Were back, this is where the story should start to take off more, answer questions, and include glorious fight scenes.
Victor turned on his feet, his lecture to Barriss interrupted. Barriss saw Victor tense up, 'I have a feeling this isn't the first time this has happened' she thought.
"You think that I have to pass everything I plan through you?" Victor shouted at the Kota, "I told you before that I will do as I see fit for these operations if you do not agree with me you can leave, but I will not have someone stand there and tell me what I can and cannot do! I started this rebellion, people have put their faith in me, and I have been in the trenches with those men held them in my arms as they died. When you have good friends get their life ripped away willingly because of your cause and as they slowly die tell you that it is not your fault or to go on and continue your mission then you can give me orders."
Before Kota could even counter Victor started to darkly mock both of them, "Oh wait that's right you have a 'code' that says you can't have relationships. Forbid the idea that you could actually care for once because that would lead to your dark side." On that note he turned around and stomped off away from the two. Barriss was amazed at Victor she now knew some of the things he had seen and done. 'The strain of this must be killing him. To have a friend die in his arms would be horrid' she thought wondering if she could ever know the same feeling. At one point she might have been able to say Ahsoka was a friend but she ruined that friendship with her actions.
Kota broke the silence between them, "He's not wrong you know," he started to say slowly, "I met him on the battlefield treating one of his men. That was when I discovered that he was faking to be a clone. He didn't even care that I knew because one of his men was hurt, he had promised that if I help his man he would turn himself in." Kota looked through the window that was over the hanger, men and women running around doing their jobs.
"What did you do?" Barriss slowly asked.
"It was too late for his friend at that point he perished before I could even move. Trooper was so distant through the rest of that mission that I believed he would kill himself if given the chance. Then I learned that that was not the first time he had to watch one of his people die. The man has seen a lot so I decided to not say anything and keep in touch with him."
"Why did you join him?"
Kota chuckled at that, "If there is one thing I have learned it's that someone out there has their own plan for the universe. Trooper, as he likes being called, slowly learned all the orders given to clone troopers and one day he called me up saying we needed to meet and he wanted to tell me everything. When I found him in a lower bar on Coruscant he started to tell and show me how there is a plot to undermine the Jedi themselves but he couldn't say who. After all the evidence he showed me and seeing his base I just couldn't say no and we have been arguing ever sense."
"Why do you stay then?"
"Why did you follow the Jedi code? It is because we believe it to be right. Sometimes we cannot see the world as black and white as the code would want, all too often we will find grey and when you do that is where the real test begins." Kota looked back at Barriss, "I do not know why he chose to save you, but he did so if I was in your place I would see it as my chance to make it right. Don't waste your chance Barriss there is a family here everyone wants to help. Though they are a little shaky when it comes to a Jedi they will learn to accept you just as they did me." With that Kota turned and walked away leaving Barriss alone again.
Looking around her Barriss felt like she was back in her cell. The cold surrounded her and no one was around. Looking down the hallway she saw a few of the people running by headed to what seemed important. Hearing footsteps behind her she spun around coming face to face with Halzo.
"Hey there you are, I heard that you got here and have been searching all over for you," he said.
"I was being shown around by Vi-the Boss. Then he got into an argument and stomped away," Barriss replied.
"Wait that's why he is mad? Shit," Halzo looked down the hall at the people running the same direction.
"What's wrong?"
"Well let's just say boss is beating the shit out of MagnaGuard droids we have reprogramed for training. When he is mad he gives them all vibroblades and goes to town in duels, from one on one to four on one. He must be pissed."
Barriss looked down the hall as more people ran by, 'They must be going to watch' she thought. "I need to talk to him," She said firmly.
Halzo looked at her in a state of disbelief, "You have to be kidding you go in there and I don't know what will happen."
She pulled one of the sabers off her belt igniting the red blade in front of her face, "Don't worry about me, I can protect myself."
Victor stood in his full Mandalorian armor the red and black suit contrasting the grey walls of the well sized arena/training room that was here on base. In his hand he held a vibroblade its sheen starting to dim as he cut through more and more droids. Jetting himself up onto an upper platform Victor looked down at the droids starting to climb the wall. Each programed to kill without mercy. In his helmet he couldn't help but smile war was his life, it was in his blood, when he fought he felt a calm that nothing could give him, well almost nothing. Two of the droids got to the top swinging wildly at him, ducking under their strikes he cut one off at the legs and kicked the other over the edge making it hit others and pull them down as well. 'It's good to be king' he thought to himself as the crowds cheered and he continued his rampage.
