Disclaimer: KotOR is owned by it's respective owners.
before reading this chapter, i highly suggest that you go read my story 'Flawed' first- i may be making mentions/references of the events that happen in that story. it's just a quick 10 chapters flying by your eyes, then you can return to this.
this particular story will pose as my attempt at a novelisation with AUness and behind-the-scenes incorporated - many of these chapters will be switching between different POVs (the pov will be noted in the chapter name) at irregular times. i've been considering this idea for a while, and have decided to put it down on (digital) paper. updates will probably be slow, and i may be writing other, shorter stories in the meantime.
beta reader: R. Constance - a great writer and a great help.
:The Endar Spire: five days after assignment to Jedi Commander Bastila Shan: 3956 BBY:
Waking up on the Endar Spire was normally an unpleasant feeling. To start off the routine, one firstly had to open their groggy eyes at 0600 hours sharp at the mark of a droning, painfully loud alarm bell. It was a constant struggle to become oriented with the sense of time and date, due to a lack of sky, sun and moon in the vacuum of space. As a result, one must drag themselves off the hard mattress and take the time to simply convince their mind that it was six in the morning, and yet pitch black. Space travel was certainly daunting to the inexperienced such as Aedyn Varn.
Fighting was different, though. The exposure and danger alleviated his senses, pumped hot adrenaline through his veins, and could turn him into a killing beast. It was a cold, hard battle that would arouse Aedyn from his sleep this particular cycle, and force his journey to twist in an interesting direction.
The harsh impact shook Aedyn out of bed, tossing him onto the floor with a spectacular crash. "Frack," he cursed. He was especially aggravated with little sleep, his eyes blinking furiously to stay open. "Are the pilots di'kute? Can't even fly a damn ship straight!" Wincing, he stood shakily, sporting newly formed bruises.
Only to fall down again in a fantastical heap as the ship rocked violently a second time.
"Oh, for the love of-!"
Aedyn was rudely interrupted by the sliding of his door, connecting to the complex hallways of the third deck. He stared dumbly as a black, orange and yellow clad Republic soldier with tufts of fair blonde hair that stuck up rushed in, yelling things like, "Get up quickly!" and "The Sith are here!" and "We have to protect Bastila!". The disruptive man's face seemed familiar - Trask Ulgo was the name that belonged to it - and Aedyn took a moment to register what the man was spouting.
Sith are here. Bastila in danger. Must go fight.
"Can't a man get a good night's sleep?" Aedyn grumbled irately.
"No time, soldier. You're needed on the bridge right now where Bastila is meditating as we speak! You're one of her bodyguards, aren't you? Get your gears ready and let's go!"
Trask was ordering him around like he was the veteran here - like he were the higher ranking soldier. Then again, the younger man was unfortunately right. Protecting Basila Shan should be Aedyn's first priority as one of the Jedi's elite - she wasn't particularly bad company, anyway. Damn, what a patriot...
Rubbing sleep out of his tired eyes, Aedyn went forth to strap on his light armour and utility belt as quick as he could move his numb fingers. He stepped into his boots and attached his arm guards. The fittings felt right. Like they belonged as a part of Aedyn's skin. He shuddered and closed his eyes as his hand trailed down the smooth steel of his vibroblade. Perhaps Aedyn would finally awake when the same blade sung with blood...
Yet another wave shook the floor under their feet, and Aedyn's eyes shocked open. He looked back at an impatient, unbalanced Trask with steel eyes. "We'd better get moving."
Trask could only nod out of relief and the two soldiers charged into the white maze of corridors, navigating to the ship's bridge. Aedyn ran forth, keeping his dual vibroblades unsheathed. Trask who tailed behind shouted profanities with every earthquake they encountered. "We're not gonna make it at this rate!," he shouted. "We should contact Bastila or one of the other officers and request for additional orders!"
