Title: Born to Kill
Author: Lhinneill (Stargatefangurl)
Rating: PG
Genre: Action/Adventure/General
Summary: You are Sith...created for a single purpose--death. - Set centuries after RotJ with OCs.
A/N: This is part of my Knight Command RPG series, based on characters from a text RP my friends and I ran for several years. After the RP went inactive, I took the characters to fic to keep them alive. This is based on a plotline we roleplayed to introduce my new Sith clone. It features Truen Calladann and Grish, who are not mine. They belong to my friend, Lionchilde. The game was set several centuries after RotJ, following in the wake of a terrible war that nearly destroyed the galaxy. Feel free to ask questions, if you like.
"You are a Sith.You have been created for a single purpose—death."
The girl, naked and chilled in the cool night air, stood in silence, unmoving as the shadowy apparition walked around her.
"You are my creation. You will do as I command."
Her brown eyes followed him as he made another circuit around her. This was her first memory, she realized, a thrilling chill raising goose bumps on her flesh. Her left hand jerked, clenching and unclenching, the filmy goo from the cloning vats squishing audibly in her palm. The apparition ignored her as she lifted the hand, transfixed by its perfect design.
"You are a clone. A poor copy of a far greater creation. But you will use this weakness as your strength." The apparition came to a stop in front of the girl. "You will be my weapon. With you, I will have my final revenge." The ghost's lips curled upwards in a cruel smile. "Tell me, what do you remember?"
The girl blinked. I remember this—this moment.
She said nothing.
The man lifted a hand. At his motion, a wisp of a man separated himself from the shadows. The girl took an involuntary step backwards as he approached. The apparition was unfamiliar to her. But this… This man was someone she feared instantly. A smile twisted his angular features. His eyes, so dark as to almost be black, glinted with an eerie golden light.
"Stay," the apparition commanded. "This is Aris, my servant. He does as I command, and so you will do as he commands."
Reluctantly, the girl obeyed. Aris advanced on her and pressed two long, icy fingers to her temple. Darkness tore through her mind. She struggled feebly, somehow knowing it would do no good. Images flashed before her, unfamiliar and yet strikingly familiar at the same instant. She saw the ghost—Dark Lord Tardin, she now realized. He attacked her, viciously slashing at her defenses with twin swords—lightsabers. She escaped once. Then on a faraway world, she knelt over the body of her fiancé, surrounded by the corpses of his people. Tardin struck her down, but she lived. She lived in torment and anguish, toiling to please her new Master. She hunted her own brother, she tortured her friends, she turned the galaxy upside down in a terrible war of her Master's design. And then, finally, she murdered Tardin.
"You are Sith," Aris hissed in her ear. His hand jerked away and the clone dropped to her knees. Her mind reeled in the sickening darkness; she could barely breathe. Her body jerked and shuddered violently.
Tardin sank to a crouch before her. "When Kianna Starflight betrayed me, she betrayed herself. And so I have created you. You will slip beneath her shell and strike her where she is at her weakest. You will destroy her from within. You will be the instrument of my justice."
The clone raised her head. Her eyes focused on the apparition's face. He smiled down at her, gloating in his superiority. In was then she realized how much she hated him. He had destroyed her and he had created her. She was a replica of his worst enemy, a mimic. And he was her Master. "As you command, my Master," she hissed.
And with her words, the assassin, Ana, was born.
The Force Ghost stood with his back to Ana. He offered no greeting as she stepped into the room. She too remained silent, hands folded behind her back. The lightsaber at her belt bumped against her hip as she walked. Just moments ago, her hands had plunged that weapon into the chest of her trainer, ending his tortured existence. She expected Tardin to know of Aris' death, so she said nothing of it. He would punish her, of course. Three years ago he had instructed her to follow Aris as she would Tardin himself.
She fought a smile, knowing fully that Tardin would take Aris' death just as she intended. He would finally realize who he had created. He would realize what she was capable of. He would realize she was now ready.
