Chapter 45: Rubbing it in.
The Jedi Temple still hadn't returned to the peace Siri could recall it used to have as the days past. There was a dimming, a conflict, that Sidious would so readily prey upon. She could see it in the way Jedi interacted with Jedi, argued and bickered on what to do and what was right and what would or wouldn't be enough. Master Fay's temporary appointment hadn't done much for quelling the roiling, if anything, it was worse. Worse because the one who had guided them for centuries had disappeared and had been replaced by this 'Outsider' who hadn't been in the Jedi Temple for close to as long as Yoda had been alive. It was amazing, in a way that drew dark fascination, how Fay's reputation was suddenly cast aside or turned against her.
There were cracks here that had begun a long time ago, well before Siri's birth, that had increased when Siri had pointed out failings, and were continuing to grow. There was potential here for something absolutely destructive to happen, something that hadn't happened since the last Sith Wars. It wasn't guaranteed of course, but she saw the signs, had studied all of the Sith Wars on some level. So she wasn't blind to it, wasn't blind to the danger to the Jedi, AND to the Sith.
She saw the potential for a Schism.
And if this Schism turned out like the last, and they had an entire faction of Jedi falling... even if Sidious had a hand in guiding and controlling it, that was insanely dangerous, unless of course Sidious could stamp that faction out at the same time he could the Jedi. Its also possible that there would be two light factions instead of one falling, but she had seen who was taking the lead over this faction. C'Baoth and his yes-man Krell.
They had Sidious's stench about them.
They also had the beginnings of a false Aura of Light, a technique Sith could use to pretend to be Jedi. Zannah told her she'd used it to literally walk into the Jedi Temple and read their archives before. Siri doesn't detect a conscious effort to it yet, they don't realize whats happening, but she does nothing about it. They wouldn't accept anything she would offer anyway, none of the Jedi would. Obi-Wan *might* believe her and be wary, but that's it. Yoda had some odd sort of belief in her that she detested, but Fay did not. Fay did not hide the fact she saw Siri, saw the Sith, as a disease, as 'hatred and bile given form'.
Without Yoda there as a potential buffer Siri hadn't realized he had been until he was gone, she has to be much more careful. Its odd though, because... the desire really isn't there anymore either, to drive a dagger in each time she speaks to a Jedi, it just doesn't seem worth the effort. If they piss her off sure, she'll give it to them brutal and hard, but she frankly doesn't care enough about most individual Jedi to focus on jabbing at them. It's like her view of their survival, she doesn't care if they do or don't. Either they adapt, or they die. It's not worth it, the potential and desire for conflict doesn't measure up to her standards anymore. So what if it pleases her momentarily? What she says wont stick with the average Jedi, and it'll just potentially cause issues.
So she exercises patience, and is cautious. When Obi-Wan comes to collect her for trips to the dinning hall, she tastes the Force first rather than just waltzing down the halls like she owns the place. If she doesn't like the vibe she gets...
"I don't feel like it Kenobi," she drawled, lazing about on the couch, hiding away the wary apprehension the Force warned her of with her nonchalance, "Fetch me food would you?"
He give her that look of disapproval, and wanders off.
So Siri is... ancy, when things finally return to some level of familiarity. When Siri is called before the council to re-explain some of the things she told them before to their new Grand Master. Its an annoying repetition, but she uses it as a way to gauge Fay. Of course the most the damn woman shows is a tightening of her eyes and Force Presence, but no real reaction. Siri swears she feels even more detached than the average Jedi, which she supposes isn't impossible, Fay having been on her own for so many years. If the woman feels anything under that curtain of serine detachment, Siri doesn't know.
Then she gets her first order to the sparing rooms again.
There is an air of apprehension in the Force that she smells, ripe yet rotten, both good and bad. A notable chill in the air that none of the Jedi seem to sense or react to. Her eyes briefly scan the room. Several council members, the current Grand Master, C'Baoth and Krell, various Masters and Knights, C'Baoth's apprentice one of the only padawans here, and of course, Skywalker. Its normal for these sessions. Yet the hum of anticipation thrums under her skin.
Dooku hands her Bane's Heart, and she relishes having it in her hand again after being comatose in the Halls of Healing and receiving treatment. "Do you feel, Tachi, that you need time to warm up?"
She raises a single eyebrow at him, not deigning that comment worth sneering for, though she did notice the shift in his acknowledgement of her, where was the derisive 'Sith' from him? Regardless, the Jedi is going to have to try harder to earn her contempt. Dooku smiled with satisfaction, took several steps backward, then drew and ignited his lightsaber.
"Ah," said Siri, bemused, "I was wondering when we were going to do this."
Dooku's smile turned sharp, starting with a Makashi salute...
Siri took about half a second with extreme Force enhanced speeds to cross the distance and kick him right in the stomach, getting a loud 'omph' out of him and sending him to the ground, "First lesson my Master gave to me about Makashi; If he ever saw me waste time doing the salute, he'd have me on the ground writhing in agony. It warns your enemy of which style you are using, and gives them time to prepare, adjust..."
She gives him a predator smile as he picks himself up. "Or kick your ass."
Dooku narrows his eyes, his lips peeling in displeasure. "Honorless."
"There's no honor in being dead," she answers back flatly, assuming her Soresu opening, blade angled down, hand held out like a dare.
