Chapter Twenty Six- Lone Sith Lord
Canderous glanced out of the open doorway nervously, "Exile, do what you have too, but do it quick! I don't like feeling so 'open' here."
Jennra glanced across at the Mandalorian, "Just give me a few minutes, Canderous-he needs healing." She turned back to Mical, "You okay?"
He nodded dumbly, and winced as she took his head in her hands.
"What in space did they do to you?" Jennra shook her head angrily as she stared at the wounds on his face. She closed her eyes, and focused the Force up inside her, reaching out to him with gentle healing.
Mical glanced up at her, disbelief in his eyes as he felt a weak taint rise within her through their shared connection to the Force. "Jennra?" he whispered, "What is this…?" He felt the pain in his face withdraw as the wounds knitted together, and the throbbing inside his head ebbed away. He rubbed at his face with his hand, "Did something happen to you?" Awareness flooded through him, and he closed his mind to the sudden images that their shared bond had conjured.
Jennra shook her head, "No, not really. Why do you ask?"
He stared up at her as she moved away from him, and he reached out a hand and grabbed her elbow, "There is something that you are not telling me. What is wrong?"
"Apart from the obvious?" Jennra laughed bitterly, "We are in a Sith base surrounded by space alone knows what, there is a new threat that's winging its way to Dantooine as we speak, and you ask me what is wrong?" She touched his shoulder lightly, "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. Force alone knows what you have been through," she replied tiredly.
Mical rose to his feet, pulling his brown robe about his shoulders, "No, it is I that should apologise. You have been through a lot that I can see." He smoothed his hair from his face. "Please accept my apologies." What is wrong with her? I can feel a taint within her, what has happened?
Jennra smiled at him, and touched his cheek softly with her hand, "Do you feel better?"
"Yes, I feel better than I did, the Sith were not as hospitable as you might think," he winced at the recollection. "Perhaps, it is the vastly improved company?" Mical smiled at Jennra warmly, and wrapped his arms around her. He leant down and kissed the top of her head.
"Dark Jedi coming, prepare yourselves!" Canderous barked out loudly.
Jennra stepped back from him grudgingly, and turned to the door, her saber ready in her hand. "Then let them come," she replied grimly, "They are no match for us."
She stepped into the corridor, Canderous at her side. Three dark Jedi stood before her, "You, Jedi," they sneered, "come with us and there will no need for bloodshed."
"The only blood that will be shed will be yours," she smiled engagingly at them, "Come and dance with us," she beckoned to them, her saber glowing hotly in her hand.
The dark Jedi circled them warily, their sabers at the ready. One broke from the others and rushed at Jennra, his crimson blade smashing angrily against hers. Sparks danced in the air as the two Jedi pushed at each other with their blades. Jennra glanced over her shoulder, watching as Mical lit his lightsaber, and attacked the other two Jedi. He fought them with grim determination.
Canderous dropped his blaster to the ground, and unsheathed his borrowed scimitar. He smiled broadly as he raised his blade, slashing at the Jedi that were fighting with Mical. He cut one cruelly across the arm, watching as the mans saber dropped to the ground. With a quick uppercut, he dispatched the Jedi. The Mandalorian, raised his weapon, and jointly attacked the other dark Jedi.
Jennra kicked out at the man in front of her, her foot connecting solidly with his groin. She raised her hand and threw him backwards with the Force, where he landed heavily on the corridors floor. Smiling, she raised her saber and with a quick slashing motion, she cleaved his head from his body. Jennra turned towards Mical and the large Mandalorian, and silently watched as they fought the remaining Jedi.
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The lone figure paced in the immense room, his black robes trailing along the ground as he walked. He lowered his hooded head, and ran his long white fingers over the hilt of the lightsaber that hung on the belt at his waist.
And so it starts. She is coming. I can feel the dark taint that lies deep within her, like a seed waiting for the light that will awaken it. He stood in the centre of the room, and gazed around the dark walls that seemingly pressed in against him. I cannot allow her to be hurt.
He hastened across the room, his robes flying out behind him.