When at last Tardin spoke, his voice was low and every word was laced with bitter hatred. "Kianna Starflight has a child."
A twitch of her brows was the only outward indication of Ana's surprise. "A child?"
The shadowy apparition turned. Ana noted with some satisfaction that he was far weaker than he had been when she first saw him. It wouldn't be long now.
"Yes," Tardin hissed. "A child. It was for that miserable creature that she betrayed me. Had I destroyed her then, it would have all been so much simpler." A bitter smile curved the ghost's lips. "But now, that child be the key to our revenge. Kianna thought she had hidden her from me, but I know. Oh, I know."
Ana smiled. "You want me to take the child."
"I want you to kill the girl," Tardin snapped. "I want you to tear off her limbs and send them to the Dark Lady," he bit out the last words with a sarcastic sneer. "And when you are finished with her, you will go after everything else that she has ever loved. When you are finished, there'll be nothing left of her."
Ana suppressed a smirk. "You say all this as if you assume she even cares."
For an instant, Tardin's image flashed brighter and clearer than Ana had seen in a long time. "Kianna Starflight is weak. Her mind is cluttered with thoughts and regrets. Oh, she will care. She will care and she will suffer for it. Now get out of my sight," he waved his hand and whirled, presenting his back to Ana once more.
Ana didn't bother to restrain her smile anymore. She had her orders, she would do as her Master commanded. "Yes, Master."
Kill. It was what she had been created for.
Kill the girl. Such a simple assignment.
But Ana had never known a mother. And Kianna Starflight, former Jedi Master, now feared Dark Lady of the Sith, was a mother in the truest sense of the word. Her soul had been warped by the Dark Side, but beneath it all, there still remained some fragment of Kianna Starflight, the Jedi. And that Kianna would stop at nothing to keep her child safe.
An hour after her starfighter touched down on a landing pad close to a dense residential district, Ana was thoroughly convinced that she did not like Naboo. It was too clean, too orderly. Pristine houses lined paved streets, each painted in varying bright colors. Ana sneered as she slipped through the city, unseen in the shadows of night. It was all fake, a charade created by witless, fanciful people pretending to be unaware of the darkness around them.
It had taken less than a week to track Kianna's child here. In her desperate panic to conceal her daughter, the Dark Lady had sent the child to its father's family. Krystia Starflight had become Krystia Antilles, a common girl with a talent for machinery and mechanics. A common girl with no idea who she was or the power that lay dormant inside. While that may have kept her safe from Tardin, it failed to keep her hidden from the assassin.
Kianna would have been better off sending the girl to the Jedi. There at least Ana would have had some challenge to her hunt. As it was now, she simply had to slip into the Antilles home and plunge her lightsaber though the sleeping girl's chest. She might even kill the rest of the family, just to make her message to the Dark Lady that much more potent.
A smile twisted her lips. That's it. I'll kill them all.
"We will have our revenge…" Tardin's voice brushed her mind. She sensed his mental touch, faint and weak, but she knew how much energy it would have taken him to accomplish such a contact. Her skin prickled. His power waxed and waned in a constant tide, though lately he grew ever weaker. But still, there was no doubt of the power he had claimed before Kianna Starflight murdered him. Power that could be Ana's. Power she could wield to topple Kianna and take her place as the Dark Lady of the Sith.
Power.
The Antilles' home sat at the end of a long drive, separate from the rest of the houses in the block. In a flutter of black cloth, Ana leapt the fence and dropped into the garden. She was partially visible in the dim moonlight for an instant before she vanished once again into shadow.
She could sense the girl, alone in her room, disturbed by dark dreams.
Ana's lips curled in a smile and her hand dropped to the lightstaff at her belt. She had used it twice in during her training years and knew it well. It had been Tardin's own weapon during his dark reign. A finely constructed weapon, it was the best Ana had ever seen. But it would not end Krystia's life. That honor belonged to Ana's own shoto, the blade that had extinguished Aris. It had bought her freedom and it would impart that same freedom to Kianna Starflight's child.
