The lightsaber hit the vibro blades so hard Rann had to take a step back. The girl had been trained well in lightsaber combat, but Rann needed to know what else she was good at. Someone could be gifted with a lightsaber, but have no good use of the Force.
Rann used his left hand to slice low at the Sith's feet. The Sith jumped up into the air to dodge but was too slow. With the blade in Rann's right hand he sliced high cutting a deep cut into her left leg.
She squealed as she hit the floor, her ankle twisting. She did not stop, for as soon as it happened she went back on the offensive. All Rann could do was try not to laugh.
This girl was spectacular, a woman after his own heart. She had no fear, however, she didn't have the sense to know she had already lost.
Block, parry, parry, block. Rann kept easily avoiding the barrage of saber movements with his own. As the battle continued Rann found himself at peace, and for the first time since the Mandalorian Wars, he felt almost human.
Rann felt something inside of him, that he hadn't felt since his birth mother died. Compassion. He knew he could easily kill the female, all it would take is a few more parries. After, he would go onto the offensive and cut off an arm and then swing through the neck. This time, he wasn't going to do that. This female sith, didn't want this fight, hell he doubted she wanted any of this. The reason he could win wasn't because she lacked skill or force knowledge. No, he could win only because her heart wasn't in it. He remembered what it was like for your heart to be telling you one thing, yet your orders disregarded it. He could not, he WOULD not kill this girl.
Rann wondered what could have driven this girl, who through the Force as bright as day, had a heart of gold. Rann decided to end the battle, but not the way Visas hoped.
Rann parried with his right and with a swift movement not even the eye could see, his left shot the lightsaber from the females hand. The red light from the saber flickering into non-existence.
The Sith breathed heavily as Rann put his blades down. "Why?" He asked. "Why are you doing this? I can sense your injured and barely able to stand, yet you don't want to fight. Why keep going?"
"It is because my Master wishes it. I cannot fail him." The Sith responded coldly, as if this had been rehearsed a thousand times before.
"What is your name?" Rann asked, interested in the answer.
"I am Visas Maar, the last of the Miraluka. I am the apprentice of the most dangerous Sith alive, Lord Nihilus. I have come to kill the Jedi who still lives."
"A Miraluka? Are you serious? You mean your blind?" Rann asked. "Yet, if I remember from my studies your people see through the force."
"Saw." Visas replied. "My people were all killed by my Master. I only lived because I had pledged my allegiance to him and the Sith."
It all made sense to Rann now. Visas' hand had been forced. She had lost so much, she had been weak and this Lord Nihilus had taken advantage of it.
"I'm sorry, about the Miraluka. No one should ever have to see their planet destroyed. It's not really fair. Believe me, I know."
"Are you finished with your interrogation Jedi? I would very much like to become one with the Force now." Visas spoke matter-of-factly.
"I'm not going to kill you." Rann looked into her blind eyes. "I'm going to help you get your life back."
Visas was speechless, she didn't know what to say to this. She never figured it out for the pain took over and she passed out into Rann's arms.
Rann caught her and laid her on the ground. "Don't worry, when you wake up we're going to talk about this Lord Nihilus, and then we're going to see what we can do to help you."
At that moment, Atton and the Handmaiden arrived on board looking at Rann with the fallen Sith at his feet.
"Is she dead?" The Handmaiden asked?
"No, I need you to get her to the med bay." He told the Handmaiden. "Atton, I need you to see where the others are, and have Bao clean up these corpses. Have T3 meet me in the Med bay immediately."
"What about Kreia?" Atton asked.
"She's not on the ship at the moment. Probably a good thing." Rann began skulking off to the dormitory. He had felt good back there. It had been the first time he had ever felt anything other then the cold.
"Rann, wait." The Handmaiden called. "The Sith know of your presence. I didn't want to give you this until I was sure you'd need it." She took something out of her pocket.
Rann felt it enter his hand and it felt good, it had been a feeling he hadn't felt since he jammed it into the center of the council chambers.
"I took it from a chest in Atris' room before I snuck on board. I know inside your not what Atris' says you are. You are a Jedi. You deserve to hold it again." With that she turned and headed to the Med bay.
Rann looked down, and in his hand stood the familiar handle. So, after all these years without it, it had come back. The simple of the Jedi. His lightsaber.
He activated it, and as the light came up it wasn't the viridian color he used to behold. A small projector came sliding off, as it hit the ground a hologram of the Handmaiden appeared.
"Exile, before you get mad, I took the time to change the crystal in your saber. You are a Jedi Guardian, and are known for your viridian lightsaber you used during the Mandalorian Wars. I believe it is time to put it all behind you. Hence, why I have changed the color to Yellow. This is the start of a new beginning. Use this saber as a sign, a sign that you are different from the days of the War. A sign of hope to this galaxy."
