Chapter 25

Dustil Onasi

With effort Dustil choked back a triumphant yell. Revan struck first using the darkness for cover. Only the green light of her blade was visible, a blur as she moved quickly across the ring and a second later it was met by blaster fire. Sibba Motta had been poised to address his crowd when Revan went into motion. The Hutt spluttered, the prepared words wasted, and his dramatic reveal ruined. Dustil took pleasure in that.

Gesturing frantically to his men Motta ordered the lights brought up. The crowds erupted in raucous cheers as they caught the first glimpse of their entertainment.

Of the four Iridonian's two were immobilized by a stasis field. The remaining mercenaries were using blasters, firing at the fast moving Jedi bearing down on them. Revan deflected their few lucky shots while closing the gap between herself and them. The man on her left was forced to abandon the blaster for his sword in the face of her onslaught.

At the opposite end of Motta's viewing suite a group of well dressed people let out a small cheer. Dustil glanced at them. These men and women were sponsors and business partners of the Hutt. They chatted amongst themselves while watching Revan. For them, the duel below was an enjoyable evening out. Sibba Motta had provided an array of food and drinks at their disposal. And Twi'lek serving girls mutely attended the needs of their guests.

Revan dodged the booted heel of the Iridonian she'd engaged in hand to hand combat. She ducked beneath his leg and spun to come up behind the mercenary. The blade moved in an arc behind her and Revan slashed at the small of his back. Staggering a step for the injury the Iridonian was unprepared for the downward stroke of Revan's follow through.

Dustil watched his teacher grip the blade with both hands and bring towards the place where the mans neck and shoulder met. A shower of sparks erupted as lightsaber met and was blocked by armor. Revan repeated the blow swinging more of her weight into it and this time it proved fatal. The crowds cheered as the first of the Iridonian mercenaries died. Even Motta's guests of honor applauded politely.

For Revan, there was no time to celebrate. The other two mercenaries were free of the stasis field. And the battle droids were advancing from the opposite end with energy shields flickering into life. Dustil eyed those droids hoping Pulla Vaga had successfully tampered with the shields.

Apart from Motta's other guests Dustil stood at the far side of the room between his father and Mission Vao. Their friends were lined up along the glass, attention riveted on the ring. He didn't need the Force to see Father's anguish. Grim lines set in Carth's face made him look older than his years. By the expression in the elder Onasi's dark eyes it was clear to Dustil the depth of Carth's feelings for Revan.

"It will be alright Father," Dustil said in the softest voice returning his attention to Revan. Carth just nodded and continued to watch in worried silence.

Revan

With the battle droids now firing, she grabbed one of the armored men by his wrist and propelled him backwards putting him in the line of fire. Since Revan was the droids programmed target they scuttled into new positions. As long as the energy shields worked there was no point in dealing them, she focused her attention on the remaining mercenaries.

Unhooking the second lightsaber Revan launched herself into the air, twisting into an arc which brought her over the heads of the Iridonians. They spun to face her. She landed in a crouch, lightsabers poised to strike.

They came at once in a frenzy of whirling blades intending to surround and overwhelm their single opponent. Revan blocked and countered each strike with quick efficiency making use of not just her lightsabers, but her body as well. A vicious thrust to her midsection was knocked aside by her booted heel. The swing of a sword towards her face blocked by her gauntlet.

Behind the Iridonians she saw the droids drawing closer, but their shields sputtered and flickered off. Revan whirled away from the mercenaries. Gaining herself a few yards she extended her palms and pushed with the Force. Two of the men were lifted from their feet and hurled into an approaching droid. Their was a shower of sparks as the armored bodies smashed into the machines. Two of the droids were damaged but not out of commission. As were the mercenaries who climbed slowly to their feet.

Jolee Bindo

Jolee grunted in satisfaction to himself, pleased to see the little Rodian had been true to his word. The battle droids shields lasted briefly and Revan was smart enough not to bother with the machines until they were down. But the Hutt let out a bellow of disbelief when those shields switched off.

"Oh my, that shouldn't have happened," a small man standing with Sibba Motta nervously declared. He coughed and suddenly found his drink very interesting.

"Those droids were purchased in good faith," Motta addressed the man. "I assumed those shields would be operational for the duration of the fight."

