Chapter 12
The creature didn't remove its hood, but Leo could feel its eyes burning into him as he sat there, watching it in return. It took a long time to gather the wits to talk, and while it did so, Leo did all he could to concentrate, taking in as much of his surroundings as he could manage, trying to reach out to find the same connection that had settled the paranoia of the Jedi at the Temple.
The creature was holding a blaster beneath its cloak, pointed at him, and he froze instantly, lifting his gaze. If he moved, he'd be shot. He fumbled his lightsaber into his palm and pointed it in the right direction. If he timed it right, he might just be able to disable the blaster. A second too long, and he may as well be dead.
He knew the movement was coming before it came, and he whirled instantly to catch the arm of a new attacker with the back of his left wrist. At the same time he turned on the lightsaber. It seemed to hit the mark, because the alien opposite him gave a howl of disgust, and Leo was still alive enough to bring the blade through the table to turn on this new addition to the fight.
The man he turned on was intelligent enough to back away from his lightsaber blade, but another was coming towards him. Leo whirled, bringing his lightsaber towards the weapon that was coming down towards him.
The two weapons crackled as they came together. Leo forced his eyes to open. It was an energy weapon, heavy like the axe that the Mandorc used, but it wasn't that - and it wasn't a lightsaber. It was more like a great hammer instead, and it was held by a massive, pig like alien that seemed to cast a shadow over him with its incredible bulk.
Its strength too was massive, and Leo had enough time to register that it was a lot like the Mandorc in more than just what type of weapon it used as he was pushed back first one step, and then another into the rubble that had been the table.
And then something hard hit the back of his head, and he found himself falling like a rock towards the hard, smelly floor of the bar.
"Wake up, Jedi," a drawling voice interrupted on Leo's dreaming. He opened his eyes and for a moment didn't really realise they were open. It was so dull and dark. The sound of liquid dripping permeated the room, and a single, ice blue light lit up no more than just the corner it was in.
Leo looked around for the figure that had spoken to him. There were several he could hear around him, but the Force couldn't seem to reach out to them. He felt alone, and defenceless, as though he was standing out in the open during a lightning storm.
"Feels strange, does it not?" continued the voice, and Leo realised he could see the faint outline of a figure in the dim light. "The lack of the Force, but you must understand; it was essential."
Something like a blade came across Leo's throat, and his head was pushed back slowly. It took a few moments for him to realise that it wasn't a knife, but the hand of some sentient beast, complete with claws; ready weapons if Leo tried anything.
"I'm afraid that we have to be asking you a few questions now, young Jedi…"
"Who for…?" Leo breathed out, shakily.
The alien let out a rasping noise that Leo suspected was a laugh, but sounded very little like one. "It is I who is asking the questions, little Jedi,"
"What makes you think I'll answer them?" Leo replied in return, and the claws sharpened instantly on his throat.
"No," the creature snarled and the thing that clutched his throat relaxed its grip. "Give him the truth serum instead. He will be less likely to lie to us then, and will go back to his Master in a better…condition."
Leo couldn't see the needle that the aliens set upon him, but he felt the sharp blade of it dig into his skin, and he managed to hold back the cry of pain that sought to escape his dry throat.
The needle was dragged out roughly, his arm punched with the back of one of his attacker's fists, and then he was left to lie back on whatever he'd been dumped on.
Everything seemed to whirl about him, the darkness moving in waves before his eyes, with darker patches that Leo was sure was his vision clouding, and sometimes he suspected he might have been able to see a little more than had been possible before.
But worst of all, he could feel that ever increasing feeling of drunken carelessness slipping in around him, as though these aliens had somehow locked on to whatever it was that made people give away their secrets when they were intoxicated, and bottled it.
"Let's start with something simple. What's your name?"
"Leonard Morello Black," Leo replied, tiredly.
"Very good," the alien replied, before going on. "Who is your Master?"
"Ranzel D'Kar," Leo grit his teeth, knowing that he had no choice but to give up his answers. Struggle as he might, the words simply flowed from him when they were asked for.
"And he trains you as his Padawan?"
"Yes."
But not when the Council learnt of this, he didn't doubt. He tried to gather the feeling in his limbs, but they refused to respond, and all that happened for his efforts, was his vision dimming entirely for one terrifying second.
"Your Master has been asking questions about a certain Empire vessel. Do you know what he speaks of?"
"Yes." Leo said, relieved that it hadn't been a more intricate question. His relief didn't last long.
"You were in a battle together. You destroyed the leading ship?"
"Yes," Leo hissed between his teeth.
The questioning continued, and it was at least a relief to Leo that he knew so little of the Universe at large. It made the questioning more frustrating for the aliens though, who seemed to think that perhaps Leo was channelling the Force in some way.
When they had no further use for him, they simply abandoned him in the nearest corridor and left, leaving him to himself, and to any deep-cave passer by.
