Chapter: 29 A Warrior's Finest Hour
Vala was frozen in shock. Any inch of doubt keeping her from believing Evrus lived was eliminated when he spoke. She knew his voice anywhere. His screams still haunted her sleepless nights. Now after all of these years, Evrus was far from the helpless warrior Vala abandoned him as. Any thoughts of how he survived were drowned out by the sense of imminent danger. The Force-sensitive, Death Watch-trained warrior came darting down at them. He used his crimson lightsaber to deflect all of Boba and Vala's shots. Nadess took aim and readied her high-powered pistol. She fired a mighty blast that Evrus spun to evade. He performed a flyby and the group waited for his return.
"I've been waiting a long time for this, Vala!" he roared from above.
"You know him?" asked Dain.
Nadess huffed. "Why am I not surprised?"
Boba readied his jetpack and motioned for Vala to do the same. "Together!" he ordered. He and Vala took to the sky, firing their blasters at Evrus. The Inquisitor rocketed past and used the Force to dishevel them. Vala and Boba descended just before Evrus' lightsaber could lop their heads off.
"Let's make this interesting," said Evrus. He dive-bombed the platform, much to Boba and Vala's bewilderment. Evrus launched both missiles on his jetpack. One struck the platform while the second blasted the facility's spire. What was left of the spire came crashing down on the facility itself, completely compromising its support.
Vala saw her friends panicking as the platform began to topple. "Boba! Get them out of here!"
Boba darted to the platform and motioned for the others to make for Slave I. They managed to get inside and prime the engines moments before striking the ocean. Vala's relief was short-lived when she noticed Dain beside the collapsing facility. The explosion from Evrus' first missile had knocked him far from the others. Her heart sank at the sight of Evrus closing in on him from above.
"Dain!" Vala called. "Look out!"
Dain spun and activated his lightsaber. Red clashed with green as Evrus landed in front of him. They dueled across the burning walkway as Vala closed in. It didn't matter if Dain was a Jedi. Vala knew a Padawan like him was no match for a battle-hardened, merciless monster like Evrus. It was a miracle Dain had survived a duel with him for so long.
Evrus locked blades with Dain and taunted him. "You're brave, boy. But that won't be enough to save you!" Evrus pressed a button that made his lightsaber spin. Unable to counter the unknown maneuver, Dain was easily overpowered and broke off his defense. Evrus batted the lightsaber out of Dain's hands and then prepared to strike the killing blow.
"No!" screamed Vala as she tackled Evrus. The two of them crashed through the facility's doors and tumbled down the hall.
Evrus kicked Vala off of him and pinned her to the wall. "So now you care about the Jedi?" He headbutted her. The metallic strike drew blood and she dropped to her knees. Dain rushed over with his saber raised. Evrus engaged him while Vala forced herself to stand. She wiped the blood from her forehead and shook off her dizziness. Such dizziness kept her from shooting Evrus in the head. Instead, her lasers strayed to the floor as she struggled to maintain consciousness. She managed to limp over to Evrus and activate one of the grenades on his bandolier. The device's bleeping caught Evrus' attention. He disengaged Dain and used the Force to rip off the bandolier. He flung them across the hall and the combined explosions shook the entire facility. Whatever foundation survived Evrus' missiles was obliterated by the grenades.
Everything slid on the diagonal as the facility plummeted from its support beams. Vala grabbed the nearest wall and yelled, "Dain! Take my hand!" Dain rolled to her side and soon the two were dangling. Evrus used the collapsing building to propel himself towards Vala. He ignited his lightsaber and brought it down on her. Vala shut her eyes as Dain's green blade intercepted the attack. Evrus pressed harder, forcing both lightsabers close to Vala's face. Dain grunted while attempting to push the blades back up. His youthful arms reddened through his tattered selves. He felt his muscles tighten and yield to intense pressure. Evrus seized the moment to punch Dain in the face with his free hand. The hit was enough to weaken Dain into yielding. Evrus swung at Vala, but she caught his wrist.
Evrus growled while applying pressure. "Still the same old, Vala. You never learn when to quit!"
