Chapter Nine-Escape
Jennra struggled to push herself into a sitting position, wincing as the old wounds on her back stung. She had no idea how long she had lain unconscious in the dirt; her head throbbed where she had been struck from behind. Gingerly, she raised her hand and touched her scalp, feeling the dried blood that clung to her hair. She grimaced with distaste.
Instinctively, she reached to the pouch at her side, and felt a momentarily loss as she realised that the pouch lay empty. They had taken her saber from her.
Jennra raised her head to look at her surroundings. She lay within a deep pit, the walls scaled high up out of her reach. To her right a low door was set deep into the stonework, but with no visible means of a way to open it. Cursing, she slowly stood, legs shaking beneath her.
The last thing that she remembered was walking with the Mandalorian warrior, Bralor. Revan had sent them both out on a scouting mission, like they had done many times in the past.
Except this time had been different.
The Sith had lain in wait, and as she and Bralor had attacked, they had been caught unaware by several dark Jedi, whom had struck from behind. They had not anticipated such a motion.
Bralor? Jennra thought with a pang, was he alright? She slowly sank to the floor, using the Force to sense his presence. There, she said to herself, it was weak, but it was there. He was still alive, but Jennra feared greatly for him.
Their methods of torture were unparalleled.
Tears rolled down her cheeks at the thought of the brave Mandalorian being tortured. Bralor, she whispered, hear me! Take my strength. Do not give in to them!
"Fool!" a voice hissed at her. "Can you not hear him beg for the death that we deny him?"
Jennra glanced around the chamber, shaking her head defiantly. "You will not break him!"
"Why? He fails. Your humanity is pitiful, Exile! He will tell us where the Dark Lord lays. We will break him for that information."
"No! Don't…" she begged, "take me instead. Let him go"
"Let him go?" the voice laughed. "That we cannot do. He is ours, and will become a good tool for our Lords!" curiously the voice asked, "why do you beg for his life so, Exile?"
"He is ignorant. He doesn't know anything," Jennra answered quietly.
"Ha, but that is where you are wrong! Already he whimpers the Dark Lords name. Revan. She will come, Exile, and when she does? Then she will join us of course. Already seeds of doubt lay deep within her mind. She questions her…choices, shall we say, whether she took the right path. But the taint that lies in the place where she is will break her mind. Already she hears it whisper to her."
"She will not fail," Jennra shouted defiantly.
"Do you really believe that Exile?" the voice chuckled darkly. "You who fought with her in the Mandalorian wars? You, who followed her blindly, did you not see the darkness in her soul then?"
The door to her right slid open, and five black robed men stepped out. In their hands were an array of stun blasters and an evil looking black metal tipped whip.
"You have so much to learn, my young foolish Jedi. So much, and I fear your lesson will be a long and painful one."
The figures approached, slowly circling her warily. Jennra glanced around herself; she was out numbered, weapon less and in poor physical condition due to the numerous beatings that she had already suffered at the hands of these thugs. One of them fired a blast at her, and she was unable to turn as it hit her full in the chest. She fell to her knees, hands fluttering up as she struggled for breath. The whip was lashed across her back, the cruel sharp metal digging into her flesh, and she fell face down in the dirt on the chambers floor. One of the men lashed out at her with his booted foot, catching her in the ribs. Another blast seared across her legs, causing her to cry out in pain. The figures gathered around her, full of dark intent.
A red haze floated before her eyes, and then mercifully she blacked out.
In the darkness of her agony, a vision called out softly to her.
Two brown robed figures stood facing each other, the long lush grass of Dantooine reaching up to their knees.
A light wind whispered through the trees, lightly ruffling the hem of the young male Jedi's robe. Searching, he lifted his face to the sky, feeling the soft breeze caress his skin, and blow his blonde hair softly about his face. Smiling tenderly, he turned to the dark haired woman who stood before him, and reaching out a hand, he pulled her gently towards him. Her arms snaked around his neck, and standing on tip toe, she kissed him ardently . Blue eyes gazed into brown. She sighed contentedly, and rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart, and as he wrapped his arms protectively around her, she suddenly felt at peace with the galaxy for the first time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennra slowly came to. She was laying face down in the dust and grime of the chambers unforgiving hard floor. Her eyes flickered open and trembling, she raised her head, wiping at her eyes with the back of a dusty hand. Dirt streaked across her face, mingled with soft unknown tears.
She glanced around groggily, as the noise of a door slid into her consciousness. A lone black robed figure stepped into the small deep chamber, and she instinctively felt the dread that touched at her heart.
"Ahhh, young one. You are awake? You sleep deeply."
Jennra struggled to her feet, shaking with weariness, "I would hardly call it sleeping," she replied angrily.
"There is much defiance in you!" the figure chuckled, "And that is good!"
"Who are you?" she demanded weakly.
"I am let us say, a third party. There is much to be gained from your… early release"
"Release?" Jennra whispered incredulously
"It will be interesting, too see how you fare," the voice answered slyly, "Besides, the Lords are old, and they are restricted by their dreams and desires. They seek only an easy way, a path that leads straight and true to their desire"
Jennra staggered across the room towards the lone figure, "What is it you want? To torture me more?" she laughed bitterly, "You will gain nothing from me. I am not a pawn in your game."
