Claiming the end of the hall was more difficult than they had imagined it would be. A Dark Jedi stepped neatly into the passageway. "Ah crap." Canderous reached for the vibroblade he had borrowed, without intention of return, from a corpse. It was a medium weight rig, blocky and cheaply forged.
They faced off in the narrow end of the corridor. The Sith's red lightsaber sparking against the Mandalorian's cheap blade. After three consecutive parries that bought the two weapons together vigorously, his blade broke scarping his arm as it flew past.
"Give up old man, you are no match for the Sith," Hissed the Dark Jedi. He whirled his lightsaber in an elaborate design above his head and drew upon the Force. Before he could release the energy, drained from the life around him and turn it against his opponent, Canderous knifed him in the gut with the broken blade.
"Idiot. HK finish him." Canderous looted the corpse pocketing the lightsabers for Pol and Bastila.
Interrogation Room
"Can you hear that? That has to be them Bastila!"
"It's definitely battle, but the outcome…" She let her head fall to her hands again. Every time she looked at Pol, and her broken body, she felt that all was lost.
"She will be ok, we have to keep our spirits up, I'm sorry about Dantooine Bastila, and watching that bastard torture you… I only with I could have done something to stop it."
Panic struck the Jedi, "We did what we had to Carth, but Pol… I can't feel her Carth, the neural disruptor… I can't tell if she's breathing."
"Well she is! Ok? She is. You just have to trust me." Carth was beginning to lose his patience; to his dismay Bastila seemed to crumble by the hour. No doubt it's the loss of Dantooine. So many worlds, I'll get you Saul.
"Why does she have to be so willful?" Bastila shivered and tried to negate the tenderness of her joints by clutching at them.
"Well she wasn't the only one; you both got it worse than me." Carth was overcome by the urge to hold Bastila again, to comfort her through the pain she was surely suffering. What a pair, both brave, both foolish.
The door slid open and a blood soaked Mandalorian stepped through. Never thought I'd be so happy to see a bloody Mandalorian Carth thought incredulously, "Canderous! Get us out of here; we have to get the collar off of Bastila so she can heal Pol, I'm afraid she got the worst of it."
Canderous surveyed the scene rapidly his eyes locked onto Pol's limp form. Zaalbar shut the power down to the force cells and helped Carth to free Bastila while Canderous checked Pol's vital signs. "She's still kicking, but badly hurt, you can fix this right?" He asked. You better.
With the neural collar removed, Bastila opened herself to the Force and with it came Pol's pain. Bastila cried out in shock and staggered almost falling to her knees. Carth supported her helping her to stand. Drawing more heavily on the Force than was strictly safe, Bastila managed to heal Pol and herself, bringing the older woman to consciousness.
"Chief," Pol whispered and smiled slightly at the face above hers.
"You ok Pol?" He asked, "Maybe you should heal yourself some more…" He held her cold hand in his and ran his thumb over it soothingly, hoping to spark more life into her cold flesh.
"Do I look that bad? Ugh don't answer that, just give me a sword and push me in Malak's direction." Pol found speaking an onerous task; she choked dryly on the air itself. Her lungs had been singed quite badly by her encounter and her chest was aflame.
She took his advice and applied a little Force healing to herself as their companions rallied. Carth located their clothing in a Plasteel container; their weapons were not amongst the pile. He handed out the garments and they dressed preparing to fight their way out with the weapons HK had landed.
"Why is it whenever I get to see you in your underwear, its cuz something bad has just happened," Canderous complained as he helped Pol into her shirt.
"That's just the crazy life we lead." Pol joked stuffing her foot hurriedly into a boot. She equipped the Sith lightsaber Canderous had scavenged for her, tied back her hair and was ready for action.
Realizing that they expected her to lead, Bastila blinked twice and gave out instructions. "Carth, Canderous, Zaalbar take HK and head back to the ship, Malak's docking as we speak we have to get out of here."
Realizing two elements were absent from the equation the Mandalorian spoke up, "Where are you two going?" Canderous demanded. Carth stood beside him; his expression was a mirror image of irritated disbelief.
"To the bridge to shut off the tractor beam so we can leave." Pol answered giving her beau an apologetic smile. The Mandalorian's frown deepened. I really didn't expect that to work, she told herself recognizing the determined set to her man's jaw.