"Right!" Aedyn grunted back. He carefully raised his forearm, wary of the chance he'd accidentally slice his off-hand. The comlink on his guard activated with a bright yellow flash, and Aedyn entered the code to the bridge channel. "This is Aedyn Varn of Bastila Shan's escort team. What's the status on bridge?"
No answer came. Only static was sounded from the other end of the line.
"Can anyone read me? Is anyone there?" Aedyn cursed at the further lack of response. "We'll have to storm the bridge and check the situation ourselves." He closed the com. channel and suddenly halted 'round a corner, causing Trask to bump into him consequently. He raised a hand to silence the irritated young man, ears pricking.
Voices. He heard them clearly:
"Bastila's being taken care of by the Elite."
"We just have to take out the rest of the Republic trash."
"Be quiet! Someone might hear us and we'd have an ambush on our backs."
Aedyn fell to his knees and snuck a peek from the edge of the corner. Good, no one saw him. His eyes cast around the surroundings as he surveyed the enemy. It was a small Sith boarding party. "Two on the left, two on the right. All wielding firearms. This shouldn't be too hard," Aedyn whispered, turning back to his cover. "You ready, Ulgo?"
Trask scoffed, switching the safety lock off his rifle. "Of course I am. I was the one who woke you up." Retreating a few meters back he stood, ready. "On your signal," he mouthed.
Aedyn raised three fingers from the grip of his off-hand vibroblade. He slowly put them down, one at a time, as the Sith approached closer and closer. Grenades would be a waste against such a small group. It was better to hack them down at close range with the advantage he had in weaponry. One swift cut at each of their necks should do the trick, and even a glance could deal incredible damage thanks to upgrades in his vibroblade hilts. Aedyn's nerves tingled, shaking off the sleep that had clouded him. It was so close - the bloodshed - it was so excitingly close.
The third and last finger was brought down as the first Sith stepped out into the open, and Aedyn's breath was taken away as he stepped into an uppercut with his left blade, his other blade digging into the Sith's side on reflex.
The Sith trooper was dead in an instant, and another was shot down by Trask from the corner, falling with a short-lived scream. The other two Sith were backing away, trying to put distance between the vibroblades. Aedyn was faster though, and impaled the Sith to his left in a flash, overwhelming him. His last target cursed, and Aedyn didn't need to see his enemy's face to sense the terror rolling off him. He approached him slowly, vibroblades raised and dripping red.
"Now," Aedyn said darkly. "Why don't you tell us wh-" A sudden, loud 'PEW' sounded from behind Aedyn, rudely interrupting him, and the Sith he was cornering dropped in a heap. Aedyn whipped his head back to see Trask walking up to him. "Trask Ulgo," he said slowly.
"Yes, Varn? We should really get moving," said Trask distractedly.
"...You idiot."
Trask blinked. "Sorry, what?"
"We could've questioned him. We could've asked him what Malak's plans were and the situation on the rest of the Endar Spire, but noooo," Aeydn dragged on. 'You just had to kill him in mid-sentence, disregarding any of those chances. My mid-sentence, in fact!" Kids these days, he scoffed. So damn rude and foolish.
"Right, right, i'm sorry. Now can we just get going?" Trask waved the tip of his rifle vaguely to the left.
Aedyn shook his head thoughtfully. "Nevermind that. It's pointless rushing to the Bridge now. These Sith said that 'Bastila's being taken care of by the Elite'. We can only guess that these 'Elite' are Dark Jedi, and that they've overpowered her during her Battle Meditation - when she's at her weakest. If she was lucky enough, her guards would've intervened and she'd be loading into or already be in an escape pod headed for Taris. Either that, or the Republic has lost and she's already been captured." Aedyn paused. "There's also the possibility that the Sith have disabled the escape pod launchers..."
"But-"
"We'll still go to the Bridge, of course, but now our priority isn't to find and protect Bastila - it's to stay alive!" Aedyn started into a run. "You know what," he called out to Trask, glancing over his shoulder. "I'm starting to feel awake now!"
"Ha. Ha," Trask chided. A fraction of a second later, he cried out, "Sith, two o'clock!"
