Author's Note: So someway somehow this story breached 1 Million views… thank you! Let's party!
-Chapter 142: Floating in Space-
Location: Coruscant
"Some days all we want is to be numb."
You're pathetic.
You couldn't save her even if you wanted to. You're a sorry excuse for a man, Dynnal Karn. Had I been in control, had I been in charge of MY body, this never would've happened to her. You are weak, useless, pathetic! It's high time that I came back to the forefront and you were lost to the darkness as you always should've been!
Opening his eyes with a groan, Dynnal was greeted by a bright white light above him. He blinked, squinting, not used to such brightness. Then the memories came flooding back, driving from event to event as he recounted the nightmare that was Olanet.
He sat up, taking stock of his surroundings, blinking out of shock for he simply did not recognize them. The four walls were comprised of glass, revealing pale grey walls all of which were illuminated by a pure white light source above. It strangely matched his new attire, simple white robes overlaid above bandages wrapped around his body. The sensations came rippling through after that and he reached for his face, feeling more bandages across his nose and around his cheeks. There was no evidence of blood, someone had obviously cleaned him up, but who?
Dynnal took one more look around, trying to determine if this was some special room… or a prison… Fear coursed through his veins. Did they know? Had they seen?
Distant door panels swung apart, the mechanized whirring catching his attention. Jedi emerged into the space, the Titan immediately recognizing Anakin and Obi-Wan by their robes. He stood, striding over to the glass in anticipation of their arrival. "Nice to see some friendly faces." He remarked.
"Good to see you're up and around." Obi-Wan greeted in reply.
"How're you holding up, kid?" Anakin wondered, his voice low and lacking any upbeat tone. "You seem to heal quick." He added. Dynnal gave himself a once over, realizing with much surprise that his own super-soldier abilities had kicked in heartily. He'd never healed that fast before…
"Sure seems like it." He muttered. "Don't exactly know why or how." His gaze returned to the Jedi, now standing before him. Obi-Wan's appearance and expression were neutral, but Anakin's very look told the youth that something was bothering him.
"Any odd sensations? Strange thoughts?" Kenobi pressed. Dynnal paused, analyzing the contents of his head for a moment, before shaking his head.
"I feel fine. Why?"
"You were radiating Dark Side energy unlike anything we've ever seen or sensed." The Jedi Master explained. "We brought you to this lower level of the Temple to watch you for any signs or symptoms."
"Of what?" Dynnal queried with a raised brow, although he inwardly suspected he knew the answer.
"We were hoping you might be able to tell us." Obi-Wan replied. "These cells are designed to negate one's connection to the Force. We were hoping a little deprivation might clear you up."
"Well, I've certainly got no 'sensations' if that's what you're wondering." Dynnal remarked, turning around and taking a seat on the bed. "Then again I couldn't sense anything before, so…" he trailed off, leaving his statement open to the Jedi's interpretation. They said nothing, did nothing, and Dynnal was a little unnerved. He cleared his throat. "Where's Ahsoka?" He asked, trying not to sound too concerned. "How is she?" At that, the Jedi shared a look, and Dynnal knew straightaway that something was amiss.
"She…" Anakin started, forced to pause as his gaze fell. Dynnal tilted his head, trying to read his downcast expression.
"General?" He pried softly. Anakin said nothing. Obi-Wan took over.
"According to Master Nema's diagnosis… she was raped. By three of them." He sadly revealed. Dynnal as aghast, his jaw falling open as a sadness unlike anything he'd experienced flooded his mind.
"Three…!" He gasped hoarsely. Rubbing his jaw anxiously, his head fell into his hands. So Chimera had been telling the truth. A terrible, awful truth. It was unthinkable, brutal in every sense, proving the super-soldier's notorious reputation as monsters. "Oh Force, three!" He cried, face disappearing behind his hands. His shoulders sagged, his body felt an immeasurable weight fall on it, dragging him down into the inky depths of depression and despair.
Wraith was right. The voice chastising him mere moments ago was right. He was pathetic. and useless. And so many other things…
It was Zygerria all over again. Only this time, he was too late to save her.