"Ah, foolish one, so naive. I merely seek your freedom," the voice answered reasonably, "I offer you this."
A white hand slid from beneath its deep sleeve, a lightsaber rested in the open palm.
"Who are you?" Jennra whispered.
"You do not know?" the voice asked questioningly, "I am what I am, and simply no more than that. I release you from your bonds." The figure stared at her from beneath its deep cowl, "I seek a harder path than the Lords. I look for questions, where they seek answers. I seek resolve, where they look for war." A deep sigh issued from the depths of the heavy cowl, "We have waited too long, and now time quickens."
The dark figure came closer to Jennra, "Here, take this. You will have much use of it, I fear."
She reached out her hand, hesitating as her fingers closed upon the hilt.
"Quickly, my young Jedi, before the guards are alerted. You must make haste. I unfortunately cannot show you the way out, that you must find for yourself."
Jennra took the saber from the figure, and slipped it into the pouch at her side "Thank you" she murmured. "I…"
"We will meet again, Jedi, of that I am sure," the figure laughed deeply, "Go now, be quick."
Jennra limped towards the door, and stopped, "What of my companion…?" she called out.
The hooded figure turned slowly to face her, "It is too late for that one. His time draws to a close, such is the way of things," the deep voice remarked tonelessly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jennra turned and ran through the door, her hand slipping to the pouch in which the saber rested. She resisted the temptation to take it out, for now.
She stared up a large steep corridor. Several doors led off at different intervals. She walked cautiously; her senses ready to alert her of any sudden danger. The hum of voices drew her to the nearest doorway, and she stopped, pressing her body up against the wall near to the entrance. She closed her eyes as she focused the Force up inside her, using it to sense the presences inside the room.
Three Sith.
Jennra opened her eyes slowly, and reaching down, carefully extracted the saber from her belt. Gripping it tightly in her hand, she stepped into the room.
The soldiers didn't see her at first. One particularly large man had his back to her, blocking his companions view. She flicked a switch on her saber, and smiled grimly as the yellow beam lit brightly with a resounding hum.
She coughed loudly.
"What the…" a Sith that was sat at a small round table, stood up quickly, his hands fumbling for the blaster pistol that was holstered on his belt.
She ran at them, blade flashing brightly as she cut down the large man. He fell to the floor, dead instantly. Another Sith ran at her, a large and wicked looking vibroblade in his hands. With a flurry of sparks, the blades clashed, and she twisted around, kicking at him. With her other hand, she let the Force gather, and she struck at the other man with an unseen motion; a flick of the wrist that sent him crashing unconscious into the far wall. The Sith with the vibroblade stared as he saw his companion fly across the room, disbelief apparent on his face. He charged at her again, his blade easily deflected by the vicious arc with which she swung the saber. It fell clattering to the ground. The Sith with his other hand produced a long evil looking short sword and he came at her, jabbing with the blade and dodging her movements.
She looked at him, and sighed. With her hand she sent the Force through again, smashing his body against the wall, where it landed near the body of his comrade.
Jennra quickly glanced out of the doorway, then moving quickly, she approached the bodies.
She placed her saber back into its pouch, and removed her tattered cloak. The brown material was torn across the back in several places, long jagged gashes spattered with congealed blood, my own, she thought ruefully. She tore the cloth into several long strips, and working quickly she bound the prone men's feet and hands.
She glanced around, blowing a strand of long dark hair out of her face. Sweat gleamed dully on her skin, and dripped down her nose. In irritation, she wiped at her face, grimacing at the dirt and grime that now lay upon the pale sleeve of her Jedi robe. She looked around the room, and smiled when she saw four large grey lockers lined up against the far wall.
Jennra bent down, and dragged one of the bodies toward the lockers door. She opened it, taking the few items she found there, stuffing them into the open front of her robe. She heaved the body to its feet, and pushed it into the empty space, smiling determinedly as she heard the click of the door as it shut.
Sweating, she tugged the other body, and disposed of it in the same manner. The larger one was going to prove a problem. His height alone would mean that he could not be squeezed into the space that the lockers provided. Instead, she propped him up in the corner of the room near the grey metal chests, wiping blood off her hands onto his robe with distaste.
She stood up, wiping at her forehead again. She winced as sweat trickled down her back, soaking into her open wounds and dampening the fabric of her clothing. She glanced around the room, noticing a large plasteel storage container in the far corner. She walked towards it slowly, pausing as she heard the sound of muffled laughter in the near distance.
Inside the container was a long black robe. She smiled ruefully as she tugged her sore and battered body into it. It was a little too large for her, the hem touched against the heels of her worn dusty boots, but at least it was hooded, and that would be of great use to her as a disguise. She peered down into the container again and found two Sith energy shields, a pair of Bothan goggles, and a Stealth Field generator. She slipped the goggles and shields into the deep pocket of the dark robe, and fastened the stealth field generator belt around her waist.
She paused again, her head held at an angle, dark hair hanging in her face. She would have to rely on all her wits and training to escape from this dark place.