CHAPTER XXXVII: Lessons and Fights

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Two hours after finalizing the battle plan with Zherron, and one hour after night had fallen, Kiray was busy assembling her lightsaber. Again.

It got infinitely difficult to build a lightsaber from scratch; everything had to be just so, in an exact balance. Kiray had managed to get the lens and emitter all set, but the power cell was proving immensely tricky. She'd pirated a power pack from an unused blaster, and was trying to wire it up to use the pack. Despite her good knowledge on getting things to work, she was hitting dead end after dead end, and Kiray was sorely tempted to just call it quits. Kiray shoved the assembly onto a desk and decided to crash on the cot, and she fell asleep.

Like a shadow, someone crept through a window, and, after making sure Kiray was asleep, the shadow headed for the desk. Revan slowly tugged off her hood, and, after glancing around suspiciously, started reworking Kiray's makeshift power cell. Her deft hands quickly uncrossed wires and nodes, and quickly finished. She put all the pieces together and, adding the gleaming blue crystal, slid in all into Kiray's new hilt and tightened everything into order. Revan shot Kiray one last glance, and quickly deposited a crystal next to the finished lightsaber, a roughly credit-sized white gem, and quickly left back through the window. She paused, and looked back at Kiray.

"Good luck, Talmara; you'll need it." With that, Revan quickly vanished into the night.

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Kiray awoke to the sounds of rushed military men outside in the corridor, and she stood up, sparing a short glance to the desk. She stopped when she saw the completed lightsaber and the small white crystal, and she slowly picked them up. Who could've...not anyone I know, that would be impossible, Kiray mused, turning the lightsaber over in her hands before hooking it onto her belt and pocketing the crystal. Mira opened Kiray's door, and gave her a short salute.

"Azkul and his men are on approach, and Zherron's getting the men together," the huntress reported as Kiray threw her robe over her shoulders and stuck her arms down the sleeves. "I've got HK and Mandalore covering the back ways in, and everyone else is taking up posts in the hallways with the other men."

"What about the men that'll be out on the plains? Do we have anyone backing them up?" Kiray asked as she followed Mira out. Mira shook her head even as they headed outdoors.

"Zherron figured that the turrets and mines will thin out the ranks some," Mira explained as the men lined up, and Zherron appeared behind them.

"We're all set. Now we're just waiting." Kiray looked over the men, and she could see the fear in their eyes...someone had to make them fight to their fullest.

"Can I speak to the men a bit?" she asked, and both Zherron and Mira stared at her in shock. Slowly, Zherron nodded as Mira shook her head, and Kiray stepped out in front of them, head held high.

"Men of Khoonda, listen!" she began. "Today, we fight against mercenary forces that wish to take Dantooine from the people who have lived here before they came, thirsting for blood. They wish to see this beautiful place burn under their fires. That I will never allow! Look at each other! Today, you and he may fight together, and maybe die together, but remember that it is in defense of your homes and family, for their future. Today, we fight for the future of Dantooine! Khoonda shall never fall while I am living! Do you stand with me?" There was a tremendous roar from the ranks, and even Mira threw her fist into the air. "Good! Now we fight!"

There was another roar, and the men turned to take up positions, waiting for Azkul's men to appear. Kiray went back inside with Mira, and waited.

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"What're you up to?" Atton asked, watching Jaq in slight fear as the darker man disconnected their unconscious body from the medical equipment. Jaq glanced over at Atton once he had finished.

"We're lucky that we passed out after the whole thing at the Enclave," Jaq said, moving the stuff aside. "You remember what's resting deep down, the thing we both don't want to see come out. That means we have to get back together right now, before it gets the opportunity."

"But the battle's going to start any second! Kiray's going to need our help holding off the mercs!"

"Atton, she's a Weapon Master. I wouldn't worry too much." Jaq finished moving the chairs aside, and stood on one side as Atton slowly came up on the other. They stared at each other right as the alarms started blaring, and their body twitched ever so slightly. Jaq started, waiting, while Atton took a hard grip on the bedstead, and gleaming yellow eyes opened to look up at both of them and start growling audibly.

"He's awake, move it!" Jaq shouted, starting to clamber onto the thrashing, awake body that wasn't entirely Atton Rand, but was, and Atton leaped onto his back, and they both pushed as hard as possible. The dark animal beneath them howled as Jaq penetrated, and starting going down with a flare of light, and Atton started to descend, and felt a hard pash in his back. He turned, ever so slightly, and saw a beautiful, and very familiar, woman, shoving him back into his body.

"Revan?!"

"Atton, get in, before things get out of hand, hurry!" Revan ordered, pushing hard, and Atton felt himself fall back into his body...

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Kiray growled as Azkul came at her again, and again. He was too strong, something was leeching strength to him. Kiray knew she should have beaten him a while ago, but he kept coming, pushing her towards the med bay.

"You can't kill me!" Azkul grinned, continuing to push Kiray back. "You have failed, and once I kill you, I will kill the one who tried to turn my men against me."

"Never! I'll get you before then!" Kiray barked, trying again to shock him, but he just brushed the lightning storm away with his sword, and the next thing Kiray knew was a powerful kick in the stomach, followed by a slash across her face. She collapsed outside the med bay, her skin burning...there had been Devaronian blood-poison on that blade. Azkul laughed as Kiray struggled to summon the Force, but it had gone...she had drained her reserve.

"And now, Kiray Fett, traitor of you own people, murderer of Mando'ade, you will die!" Azkul roared, hefting his blade high. Kiray squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the deathblow...but instead heard a lightsaber come crashing into Azkul's blade, and Kiray cracked her eyes open to see a stream of viridian above her.