"Uh, perhaps it was a Jedi trick," the man suggested. Jolee could see the mans throat bobbling anxiously. A grin creased his face and the old Jedi turned back to watch Revan. She moved with the confidence of youth that was but a memory to him. The dark cloak flowed like smoke as she twisted and dodged. In a blinding blur of light Revan slashed at her opponent. The man gave ground as he was pressed by the Jedi.

"Don't play around," Jolee muttered. Revan would strike hard, smashing at his arm or striking a leg then pull back teasingly leaving herself open. Clumsily the Iridonian took her bait and Revan released a storm of blows against him. The final stroke was a slash to his chest, the lightsaber coming down in another shower of sparks as the intense heat of the blade seared through the metal plating and into flesh and bone.

"Yes!" Mission cried pumping a fist into the air. Jolee could only half share her enthusiasm. From across the room the old man could feel Sibba Motta's glare on them. The Hutt's large amber eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It's a bit early to celebrate victory," Motta said coldly. "Revan has yet to defeat all opponents."

"It's pretty stupid to underestimate Revan, didn't work out too well for Darth Malak," Mission taunted, a hand on her hip.

"Oh, I don't think I have," Motta said with a smirk. Before Mission could say anything else Dustil put a hand on her shoulder. The Twi'lek bit her lip and nodded giving her attention back to the dueling ring. Jolee uttered a humph and folded his arms over his chest.

The outburst generated a hushed buzz of conversation amidst the other guests. A few armed thugs Motta had assigned to watch Revan's friends shifted. Their eyes going from their employer to Mission, wondering if they should take action. However the Hutt turned back to his company all but ignoring them. But the small nervous man who had provided the droids cautiously approached the group. He stopped a couple yards away and cleared his throat.

"Can you Jedi disable droid shields? Most fascinating I say," he said with forced pleasantry. Jolee looked at him sharply. Under the glowering stare of the Jedi the man coughed and turned away.

Revan

The second body hadn't even hit the ground when Revan dashed past to confront the others. They were dazed and she wanted to engage them before they came back to their senses.

However one droid remained fully operational. It spun to target the Jedi and fired rapidly at her. She deflected a few shots, and a couple hit her breast plate with no serious damage. But one unlucky shot caught her thigh burning through the robes to sear flesh. With Canderous' stim shot in her system Revan didn't feel the pain of it.

Revan skidded to a stop and brought her hand up, the blade hilt loosely clasped in it, and lashed out at the firing droid. The Force coursed through her body and she directed it outward destroying the machine in a haze of purple light. The ionic energy leapt from the quivering machine to its companions. Already damaged by the crushing weight of Iridonians the outer two sizzled with smoke followed by an explosion in their circuitry panels. The droid in the middle sagged, severely disabled.

It bought the mercenaries the time they needed to recover and Revan found she herself engaged on both sides. Quickly she moved, countering ones attempt to slip behind her. A glancing blow landed on her bicep and knocked Revan off balance. She let the fall take her, rolling into it but failing to dodge the knee which struck her back. With the air knocked from her lungs Revan dropped to her knees. Her lightsabers clattered to the floor where they switched off and the Iridonians kicked them away.

Zaalbar

"No!" Carth shouted as they watched Revan hit the floor. It was a shocking sight to all of them. But to Zaalbar he could think only of the life debt he'd pledged to this woman facing down her enemies alone. It worried him Revan might die down there while he watched helpless here. The meaning of his life debt hollow and empty in the face of Motta's machinations.

"Come on Revan, get up!" Mission cried. She banged on the glass with her palms.

"Mission, don't," Dustil said sharply and Zaalbar chuffed his agreement. Gently the young man took Mission's wrists and pulled her from the glass.

"Not so underestimated now," Motta remarked loudly to his other guests who shared a laugh. In a fury Carth turned towards the Hutt. Zaalbar moved quickly, as did Dustil and Canderous. The three blocked him and Zaalbar thought for a moment Carth was going to lash out at them.

"Do not give him the satisfaction. Think how Revan would feel about this," Zaalbar pleaded.