He wanted to cry, he wanted to pound the floor, he wanted to do… well, he didn't know what. His gaze turned up, meeting Anakin's crestfallen look. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered. "I'm.. I should've…"
"What could you have done?" Anakin replied, his voice quiet and broken. "What could any of us have done?" The gloom that filled the air was tangible and Obi-Wan could relate despite his lack of expressiveness. With a wave of his hand, he unlocked the cell door, allowing it to swing wide open as the nullifying defences powered down. Dynnal looked to it, his freedom clear and evident, and he forced himself to stand.
"Can I see her?" He asked.
"Master Nema has her in a Bacta tank. Hopefully it should dispel the worst of her injuries. But it will take some time." Obi-Wan replied, his answer enough to convey 'no visitors' without being so direct.
"R-Right. Of course…" Dynnal cleared his throat again, choking down the swelling emotion. "Am I… free to go?"
"Yes, but don't go too far." Obi-Wan responded. "The Council would like a word with you, we have a meeting later today. We would like to hear your end of things." He explained. Nodding in acceptance, Dynnal realized there might be a lot more at stake than a mere report. He stepped clear of his cell, feeling a rush as the Force renewed his body, connecting with his spirit, like a simmering heat flickering distantly… waiting to become a roaring inferno.
"I hear you." Dynnal said simply, doing his best to keep himself even and in check.
Later…
His path was aimless, meandering across Coruscant with his hands in his pockets and a glum expression on his features. Dynnal kept his gaze low, reflective of the state of his soul.
His dear, beloved Ahsoka, beautiful and perfect, tarnished and ruined by three super-soldiers.
The very thought incited a flurry of emotions, pain, despair, rage, sadness, they bubbled up and then receded, lost as Dynnal struggled with his own self-loathing. He grappled with his identity, if he could not even save his girlfriend then what was he? He was less than a man, weak, flawed, pathetic… the same words spoken by Wraith echoed in his mind. He was right. After all this time, Dynnal finally relented to his onslaught, and allowed the super-soldier's words to pound his soul ruthlessly.
His steps carried him towards the planet's military base, specifically the staging grounds where hangar after hangar was full of Clones milling about, working on supplies, technical materials and ship maintenance. The Titan's ship was here somewhere, maybe he could go crash in his quarters for a bit, maybe some sleep would numb his pain…
Dynnal stopped, leaning against a wall as the searing guilt took its toll. If only he'd been more forward, more direct, more… more like Wraith… then maybe this wouldn't have happened. The power to prevent this had been in his hands and he wasted it like the fool he was. He rubbed his eyes, trying not to cry as he had the entire walk over here. Maybe that's what he needed to do; lock himself in his quarters and weep bitterly for the rest of the day…
"You alright, kid?" The familiar voice of a Clone solider drew his gaze back up. It was Rex, Dynnal recognized his bleached buzz-cut anywhere.
"Been better." He replied in a mumble. "Just… trying to find something to do. Clear my head." He confessed, breathing deeply to keep his caged emotions under control. "I won't bother you, Captain." He said with a sigh, making to push past him. A hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"If there's one thing I've learned, its that soldiers don't bear their burdens alone." Rex stated. Dynnal paused, not expecting such treatment. "Come with me, merc." Doing as told, Dynnal followed Rex, the two walking side by side. "Olanet was… rough. For all of us." The Captain intoned. "Having to ship our Commander back like that was… not easy."
"The last thing I remember was coming back to you all, then I blacked out." Dynnal mused.
"You were passed out the whole trip." Rex commented. "Even now, I'm surprised to see you up and about after two days." Dynnal nearly tripped.
"I just got up… I've been out for two days?" He clarified. Rex nodded.
"General Skywalker's not keen to move anywhere, not until he knows how Commander Tano's doing." He stated. "We haven't heard anything out of him since he went back to the Jedi Temple." Realizing he did not know about Ahsoka's true state, Dynnal felt sorry for the Clones. Their beloved Commander…
Rex guided him into a space between gunships that the Clones had converted into a common area. Most of Tempest Company was here, lounging or messing about with menial tasks. They promptly waved Rex over, urging them both to join in.
"Hey Captain! I see you brought a friend." Jolt greeted. "Welcome to our little nook, kid." The others quickly chimed in.
"Thanks for bringing our Commander back, merc." Backlog thanked him.
