disclaimer
i own nothing cuz if i did i'd be rich and hire someone to write this
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We hit Taris hard. The impact flung me forward against the safety belt, popping my shoulders back unnaturally far, I grimaced as we skidded to a halt my arms would heal but for the time it was quite painful to even consider lifting my hands above my head. I carefully unhooked my safety belt and moved across the pod. Bastila was conscious but she seemed slightly dazed. Her eyes were wide and unfocused and her breathing was abnormally shallow.
"Bastila" I said softly tapping her arm.
"Hey, 'O high and mighty Jedi princess" I said louder shaking her slightly, I wasn't above carrying her out of this cesspit but not if she could go on her own.
"Hmmm? O sorry, the crash shook me up a little" she replied shaking her head slightly. I for one was glad she didn't hear the bit about the Jedi princess, she still had a very swollen nose and I was in no mood to remind her that she was mad at me.
"Well come on. We need to get out of here" I stated rather blandly. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught by the Sith. That would be even worse than the Jedi, much worse.
Crawling over to the hatch I was about to open it when I heard voices. I looked towards Bastila who looked as stunned as I felt. I pulled my lightsaber off my belt and turned back to Bastila.
"Are you armed" I whispered she shook her head no.
"Sith" I swore angrily "you had a lightsaber" I hissed trying to keep my voice down.
"Note the word "had" in your sentence" she snarled back, glaring angrily at me.
"What!" I asked icily "I'm not the one who can loose their lightsaber in an escape pod!"
Suddenly a creaking sound came from the hatch; it was slowly being pried open from the outside. It crumpled and the edge was grasped by a grimy hand, I tensed and took a more aggressive battle stance than usual, whoever these people where they where not taking me out without a fight. Bastila noted the Sith battle stance, sending her disapproval through her icy gaze. I ignored her and concentrated on the hatch.
Suddenly it popped open with a sickening squelching sound. The most disgusting creature I'd ever seen stared back at me its beady eyes glinting it looked from me to Bastila and licked its lips.
"My, my, what do we-"I didn't bother letting him finish simply letting my crimson blade score through his head. Using the force I pushed the body away from the pod and force jumped out landing safely on the ground outside the pod. About 10 people and aliens surrounded me and more flocked around the pod, one near the pod went flying as Bastila force pushed him back, then sprung lightly out onto the ground. This didn't look good I was exhausted, and I assumed Bastila had been using battle meditation even as we had made our way to the bridge, so it was likely she was in no better condition than I, plus the lovely little fact that she was unarmed…
Raising my blade I countered savagely as an alien swept his vibroblade around in a strike that could've taken my head off, but I was no longer in the path of the lightly humming blade. Stepping to my left I brought my saber around slicing efficiently through his neck. The corpse dropped to my feet with a dull thud. I took on two more, dispatching them with detachment etched deeply into my features. Glancing to Bastila who was doing nowhere near as well as I was. I began to wade through the attackers in her direction, when 3 more aliens showed up but these guys didn't have vibroblades. They had heavy repeating blasters.
They began to fire at me and Bastila, and as I deflected the bolts grim realization took hold. The blasters were set to stun. They wanted to take us alive.
"Well, they can try" I thought annoyedly, there was no way these thugs were capturing me.
Bastila was trying vainly to fight and dodge the blaster fire that peppered around her. I watched helplessly as she went down under the heavy fire. Still deflecting blaster bolts I made my way towards her.
I was so focused on the fighting I didn't even hear the sizzling crackle that my lightsaber omitted. I looked down startled as my blade flickered off then was back on again instantly.
"Do not start this" I muttered, slowly retracing my steps away from Bastila. There was nothing I could do for her if I was captured as well. As if in response my saber began to smoke, and grew hot to the touch. I threw it at the nearest thug, and it blew up sending metal shrapnel into his chest.
"Piece of crap" I growled darkly, of course it would explode when I actually needed it. Whirling I took off into the darkness. I would get her back but it was pointless to even try weaponless.
I quickly lost them, which could be in part that they seemed reluctant to follow me very far. That made me uneasy, because I had no idea what they were so afraid of.
I slowed my pace to a fast walk staying to the dimly lit areas away from the menacing dark corners and shadows. The darkness around me sent nervous adrenaline strait to my brain, urging me to run. All my senses amplified, except for my sight. I wasn't afraid of the dark but it was natural to shy away from what can't be seen.
Stopping Icalmed myself, pulling the force around me like a protective shield. Scoffing at my own cowardice I made my way towards a large heavy gate, surrounded on both sides by high walls topped with wire. I got the feeling that it was more a wall to keep things out than to keep anything in.
I looked around suddenly wary, if someone who lived down in this dump would take the time to build a wall they must have had a very good reason. Approaching the gate cautiously I noticed the ragged grimy man standing stiffly on the other side. I rapped lightly on one of the rusty metal bars, and he jumped in surprise.
"What? How? I mean who are you?" He stammered looking nervous.
"Calm down" said holding up my hands in a non-threatening manner. "I'm not armed and I've got the distinct feeling that there's something hunting me" I said glancing over my shoulder to emphasize my point. Although I wasn't sure if I was being hunted or not I'd been edgy since I got clear of those thugs.
"Well it's very likely that you're being followed by rakgouls, and I would love to help you but you could be infected so I can't risk letting you inside the village" he shook his head sadly. "Good luck offworlder" he said turning back around.
"Wait, infected?" I questioned suddenly not very happy. "How do you become infected?" I asked a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"You have to be bitten or scratched by a rakgoul" he said sighing sadly. "Then your body will slowly mutate into one of those flesh eating monsters, there is no cure"
"What do these rakgoul things look like?" I asked thinking of the thugs, they had certainly acted like monsters.
"Like that!" he said pointing over my shoulder, then backing away from the gate. The fear rolling in waves off this man was nauseating; these people must live in constant terror of these creatures.
I turned and saw 2 ghostly mottled gray skinned mutants loping towards me. I reached down to my belt for the comforting weapon that usually rested there. But my lightsaber was not there, it dawned on me that in my momentary panic I'd blissfully forgotten that I was weaponless.
Whirling back to the gate, I clawed at the solid metal. "You're just going to let them kill me!" I screamed at the man.
"They're to close! I can't open the gate!" he said sadly, he sounded sincere but that was hardly any condolence.
I felt the anger fill me, giving me strength. I knew deep down it was wrong to rely on my anger to fuel me but that was hardly an issue. Whirling I pulled the force around me yet again and felt the energy crackle from my finger tips. I could almost feel my iris shift color as I let loose with a barrage of force lightning striking both of the mutants. One went flying landing heavily on its side never to rise again. The other slid to a stop screaming in agony its body convulsing before it fell silent.
My fingers still sparking I turned back to the gate. Meeting the gazes of 3 or 4 terrified outcasts, I smiled evilly.
"Now about that gate..."
fin
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