She got in the first hit and knocked him on his ass, she's satisfied. She knows hes going to punish her for it. But that's fine, Sidious could do and had done far worse than this aged Jedi Master could. Besides, he was also the Makashi Master. Time to get her ass handed to her and learn so she could do the same to him back eventually.
Dooku is there in a bountiful flourish, and Siri mentally sneers at the exposure he leaves himself open to. Not to a lightsaber, no he'd block that, but a sniper watching the fight? Easy way to kill Dooku, face him a fight, keep him distracted, cloud his senses with the Viel, and BAM, dead Jedi. She blocks the opening strike, shifting back as his lightsaber skips over her blade, trying to clip her arm, and when that misses, down for her thigh. So she takes another step back and lets him push her.
They entered into a dance they had done many times over the years, of Dooku VS Iris. The Jedi Master chasing down the elusive darksider. Except this time, there was no escape. No way to lose him or disappear. Nothing to throw at him with the Force, no civilian to take as a hostage, just him and her in this unrealistic arena that would never happen in a real battlefield, only able to back-up in a circular motion, confined to a small area that really doesn't suit her in a battle against a skilled opponent. So, when he catches her lightsaber in a lock, his blade sliding down and-
She predicts his move wrong, she moved to dodge a right slash, instead he swung left and down, slicing in a way that would have slashed clean into her guts with a full powered saber. She stumbles back, hand reflexively going to her stomach, but she deactivates her lightsaber and rights herself. She expected satisfaction from him, some kind of smugness, instead, he looks irritated.
"Again."
She hums, reactivating her lightsaber. "Hogging all the fun today are we?"
"You have two opponents scheduled for today," he said mildly, "Both of us will face you as many times as necessary, or until you bow out."
Interesting.
She entered her opening stance and he came at her once more, circling the arena as he thrust and cut in sharp smooth motions, the entire time her eyes and senses trailed his movements. Her bouts over the years had been relatively quick and intense, rarely long enough for this kind of exposure and learning.
"Why ever are you so quiet, Tachi?" he posed after besting her again, slowly circling her; she moved her feet to match the motion, both of them moving to hunt the other, "Many of your other spars have been much more... talkative. Even your battle with my padawan and grand padawan on Naboo drew words, or so I hear. You're not trying to hide yourself from me anymore, so why the silence?"
"Because I take you seriously," she answered simply.
That shut him up, eyebrows raising before he schooled his expression. "Hmm."
He stopped speaking, which was a relief to her ears since every other encounter with him resulted in him liking to hear himself talk the entire time. It wasn't a relief when he turned his focus on demolishing her again and again and again, one loss after another after another. She might be above the vast majority of the Order in saberplay, but not him, not yet, and especially without active use of the Force. He's had a long time, and many of these sessions, to study how she fought, she hasn't had the favor returned. As the losses start to mount up, she contains her frustration and turns it into focus, one win and she'd consider it a good session.
He thrusts right for her chest, obvious move to lead into another, one of at least twelve different spin offs depending on if she blocked, parried, dodged, or backpedaled. She blocks hard, shoving his lightsaber away as she activates the other end of her saber and stabs down at his knee, trying to go for a limb he might not expect her to. He jumps up and kicks her collarbone, sending her stumbling back, muttering, "Spry for an old guy."
There is a flair of amusement from him; he comes at her again, not giving her time to recover as he strikes in relentless makashi and...
There.
He goes for her arm, she lets him have it, his powered-down blade searing it as she drove her own blade right through his chest, electing a harsh hiss from him as he staggered back. He blinks a few times, a little stunned, a hush around the ring. Almost a dozen loses to him since it began, but finally, at last, one win.
"In a real duel, I lost my arm, you lost your life," she said mildly, "A price, to be sure, but against a Jedi of your caliber, it would have been a considerable win. Sidious might have even given me a nice replacement as a reward rather than make me find one."
She tilted her head. "Or he would have been an ass and punished me for failing to kill you cleanly, who knows."
Dooku's eyes are dark and calculating in a cold way that sharpens her focus on him, makes her think 'this is part of the reason Sidious wanted him'. He schools his expression and merely says in a crisp tone, "Jedi are eternal students, I will take the Sith willing to lose a limb to win as a lesson best learned prior to a true encounter."
He scowled and demanded, "Regardless, I tire of this mockery. Do you not think I am aware you are holding back, even compared to your other spars? Why? You haven't used any of that abominable dark power you used when we first clashed."
She scoffed. "For one, I've been told off for it already, for two, this arena isn't enough for us to have a real battle, and three..."
This time he earned her sneer. "You are not Yoda, you aren't ready to face an actual Sith in combat holding nothing back, who isn't an idiot who only uses their lightsaber against the Makashi Master."
He raised an eyebrow. "And if I say I am?"
"Then find us a bigger room, or series of rooms, because fighting in a circle with nothing but flat terrain and no obstacles is ridiculously unrealistic," she said in contempt, "You are never going to get Sidious into such a simple and confined location."
Dooku considered for a moment. "True I suppose. Still, this is where we are for today, perhaps something could be set up in the lower levels another time, if the Council permits it. For now, I do not wish to face a simple Darksider, I wish to face a Sith-"
He grunted in pain as Siri flung a rapid jolt of lightning at him, sending him staggering and then gasping in pain as it turned into full on Force Lightning. His legs wobbled as it washed over him, eyes going wide, before she felt him focus the Force, fight through the pain, and raise his lightsaber to catch the lightning. "Little singed there old man."