Carth fumed along side of him. "No way; not alone you're not. I'm going to kill Saul Karath if it's the last thing I do," he steamed.
"Get in line Republic!" Canderous roared and crossed his arms. He stood immovably in the doorway. Zaalbar had beaten a hasty retreat to fulfill Bastila's orders at the onset of human hostilities, HK had gone with him.
Carth whirled to face the Mandalorian with pure hatred and bloody resolve steaming off him. "He may have hurt your woman Canderous, but he killed mine!"
The Mandalorian's eyebrows shot up. "I didn't know that. Fine he's yours," Canderous backed down, but under his breath he muttered "…Unless I see him first."
"Malak is here." Pol reminded them.
The Bridge
They beat a path to the bridge; it was a vast blue lit chamber that flickered with light from terminals and control panels that lined the flight deck. Saul awaited them flanked by 30 soldiers. "You are outnumbered, surrender your new Master comes for you, Jedi." Saul Karath motioned to his troops, and they readied their arsenal awaiting his word.
Before Pol could utter an astute rejoinder, Bastila came to her defense.
"Give up Saul, the Force fights with us, you can not win!" The diminutive Jedi ignited her saber, like Pol's it was a loaner; and red at that.
"You'll pay for your betrayal Saul!" Carth ended the stand off by gunning for Admiral Karath. Summoning the Force Pol leapt into the fray saber flaring as it met the flesh and energy shields of the Sith that surrounded her.
She lost track of her companions as she fought to slay as many Sith as she could; desperate to provide respite for her allies. The Sith swarmed about her keen to take Revan's life and the prestige it would afford them. Pol knew there would be countless more aboard Malak's starcraft; I only hope they wont show too soon. Some one get that tractor field disabled!
Canderous slashed at the Sith teeming about Pol, their single-minded distraction appalled him. He took their lives with ease. No honor in this fight, he lamented as he cut them down from behind.
Pol fought harder as the Sith piled up on her. They seemed limitless in number. Frantic for legroom she cast a wave of the Force knocking them back; she caught a glimpse of Canderous at the edge of the mob, staggering under the tail end of the Force wave. Sorry Chief. There was no time to ensure his safety, Pol fought on, deflecting blaster fire away from the last position he had occupied.
Carth's shield began to fail, scores of blaster shots broke the connection and it dissipated subjecting him to Saul's return fire. It took several bursts of rapid fire for Carth to get behind Saul's shield, but it eventually fell. Look the bastard in the eye and make all his worst dreams come true. Carth took aim and sent a power blast through Karath's skull. As Saul's near decapitated corpse thudded to the deck; a second wave of Sith troopers arrived on the scene fresh and ready for battle.
They fired on the pilot. Though he was near perforated by the shots; Carth disregarded his wounds and bravely fought his way to Bastila. A Dark Jedi descended on him halting his progress half the room's length from his destination.
He looked to the pistol in his hand. Knowing he didn't stand a chance without a vibrosword, Carth faced his doom. The Sith smiled wickedly and with a broad swoop of his lightsaber he hamstringed the Republic soldier, shoved him to the floor, and strode on to his next target.
Bastila fought her way to the command centre aiming to shut off the tractor beam, as she fended off attacks from the enemy troopers. Between death blows she tried to locate her friends in the swarm.
The Mandalorian sprang to his feet, gutting a trooper as he rose. Whilst hefting the corpse off the end of the Sith blade that he had obtained in the fight, he saw Carth fall. If I don't move fast they'll be on him in seconds. Don't move Republic, play dead, I'm coming.
Canderous picked his way over the corpses, fortunate for the distraction the Jedi posed, but displeased by it. The majority of the troops surrounded Pol, who was managing the mass, dealing death like a tempestuous reaper. Bastila held a corner defending the console that restricted the Ebon Hawk's escape.
Carth felt strong hands grasp him under his arms; without effort he was unceremoniously dragged from the battleground. His boot caught on a dropped vibroblade. Carth fixed his gaze upon it trying not to lose consciousness. It tangled up in his cuff and moved with him a distance, detaching as it connected with the doorframe. Moisture soaked through his trousers and he looked blearily at the path of blood that marked his passing. At last he was lowered gently to the deck. He heard the Mandalorian's voice, but failed to comprehend it. "Udesii ner' vod, rest easy my brother." Canderous stood a short distance from his fallen comrade, and beat back the latest onslaught of Sith.