Sleep refused to come for Krystia Antilles. She sighed loudly and rolled in her bed, throwing the last of the covers to the floor. After a glance at her bedside clock, Krystia flopped her head back down on her pillow and moaned softly. Three more hours until sunrise.
Three more hours of vague, shadowy nightmares attacking her as soon as she started to drift off.
Great.
The teen kicked her feet free of the tangled sheets and swung her legs over the bed. The room was cool and the breeze that wafted through the open windows raised goose bumps on Krystia's skin. She wrapped her arms around her torso as a shiver crawled up her spine to her scalp. Shuddering, she hopped to the floor and padded to the adjacent bathroom. After splashing her face with cool water, she stepped to the balcony and flicked the latch open.
A shimmer of blue appeared several feet to her left. "Hey, kiddo."
Krystia jumped, whirling to face the tall, furry ghost. He lifted a hairy paw and waved, his lips curling in a smile. Grish had been a constant feature throughout Krystia's childhood. He had been her one good friend, her only real secret from her parents. Krystia wanted to rush to him and wrap him in a crushing hug, but, of course, couldn't. She settled for a smile and a wave. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in months!"
"Ah…" The ghost's eyes darted out the doors, narrowing as he searched the darkness. "I've been busy."
"Well, you left me all alone here with Teecee and…"
Grish threw his hand up, inches in front of Krystia's face. "Okay, time to go."
"Go…?"
A black figure slid from the darkness, filling the doorway. Its hand lifted and a red beam ignited with a deep thrum. "Hello there, girl. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have a message for your mother."
Grish slid between Krystia and the woman, baring his teeth with a fierce snarl. "Krystia, RUN!"
Krystia stumbled back in shock as the woman waved her weapon through the ghost's form, undeterred.
"Oooh, I'm warning you!" the ghost growled.
"And just what do you think you can do?" the woman purred. "You can't touch me now."
"Oh, but I can." The voice came from outside. Krystia gasped, eyes bulging—she knew that voice!
She's—she… My dreams!
"Took your time getting here," Grish muttered to the second figure, who didn't respond. She instead ignited her own weapon and struck out at the shadowy figure. Krystia scooted back as the balcony erupted with sparks, bits of mortar and brick flying through the air as the pair missed each other, their weapons striking the walls instead.
A second brilliant white-crimson weapon flashed to life. The balcony erupted with sparks and flashes of red light.
Grish retreated to Krystia's side, ducking down. "Eeyaih! Come on, kiddo. We gotta run."
"No!" Krystia struggled to her feet, choking down a shriek as the pair fell from the balcony. "I can't leave yet. I have to…"
"Oh for…" The ghost slapped his palm over his eyes. "Kia'll be just fine. She's done this lots of times. Lots of…times." The girl ignored him, running instead to peer over the railing. "Great," Grish huffed, his long tail flipping once in irritation. "Just go watch the two Sith fight it out. That's not dangerous. At all."
The pair toppled from the balcony. Ana's lightstaff tumbled out of her palm, flipping away into the darkness of the night and leaving the assassin unarmed save for the shoto holstered to her thigh. Arms spread wide, Ana wrapped herself in the Force and slowed her descent.
The Dark Lady hit the ground first. Ana twisted midair, positioning her body so her shoulder hit first. At the impact, she used the momentum from the fall to roll to her feet. Kianna was already standing, lightsaber ignited—waiting. Ana tipped her head to the left, smiled, and gave a small bow to the Empress. "Lady Kianna."
"Who are you?" Kianna hissed, her eyes glowing red in the light of her lightsaber.
"Oh, you know who I am, my Lady," Ana smirked.
Kianna's dark eyes narrowed and she took a step forward, hands clenching on the hilt of her weapon. "I know what you are—and I know who sent you."