He gritted his teeth, face and body tensed and drawn, one hand griped tightly on his thigh, the other on his lightsaber, as cackles of electricity rolled around him, dissipating. "A warning would have been appreciated."
Her voice dripped with venom as she lowered her hand, the last of the lightning fading away. "Do you believe Sidious will give you a warning, Jedi, if he wishes you dead?"
He glowered at her, but didn't answer, adjusting the grip on his lightsaber...
Siri closed her eyes, shuddered, and dove deep for the Dark Side. She hadn't really done so since her last spar with Yoda, no other Jedi had been able to demand such from her. It rushes up from inside of her in a startling loud roar of power, her ears ringing, her skin tingling, her head buzzing in a power high that instinctively makes her want to laugh hysterically. Force, its been far to long, especially against someone that isn't Yoda and guaranteed to defeat her.
She opened her eyes, and watches Dooku tense, taking in a sharp breath. She gives a war cry and leaps, spinning through the air, landing before him her blade pulled back to stab. He stumbles back a step in uncertain anticipation, she swings high, he blocks high, she activated the other end of her lightsaber and broke the block, top shoving his blade away while the other one went upwards to cleave into his face.
He steps back, his face turning grim. "So I meet the Sith Apprentice in combat at last."
Siri sneered, reaching out and clenching her fist, wrapping the Force around his throat and vaulting him up into the ceiling with a flick of her wrist. He slams and cringes before Siri flicks her hand down and he plummets. She readies her saber, deactivating one end, and swing a viscous blow that would sever him in two if the saber was at full strength. He deflects the blow mid-fall, but the act prevents him from landing correctly. She smiles at the twist of his ankle, the way he slams hard into the floor; that had to hurt. She goes to pounce on her down prey, but he at least learned a lesson other Jedi were slow to take.
He thrusts a hand forward and Siri is gusted a few steps back by the Force, steeling herself to stop from being completely thrown away. Its enough time for Dooku to get on his feet, he winces on the twisted ankle, but readies himself, curved blade inches from sizzling into the floor. She smiles at that, oh its nice to have prey worthy enough to fight. But she wants more, this is her first real fight against anyone since Sidious burned a hole through a part of her memories, she wants to vent, she wants satisfaction. As they circle one another, her eyes linger on a Jedi outside the arena, on Qui-Gon Jinn, a dark idea coming to her mind
Perhaps Dooku would like an illusion? Its not like the Jedi don't know she has illusionary abilities, she DID use some against Jinn and Kenobi on Naboo.
Siri reaches out and samples Qui-Gon's presence, yanking a single strand of hair off his head with the Force. Qui-Gon flinches, looking like he's about to stand up, but reigns himself in and remains seated, narrowing his eyes at her. Siri levitates the strand to her as she and Dooku begin stabbing, parrying, and slashing at one another. She holds a hand behind her back, taking the hair into it. She has her intent, she has the piece of the target, so she begins to chant in Sith tongue, the Force darkening around her...
Dooku hesitates briefly in uncertainty, and Siri takes advantage of that moment. She brings down a heavy overhead strike as she chants. He blocks it, and Siri brings her leg and foot up to kick his chin hard, making him flip backwards, then she finishes her chant, a startled chorus of Jedi gasps or exclamations filling the air. Dooku finishes his backflip and surges forward, swinging his blade, only to freeze up in surprise with his blade inches from Siri's neck. Because to him, to the Jedi of the room, its not Siri Tachi standing there anymore.
"Qui-Gon?"
She drives her saber into Dooku's chest.
Dooku gives a startled cry of bewilderment and pain before Siri pulls the low powered blade back, liking the darkened burnt part of his tunic and only -slightly- wishing it were a fatal hole instead. When she speaks, its with Qui-Gon's voice. "I'm disappointed in you, Master."
The bewilderment continues for a few seconds, that stunned, confused, hurt and betrayed look on his face before he adapts a smooth controlled mask, eyes narrowing with an intense anger. His eyes flicker to the real Qui-Gon who has an displeased look on his face, and then back to Siri. "I dare to say you must take well after your master, for that is insidious."
Siri gives a full belly laugh before bowing mockingly, not caring for the jab, "I aim to impress."
She's not really good at Ataru, but, she takes the opening stance. "Shall we see how well you fare facing me in battle, master?"
She wants to see how badly it messes with him.
Dooku doesn't take the bait, just continues to glare at her. "So, you were waiting all this time for us to spar just to do that?"
She snorted. "No, I thought of it on the fly and decided to mess with you."
Instead of getting angry, he falters. "Just like that?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"You can create that kind of illusion, physical, voice, and even his presence in the Force, in a matter of seconds?" he asks, his face has paled a bit, his voice unsteady.
He almost looks afraid.
"Well, I sampled his presence, yanked a piece of his hair over to me as a base, and...," she wont say she did Sith Sorcery, let them think it was simply Force Illusion, "Chanted to help me focus my intent. Its all basic illusionary technique."
He looks faint. "Basic technique."
Well, basic sorcery anyway.
Hmm...
Siri frowns thoughtfully. Perhaps she might have jumped the gun a bit in revealing that. After having Zannah as a teacher its basic to her, but perhaps not to the Jedi.
"Is Yareal Poof present?" asked Dooku.