"You'll pardon us if we withhold the damage deposit, though." Sixshot remarked, earning a brief round of chuckles. Dynnal barely managed a small smile.
"I tried, fellas. I really did…" He replied, not believing a word of it.
"Dynnal here is feeling the wear and tear of Olanet. Figured we could pitch in and help him out." Rex interjected.
"Sure thing. Grab a seat." Jolt offered, patting an empty crate. "You play Sabacc, kid?" He wondered.
"On occasion." Dynnal answered, sitting down.
"Deal me in too, Reverb." Jolt ordered as his brother produced a pack of cards from his rucksack. Backlog quickly whipped up a drink and poured it into a solid steel field mug.
"Here, kid. From our 'private stash'." He offered with a wink. The Titan accepted it and gave it a smell. It was woody, earthen, and he knew just what it was.
"Where'd you guys get Corellian whiskey?" He wondered in surprise. "You know what? Don't tell me." He decided after a moment, quickly knocking back the whole shot. "Damn, that's good."
"Want the whole bottle?" Backlog teased and Dynnal waved him off. "So, what's eating ya, kid? Prolly what those super-Seppies did to you, eh?" The Clone asked, taking a seat as another crate became an improvised card table and Reverb started dealing out hands.
"That… and what they did to Commander Tano." Dynnal replied, leaning forward glumly. The Clones slowly nodded, the atmosphere dimming at the barest mention.
"Yeah. That… wasn't easy." Jolt agreed. "The Commander, she's… she's like a kid sister to us. Our vod. Having to haul her back all bloody and beat up… damn near did me in, that's for sure." He emphasized.
"Me too." Reverb echoed, the other Clones nodding as they offered their agreement. Dynnal sadly looked from man to man. They didn't know the half of it…
"But she's a tough lil' one. I know she'll pull through." Jolt added confidently. "She's been through worse scrapes than this. Remember when those damn lizards nabbed her?"
"Kriffin' Trandos trying to nail her hide to a wall." Backlog snorted. "Di'kutla calyr." Despite his downcast emotions, Dynnal keenly noticed how fluent several of the men where in Mando'a, a little quirk he found amusing and interesting.
"When she crashed on that ice ball too, she managed to come out of that." Sixshot chimed in, joining the circle. The other Clones agreed, Dynnal recounting each incident as a moment where Wraith became involved. If they all believed her reputation stemmed from her own personal exploits and didn't even know the kind of help she had… Dynnal was doubtful about the probability of her coming away from this tragedy. "Buck up, kiddo. She'll come out of it."
"I hope so." He murmured. "You guys… you all care about her, don't you?" He wondered, having picked up on their sentimental statements.
"Like I said, she's like our kid sister. She doesn't treat us like an officer would… she's more or less on equal terms with us." Jolt revealed.
"Yeah, she's one of us!" Sixshot boisterously agreed. "Hell, those stripes on her tails are Five-Oh-First blue! I mean, if that isn't a tid'i'ida I don't know what is."
"When was the last time you read a sign, Sixshot?" Ransack remarked with a smirk, earning a round of laughs from the others. Dynnal couldn't help but crack a smile. These Clones were alright, their mannerisms and behavior was so… normal. These were men. Unique, individual mend despite their similar appearances. Through the Force he could sense their individuality, each life force one of a kind. Wraith was wrong about them. Clones were good men, worth having around. Then he paused, the information he had would shatter them all, destroying this happy little collective. If he told them, it would ruin everything and right now they needed to keep their spirits up more than anything.
So he chose not to tell them.
"She's lucky to have you guys." He finally said aloud. "She needs good men in her corner, backing her up, affirming her decisions." They all looked to him collectively, each Clone intrigued by his words. "We talk, sometimes. I'm not that much older than her. She tells me about her insecurity, he worries that she's leading you right and doing a good job. She wants to be trusted by you. All of you. Based on what I'm hearing, you men are… you're alright. Definitely a good booster for her." Dynnal explained. Silence ensued, the men taking turns nodding in understandings even as Rex took a seat beside Dynnal.
"I don't think I've ever met a Titan who wore their heart on their sleeve." Rex commented with a nudge.
