Rehn sat in her cell back in the Lakeeta fortress feeling miserable. You disappoint me.. the words played over in her head, tormenting her. Why did she care? She didn't care - did she? Gade did not know what bothered her more, the fact the she was ashamed she had not lived up to the bastard's expectations or the fact that she cared at all. Her thoughts where in turmoil. She paced the large room angrily, her tail wringing and swatting, the air around her alive with energy. It filled her, like water in an empty vessel. With a frustrated squeal she latched on to that power and slammed her fist down on the heavy wooden table in the middle of the cell, and it shattered at if it were made of glass.
Drakahn looked at the monitor and smiled. It would have taken two troopers to pick up that table, and then only with great strain. She had destroyed it with a single blow of her fist. She will be more difficult to handle as her power grows he mused. It didn't matter, he loved a challenge. A beep on his com display broke his reverie.
"What is it?" Drakahn asked testily.
"Forgive me my Lord, but the Emperor commands you to make contact with him." the officer said, his voice nervous. Drakahn jabbed the button, severing the link, and stepped to the holo pad. He knelt on one knee, his hands on the pad, his long neck bowed so deeply his muzzle was only centimetres from the floor.
"What is thy bidding, my Master." Every micron of arrogance was gone, replaced with submission and deference. Only Vader and the Emperor ever saw this side of Drakahn.
"Rise my loyal servant." Palpatine said with a sickly smile and Drakahn got to his feet, standing in the military 'at ease' stance. The Emperor's holo was immense, almost filling the room. "Lord Vader has told me nothing but good things of your endeavours."
"He does me a great service, Sire. The conditioning is progressing well. Her will is strong, but she will be ready for training soon."
"Has my dear little Rage caused you any grief?" He asked. The dark Jedi knew there was no sense in explaining the details-Palpatine knew them already, though Drakahn hadn't reported the incident. The Emperor had not attained supreme power by not being in the loop.
"She has had her fun. I do not think she will interfere with Gade's training."
"Diplomatically put, Drakahn. At least one of my servants is possessed of patience." Drakahn's gut grew cold with the implied slight to Lord Vader. For all the Thalcein knew, Vader could be with the Emperor now, just out of holo cam range. He thought quickly.
"I'm sure Lord Vader could have achieved results much more quickly than I." Drakahn replied. Sucking-up was not always a bad thing, if done right. The Emperor chuckled at Drakahn's attempt to defend Vader's notorious lack of tolerance for those who showed defiance or a strong will.
"You are quicker of wit than I sometimes give you credit Drakahn. Well said."
"Thank you, Master." he returned, smiling slightly and giving an inward sigh of relief.
"She is yours Drakahn, to do with as you like after her training is complete. If she cannot be turned, her mind will be wiped and you can have what's left. " Palpatine said with a sneer. "I always reward absolute loyalty. It is so very hard to come by." Drakahn smiled, his head bowing in humble thanks. Drakahn fervently hoped Rehn could be turned to the dark side. A mind wipe would leave her a shadow of her current self, snuffing the fire in her eyes, the fighting spirit in her he found so alluring. "However" the Emperor cautioned "If she proves resistant to a mind wipe, she must be destroyed." Drakahn nodded.
"I understand Master, and will do the task myself should it come to that."
********
Rehn stood before Drakahn, six meters away from the huge Thalcein. He had let her languish in her cell for two days with no outside contact of any kind. Her meals had been served through a slot in the door and by the time Drakahn had finally come for her she almost looked happy for his company. She had followed him of her own free will, albeit reluctantly and he had not bothered to put binders on her, for she had come to realise there was very little chance of escape- the place crawled with stormtroopers and surveillance devices. He had warned her as well, that should she attempt to escape, Lady Vader had threatened to turn her over to the garrison's troopers for 'sport'. The beatings and humiliations she had already suffered had frightened her sufficiently that binders and other restraints were no longer needed.
Drakahn held two staves, one much larger than the other. He tossed the smaller of the two to Rehn. "Come, little one. Show me that warrior's fire." They were squared off in the training yard of the Fortress, a large, grassy field surrounded by immense stone walls. The was one door, and no escape.
She looked at him suspiciously, remembering what had happened the last time she tried to attack him. She looked down at the six foot staff, and wished for the huge vibroblade she had carried until her capture. Her strong, velvet furred hands tightened around the wooden weapon. Her revery was broken as something tugged at her consciousness, like a warning indicator on a fighter's control panel. She instinctively dodged to the side, rolling on her shoulder and coming up in a quick combat stance, the staff held level at her side, pointing at Drakahn. He had covered the distance between them so quickly and quietly that she had almost not moved in time. Drakahn pressed his attack, dropping into a crouch and swinging his great staff at ankle level. She jumped and posted her staff into the ground, using it as a pole vault. She lunged at Drakahn, her lips pulled back from her teeth in a snarl, her left leg outstretch, trying to slash his throat with her spur. He duck and she sailed over his shoulder to land behind him. He pivoted on his right foot, lashing out with his left, and she wasn't ready for it. The kick caught her in the belly and drove the air from her lungs. Drakahn's kick could have easily killed her instead, but he restrained his natural aggression-she was no good to him dead. Rehn fell heavily to her knees, gasping for air and hadn't recovered enough to escape the next blow as Drakahn's staff hit her in the side of the face, from ear to chin.
She fell on her back, dazed, her ears ringing, the staff knocked away by the force of the blow. Anger rise inside her. How am I supposed to win? Even I know when I'm outclassed. As the anger at the unfairness of her situation reached a boiling point, she suddenly became acutely aware of what was going on around her, as if her senses had just been super charged. Time seemed to slow as her eyes focussed and she saw Drakahn's huge three toed foot coming to stamp her into the ground. She threw her legs over her head, using the momentum to flip herself to her feet, dropping into a combat stance.
Drakahn suppressed a triumphant smile. She had touched the dark side, and had used it to speed her movements. The power was an addictive drug he knew, and now that she had tasted it she would soon be hooked. She attacked with a ringing war cry, one hand balled into a fist and held at her side, while she struck out with the other, her hand open and flat, the heal of her palm pointed slightly up, aimed at his sternum. The air around her crackled with unseen energy as she used her anger to put power into what would be a killing blow. It never landed. Drakahn's mastery of the Force was more than a match for her unpractised manipulations and he grabbed her wrist, twisting it to the side and up between her shoulder blades as she was forced to turn with it. His other arm wrapped around the lower part of her heaving chest, pinning her other arm. She squealed furiously and thrashed, but his grip was firm and she felt her feet leave the ground. He held her tightly to him and her struggles ceased. Her teeth were bared and her breaths came in angry snorts.
"I am very please, Rehn." his lips travelled the length of her sweaty golden neck, his voice soft and low. He spoke in their language, and to human ear, the words would have sounded like nothing more than a heavy nicker. She shivered and swallowed audibly, unsure of what to do next. It took all of his concentration to keep his urges under control. Not being able to use her until after her training was complete was beginning to cause him stress and frustration. He reluctantly released her, placing her gently on the ground and his hand slid low and gently across her belly as he pulled away. He turned and left her, her mind and emotions in utter chaos as she watched him go.