My Knight & Guardian Chapter 21
AN1: Sorry for delays this took longer to write then I expected, plus further was delayed due to college classes! R&R please!
==Kayshaykk – Former Czerka Landing Outpost==
It was the following morning roughly 0800 in the morning when the Ebon Hawk touched down at the former Czerka outpost. While it had only been about two or so weeks since they were last there, the forest on the planet had already begun to take over the man made structures. As the ramp touched down, Mission, Juhani, Bastilla, and Myra departed the Hawk while the rest remained behind to scavenge anything they could from the outpost ruins.
Not too long after getting out onto the great walkway they were approached by a group of Wookies. "..What are you doing here off worlder? This is not your planet, even if you did help the Chieftain before." came from one of them with growls and whines.
"..We came seeking permission from Chief Frayerr to ask to harvest several Tayk glands." Myra said.
"..And if he says no? What will you do then?" asked another.
"..If that is the will of your chieftain then we will accept it and depart without incident.." Myra replied.
A moment passed as the trio conversed quietly, "..Very well follow us.." the leader said turning without further words.
Two hours later the four were exiting the wooden elevator into the lower reaches of the forest. "..Is it me or does the forest about us seem darker?" Mission said glancing about.
"..I can not tell.." Bastilla stated.
"..The air is filled with an odd scent, though I can not place it.." Juhani added sniffing the air.
"..Hmm, yeah it's sweet like right?" Myra inquired.
Getting a nod of reply from Juhani, Myra unclipped her lightsaber and lit it, the others then doing the same. "..Keep alert more so then usual.." She said.
Rounding a bend not far from where they first met Jolee, the four came upon four large canisters, seeping out an odd blue gas into the air. As they approached the sweet stench grew stronger. "..Urgh, I would say this is the source of that smell, and the unease I am feeling about the woods.." Mission stated.
"..Me too, the gas seems to be effecting the local wild life, they currently keep their distance from us but I feel more predatory eyes upon us even now.." Juhani said.
Looking about, Myra then leaned in closer to examine the markings on the side of the barrels. "..I can't quite make out the markings here, the damp and mold have decayed it quite quickly. Can any of you make this out?" she asked.
Each took a turn examining it but came up empty. "..No.." came in reply one by one while the others kept watch. "..What should we do with them, Myra?" Bastilla inquired.
"..If whatever this gas is messing with the wild life in some way it can only be bad for Kayshakk, it is odd the Wookies weren't aware of it yet.." Myra mused.
Then a rustling in the undergrowth caused all four to go back to back as around them ten large Mandalorians came out weapons drawn and readied to fire. "..That is because Jedi those who came here did not survive to return to their tribes, and those search parties who then came to find those lost also failed to return. The chief though is too prideful to admit this to you I imagine when you met with him earlier." A blue armored man said.
"..You seem awfully well informed, I thought we gave your hunting teams the boot when we were last here?" Myra said.
"..Yeah you stinky pug nutters what you doing back here!" Mission demanded.
"..We have no connection to those who came before, our plans are different. You see the gas behind you there has been seeping into the local water supplies. In another month it shall have spread its effects so far on this world that within the year it shall be uninhabitable by anyone but the most hearty. Those Wookies and wild life left alive we shall harvest and sell to some select interested parties." The blue Mandalorian said.
"..Uh huh, and now that you went and spouted your plans what is to stop us from stopping you?" Myra said.
Chuckling came from around them, "..It would be quite hard to stop us when you are dead, or better yet enslaved. Word is your pretty Jedi Bastilla there has quite the bounty on her head by Malak among the Sith.." He said.
Glowering, Bastilla readied in a defensive stance, "..Others have tried to take me prisoner and they are all now dead!" She snapped.
"..They were not me!" The blue Madalorian said opening fire.
The coming fight was a close one, blaster fire rained in on the four who worked their saber's hastily to deflect the incoming bolts. This bought time for Bastilla to shield the group from energy fire, and then Mission to enhance all their speeds through the Force. Juhani and Myra then used their Force connection to cascade out a Force Wave sending many of those about to their knees or backs. From there things evolved into a close in melee fight, while Mission took quite a few hard blows which knocked her out briefly, and Bastilla was briefly restrained by two Madalorians, Juhani and Myra eventually recovered from a stun grenade to take out the last of the enemy force.
Panting as the last fell to death, Myra clicked off her saber, as the others got to their feet. "..Well everyone ok?" she asked.
"..Urgh, once the ringing in my ears stopped yeah." Mission said.
"..A few bruises, Myra but nothing serious." Juhani reported.
"..My left wrist I think is broken but through the Force and rest it will heal in a day or so." Bastilla chimed in.
Nodding Myra looked about finding that in the mayhem of combat they had slain a few Tayks with intact glands. "..These six should do right Mission?" Myra asked who got a nod in reply, "..Alright good, lets seal up these gas canisters the, and alert the Wookies back up top." She said.
Two more hours later the four had safely returned to the Wookie tree tops, and informed Fryayarr of the events below. Thankful for their aide he had gifted them with some spare parts for the Hawk and Zallbarr's caster bow. Taking their leave the group soon returned to the Hawk's landing site where they found HK-47, Canderous, Zalbarr and Jolee picking through a group of Mandalorians. "..You get attacked too eh?" Myra asked.
Spitting on a corpse Canderous looked to her, "..This piss ants attacked us yeah, overconfident too in their skill. But their leader is an old friend of mine, he's challenged me to a fight of honor on the Dune Sea of Tationne in two days. I must accept the call or be forever in disgrace. Good thing we're going there next I guess." He said filling Myra in on their earlier meeting.
