DISCLAIMER: Star Wars as well as KOTOR belongs to people a lot smarter and a lot richer than I am. I own nothing.
It was the screaming that threatened to crack her.
Though if she was being honest with herself, it wasn't just the screams. It was the whole damn planet. All of Korriban made her feel as if she were doused in oil that could ignite at any moment–Dreshdae, the Academy, the Tombs, all of it. She felt like she could actually see the darkness sliding down the walls, dripping from the ceiling, running in rivers down the hall. Sometimes the constant throbbing of the Dark Side nearly made her retch. Most of the time, it just kept her on edge, unable to meditate or sleep.
But the screams were the worst. They echoed in her skull until she felt like screaming herself. They weren't just screams of pain either; they were screams of despair. The deepest agony that a person could go through were voiced in those high pitched wails that bounced off the rocks and seeped into the very soil. And they were loudest in the Shyrack cave.
Lethe Kast cursed violently and frequently in her head as she killed the last of the Shyrack creatures. She hated this planet with a fiery passion. Jedi Code be damned, they obviously hadn't been to Korriban. She needed to get off this rock as fast as she could; it was the only way she was going to keep any of her sanity.
She could feel her companion's eyes on her: watching her every time she twitched or flinched. They exchanged glances with one another, wondering how much further she would go before she broke under either the pressure or the Dark Side. She could understand Carth's watchful gaze, filled with worry–he couldn't feel the pure filth that hovered around them. But Jolee also watched her with concern and that bothered her more than she could think. Why he wasn't shivering from the icy hatred that floated around them was beyond her.
She had hoped to save this planet for last and work up to it. She knew she wasn't ready to fight the Sith. But once Carth had gotten news of his son being in the Sith Academy. . .well, there simply was no way that she couldn't go right away. So she had told herself that she would have to do it eventually and now was as good as any other time. Carth was always by her side, but this time she also took Jolee with her. Lethe only hoped that the older Jedi's experience and knowledge would help them if she failed. With Dustil found and set to rights, all that they needed to do now was gain prestige and find the Star Map.
And then get the hell off this cursed planet.
"Lethe?" She started, whirling around, eyes wide and hands flying to her sabers. Carth held up his hands, pacifying her. "Hey, easy, it's just me."
She took a moment to steady her breathing, ignoring the frown covering Jolee's face. She forced a smile and looked back at Carth. "Sorry. What is it?"
He hesitated only briefly. "Lethe, what's going on? You've been jumpy the whole time we've been here. I know Korriban has you on edge, but it seemed that the second we stepped into this cave, you've completely lost focus."
The smile slipped from her face as the screams intensified. She looked over to Jolee. "You can't hear it?"
Jolee's frown deepened as he stepped closer. "I hear a lot of things, most of which are probably side effects of old age. Hear what, exactly?"
"The screams," she said, her voice barely a whisper. She briefly closed her eyes, missing the look exchanged between Carth and Jolee. She took a shaky breath and looked at them. "I hear them all the time," she said softly. "They're worse in the cave. It's nothing but screams: screams of despair, of agony, of annihilation. They're screams of people that have had their minds raped and their souls ripped forcefully from them. The screams come from the shell of a person. . .and a scream that empty is the worst of all."
Jolee tried to keep his surprise hidden; he could feel the pure evil radiating from this place, and hear faint echoes of screams, but nothing compared to what she was going through. Of course, though he may be more experienced in the Force, she was much stronger than him in its power. He couldn't even imagine the mental struggle she was facing, trying to keep functioning while being assaulted by such turmoil. Then again, he didn't also wonder if her struggle was a side effect of being immersed in the Dark Side before. . .he didn't doubt her former affiliation had something to do with her sensitivity to the sounds. Undoubtedly, Revan had basked in the cries, which would lead Lethe to being unprotected from the assault that would drive any being on the Light Side insane. Not that she knew that. He sat quietly for a moment and tried to think of something to do to help her.
In the silence, Carth tentatively stepped forward and pulled Lethe into his arms. He knew there was nothing he could do to help her, it was beyond him. Everything with the Force was beyond him and it made him feel so helpless–a feeling he detested. Even though the place made his skin crawl, there was nothing he could do about it. So he settled for what he could do: comfort Lethe.