There is a rustling as a Jedi, a male Quermian with that oddly unsettling tall and thin neck of theirs, steps to the outer circle of the ring of Jedi watching; he's staring at Siri with a morbidly fascinated look.
"That, is not, basic," said Dooku, pointing at Siri.
"Quite right," said Poof, that stare not leaving his face, "Force Illusions are done by projecting the illusion into the minds of those one wishes to affect. It is an incredibly taxing ability, increasing in cost the more minds one must fool. It is especially more difficult to use against Force Sensitives or Force Resistant species. Yet, even with my expertise and perception I can see very little flaws in it, I would admit to failing to notice it in passing unless I intensely scrutinizing the illusion. What's more, the Sith is not projecting it at all, its like..."
"I'm wrapping myself in it," Siri answered dryly, "And 'sorry' if there's a few flaws, I made it in like less than a minute."
She wondered what exactly was wrong with it. Maybe the hue of the clothes or hair or skin or something?
"How?" demanded the Jedi in offended outrage, "Even in old texts I can't recall ancient Sith using something like this. The more massive things were creating illusionary armies that required intense meditation, but this? No."
Siri tilted her head in curious consideration. That was an interesting idea. A little impractical though. "Wouldn't that be messed up the moment someone interrupted the meditation?"
"Well, yes," answered Poof.
Siri hummed to herself and dropped the illusion, letting Qui-Gon's face fall away. "Impressive, but useless for me. Seems I was taught the opposite end of the spectrum."
Illusions around herself, upon herself, Smaller things, the concentration being her, intense. That in itself didn't touch on sorcery.
"That doesn't explain how," reiterated Poof.
"Particles," she said, "Stop trying to change how others perceive things; change how things actually are. Its all about desire and demand. How you want things to be, and demanding the Force obey."
Instantly Poof's curiosity faded into distaste, a 'tsk' escaping his lips. "Dark then, a shame."
"Isn't manipulating the minds of others inherently dark?" she asked mockingly, "Or does it not count if its a Jedi doing it?"
He gives her a dismissive sniff and turns around in disinterest.
Siri smiles with feral malice, eyes glistening darkly. "Case and point."
Jedi hypocrisy at its finest.
There is a sucking sound, and her eyes flicker to see Dooku deactivate his lightsaber, his face oh so troubled. "I am done for now, I pass the floor to you, Master Windu."
Siri slow blinks as the Jedi Council Member strides to the center.
Siri schools her face, considering her opponent not in the aspect of a Jedi Councilor, but as a threat and an individual. This one Siri knows about as more than just a name, this one Sidious knows about as well, pointed out to her. Anyone with a natural affinity for shatterpoints was dangerous, the ability to feel the weakness or importance in events, objects, in people. He also, according to Sidious, used some kind of Jedi bastardization of Juyo. Sidious hadn't made it sound like a threat, but the fact that he had mentioned it at all meant something.
Windu also had a rather pinched expression on his face.
"Headache, Master Jedi?" she asked, amused.
"It's my constant state since you came to the Temple, Sith," said Windu flatly, activating his lightsaber, "I, request, you use the same level of sparing you were just using against Dooku. I'm not here for a warmup."
A constant headache huh? "Am I that much of a nuisance Master Jedi?" she purred, before her eyes turned sharp, "Or is it something you see?"
He narrows his eyes at her, shifting into his opening stance, his lightsaber gripped two handed, the handle close to his face pointed down towards her. "That's a rather pointed question."
She gives him a predatory smile. "Anyone who can see shatterpoints is marked, Windu."
That pinched expression turned into a grimace for a moment before he schooled his face.
She doesn't activate her lightsaber, not yet, the Dark is prodding her not-so-subtly. "I'll humor your request if you humor mine."
Windu's glare is cold. "Incase you forgot, Sith, you were the one who offered these sessions."
She smiled. "I did, didn't I? But I can choose how I want to fight, and you've sparked my curiosity. Tell you what, if you answer my question, I'll go a step further than giving you the fight you want...
She does not let her eyes flicker to C'Baoth and Krell as she offers, "I'll reveal one of the methods the Sith use to stay hidden from the Jedi."
Windu full on grimaces again, and now Siri really wonders if being able to see Shatterpoints is something she'd want. It looks unpleasant. Siri feels the sharpness of the room focus on her, on them, she can see other Councilmembers looking on expectantly, some of them nodding at Windu. He doesn't immediately respond, instead he turns his head towards Fay. The current Grandmaster stares at Windu, and then Siri, for a few long moments before nodding to Windu.
"And you, yet again, wish to do this with an audience?" asked Windu tiredly.
"Absolutely."
"You are a walking continually shifting shatterpoint," said Windu sourly, lowering his lightsaber, "You are a Sith betraying your Order's secrets and machinations to a Jedi Order that is not as prepared to face the Sith as we once were. Every time you open your mouth the Force shifts and causes ripples. Everything you reveal makes waves in the Force that lead to further changes, if not here, then elsewhere. In the span of the last five minutes there were three separate shatterpoints through you: One in revealing the illusionary deception the Sith can do, one in revealing that anyone with the ability to see or use shatterpoints has a target on their head that we will need to assign extra protection to, and the mere hint of what you just offered is the last, and considering the trepidation I feel, its not going to be pleasant."
She smiles, considering the Aura of Light, and knows that this is going to give the Jedi absolute fits, she wonders how badly they'll be jumping at shadows. "Trust me, it's not."
