The ship fell, dead to its owners. Like a moth surrendered to its primal nature, the sleek wreck burned and screamed in a cacophony of jealous flames, victim to the gravity and atmosphere of Sarkuhn. But through death there was life.
The dark pilot shook his head as he reflected on his past. So vile, so wasted. And now, to go out like this? A slave to an ancient man who had perverted his life beyond recognition? Branded Sith and hated by every just mind in the galaxy? Imprisoned by the dark side, stranger to freedom?
Freedom. Now there's an amusing thought, the man smiled. How do you free yourself from fate? How do you free yourself when your master is infinitely more powerful than you?
The presence in the back of the ship stirred.
I mustn't think treasonous thoughts..
More explosions. The ship had been steadily falling apart since the dogfight. The flight navigation system was shot, so any hope of averting the plunge to Sarkuhn was meek at best.
Treasonous thoughts. Ah hell, what does it matter. We're both going to die anyway.
"Correction," came the sinister voice. It sent a vicious chill up the pilot's spine as he knelt his head. "You are going to die once we reach surface," it hissed. "Your weakness has cost me too much. My home is gone. My ship is gone. All because of your blunders. I will find a new apprentice, one less inclined to treasonous thoughts. One less inclined to stupidity."
The blaze outside was growing brighter. The ship began shaking with greater violence.
"What makes you think you'll survive this, old man? You may be strong in the Force, but you can't escape gravity. We'll burn alive in this tomb.."
The shaking became extreme, jolting the seats and ripping at the seams of the craft. The pilot rose from his place and turned around.
"At least I won't be an apprentice anymore," he continued. "At least I'll have the pleasure of killing you before this inferno does." The other presence was becoming rich with menace. "At least I'll be free."
With timing born of either fate or catastrophe, the pilot activated his crimson lightsaber and hurled it into the back of the ship. It seared through the shadows as the old Sith lord drew himself up, out of his placid seat. He reached out to stop the blade, feeling for it with the Force. But it was too late. He was too slow. He had...not foreseen this. The spinning lightsaber cut through him in a storm of sparks and smoke, ripping his robe and tormented body into steaming ribbons as it hovered in place, caught in an endless motion by the Force, spinning and slicing and spinning. A rotor of destruction. Of change. Of renewal.
The spinning stopped, and a heap of ash fell to the floor. Utter ruin. Cold and silent, the pilot withdrew his blade and sheathed it. Now he was the master. He would die, free of servitude. He would be at peace. At last.
He turned and looked out the viewport. A storm. He was descending through a storm.
The atmosphere didn't destroy the ship..
Amazing. The pilot sat down at the helm and gazed at what waited below. Clouds of dust parted, and there, in the midst of lightning flashes and dunes of sand, was a cluster of ruined buildings. A solitary swoop rode off into the distance, away from the ruins.
Who is that? His mind gasped, suddenly oblivious to the disaster around him. It feels familiar, as if..
Crash, lightning.
Darkness.
The dark pilot shook his head as he reflected on his past. So vile, so wasted. And now, to go out like this? A slave to an ancient man who had perverted his life beyond recognition? Branded Sith and hated by every just mind in the galaxy? Imprisoned by the dark side, stranger to freedom?
Freedom. Now there's an amusing thought, the man smiled. How do you free yourself from fate? How do you free yourself when your master is infinitely more powerful than you?
The presence in the back of the ship stirred.
I mustn't think treasonous thoughts..
More explosions. The ship had been steadily falling apart since the dogfight. The flight navigation system was shot, so any hope of averting the plunge to Sarkuhn was meek at best.
Treasonous thoughts. Ah hell, what does it matter. We're both going to die anyway.
"Correction," came the sinister voice. It sent a vicious chill up the pilot's spine as he knelt his head. "You are going to die once we reach surface," it hissed. "Your weakness has cost me too much. My home is gone. My ship is gone. All because of your blunders. I will find a new apprentice, one less inclined to treasonous thoughts. One less inclined to stupidity."
The blaze outside was growing brighter. The ship began shaking with greater violence.
"What makes you think you'll survive this, old man? You may be strong in the Force, but you can't escape gravity. We'll burn alive in this tomb.."
The shaking became extreme, jolting the seats and ripping at the seams of the craft. The pilot rose from his place and turned around.
"At least I won't be an apprentice anymore," he continued. "At least I'll have the pleasure of killing you before this inferno does." The other presence was becoming rich with menace. "At least I'll be free."
With timing born of either fate or catastrophe, the pilot activated his crimson lightsaber and hurled it into the back of the ship. It seared through the shadows as the old Sith lord drew himself up, out of his placid seat. He reached out to stop the blade, feeling for it with the Force. But it was too late. He was too slow. He had...not foreseen this. The spinning lightsaber cut through him in a storm of sparks and smoke, ripping his robe and tormented body into steaming ribbons as it hovered in place, caught in an endless motion by the Force, spinning and slicing and spinning. A rotor of destruction. Of change. Of renewal.
The spinning stopped, and a heap of ash fell to the floor. Utter ruin. Cold and silent, the pilot withdrew his blade and sheathed it. Now he was the master. He would die, free of servitude. He would be at peace. At last.
He turned and looked out the viewport. A storm. He was descending through a storm.
The atmosphere didn't destroy the ship..
Amazing. The pilot sat down at the helm and gazed at what waited below. Clouds of dust parted, and there, in the midst of lightning flashes and dunes of sand, was a cluster of ruined buildings. A solitary swoop rode off into the distance, away from the ruins.
Who is that? His mind gasped, suddenly oblivious to the disaster around him. It feels familiar, as if..
Crash, lightning.
Darkness.