While clenching his wrist, Vala used her other hand to discreetly grab her pistol. "But I have learned other things!" She was about to fire into his chest when the facility shook again. This time Vala, Dain, and Evrus were flung against the opposite side of rattling walls. The structure shifted again, sending the three crashing into another wall.
Boba piloted Slave I over the facility...or at least where it once was. Nadess and Scraps peered from the viewport and desperately searched for their friends. The ocean had claimed the entire base.
Vala awakened with her face plastered against an enforced window. She gasped at the sight of a dark abyss outside. She watched as the surface disappeared from view and the facility sunk deeper. The dreadful thought of how deep Kamino's seas were passed through her mind. Dain's excruciating screams echoed across from her. "Dain!" She rushed to his side and was relieved that he was still moving. "Can you stand?" she asked.
"Let me try," said Dain. He pulled himself up, only to let out an agonizing yelp. He fell against the floor and clutched his thigh. "I...can't feel my leg."
Vala's eyes widened as she examined Dain's right thigh. A metal rod from the debris had completely pierced it, pinning him to the floor. Dain's trembling hand was soaked with blood. "Try not to move," said Vala.
"Well now...isn't this fitting?" said Evrus from behind her. Vala turned as he continued. "Are you going to abandon him as you did me, Vala?" She remained silent. "Are you going to leave him screaming as you did me?"
"Stop this, Evrus!"
"Don't you get it, Vala? Nothing can stop what you started. You have to suffer as I did!" Evrus removed his helmet, revealing his atrociously scarred face.
"What happened to you?" Vala asked.
Evrus scowled. "I spent days calling out for help in that cave. I was paralyzed with fear as my body began to deteriorate. It was not until the fourth day that I heard footsteps. I thought that maybe you'd come back for me. That you'd reconsidered your choice." Evrus grit his teeth. "How wrong I was. The Ming Po people of Carlac found and dragged me out of the cave. The once peaceful villagers were enraged at the oppression they endured under Vizsla and the rest of Death Watch. Driven mad for vengeance, the Ming Po brought their wrath against Death Watch on me."
Vala sneered. "That's not my problem."
Evrus threw up his hand and pinned Vala to a wall with the Force. "Not your problem? You started all of this! You betrayed me! The Ming Po tortured me for weeks...months! They barely kept me alive in order to have me suffer more. They beat me with clubs and seared my flesh with sizzling metals. I was lashed, burned, and stomped on! They tortured me until I begged for death! Yet death did not find me. It was only in my suffering that I realized hatred was the only thing keeping me alive. Instead of begging for death, I became it. My nerve damage healed over the course of three months and I was able to take my revenge. The Ming Po didn't stand a chance as I destroyed each of them with my bare hands. I stretched out with the Force and crushed their skulls into dust. Not even the children could escape my wrath!" He used the Force to fling Vala across the room. "And I realized just how powerful my hatred was. I channeled my powers through the Dark Side and that was all the company I needed. By the time I escaped Carlac, the war for Mandalore was over and the Empire was in power. I put my skills to good use and soon I will be Grand Inquisitor!"
"Still the same old Evrus," said Vala as she stood up. "Still struggling for power and serving as a leader's lapdog to get it."
Infuriated, Evrus gripped her with the Force and slammed her against the floor. "I thought you were dead at the Battle of Mandalore!" He flung her again. "But you couldn't even grant me that satisfaction! And now I find out you're sympathizing with a Jedi. Was I not good enough for you, Vala? How'd it feel to betray me?"
"My comlink was on because I didn't know if you were going to hurt me, Evrus!" Vala yelled. "You think I planned to set you up?"
"Enough!" roared Evrus. "Nothing you say can pay for what you've done! Only your blood can do that."
Vala snarled. "Then come get it!"
Evrus easily used the Force to pull Vala close to him. He readied his lightsaber to stab Vala, but she had a plan of her own. She waited until she was close enough to draw Daliz's toxic dart. She jammed it in his neck, making him snarl and convulse. His grip on her loosened and she backed away. Evrus ripped the dart from his neck and crushed it in his hand. He stretched out his hand but found it unusually difficult to focus his Force powers. His fingers trembled. "What...what did you do to me?"
"I made this a fair fight," said Vala. "Evrus, I shouldn't have left you all those years ago. But that time has passed. Now I will either live to protect this Jedi or die trying."