She cocks her head in thought. "Its not just moments where a single strike or act can change things in unexpected ways, Sidious explained this to me," she wants to know more, she must know more, "You can see shatterpoints in people about how others..."
"Kenobi," said Windu irritably, "Your largest shatterpoint is Padawan Kenobi. If you have the understanding that you claim you do, I would think this would be obvious without needing to ask me."
Well... he's not wrong, its mainly because he had come right out in front of her like this, she hadn't really given him or his abilities much thought otherwise outside of being a nagging presence in the council chambers.
"Hmm," she hummed and then pouted, "I can't be my own shatterpoint?"
"Arrogance," muttered Windu, "It's called free will, Sith, people may influence you, but ultimately, only you are the one who makes your choices. You don't need a special flair through the Force for that."
She twirled her lightsaber in one hand, activating it. "One last question, who else do you see?"
"There are small hints of others, but ultimately...," he frowned uneasily, "Two dark presences linger. One I believe is Sidious, the other I don't recognize, its not the other presence when your Master's master was destroyed," Zannah probably, nothing unexpected then, so that's good, "Yet..."
He looked intently focused, peering towards her, into her, the Force swirling around him, and then an unsettled look crossed his face. "There is an... ripple of someone not yet met who will vastly impact your life. The beginnings of that shatterpoint are already starting now, even if I don't believe it will happen for years."
Siri frowns uneasily. For a moment, she had caught a whiff of fear. She thought shatterpoints were an in-the-moment thing, only existing for brief moments until the event or interaction in question was done. What in the world was he going on about? Still... she was curious; she was going to get to 'play' with someone new? "I suppose I'll gave to wait and see then."
"Now, lets see this bastardization of Juyo you've got," taunted Siri.
Windu narrowed his eyes and reassumed his starting stance. She opens with Soresu and waits. He's the one with the strange form, so she's going to study and adapt and...
He goes for the most obvious attack ever, just a straight up heavy stab for her midsection. She draws on the Dark and shifts, moving to sidestep and batter the blow aside to follow up with a counter...
The moment their lightsaber's touch her eyes go wide as she feels exactly what he's doing. He draws on her darkness, and his own, funneling it into himself, and then he's moving. The attacks are heavy and savage, seemingly unconnected and random unlike Juyo's normal flowing fury. Except its not there, he's using his and her darkness as a weapon without technically tapping into the Dark Side. The Force ripples through his every strike with barely leashed power. It puts Siri entirely on the defensive, quickly shifting back, her lightsaber singing back and forth to parry or deflect his blows, she's not going to meet him in a straight up block, he'll rattle her lightsaber right out of her hands.
She decides that either Windu has no kriffing idea what the hell hes doing, or he knows exactly what he's doing and he is absolutely insane. "Has anyone ever told you that you've lost your mind? Do you understand what you're doing with your form?"
"Perfectly," gritted out Windu.
She leaps back away from a downward strike that singes the floor, staring at him for a long moment, he doesn't pick up his saber off the floor, he's motionless and waiting. He wants her to tap more into the Dark Side, hells, the Dark Side wants her to as well. Except there's one tiny problem with that; its going to boost him if she does so. She wonders if she could overload him like that, or push him into falling, if she tried to force-feed him her energy. Probably not something to try here. She considers him for a moment longer, before adapting.
She shoves the Dark Side down as much as she can, firmly controls her emotions and pulls them strictly into herself and locks them away, then shifts entirely into Makashi, abandoning defense to come at him in an elegant flourish. She feels a brief stirring of surprise from him, but he still rises to meet her, but the energy channeled through his style weakens and tapers off onto him only using the Force as a Jedi normally would, and his own skill.
Which unfortunately is greater than her own, ending when he batters aside a blow and then kicks his leg up to plant his foot right into her face. She stumbles back and falls right onto her ass. His lightsaber is in front of her nose before she can begin to get up. She scowls up at him, at his narrowed eyes, and she can see the temptation in there to put it right through her face, even if it is low powered, but he pulls his lightsaber back, allowing her to stand up.
She brushes a sleeve under her nose, coming away with a little blood. "Hmph."
Windu regards her for a moment before speaking, "I'll admit I didn't expect a darksider to sheath the Dark Side and suppress their emotions as an attempt to counter Vapaad. You suppressed it more than a Jedi normally does, but not through serenity."
"I am in control of my emotions, my darkness, not the other way around," said Siri flatly.
"Would Sidious attempt this?" he asked.
"I'm not sure he'd see the need to," she answered thoughtfully, "You do understand how dangerous it is, what your style does, right?"
"I do."
"And do you think you could handle it, Windu?" she asks harshly, "You felt his presence, do you honestly think you could handle channeling Sidious's darkness against him without falling?"
"Why do you think I'm here if not to test that?" asked Windu, "If I can't handle the Vaapad against a Sith Apprentice, then..."
"Then what?" she asks hotly, "If you can't handle it, and you kriffing fall, I'm not taking any damn blame."
"I've discussed this with Grandmaster Fay and the rest of the Council, if it comes close to reaching that point, they will step in and restrain me," answered Windu, "But since you are here, and since you have no real interest in returning from the Dark Side despite Kenobi's desire to help you," he stressed, "Then I would be a fool not to take advantage of this. You are no mere darksider, and I need a great deal of experience using this against a Sith if I want to one day properly wield Vapaad against Sidious. So..."