"Aw, stuff it!" The Titan waved him off as the other Clones chuckled at the outburst. Rolling his eyes in an effort to maintain his cover, Dynnal gave the Captain his full attention. "What about you, Rex? Is Commander Tano your vod as well?" He queried. Taking a moment to ponder his response, Rex leaned forward and answered,
"I think I can speak for all of us when I say I would gladly lay down my life for her." The Clones all nodded and offered their agreements, Dynnal realizing that each one of them would've done so much with their positions were switched. They would've done more than him…
That alone made them better than him…
"Well… don't do that per se, she needs her aliit too." He remarked.
"Hey, you speak Mando'a pretty decently." Sixshot noted. Dynnal shrugged, cracking another smile that was genuine this time.
"Solus be ner birov haaranovor mata'yr." He replied in perfectly fluent Mando'a, earning another round of laughs from the Clones. With that, he picked up the deck Reverb dealt him, revealing a Positive Fifteen. A very nice hand indeed…
Later that evening…
As the sun set over Coruscant, a gloomy Anakin walked with an equally silent Obi-Wan, approaching Master Yoda en route to the Council chambers. The drifting talk among the Masters was grave, all of them recognizing the serious and woeful nature of the situation. Never had the super-soldiers, in all their openly hostile actions against the Jedi and Republic, ever crossed a line like this.
And Anakin was left wondering why his Padawan had to be the example.
"Master Obi-Wan, Master Skywalker." The short, green Grand Master greeted.
"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan greeted in a low tone that hinted heavily at how drained he felt, "I trust you have not yet had as trying a day as we have." He mused in a disheartened tone.
"Different, yet similar, Master Kenobi." He replied. "Worried I am. Concerned, for more than one reason, should we all be." His wizened gaze shifted to the young Knight in their midst, his expression far more sullen than Obi-Wan's. A quick search through the Force revealed feelings of sadness and anger, the two simmmering beneath a shield of an impassive appearance. "Young Skywalker," he began, catching Anakin's dim eyes, "no words, there are, for this tragedy."
"I feel like I'm living in a nightmare." Anakin mumbled in reply. "I just… I hope I wake up, I wanna wake up and this will all be nothing."
"Avoid, we want to, that which tests us." Yoda responded. Anakin's glare jerked up sharply and both his colleagues felt a wave of sudden anger in the Force.
"Test? You think this is a test?!" Anakin cried. Suddenly realizing his outburst, he mellowed and exhaled, his shoulders sagging. "I'm sorry, Master." He apologized.
"Sorry too, am I. Incorrect, my words were. Mean to be trivial, I did not." Yoda replied, sounding equally sorry. "No easy way is there, to approach this."
"Well, perhaps we should get this conversation over with." Obi-Wan proffered. "The sooner the Council meets, the sooner we can let the Force soothe our minds."
"All due respect, Master, but I don't exactly want to be soothed." Anakin replied.
"I understand, Anakin. But, please, do not follow this path." Obi-Wan gently asked him.
"Anger, hate, suffering, all paths to the Dark Side these are." Yoda concurred with a grunt. "Avoid them, we must. For better or for worse." The solemn atmosphere was suddenly broken when a young Padawan dashed over to the his expression fraught with worry and concern. It took a moment for the Jedi to recognize him as Jaro Tapal's apprentice; Cal Kestis.
"Masters! Th-There's a short man in bandages and a vest attacking the Temple! H-He's got a red-haired woman with him!" The ginger boy explained in a shaking, frightened tone. The three men cocked their heads at the description.
"Attacked?" Anakin repeated in disbelief.
"Short and a vest…" Obi-Wan recounted, stroking his beard as he pondered the description. "That sounds like Corsair." He determined. They suddenly heard what sounded like a string of every known curse in every sentient language from down the hall.
"Yep, that's definitely Corsair." Anakin mused. Deciding they needed to intervene before anything got out of hand, the trio quickly pursued Cal as he led them back to the scene of the chaos. Sure enough, a bandaged, angry Corsair and an equally stern-faced Meline were surrounded by hooded Temple guards, trapped by a series of golden saberstaffs that barred their approach. Given how one of his arms was in a sling and one of hers was in a cast, it seemed nearly impossible for them to cause any sort of damage… and yet nothing seemed impossible for these two.
"Corsair!" Anakin called out. Spying the approaching Jedi, the Titan leader landed a sudden blow on the guard's chin.
