narrated the scene as the gang watched "The Nemon believe in beauty above all other desires. Beauty of truth, beauty of honor. Not revenge, but Justice. not war, but defense of the people. Not wealth for the sake of greed, but as a doorway to the future. Marriage is the most incredible example of Beauty, the beauty of loyalty...The couple is asking the Phantom Queen for permission to be happy together. It's a frikkin statue, so usually the answer is yes."
Conradin and Barriss, standing in the back of the group, looked at each other and as Hendricksson went on. Conradin smiled at her. Barriss tried to smile back, but looked down. "It's a lovely ceremony" She said quietly.
Conradin nodded "Everyone should get a chance to try it at least once." His eyes brightened as he looked at her. "It's encouraging to see that the Nemon still celebrate life in the middle of all this death."
The Nemon male and female took turns talking, they spoke vows of the Nemon culture, of the beauty within each living thing, that hope would never die for those who seek it.
The wedding crowd disperse, ready to return to the bunker. The droids resume their duty to separate the group. Barriss and Conradin looked at each other, as if to never see each other again
"Barriss..." he couldn't finish his thoughts. He was scared.
"I know. I know..." she replied "Always...we'll be together always." The droids grabbed them again and pulled them to different shuttles.
Asajj Ventress stood silently before the elders. Dooku had thoroughly destroyed her reputation in front of them. She let him. She felt she deserved it. She was ready.
One by One, the elders announced to find her guilty. That word rang out and echoed in the great hall. It was a ceremony that was more respectful to her than Dooku's crass display of her crimes. He even provided holovid proof of her crimes. He even provided a history of crimes on every other world during the war.
She was overwhelmed by grief, but Varda put his arm around her. She could not help but think of the Nemon as being so...alien. Their treatment was completely unexpected. as if they knew this day would come, and followed it, followed this strange mystical prophecy that became the center of their lives. Though she had no idea what the prophecy was supposed to be or how she was even going to fulfill it.
They opened the great door without offering her the choice. they seemed to know she would choose to face the Great Eihort, Lord of the Underworld. Asajj was terrified, but turned to face the door.
Dooku gets ready to conclude his participation in the trial "I thank you, Council Elders of the Nemon! You have brought justice to this world! And I am grateful to have helped. I will take the information to your great legacy. The Treasure of Nemon prophecy! I will help restore your place in the galaxy!"
Dooku quickly marched over to Ventress, to press the knife of his victory one last time "Your friends will taste death, Asajj. And the two Jedi shall become my trophies!" he whispered. "You thought you could escape, thought you could find happiness! It is an illusion. Take despair in knowing there is no comfort you can have that I cannot take away. Ahsoka and Barriss shall be instruments of my revenge!" He grinned and walked away. Ventress would not look at him, but stared at the door. She did not see, but could sense the blatant image of Dooku wiping a little drool from his mouth.
Ventress started walking for the door, like a condemned person going to execution. Varda called out to her as Dooku got his reward from the Council and left. "You will forsake your old life, Ventress" Varda said quietly "The Council thinks your life ends here, but I have foreseen a different way. You have a new life And when you take your new crown...you will no longer be the Phantom Queen. You will escape, Asajj, and you will find the treasure Dooku greedily covets. You will find it at the coordinates we call 'Seven Max Triad!"
She entered the hollow. She turned and faced Varda. The door began to close. "Varda...If I make it through this, I will make some changes. They're long overdue. I'll fix my mistakes. That is my promise to you." The door sealed shut.
Dooku walked triumphantly out of the bunker as the others were rounded up. He could not wait to start the training of his new Apprentices. The screaming on the perimeter started up again. Dooku knew the screamers were only limited to the zone, but he wondered for a second who would be stupid enough...Then he heard the explosions! Missiles launched at the droid forces. Missiles from the air. Then he saw the chopper piloted by Lux, maneuvering at combat speeds while droids tried to shoot it down. There was a young woman in the chopper. She leaps for a rooftop, running for the men's shuttle
"Bonteri!" Dooku hissed. He ran for his shuttle craft with the female Jedi. More explosions rocked the area around the square, droids scurried for cover as Lux flew very low. Dooku went past the first shuttle with the men. "Get that ship out of here!" he barked. The first shuttle prepared to close the cargo hatch where the prisoners were kept.
Katniss jumped from the rooftops to the ground and bolted for the shuttle.
The men were shocked and surprised at her agility to dodge laser blasts and tackle the nearest droid at the cargo entrance.
"Kat?" Captain Mal called out. The engines of the shuttle started warming up. Hendricksson didn't hesitate. He attacked another droid, and soon everyone was involved in a brawl.
"Dad!" Katniss yelled back as she swung her bow at the droid, knocking its head off. "I think this rescue deserves a raise in my weekly allowance!" The ship started to rumble.
Mal was not impressed. "I think this rescue was a rather stupid idea and that you should be grounded!" He shoved the droid he wrestled with. It rolled away on the ground. Mal grabbed his step-daughter's hand and ran for the door "Let's go people!" He reached for the table where his guns were kept. Everything happened too fast. The shuttle started taking off. Captain Malcolm, Katniss, and Hendricksson ran off the shuttle. Obi-wan, Conradin and the Doctor tried, but were eventually overwhelmed by more droids that piled up over them as more explosions and laser blasts rocked the square.