Aedyn ducked down, swiftly dodging the short sword that swung from his right and travelled over his head. He raised his vibroblades to block the Sith's next powerful strike, and jumped back, surprised at how much sweat collected on the palms of his hands. The two combatants stood still, waiting for the other to make a move.
This guy isn't too bad. Aedyn inwardly smirked. But he's still not good enough.
Aedyn broke the silence and dashed forward on the Sith's right, then dodged with lightning speed, tricking his opponent's sword hand to fell in empty air. An opening. Aedyn vibroblades were like scissors, cutting into the enemy's flesh and bone with a blade swinging from either side. He felt the solid 'thud' under his feet as the Sith fell to the floor, writhing in agony. Seconds later his body lay limp and cold. Aedyn stepped over it. letting the tips of his blades trail behind. Just another obstacle taken care of.
When Aedyn and Trask finally arrived at the shadowed bridge, the first thing Aedyn noticed was the many bodies that littered the dark floor. The second thing he noticed was how dark it was. The only light source present was the flickering blue terminal screens and blaring red alert alarms.
He grimaced at the familiar sight, stepping through the maze of faces and limbs. But a sense of satisfaction would hit Aedyn whenever he saw the limp corpses of his enemies.
"Let's search the bodies, Ulgo. There could be something useful here." Aedyn sheathed his vibroblades, bending down pick a few thermal detonators he eyed. After also recovering a large backpack, some medkits and energy cells, he turned to Trask, who was looking into the main computer terminal of the Bridge. "Find anything interesting?"
"I'm setting up a com. channel that should be able to contact Carth Onasi and linking it to our communicators," Trask said. "Should be ready in a few seconds..." The Endar Spire shook, making Aedyn grip the railing to steady himself. Not good. The ship can't last for too long now with this much damage it was taking. An explosion erupted in one of the navigating panels lining the steel wall, sending hot orange sparks flying.
Aedyn raised an arm to shield off the tiny fires, which bounced harmlessly off his armour. "You nearly done, Ulgo?" he called out.
"Got it. We can contact him later on once we near the escape pods. Let's hurry." Trask glanced around the dead. "Is...there anything else we need to do here?" His voice dropped, leaving the question hanging on silence.
Aedyn shook his head. "No," he said, softly. "No." So, Trask Ulgo was beginning to realise it - what it really meant to be a soldier; what the purpose of a war was. The poor kid was realising that often, soldiers were only pawns in the larger picture. They died quickly. And were forgotten just as fast. A harsh lesson every fighter must go through.
Sure, young people are rude, foolish, and patriotic. But still, so innocent.
Aedyn nudged Trask's arm. "You have the surpass the dead, Ulgo," he said lightly. "And keep living for yourself-"
Trask straightened his demeanour. "My heart and soul exist only for the Republic."
"- and the Republic, yeah, whatever. My point is," Aedyn continued, "you need to keep going. You let their lives live on in your memory as long as you can hold. You're a soldier, aren't you? This is what you've been training for. Take a word from your elder, Ensign."
"It feels wrong though - that all these men and women gave up their lives and none of them are able to keep their identities as individuals. They're all lost in a greater flow of some sort." Trask stopped abruptly, daring to snicker. "And to think I was the one who got you out of bed when the Sith attacked."
Aedyn brushed the comment off and hid a smile of surprise at the amusement they found, returning to his serious manner. "Now let's get out of here else we get blown to kingdom come with this ship." Aedyn's eyes flickered back to Trask. "Contact Onasi, Ulgo, before the Sith get to us." The two exited the Bridge, the damaged doors taking time to open with a flurry of sparks and creaks. The white lights and walls of the hallway blinded Aedyn as he stepped out from the shadows, forcing his eyes to become slits. He unsheathed one of his vibroblades, keeping an eye on the area as he guarded Trask.
"Hello? Captain Onasi? This is Ensign Trask Ulgo and Aedyn Varn of Commander Shan's escort team! Please respond!" Trask spoke with an urgent tone, gradually growing more and more desperate. "Captain Onasi, please respond!"