Malak
Bastila surveyed the dead about her; Pol was crouched over Saul Karath's corpse emptying his pockets hurriedly. She looked up at Bastila and answered the query in the Jedi's eyes, "For Carth."
"You should not reward, nor encourage his vengeful streak Pol…"
"Leads to the darkside, I know...but he's no Jedi and nor am I. Where is he anyways?" Pol pocketed the items.
"Man down!" Canderous shouted across the room. The women raced to the refuge Canderous had been defending. Horror played cruel games with Bastila's wits as she estimated the amount of blood that Carth had lost. Without delay she opened herself to the Force. The effort of the healing drained her resources to their end. That's twice in one day…Exhaustedly she examined her work, the scar would endure but the wound was closed.
"The beam is down," Bastila said helping Carth to his feet, "let's get to the ship. Pol where are you going?"
"To kill Malak," Her reply was icy, as she marched towards the door. Somewhere between the torture and the latest crisis Revan had taken up residence.
Bastila sickened at the feeling of a vague taint in their bond. It was no worse than it had ever been, over all Revan's alignment had improved. But this vengeful slaying was all it needed to bring Revan back down and Pol with her and me.
Bastila choked. "Pol wait, I drained the last of my Force powers healing Carth, you can't face him alone." Bastila wailed releasing Carth. The blood loss was evident in his pallor, but he held his ground limply.
"She isn't," Canderous growled, waving his sword. He stomped after Revan faithfully.
See things can always get worse Padawan Shan; the former Sith lord has a Mandalorian accomplice. "Pol, no!" Bastila left Carth's side grabbing at the woman's sleeve. Doesn't she see that we will all fall? Why can't I reach Pol? Revan is blocking her…. Or she doesn't want to be found. "Pol, please you can't do this, not for those reasons."
"Give it up Bastila. I got a date with a Sith lord." Pol knew Revan had assumed the leadership. Revan's rage swamped Pol's mind, she almost lost her identity within it. She moved Pol like a marionette.
"Make that a double," Canderous added matching her pace.
The door slid open before they reached it. Malak's silhouette filled the doorframe, red Duraflex armor draped with black robes. He strode leisurely into the room; like an archfiend slowed by tranquilizers. His voice rasped mechanically though the metal plate that replaced his lower jaw.
"So we meet again my old Master." He intoned demonically, as he lit his lightsaber. Its radiant light burnt with a tortured orange glow.
Revan commandeered Pol's voice. "It's time for your dirt-nap apprentice." She sneered igniting the red Sith saber.
Malak belted her companions to the background with a Force fueled sweep of his hand. He cocked a finger and motioned for her to come forward and face him. Pol trod the boards like a dancer, and their blades met with a crack and hiss of energy.
They fought conventionally at first, battling her red lightsaber, to his orange. Parrying and strafing, she wrestled Malak back to the door. He called her on; luring her away from her incapacitated friends.
…………………
Canderous vaulted to his feet and ran for the door, Bastila and Carth hot on his heels. They were met with the scene of a heated and now bloody battle. Both combatants were bleeding, though neither seemed slowed by their injuries. The duel had become less orthodox, due to equity of their match. Every violent attempt was met with a close call.
"You have grown weak my old Master," Malak goaded, "I will show you the true strength of the Force!" He grasped the air in front of his face clenching his fist as he attempted to apply a Force crush to Revan's neck.
She resisted it, killing the charged air with the wave of her hand. "Weak? Like firing on your Master's ship while she is otherwise occupied weak?" Revan spat callously as she bent to a fighting stance.
Driven by wanton rage and bloodlust Revan made an almighty thrust in Malak's direction. He was ready for her, leaping from her range with just millimeters to spare. Closing the gap again as she reeled from her misplaced thrust, Malak swung at her. His fist connected with her face solidly; they collided with a satisfying wet crack.
