I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters.
Close Call
"Look, we were here a week ago with the exact same amount of the exact same shit, and you offered us double," Damian said. "There's no way the price went down that much!"
"And I told you, that this isn't then and it's only worth this much today," the store owner said, crossing his arms. "Now, if you want some real money, you could hand me that fancy electrostaff you got there, or the saberstaff. I'll pay handsomely for them."
"Oh really?" Damian snorted. "Given what you're offering for our haul you'd probably offer one credit for the staff and three for the saber."
"Damian you're not helping," Ahsoka said.
"Well gee, maybe if you were as persuasive with him as with everyone else, we could be gone by now, but you're not. So Let me handle this."
Ahsoka rolled her eyes and waved a hand for him to continue. Damian turned back to the store owner.
"Listen, buddy. I really didn't want to have to do this, but I'm going to let you in on a secret. I've had dealing with the Fardi before, and they're not generally too pleased when I get annoyed. It tends to end with me causing them trouble. So usually, they just, persuade those who annoy me to see things my way. Now, I really don't want to have to call Nyla Fardi, or Sofia, but I'm not above it."
"You, dealings with the Fardi? Yeah right."
"I've had some dealings with Nala Fardi but I'm not so sure they'd be very helpful right now."
"Keep your mouth shut or I might offer to let you have dealings with him in exchange for the rest of the money," Damian hissed.
Barriss glared at him and Ahsoka groaned.
"Please tell me you didn't both..."
"Oh yeah," Damian said. "Definitely did. Want a demonstration?"
"Tell you what, I'll let you know during training today," Ahsoka said.
"Right," Damian sighed. "Look, buddy-"
"No means no!" the store owner snapped. "Either accept the deal or find someone else to sell to!"
Damian sighed, looking to the others before nodding. The store owner threw the credits in his face and slammed the window, his servant droids flying out and grabbing the cargo then leaving. Damian sighed, picking up the credits and putting them away then walking back to the cart.
"Well, that went well," Damian said. "So, who wants to break the bad news to Cut?"
"I think I might have to break some bad news to you first," Barriss said, nodding down the street.
He looked and saw several clone troopers wearing completely white and more streamline than normal armor with fancy new blasters walking toward them.
"Barriss, take the sabers and head home," Damian said. "We'll meet you there."
Barriss nodded, Damian and Ahsoka handing them their sabers before Barriss turned, picking up the cart and heading back toward the farm. As she walked away, Ahsoka and Damian headed for the bar. They went inside, heading to the bar and sitting down beside each other, both ordering a drink. As soon as their glasses hit the bar, the door opened and the three troopers stepped inside, making their way to the bar. Damian's right hand itched to grab his electrostaff but he waited. Ahsoka glanced at him as the troopers stopped behind them.
"Get out of the way," a trooper said.
Damian wordlessly picked up his drink, leaving the chair and stepping aside, Ahsoka doing the same. The troopers stepped up to the bar and the bartender turned to them.
"You're late on your payment, again," the head trooper, who had an orange guard on his right shoulder that the others didn't. "The Empire has grown impatient."
"Look, I told you, I can't pay if I don't have the money, and I don't have the money because you're taxing everyone so much they don't have enough money to go out drinking," the bartender said.
"That's not my problem, it's yours," the trooper said. "So is this."
And then, he and the other troopers opened fire, their blasts shattering every bottle of alcohol on the wall, showering the bartender, and ruining the wall behind it. Once finished, they turned to leave and the leader stopped, staring at Damian.
"Wait, you look familiar," the trooper said. "Have we met?"
"I highly doubt it," Damian said. "If you knew me you'd probably be trying to shoot me for cheating you out of a ship, or wife, or sleeping with your daughter. That's what I usually hear over the blaster fire, anyway."
"Ship," the trooper mused Damian's gut dropping.
There was no way he had been present when Damian tried to steal the fighter. Right?
"Yeah, that's right," the trooper said. "You look kind of like the guy that tried to sell me that ship the other day. Carry on. Enjoy your last drink."
Damian switched the glass to his other hand, saluting lazily before draining his glass and setting the cup down, sitting down and sighing in relief as the clones left.
"I'm finished," the bartender said, staring at the damage. "Ruined. I'll never be able to replace all that alcohol with the taxes."
"I'm sorry," Damian said. "But, if it'll help, there should be a fence in town by the name of Samson. Give him this chip. He'll pay you handsomely for it, and if he doesn't, tell him it's from Mr. White."
"Fence?" the bartender asked.
"Merchant for Black Market goods," Damian said. "He lives three houses down, greet him like an old friends and reference the drinking party you had a week before. He'll understand."