She was nothing but tense muscles when he first pulled her against him. But after a few moments, she relaxed minutely. He sighed and rested his forehead against her temple. She had done so much for him and he only wished that he could do more for her. He had sworn to protect her, but his protection could only extend to things he could actually fight. "We'll get out of here as soon as we can," he whispered, knowing it was the best he could do.
Lethe weakly smiled, but appreciated what he was trying to do. She would do anything for Carth, even endure the searing screams. She flinched as another wail tore across her mind, but she focused on Carth's contact instead, and it lessened the ache she felt.
"I think I might be able to do something," Jolee said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Carth straightened, leaving one arm around Lethe's shoulders as she watched the old Jedi expectantly. Jolee came closer and placed one hand on either side of her face. "I'm going to help you build up your mental defenses. I doubt they gave you very advanced techniques on Dantooine, considering how you flew through the training. It should help for now."
Lethe nodded. They were silent for several minutes as Jolee and Lethe worked through the Force to lessen the acuity in which she felt the Dark Side's echoes. When they had finished, the screams had lost some of their intensity. It wasn't much, but it was enough to let her focus and gain some of her sanity back.
"Thank you Jolee," Lethe said with relief. She would have to remember to ask him to teach her these advanced techniques later.
Jolee waved his hand. "No need to thank me lass, let's just get moving before one of us becomes the meal for some lurking Shyrack."
Lethe nodded. She took a deep, cleansing breath of stale air and then moved forward. Thankfully, there was little left to do but explore the other side of the bridge where the tarentatek had stalked. She edged past the corpse of the giant beast, blocking part of the bridge. The three of them split up down the ridge, looking for anything of interest.
Lethe headed to the left after the bridge. She could see that it was a dead end and there were no exits there. But something about the area called to her. She cautiously approached the rock face, staring hard at the jagged grey stone. Something was definitely odd about this part of the cave.
Closing her eyes, she stretched out with the Force. And then she promptly gasped and took a step back, her eyes wide. For whatever reason, this area was absolutely saturated with the Dark Side.
"What, what happened?" Carth asked, hurrying over to her. He was clearly being overprotective of her, especially after knowing about her struggles. She couldn't say that she minded though. Jolee was only a moment behind him, also asking her what was wrong.
Lethe waved at the seemingly impenetrable wall. "This rock. . .it's just drenched in the Dark Side. I don't understand it, but this area right here has more of a concentration of the dark power than even in the heart of the Academy."
Jolee frowned and stared intently at the rock face, quickly able to determine that she was right. He was further confused by the fact that one couldn't feel the taint from far away. . .though strong with the Dark Side, it managed to conceal itself unless you were right on top of it. "I don't know what it is, but it's dangerous. We should just leave it alone. It's not for us to trifle with."
Lethe's eyes took on a faraway look, as if she were in another time. "You're right, it isn't for us to deal with. But it will be for someone else." She blinked and shook her head, coming out of the semi-trance she had slid into. She grit her teeth and glared at the wall. She really hated this damn planet. "We'll leave in a minute. I need to do something first."
Carth glanced at the old Jedi, unsure as to what was going on. After all, he could only see a rock wall. "What are you going to do?"
Lethe raised both her hands and lightly pressed them to the wall, forcing herself to endure the scald to her senses. "I'm going to leave a warning." Gathering all her power within her, she forced it out bodily onto the wall and ground that she touched. She focused on making the Force Imprint as permanent as she could, putting every ounce of her will behind the effort. She imparted the overall feeling of warning and caution, but ridding under the surface was the faintest traces of hope for any that had come to such a deadened place.
Lethe's arms suddenly dropped to her sides and she wavered unsteadily on her feet, her Force powers exhausted. Carth steadied her with a hand on her hip and she took the moment to regain her strength. When she turned her head to face Jolee, the old man was watching her, an almost amused expression on his face.
"You never cease to amaze me," he said. "I'd like to know though what you think that accomplished."
Lethe smiled tiredly, leaning against Carth for the briefest moment for reassurance. "I think I might have just helped someone in a quest that hasn't started yet."
Jolee rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Damn kids. And you say I'm cryptic."
Lethe laughed, the first time she had done so since landing on Korriban. "You are–I just never said that I wasn't. Come on, let's get out of here and go find Uthar. All the artifacts from the tombs and the cave should be enough prestige for him. And then maybe we can get going and hurry off this planet."
