Star Wars AU: Jedi Ana/Sith Kamilah
"We have the senators. En route to extraction."
"Better hurry up, Jack. Party's about to start here," Ana said quietly into the comlink as she paced behind the platoon of Republic troopers. A menacing presence approached the command bridge at an almost leisurely pace, eating into her composure. This level of power… A Sith Lord, no doubt. One of those dangerously calm ones too, sending only the barest of ripples through the air. But it seemed to be enough – Ana spotted more than a few troopers fidgeting restlessly with their rifles and shifting their feet, unaware of what put them so on edge.
Ana reached out, trying to identify more Force-users in the approaching group. There was but the one. That made things easier, at least. One Jedi and one Sith. Enough for a dramatic showdown.
"We'd go faster if Jack stopped treating the senators like babies."
"They're not trained for combat, Gabriel! We have to–"
"Yeah yeah," Ana cut in, hand coming to a rest on the hilt in her belt. "Save your bickering for later. Just hurry up so I can get the hell out of here."
"Understood," Gabriel said, and the link was cut off.
Ana stowed the communications device away, going to stand with the captain in the middle of the bridge. He had his rifle ready in hand. His platoon was spaced out around the bridge, all facing the doors through which their new friends would soon arrive. He glanced over at Ana, clad in simple grey armour and an unassuming russet robe. They shared a nod, then turned their heads forward to receive their guests.
It did not take long for the reinforced doors to slide open. Ana arched a brow. They had hacked it instead of barreling through like barbarians – something she could appreciate. Just not at the moment. Her attention was now on the lone Sith strolling through the bridge. Dark chrome armour, hooded black robe, full-face mask with only a dark slit across where the eyes should be. How typically Sith-y. Just like how she was dressed typically Jedi-y, Ana thought drily.
"I'm surprised," Ana said, voice ringing clearly across the deathly still air in the bridge. No one made a move since the Sith stopped in their tracks, the Imperial troops halting smartly behind their leader. "Surely you already know we've moved the senators. Why still attack the bridge?"
No response. With the impenetrable mask pointed towards her, the Sith reached for their lightsaber hilt calmly. Twin red blades extended on each side, and the Republic troopers leveled their rifles in response – to which the Imperials did the same. But Ana's dark counterpart just held the saber by their side.
"Surrender," came the modulated voice. Its tone was so placid it almost sounded bored. "And I will make your deaths painless."
Ana chuckled quietly, reaching for her own lightsaber. She thumbed a button, and its green blade came to life.
"A merciful Sith," Ana drawled, sliding her feet apart and bringing her weapon up. The Sith stood still. "What a special little snowflake you are."
Ana threw herself forward at the flash of lightning, as did the captain. The bridge burst to life in a rattle of gunfire, but she paid no attention to the rest. Honing in on her target, Ana pounced with her saber already halfway through a vicious slash, only to meet thin air. She rolled to the side, red blade slicing clean through the metal floor where she had been seconds ago. Then she somersaulted backwards, avoiding the sideways swing, and landed on her feet. She brought her own blade up just in time to crash into her opponent's, beams of light crackling where they met.
The Sith was fast, she gave them that. Smirking, Ana dared to move a hand away from her saber's hilt. The two were blown apart by the simultaneous Force push, though that did not deter them from flying into each other in a deadly dance. The world fell away from Ana's consciousness as she focused on her opponent, only barely aware that they were flying all over the spacious bridge in the private duel. Flipping off the wall she was being cornered against, Ana swung her saber at the Sith's neck, then felt a bone-deep burn whipping across her left bicep. Using a Force push to propel herself backwards, she glanced down at her bleeding wound, silently reprimanding herself for being overeager.
When her opponent leapt forward, red lightsaber ready for the kill, Ana grinned. Not only was she overeager, she was opportunistic as well. Time slowed as she analysed the Sith's position in mid-air, identified the minute crack in their defense, then dove in. Aiming a Force push at the Sith's feet, Ana pushed herself forward in a feint towards their left. It worked. Her opponent twisted in mid-air, only to have Ana's lightsaber sear through their chestpiece. In a split-second, Ana took another stride and swung her saber up. She saw the mask split into two, then was blown backwards by a bout of lightning to her chest.
She stayed on her feet, sliding back across the smooth metal surface. Casting a glance at the bridge, she saw that over half of both platoons were lying on the floor. Trusting the captain to keep things under control, Ana turned her head back to discover her opponent's hood had fallen back in the force of her blow. The Sith's features twisted in rage, her eyes glaring at Ana with the wrath of a thousand suns. Ana only managed to take one full breath before the Sith flew forward so swiftly, it caught her off guard.