"Outta my face, ya faceless nerf herdah!" He snapped, shoving past the stumbling Jedi as he stalked towards the other three. Reaching for his belt, he snapped out a pistol and trained it on Obi-Wan. Anakin immediately drew his lightsaber in response. "Where tha bloody hell's Dynnal?" Corsair demanded.
"There is no need for such violence, Corsair. You'd need only ask-"
"Imagine me askin' 'round only ta learn ya hauled 'im off an' weren't lettin' Theris near 'I'm even when she asked nicely." The mercenary cut him off. "So now I ain't exactly in tha mood ta ask nicely." Priming the charged on his pistol, the Jedi could tell he meant business and that Meline wasn't about to do a damn thing to stop him. "So ya bettah gimme some answahs. Ones I'll like." He added. The Jedi shared several exasperated looks. One more thing to have to deal with, needlessly at that.
"It's quite alright, Corsair. All we needed Dynnal for was to answer a few questions. If you come with us, you'll see that he is perfectly well." Obi-Wan assured him. With a grunt, Corsair lifted his weapon, the charge dying down.
"I'll believe it when I see it." He retorted through clenched teeth. As he followed the Jedi, they noticed he was limping a little, indicating he was far from fully healed. Yoda watched him follow Anakin and Obi-Wan, only beginning his stride when Meline had caught up.
"Concerned are you, yet quiet you remain." He mused aloud.
"My husband's actions were sufficient in getting the point across." She replied, not even looking at him.
"Hm. Trust us, he does not." Yoda determined with a grunt. "Calm him, you could. Ensure all unfolds smoothly." Meline wrapped her head around his words. He was asking her to be the voice of reason if Corsair's temper started to flare. While understandable, Meline was hardly in the mood for it.
"After my previous dealings with the Order, why would I?" She responded. "If you or any of the council must be held accountable, I will stand alongside him when he interrogates you."
"Understood." Yoda grunted with narrowed eyes.
The walk to the Council Chambers was silent and awkward. Corsair and Meline's presence was unexpected and the Jedi had a feeling it might make the proceedings difficult. They did not know all that transpired, at least, not all of the details. To relive events over and over again would be hard on everyone.
Arriving in the upper tower room, the Jedi emerged to find their cohorts waiting for them. Mace Windu, Shaak Ti, Saesee Tiin, Ki-Adi Mundi, Eeth Koth and Oppo Rancisis were there in person, while Depa Billaba, Coleman Kacj, Stass Allie, Agen Kolar and Kit Fisto attended via hologram. Also in their midst stood Dynnal, the Titan leaning against a wall as several sets of vigilant eyes watched him warily. The moment Corsair and Meline appeared, his own gaze jolted up from the floor as relief and surprise washed over his features. "Corsair!" He exclaimed, racing over to them. "I thought you were still bedridden?"
"Heard these stiffs was keepin' ya locked up. Figahed I'd step in an' restor' ordah." His father remarked with a grin. Dynnal quickly smiled.
"Even with a busted arm, you never change boss." He replied, patting his good arm. "And you, Meline?" He asked, desperate to share some alone time with his family.
"I go where my husband goes." She answered smoothly, but smiled at his enthusiastic relief.
"Even if you should still be recovering?" Dynnal pried.
"Even though I should still be recovering." Meline repeated. Obi-Wan took his seat, as did Yoda, and the Council finally came to order.
"If your pleasantries are finished, there are matters to discuss." Mace gruffly told the mercenaries. They turned to him.
"Well, aren't you jus' a bottle a' sunshine." Corsair retorted, shooting the councillor a disapproving look. "What crawled up yor arse an' died?"
"You've been out of the loop for a while, Corsair." Obi-Wan quickly cut in, trying to de-escalate things. "The super-soldiers have crossed a line."
"We heard something about capture and torture, and something about Dynnal being involved." Meline replied, explaining their limited knowledge.
"Perhaps Dynnal could enlighten us all with his account of things." Shaak suggested. "That is what we are here for, after all." Her fellows nodded in agreement, suddenly giving Dynnal the spotlight. Awkward stepping forward, the young man cleared his throat as he tried to prepare himself.