The bartender nodded and Ahsoka and Damian left, Ahsoka's drink untouched.
"You don't drink do you?" Damian asked.
"No," Ahsoka said. "It was frowned upon in the Order."
"Fair enough," Damian said. "For a second there, I thought for sure that clone trooper had been on the cruiser when I tried to steal that fighter."
"Stormtrooper," the bartender said. "Not sure where you've been for a year, but they're stormtroopers now. And they're not all clones. They're training people to fight."
"Good to know," Damian nodded. "Come on. Let's get back to the others. I don't want Barriss fucking up my toy."
Ahsoka nodded and they left, heading back to the farm. As soon as they arrived, Barriss met them with their lightsabers.
"You got away," Barriss said.
"Turns out they were only going to shake down a bar," Damian said. "So, what are we doing for training this time?"
"You're sparring me first today," Ahsoka said. "I have a promise to keep."
Damian groaned, having hoped she was kidding about that, and drew his lightsaber, separating them. Ahsoka drew both of hers, readying herself before charging. Damian slashed horizontally and Ahsoka's lightsaber blocked it before she stabbed the other at him. He swept it aside, spinning and slashing at her but she ducked under it then slashed him up the front, leaving a burn trail reaching up his front and successfully lifting him off the ground a couple inches. Then, her other sword drilled into his stomach, launching him backward. He flipped, crashing down hard and groaning before pushing himself up and spinning one lightsaber in his hand then charging. Ahsoka smirked, instantly recognizing his chosen style this time. As soon as he reached her, he pivoted, slashing with his left saber then spinning, slashing with the other. Ahsoka let the first slash glance off of her blade then ducked under the other, slashing him across the stomach. He staggered past and she slash him across the back. He turned, slashing at her and she slashed his forearm, making him drop his lightsaber before slashing the other forearm with a similar effect. Then, she began to slash and stab rapidly, forcing him backward around and around the small sparring area before finally sweeping his legs out from under him and pinning him to the ground, a saber hovering above his throat.
"You just died three hundred twenty times," Ahsoka said.
"Okay, I get it," Damian said. "I am so never flirting with you again. Now get off me so I can try again."
She stood, stepping back and he pulled his lightsabers to himself and flipped both, standing with the left horizontally in front of his waist and the other over his head at an angle toward Ahsoka's feet.
"What's this?" Ahsoka asked.
"Come and see," Damian invited.
Ahsoka grinned, charging and Damian moved to meet her charge, hands remaining in place but his right shifting to be across his shoulders and his left shoulder remaining forward. Then, when they met, Damian spun clockwise and to his left, spinning past a stab from Ahsoka before both of his lightsabers crashed into her back, throwing her forward. She landed in a roll, stopping on one hand and her feet, a lightsaber in reverse grip behind her.
"Impressive," Ahsoka said. "You really are good at improvising. Including making up your own fighting style."
Damian smirked adopting his position again. Ahsoka readied herself just as Damian charged, both hands falling to his sides, lightsaber blades held diagonally forward and down toward the ground, his upper body bent forward. Ahsoka waited, watching carefully. As he neared her, he slashed with his right and stabbed with his left. Ahsoka sidestepped the stab, blocking the slash. Then, she slashed at him only for him to flip over the blade, slashing at her as he fell. She spun, blocking it and then slashed upward at him as he fell. He blocked it, one foot landing on her shoulder and shoving her away, the other landing on the ground. Then, he lunged, slashing at her from both sides. She jumped over him, allowing his arms to cross, only for him to flip forward, slashing at her again as he was upside down. She blocked them and he finished his flip, landing on his feet and spinning, slashing at her again. She blocked it and shoved it away, Damian backing off, readopting his beginning stance.
Ahsoka charged, dropping to her knees and sliding under a slash, slashing at Damian, only for the blade to spark against one of his. Then, as she was sliding to her feet, he spun, slashing at her feet. She leapt over them but just as she did, Damian jumped, crashing into her and slamming her to the ground, pinning her and putting a lightsaber to her throat, grinning down at her. She stared up at him in surprise for a moment before also smiling.
"Looks like I'll have to actually consider you a threat from now on," Ahsoka smiled.
"Looks like," Damian smiled, retracting his lightsaber blade and standing, taking her hand and helping her up.
"Alright," Barriss said. "Force next. The usual items plus your staff and sabers."
Damian nodded, crouching and placing a hand on the ground before kicking his feet up, using the Force to steady himself before lifting the usual objects, along with his separated sabers and his staff. For a moment, he kept them all orbiting him in a circle before taking a breath and altering their paths. Soon, they each had their own orbit, each at a different degree tilt so that they passed through each others' almost constantly but without anything touching.