He looked like he tasted something sour as he spoke, "Use the Dark Side against me, Sith."
"Kriffing insane," she muttered in her breath.
But she lets her restraint come down, letting the Dark Side flow back into her before she thrusts her hand forward, unleashing a barrage of lightning. His lightsaber comes up to block it, and she feels the way his 'Vapaad' siphons off some of that dark energy. His eyes glisten with intensity as the Force swirls in him, his face scrunching up with focus. Despite this, there is still and aura of calm about him. She decides that she's right, he's absolutely insane. Without perfect control this style would destroy him, destroy any Jedi. He shoves his way forward until she has to stop and bring her lightsaber up to deflect him. She draws the Veil of the Dark Side down around them and lets a low growl escape her throat.
He comes in hot and fast with heavy Force-powered blows without needing the Force's input. Regardless of whether she blocks, parries, deflects, or is the one attacking with him on the defense, each contact rattles down her arms despite the power of the Dark Side reinforcing her. She needs an out, perhaps she should beat him the way she crushed Kenobi on Naboo. She chants under her breath and stabs with the Force right through his shields, injecting the Dark Side right into his head. He staggers back, taking in a ragged breath, his eyes widening at who knows what illusions he saw and...
And he comes right back straight at her, powering with a heavy stroke, and all Siri can do is yelp and block, throw across the dueling circle. "What the kriff-."
His eyes are even more intense and just a little wild now. His movements are unsteady, she can tell he's affected, but he's still coming right at her. "No matter what I see, Sith, you are still the darkest thing in this room."
Siri swallows thickly and surges to her feet as he swings from above his shoulder right down at her. She jumps back rather than blocking, nearly colliding into the circle of Jedi. She's needs way more kriffing space than this room. She moves away from the edge, foot stepping over foot, Windu apparently still having control of himself to not come at her when shes right next to his Jedi. He radiates power, not in the way Yoda does, nor the skilled combat of Dooku, but in the manner of taking his own, taking some of hers, and beating her over the head with it all the while not falling.
He's walking the edge of the line between light and darkness, but not in the way some of the grayer sects of the galaxy try to. Its more like he anchors himself in the light while intentionally leaning over the line, the abyss, drawing power up but not falling into it. Its stupidly dangerous, its not something she would do as a Sith even though she's already fallen. Trying to tap into someone else's darkness is... unwise. The light he wields disrupts her from trying to manipulate the energy he takes into him, but if she tried what he's doing against another darksider, she wouldn't have that safety net, and Sidious would never be so undisciplined that he wouldn't have perfect control over his energy no matter where it went or who was using it.
She's going to lose. She'll drag it out as long as she can, but she doesn't know how to combat this. Her initial idea of cutting out the Dark would only work if she was actually better than him in combat, she's not quite there yet. Beyond that though... she watches through the Force as he strides forward, confidant and sure. Its more than a form, it envelopes him completely through the Force, through his mind, single-minded focus brushing away all obstacles. This is the kind of thing Zannah spoke about, about what Soresu felt like to her. When one reaches the point when they no longer 'use' a form, but become it.
Most of the illusionary abilities she knows wont do squat to him, the more higher incantations and extreme uses... she doesn't know if they'll phase him. She could shatter reality for him, try to break his mind, but...
"No matter what I see Sith, you are still the darkest thing in this room."
She, for one, doesn't think that'll matter, even if she managed to drive him mad he'd still come at her, and for two, has no desire for the retribution the Jedi would take on her for that. So... lets go for overload then, he did kind of ask for it. The moment she retakes the center of the room he comes at her with heavy and rapid strikes almost like he was some kind of six armed creature with a lightsaber in each hand. Each clash she feeds more of her energy into what his style takes from her, each clash the intensity in his eyes deepen. He spins, coming down with a heavy and brutal downward slash that is to fast for her to dodge, so she falls to a knee and raises her lightsaber, blocking it.
It feels like every bone her body rattles when his lightsaber slams down into hers; the power he's radiating leaning more and more dark as it grows.
She grits her teeth, struggling to hold his blade...
He boots her, his foot slamming into her side and sending her sprawling. She's barely rose to a knee before he's swinging down in a heavy blow for her head, and despite the low setting on his lightsaber, she knows this is going to kriffing hurt...
"Mace!"
He stops himself mere centimeters from his low-powered ligthsaber cleaving through her face. He's breathing raggedly, but its not from exhaustion. His arms are shaking, his eyes are wide. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and deactivates his lightsaber, taking a shuddering step back. He exhales, and all the dark clinging to him from the fight dissipates. He looks shaken, but still in control of himself.
Un-kriffing-belivable.
"That will be all for this session," says Windu, before turning and striding away, going for the nearest bench to sit on.
Siri rolls her shoulders, a bit sore, and deactivates her lightsaber, moving to hand it to Dooku as he comes to take it before she's direct towards Bant. She scowls a little at that, she's a little roughed up at most, some singes from Dooku's lightsaber earlier, hardly worth fretting over, but sits down and lets the healer look her over.
Obi-Wan watches quietly as Fay speaks with Windu.
