Hello everybody! (All two of you who read this anyway) I was able to hack in for a little bit and update! I do hope you like it! I may have neglected to mention that this fic involves all the joys of seperate timelines!
ALL WILL BE REVEALED IN TIME!
DO let me know if you have any predictions/suggestions!
(I hope it's up to your expectations (especially for you Kealeuu!) I don't want my updates to be too underwhelming for the long waits between new chapters!)
This was my first chapter with a lightsaber duel! Hope I did it justice!
Now, enjoy!
Chapter 3
"Ilum is in range General Kenobi," the gruff voice of a clone came through the shuttle's intercom, "We will be reverting to real space momentarily."
"Thank you Rex," Obi-Wan replied in kind over the two way signal, "I believe Anakin and I will take it from here now." Still wary of his brother's mood, he simply touched the young Jedi on the shoulder.
"Come on, flying will help you feel better..." He suggested, hoping to improve Anakin's sullen mood.
Without a word he followed his former master into the cockpit and took the pilot's chair.
"Ice storms I take it?" Anakin finally spoke after entering Ilum's stratosphere.
"Intuitive today aren't we?" Obi-Wan joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere, as the frozen winds began to buffet the ship in earnest.
"I'm just stating the obvious here," Anakin rebuffed, focusing on navigating through the deadly storms, "Hold on!" He threw the ship into a steep dive, the intense winds striving to throw them into a deadly corkscrew.
"Do I even want to ask what he is doing General?" The clone commander strapped behind Obi-Wan inquired at the risky aerobatics.
"He's simply being himself Rex. Charging through as fast as possible, and saving everyone's skin in the process." Obi-Wan replied calmly, even as he intensified his grip with every gut wrenching twist and turn.
"Ah, I see Sir."
At last!
A surge of adrenaline livens the few natural senses I still have, when Ilum comes into view through my cockpit. Easily, I make it into the eerily clear atmosphere.
Odd, usually winter storms are ravaging the globe this time of year...
Wary of this strange circumstance, I set down just inside the mouth of the cave, away from any sudden blizzards that may arise in my absence. As quietly as my suit allows, I climb down from my ship to the cavern floor slicked with ice.
In the distance, my electronically enhanced senses pick up the drip of half frozen water, and... Footsteps?
Eagerly, I swivel my helmet in the direction of the disturbance. Even through the blinding light found in this wellspring of the Force, I can sense their presence.
Jedi.
I make sure my shields are tight before entering deeper into the caverns, with this much Light, my Darkness in the Force would be as unmistakeable as blood in the snow.
Hungrily, I reach out with a thin tendril of the Force, and soon I come upon a small blip in the smooth surface of the energies in the universe. It is minuscule compared to the dark nebula of my fully unmasked presence.
Having found the 'scent' I stalk into the crystalline chambers ahead.
"You were right Obi-Wan," Anakin smiled, unstrapping himself from the pilot's chair, "Flying did make me feel better."
"Glad to see my brash young Padawan again," the Jedi Master grinned back, now following Anakin out of the ship.
"You say that now."
Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan motioned for Rex to come behind as he now took the lead. "Come on, we need to scour the caves for any Separatist droids that may have beat us here."
As expected, it seemed the trio had beat the 'Clankers' as Rex put it, to the punch.
The caverns were empty, devoid of any activity.
"Where's that dripping sound from?" Anakin observed, seemingly out of nowhere, "I thought Ilum was too cold to have liquid water..."
"It is." Obi-Wan gave him a strange look, "Wait... I think I hear something as well."
"Then shouldn't we investigate?" Anakin supplied, waving a hand in the direction of the mysterious noise, "It could be droids!"
"Point taken," Obi-Wan observed, stroking his beard, "I don't like it though, the Force is behaving strangely..."
"I'm going, with or without you," the younger of the group marched off down a glittering hallway.
The cavern they travelled through shimmered with every imaginable color in the universe. Strange colors Obi-Wan nor Anakin had seen in the caves of Ilum, dominated the walls and ceiling.
What is this place?
The two Jedi glanced at each other uneasily at the shared thought. They were not on a previously marked part of the labyrinthine caverns. The further they went though, the more prominent became the soft sound of dripping water. Now it sounded as if it were landing in a larger pool of liquid at the end of its fall.
The group had long ago fallen into an anxious silence in order to catch the faint sound that had taken dominance of the caverns the nearer they drew to the source.
