Part Twenty Two: Ambushed!
As Arnold speed through Beggar's Canyon, a lazer blast from out of nowhere hit the speederbike.
Arnold, though taken completely by surprise, managed to slow the bike long enough to jump off and roll on the canyon floor before the bike crashed into a large rock.
He quickly got up and ran behind some nearby rocks for cover. He grabbed his lightsaber and looked over at the conyon walls. There were caves everywhere. Any one of them could hide a potential assassin. Arnold tried to sense with the Force, but as he tried to concentrate, another lazer blast hit the rock he was behind. He ducked down.
Out of the caves came over two dozen Trade Federation Battle Droids, their lazers drawn and ready.
"Oh this is fun," Arnold thought sarcastically as he ignited his lightsaber, its blue light flashing against the dusky landscape and the near darkness inside the canyon.
He jumped up and attacked, running through the advancing droids, who were taken by suprise. They fired only to have their blast deflected by both Arnold's lightsaber and the Force. Arnold cut through several more.
A minute later, all that was left were spare parts and scortched metal.
Arnold smiled and nodded, deactivating his lightsaber to save power. "Just the way I like them, dumb and easy to smash."
Now only the moonlight overhead was the only source of light in the canyon.
Suddenly, Arnold felt a chill, almost as if it were suddenly cold. A dark presence was close.
The young padawan gripped his lightsaber hilt tightly, now sensing the cold presence moving closer in the shadows.
"I can sense you, Sith Lord," Arnold called out, taunting his unseen enemy. "Show yourself...or do you fear me?"
Then Arnold heard a very high-strung laugh that seem to come from everywhere in the canyon, and a voice said, "Fear you? What a joke!"
The cold presence was behind him.
Arnold turned and watched as one of the shadows of the cave wall came to life and stepped forward.
He blinked, recognizing the figure from his vision, the red lenses on the eyewear, the duel-sided lightsaber...
Darth Curly smiled an malevolent smile at Arnold. "The Force is with you, Arnold Skywalker...but you're not a Jedi yet."
Arnold reactivated his lightsaber. "You must be Darth Curly."
Darth Curly smiled wider, "Ah I see you've heard of me."
The young padawan frowned, "You the one who took out Stinky."
Now the Sith Lord's smile was predatory, "Ah yes, Master Kenobi. Tisk tisk, such a tragedy. I wasen't even after him really, but rather your dear friend Gerald Windu. But as we speak, my associate Patty The Hutt is taking care of him and you family."
Arnold could feel his anger rising like a river after a heavy rain. He wanted nothing better than to cut this monster down right now. But he kept his anger in check.
"You know, young Skywalker, I can sense that you have alot of power, not as much as mine, I dare say, but alot," Darth Curly said to him. "Join me and together we can rule the Galaxy. Give up the Senator, we know you're fond of her...(At that Arnold blinked)...You know that the rules that govern the Jedi Order would forbid you staying with her. It doesn't have to be that way you know. Me and the Emperor can show you both the true nature of the Force. You can both be together, rulers of the entire Galaxy!"
Arnold blinked again, the Sith Lord knew how to tempt him and which buttons to push. Arnold cared for Helga alot and wanted to stay with her, even after this, but both of them knew it was impossible. She was a Senator and him a Jedi Padawan. He desperately wanted to be with Helga...
But then another thought invaded his mind. The image from his vision of Helga, corrupted by the Dark Side...
Arnold leveled his lightsaber in front of Darth Curly. "Well, if you and the Emperor know how I feel about Helga, you know that I'll never let either of you turn her to the Dark Side."
Darth Curly frowned, then, in a taunting voice, said to Arnold, "Well, let's see if your weak good side of the Force can save you here, Padawan!" He activated both ends of his red lightsaber and lunged.
Arnold had never been in a lightsaber duel before, only a few practice matches with his Grandma, Gerald and Stinky. But never with his own life at stake and never against an opponent as skilled as, or better than he was, filled with such messanic hatred. It was all he could do to just keep up with the Sith Lord.
His Grandma and Stinky both taught him that the Good Side of the Force was far more powerful, but that the Dark Side was quicker to use because evil was easier than good. That gave Darth Curly a slight advantage in the short run.
At one point, Arnold just barely avoided getting his hand cut off. He backed away slighly winded.
Darth Curly, on the other hand, wasen't even working up a sweat yet.