A faint, static voice at last sounded from Trask's comlink, which was set on speaker. *"This is Captain Carth Onasi speaking. State your situation - quickly."*
"We're alone at the Bridge, Sir. Everyone inside, be it Republic, Jedi or Sith, are stone dead. Bastila is nowhere to be found."
*"I've just received intel. You two soldiers are the last surviving members on the Endar Spire along with myself. Bastila should've already ejected from the escape pods, so your main objective is to meet with me at the launch and get off this ship together! Keep the com. channel open; We may need to call each other again, and none of us can afford to wait for a pending connection."*
"Right, Sir!" Trask lowered his comlink and turned to Aedyn with an ashen face. A look which the latter returned. "Impossible," he breathed. "This isn't...we're the last...kriff..."
"I know, it's like I said," Aedyn spoke darkly. "And that's all the more reason to do what Onasi says and head for the escape pods." The duo continued to run through the hallways, weaving left and right around corners. They were being guided by Aedyn's map on his datapad.
"Three hundred meters until we reach the pods," Aedyn grunted, his legs picking up speed as they ran hard.
They reached the end of the hallway, the door at the end sliding open to greet them. Lying in wait in the adjacent room there stood a tall, bald man donning dark robes and wielding a metal cylinder object. With a snap-hiss, a glowing red blade spouted out from the tip and Aedyn froze in his tracks. His blue eyes momentarily lost their steel, but only momentarily. As the Dark Jedi turned and grinned at them slowly, Aedyn's mind whirled, conjuring up possible tactics and tricks. There was a chance - a very slim one - Aedyn could beat this Dark Jedi. The vibroblade he currently wielded was fitted with cortosis-weave, after all, and he had a few tranquilizers up his sleeve...
"Frack, it's a Dark Jedi!" Trask ran forward, shoving Aedyn back with an arm. 'Go to the escape pods, Varn!" he yelled. "I'll hold this guy off!"
Aedyn ended up stumbling back to the other side of the door, protesting with rage, "No, you idiot, Ulgo! You don't stand a chance! You have to move on, remember? You have to keep living!" Before he could open his mouth further, Trask cut him off.
"It looks like i'll be joining the flow, Varn," he said, his back turned to Aedyn. Aedyn heard the choke in the younger man's voice, and before he could step forward, Trask fired at the control panel and the door separating them began spiraling shut quickly. Much too quickly.
"Trask Ulgo!" Aedyn tried again, his heart throbbing with frustration, yet it was also touched by Trask's bravery. Aedyn was answered with a glimpse of frightful, yet determined icy-blue eyes that glanced back at him. They were the last thing he saw of Ensign Trask Ulgo before the door closed shut.
Aedyn cursed silently, but he couldn't waste the window of opportunity. He couldn't waste this precious sacrifice. So he took the detour and ran in the opposite direction. As he ran hard though, he couldn't help but think with rage. That Trask was such a fool - he could've kept his life if he had just listened to Aedyn, who actually had a chance of fighting! Aedyn guessed it was just a part of Trask's nature though - to do heroics right til the very end.
What a patriot, he thought bitterly, dwelling into a hollow feeling he knew all too well.
*"I should warn you - you have a Dark Jedi tailing you two or so hundred meters behind you. By the way...where's the Ensign?"* emitted the deep, static voice of Carth Onasi.
Aedyn's voice was bleak. "Dead."
There was a short pause. *"I'm sorry to hear that."*
"This is no time to mourn, Onasi. I'm sure you and I both know that," Aedyn said through gritted teeth. "I'd appreciate it if you readied one of the escape pods now. I should be with you soon." Aedyn glanced over his shoulder worriedly. Was that a humming sound he could hear? Damn it all! Aedyn couldn't leave Trask's sacrifice to have been in vain.
Don't think, Varn Just keep running, Varn. Just keep running. If he turned left here and continued right down to reach the end of the hallway, Carth Onasi should be there on the other side with the escape pods, and there laid his ticket out of here.