She took a moment more to look back at the solid rock face, contemplating the brief glimpse she had of the future. She could only hope that what she had done would help in some way.
Eiron Salura already hated Korriban. With a passion. The planet was rank with darkness, both visible to the eye and her Force senses. It was also crawling with ancient Dark Side creatures, Sith lords and crumbling structures. . .all which sought to kill her.
You would think she would be used to the feeling by now.
The Exile sighed and moved cautiously through the Shyrack cave, her entire being on edge. Finding a dead Jedi Master could do that to you. And anytime that Kreia popped into her head, she couldn't help but be more on edge. She respected the woman, but having been isolated from everyone for so long, she wasn't quite used to having to share her head yet.
As Bao-Dur moved off to inspect the far ledges, Eiron stepped up to the bridge that ran across the gorge that stretched through the cave. The very thin bridge. . .that looked more than ready to collapse. She stared across to the other side, wondering if they really had to go over.
Atton stepped up behind her and looked over her shoulder. "Something up?"
Eiron bit her lip and shook her head. "No, no, everything's fine."
Atton raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "Sure it is. You wouldn't be afraid of heights now would you?"
Eiron shook her head furiously, trying not to think of the very, very long fall if she were to lose her footing. "Of course not."
Atton grinned, knowing she was lying. He leaned down and placed his lips close to her ear. His voice was barely a whisper. "You're not scared at all about crossing that bridge? I mean, it's not very wide, and I can see quite a few cracks in the rocks. Very dangerous. But it's the fact that it's suspended over nothing isn't it? You could slip and fall forever and-"
"Atton!" Eiron yelled turning and pushing him away from her. She really hated heights. And at that moment, she hated a certain scoundrel even more. The fact that she was actually frightened over the prospect of crossing the bridge annoyed her, and her voice filled with anger. "That is not funny. Yes, I hate heights, are you happy now?"
Atton's chuckle soon died as he saw how really worried she was over the bridge. He quickly sought to make amends and reassure her. "Hey, it's just a simple bridge, nothing to worry about. Come on, I'll walk right behind you. Unless of course, you'd rather turn back?"
Atton's words, though meant to be reassuring, came out a bit more callous than he had intended. Eiron's pride swelled up and she took a confident step forward. "I'm not afraid," she said, beginning to walk across the bridge.
If she had only admitted to herself how worried she was, she might have been able to move past it. As it was, the distraction cost her dearly as they were suddenly assaulted by five Sith assassins.
Atton and Eiron drew their lightsabers and began parrying the attacks of the assassins. Unfortunately, they had been in the middle of the bridge when the Sith had decloaked and attacked. Bao-Dur came running when he heard their yell and began to attack the two assassins nearest him. Atton dealt with the other Sith that had been on that side of the bridge. Which left two opponents for Eiron to deal with on the other side.
Inwardly, she was cursing herself for letting her awareness drop so much. She had become very good in detecting the assassins before they appeared, but her fear had clouded her senses. She pushed all thoughts out of her mind and immersed herself in the Force. Her lightsaber strokes were smooth and agile, deflecting the offending blades and returning with attacks of her own. On any given day she could easily take out two Sith assassins by herself. But with the Dark Side oppressing her mind and the very little maneuvering room, she found herself losing.
Catching one of the Sith off guard, she ran him through with her blade. She withdrew her blade as quickly as she could, but the time lost had been enough. She barely managed to block the blow that the remaining assassin dealt, but it was strong enough to send her off balance. A Force Push that she wasn't ready for hit her and she found herself going over the edge with a cry.
"Eiron!" Atton yelled, his heart seizing at seeing her fall. Without even thinking, he decapitated the Sith before him and moved to the last assassin, Bao-Dur having killed the other. He looked back desperately towards the bridge, but he couldn't see the Exile from where he stood. It only made him move faster.
Eiron, however, had not fallen to her death. A lucky grab had led her to catch a hold of a rock that jutted out further than the rest. Blood ran down her hand from where it had pierced her skin, making her hold sticky and unsure. But she tried to ignore it, as the other Sith was standing over her on the bridge, raising his lightsaber to deal the final blow.