"I must say, Skywalker, I'm really disappointed," Darth Curly taunted him, grinning. "From what the Emperor told me, I thought I should be concerned about you, but now, I honestly can't see why."
Arnold scowled, "You'll find I'm full of suprises." He lunged and made Darth Curly back up a little.
Darth Curly parried another shot by Arnold and said, "So am I."
Then, Darth Curly did a back flip which put him on top of a large boulder. Then relaxed his stance. From all sides of Arnold, he could feel the Dark Side of The Force and, a moment later, fist-sized rocks began to pummel him. Arnold used his own skills to repel some of the rocks and his lightsaber to stop others, but several did hit his back, arms and sides.
Arnold knew he couldn't beat Darth Curly here. He had to get away, find Gerald.
Abruptly, he felt something in the Force, something disturbing happened somewhere...
From atop the boulder, Darth Curly smiled, feeling it as well. "Goodie, my associates are dealing with your precious Senator Helga now."
No! Helga! Arnold thought panicking. He was so sure she'd be safe with her father...Arnodl tried to run back, but Darth Curly performed a perfect summersalt throught the air and landed in front of Arnold's path, grinning.
"You deal with me, Jedi!" He shouted and lunged again.
Arnold felt fear, both for himself and for Helga, he didn't know if Gerald and his family were alright, everything was happening so fast, so out of control...beneath his fear and anxieties, anger was building...
"Good," Darth Curly nodded. "I can feel your anger swelling. Use it! Attack me boy! Only your hate can give you the power to destroy me!"
No! Arnold thought to himself, Stinky warned us! He's trying to lead me astray, turn me to the Dark Side! Arnold could actually feel the power of the Dark Side around him. It felt both cold and...very powerful. But Arnold knew that the power it opffered was only quick and easy, not greater that the Good Side. Still, the temptation...if Helga were placed in that same situation, could she possibly hope to ignore it as he could?
He barred his teeth, I won't let them turn her! Never!
Arnold and Darth Curly locked lightsaber again, their power almost blinding in the semi-darkness of the desert-scape.
To Be Continued...
More coming soon, I promise to update this story quickly! Keep writing those wonderful reviews...(waves hand in front of reader) You will write good reviews! Darth Roden (aka. Carl)
As Arnold speed through Beggar's Canyon, a lazer blast from out of nowhere hit the speederbike.
Arnold, though taken completely by surprise, managed to slow the bike long enough to jump off and roll on the canyon floor before the bike crashed into a large rock.
He quickly got up and ran behind some nearby rocks for cover. He grabbed his lightsaber and looked over at the conyon walls. There were caves everywhere. Any one of them could hide a potential assassin. Arnold tried to sense with the Force, but as he tried to concentrate, another lazer blast hit the rock he was behind. He ducked down.
Out of the caves came over two dozen Trade Federation Battle Droids, their lazers drawn and ready.
"Oh this is fun," Arnold thought sarcastically as he ignited his lightsaber, its blue light flashing against the dusky landscape and the near darkness inside the canyon.
He jumped up and attacked, running through the advancing droids, who were taken by suprise. They fired only to have their blast deflected by both Arnold's lightsaber and the Force. Arnold cut through several more.
A minute later, all that was left were spare parts and scortched metal.
Arnold smiled and nodded, deactivating his lightsaber to save power. "Just the way I like them, dumb and easy to smash."
Now only the moonlight overhead was the only source of light in the canyon.
Suddenly, Arnold felt a chill, almost as if it were suddenly cold. A dark presence was close.
The young padawan gripped his lightsaber hilt tightly, now sensing the cold presence moving closer in the shadows.
"I can sense you, Sith Lord," Arnold called out, taunting his unseen enemy. "Show yourself...or do you fear me?"
Then Arnold heard a very high-strung laugh that seem to come from everywhere in the canyon, and a voice said, "Fear you? What a joke!"
The cold presence was behind him.
Arnold turned and watched as one of the shadows of the cave wall came to life and stepped forward.
He blinked, recognizing the figure from his vision, the red lenses on the eyewear, the duel-sided lightsaber...
Darth Curly smiled an malevolent smile at Arnold. "The Force is with you, Arnold Skywalker...but you're not a Jedi yet."
Arnold reactivated his lightsaber. "You must be Darth Curly."
Darth Curly smiled wider, "Ah I see you've heard of me."
The young padawan frowned, "You the one who took out Stinky."