"Tell us, Dynnal. Leave out no detail, you must." Yoda encouraged. Nodding in acceptance, the Titan began,
"Anakin-… er, General Skywalker tasked me with locating the shield generator protecting the droid base on Olanet. Ahsoka decided to come with me and later suggested we split up. She wanted to get close to the factor to see if the rooftop antennae were responsible while I explored the surrounding grounds and look for a power generator." He recounted. "We separated for about… twenty minutes, when I went to regroup with her. That's when I found her lightsabers abandoned on the ground. Now I know you Jedi value your lightsabers like a second heart, so I knew she didn't leave them behind willingly." He added.
"How did you track her down?" Kit inquired.
"I figured they were using a base of some sort in that factory, so I started inside and I started checking rooms." Dynnal told the Nautolan. "I kept looking and hunting until I finally found them… or, rather, they got the drop on me." He revealed.
"How so?" One of the Zabrak, Koth, questioned.
"They were… waiting for me. I think they were watching me, I know one of them had a cloaker." Dynnal surmised. "Anyway, they threatened to hurt her if I didn't cooperate. So I did. I hoped they'd take me and let her go, but obviously they had other plans in mind."
"What did they want?" Mace inquired.
"I don't know. They didn't talk for very long…" Dynnal said. "All, uh, all action really. Not a lot of questions."
"Sounds like they wanted ta send a message." Corsair determined. "Beaten' tha snot outta a Jedi an' a Titan, show tha Republic they ain't muckin' 'round." Dynnal nodded slowly.
"They beat us up alright."
"You ain't lookin' so bad." Corsair mused as he looked over his son. No doubt super-soldier grade healing factors were responsible for that. "What about 'Soka? What'd those bastahds do ta 'er?" Silence followed, no one, not even the Jedi were willing to meet his probing gaze. Meline immediately sensed something was afoot. After a long and desperate pause, Dynnal finally broke it, his own voice breaking.
"They… They raped her, Corsair." He revealed, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "Three of them." His father's jaw dropped, his mother gasping as she covered her mouth with one hand. To hear the harsh fact again sent a ripple through the uncomfortable Jedi. Anakin felt like a failure, Obi-Wan felt chilled, Yoda felt sorrow, others felt worry and concern. Many Jedi women were indeed beautiful and while men might call them out on it, they did little more than ogle. Actually taking a step beyond, going so far as to rape someone, that left them all stunned beyond belief.
"Kriffin' monstahs…" Corsair breathed in shock. It took Meline a moment longer to find her tongue.
"Is she…?"
"Padawan Tano is currently in a bacta tank, resting." Obi-Wan told them, his voice low and somber.
"So she ain't okay." Corsair realized.
"She will be-" Mace started to say,
"An' how tha kriff d'ya know that?" Corsair snapped, whirling on him. "I've met women 'o've nevah gotten ovah it. Kriffin' thing ruined their lives!" He shouted. "Ya put a damn teenagah out there, a kriffin' child soldiah, whaddya bloody think is gonna happen?!"
"That will be all, Corsair." The Jedi sternly cut him off. With an angry huff, Corsair relented, but not before he offered Mace a rude hand gesture. "Padawan Tano is our concern, not yours." He concluded.
"You say concern, but I barely hear it in your voice." Meline interjected.
"Perhaps if you were still a part of this Order, you could do something about it." Mace retorted derisively. Things were getting out of hand, quickly. The other Jedi could feel it. But they could also feel the simmering emotions bubbling up within Dynnal.
They were dark. Each and every one of them.
The young man was consumed by memories of that moment. The horror etched in his bruised and bloodstained features the moment Chimera dropped that horrible bombshell. "Yeah, you got good taste, Danny-boy, your Tog makes for one helluva lay." He closed his eyes, fighting back tears. Tears of regret, of failure, of self-loathing and such massive sorrow.
"But that is neither here nor there. There are other pressing matters to tend to." Mace continued. "Dynnal, according to your report, you managed to escape from the Separatists at about the same time Jedi across the galaxy reported a surge of Dark Side energy, unlike anything we've ever sensed before." Dynnal knew immediately what he was talking about and played dumb, opening his eyes to offer the Jedi a confused, lopsided look.
"Uh… okay…?" He muttered in reply, brow scrunching up in faked confusion. "I wouldn't know, 'cause I can't sense anything. Like, at all."