The blast door, which slid open, revealed a grim man who wore a burnt orange jacket waiting on the other side. Behind the man lined an array of escape pods, some already launched.
"Carth Onasi?" Aedyn questioned, to which the other nodded.
Now that he could hear the man in person, Aedyn detected the hint of experience and harshness in Carth's voice. "Glad you made it," he said, rushed. "I could hug you if we had the fracking time! Now get in, Varn! We're getting off this doomed ship, before the Sith catch us. I've rigged two other pods to launch at the same time as ours - that way if the Sith fire at any, we have a sixty-six percent chance of not being hit."
Aedyn stepped into the vacant pod, making room for Carth to join in. There was a short, hurried scuffle of swords, blasters, hands and feet before the two men could fit in comfortably. Once the captain had strapped himself in, Carth quickly pressed the launch sequence and the pod's hatch closed. "Brace yourself."
"I knew that much already." Aeydn strapped on his seatbelt and spoke slowly, suddenly beginning to feel heavy. "You know...there was no need to rig those escape pods, Onasi. The Sith wouldn't..." he trailed off, struggling to keep his eyelids from drooping. "...they wouldn't dare fire at any pods without knowing whether Bastila was in one of them or...not." What the hell was wrong with him? Shake it off, Varn!
Carth glanced at him worriedly. "Varn, you okay there?" His brown eyes stared. "Are you coming down with something?"
"I'm...not sure," Aedyn muttered.
The escape pod gave a shudder, and a sudden velocity forced Carth and Aedyn to become glued to the backs of their seats as the pod was launched out from the Endar Spire into space, plummeting towards Taris. The planet's misty atmosphere of blues and greens approached closer and closer with every shake and shudder of the pod.
Aedyn's head had smashed harshly against his seat, dulling his vision and causing his thoughts to run in circles. Why was he feeling so weak suddenly? So tired? Why couldn't he think straight? The interior of the escape pod was dark, only sometimes illuminated by the red blaster bolts and bright explosions flying past the view window. Aedyn welcomed this eerie darkness, his eyes shutting close and refusing to open.
The pod shook again, violently, and a sudden, sharp pain erupted at Aedyn's temple, provoking him to scream before he succumbed to the darkness and knew no more.
They came as flashes and sparks. In unpredictable and untraceable movements.
He was standing calmly in the center of a dark-draped bridge, risen on a pedestal, waiting. The security door opposite his glory spiraled open, revealing a group of worn and weary Jedi and Republic soldiers - the intruders storming his flagship. A strangely familiar and attractive brunette woman was in the lead, wielding a yellow double-bladed lightsaber. It's golden beams cast shadows across her determined face and illuminated her grey eyes. He stared back into those glaring eyes, though hiding behind the safety of his mask.
He'd challenge her, he decided. And twist and bend her to his will. He smirked...
The world changed and suddenly, his iightsaber was drawn now, a blood-red beam in his grip. They were fighting. They were all fighting against one another. Everywhere - the Sith, Jedi and Republic. He but merely stood ready and watched, mocking the foolishness of them all, and cursing their blind ideals and goals. It was a divided world full of people who were easily corrupted, forgotten, and denied. He would change it all, though. He'd do whatever it took to strengthen the people of this world, this universe.
But first, he had to subjugate this threat to his plan. This threat that went by the name 'Bastila Shan'. So he raised his lightsaber and charged into the fray, crossing blades with the entities that stood in his path...
The world shifted again. Now, a sharp and excruciating pain travelling up his arm. A curse leaving his lips. An explosion. Then...nothing...
so i hope you guys found this first chapter interesting! be on the lookout for more :P the next chapter will be returning to bastila.
Glossary:
di'kute - "idiots" in Mando'a. plural of "di'kut"
cortotis-weave - a swordsmithing technique used on melee weapons such as vibroblades and swords that allowed the blade to withstand lightsaber blows