"We're fathoms below the sea. None of us are leaving here alive, but that doesn't mean I can't be the one to kill you." Without his prominent Force powers, Evrus was unable to maintain focus. "I'll give you a fair fight," he said while putting his helmet back on. "We'll fight as all Mandalorians do." He stretched out a finger and proclaimed to an invisible crowd, "I challenge Vala Ketra to single combat!"
"I accept your challenge to fight me to the death." Evrus froze at the display of her boldness. Vala twirled her DC-17 pistol. "Bring it."
Evrus activated his double-sided lightsaber and charged at her. She fired wildly as he deflected each shot. He used his jetpack to propel him towards her and swept with his blade. Vala jetpacked away and Evrus remained hot on her tail. "Get back here!" he cawed. His tone was sardonic. "Vala Ketra never ran from a fight. Only from her friends!"
Enraged by his words, Vala cut power to his jetpack and then kicked off the wall. She narrowly avoided Evrus' saber strike and blasted his shoulder. The laser scorched his armor, leaving him perfectly fine. He jabbed with his saber, forcing Vala to back up and collide with the nearest wall. She fell from midair and landed near a flooded corridor. Seawater leaked into the drowned facility from all sides. The enforced glass on the windows could only hold for so long. Evrus deactivated his saber and snatched the rifle from his back. He fired a spray of lasers over Vala's position, forcing her to dive into the flooded hallway.
Evrus cackled to himself. "You're making this too easy, Vala!" He landed beside the hallway and took aim at the water. Suddenly, Vala emerged and launched her whipcord at his arm. Once it snagged him, she dove back under and pulled. Caught off guard by his own arrogance, Evrus was easily dragged underneath the water. He flailed for his lightsaber as Vala gripped him in a headlock. She used her free hand to rip his helmet off, eliminating any chance of it having an extra respirator. Ironically, Vala felt the need for oxygen seize her before Evrus. She shoved him further under and swam up for air. She took a big breath before diving back under. Evrus had started swimming back up when Vala kicked him back down. She felt around the murky water for his rifle, but Evrus' flailing was too much of a distraction. She put all of her weight on him and listened to his garbled grunts.
Come on, she thought. Drown already!
Vala figured Evrus couldn't have had much air left in him. She felt an intense heat beneath her and gasped when she saw a red hue. Evrus managed to ignite his lightsaber during the scuffle and turned it upwards. The blade sawed Vala's hand armor in half and she pulled back in time to save the rest of her. Evrus broke the surface and breathed. Vala quickly tried to dunk him again, but he punched her back. He prepared to drown her as she did him, but Vala rocketed away with her jetpack. Evrus chased Vala back into the main chamber, grabbed her leg, and pulled her down. She kicked the lightsaber off of his belt and sent it spiraling away. She withdrew her pistol, but Evrus swatted it out of her hand. Without anything else at their disposal, both warriors resorted to the hidden blade on their wrist.
They glared at each other, amused by their similar thinking. Vala didn't waste another second and took a stab at him. His steel clamored against hers. Evrus forced his arm downward, slashing Vala's bicep in the process. She hissed with pain and retaliated by nicking an exposed part of Evrus' chest. Their knives locked and they pressed hard against each other. They applied enough pressure to snap both knives simultaneously. Vala kicked Evrus off of her and put up her fists. Evrus did the same and chuckled. "Now this is a fight."
Vala made the first punch, landing a direct hit against Evrus' jaw. He caught her forearm and attempted to throw her, but Vala kneed him in the chest. He kicked her back and threw a punch. Vala's chestpiece absorbed the hit and she elbowed him in the face. Even without his helmet on, Evrus managed to deliver a debilitating headbutt against Vala. She fought through her daze and clawed for his eyes. Evrus backhanded her and then used the Force to call his lightsaber. His powers were still hindered by the toxin and forced Evrus to grab the weapon himself. Vala backed up as Evrus readied his crimson blade. She jetpacked upward, but the tip of Evrus' lightsaber scorched her shin. She screeched with pain and crashed into the ground. A thin puddle of seawater had formed beneath her. Her lips spat out saltwater as she clenched her sizzling wound. Evrus spun around and rushed to finish her off.