"Oh, do you now?"
Kianna's lips curled. "The stench of Tardin is all over you."
"I'll tell him you said hello," Ana shot back. She flung her left hand out and called the lightstaff to her. It landed in her gloved palm with a soft smack. She twirled the hilt and thumbed the activation stud, falling into an aggressive stance that countered the Dark Lady's. The assassin had been sent to destroy the Empress' daughter, but now that the woman herself was here… It was the perfect opportunity!
But for all her training, Ana realized she had one real weakness—experience. Yes, she had killed Aris. But Kianna Starflight had the advantage of thirty years of training and wisdom. Ana also was well aware of the woman's unquestionable mastery of Vaapaad, the most unpredictable and potentially powerful form of lightsaber combat.
Incapacitate and evade. Finish the mission. I'll finish Kianna later.
Ana launched herself at the Empress. Crimson met crimson, energy audibly crackling at the impact. Kianna pressed forward, her blade inching closer to Ana's face. "You cannot beat me."
Ana's lips twisted in a ghost of a smile. "I don't have to."
The assassin twisted away, her lightstaff spinning in a blur of red light. Kianna struck at Ana's leg, a blow the assassin easily countered. A twist of her arm sent the top end of the staff around towards the Empress' head. Lightsaber at her right side, Kianna had no chance of blocking. Could it really be that easy?
A second flash of carmine sliced through the air, deflecting Ana's blow. Seconds later, an invisible punch impacted Ana's chest, sending her hurtling back through the dark where she collided with a fountain statue. The Dark Lady stood still, arms at her side, a lightsaber in each hand.
Curses steaming off her lips, Ana shoved herself to her feet. Water dripped from her face and clothes, squishing in her boots.
"You can't win," Kianna gloated.
"Oh, but I can," Ana rasped angrily. "I had planned to do it quick, but now I will see your child tortured before she finds her peace."
Kianna moved so quickly Ana barely saw a blur of motion before a hand clenched her throat. "No one touches my daughter," the woman hissed, her breath warm on Ana's cheek. "I'll take great pleasure in separating you from your limbs before you die."
Ana choked, but still managed a smirk. "How very sentimental of you, my Lady."
The Dark Lady grunted and, with a twist of her wrist, sent Ana tumbling to the walkway. She called her second weapon back to her palm and ignited it. Lightsabers hummed and crimson light flashed as Ana rolled and flung her lightstaff up to block both of the Empress' strikes. She kicked out, her booted foot smashing into Kianna's kneecap. The woman staggered back and Ana flipped to her feet, spinning and slashing at the Dark Lady's chest in the same motion. Kianna's left hand swung up, lightsaber moving to block. Sparks flew as Ana's blade burned two inches off the Empress' weapon. The lightsaber clattered to the ground, sparking once more before it went completely dark.
"Now we're even again," Ana smiled. Her left foot moved forward and she twisted her shoulders, lightstaff slicing up in a motion that would cut the Empress in two. Kianna side-stepped and blocked, locking her single blade with Ana's weapon.
"Not quite," Kianna replied.
Kianna flicked her wrist, and with a flash of red, her lightsaber sliced neatly through the center of Ana's lightstaff. A kick sent the assassin stumbling with barely a second to react as the Empress' weapon cleaved the air, swinging in a smooth arc towards Ana's throat. The clone jerked back a moment too late. The tip of the blade sliced through her tunic, burning her chest. Ana screamed. Dark energy crackled through her and she threw out her palm, flinging the Dark Lady back with a Force push. Without waiting, Ana whirled and propelled herself back up onto the balcony.
Krystia Antilles, daughter of the Empress, jerked back with a choked cry as the assassin landed in front of her. Ana whipped her shoto out of its holster and stalked forward. "Let's finish this."