"Can you feel that?" Anakin turned, a somewhat hungry look in his eyes, "The further we travel the greater the Force reacts... " Eyes flicking forward, he began to pick up the pace, "It's like a magnet!"
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's cry was fast fading in his brother's ears, for he was now sprinting ahead. The pull was intoxicating.
Sorry Master, but the Force is a siren's song to me.
Annoyed at his young companion's brashness, Obi-Wan sighed and ran after him while Rex followed close behind.
Strange.
The Force has become erratic, more akin to a fluttering heartbeat than the constant energy that typically flows through the universe. Still, I continue after the presence of my prey, and towards the ever-increasing dripping sound.
As I prowled further along the crystal hallways, the continuous spectrum of red that served as my vision began to change shades, unseen in these caves until now.
Interesting...
It is not long before my ground-eating march brings me to a final broadening of the tunnel and what I see before me leaves me speechless.
Here, on a planet that easily rivaled the piercing cold of Hoth, there should not be a natural liquid to be found. Yet here I have found the source of the dripping.
Water. Or at least what appeared to be water, for its mark on the Force was distorted and unfamiliar, it felt more like a pool of energy than of a normal liquid.
Curious, and sensing no Jedi nearby, I cautiously approach. Looking down I am met with my reflection...
From over twenty years ago.
Staring back from the depths is none other than the young doppelgänger from my dream. In disbelief I lift one of my mechanical hands into view.
Anakin does the same.
Stunned, I feel for my face, and while the specter in the pond touches flesh, I am met with the familiar cruel lines of my mask, the metal glazed lightly with frost.
It is then I notice my reflection's horrified expression, as if he could see the monster I've become.
"Obi-Wan!" The distressed cry pierced the air as the Jedi Master skidded into the portion of the caverns that his companion had run off to, his ice blue saber ignited.
"Anakin! What is it?!" Obi-Wan dashed to his petrified brother's side.
"Look..." He pointed stiffly, as if what he saw was a delicate web of illusion that would break at the slightest of moves.
Water? Obi-Wan lowered his blade, now noticing the pool at their feet, I understand that it's never been seen naturally like this on Ilum before, but this is hardly worth a violent reaction...
"My... My..." Anakin sputtered, his flesh hand trembling.
"Oh my..." The Jedi Master's jaw dropped at the sight of their reflections. Instead of mirroring two Jedi Knights in their prime, the pool seemed to pervert their images. Obi-Wan was shocked to find his eyes peering out from a worn, leathery face, his Jedi garb in tatters, giving him the sandy appearance of an old desert hermit. Still, it was nothing compared to what had become of his brother.
On Anakin's side of the pool, a great ebony form had taken the place of his reflection. Shimmering as if from below the water, instead of reflecting from above, the monster copied the young Jedi's every move. Even reaching to touch its metallic approximation of a cheek when he put a hand to his face.
"I-It's him Obi-Wan... The dark one from my dream..." Anakin shivered, staggering back from the terrifying form, "What does it mean?"
"I-"
"Clankers incoming Sir!" Rex's electronic voice shattered the crystallized moment of horror an confusion, as did the arrival of battle droids bring another distraction in the form of battle.
"Quite the anomaly in the Force, wouldn't you say?" A low voice observes over the vibrant hum of a lightsaber.
Poodoo.
Slowly, I lift my scarlet gaze from the energy pool, the silent reverie of the moment shattered. Even with my back turned, I can sense the snarl on the hooded Jedi's face as he restrains himself from plunging the viridian blade into the oxygen pack hidden beneath my heavy cape.
"Starkiller... It's been a while hasn't it?" I comment, soundlessly flicking the war battered hilt of my lightsaber into a durasteel grip. "I had expected you to know better than to approach these ancient Jedi grounds alone."
"Oh," my former apprentice sneers, "Who says I came alone?"
It is then that I hear a second lightsaber ignite as none other than Rahm Kota appears on the outcropping of stone directly above us and the strange pool.
"Ah, General Kota, so pleased you could join us," I remark acidly, although my mechanical tone gives almost nothing away.
"Save it Vader," Kota snapped, brandishing his emerald saber, "And face 've been had! This time Boba Fett isn't here to spring you loose. Surrender now, and we'll be on our way to a snug little restraint table, fit for a murderer of your caliber!"
"You believe that you can scare me that easily with your petty little words?" I nearly cackle at the thought, "I am a warrior General, not a diplomat, only actions will impress me." Igniting my crimson blade, I quickly spin around, and twisting Starkiller's saber from his grip, leap away from the pool.
