Characters:
Bako: Son of the Droid Leader, General Grievous. He has an array of handmade drones to do his bidding, a mother complex, and is a 'Holy Man'. He obeys the 'Divine Order' and is also a Shinigami, or, a demon who guides the souls of the dead, to where they need to go, heaven or hell. He has a scythe named 'Harvest' that he carries around with him.
Anna: The Only Jedi to ever enter Bako's fortress and leave alive. She was guided to his fortress by a dream, and was locked in. She's the Jedi Apprentice of Kit Fisto.
Smith: Bako's first handmade droid works in the lower dungeons of the fortress, where things get hot. He has the ability to give the drones simple commands, and they follow. He's very nice for a droid, making you put to question if he is one. He takes care of small things around the fortress (like getting the heater to work and such)
Death Bringer, Bako
Chapter 3
Open for Slaughter
Anna sat on the bed, looking around at the room. There was a wardrobe of oak, on the other side of the wall. A mirror hung on the wall beside the door. A nightstand next to the four-poster, king-sized bed, made for two. The bed was neatly made and had a fluffy red comforter, soft. The pillows were soft as well- but it still bothered me. He said the room was his mother's- but where were the pictures of his father? Had he left the family? Who was- Bako's father? Was there any evidence that he HAD a father, in this three-story Citadel that spelled nothing but 'Death' for any Jedi who entered? What was Bako?
In this room that once belonged to his mother- there were two portraits. One was of a beautiful woman with short, silver hair, a little past mid-neck, with enchanting purple eyes. She was smiling happily, her velvet dress blowing in the soft wind in the portrait, her hands on the shoulders of a boy, who she predicted was Bako as a child. Her smile was illuminant, radiating a warm and friendly glow. They looked so motherly- so gentle.
The second picture was of a great, purple, bat-like demon, which was shackled. A steel collar, around its neck, and the large chain links, shrunk down, into the palm of a cloaked figure, who wore a battle mask, looking to the east, their cloak covering their body and billowing in the wind. The Demon's jaw was unhinged, as it let out a silent and dominant roar, telling all that IT was boss. The cloaked figure was its master, who had an aura of dominance themselves, so the demon complimented this- that silent roar said to her, 'My Master wishes for you to surrender, and I will fulfill his desire!'
Anna thought that both pictures spoke so much- had so much volume. But something bothered her aside from who was the father of Bako- the small, cloaked figure, in the picture of the smiling mother. In the background, against a large oak tree, there was a shadow of a man. The same man from the picture with the demon, possibly? So lost in this thought was she, she did not hear the door open.
"Miss?" She looked up to see the smith, who smiled at her. Not one bit had the Smith changed. "The Master told me to bring you lunch." He said, setting down a dinner next to her (it's like one of the breakfast-in-bed trays). "I hope you don't mind- I made one of every food groups (aside from sugars). Master Bako doesn't eat much himself aside from his greens and a little meat. Need to keep those recovery levels high." The Smith said, edging the tray towards her. "You should eat something- nothing's poisoned. We all wish for you to be in the best of health." Anna raised a curious eyebrow.
"'We'?" She repeated, and the Smith looked back at the door, the Drones peeking in shyly. "Oh, forgot about them." They just kept staring.
"Yes- they are often disregarded. But, I still fix them up, so when the Master isn't here, they occupy themselves by repairing things or following me around. There's nothing to do today, so, they're just hanging around the Mistress's Room." The Smith said, turning to leave. "The drones-they may follow you around. Master Bako gives them fatherly attention- but they regard him as a child does a mother." The smith said, leaving. Three droned came in cautiously, standing around her, as she sat on the bed. One drone poked her cheek, another, pressed their head against her chest.
"Heart beat." The second drone said. "Soft skin." The first said. "Short." Said the third one. The first got on the bed and laid down next to her, the second, sat on the ground at her feet, the third, lay side ways on the bed, and rested its head in her lap. The other drones vanished, and returned, filing in with blankets, setting up their own spots on the floor of the room, before curling up and covering up. She sweat dropped, realizing something familiar about the drones. They were like children. And right now, was their nap time. Anna sighed, letting them sleep.
~Later ~
Bako materialized into his fortress, sighing. "Whew! What a day!" He muttered.
"Master Bako, welcome back." Bako nodded to the Smith.