Now the Sith Lord's smile was predatory, "Ah yes, Master Kenobi. Tisk tisk, such a tragedy. I wasen't even after him really, but rather your dear friend Gerald Windu. But as we speak, my associate Patty The Hutt is taking care of him and you family."
Arnold could feel his anger rising like a river after a heavy rain. He wanted nothing better than to cut this monster down right now. But he kept his anger in check.
"You know, young Skywalker, I can sense that you have alot of power, not as much as mine, I dare say, but alot," Darth Curly said to him. "Join me and together we can rule the Galaxy. Give up the Senator, we know you're fond of her...(At that Arnold blinked)...You know that the rules that govern the Jedi Order would forbid you staying with her. It doesn't have to be that way you know. Me and the Emperor can show you both the true nature of the Force. You can both be together, rulers of the entire Galaxy!"
Arnold blinked again, the Sith Lord knew how to tempt him and which buttons to push. Arnold cared for Helga alot and wanted to stay with her, even after this, but both of them knew it was impossible. She was a Senator and him a Jedi Padawan. He desperately wanted to be with Helga...
But then another thought invaded his mind. The image from his vision of Helga, corrupted by the Dark Side...
Arnold leveled his lightsaber in front of Darth Curly. "Well, if you and the Emperor know how I feel about Helga, you know that I'll never let either of you turn her to the Dark Side."
Darth Curly frowned, then, in a taunting voice, said to Arnold, "Well, let's see if your weak good side of the Force can save you here, Padawan!" He activated both ends of his red lightsaber and lunged.
Arnold had never been in a lightsaber duel before, only a few practice matches with his Grandma, Gerald and Stinky. But never with his own life at stake and never against an opponent as skilled as, or better than he was, filled with such messanic hatred. It was all he could do to just keep up with the Sith Lord.
His Grandma and Stinky both taught him that the Good Side of the Force was far more powerful, but that the Dark Side was quicker to use because evil was easier than good. That gave Darth Curly a slight advantage in the short run.
At one point, Arnold just barely avoided getting his hand cut off. He backed away slighly winded.
Darth Curly, on the other hand, wasen't even working up a sweat yet.
"I must say, Skywalker, I'm really disappointed," Darth Curly taunted him, grinning. "From what the Emperor told me, I thought I should be concerned about you, but now, I honestly can't see why."
Arnold scowled, "You'll find I'm full of suprises." He lunged and made Darth Curly back up a little.
Darth Curly parried another shot by Arnold and said, "So am I."
Then, Darth Curly did a back flip which put him on top of a large boulder. Then relaxed his stance. From all sides of Arnold, he could feel the Dark Side of The Force and, a moment later, fist-sized rocks began to pummel him. Arnold used his own skills to repel some of the rocks and his lightsaber to stop others, but several did hit his back, arms and sides.
Arnold knew he couldn't beat Darth Curly here. He had to get away, find Gerald.
Abruptly, he felt something in the Force, something disturbing happened somewhere...
From atop the boulder, Darth Curly smiled, feeling it as well. "Goodie, my associates are dealing with your precious Senator Helga now."
No! Helga! Arnold thought panicking. He was so sure she'd be safe with her father...Arnodl tried to run back, but Darth Curly performed a perfect summersalt throught the air and landed in front of Arnold's path, grinning.
"You deal with me, Jedi!" He shouted and lunged again.
Arnold felt fear, both for himself and for Helga, he didn't know if Gerald and his family were alright, everything was happening so fast, so out of control...beneath his fear and anxieties, anger was building...
"Good," Darth Curly nodded. "I can feel your anger swelling. Use it! Attack me boy! Only your hate can give you the power to destroy me!"
No! Arnold thought to himself, Stinky warned us! He's trying to lead me astray, turn me to the Dark Side! Arnold could actually feel the power of the Dark Side around him. It felt both cold and...very powerful. But Arnold knew that the power it opffered was only quick and easy, not greater that the Good Side. Still, the temptation...if Helga were placed in that same situation, could she possibly hope to ignore it as he could?
He barred his teeth, I won't let them turn her! Never!
Arnold and Darth Curly locked lightsaber again, their power almost blinding in the semi-darkness of the desert-scape.
To Be Continued...
More coming soon, I promise to update this story quickly! Keep writing those wonderful reviews...(waves hand in front of reader) You will write good reviews! Darth Roden (aka. Carl)