"She ain't down and out yet Carth," Jolee said his eyes still on the fight. Zaalbar looked for himself and the Jedi's words carried truth. Even without lightsabers Revan was a warrior to be feared.

Revan

From her knees Revan reached up and caught the blade sweeping towards her head. She yanked hard, pulling the the man holding the sword off balance. But his friend came from behind and kicked her shoulder hard. Even with the armor Revan felt the crack of her bones but, thankfully, no pain.

Forced to released her grip on the sword Revan turned, propelling herself onto her feet, and managed to block another swing of the blade. Weaving between the pair Revan kept moving. Whenever an opening appeared Revan took it striking hard and fast with fist or elbow, knee or foot.

Though fast and skilled, she was not strong enough for two armored men larger then herself. Revan needed her blades if she was to end this. Tugging at the Force the Jedi focused the power which her answered her call. Her blades skittered across the floor, sailing into the air and back into her hands. They hissed with their green light casting a glow onto the smooth curve of the mask covering her face.

With desperation the Iridonian's increased their assault.

Mission Vao

After Taris Mission hadn't found many chances to see Revan fight. Occasionally on Dantooine she would sneak out and catch her training with the Twi'lek master or sparring with Bastila. The holodramas Mission watched as a kid didn't compare to those moments when she got to see the Jedi training.

"Come on Revan!" Mission exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Show no mercy!"

With her lightsabers back Revan was no longer defending, but attacking. In awe Mission saw her friend, who was hardly more then a blur of black and green, reclaim the advantage. The men gave ground and tried to withstand the advancing Jedi.

Mission looked at the others, the Hutt's guests were silent with their attention focused on the duel. Their hands held forgotten plates of nibbles or slender glasses of bubbling Daruvvian champagne. She turned her eyes onto Dustil, and beside him, Carth. Their faces were set in the same expression of anxious apprehension.

On the arena floor Revan lunged forward, thrusting her left blade into the armored belly of one man. The lightsaber passed through the armor, melting it as it burned through the metal. Shifting her weight back Revan flipped the weapon in her right hand around and last Iridonian ran straight onto the blade. The world seemed to freeze. There wasn't a sound, Mission was afraid even to breath for breaking the moment.

Revan remained locked in place, an Iridonian in front and behind her, impaled on one of her lightsabers. It was a strange and horrifying tableau. Then the moment was over. Revan switched her weapons off and the men fell lifeless to the floor. The audience broke into wild applause. Mission couldn't help but applaud as well, a bright and happy grin on her face.

"Tell me, is anyone here familiar with the beast called a terentatek? Fascinating animal," Sibba Motta said loudly. He appeared to be addressing his guests but the words were obviously for the benefit of Mission and the others. "It favors the blood of Force sensitive individuals."

Revan

The sound of the crowd startled Revan. She was glad for the mask which kept the reaction from showing on her face. The battle had wholly consumed her attention and Revan had forgotten about the audience who had paid to watch it.

Stepping over the bodies of the Iridonians Revan looked at the droids. Two were broken beyond repair, the third was making an attempt to move. It managed only to drag itself in circles as most of its legs malfunctioned. She contemplated delivering a final blow to put it from its misery but paused, and thinking better of it hung her lightsabers back on her belt.

Revan assessed her injuries. The blaster burn to her leg was minor, but the grinding of something in her shoulder was more concerning. Fractured bone in the joint was the most likely culprit. The hyper-adrenal shot was keeping the pain away though. Which was good because this fight wasn't finished.

At the rear of the arena a heavy door opened with a hiss and the crowds volume increased. Revan closed her eyes. The terentatek lumbered from the small pen it had been confined to with a thunderous roar.

Oh, yes. You.

Revan found herself looking up, above the stands where she felt certain Carth and the others waited. A desire to rip the mask off filled her. But she hesitated for the idea Motta might try to go back on the deal if she did. She wanted Carth to see her, as badly as she wanted to see him in this desperate moment.

Tired, her abilities nearly depleted, Revan turned to face the terentatek. It was sniffing at the air the hideous face twisting to catch the scent of a Force user. The beast fixated on Revan, snarling, it's tusks glistening with venom.

Please don't forget your promise Canderous.

Revan reached for her blades again and readied herself for the terentatek's charge.