"Obi-wan! I think this is yours!" Malcolm had grabbed the lightsaber from the table and tossed it to the Jedi. He broke free long enough to catch it in mid air. He activated it and started cutting down droids.
"Thank you, Mal!" Kenobi grinned "Get your daughter safety!" Malcolm stepped away from the shuttle. The craft lifted off, leaving Him, Kat and Hendricksson on the ground.
"Come on!" Hendricksson motioned to follow "I know a safe place!" Hendricksson had a droid blaster, and mowed down several droids to clear a path to safety.
Ahsoka exited her shuttle and saw Lux causing havok around the square, giving her the biggest smug bastard grin. "LUX!" She yelled. Barriss came up behind her and smiled, relieved that Lux Bonteri had made it. Lux turned and saw them. More droids tried to shoot him down. Lux lowered the chopper to almost the ground level and slowly, carefully tilted it forward, aiming the chopper blades at everything in front of him. The droids scattered, some of them ripped to pieces by the chopper's unstoppable momentum. Unstoppable, that is, until Dooku stepped in front of him. Dooku released a wave of bright lightning at him. The Pirate chopper starts to fry up and explode. Lux veers away, leaving a trail of smoke. Ahsoka tries to run out to him, but Dooku grabs both Jedi and shove them back into the shuttle. Ahsoka has enough time to see Lux leap to safety as the chopper crashes. He looks back at her as the shuttle doors close, calling out to her desperately. The hatches close, the shuttle takes off. He was so close. So close.
Dooku shoves Ahsoka and Barriss against the side of the cargo bay. "A noble effort, but it was not meant to be!" Dooku blasts the both of them with a small dose of lightning for several seconds. Barriss and Ahsoka are sent to their knees in burning pain, burning in the power of the darkside. He stops, letting them catch their breath. "I have the power to control my lightning. I can measure it in small doses and large. I can measure how many years I have taken off your life. I've just taken one year of your life away. Pray I do not subtract more."
Ahsoka rubbed her neck and face, but sneered defiantly. "Lux is still alive, and he has already disrupted your plans!" she cursed at him. Barriss was still catching her breath.
Dooku was unmoved "He can never disrupt my plans for you, Ahsoka Tano. You will be the instrument of my revenge against Skywalker! You will fall, and you will become a powerful Sith, destined to rule with me once we have destroyed my old master!"
"We'll never join you!" Barriss replied. Dooku blasted her with more lightning. Barriss screamed for several long seconds, while using the Force to keep Ahsoka pinned to the wall.
Dooku stopped and marched up to her "I have just taken five years of your life away! Shall we go for TEN!? TWENTY!?"
"HEY!" Ahsoka shouted angrily "OVER HERE! You want Skywalker, you have to go through me! You're going to torture me, Dooku! You're going to HAVE to torture ME..." Ahsoka tried to stall, to draw him away from Barriss. Dooku just smiled.
"But you see, Ahsoka...I will get you to fall into Darkness and become a Sith by making HER fall into darkness" Dooku caressed Barriss' face with crusty old hands. "You fell once, you tasted the POWER of the Darkside, Barriss Offee! I will help you taste it again!" He saw fear in her eyes, and Dooku grinned. He pulled his hands away, and they crackled a bright blue with lightning. He blasted her some more. pain shot through her with such intensity she screamed for almost a full minute. Dooku could feel the anger build up in Ahsoka. And he sensed hate as well. He stopped his attack and turned back to Ahsoka as Barriss slumped to the ground, coughing and gasping.
"You see, Ahsoka Tano, there is no victory for you! I can feel your hate, and soon it will consume you. I will turn your friend into a Sith, which will turn you into a Sith. Together, you will destroy Skywalker and the Jedi! And your precious Bonteri will not save you!"
He turned to Barriss and whispered in her ear "No couple in a hundred years has ever enjoyed happily ever after! It is a myth! Your Conradin will die. And the more you resist my torture, the further Ahsoka falls. Ahsoka shall become my greatest apprentice, but don't worry...you will be quite useful too" he pawed at her hair and face. His breathing got heavier as he stared at her, and Barriss wondered which was worse-his fiery lightning, or his clammy hands.
Ahsoka sneered in uncontrolled rage, but knew she had to fight back the urge for revenge.
"You're a madman!" Ahsoka's breathing got restless as a tear rolled down her face. Dooku laughed.
He turned and blasted Barriss again with tremendous power. Barriss shrieked until her voice gave out. Dooku stopped. Ahsoka wanted to beg now, but knew there would be no mercy for either of them. the urge to beg, though, was tearing her apart inside. Dooku Leaned down at Barriss, who was in tears and gasped for breath after such unbelievable pain.
His hand lit up again in the brightest blue, the crackling of his Force power almost deafening. He leaned in. Barriss trembled, and closed her eyes in terror. She braced for the pain. Dooku got up and walked towards her.
Ahsoka gasped, then steeled herself for the attack. Dooku unleashed the full power of the lightning upon her. Ahsoka's screams echoed through the shuttle for the next ten minutes. An eternity of pain.