"Anna- how is she?"
"Coping, Master Bako. The drones have all piled into her room and are taking a nap. Ryuki is keeping watch over the door, and Si-heel is keeping watch over the window."
(A/n: 'Si-heel' is pronounced 'Shy-heal'. They are a Condor Dragon. Don't know what that is? Look it up on wookiepedia. )
"Ah- good, good. I'm happy the drones like her. She's well-rested possibly, yes? I think after I pray, I'll pay her a visit-"
Suddenly, the huge doors to his fortress, opened abruptly, sending a huge gust of wind, blasting his hair to run on the wind's current, from behind him. He turned around, a Jedi, stood there, in the door way, huffing. Bako smiled.
"WELL. That's the first time a Jedi's ever opened those doors so quickly- I'm impressed. But- aren't you scared to come here? So many rumors and stories going around…" Bako grinned, the Smith just stared.
"Anna. Where is she?" The Jedi demanded, drawing his light saber. Bako raised his hand, and the huge doors shut behind the Jedi, forcibly, pushing him deeper into his lair. Bako smiled.
"You know- this fortress- was once the lair of General Grievous- but then I took over and 'renovated' it. Now, it's my Citadel. Just a little- History Lesson." Bako put his hand on the hilt of Harvest's staff. "My father was all business-some times, he'd slip up. But then again, there was always darling Mama, there to keep him in line and tell him it wasn't his fault. She was such a good mother-"
"I don't give a damn about your parents! Where is Anna?!" Bako glared at him.
"Why? If you are a Republic Jedi, you should know- here is no room for love or any emotions. If you are a Sith Jedi, then there is nothing but hate." The Jedi winced at Bako's icy but truthful words. "Why do you desire Anna? Is it- lust? Or do you only wish to have her to selfishly keep to yourself, and hide her from the world? A flower wilts, if not given sunlight, now matter how much water you give it."
"I am a Jedi of the Republic, and she is my betrothed!" Bako and Smith both looked stunned- as if they had been electrocuted.
"Whoa- didn't see that coming." Bako said, laughing. "But that's not a good enough excuse, unless she loves you back!" Bako yelled, throwing Harvest at the Jedi, who was stupid enough, to use his light saber to block. But alas, the Jedi yelped, as Harvest sliced his light saber in two. "Drones! Collect our guest and take him to the lower level to be held." Shadow-cloaked figures with glowing red eyes, jumped on the Jedi, knocked him out cold, and dragged him away.
"Master Bako?" Smith said doubtfully, wondering why he didn't kill the Jedi off.
"If he's her betrothed- he's obviously got to know a lot about her. So, if we treat him nicely, maybe he'll be kind enough to cough up some more info on her." Bako looked at Smith and grinned. "Right? I'm going with my mother's philosophy so we're playing it by ear, ok?" Bako chuckled. "This- might be worth it." Bako whipped around. "I want that Jedi disarmed! He's an apprentice, so he may know the Jedi-Mind trick- Keep your guard up!" Bako warned. "Don't underestimate him, these Jedi are sneaky." He said, crouching down, and jumping onto the railing of the second story. In his fortress, there were no middle ceilings, aside from the dungeon and the third floor. On the edges of each floor, where the rooms were and the doors, was a normal hallway along the edges, and railings on the side. He could jump from story to story- the ability, blessed to him by his mother, who could jump two stories. But the second story is where his mother's room was. He stepped down from the railing, walking to her room, and opening the door, slowly, just a bit, to peek inside. Anna, lay asleep, on the bed.
Bako stood next to the side of the bed, looking down at her, feeling at peace. Such a peaceful expression on her face, she had, while she slept. Bako reached down, the urge to kiss a sleeping maiden's soft lips, flashing across his mind. But, he merely pushed back a strand of her red apple hair, and stared, smiling softly to himself. She was gorgeous. But the first time when he saw her- he saw his own mother. Now- he saw an angel in heavy chains. Bako snorted, standing up. Those filthy Jedi pigs- how dare they do such a thing to her? Contaminating and chaining down a girl such as this, for their own desire for war. One of the drones awoke, looking up at him. Bako looked at it, before looking back at her. "When she wakes up- led her to my bathing pool and retrieve her everything she needs to bathe, understood?" Bako said softly, the drone nodding, before curling back up against her on the bed. He wondered- if this was how his own father felt- every time he saw his mother sleeping. "What a gentle face…" Bako muttered, before turning on his heels and walking out, shutting the door behind him. He clenched the cloth on his chest, his face feeling hot, his heart racing. 'What the hell- is this?!' He thought, squinting his eye shut, falling to his knees as the heat in his chest grew and his heart galloped. Bako struggled to his feet, and trudged off to his room, with the help of his faithful drones.