Barriss heard the crowd cheer as Victor continued his killing. She stood at the door of the arena tempted to walk but wondering what will happen. Lifting her hand to the control panel Barriss opened the door. The other side brought her back to the many fields of battle she had seen in this war, dead droids laying everywhere. One of them was sprawled out next to the door its own blade piercing its chest. Reaching she pulled it out testing the weight. The crowd was silent now and she knew it was because of her. Looking around the arena she finally spotted Victor. Her mind stopped as she saw him in the Mandalorian armor. Suddenly the droids that were climbing to him stopped all powering down and falling to the floor. Whoever was in control just turned them off in hopes of seeing the duo battle.
Victor stood looking around as the droids fell to the floor. 'Who turned off my droids' his blood started to boil again this was how he dealt with his anger. Then he saw Barriss, she was standing there with a blade in hand looking at him. Seeing her brought up the anger from the argument just a little while before and he felt like doing something rash. Jumping from his platform and activating his jetpack Victor flew at Barriss ready to strike.
Barriss saw the man flying at her, 'What is he thinking' she raised her blade to block his. The clatter of the blades rung out through the room, as Victor landed poising for another strike. Barriss prepared for the coming but stumbled back as Victor decided on not just one strike but to use an onslaught. She blocked each strike that came at her but she could sense the anger behind them. Victor was pushing all his anger into every strike but his training kept each strike from being sloppy. He opened up during one strike though and she took her chance, the blade went between the black armor plates and pierced the blood red under armor. Victor stumbled back in pain using his free hand to clutch his now bleeding side.
Victor didn't let the wound get to him though and quickly charged back at her only to be stopped by a yelling voice.
"That's enough of your childish actions. IF you are going to fight someone choose someone of your own skill set," Kota yelled his saber in hand.
Victor took the challenge quickly but dropped his blade and stole one of the sabers from Barriss' belt. Activating the red blade he charged at Kota.
Barriss watched the man charge but knew she couldn't let Kota beat Victor. It was after all each other they were mad at and if Victor was going to attack Kota might not be left with any option but to kill him. Lifting her hand she quickly threw Victor towards the far wall.
Her actions were not the gift she believed them to be though. The echoing thud and the large dent from where Victor hit into the wall told her that. Barriss looked in horror as Victor fell from the wall landing on his knees, he tried to stand and move slowly. He coughed loudly blood leaking from under the helmet where he was coughing it up. Taking one slow painful step he fell face forward where his visor shattered upon impact.
The doors to the arena all quickly opened and medical personal ran in grabbing Victor and carrying him out of the room. No one looked at her, and everyone dodged her. Victor's earlier words echoed in her mind, "Now is not the time for you to act like a sith, its not who you are." Her mind screamed at her, 'It is who you are now. After this stunt he will never trust you.'
Kota didn't look at her as he walked out of the room. Everyone was gone, she wish she wasn't alone.
"Hey this is yours," a calm voice said. She looked up seeing Halzo standing there in front of her holding the red blade in hand.
"Why are you still nice to me?" she asked weakly.
"Because I know the boss if he was going to do something that stupid he would know the risks," Halzo said, "besides you're my sister, even if I don't really know you."
"Do you think he will want me to even stay around after this?"
"Oh him he doesn't take it to heart. Knowing Boss he will be back up in a few days barking commands and running around on the battlefield."
"I just don't know what I will say to him."
"That's up to you. Oh come on lets take you to your room you can think there."
Barriss followed Halzo slowly, keeping her head down to not see the stares of anger she was more than likely getting. He stopped outside a metal door with black lines painted down it; in the center was what she guessed was the rebel symbol. Opening the door she found herself in a small room, its metal walls were plain of any decorations. There was a bed with clean sheets, blankets, and a pillow. Next to it was a small bedside table; at the end of the bed was a small dresser.
"I know it's not much but Victor said he would take you somewhere to get some decorations that you might like," Halzo said as he looked around the small space.
"If he even wants to see me again," Barriss retorted.
"Don't worry you can apologize later. Right now get some sleep you have had a long day."
Barriss sighed Halzo was right she needed the sleep.
"Thank you, I think your right I'm going to bed."
Halzo didn't say anything else he just walked out of the room closing the door behind her.
And now it starts to get good.