"...I was losing control," admits Windu, "I knew this was a spar, I knew there was no reason to escalate, yet... all of that darkness... I was pushed by it, I felt that I had to end it, had to destroy it. If this had been a real duel, and no one was there to stop me, I don't think I could have stopped myself from taking her head clean off. If by chance I had been sent to capture her, I would have failed, regardless of the consequences. Even if someone had been there to talk me down... I'm not sure I would have stopped. It was... overwhelming, my entire focus had become eradicating the darkness."
"It would be even worse against her Master," said Windu quietly, "Vaapad is like a circuit between me and my opponent. She wasn't able to overwhelm it, despite her intentionally trying to, but she came much closer than any darksider ever had before. Against Sidious's full power..."
He shakes his head. "I need to find ways and improve or refine it. What I felt when we threw Sidious out of Tachi's head... it's not enough. Vapaad isn't enough as it is."
"For most intents and purposes it would appear to be," said Fay thoughtfully, "And you have not spent your lifetime refining techniques against Sith as our predecessors did a millennium and more ago. You have an avenue to improve here, as distasteful as the process may be."
Obi-Wan purses her lips as the pair's eyes flicker towards Siri.
He sorely misses Yoda right about now. His grandmaster at least had some faith. Though, he did give Fay some benefit of the doubt, Siri had the amazing habit of sticking her foot in her mouth in just about everything she did.
"I suppose I do," agreed Windu before sighing, his head turning to give Obi-Wan a knowing look, "Though, if Padawan Kenobi were to succeed in his efforts, that avenue would vanish."
Fay hummed, her head turning as well to watch him watching them, motioning him over. Obi-Wan hesitated briefly; he hadn't interacted much with the new temporary Grandmaster yet outside of being called before the Council. Outside of her reputation, he had yet to really get to know her.
Her eyes are on Obi-Wan despite speaking to Master Windu. "As of yet, of all the Council and all the Jedi I have asked, you haven't given me your opinion on that possibility, Master Windu."
Windu huffed a little. "Because the reality of it changes day by day. It is unlikely, in everything I see, but it is there, in every shatterpoint that appears. I just... don't see how to break that barrier and bring it forward."
"That is because we can't, Master," offered Obi-Wan quietly, "Only Siri can decide if she wants to turn away. We cannot force her to."
Windu nods solemnly in agreement, though his eyes furrow. "Yet... I feel more than ever that we need to. What I saw earlier..."
Obi-Wan looks at Windu worriedly as the Jedi Master turns his lightsaber over and over in his hands, lost in thought. "What I saw in that shatterpoint... its potential is absolutely massive, Obi-Wan, perhaps the largest I've ever seen outside of Skywalker when he was first brought into the Council Chamber that day. How the Sith Apprentice interacts with this person, should she live to do so, will have far reaching consequences."
"I... don't understand," said Obi-Wan, "I thought shatterpoints..."
Windu sharply shook his head, there is deep concern, worry, and perhaps even fear in his eyes. "What happens to Siri Tachi in the here and now is going to determine how she interacts with this person in the future. This person's shatterpoint is Siri Tachi, completely and utterly, it makes no sense to me."
"Who do you see?" asked Obi-Wan uneasily, feeling like yet another weight had been placed on his shoulders with trying to redeem Siri.
"I only caught a glimpse, but...," Windu rubbed his face, "I see a little human girl, blurred and unfocused, that was all I saw."
"A child," said Obi-Wan slowly, just a tad baffled.
"I don't know," said Windu, "I'm going to be spending days meditating on this, with little results I expect. I can make educated guesses, but that's all."
"An apprentice?" posed Fay.
"Perhaps," said Windu in consideration, giving Obi-Wan a look, "Or a daughter."
Obi-Wan can't help but stiffen in offense. "I gave my vows to the Order, Master Windu. I may care for her, deeply, but I wont betray the Order for her."
"Some would argue you already have by feeling for a fallen at all," posed Fay.
Obi-Wan purses his lips and regards the Grandmaster. There is no judgement in her eyes, or emotion, its a question posed, watching and gauging how he reacts.
"Compassion is the way of the Jedi," said Obi-Wan, "And if I have betrayed the Order by developing feelings for someone, then I'm hardly the only one, nor am I the only one that's been influenced by them. I have not suddenly become a monster by doing so. I want to help her, give her a chance to redeem herself, but if she chooses to become that creature she was on Naboo again, I will do my duty as a Jedi."
Because she wouldn't be Siri anymore...
Siri stretches briefly before stalking over towards Windu, watching as their conversation comes to a halt. "I gave my word, so fetch me a Jedi Robe would you?"
Windu's eyes furrow. "Why?"
"Part of the charm of the method," says Siri with cheer.
The disgruntled look he gave her in return is amusing, but he sends for a Jedi to get a fresh pair of Jedi robes. She wouldn't be suprised if they burned them after. She waits patiently before the Jedi returns and hands it off to her. She hums to herself, spotting a weapons closet on the far end of the room, and makes for it, Jedi moving out of the way as she does. She walks, eying the Jedi robes with disdain, kicking the door closed behind her before disrobing and changing. It feels... weird, uncomfortable, to be wearing these again if only for a few minutes, but she puts them on, then masks her Force Signature for a moment. Then, she taps into her surroundings, into the light flowing through the temple and those around her, binding it to her, wrapping herself in an false Aura of Light and unmasking herself. She can feel the instant shock from those outside. So she opens the door, walks out, walks right up to Master Windu and gives a bow she can remember giving many times when she was a youth.