O O O
Bako sat next to Smith, the heavy mist outside his fortress, clinging to his hair, making it damp. "I don't- understand, Smith." He muttered quietly.
"Its amazing she's stayed of her own free will-" Smith commented, trying to lighten things up.
"But for how long? How long will she stay with us? How long until she decides to run away?" Bako questioned, looking out in front of him of him. "I- don't want her to leave- but you cannot cage an exotic bird and expect it to behave. She needs to be allowed out. But-" Bako looked down. "If I take her out- I'm worried that she'll run away. I don't have time to chase her, and if I release the drones, my identity will be discovered. I want to keep her and protect her- but if we leave- chances that I can stay unknown are almost nonexistent." He told Smith, who glanced at him, before looking forward.
"Now- is a time where you as yourself- 'What would Father do?'- was there ever a moment that he had this problem? History tends to repeat itself, Master Bako." Bako closed his eyes, shuffling through the scarce memories of his father. "Find anything, Master Bako?"
"...no, but one memory keeps coming up."
"And that is?"
"My mother had left- to go get something. And my father was talking about bringing me somewhere, but we needed a larger star ship. My mother could sit on my father's lap in his- it was easy to get in and out of the atmosphere in it- but there was no room for me…" Bako's eyes snapped open. "I think I got it!"
"Do you?"
"Yes!"
"She may ask questioned, Master Bako, so brace yourself." Smith informed him, getting up, and walking back into the fortress, leaving Bako there to think. Bako rested Harvest down on the ground beside him, sighing. He stood and picked up Harvest, before walking back inside. With his mother's powers, it was easy to travel from planet to planet- but even in her powered state, space held no oxygen for her. Thus the reason, she still sat in a star ship when going from place to place. Bako looked down at his open palm of his right hand.
He only had a fraction of power- but his own form and hers were completely different. If he had the type of power she had- he'd be a GOD! Bako clenched his fist in anticipation, but then came the nagging question. Could he handle it? Or would it devour him from the inside? He had tried this before- but this time, it would be different. Bako looked up at the statue of his Mother. He sighed dreamily, staring at the silver form. His eyes never left her temporary form, as he set up the Ritual to bring her back. The drones set up a ring of candles around him, and Harvest was placed next to him, as he sat down and began meditation for the ritual.
"Refrain Miss Anna from leaving her room- this will take a day or so." Bako said, closing his eyes, and beginning the chant.
A wisp of purple smoke, emitted from the ground, and rose into the air, wrapping around the silver statue that hung high above his chair. The statue began to shake, and the drones backed off, as there was a roar.
O O O
~Lower Dungeon~
He sighed, locked in this room, and chained to the wall as well. Wild thoughts, running through his mind, which ha HIM in them. Ones that also had his Anna in them. That demon had her in his arms, and cries of protest filled his ears, as dirty images of the two filled his brain. "Ahhh!" He yelled, stopping mid-yell, as the long, sleek, black coffin next to him, shook slightly. He stared at it- the coffin in thick chains. The chains shattered and vanished from the coffin's polished surface. There was a growl, and the door opened, revealing a black-haired, yellow-eyed male.
He glanced down at the boy, a shiver of fear wrapped around his spine. Such a blood-thirsty and sad look in his eyes, that it struck fear into his heart, and plucked at his heart strings. This creature- so pale that even the moon held more completion than his skin, loomed above the prisoner, looking down at him. "Boy! Have you ever- felt the skin of a woman?"
"…Yes, sir?" The Jedi answered.
"In my past life- I never had the sensation of touch. My poor wife- so much love, she held for me. Yet, I could not return her affections." The Jedi pitied him, and the creature kneels down next to him. "But then- I was killed. I was in a white place- and a man with black hair remade me. I was then used as an experiment for the man- and when my wife had become the interest of four men- I came back to this life, in this form. But such a short time I had, before I fell asleep, I had not much time to repay her for her kindness."