"Vala!" called Dain. He summoned what strength he could to throw Vala his lightsaber.
She caught and activated the green blade just in time to block an attack. Evrus hammered away at the lightsaber with his own. "Come on, Vala!" he grunted while attacking. "Is this really all you've got? Impress me!" His voice intensified with each batter against her blade. "Show me the Nite Owls died for something! Or are you just the pathetic shadow of what they once were?" He raised his blade and bellowed, "You are nothing, Vala Ketra. All you stood for is gone and what you stand for now will follow suit. This Jedi meets his end after you meet yours!"
"No!" yelled Vala. She pushed Evrus off of her and leapt to her feet. "How dare you talk down to me when it is you is nothing. You have always been a cowardly parasite, clinging to the strongest power in the room. You claim I left you! You left us! You left Dee and I to fend for ourselves!"
"Dee was weak. Her death was inevitable."
"That was never your call to make. Nor was it Vizsla's."
Evrus spun his lightsaber. "Your death will be my call."
"Even now you deny your cowardice."
Evrus snarled. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"Oh you're here." Vala stared him down. "Just after the Imperials softened us up. Face it, Evrus. You'll never be strong enough to hold your own."
Evrus growled and charged at her. Their lightsabers met thrice before he knocked her weapon away. Vala watched as the green saber deactivated and rolled across the room. Evrus laughed. "What did you think you were? A Jedi?" He rushed Vala until she backflipped away. As Vala did so, she noticed her pistol sticking out from a heap of debris. She rolled, recovered the gun, and then flew above Evrus. He flew up to match her, and she quickly cut power to her jetpack. She dropped just as he went up, giving Vala the chance to fire a laser at his lightsaber. She struck one of its tips, causing the hilt to spark and shock Evrus palms. Vala used the distraction to tackle Evrus to the floor. They returned to the flooding hallway and wrestled on the dry end.
Vala didn't give Evrus a chance to recover. She punched away at his face until he blocked a hit. Evrus rocketed a punch straight for Vala's face, but she ducked and lunged forward. She wrapped her arms around Evrus and drove her knee into his chest. Vala kneed the Inquisitor with such vehemence, that she roared a resounding "HAH!" Evrus buckled forward and Vala kneed his face twice more. She then pulled away and landed a ferocious right hook to his face. The strike was enough to send Evrus sailing into a viewport. Although the frame was made of enforced glass, the impact from Evrus' collision formed a web of cracks across it.
Vala caught her breath while reminiscing on Bo-Katan's words.
"Take a good long look, Nite Owls. Strength is life, for the strong have the right to rule. The first tenet in the Mandalorian code. This recruit has demonstrated incredible tenacity despite being overwhelmingly overpowered. As you can see, Vala doesn't give up. She doesn't break. She also has some deadly knees." Evrus stirred from the floor. "Vala," he groaned. He looked up with his blood-soaked face as Vala aimed her pistol. "If you shoot me, you'll never know the truth."
"The truth about what?"
"About your lieutenant," he coughed. "Bo-Katan." Vala kept the gun trained on him and took a step forward. She wondered if his Force powers had returned, and if he'd been able to sense who she was thinking about. Evrus stretched out his trembling hands and said, "I have surveyed many places for the Empire, including Mandalore."
"Mandalore is under Imperial control."
"Not all of it," whispered Evrus. Vala could barely hear him over the pouring waters, so she stepped closer. "There are those who still defy. And one of them is...is..." He choked for air.
Frustrated, Vala dropped to her knees and shook his shoulders. "Is what? Is what?"
Evrus leaned forward, resting his head against Vala's ear and painting it scarlet. He cleared his parched throat and whispered, "She...lives." Vala's eyes widened at his words. Suddenly, Vala felt a mighty force freeze her in place. The toxin had indeed worn off, and Evrus' powers were returning. While he held her in place, Evrus pressed the hilt of his lightsaber against Vala's abdomen. Her heart sank and she struggled to move as he grinned sadistically. She listened as he whispered again, "I have spent years suffering from what you did. Now it's your turn." Paralyzed by the insurmountable Force, Vala could do nothing more than watch Evrus ignite the lightsaber.