"You're not Force-sensitive?" Saesee pried. Dynnal shook his head.
"Never have been." He lied.
"It strikes me as odd that your breakout happened simultaneously." Mace pressed, his brow furrowed. Dynnal shrugged.
"Happy coincidence." He replied.
"Nothing more?" Stass pried.
"Yeah. Nothing more." Dynnal answered in a short tone. "I broke out of there, burning up like all hell 'cause my whole body hurts, and hot-footed back to General Skywalker. You remember, don't you General Kenobi?" Obi-Wan nodded.
"You passed out shortly after delivering Ahsoka to us." He affirmed.
"I'd barely call that an escape, let alone a successful one."
"And yet you managed to do so… from seven super-soldiers, I believe you said." Mace pressed. Dynnal loosed an exhausted sigh.
"What the hell is your problem?!" He finally snapped. "You think I had something to do with this? This… Dark-whatever-the-hell you sensed?"
"I don't believe in coincidences." Mace answered coolly. Yoda looked to him, he'd seen Mace pull similar moves when interrogating the Order's enemies.
"Well I had nothing to do with it! I told you! Let it go for kriff sakes!" Dynnal retorted, voice rising.
"You're getting quite angry." Shaak observed, noting his rising emotions through the Force.
"And what else am I supposed to do when I'm getting interrogated like this?" Dynnal countered, rounding on her. "Here I am, having been through hell, and all you do is…"
He stopped. This anger, it wasn't him. He felt the same heat rising, filling his veins, using his emotions as a conduit. Now that he'd cracked just a little bit, that same dark essence was pouring into him, venting its complete strength and power into his unwilling vessel. "i-i-is…" he tried again, stuttering, clutching his head as the heat rolled through his mind. The Jedi watched him curiously, wary eyes studying his every movement, every motion, their senses alive and prickling as the Force rippled. Like the slow shake before a tremendous earthquake.
Suddenly, they all grew cold.
The Dark Side, raw and incarnate, sucked everything out of them like a vacuum. A powerful nexus, unlike anything most of them had ever sensed before, took the Jedi by surprise. They collectively clutched their heads, struggling to strengthen their mental shields and spiritual defences. Grappling with its chilling effects, the Jedi slowly looked towards the source... Dynnal.
Dropping to his knees with a cry, the young man clutched his head as the Force flared strongly from him. "No no no no no… not again… not again…!" He gasped in pain. The presence was unbearable, battering at his mind. He closed his eyes, struggling to focus. In his mind's eye, he saw eyes, bright, fiery and terrible. They bored into him, accompanied by the roaring of the beast desperate to get out. He could feel the fire, the heat, the overwhelming power of the Dark Side.
"Let… me… in…"
"No… no!" He cried in alarm, struggling to repulse the being that had consumed him so suddenly back on Olanet. Managing to push past the onslaught, Yoda opened his eyes and was greeted with a vision of fire. Forged within the Force itself, it enveloped Dynnal's body, forming a great pair of wings that lay folded across his back.
For a brief moment, the heat abated, the Force clearing and lifting from his mind for the briefest of moments and allowing him a window of clarity. The only person who had not been affected by the sensations knelt by his side and Dynnal looked up to see Corsair's concerned expression peering back at him. "D-Dad?" He whimpered, sacrificing every iota of their deception in his moment of turmoil.
"Son?" Corsair replied, willfully offering himself up as a father. Dynnal's lip trembled, the fear plain as day within his eyes.
"I-I'm scared, Dad…" He whispered hoarsely.
"I'm 'ere son! I'm 'ere!" Corsair promised, grabbing his arm. He was determined to help his son however he could. He had lost him once, he wasn't about to lose him again!
But the Force was not about to be so kind.
The heat returned heavily, flooding every inch of his body and mind, the darkness consuming his spirit wholly and Dynnal loosed a pained scream as Force fire erupted across his body, consuming him entirely. In a startling transformation, his eyes turned black as his pupils expanded to consume everything only for burning red irises to form within their abyssal hues. All at once, everything that had been taken from the Force was replaced with a rush of intense heat, a burst of fiery power that overwhelmed every one of them.
With a flash of raw power, Corsair and Meline were bowled over, the Jedi were laid out flat, and Dynnal was no more.