He gave his hand a shake and stepped backwards returning to a dueling form, both hands upon the hilt of his saber. Revan spat blood to the floor and released the lightsaber from her hand. It spun towards Malak catching his chest and tearing it open in a red weal. Not deep enough. She judged, but it had caught him off guard.
She followed it up with a burst of dark energy intended to knock him to his knees. Malak countered it canceling the channel with a raised palm. Her companions had recovered and were approaching. Malak raised his arms above his head and showered them all with a cascade of Force lightening.
Bastila had regained enough energy to resist the electrocution, but not nearly enough to shield the others. Revan resisted on her own and continued to bawl with the Sith lord answering his every vehement action with one of her own, including verbal.
"True strength lies on the dark path Revan; you will never defeat me!"
……….
"Don't listen to him Pol!" Bastila cried staggering to her feet.
Pol heard her and summoned her last ounce of resolve. She shoved Revan from her mind, before her alter ego could attempt to drain the life from Malak. I can't let Bastila down. I have to defeat him, but not this way.
"Keep talking you, spineless, hairless, jawless freak!" Pol yelled. As she seized control of herself once more, Revan shrieked in unintelligible rage at the back of her mind.
With a graceful sweep of her saber Pol struck a blow that by rights should have taken Malak's head clean off, but was hampered by the metal plate dividing the Sith lords face.
Malak laughed touching the ruins of his lower face. He could see the humanity had been restored to Revan, the darkness and all its power had left her, a sure sign she would break soon. He lashed out at her and their whirring blades met angrily. Seizing the opportunity he mimicked her personal technique feigning to the left and striking through her right thigh.
Pol lost balance for an instant, as Malak's lightsaber gave her upper leg a scar identical to the one on the other side. Bastila spun past her engaging Malak in battle before Pol could recover her stance. Carth and Canderous lay limply to the wayside where Malak's electrical strike had crippled them.
Pol healed them and herself as best she could manage with no time to spare, burning up the last of her ethereal resources.
Bastila let herself be lead backwards by Malak as they dueled; Pol noticed he had lured the Jedi to the edge of the room, as he had done with her. The ice melted in her gut, as she was struck with a premonition.
The Jedi called over her shoulder as they passed the threshold of the blast door, "Go! Get to the ship I'll hold Him off!" Malak slammed it shut behind them. His manic laughter could be heard echoing against the durasteel.
"NO! Bastila!" Carth yelled, throwing himself bodily at the magnetically sealed door, he scrabbled in a futile attempt to wrench it open.
Canderous held Pol tightly. He stared at the door, and the possessed man trying like hell to bust it down. When at last Carth ceased his impassioned exertions the Mandalorian said, "Let's go," and lead them back to the ship.
Ebon Hawk
Carth sat like an unwell shell of himself. He was morosely silent in the copilot's seat. He had been so unwilling to accept the loss of Bastila; to leave the Leviathan that Canderous had been obliged to pilot the ship.
Both soldiers were wrung out by fatigue and pumped full of stamina boosting stimulants as they made the leap to hyperspace.
The Mandalorian regarded his comrade with pity and a haunted respect. No man should ever have to go through that, let alone twice. He spoke clearly weighting each word with a measure of new respect, contributing his frame of mind to the stims, "We will get her back Carth."
The pilot nodded emptily; in his hand he held a Republic medal. His revenge was complete but Bastila was gone. He wondered why Saul had even kept the medallion, and where Bastila was. There was no grinding anger left to drive him, just an absence. Bolstered by the adrenal stimulants he was ready for anything, but he had nothing left to fight for.
Med Bay
"I can't feel her." Pol broke down, and tears spilled down her cheeks. She sat on the gurney, her arms hugged about her legs and her teeth to her knees weeping like a child.
Juhani examined Pol's aura sucking in her breath through her teeth as she gaped in astonishment and grief. The clean tendril of the bond that had joined her to Bastila, like a spidery strand, was gone. It had been severed; there was no trace of Bastila's influence over the woman.
"It has been cut." Juhani announced. She hung her head in sorrow. Her hand flew to her forehead, fingertips trying to smooth the furrowing of her brow as she suppressed the tears.
"Malak did this?" Jolee asked. He had no immunity against the suffering of others and anguish in the room; with a heavy heart he rubbed Pol's back soothingly.