The red blade sounded, and both Mandalorians shuddered. Their eyes never strayed from each other's gaze. Vala felt the Force leave her body, allowing her to drop her arms. Evrus' right eye twitched and his lips quivered. Both he and Vala looked down at the saber. Vala's blast to the tip of it earlier had rendered one side of the blade useless. The malfunction forced all of the blade's energy to revert to the opposite side. The fully concentrated, crimson beam impaled Evrus. He looked up at Vala in pure astonishment.
Vala stood up and twirled her pistol. "What was it you said to me all those years ago?...Shoot with feeling?" She took aim at his head. "Well I've got plenty of feeling now." Vala pulled the trigger, sending a laser zinging through Evrus' skull. Watching Evrus die was like shredding a parasite off and stomping on it. She took a step back and caught her breath. "I'll see you in hell, Evrus." She heard the glass cracking behind him. "Just not yet." Vala's blast and Evrus' lightsaber had weakened the glass infrastructure. She sprinted back to the main chamber as water pressure increased on the glass.
"Dain!" Vala called before rushing to his side. "Hold on!"
"Vala?" he whispered as a smile formed. "You're alive."
"Of course I am. I'm going to get us out of here."
"How?" he asked. "Look around you. There's no way out of this."
"Don't worry about that just yet. Now hold on. I'm going to pull you up."
"If you do, I won't be able to run."
"Then I'll carry you!" Vala snapped. "Now come on. I can't lift without your help."
Dain glanced at his swollen and blood-drenched thigh. "I won't be of much help."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean just go, Vala. If there's any chance at making it out, it'll be slim and you can't have me slowing you down. This is it, Vala. All of this madness has led me to realize that the others were right." Dain shut his eyes and scowled. "The Jedi were never meant to survive." His breaths slowed and his head hung back.
Vala pursed her lips and angrily gripped his tunic. She pulled him hard enough to make him gasp. "Now you listen to me. All that I am began from a debate I had with a Jedi younger than the likes of you. In all of my wanderings, I've only come to realize that the Jedi are the most respectable and enduring guardians the galaxy has ever known. You showed me that when you reminded me of who I am and then challenged me to be better. I'm going to keep on believing that and I want you at my side. If you are the last Jedi, the galaxy needs you to mend it. You don't have a right to give up on those in need." She extended a hand to him. "So by the will of the Force...get up!" Dain smiled and energetically took her hand. She pulled him up as he screamed with pain. Freeing his leg from the steel rod prompted blood to spurt out from both sides. Vala pressed her hands to the wound, but it wasn't enough pressure. She eyed Dain's lightsaber and retrieved it with her whipcord.
Dain watched as she ignited the green blade. "What are you going to do with that?"
"Just hold still," said Vala. Dain loosed an excruciating screech as Vala gently pressed the blade to his wound. The intense heat cauterized it as he whimpered. "I know it hurts. Just one more time!" She turned the blade to the exit wound at the back of his thigh. He screeched again as she deactivated. "That's it! You're done!" Vala slung his arm over her shoulder and helped him walk. She frantically searched for a way out. Both she and Dain gasped when they heard the glass down the corridor finally shatter. Seawater surged into the facility at full force. Multiple viewports shattered under such tremendous pressure. The flow of water entrapped the two. Vala struggled to remain afloat while clenching Dain.
"I have an idea!" she yelled over the rushing waters.
"What's...that?" muttered Dain.
"The whole facility is faced sideways. When we float to the top, your lightsaber can cut a hole in the wall. We'll have to wait until the water completely fills the chamber, otherwise we'll be pushed back."
"Even if that works, we can't swim all the way to the surface from the seafloor."
"Just trust me!" yelled Vala. "Unless you have a better idea."
"Swimming it is," said Dain.
