The Origin of Li'Patarn
Star Wars fan fiction by James Vigor
Darth Ralgum brought his captives to the bridge, Master Jedi Okum Wiid and his apprentice, Jedi Padawan Li'Patarn Emirr. 2 months before the sacking of Coruscant and the destruction of the Jedi temple, these two Jedi had boarded his ship in their personal starfighters in the hope of killing him and disbanding the blockade he'd formed around Nar Shaddaa.
One of the many guards escorting the Jedi, a Lieutenant, approached Ralgum and handed over two very different looking hilts. Ralgum tapped a switch with each of his thumbs and a couple of magnificent blades of light flashed to life in his hands, one a deep blue, and the other a brilliant orange.
Ralgum gave a short grunt of disgust, powered down the Jedis' lightsabers and shoved them into the guard's chest, leaving him to catch them before they clattered clumsily to the deck.
"Jedi." He snorted. "How predictable that the Republic would send you. You are the defenders of peace, aren't you? Why wouldn't they send you?" A thin smile touched the corners of his mouth. He turned, strolled over to the main display and waved a gesture to the guards. "Leave us." He commanded, and the armed officers filed out of the room, leaving Ralgum, the Jedi and the bridge crew alone.
"Call me prejudiced," he said, glancing distantly into space, "but I have a certain...dislike for your kind. You see, I am more than a political leader, or a puppet for the Emperor. I'm a Darth, and as you may also know..." he paused to give himself time to lift a corner of his dark robe and reveal a device similar to the ones he'd been handling earlier, before announcing the final three words.
"A Sith Lord."
The Jedi knew this. Few members of the empire made the rank of Darth without being a wielder of the Force. They watched him intently, never breaking their gaze, and each trying to think of a way out.
"I could talk for hours," Ralgum said. It had certainly sounded like he was going to. "but I have a lot work to do. I guess I'll just have you escorted to the brig. I'm sure the Republic would pay quite handsomely for the safe return of a Master Jedi and his apprentice."
As he spoke, he slowly came closer the Jedi until he was nose-to-nose with Master Okum, who spat violently in his face. Li'Patarn was surprised at this. His master was the one who taught him not to feed your anger, and to remain calm in all situations. This sudden outburst could mean only one thing as far as the Padawan could tell. Okum had a plan.
Ralgum stumbled back, wiped the saliva off with the back of his hand and flicked it to the floor. His expression was one of disgust and this was portrayed even more by his words. "How dare you! The brig was far too generous of me! I should have you killed!" This idea seemed to inspire him. He reached for his belt, and all of the bridge officers looked up in unison as their superior ignited his crimson lightsaber and the room was silent except for the mystical hum of his blade.
He lifted it high above his head and charged, screaming, towards the Jedi Master. When he was in range, Okum let his foot fly forward and hit Ralgum squarely in the chest. He loosened his grip on the weapon which spun into the air, and the Jedi swiftly turned to let the falling 'saber slice his cuffs in two. He swept it off the deck where it settled and cut the cuffs off his apprentice, who force-pulled a blaster pistol from its holster on the navigation officer's leg.
In reaction to this situation, Darth Ralgum let the force of the kick push him over a workstation where he crouched for cover. With a comm device on his ear, he called for the guards who had just left the bridge and was immediately answered by the lieutenant holding the lightsabers who sprinted through the door with two armed soldiers at his side. They fired at their enemies.
Li'Patarn returned fire as Okum deflected the bolts back to where they came from. With the three guards dead and the Jedis' lightsabers falling through the air, they both acted quickly, calling the Force to pull their weapons no less than five meters across the room into their respective owners' hands.
Ralgum charged out of cover as this happened and, with Okum's attention distracted, recovered his own lightsaber from the Jedi Master's hand. Emirr activated his blue blade, Wiid ignited his orange one and suddenly Darth Ralgum was outnumbered two-to-one. If he cared, however, he certainly did not show it.
They charged each other, meeting in the middle with a clash. They moved, watching each other's movements for the best chance to counter. Ralgum was faster than they were, but he had to be if he was to block twice as many attacks as he could throw.
The Darth propelled himself through the air, attacking as he did, and landed on the other side of the two Jedi. They continued to fight as Ralgum led the way off the bridge and into a corridor where a few more members of the security force were. They fired into the mess of tangled light, and were unfortunate enough to have the same lasers bounce right back at them.
Lightsabers were going everywhere; they collided with walls, spun in circles and it was generally difficult to see what was going on.
They soon reached a small bay of elevators. Doors parted and a pair of officers, ready to take their shifts on the bridge, noticed the fighters heading for the elevator they had just left and moved out of the way quickly.