"Bastila did, she is the only one who can." Pol sniffed trying to regain a semblance of composure. "She is the one who created it; she forged the bond to spare my life."
"But why cut it?" Jolee asked.
"So that if Bastila falls to the darkside; she won't take me down as well." Pol whispered, like I almost did to her, wringing the last of the tears out of her eye sockets with the heels of her hands. I have to do this my way, I can't let Revan lead, that's not me anymore.
"Then we have been given a fighting chance, we have to find the Star Forge." Jolee marveled at Bastila's bravery, integrity and foresight. Good kid that one, damn shame to lose her this way.
Garage
The Mandalorian crouched, head bowed over his dagger, contemplating its origins. I nearly lost her. He could hear her footsteps padding down the corridor from the refresher. She's going to come in here all girly and tempting and what am I doing? Staring at a fracking knife, the timing is atrocious. He rolled his eyes and shoved the blade angrily back into the boot.
Snap out of it Ordo. Canderous folded his shirt, setting it out by his boots. "That was some fight, I'm aching all over. You ok Champ?" He asked jovially, no point adding to the sulk-fest. Besides, fracking glad Pol made it out ok.
She entered the Garage like a rogue pixie in emerald silks. Pol had also given herself a talking to while she showered and was determined not to fall prey to pessimism. I can't think about Bastila, not if we are to succeed.
"Suspenders," Pol replied out of context. She lifted the lacy fringe of her nightie an inch and stared at the two scars that decorated her thighs. Coincidentally they were both from Malak "They look like suspenders; I'm a war torn freak." She smiled a little, laughing at herself.
"Let me see." Canderous ran a hand over her leg, letting it linger and taking his time to reach the new scar. His calloused fingers snagged at the tender red weal painfully and Pol fought the urge to wince. "You're still gorgeous. Come show me again when you have a few more battle's under your belt. I'll decide if you're war torn." His hands encircled her waist, the silk of her nightgown shifted almost supernaturally below his hands, as he caressed her. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. So glad we didn't die there.
Pol ran her hands over his bare chest, her fingers stopping at a tattoo. "What do all these mean?" She tapped a tattoo twice and looked up into his grey eyes.
"You asking me for a bed time story?"
"Hell yes. If you recall we were about to go to bed couple of days ago when they started playing our song. We haven't slept in days, I'm done in," Pol sagged against him.
Canderous held her upright, lest she slip to the floor, which she was threatening to do. Pol relaxed further when it was clear he had a hold of her, immaturely leaving her full dead weight for him to bear.
His muscles protested, already beyond tired they were overtaxed, and he was tempted to let her fall. It would teach her a lesson… As amusing as he found the idea, he finally resorted to asking her nicely."Pol stand up. Gedet'ye; Baby I'm tired."
There was a deep resonance of exhaustion in his voice. Empathetic to his weariness Pol extracted herself from his arms. "Sorry," she smiled and laughed suddenly her quirky demeanor made sillier by fatigue. "I can't believe you just said that." She shook her head at the Mandalorian and threw back the covers on their bed.
"Said what?" He sighed and yawned; his eyes tracing her figure as she slipped between the sheets. If I ever get too tired to look at that I hope they shoot me.
"In one sentence you said 'please'. And you called me 'Baby'," Pol giggled as she batted the pillow she never used to one side.
"Woman, if you're done cackling at my expense, I am tired and I would like some sleep." Canderous approached the bed wearily. "I would kill for a real bed about now." He admitted.
"No story?" Pol rolled onto her elbow and watched the Mandalorian as he lay beside her.
"No story, get over here." He ordered grumpily flinging a questing arm in her direction. "You nearly died back there Pol." Pol obeyed the arm and cuddled up.
She laid her head on his shoulder, lifted it, kissed his bicep and lowered it again. In an idiotic singsong voice she said "Sooo-rry"
"You're a fracking nutcase," He accused, gracing the shadows with a somnolent grin.
"Yeah-yeah you love me." Pol snuggled against him and closed her eyes. Using his muscle as her bed frame, sleep embraced her without delay.
"Yeah," He whispered then bade her good night in Mando'a, "Udesiir ibic ca ad'ika." As the words fell from his lips the warrior succumbed to a dreamless sleep.