The hologram went silent as the buzz of the yellow saber, Rann's saber, resounded across the dormitory. The Handmaiden was right, it was time to fact the moment that had changed him. He sat on a bed and began to remember, the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars. Malachor V.
2 HOURS TILL THE BATTLE MALACHOR V
"We have beaten the Mandalorians back. This is going to be our final battle. We will win the war. Revan has promised us a great victory today, and it is because of us." Rann spoke to his brigade of Jedi Knights. "In 2 hours we will exit hyperspace, and arrive at the last Mandalorian base in the galaxy. Today, we destroy the Mandalorians once and for all."
"General Rann!" Revan called on the speaker. " A word on the bridge please." The intercom reported.
Rann did a military spin on his left foot, and proceeded to the bridge. As he arrived on the bridge Revan and his friend Malak stood over a holo image playing out some scheme for the battle ahead.
"You called me, Master?" Rann asked saluting the General.
"I did, for you see Malak and I have come up with a plan to end this battle before it has a chance to begin. The problem is that it's dangerous." Revan spoke.
"What do you require, Master?" Rann asked.
"I need you, and a select handful of those you choose to head down to the surface of Malachor V. You are to infiltrate the headquarters of the Mandalorians and assassinate their leader." Revan finished.
"Wait, assassinate? You can't be serious. The Jedi kill only when they must." Rann spoke.
"Are you questioning my orders, Rann? I don't think you would be foolish enough to do so now. At the final battle. When we are about to put them away for good, and I'm handing you the kill that everyone in this fleet would die for. Are you telling me no?"
Rann cursed himself. He had fought this war for three years now, and the final battle WAS about to happen. He didn't want to however. He knew it was wrong. What was he to do?
"Don't worry Revan." Malak activated his red lightsaber. "I'll go planet side with our buddy Rann, and make sure he doesn't get cold feet." An evil smile entered his lips as he put his arm around Revan.
"Excellent, I expect your team to be picked within the hour and ready to go. Dismissed."
As Rann exited the chamber Malak followed him. "For the record, Mano. You do get cold feet, I'd be more worried about friendly fire, then hostile fire." Malak threatened as he walked away.
Rann kicked himself hard. What was he to do? His life was on the line. It was now kill or be killed. He turned and decided. "I'll kill to stay alive."
EBON HAWK PRESENT
Rann shook away the pain he felt as he entered back into the present. "I won't kill again unless I must." He thought to himself.
"General! Bao Dur entered the room. "The corpses have been cleaned off the ship." He reported.
"Excellent." Rann replied. Noticing Bao hadn't left he turned back to him. "Was there something else?"
"The girl sir. She's awake."
Rann walked into the medbay where Visas lay silent. He felt through the force that she was awake. "How are you feeling?"
"Jedi, why did you spare me? I was sent to kill you. You let me live? Why?"
"Settle down Visas. I will answer all questions, but first I need to ask you something. Are you alright?"
The question startled Rann. It had not been something he had expected to say. He had meant to ask about her Master.
"Am I alright? I... No one has ever asked me such a question before. I believe I am okay. Your friend, Bao. He said I should be back at speed in a day."
"I never meant to hurt you. I just wished to end the battle. My intention was never to kill you." Rann said and knew he meant it.
"Why did you save me? Please I must know. Why did you not kill me? What did you see?" Visas pleaded.
" I believe you can be saved. We noticed you had scars... We now realize you have been deeply traumatized, however, I did not kill you because I do not believe you are evil. I think you have been given a horrible existence and I do not wish for you to suffer anymore." Rann spoke whole heartedly.
"I... No one has ever..." Visas, against Doctor's orders sat up and spoke, " I pledge myself to you. If what you say is truth, and I believe it is, I will fight by your side till I die. I now see inside of you. You have scars too, but unlike me yours are on the inside."
"Look get some rest. We will talk again when you have fully recovered. I wish to know more of your Master, but for now relax." Rann could see that Visas would have been crying had she eyes. Her feelings in the force turned to a sad blue as Rann left to prepare for the next phase on Nar Shaddaa.
He was stopped violently by a hand on his arm. The Handmaiden looked him in the eye. "What are you doing?"
"What are you talking about?" Rann asked perplexed.
"She can't stay here. She can't be trusted. You've put us all in risk. Get rid of her now." The Handmaiden pleaded.
"It's interesting, because if I remember correctly, my crew was just telling me the same about you. About how you can't be trusted and how you'd betray me."
"But she is a Sith. They are evil."
"Evil has many faces. Even one who wears all white. The way you're acting. I trust Visas more then I trust you. So do me a favor before I kick you off this ship. Get over your little jealous rage, and leave Visas alone!" Rann tore off to the cockpit never looking back.
If he had looked back he would have been surprised, for the Handmaiden stood shaking, and in her eyes tears. She had broken her oath alright. She had fallen in love with the Exile.