The air outside was dry and calm. A grim wind lashed out across the dunes, forcing the quiet stillness to move occasionally, like the searching gaze of some intangible sentry. Varus was not grateful for this. It made his heart beat higher and harder, its pace fast enough to work loose of the tranquil parameter that had surrounded it. Anxiety was in control now, and paranoia was festering in his mind. His thoughts were running in a desperate pattern of What does a Mandalorian look like? or Why is it here? and Can it see me?
There truly wasn't much to see at all. Night on Sarkuhn was as bleak as it was in the day. Instead of a great bright haze of dust and sand, there was a great dark haze. Clues such as footprints vanished within seconds. Varus stretched out with the Force. He could still feel Qei, distant now but still motionless under the Mandalorian's vigil. They had taken a desperate gamble to resolve this crisis. Using the Force, Varus had taken Qei's lightsaber from his waist and then escaped the back way, making his way outside to the wall of the study. Qei had argued against it, saying, You're not ready to wield a lightsaber, padawan. You're more a danger to yourself than your enemies.
We'll see how dangerous I am, Varus grinned. He could feel the Mandalorian more clearly now, his confidence returning to replace some of the fear that welled up inside him. Lightsaber combat was a skill Qei had been reluctant to teach, seeing as the only practice tool available was his own golden blade. He also seemed very uneasy whenever Varus handled the weapon, always nagging with the reminder, "Though it may exist as a Jedi's tool, it was not intended as such." Varus had yet to decipher what that meant, but he was certain Qei simply lacked confidence in him. He always lacked confidence, the old man. That's all right, Varus thought. I can more than make up for it.
He leapt swiftly atop one of the pale gray dunes, his silhouette framed against the stars of the night sky. This was one of the highest, for the other dunes seemed to sift below him and out of sight. There was one, however, that was nearly parallel with him and visible. Varus would go there next. He was close now, and it was essential to see the Mandalorian before it saw him. Otherwise...
Varus tried to shake the thought. Qei had warned him of the Mandalorians' acute marksmanship. They could shoot faster and more precise than a Jedi sometimes. Varus doubted this, but his master remained wary. Qei obviously didn't think his speed was a match for this Mandalorian's, for he still hadn't moved in the study. Everything was so quiet.
Breathing deeper now, Varus gathered his strength. He would have to use the Force for this jump, the dune nearly blending with the dark haze at the borders of his sight. He closed his eyes. Size and distance are irrelevant, his teaching said. They matter not. Three more breaths. Physical boundaries are for the physical. Two more. They matter not. One more breath. Calm yourself. The Force is your guide. A Jedi conquers his instincts. Brace yourself. The Force is your shield. A Jedi does not attack. Open yourself. The Force is your voice. A Jedi soothes the hostile. He jumped.
There was fire, searing all around him. The sanded turf below punched into his midsection as he fell from his wayward leap. Varus could smell his own flesh burning, but he flooded this from thought. There was another sense, one more important. Footsteps shuffled away in the sand to his left. There it was.
Varus rolled frantically in the sand and doused the flames as best he could before leaping at the sound. Thunder echoed in the distance. Half-blinded from his fall, the padawan groped before him as he spirited through the air, half jumping every few feet to maintain his speed. Suddenly his hand clamped upon what felt like a blaster pistol, and it shook violently as the weapon fired and then fell from the grip of a startled Mandalorian. Varus opened his eyes.
Stumbling backward was the armored warrior, an ominous shadow upon the gray dunes. The T-shaped visor in its helmet was focused upon Varus in surprise as its blaster pistol dove into the sand. There was a masculine grunt, and the warrior withdrew its newly empty hand for a quick punch, but Varus was wary. He shoved his palm further outward and force-pushed the Mandalorian onto its back. As this happened, the warrior triggered something on its wrist and a jet of flame flew out from under it, propelling the Mandalorian like a rocket across the surface of the dune. Varus shielded his face from the blast and fell backward. A jetpack? He coughed. I really need to get out more. He scrambled up to his feet and watched as the warrior regained control and lifted off the ground, into the black sky. It hovered there as it worked to pull something from its holster. Another weapon?
Varus felt his shoulder scorch as a red streak of energy burned down from above. He cried out in pain and staggered in the sand. This must've been what Qei had feared. It was some sort of long-range blaster rifle, only more deadly. Varus could already feel the sizzle of smoke escaping into the cool night air as the gash in his arm smoldered. Relaxing his eyes, the padawan let the force pour into him, filling his wounds and dulling the pain. He felt a surge of anger at the Mandalorian, but he quickly subdued it as a serene feeling encompassed his body. This was the right way. Varus freed his mind of thought and opened his eyes.
The Mandalorian hovered there, almost slower and brighter than before. It seemed to be readying for another shot. Varus leapt straight up, the lightsaber still sheathed. With the force of a terrible wave, the padawan crashed into the hovering warrior and drove him into the ground. They landed violently, and sand flew all around, but Varus was calm. He felt a stream of flame spew from one of the Mandalorian's gauntlets, but it was slow, almost dream-like. The padawan kneed the warrior in its throat and the fire ceased. It was at this moment that Varus ignited his master's lightsaber and raised himself from his fallen opponent. Before the Mandalorian could retaliate, the golden blade was humming at its neck.
"Don't kill me," the warrior rasped.
Varus didn't flinch. "Who are you," he demanded. "Why are you trying to kill us?"
But the Mandalorian didn't answer with words. Instead, an urgent beeping noise sounded from its fist. There it clenched a silver sphere with glowing lights. Varus was puzzled.