"Impressive," Barriss said. "You've improved a lot."
She heard a low buzzing and turned, eyes widening as she saw several Imperial troop transports heading their way.
"Put it down, now!" Barriss said urgently.
Damian instantly and quickly set everything back into its proper place, putting his sabers back together and clipping them to his belt before slinging his electrostaff across his back again and standing, turning to the transports as Rex, Gregor, and Wolffe walked over, their blasters hidden in their baskets, covered in wheat and tools in their hands.
"This for us?" Rex asked.
"Probably," Damian nodded. "Should we intervene?"
"Not yet," Ahsoka said. "Let's see how it plays out."
They all crouched, watching over the top of the grass without exposing themselves. As they watched, stormtroopers kicked Cut's door in, flooding in with their blasters up before dragging out Cut, Suu, and their two children. They were all put on their knees with a stormtrooper directly behind them, aiming at their heads.
"They're going to execute them," Damian said.
"Only if they don't talk," Wolffe said.
"And Cut will never talk," Damian said.
The others remained silent. Damian looked back toward the family and clenched his fists. He shouldn't be debating it. His own life was at stake. Why should he care about them? Cut wasn't exactly friendly. Suu hated him. The children had no connection to him besides liking his less than appropriate jokes. Still, Damian couldn't simply kneel there and let the family die for him.
He stood, but just as he opened his mouth to shout, a blaster fired, Suu falling to the ground. Damian froze, staring in shock as Cut closed his eyes, remaining silent, the children sobbing. This time, the stormtrooper's voice carried across the field perfectly.
"TELL ME WHERE THE JEDI ARE BEFORE I KILL YOUR CHILDREN! ! !" the stormtrooper with the orange pauldron, Damian would guess a commander or captain, shouted angrily.
Cut looked at the stormtrooper coldly and the commander raised a hand. Then, he rocketed into the air, flipping and crashing back down, head first, killing him instantly. The other stormtroopers staggered backward, looking around wildly before Damian extended the blades of his lightsaber, holding it out in front of himself horizontally.
"Damian!" Ahsoka seethed. "What are you doing!?"
"There's a shuttle incoming," Damian said. "Something on it is Force Sensitive, or worse. I can sense their connection. When it gets here, I'll deal with whatever steps off of it. You all steal it. We're going to leave. And Cut and his children are coming with us."
"You're not ready to fight anything that has trained in the force," Ahsoka said. "You can barely keep up with us."
"I'll be fine," Damian said, using the Force to switch his Lightsaber back to its standard deadly mode, slashing the wheat before himself to check it, smiling as it cut through the wheat.
Blast fire began to fly at them suddenly and Damian began to spin his saber, deflecting the blaster fire back at the storm troopers, Cut and his children fleeing into their barn. The stormtroopers began to close in rapidly, firing at them while the transports heavy machine guns began to open fire, Damian speeding up and deflecting the shots. As he did, stormtroopers began to drop rapidly. Damian sensed a blast about to slip through and glanced back, seeing the others had already gotten clear. He flipped to the side, a blaster bolt flashing past before he landed on his feet, the shots following him as he began to flip and spin, sending bolts back as fast as he could, avoiding what he had to. Then, he saw one of the heavy cannons present turn toward him and launching himself to the side, the blast hitting the ground and exploding, throwing him.
He landed hard, blaster fire slamming into the ground around him for a moment before stopping. Damian stood, looking toward them to see the shuttle, slowly floating to the ground before opening. Standing at the top, and calmly striding down the ramp, was a male with pale grey flesh on his bare arms, black veins standing out as clear as day, even from the distance. On his fingers were surgically attached metal blades about five inches long each, and he wore three metal strips on his right shoulder that looked to be grafted to his skin, there were metal tubes exposed from his right forearm. He had on a black leather cuirass with numerous black leather belts around his waist and five metal splints on each side of his chest, curving in and upward like ribs, covering his ribcage but with dried blood around the edges where they were clearly grafted on. He wore black pants and boots and had four strips of black cloth hanging from one of his belts around him, to the outside of his legs in front and back. The mask was almost most terrifying. It was made of a coppery metal for the most part with two round steel objects on the sides and a brown mouthpiece. The mask was split up the front to the eyes then split sideways across the mask for the eyes, the entire slit never being more than half an inch wide.