Leo opened his eyes quickly this time, knowing instantly that he was in danger. It had impeded on his dreams like some prowling creature; a darkness that needed fighting immediately if he were to survive.
Without realising he had been looking for it, Leo had found the lightsaber he'd been laying on, and brought it into his hand, before he even identified the threat.
A group of dwarfish aliens were grouped together nearby. They had low foreheads and deep-set eyes, and very, very large ears, but were otherwise very human in their origins. They spoke together in high, sharp voices, in an unintelligible language of mostly computer-like noises.
So why had Leo felt so much fear of their presence? He tightened his grip about the handle of his lightsaber and sat up. His head swam dizzily. It was a little lighter here, but not much so. At least his vision was a little clearer, and he didn't feel quite so helpless as he had earlier; despite the still remaining edge of drunken dizziness.
The aliens were coming closer, and Leo forcefully pulled himself to his feet, finding that they were unsteady underneath him, more as though they were made of paper than any kind of solid substance. He swayed for a moment, and that was the moment that one of the evil little beasts chose to leap at him. It leapt very high for its size, landed splayed across Leo's chest and sent him sprawling onto his back.
Sheer chance alone kept Leo's lightsaber in his hand, and it buzzed into life as he landed. The little thing had been so fast, Leo hadn't had time to react to it – and by the time he had brought his lightsaber up towards his chest, the creature had leapt away once more.
Calmly, Leo turned his gaze and the blade of his lightsaber towards the little creatures. They snarled at him, baring sharp teeth in his direction, and took up an offensive position, blocking the corridor ahead of him and coming closer.
"I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I need to," Leo warned, taking a cautious step back, well aware that at least the path behind him was clear.
But Leo knew well enough that the way back was not the right direction. He had to go forwards, less the way behind him suddenly become less desirable still. So he brought his lightsaber across his chest defensively and charged.
The creatures parted like water as he ran through them, but Leo knew his mistake as soon as he'd passed. His back, now turned towards the fast little aliens, was defenceless, and they leapt upon him as soon as the dangerous lightsaber was far enough away from them. Some collided with others, knocking them away from him as he landed on his front, his lightsaber turning off as it skittered harmlessly away.
Sharp teeth closed through the thick robes at his back, tearing at it in an attempt to reach flesh, and Leo struggled instantly to try and turn the creatures off.
His immediate reaction was to try and turn onto his back, to squash the irritating, sharp teethed aliens beneath him, and somehow get to his lightsaber to fight them off. Turning over, however, proved nigh on impossible. And perhaps that was a good thing, because if he had turned over, there would have been no escape.
Instead he could only struggle to overturn their weight as the creatures made light work of his clothing.
But Leo was determined. There was no chance that he'd come all this way just to get eaten by dwarves with sharp teeth…
He lifted his eyes to his lightsaber. It lay on the ground no more than a meter away, but far too far to reach it with his fingertips. He stretched out as much as he could, and gave a little cry as teeth suddenly got through his clothes and gnashed deep into his flesh.
Not long now…he had to get them off him before they could cause any more damage.
He reached out again desperately. He needed that lightsaber…if he could just reach it, everything would be okay. He closed his eyes tightly in pain, desperation in the creases of his face.
Suddenly the lightsaber was in his palm. Leo didn't question how it had got there, he simply used it instantly, wheeling on his attackers, turning the lightsaber over his back and waving the creatures away with it. They leapt away, snarling again, obviously afraid of the weapon.
Leo pulled himself up to his feet, his back aching in pain – and with the lightsaber warding off the little beasts he began to retreat slowly, afraid to let his guard drop for a moment.
Distinctly aware of the feeling of his clothing hanging in rags off his back, wet with blood, Leo began struggled away, putting constant distance between himself and the carnivorous aliens. But there was no way he could know just how injured he was. If he could walk he was fine…and the sooner he found Ranzel the better. As soon as the passage gave way to a larger one, with a few shady looking people, he relaxed his guard the slightest bit, deactivating his lightsaber. But nothing could help him blend in as he stumbled, bare backed, in search of the Jedi Knight.
"Ranzel," he said to himself, earnestly, his strength sapped. He didn't know where he was any more. His mind was spinning with the effect of the drugs, and the loss of blood, but all Leo knew was that he had to find the Jedi before it all became too much. He had to find him…
He pushed further on, despite the swirling sickliness in his head, and that terrible aching in his back. Perhaps he would die here, in this horrible, smelly cave, in the middle of a Galaxy that didn't know his name.
Leo fell forwards, calling out Ranzel's name again deliriously, slumping against the wall and managing to drag himself a few more feet by clinging to it. It was so hard to keep his eyes open – and no passer by seemed to notice – or at least if they did they didn't care.
He fell to his knees, unable to fight for any more distance, and then the darkness closed in around him. Leo found himself dragged off into a carefree sleep of blood-loss and lunacy, knowing that letting his legs go from beneath him was simply accepting that he was going to die, but being too exhausted to care any more.