"Wait- I'm confused- your wife cheated on you?"
"No, no, no! She was to collect the hearts of three men, before I could return." The creature explained, grinning, showing pearly FANGS. "Now- someone has been fool enough to wake her. And I must find her. Thank you for listening." They said, getting up, and walking to the door.
"It's locked."
"No it's not." They said, pushing the door with a single hand. It crippled and shriveled away from their palm, until it moved aside, and they walked away. The door was replaced, and grew back to normal size, once again, blocking the prisoner's way, as the creature stood outside the door, scratching his head, ruffling his black hair. "Hm…I don't remember my fortress being like this- well, I guess I'll have to navigate my way to my wife…" They said, mostly to themselves.
"Hey, help me out too!" The Jedi said, the creature looking back at him. "That monster has my fiancee!" The creature glared at him, before kicking him in the face, knocking the Jedi out cold, before snorting.
"Jedi scum…" they spit on the Jedi, before walking off, closing their eyes. "Hmph. I hope you die a horrid death, Jedi." The creature stood there, outside the Dungeon, taking in a deep breath, before letting out a low hiss. "Alice…Bako…Be ready for me!" They growled in anticipation, the crunched door, repairing itself, as if it hadn't been broken.
O O O
The large doors to the Throne room burst open. Bako didn't even glance back, his drones awakening, hissing, as they stayed at the very edges of the shadows, watching the intruders intently. Bako reached over to Harvest, grabbing its staff, and slowly standing up.
"My, My- Jedi in my home! What an honor." Bako snickered, glancing back at the group of Jedi, who stood in the throne room. "I've captured one of you, and five more come- did you come together?" Bako asked, one of the Jedi, speaking up.
"We're here to arrest you, Bako. You're a sith, and you deserve the death penalty, for how many you've slaughtered." They said, and Bako turned around, a large pair of black. Bat wings, appearing on his back.
"I don't CARE if you brought every single one of your Jedi friends into my home, because my policy is,' if you enter, you stay the night'." Bako said, his eyes change to a deep violet. "I side with NO ONE, but my religion. And you're in the middle, of a very important ritual of mine, fools." Bako said, stepping aside, the Jedi going rigid.
"A-Alice Gordania!" One said. "She was the Representative of Vassek!" Another said, and Bako moved back in front of her, glaring at them.
"You Jedi…She was so kind to you, even thought it was your fault, my father died." He clenched his Scythe. "YOU BASTARDS KILLED MY MOTHER FROM THE INSIDE OUT!! I WILL NOT REST, UNTIL EVERY ONE OF YOU, HAS PAID THE PRICE OF HER LIFE, WITH YOUR OWN!!!" Bako roared, , before vanishing, appearing behind them, and slicing them all, clean in half. They fell to the floor, and Bako hissed. "A Sith? HA! I kill you bastards for the thrill of the game." One, Jedi, had avoided the killing, and Bako turned to him. Bako grabbed the Jedi by the throat, and lifted him into the air, leaving the throne room through a side door, and going to the hanger bay of his fortress. The door opened, a drone watching, as Bako ruthlessly threw the Jedi to the ground, in front of an old star ship, that had been repaired to work as good as new, despite its rustic appearance. "Go to your council. Tell them I'm coming soon and that if they have a death wish, to come and collect the bodies of their comrades." Bako said roughly. "Fly out of here, and never return again. When you reach your destination, get out of the speeder." The Jedi, still, turned on his light saber. Bako scrunched his nose, and kicked it out of his hands, as the cock pit opened, and Bako just threw the Jedi in. The Speeder already out of the hanger, as the door closed, and the cockpit just began closing. "Hmph. Jedi. What a disgusting wretch of an organization they are." Bako hissed in hatred. "Side with any of them? What nonsense!" He looked back, hearing a thud.
"She collapsed." Smith informed, and Bako glared at Smith, clenching Harvest tightly.
"Damn those Jedi. They ruined my ritual, and now, the souls are going to escape her body!" Bako hissed, looking at the star ships. "Hm...actually- I only need the Jedi who killed my father. Is soul is enough to revive her fully." Bako turned around and smiled at Smith. "Go get Anna ready, we're going shopping!"