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Revan paced the camp, Kelborn following doggedly at her side. She was trying to ignore the Mandalorian, but his insistence was starting to pay off. She glanced roughly across at him.
"Revan, damn you, will you stop with this pacing?"
She stood still as she felt his hand grip her shoulder tightly, "What Kelborn? What is it?" she sighed in irritation.
"We must talk…"
"He will be here, Kelborn. The Mandalore lives and I wish to be here when he comes."
Kelborn frowned behind his blue helm, "How can you be sure of that? You know because of a 'vision' you had?" he laughed deeply, "You Jedi put too much faith in your prophesies and Force. Ha!"
Revan glared at him, her eyebrows furrowed together, "Do not mock me Mandalorian! You, who are ignorant in the ways of the Jedi. Would you like it if I mocked your Mandalorian beliefs and rituals? No," she grimaced, "you would not."
"I would not mock you, as you say, Revan," he replied seriously, "but we need to move. The warriors are growing restless with all this inaction. You cannot make them wait any longer-they are impatient, they need the challenge that a good fight will bring. I say that we should go down to this Sith encampment, and seek them out."
Revan weighed up the choices in her head. To stay and wait, or fight…She sighed quietly. She could not keep the warriors here against their will, their nature, just because she was awaiting word of Canderous. She had to make the choice that was right for the greater good, and not for herself.
"Alright. Alert the men. Tell them that we will make a move to the Sith facility. As soon as they are ready, we will travel." She watched as Kelborn moved away from her, and stopped him with her hand on his arm, "Kelborn, you are right."
He nodded at her, and then strode into the thick of camp.
Revan smiled jadedly as she heard him bark out his orders to the assembled warriors.
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They stalked through the long corridor silently, Canderous leading the way. Jennra stared at his broad back; it had been a shock to see him stripped of his armour and helm. She remembered the tales Revan had told her one lonely night, long ago, of her quest for the Star Maps and the Star Forge, and of her companions. She had spoken highly of the Mandalorian bounty hunter, and Jennra had suspected at the time that there was more to her tales of Canderous than what she was prepared to let on. But then, there was Carth, the soldier that she had eventually fallen for...
"Jennra?"
She stared up at the tall blonde Jedi beside her, and smiled. "What is it?"
"Can we talk?" he appealed to her.
"This isn't the right time to talk, really," she replied softly.
"I…I just wanted to know…No. You are right. This is not the right time," he looked away from her, and stared ahead at the Mandalorian.
"What's wrong?" Jennra stopped, and turned to him, her hand touching his robed arm lightly.
"This is not an easy thing for me to ask," he replied, staring at the wall over her shoulder. "But I need to know. Did something happen between you and…A…Atton?" Mical stammered nervously.
"Mical!" she replied indignantly, "No!" she shook her head, her dark hair flying around her shoulders, and masking her face. "I can't believe that you would ask me that!"
He gripped her shoulder tightly, and turned her to face him, "I know you are lying," he said sadly, "I just know you are."
Jennra irritably pushed his hand from her, "It wasn't like that…"
"So, I am right?" He murmured. Mical strode away from her, his shoulders hunched dejectedly.
Jennra stared at his retreating form, and swallowed hard. How could he understand? It wasn't my fault. I didn't know…A slow nugget of hate glowed brightly in her chest at his reaction. Why would he understand? She straightened her tunic and followed, her eyes watching him narrowly.
Canderous pulled up in his tracks, and turned to face the Jedi behind him, "Sith ahead," he said quietly, gesturing with one hand. He hoisted his heavy blaster rifle in his hands.
Jennra nodded at him, and lit her saber, "Then what are we waiting for?" she strode past Mical, casting an empty look as she passed him. "Well?" she demanded irately, "Come on!"
Canderous glanced at Mical, "Your personal problems can wait Jedi, the enemy wont," he said in a low voice, scowling with irritation.
He knows, Mical thought with insight. Why say otherwise? He gripped his saber, and stared petulantly at the silver blade.