"Get back!" came another voice. The padawan was pulled violently away from the Mandalorian, his blade still glowing. Before Varus could turn, there was an incredible flash of light in the sand where the warrior had been. An explosion rattled the dune and both the padawan and his savior were thrown to the ground in a blinding instant. The sound of thunder echoed in Varus' ears as the stars rushed up before him. Suddenly everything was gone, quenched in a silent blackness that drowned the padawan in another sea of dreams.
There truly wasn't much to see at all. Night on Sarkuhn was as bleak as it was in the day. Instead of a great bright haze of dust and sand, there was a great dark haze. Clues such as footprints vanished within seconds. Varus stretched out with the Force. He could still feel Qei, distant now but still motionless under the Mandalorian's vigil. They had taken a desperate gamble to resolve this crisis. Using the Force, Varus had taken Qei's lightsaber from his waist and then escaped the back way, making his way outside to the wall of the study. Qei had argued against it, saying, You're not ready to wield a lightsaber, padawan. You're more a danger to yourself than your enemies.
We'll see how dangerous I am, Varus grinned. He could feel the Mandalorian more clearly now, his confidence returning to replace some of the fear that welled up inside him. Lightsaber combat was a skill Qei had been reluctant to teach, seeing as the only practice tool available was his own golden blade. He also seemed very uneasy whenever Varus handled the weapon, always nagging with the reminder, "Though it may exist as a Jedi's tool, it was not intended as such." Varus had yet to decipher what that meant, but he was certain Qei simply lacked confidence in him. He always lacked confidence, the old man. That's all right, Varus thought. I can more than make up for it.
He leapt swiftly atop one of the pale gray dunes, his silhouette framed against the stars of the night sky. This was one of the highest, for the other dunes seemed to sift below him and out of sight. There was one, however, that was nearly parallel with him and visible. Varus would go there next. He was close now, and it was essential to see the Mandalorian before it saw him. Otherwise...
Varus tried to shake the thought. Qei had warned him of the Mandalorians' acute marksmanship. They could shoot faster and more precise than a Jedi sometimes. Varus doubted this, but his master remained wary. Qei obviously didn't think his speed was a match for this Mandalorian's, for he still hadn't moved in the study. Everything was so quiet.
Breathing deeper now, Varus gathered his strength. He would have to use the Force for this jump, the dune nearly blending with the dark haze at the borders of his sight. He closed his eyes. Size and distance are irrelevant, his teaching said. They matter not. Three more breaths. Physical boundaries are for the physical. Two more. They matter not. One more breath. Calm yourself. The Force is your guide. A Jedi conquers his instincts. Brace yourself. The Force is your shield. A Jedi does not attack. Open yourself. The Force is your voice. A Jedi soothes the hostile. He jumped.
There was fire, searing all around him. The sanded turf below punched into his midsection as he fell from his wayward leap. Varus could smell his own flesh burning, but he flooded this from thought. There was another sense, one more important. Footsteps shuffled away in the sand to his left. There it was.
Varus rolled frantically in the sand and doused the flames as best he could before leaping at the sound. Thunder echoed in the distance. Half-blinded from his fall, the padawan groped before him as he spirited through the air, half jumping every few feet to maintain his speed. Suddenly his hand clamped upon what felt like a blaster pistol, and it shook violently as the weapon fired and then fell from the grip of a startled Mandalorian. Varus opened his eyes.
Stumbling backward was the armored warrior, an ominous shadow upon the gray dunes. The T-shaped visor in its helmet was focused upon Varus in surprise as its blaster pistol dove into the sand. There was a masculine grunt, and the warrior withdrew its newly empty hand for a quick punch, but Varus was wary. He shoved his palm further outward and force-pushed the Mandalorian onto its back. As this happened, the warrior triggered something on its wrist and a jet of flame flew out from under it, propelling the Mandalorian like a rocket across the surface of the dune. Varus shielded his face from the blast and fell backward. A jetpack? He coughed. I really need to get out more. He scrambled up to his feet and watched as the warrior regained control and lifted off the ground, into the black sky. It hovered there as it worked to pull something from its holster. Another weapon?
Varus felt his shoulder scorch as a red streak of energy burned down from above. He cried out in pain and staggered in the sand. This must've been what Qei had feared. It was some sort of long-range blaster rifle, only more deadly. Varus could already feel the sizzle of smoke escaping into the cool night air as the gash in his arm smoldered. Relaxing his eyes, the padawan let the force pour into him, filling his wounds and dulling the pain. He felt a surge of anger at the Mandalorian, but he quickly subdued it as a serene feeling encompassed his body. This was the right way. Varus freed his mind of thought and opened his eyes.
The Mandalorian hovered there, almost slower and brighter than before. It seemed to be readying for another shot. Varus leapt straight up, the lightsaber still sheathed. With the force of a terrible wave, the padawan crashed into the hovering warrior and drove him into the ground. They landed violently, and sand flew all around, but Varus was calm. He felt a stream of flame spew from one of the Mandalorian's gauntlets, but it was slow, almost dream-like. The padawan kneed the warrior in its throat and the fire ceased. It was at this moment that Varus ignited his master's lightsaber and raised himself from his fallen opponent. Before the Mandalorian could retaliate, the golden blade was humming at its neck.
"Don't kill me," the warrior rasped.
Varus didn't flinch. "Who are you," he demanded. "Why are you trying to kill us?"
But the Mandalorian didn't answer with words. Instead, an urgent beeping noise sounded from its fist. There it clenched a silver sphere with glowing lights. Varus was puzzled.
"Get back!" came another voice. The padawan was pulled violently away from the Mandalorian, his blade still glowing. Before Varus could turn, there was an incredible flash of light in the sand where the warrior had been. An explosion rattled the dune and both the padawan and his savior were thrown to the ground in a blinding instant. The sound of thunder echoed in Varus' ears as the stars rushed up before him. Suddenly everything was gone, quenched in a silent blackness that drowned the padawan in another sea of dreams.