Ralgum withdrew and ran for the open doors with the Jedi in pursuit. Li'Patarn was the first to get there, but Ralgum found it too simple to bat his 'saber out of the way and toss him back the way he came. As he tapped the control to bring him down to the brig, Master Okum leapt forward, slid through the closing doors and continued to fight.
The Padawan pulled himself from the deck, recovered his lightsaber which had fallen just a few meters away and listened. He heard the sound of conflict fade away as it plummeted downwards.
He concentrated on the doors in front of him, closed his eyes and made a parting motion with his hands. He heard the doors open, opened his eyes and slipped through, falling toward the lift. He ignited his saber, pointed it downwards and braced for impact.
Both Okum and Ralgum were struggling for space in the cramped lift, but still made dangerously threatening swings at each other. They were soon locked together, each pushing their weapon forward with all of their strength to weaken the opponent and make the final strike. They were too equal, though, and there was nothing to do but keep it up until the doors parted again.
Before long, a blue weapon ploughed through the ceiling, shattered the light and hung between their heads. At this point, the light in the elevator was the gentle glow of the three lightsabers, casting a sickly mix of blue, orange and red over the walls and combatants.
The blue 'saber began to move, cutting a large, slow circle in the roof. It was difficult for them to avoid the weapon that risked peeling their heads open without backing down. Thankfully, however, the lift stopped and the doors opened, allowing the Jedi Master and the Sith Lord to spill out into the corridor running out between the cells of the brig.
Ralgum was too fast for Okum and, without his apprentice, it was not an even fight. The Master was pushed onto the defensive and was struggling to keep it up.
Li'Patarn had just finished cutting through the top of the elevator and kicked the rough circular shape in. He jumped through the hole and sprinted forward. With his opponent's back to him, he could strike. But he knew he must do it quickly, or risk his Master's defeat.
Neither Okum nor Ralgum saw him coming, but the Padawan was picking up a hell of a lot of speed. With both his mind and his body, Jedi Master Wiid put everything into the precious few seconds he would have if Li'Patarn did not show up. Ralgum, however, sensed his presence. He waited until just the right time, then sidestepped.
The Padawan had been unable to stop, or even think, but whatever had happened, he'd missed Ralgum and plunged his lightsaber directly into Okum's chest. Neither of them expected this. Ralgum backed off, giving the young man some time to feel the overwhelming guilt before he struck him down.
"NO! No, no, no!" Li'Patarn screamed as his Master fell to the deck plates. "Master. Forgive me."
"You're forgiven," Okum replied wearily, "but learn to take your time in combat. I can feel your anger."
"Yes, Master. I promise." A tear dripped from the Padawan's eye.
"Finish this, and always remember..." These were Okum's final words.
Time to end this, Ralgum thought. He reignited his lightsaber and swung for the young man's neck. All of a sudden, an orange blade materialised in front of his. Li'Patarn stood and ignited his blue 'saber in his right hand with Okum's orange one in his left.
He lunged with his right while still blocking with his left. Ralgum spun around, freeing his weapon so he could bring it around and knock the stab aside.
The trickle of anger Li'Patarn still harboured for both himself and the Sith Lord seemed sufficient enough to turn the tides in his favour. Ralgum was on the defensive again, but soon found the strength inside him to throw another attack.
Li'Patarn certainly didn't expect this and his blue weapon hurtled across the room. In response, he put all his strength, into a swing to hold his opponent's lightsaber to the side. With his empty hand, he lunged, grabbed the Darth's throat and began to choke him.
Ralgum used his own empty hand to try and push him away. With no luck, he let go, summoned all the power he had and force-pushed Li'Patarn's hand aside. The momentum of the push spun him in a circle. He curled his hand into a fist and let the force of the spin slam his fist into Ralgum's face.
The plan worked. Ralgum fell to the floor and his lightsaber sailed through the air. With quick reflexes, Li'Patarn swung Okum's lightsaber and sliced the hilt of Ralgum's in half. Darth Ralgum had been defeated.
He followed Ralgum as he crawled and cowered into a corner. He contemplated his options. The Jedi had taught him never to kill an unarmed opponent. Then again, his mission holocron clearly said 'Eliminate Darth Ralgum by any means necessary' He intended to do just that.
"This is for Okum!"Li'Patarn cried out and brought his lightsaber down on Ralgum's head. Mission accomplished.
To this day, Jedi Sentinel Li'Patarn fights with Okum's lightsaber as well as his own. He survived to destruction of the Jedi temple and has achieved many other notable feats. However, the dark side of the Force still threatens to consume him as his anger has not yet dissipated.