"..Fight of honor huh? Well I can't blame you for choices you did in the past, we'll see this through, I owe you that much for saving my and Juhani's hide the other day with Banndon." Myra said as the group trekked up the Hawk's ramp again. "..But going off what you've told me here maybe it something to consider for the future of your people. Not just this fight but what they were doing here on Kayshaykk too. Doesn't seem so honorable to me to go gas a planet for slaving." she mused.
"..Bah I'll agree with you there, Myra. There is no honor in what these scum sucking gas crappers did here or planned. But for now I need to focus on the fight afterwards, assuming we survive I'll think on what you said." Canderous said moving away.
"..Statement: The Mandalorian seems overly occupied with this fight, Master. Surely based on his actions before he could easily have opened fire during the first meeting saving him this problem now." HK said.
"..True HK, but then he would look like just another common Madalorian thug now of days. Canderous has his honor even if we don't fully agree on its ways of working its what makes him who he is." Myra said moving to the work bench.
"..But he risks his life in a fight that his foe will no doubt likely come prepared with others." HK went on.
"..True, you're probably correct, but that's why I and you will be there." Myra said.
Beaming at the idea of combat the blood thirsty droid stood more straight, "..Statement: HK-47 will be ready to serve!" it said moving off.
Shaking her head Myra went to work on her saber, wondering just who had built such a crazy droid. Maybe later she would more directly inquire on his manufacture after any more memory logging retrieval attempts. Later once Myra, had finished her saber work and meditations she found herself back by the woman's bunk room. Mission was already fast asleep as the Hawk was on its way to Tationnee. Juhani soon quietly joined Myra, the two slipping into one of the lower bunks in the left corner. "..Credit for your thoughts, Myra?" Juhani asked as the Cathar embraced Myra from behind facing the wall. "..Your aura shows you are in deep contemplation.."
"..During my meditations I got more time to delve into my recovering memories. Let's just say some of them I don't like. They….they dist rub me. I keep trying to figure out what made me fall so far like that. But whatever those memories were are still muddled. I think it has to do somehow with the Sith or….or maybe something else like them. I'm just not sure." she said with a sigh.
Juhani began to gently caress Myra's arms with her own, "..Tell me what you recall.." She asked.
Myra took a breath closing her eyes, letting the soft warm fur of Juhani's body sooth her cooler skin and worries. "..I recall not long after I left you on Taris. We had gone back with new recruit forces to continue the fight against the Mandalorians. Farkis II I think it was.." she said.
"..That is a colony on the outer rim, it is a barren world, but no one was sure how it happened during the War that I recall." Juhani replied.
Sighing more Myra, went on, "..I do now, I ordered the planet scorched, the Mandalorians were entrenched deeply within the forest and swamps. As well as the inner colony site. I saw that conventional engagement would cost the lives of thousands of my troops, not to mention materials and supplies better spent elsewhere. So I sent in recon teams to pinpoint the largest concentration of Mandalorians. Once identified I rained down bombardment on them. Then when the remaining Mandalorians did not surrender as I hoped I ordered biological and fusion bombs dropped to wipe out all life to ensure the mineral rich planet could not be harvested for further Mandalorian efforts. I remember when I called for their surrender they….they replied they never would. I felt….I felt so angry that they would deny my mercy! Who were they to...to spit in my face like that after I had so easily demonstrated the pointlessness of resistance. It had to do I think with what I knew was coming….something….something from.." Myra trailed off furrowing her brow.
Juhani pressed herself closer to Myra hugging her from behind to comfort her more. "..What was coming, Myra?" She asked.
"..Something from the blackness, we had to prepare for...everyone, not just the Republic but every living thing. I knew if we were to have any hope we had to be under one joint leadership. My leadership, and only by uniting under my banner could….could we succeed." She said shaking her head then, "..I just don't know more. But that is why I destroyed the planet I knew once the Mandalorians left they would take all the supplies and mining they could, thereby making my life harder, and in turn later when ever this….this threat came that planet would be a staging ground. So by destroying it I argued that I saved lives for the greater good.." She said.
Juhani was quiet for a moment, "..Myra, whatever you as Revan knew was coming out in the blackness of space I think it scared you. You were desperate, your mind sought the quickest and to you easiest solutions to the coming threat. You as a result when rebuffed by the Council near the War's end left and returned to conquer. But at your heart you felt you were doing the right think to protecet the innocent. Unlike now Malek who simply wishes to rule and conquer over others. You weren't then nor now are you a Sith like he is." Juhani said.
"..Maybe, but if I could convince myself once that such an idea was the right one, maybe I'd do it again. Maybe Carth is right that in time I'd only go back to being Revan.." she said sighing.
"..No! No I would not allow you to loose yourself to such a fate. You are stronger then that Myra. Maybe if you can remember what this threat is now you can convince the Council and Republic to prepare for it, maybe even under your own guidance. But this time instead of being ruthless you can do things the right way. Perhaps there is even some way you missed before that we could peacefully deal with this unknown threat." She said. "..Whatever, happens I won't let you be Revan, I would save you as you have saved me." She said kissing Myra's cheek then neck.
Myra let out a sigh then groan at the rain of kisses that came, twisting herself she turned to face Juhani. Their faces now inches apart, "..I may have saved you in recent months Juhani, but you saved me back during the war, I don't…..I don't think if we had met I would have been as so good intention as you painted me as Revan. I think I'd be more like Malek now." she said.
"..Maybe, but you also kept me from falling to the Dark Side again when that….that foul man showed up in Dantoinee wanting to claim me. He is still out there, and I sense till it is resolved we both have many difficult choices ahead of us." Juhani said.
Entwining her fingers then to Juhani's grasp Myra kissed her deeply before breaking away, "..Together then. No matter what.." she said.
Returning the embrace and kiss Juhani replied, "..Together, Myra. No matter what.."
AN2: R&R please!