"Wait for it!" Vala clenched Dain's sleeve and pulled him close. The rising waters pressed both of their faces against the metal wall. "Deep breath," Vala whispered. They sucked the remaining air until their chests hurt. Vala waited until their heads were completely submerged and then sparked up the lightsaber. She opened her eyes and they instantly stung. All was blurred around her. She wondered how actors saw so clearly underwater in the holofilms back on Mandalore. Vala focused on the saber's green glow as she cut a circle through. The severed piece sunk between the two. A clang sounded and Dain grunted. Vala felt his fingers dig into her neck. The pain of wherever Dain was hit made him spew out several vital bubbles. Vala rushed to the opening, yanking Dain with her. Once they were free of the doomed facility, Vala and Dain had a straight shot to the surface. Although the surface was invisible throughout the blackness, all the two could do was swim up as fast as possible. Pressure pinched their ears to the point of granting them headaches. Their hearts thundered with each exertion of breathless force. Thinking quickly, Vala activated her jetpack and rocketed upwards. The boost was enough to carry them high above the seafloor before the jetpack gave out. She detached the device to lighten her load and kept kicking upward. Dain was losing momentum and slacking beside her. Her lungs were screaming for air and she had no idea how close to the surface she was.
It was then that she caught a twinkle amidst her blurred stare. A flicker of light reflecting off the rippling waves. So close! Vala thought to herself. Who was she kidding? At her current speed, she'd never make the surface in time. Seeing no other option, Vala reached across her body. While continuing to kick, she forcefully removed every piece of armor from her. Her vambraces, pauldrons, torso and chest pieces sunk to the murky depths. Lastly, Vala kicked off her shinguards and boot pieces. They too sunk to be buried beneath the seafloor sands. Dain tore off his tunic and flailed his arms with hopes of breaking the surface. His bare chest and torso pulsed, begging to be filled with air. Vala couldn't hear her own thoughts over the booming of her rapid heartbeat. She clawed for the surface, gritting her teeth and feeling the sting of saltwater overwhelming her eyes. Yet when all seemed lost, Vala felt her fingers skim the frigid air above.
Vala and Dain blasted through the ocean's surface, flailing and sputtering of air. Thy sucked up what they could before a wave splashed across their faces. Holding hands, Vala and Dain breathed the free air as rain pattered against their faces. Moments of silence were soon filled with laughter. "We did it!" Dain panted. "We actually did it!"
Slave I's searchlights swayed until fixating on the duo. "I don't believe it," said Boba as he lowered the ship. "They actually made it."
Nadess and Scraps hurried to the ramp to help their friends. Vala and Dain were dragged out of the chilling seas and into Slave I. "We're clear!" called Nadess, prompting Boba to take off.
Scraps gave Vala a tight hug and whimpered into her shoulder. "It's alright, little guy. I'm alright," she assured. She tightened her embrace. "You were so brave, Scraps. I couldn't have made it without you." She looked up at the others. "I couldn't have made it without any of you."
"We're a team," said Dain. "And we-" He winced and clenched his ankle. "That chunk of the wall sure left its mark."
"Let me see," said Vala as she examined the wound. "It's dislocated!"
"I know," grumbled Dain.
"Well here, I'll pop it back into place." She clenched his ankle and readied herself. "On three."
Dain flashed a condescending grin. "Seriously, Vala? I may be young, but I'm not naive. I know this trick. When we get to two, you'll-"
SNAP!
Dain yelped from the brief pain.
"What? I thought you knew the trick?" chuckled Vala.
Dain glared at her. "But we didn't get to two!"
"Technically, you said two." Vala chuckled as Slave I boomed into hyperspace.
Felucia's thick foliage bent and rustled as Slave I came in for a landing. Its ramp lowered for Vala and her companions. Nadess stepped out, helping Dain as he limped beside her. Scraps hobbled out next, looking back to see what was keeping Vala.
"So much for our partnership," said Boba.
Vala sighed and adjusted her bare jumpsuit. Her fingers mournfully brushed where her armor once was. "I've done enough bounty hunting in my lifetime, Boba. All the credits in the galaxy aren't worth the emptiness within."
Boba chuckled. "Speak for yourself."
"I have been. Thank you for all of your help back on Kamino. Keep Daliz's reward money. You'll need it wherever you're heading."
Boba nodded and placed a hand on her cheek. "Do I at least get a kiss for saving you?"
Vala raised a brow and backed away. "Don't push your luck, Fett. I'll see you around."
"Let's hope it's not on a wanted poster," he said.
"For your sake," Vala and Boba said in unison. They exchanged a glare before parting ways. Equipped with nothing more than a DC-17 pistol, Vala joined the others on a perilous jungle trek. Each step led her further from her past and into a greater future.