"It is decided then! Prepare for your inevitable defeat!"
Already, my former apprentice is on top of me again, having ignited his second saber, and fighting like an enraged Nexu in a Geonosian arena.
Why did I ever teach him dual wielding?
Angrily, I deflect both of his oncoming blades with my single red one, sparks flying as they came into contact, hissing an spitting like vipers in our hands.
"Foolish boy! I have taught you everything you know!" This I bark over the crashing of our opposing blades, "You think I will be bested by you? You don't have the advantage of Kamino's lightning storms this time!"
"Maybe not..." He grinds out, straining to uphold the oppressive weight and power behind my saber as we lock in a press for dominance.
"But he has me!"
With the slightest aide of the Force, I manage to move my worn prosthetics fast enough to evade Kota's savage slash at my back.
"Has anyone ever told you what a bad habit you have of shouting at the stupidest times?" I can't help but jab a little at the General as I retreat to a little higher ground. Able to asses the situation briefly, I suddenly recall having brought along a certain trophy with me from the Death Star.
Before the two Jedi even have a chance to blink, I am back in the fray.
"Oh, now they come!" A certain Jedi can't help but remark, his cerulean blade deflecting blaster bolts faster than the eye could truly perceive.
"Yes, battle droids always seem to have the best of timing," Obi-Wan consented, crushing several droids with the Force, before hacking several others to pieces. Rex was busy unloading blaster bolts into the ones pouring into the entrance.
Stepping back, Anakin chanced a glance behind him. Not a foot away was the lip of an outcropping above the pool
"Did you realize they've been herding us up here?"
"Ah, that appears to be the case doesn't it?" Obi-Wan replied, getting pushed further back by a strange yellow droid neither Jedi had seen before.
With what looked like jackhammers for arms, it flailed about, destroying anything around it, from droids, to ice, to even stone.
Momentarily distracted by the final shots of a droideka, Anakin was caught unawares as one of the sweeping arms arced towards him.
"Look out!"
Naturally, the young Jedi leapt back and out of the way. Just one problem.
There was nothing behind him to land on.
"Let me at him Starkiller!" Kota shouts, he doesn't know my style as well!"
In answer, the young clone breaks off his attack, allowing the General to lock blades with me. Yet through the Force I determine another ploy behind this switching of roles.
Sensing the impending double bladed strike of Starkiller, I pull out my prize from the Death Star, and relish the looks of shock and confusion as I bat away the verdant blades with the scarlet and azure of my own.
"Surprised?" I mock Starkiller, now holding the two Jedi at bay with ease, "You are not the first apprentice I have taught in the ways of dual wielding, and to teach something, you have to know it."
I can feel the clone's rage building at my taunts, his fraying control a two edged sword. He'll either start making mistakes, or make this duel much more difficult.
"How many?"
What?
"How many have you taught Vader? How many have you killed before me?" Starkiller presses before spinning around to face me head on with the General at his side.
"I have taught but one other, and I know not where she is. Most likely with your pathetic Rebels." I sneer in reply, skirting from between my two opponents, retreating further up the slope above the pool. "But I assure you, she is not dead, not as you will be shortly."
Again our five sabers clash, Kota attempting yet another slash, this time at one of my exposed legs. Briefly, I break our deadlock, Starkiller driving me back once again as I dodged and deflected his angry jabs at my control box, as it had become more vulnerable with my switch of styles.
"Not if I kill you first!" I can see the sweaty sheen on his face now, my sensors analyzing his breath level and heartbeat.
My prey is tiring. He knows it as well as I.
With one last desperate blast of the Force, he sends me skidding across the shelf of crumbling stone.
Determined, I drive my sabers into the ground in an effort to slow to a stop before the edge. My immense armored weight, as well as the deep cuts of my blades stresses the stone, only my sensors can identify the weaknesses within the ledge.
"Once again, I have you at my feet," Starkiller appears to have caught up with me, his lightsaber humming dangerously at my neck as I am still kneeling, gripping the hilts of my buried blades. Knowing that one wrong move will send me into the pool of energy below. "And even without the advantage of Kamino's lightning storms, I have bested you yet again. Now you will surrender."
"You believe that because you've pushed me back that I am beaten?" lifting my gaze to his, I release a bark of mechanical laughter, "My boy, I believe you are mistaken!"
With these parting words, I drive my sabers apart, cleaving the stone away.
Before anyone can react, the shelf crumbles and slides into the abyss below.
Taking me along with it.