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The dark robed Sith Lord swooped down the corridor, his robes billowing out behind him. Already he felt her presence near, and he eagerly felt the anticipation that raced through him. Soon, he thought, soon she will know me.
He turned a corner, and saw the Sith soldiers amassed in the short corridor. A few glanced at him as he passed through their ranks. He felt their fear, and smiled beneath his cowl, pitiful creatures really, with almost no mind of their own. It was small wonder that they were perfect tools for the other Lords.
He smiled underneath his deep robe as he turned the last corner. Ah, there she is. My beautiful Exile.
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Jennra stood watching silently as the Sith Lord passed through the dark ranks of soldiers that surrounded him. She turned to Canderous and Mical, a look of concern etched deeply on her face.
"What in space is this?" Canderous growled deeply, to his eyes their enemy had regrouped itself in the semblance of a saviour. He glanced as Mical came and stood next to him, his eyes too shone with the disbelief that the Mandalorian felt.
Jennra turned away from them, and stared up the corridor. The dark Lord had turned his back to them, and as she watched, he raised his hands; great streams of fire raged angrily from his hands, pouring into the ranks of Sith. There was a low sound; a whisper as the men fell to the floor, their bodies burning unnaturally. The Sith Lord stood silently as the flames flew from his hands.
She took a pace backwards, her saber pointing to the ground. What is this? She thought in wonder. Fear gripped her, and choked the sound from her throat.
Content that all the Sith were disposed of, the dark Lord turned slowly and walked towards her.
Jennra tightened her hand on her saber, and stood ready in battle stance.
"You will not need that," a familiar voice intoned deeply.
She gasped as her saber was wrenched from her hands and clattered to the floor with a hollow metallic sound. "Who are you?" She whispered reverently, fear shaking her voice slightly.
"Do you not recognise me, Exile?" The robed figure stood in front of her, and laughed dryly. "Did I not say that we would meet again?"
Jennra sensed Mical standing behind her. His hands gripped her shoulders firmly, and she took strength from his reassuring presence. "Come no further. We will attack…" she replied defiantly to the robed figure in front of her.
The Lord laughed softly, and shook his head, "No, Exile. You will not." He raised his hands, and touched at the hood that engulfed his head. "We must talk…"
"You will not manipulate me, or those that stand with me," she replied.
"No, that is not why I am here. We must talk."
"Why should I listen?" Jennra demanded.
"What have you got to lose, Exile?" He closed the gap between them, "I helped you escape here, once before. You will need my help to escape again."
"No. I don't trust you, Sith scum!"
"Do not anger me," the robed figure warned. "I have come in peace," he held his hands placidly in front of him.
"Peace? What do you know of peace?"
"I know that you are still a tortured soul, Exile. Listen to what I have to say. Trust me…."
Canderous touched her arm lightly, "Perhaps we should listen to what this Sith has to say. It wouldn't hurt, surely?"
"Ah, your companion is wise. You should listen. But enough. Time is not kind to us, and if we are to join our forces together, then we must do so soon, before they come back, victorious. Exile, this you must not allow."
Jennra laughed in disbelief, "Join our forces? Sith's blood, you are a fool! I do not align myself with your kind!"
"You are a fool, Exile. You do not listen." The Lord reached up, and lowered the heavy cowl from his head, "Will you listen to me now?"
Jennra gazed with shock at the face of the young Sith.
Violet eyes regarded her wearily from a ghostly white face. His shoulder length white hair touched at the collar of his black robe, contrasting starkly with the blackness. His pale lips were pulled up slightly at the corners, regarding her with mirth.
Jennra shook her head, "You…I know you. I have seen you before?"
The Sith nodded slowly, his white hair falling across his cheek. "Yes, I helped you escape the chamber in which you were imprisoned. But no, you do not know me. Perhaps though, you remember my father?"
Canderous growled in the back of his throat, "Be careful, Exile."
Jennra ignored the Mandalorian, "Your father? Why should I know him?"
"You have met with him, on more than one occasion. He is my father in name only, he abandoned my mother and I before I was born. But yes Exile, you do know him. His name was Sion."