Summoning all her concentration, she threw her lightsaber at the Sith, using the Force to direct the blade into his heart. The Sith gasped in shock, having already assumed that she was beaten. She called her lightsaber back to her free hand and watched dispassionately as the corpse keeled over and tumbled past her, falling into the darkness. She clipped her weapon to her belt and tried to get a better grip on the small rock that had saved her from death.
Atton and Bao-Dur killed the last Sith and turned to see. . .nothing. The Sith assassins were gone. "Eiron!" Atton called in fear, striding toward the bridge.
"Atton!" she yelled back, feeling her grip falter. Her Force powers were too depleted to allow self-levitation and the blood was making her hand slip. "Atton!"
He could hear the desperation in her voice and he sprinted across the bridge, seeing her dangling precariously from one hand by the other end. He threw himself to the ground, relieved that she hadn't fallen yet, but frightened that she may yet do so. He reached over the ledge as far as he could. Bao-Dur grabbed his legs to keep him from falling and he leaned over further. "Grab my hand!" he commanded, wincing as he saw the blood running down her arm.
Eiron grit her teeth and swung her other arm up, grabbing Atton's wrist. She tried her best to find some sort of footholds on the rock face as he pulled her up. Bao-Dur moved to the side and Atton gave a final tug, pulling the Exile back over the edge. The scoundrel leaned backwards on one arm, trying to recover from the fright of her near fall. His other arm was wrapped around Eiron who was collapsed against his chest, breathing heavily.
The Exile had to take more than a few minutes to regain her composure. It was a near fall like that from a Coruscanti tower when she was a child that made her afraid of heights in the first place. Reliving the experience, in much more dire circumstances, had truly done a number on her nerves. She wasn't really aware of her surroundings at first, only that she was on solid ground.
Slowly, she became aware that she was practically lying on top of Atton and that he was hugging her to him. Under any other factors, she would have blushed and pulled away. But she needed the contact at the moment. She also became aware of the stinging in her left hand and the sticky feel of blood drying along her arm.
Eiron winced and flexed her hand. Bao-Dur, who had quietly been keeping guard while the two had recovered (one could never be sure all of the Sith assassins were gone), took her hand and silently began to treat the wound. "Are you alright, General?" he asked, his voice soft and calming.
Eiron forced a weary smile, thanking the Force for the Iridonian and his peaceful demeanor. "I think I'll be okay. I don't think I'm going to go near any ledges for a while though."
Bao-Dur smiled chuckled. "Yes, that might be a good idea." After the wound had been healed, he gently patted her hand and released it. "I think it would be best to continue on, once you are recovered."
Eiron nodded, more than ready to get out of the cave and off of the planet. She tried to move, but Atton's arm around her waist wouldn't let her. She titled her head to the side to see his face. His eyes were closed. "Atton? You're not hurt are you?"
Atton's eyes cracked open and he took a deep breath. He had the time to be mildly amused that though she was the one that had almost died, she was more concerned about him than herself. He had to admit that his own nerves were shot. The sight of Eiron falling off the bridge was going to haunt him for a long time. . .and that was saying something if you considered his past. He forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. You just scared me a bit, you know?"
Her expression softened. "I'm sorry. I certainly wouldn't have gone over the edge if I had a choice."
Atton smiled and tightened his hold on her briefly. "I know. I'm just glad you're alright. Now, let's finish exploring this damn cave so we can head off to our next lovely destination."
Eiron climbed to her feet and then pulled Atton up. They dusted themselves off and slowly moved off to explore the rest of the area. They were much more on their guard now, though they thought it reasonable to assume that all the Sith assassins were dead. It also didn't go unnoticed that Atton made sure he was between Eiron and the edge no matter which way they walked.
Soon, they came up to the last portion to be explored, the left side of the ledge after the bridge. They approached cautiously, unsure as to what to make of the dark recess. Closing her eyes, Eiron could tell that it was tomb that extended further into the cave. She could also tell that it was a product of the Dark Side.
Yet there was Kreia in her head again. And she knew what she had to do. She turned around to face Atton and Bao-Dur. Eiron sighed. "I have to go in there. Alone."
Atton frowned. "I don't think so. If you have to go in there fine, but I'm coming with you."
Eiron shook her head. "No, you can't. This is a test that I have to take, alone."
Atton shook his head. "If you think I'm leaving you by yourself after what just happened, you've got another thing coming."