In his place, rising to its feet, the Iron Demon of myth and legend.
For the first time, the Jedi laid eyes on the beast in all its unholy glory. A body of burnt iron, wings like a bat, horns and fire completing its demonic visage. There were no words for their emotions right now. The Demon's gaze swept back and forth, his presence overpowering the light and unleashing such a darkness that choked out their very spirits. A low growl left the back of its throat, shaking the room and sending shivering chills up and down the spines of them all.
"Jedi…" It rumbled. A gaze of amber fire landing on Yoda, the Grandmaster still attempting to collect himself. The Jedi were recovering slowly, picking themselves up as the holograms of their fellow councillors had been snuffed out by the wave of power. Analyzing their presence and his position, the Demon summoned clouds of Force Fire to surround him as his body disappeared into flame, vanishing with a mighty roar as the Demon teleported away, leaving only a scorch mark on the floor.
Picking themselves up, the Jedi were left in dismay and disarray. "What… was that?" Anakin asked breathlessly. No one could tell him for sure, for no one knew what to say.
"The destroyer of the Rakata," Yoda answered, "a creature feared throughout history," His gaze landed on his beloved colleagues, Jedi who he all cared for in his own way. "The Iron Demon, it is." His eyes turned to Meline and Corsair, the truth now plain and evident to them all. "Dynnal Karn, it is."
The prolonged presence of the Iron Demon set the Force aflame again, reaching out to even more individuals.
Aboard the bridge of her cruiser, Callista Masana suddenly stopped speaking, as did Mina Podia and Geith Eris. They collectively peered out the forward viewports into the streaking tunnel of hyperspace, their senses drifting through the force as the sudden surge of a heated presence made them all come alive. Callista's human features twisting grotesquely into the face of Abeloth, the Mother smiling as the distant presence filled her senses. A presence she had not felt in eons. "My Son…" She, Geith and Mina whispered simultaneously in the same gleeful tone…
Alone on Dathomir, Mother Talzin assumed her corporeal form as a wave of Force energy rocked her magicks. It was a sensation unlike anything she'd ever felt before, but knew instantly what it was. An intense heat, like a blastwave rolling out from a bomb impact, flooded her mind and tainted her powers, bringing with it visions of wrath and malice sweeping across the galaxy brought forth by a creature of iron and fire. "The time has come… the harbinger of the Fanged God has awoken!" She cried, chanting voices of ancient spells and magicks reaching out into the Force in proclamation of foretold prophecy coming to pass…
Concealed within a store room in the Jedi Temple archives, the empty mask of the ancient Darth Momin sat dark and stationary among other ancient relics. But the moment the Dark Side flared, the heat of an ancient power flooding the Force, a pair of red eyes began to glow within the black visor sockets. "The Demon is here…" His voice hissed, filling the air like a bodiless phantasm. "The Iron Demon is here."
Elsewhere, Count Dooku sensed the arrival of the Iron Demon mere moments before he received a call from Darth Sidious.
"Master." He greeted with a bow of reverence.
"Do you feel it, Darth Tyrannus?" Sidious queried.
"Yes, my lord. The Force is… on fire." Dooku answered slowly. "The Dark Side recoils from a blaze not even it can withstand."
"This Dark Side user must be found. Such a power without restraint or control must be dealt with immediately." To what end, Sidious had yet to decide. Such power could do wonders if under his control. But if it would not bend a knee, then it would have to be destroyed. "Use whatever resources you need, my apprentice. Find this being and deliver them to me." He ordered.
"As you command, Master." Dooku dutifully responded.
Somewhere in the galaxy…
Fire lit the barren moonscape as a single column of flame appeared amid the bleakness. The Iron Demon emerged moments later, falling to one knee as the iron visage gave way to rolling sheets of flame that transformed him back into Dynnal. Gasping for air and struggling with what had happened, the breathless teen fell to a seated position. All alone, cold, and afraid, Dynnal hugged his legs tightly to his body as he glanced around the empty wastes of rock stretching endlessly on all around him.
There was no one around for him to harm. No one for him to fail. At least he had that in his favor.
Loosing a breath, he buried his face in his knees…
Author's Note: And things haven't even ramped up to 11 yet… thanks for reading! Love you all!