"Atton!" Kiray cried as Atton Rand came out of the med bay, holding Azkul's blade at bay before using the Force to fling him at the wall. There was a sickening crunch, and Azkul collapsed on the floor, limp and unmoving. Atton deactivated his lightsaber and came down to Kiray's side.

"I'm here, Kir, it's over," he whispered, embracing her, and Kiray held him tight; Atton was back, and she couldn't have been happier. Mira came around the corner, along with Vrook and Lonna, and when they saw Azkul lying there, dead, Vrook went off to mop up the remaining mercenaries while Lonna and Mira came up behind Atton and Kiray.

"Good to see you in one piece, Atton," Mira said, and the other two quickly separated, Kiray blushing, and they slowly stood up.

"Well, now that Azkul's dead, we've got the mercenaries starting to turn tail. I don't think we'll have to worry about them attacking Khoonda again," Lonna commented with a smile as they turned to see the last of the mercenaries run, and people were cheering as he left. The door to Adare's office opened, and the administrator came out, smiling widely.

"Excellent, I'm glad the mercenaries are defeated!" Adare said coolly. Kiray gave Adare a tight smile as Adare continued, "I cannot thank you and your crew enough for your aid. We shall set to work rebuilding right away." With that, Adare moved off, and Vrook came up in her place. Kiray stiffened a little bit, and, amazingly, the crotchety old Master gave her a small smile.

"Khoonda is safe because of you. I guess exile has been better to you than I expected," Vrook stated. "If there is anything you want to know, I'll answer."

"Nothing...well...is there anything you could teach me?" Vrook's smile grew very slightly, and they quickly moved off to a more open area, and the Master activated his lightsaber.

"A defensive form you might find helpful against blasters, Shien, form six, can also improve a chance of a critical hit," Vrook explained as one of the militia was suddenly pressed into fighting against a lightsaber and Vrook demonstrated. Kiray watched as Vrook kept explaining Shien, until they started battering each other, in Shien.

"I don't know what you've been doing, but you learned that amazingly fast," Vrook complimented, and Kiray beamed before the blow came: "But it's sloppy, but that's nothing that some good practice can't remedy. I'll remain here until you get all the Masters back together, and we will discuss what to do. I will see you, Kiray." With that, Vrook vanished, and Kiray sighed.

"That's three down and one to go," she commented while they hiked back to the Hawk. "I don't think Onderon would be all too friendly if we popped back up, so I think we should investigate Korriban."

"I would be careful, Kiray," Lonna warned. "Korriban has suddenly become infested with Sith again, and I barely escaped myself. But it's your choice, not mine." Kiray shrugged, and they clambered up the boarding ramp. Kahned came around the corner, and he nearly shoved Kiray into a wall.

"How many more are we taking on, huh? This bucket's starting to get too crowded for its own good!" he growled, and Kiray frowned up at her brother, her amber and brown eyes burrowing into his dark eyes.

"We'll take as many that want to come along, even if it means taking on a whole fleet of ships," Kiray replied. "And I'll appreciate it if you'll let me go." Kahned rumbled, but he stepped back while Kiray straightened her robe.

"Kahned, yes, I know, this ship is getting full, but each person on this ship has a helpful skill. There's Atton, who has quite a few skills; Mira, who can find people with ease; Bao-Dur, a mechanical genius, and everyone else. If you can't stand all these people helping out, then you can just go back to Dxun!" Kiray and Kahned stared at each other for a few seconds before Kahned stormed off for the other end of the ship.

"Somethin' up?" Atton asked, watching Kahned march off, but was ignored until Kiray appeared. "What's his problem?"

"He's complaining about the ship getting full," Kiray sighed, falling into the co-pilot's chair as Atton settled into the pilot's seat. "I don't blame him at all."

"Neither do I, but he does have a point. Can't we dump someone on Korriban?"

"NO." Atton smirked at Kiray's response as she got up and fiddled with the galaxy map until the coordinates for Korriban appeared. She sat back down as Atton began the preflight checks, and got an intriguing idea.

"Kiray?"

"What now, Atton?"

"You know how to fly a ship?" Kiray paused, and stared at the controls. To be truthful, she had never flown a ship, unless one counted a Basilisk war-droid in assorted mock battles and training simulations.

"No...I'm more used to commanding them than flying them myself." Atton chuckled and scooted back in his chair, making a space roughly large enough to accommodate Kiray.

"Now's a good time. I'm free to teach; shouldn't be a problem," Atton offered, moving towards the space. Kiray eyed it, and him, a little reluctantly before getting up and sitting in front of him, his controls in front of her. Kiray nearly stood up, but Atton held her down. "Nuh-uh, you're not getting out of this that easy. Now..."

He gently took her hands and put them on the handles. Kiray nearly bucked again, but she held herself down as Atton carefully guided her through takeoff, and, once they were a few miles from the ground, simply told her to take them out of the atmosphere.

Kiray gingerly began to fly, and, despite her fear, had to admit that this was fun. She was able to get them out of Dantooine's gravity well, and Atton pulled the lever that took them into hyperspace, off for Korriban. Kiray beamed up at him.

"Not bad for your first time," Atton said, smiling. Kiray snuggled into his chest, and she felt his arms slowly come around her. She closed her eyes, holding his wrists, and felt herself falling asleep.

"Thanks...I didn't think I could do it," she muttered, and she felt Atton lightly kiss the top of her head.

"Nah; you got it from me, I think." Kiray smiled, and let the darkness take her into a peaceful rest.