Eiron sighed and turned to Bao-Dur–she would deal with Atton in a moment. "Bao-Dur, what do you think?"
The Iridonian was silent for only a moment. "Though I do not like the idea, I will do as you say. If you must continue on by yourself, then that is what you must do."
The Exile was grateful once again for Bao-Dur and his steadfast loyalty. But it wasn't just his loyalty that she valued, it was his friendship too. "Thank you," she said quietly. She glanced back at Atton, who stood with his arms crossed defiantly over his chest. "Could you give us a minute?" Bao-Dur nodded and retreated from them. He was out of immediate earshot, but still close enough if he was still needed.
Eiron turned back to Atton. "I need you to go back to the ship with Bao-Dur and wait for me there."
"No."
Eiron raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Atton stared her down. "You heard me. I said no. I refuse to let you out of my sight."
Eiron pushed down her annoyance and kept her voice calm. "Atton, you don't have a say in this. I have to go."
He shook his head. "And what happens if more Sith assassins pop out of nowhere? What happens if sleeps-with-vibroblades shows up? What happens if you fall off a ledge somewhere? Then what?" He paused and his voice became quieter. "What happens if I'm not there to protect you?"
Eiron's resolve weakened, but she knew what she had to do. She took a step forward and laid her hand against his cheek. "I swear I'll be fine and I'll come back in one piece. But I need to do this Atton. Alone. Please understand."
The scoundrel sighed but nodded. "Okay, but please be careful. If you're not back in two hours I'm coming to look for you."
She smiled. "Fine. Now go back to the ship, let the others know everything is okay." She moved to take her hand away from his face, but he caught it within his own hands. She looked at him questioningly but he only pulled her closer to him. Without a word, he bent his head and kissed her.
It lasted only for a moment, but it was enough to completely incapacitate Eiron. Shock and desire rose up within her all at once and she fought to gain control of her rushing emotions. By the time she had come back into her proper mind, he had pulled away. "Be careful," he whispered to her and then swiftly retreated. She dumbly watched him go back over the bridge, Bao-Dur right behind him. It was only when they had disappeared from sight that she realized she was standing with her mouth hanging wide open.
Eiron hastily shut it with a snap and then turned to focus on the tomb. She would certainly have to think about what had just happened later, but for now, she had work to do. She forcefully pushed all thoughts of Atton–and his lips–from her mind. Carefully, she took a step forward to stand on the threshold of the yawning opening.
Eiron felt an odd sensation in the back of her mind, almost like a small nudge from the Force. She closed her eyes and reached out with her senses. There it was–a Force Imprint left years ago that had slowly started to fade, but was still powerfully present. She focused on the Imprint, drawing on the Force to understand what had been left.
A deep sense of warning washed over her and an overwhelming need for caution. She almost broke the contact once the strong emotion had assaulted her, but something kept her connected, kept her searching. It was hardly there, but she found it nonetheless: a seed of hope. Even though what she was about to face was frightening and dangerous, there was someone there with her in spirit.
A smile blossomed on Eiron's face. Revan. She could feel her friend's being behind the Imprint, though it had a different texture to it. But the power of the powerful woman was unmistakable. The Exile opened her eyes and sighed. The small message meant more to her than any could know.
With a new sense of contentment and resolution, Eiron grasped her lightsaber and walked calmly into the black passage.
AN: I want to take a moment to thank every one of you that reviews my stories, it really makes my day when I get some feedback! Whether you have one word to say or an entire novel, I appreciate it all! I considered splitting this up, but I really didn't want to break up the symmetry. That and I really wanted to keep this a kind of one-shot. I might go back and revisit events, but that would be in a separate story.
And for any that hasn't read my other KOTOR stories, I figure I'd briefly reiterate the meanings behind the names I chose. Though I admit I don't like reading stories with original names because it really does throw you out of it, I realize that it is necessary. Anyway, Lethe (Revan), as I stated before, is actually the name of the river in Greek mythology that causes forgetfullness. Appropriate, don't you think? And Eiron (The Exile) is actually 'irony' in Greek. I always thought it was ironic that the one person cut off from the Force was the one person that could save it. And the last names were taken from the random generator in the games. Just in case any of you were curious. And to prove that there is a method to my madness, however suspect it may be.
So thanks again for reading! I would love any and all feedback you have to give me, don't be shy! Alexandra