"Padawan Tachi at your service," she answers calmly, righting herself, smiling how she used to smile, making herself seem calm and collected, ever the dutiful controlled Jedi.
Windu gags in horror.
There is a collection of chocking sounds, mortified whispers, and fear, so much fear. Like an infectious disease it spreads thought the Jedi, and she knows the thought going through their heads...
"Do you understand now?" she says softly, "Get a Jedi robe, wrap themselves in an Aura of Light, and any Sith could walk among these halls with the Jedi non the wiser," she tilts her head, "I wonder just how many times they have over the last thousand years, hmm?"
Windu swallows thickly and collects himself after a moment, looking away, then looking back at her in the robes, the anger and disgust in his voice palpable. "Change back, now."
"Careful Jedi," she whispers, "That's an awful lot of anger and fear in you."
"Now Sith," he warned.
She smiled, lips peeled in sinister delight at the unsettled reaction, turning to go, only briefly pausing when she noticed the absolutely gutted look on Obi-Wan's face. They stare at eachother for a long moment before she speaks.
"It's why I told you Obi-Wan," she explains patiently, "That if Sidious ever claims me again, and I come back preaching about forgiveness and redemption, seeking the light, you should just put a saber through me. Because, Obi-Wan..."
She narrows her eyes. "I am who I am, and me all the suddenly changing that will never happen."
She turns and walks away, going for the closet and her clothes to get rid of these filthy Jedi robes...
Obi-Wan had never felt so... so damn hurt in his life. There Siri stood, feeling pure and utterly light, and it was fake. Everything he wanted, hoped for, and she rubbed it in his face like that, like a knife driven in and twisted. Even worse than her calling him a chain. He just... he couldn't...
"I need a mission," said Obi-Wan quietly, his voice shaken as he sits down on a bench next to Windu, "I... I need to just... get away for awhile."
Windu looks at him for a long moment before nodding. "A few weeks, a month?"
"A month at least," Obi-Wan said quietly; he couldn't help but feel shame at it.
"There's only so much of that Sith anyone can take, Padawan Kenobi," said Windu, "There is no shame in needing distance and a time to think and collect yourself. A diplomatic mission in more pleasant company could do you some good," Windu frowned, "We're going to need time to study this 'method' the Sith use to walk among us like this for faults as well."
Obi-Wan nods quietly. "I'll go ready myself."
He felt like a coward, but he couldn't help fleeing the room, fleeing away from Siri and that horrific false dream-shattering light...
Author's Notes:
Skywalker and Siri time incoming!
I haven't made any decisions yet for the Grandmaster(s), but the pathways are as follows: (Potential spoiler, read at your own peril!)
A) Sidious fights/kills Yoda while the Grandmaster is depressed in seclusion (not at his best). Heavy, massive destabilizing blow to the Jedi Order on top of what Siri's done, but it is a risky move to take, as he'd have to unmask his presence and fight Yoda head on, would Sidious take the chance?
B) Fay dies sometime in the Clone Wars (but not like the comic), but Yoda and Fay are both alive and active up until that point, which is also risky to have two Jedi of that power active at once for a long while. I've loosely toyed with a Sidious & C'Baoth VS Fay and Siri concept, with them allowing Siri to escape and thus take a lot of suspicion that Siri led Fay into an intentional trap, which becomes a point of contention and something Sidious will try to use to sway Siri with (like the whole Anakin's 'The Jedi don't trust you' thing).
Or something else, IDK, its still a ways off.
Give me your thoughts/votes.
Review Responses:
Devil King TOHSAKA: 20 chapters actually, but regardless, not a lot of time has actually passed in the story, at most half a year from when she was captured. Even less since she got out of her cell. This is going to be an incredibly long story, depending on how deep I go into certain events or timeframes, easily 200+ chapters. Siri will change and shift as the story progresses, she's the main character, she's not going to be static, she may seem or go grayish at times, but she will never be a Jedi again. You should also consider that she's pointed out, several times, that the Jedi are currently service as her meat wall between her and Sidious, she has no desire to go anywhere else for the time being. Its less patience, and more survival for her.
Nerdman3000: Tactically, killing Yoda isn't a bad idea for Sidious since the grandmaster is seriously ripe for the picking at the moment, still collecting feedback for the moment though.
Belial666: Naw, Sidious had one of his pawns in the temple go on their way to put a tracker on Yoda's ship, Sidious will know where he went, he just needs to decide if he wants to kill Yoda now, or kill Fay later. You're also correct on something Siri sees this as, a chance to improve herself while jabbing at Sidious's foundations. She does have the habbit of riling up/upsetting the Jedi though.
JimmyHall24: ...the fall down the shaft!
Dolansosar: (1) Celese Morne and the Muur Talisman may have an appearance in post-Empire times, as will Exar Kun, though Siri's meeting with them will end a bit differently than the EUs... tee hee...
(2) I haven't watched a single one of Disney's star wars Movies.
(3) Rephrase the question. She spoke with Obi-Wan about plenty of past Sith Lords, which one specifically are you talking about?
(4) Haven't given it much thought, that meeting is a long ways away in the Clone Wars.
(5) Siri wouldn't have ended up with the Jedi. Plaguies would have needed to pull back and change his plans with Sidious's death, and determine if he wanted to keep Siri as his new apprentice or not. She wouldn't have been sent back to Naboo.
(6) You think the Republic would trust her with a Clone Legion?