She swung her saber blindly, pushing back against the heavy blow which threw her off-balance. Ana stumbled and tried to throw herself sideways, but was too slow. The red blade bit deep into the back of her thigh. She staggered forward, trying to regain her footing. Twisting her body around, Ana brought her blade up with both hands on the hilt. The Sith's saber struck, forcing her centre of gravity further backwards until her back lay on the control console. Struggling to keep the green blade from burning into her own blackened chestpiece, Ana looked up and–
–had her breath stolen away.
Her Sith opponent shared the same features as her compatriots – ashen skin, yellow eyes. Her human visage had not been grossly contorted yet, with purple veins crawling up the edges of her face, which wore a thin slash from her lower left jaw that ended at the bridge of her nose. Thin trickles of blood trailed from the wound, emphasising the utter hatred burning in her eyes. How was this – the embodiment of everything she stood and fought against – so damned beautiful?
"Where have you been all my life?" Ana asked through heavy breaths, staring up at the face framed by black locks falling forward in waves, with much more fondness than was healthy given their current situation.
Hateful eyes widened almost imperceptibly at her words, before they narrowed again. Blood-stained lips twisted cruelly in victory as the red blade pressed down, forcing Ana's saber to eat into her own armour. She felt her arms starting to give, when two gunshots rang out in the command bridge – which was oddly quiet, Ana realised.
The Sith jerked forward, eyes widening again – this time in disbelief and pain. With a threatening growl, she disappeared from Ana's sight. The Jedi snapped her back straight – noticing two holes in the black robe – and brought her hand up, pushing the Sith from her descent upon the captain who just saved her life. The man threw himself backwards to avoid the red blade, then squeezed his rifle's trigger again, forcing their opponent to dodge the bullets. Ana gave the Sith no time to recover, leaping forward and slashing across her opponent's dominant arm. She heard the grunt of pain, noticed the second black-gloved hand rise, and sent forth another instinctive Force push. It clashed with the lightning storm, and they were thrown backward from the resulting shockwave.
Ana landed on her back, air bursting out of her lungs. But she rolled onto her knees – then noticed the long silver hilt with intricate designs twining over the column. The Sith's lightsaber, she realised. So like any logical, wise, and level-headed Jedi would do–
Ana grabbed the weapon.
She scrambled onto her feet, sheathing her own saber in her belt, and reached for the beeping comlink.
"Ana. Senators are secured. Are you alright?"
"Yeah." She glanced over at the captain, who had risen to his feet and nodded at her. Then she looked at the Sith, who was getting up as well. "Er, just have the ship ready to go the moment we board, alright?"
"Understood," Jack said and cut off the channel.
"Go," she told the captain, who took one last glimpse at their opponent, then ran for the hallway leading to the hangar.
There was a violent jerk on her hand – the Sith was trying to call the lightsaber back to her side. Ana grinned, tightening her grip on the hilt, which was trembling fiercely in her hold. She brought it up to eye level.
"You want it?" Ana raised her voice so it carried over to the Sith, who was seething with hands clenched. "Come and get it!"
Swallowing her victorious cackle, Ana barreled through the side door with a Force-bolstered leap. A roar echoed down the dimly-lit corridor, unadulterated anger pulsing through the air as the Sith fell into a chase after her. Ana pumped her legs at an unrelenting pace, keeping a good distance from her pursuer until she reached the hangar. Dashing up the frigate's ramp, Ana spun on her heel to throw a Force push at the Sith again. Before the ramp closed completely, she saw the enemy stumble, then throw a handful of lightning futilely at the ship before it flew out of the starship's hangar and out of range.
The captive lightsaber hilt kept shaking in her grasp, desperate for its owner's touch. But it eventually stilled as they flew farther from the hijacked starship. Ana made for the cockpit where Jack and Gabriel were, brushing off the men's concern at the sight of her bleeding wounds. They informed her that they were heading to the designated sanctuary, and the senators were resting in the living quarters. Or rather, trying to make peace with their harrowing experience.
"What's…" Jack asked, pointing at the hilt in her hand.
Ana looked down and grinned. "This is a souvenir, my dear Jack." She laughed breathlessly, settling in a nearby chair. "And a bait." Then she became aware of how bloody painful her wounds were.
"Get me a med kit, won't you?" she asked. The blonde nodded, and made his way for the med bay.
She gazed at the stolen hilt a little longer, admiring the carvings on its metal surface. Her own was not nearly as embellished as this one. Ana turned it over in her hands, then her vision blacked out. A flood of fury and bloodlust ignited the blood in her veins, heart swelling with inhuman rancor. She only became aware of the livid scream tearing through her throat when her shoulders were shaken forcefully.
Consciousness returning in a flash of blinding light, Ana blinked, suddenly aware she was on her knees. Gabriel tilted her head up to face his concerned scrutiny.
"Ana. What happened?"
"I–, I don't…"
She lowered her gaze to the hilt grasped tightly in her hand. It was a resonance, she realised. It was the Sith's rage that she had felt.
Something told Ana she had just signed her death contract.