A thump of booted feet was Ana's only warning. The assassin spun, her shoto igniting as she spun to block Kianna's blade. Lightsabers hummed and flashed as the two Sith desperately battled on the balcony. The Force Ghost of a farghul Jedi Knight reappeared between the Sith and the girl. Ana didn't recognize him, but judging from his appearance, she guessed he was one of Kianna's old Jedi buddies.
Boiling hatred flashed through the Sith assassin. So this was what drove the Dark Lady, what fueled her madness—love. Somewhere inside the woman was that damned squishy filling that made up a Jedi. Kianna was no true Sith—she was weak. And Ana hated her for it.
But in spite of that weakness, Kianna was still better prepared. With every strike, she drove Ana back a little, weakening her. Ana realized that the Dark Lady would win unless she outwitted the woman—and soon.
A flash of silver-white and a flicker of movement alerted the assassin to another threat. Both Sith twisted away, spinning to face the newcomer. He deflected the Dark Lady's instinctive slash with a calm stroke of his silver-white blade, then faced Ana. His eyes bulged with shock. "K—Kia…?"
"Hello," Ana smirked. She lunged, shoto flicking towards his face. If he felt any panic, his face betrayed nothing as he jerked back to evade the blow. But to Ana's surprise, Kianna moved to intervene, her lightsaber blocking Ana's next strike and sparing the Jedi's life.
Ana's eyes widened, surprise rippling through her. Kianna's fist shot out, catching Ana's jaw and spinning her around. The assassin stumbled, but quickly regained her balance and whirled. Kianna batted her right hand aside and clenched Ana's wrist, her other hand flying out to clench the clone's throat in a viselike grip. The shoto clattered from Ana's hand.
"Some Dark Lady you are," Ana gasped.
Kianna's eyes flashed and she pressed Ana back against the railing. "You've threatened my family."
"You have no family," Ana rasped. "You are no one, a weak shell of a woman who calls herself Sith."
A flutter of emotion Ana didn't recognize or understand passed over the Empress' face. She didn't take time to analyze it, however, as it gave her ample time to break the woman's grip. Drawing the Force around her, she threw Kianna and the Jedi back and reached into Krystia's mind to leave a parting present.
"Another time then, my Lady," Ana promised. Then, flipping over the railing, she disappeared into the darkness below.
Kianna stood silently, dark eyes gazing into the darkness below, hand clenching her lightsaber hilt. The woman had fled. I should finish this now.
But Krystia. And…
"Kia…?"
…Truen.
The Dark Lady turned slowly to face her brother. He stood several steps away, shoulders slumped slightly, his lightsaber held loosely by his fingertips. His hair was a mess and his beard looked just as ridiculous as Kianna remembered.
He hadn't changed a bit.
What are you doing here? You should never have come!
The words sprang into her thoughts as anger simmered through her veins. She hated him.
But she hadn't killed him. She had saved him—again.
Truen took a step forward, his left hand reaching for her arm. Kianna jerked back, slapping his palm away. "Don't touch me!" she hissed.
Hurt flashed across his features, but he didn't move back. His tongue flicked over his lips, and even in the darkness, Kianna could see—and clearly feel—his pleading gaze. "Don't do this, Kia. Don't even try to tell me you want me dead, because I know that isn't true. I can feel it, Kianna. I can feel the—"
"Shut up!" Kianna snapped, lips curling. "You mean nothing to me, Jedi."
"You won't kill me," he said with that damnable calm she remembered so well. "You couldn't before, and I know you can't now." He took another step, invading her space.
With a snap-hiss Kianna's lightsaber ignited. She held it to his chest, eyes narrowed. Her gaze flickered to her daughter, unconscious on the balcony. Ana had done something, Kianna realized. But she also knew there was little she could do for her now. Her talents lay in a different arena now…
She killed. Kianna Starflight was no longer capable of life, of mending pain.
The Dark Lady clenched her teeth, repressing a sigh. "Take her home, Truen. Keep her safe. But stay out of my way, or I swear…I will kill you."