Damian felt a wave of cold and fear wash over him as the man turned to him. The man reached to his belt, pulling a lightsaber handle with a black grip over most of it, a silver pommel and blade projector with three sharpened silver spikes extending up from the projector about three inches evenly spaced around the projector. The man flipped the lightsaber around to reverse grip and extended a blood red blade, calmly striding toward Damian. Damian swallowed hard as he stared at the blade. Fear flooded him but he swallowed, forcing it down. He could do this. He just had to survive long enough to runaway. He separated his sabers, taking the same stance he had fought Ahsoka with and the man continued walking calmly.
"Damian, run!" Ahsoka's voice shouted urgently over the comm link. "Get away now!"
"Why?" Damian asked.
"That's a Sith Stalker!" Ahsoka shouted. "Get away! He'll kill you!"
Damian picked up a boulder with the Force, sending it hurtling through the air in a blurred streak at the Sith Stalker. Before it got there, however, the Sith Stalker raised a hand, the boulder halting. Then, it rocketed away from the Sith Stalker with a sonic boom, Damian diving to the side and barely getting clear before it exploded into the ground, tearing through it for a hundred feet before stopping. Damian stood, staring at the Sith Stalker in horror before turning and sprinting away from it as fast as he could. Within seconds he reached the tree line only to dive backward as a pair of trees in front of him suddenly snapped closed so hard that they split up their middles. Damian stood, turning back to the Sith Stalker, who was much closer than before, calmly walking toward him.
Damian swallowed then drew his lightsabers again, readopting his stance and forcing any fear he felt out of his mind. The Sith Stalker charged and Damian met his charge. The Sith Stalker clearly wanted to play with his prey, because instead of instantly killing Damian like Damian had no doubt he could, the Sith Stalker instead telegraphed his stab. Damian spun around it, slashing at him. The Sith Stalker spun almost too fast for Damian to register, blocking the blades before slashing at Damian. Damian flipped over it, spinning and slashing at the Sith Stalker only for the Sith Stalker to block the blades as they attacked him in a blurred wheel. Once Damian had landed, he stabbed at the Sith Stalker while slashing from the other side. The Sith Stalker blocked the slash, stepping out of the way of the stab then flipping as that lightsaber swung around at him. Damian launched himself backward, landing in a backward roll as the Sith Stalker slashed at him experimentally. Damian rolled to his feet, glaring at the Sith Stalker as the Sith Stalker walked calmly toward him.
"What are you?" Damian breathed.
The Sith Stalker made no sound, walking toward him as calmly as if he were going to turn on a TV. Damian backed away slowly, glancing over his shoulder where Ahsoka and Barriss were on the ramp of the shuttle as it took off, deflecting the blaster fire of the storm troopers below them. Then, the shuttle began to fly toward them.
"Get out of here," Damian said. "He's too strong. Just go. You have to live."
"But-" Ahsoka began.
"GO! NOW!" Damian shouted before pulling out his ear piece, crushing it and turning, sprinting away from the Sith Stalker who chased him.
As he ran, massive chunks of the ground exploded up in front of him, forcing him to either dodge around them or leap over them, quickly learning to use the Force to allow himself to jump nearly twenty feet in the air and land painlessly, continuing to run. After what felt like forever, the two of them finally sprinted into a valley, fog appearing seemingly out of nowhere and swallowing the Sith Stalker. Damian slowed to a stop, looking back and listening, only to be greeted by a tsunami of cold terror and the oppressing silence around him.
The vibrating electric hum of a lightsaber spinning through the air reached him and he spun, sashing upward and knocking the lightsaber into the air, only for it to disappear into the fog again. He waited, listening carefully. Still, there was no sound. He took a step, the sound seeming magnified. He began to walk as quietly as he could, making horrifying amounts of noise in the otherwise complete silence. Then, a red lightsaber blade flashed toward him out of the fog. He blocked it, slashing back and the blade tilted as the Sith Stalker dodged. The Sith Stalker slashed again, and Damian ducked under it, slashing upward at the Sith Stalker. The Sith Stalker rolled sideways and was gone again. Damian turned, sprinting through the fog. As he ran, he felt the ground tremble below him, hearing a crashing sound behind him.
Finally, he skidded to a stop, stopping a couple of inches away from the edge of a cliff. He turned to go back just as the Sith Stalker materialized out of the fog, which still obscured his lower body. The fog began to thin and revealed a wall of boulders behind him, blocking any escape.
Damian swallowed hard and drew his lightsabers as the Sith Stalker drew his own. Then, as one, the two charged. Their blades met rapidly, flashes of light, the buzz of electricity, and showers of sparks going off around them rapidly. It was in no way an even fight. The Sith Stalker wasn't actually trying, simply deflecting Damian's strikes, and telegraphing all of his own. Damian had no idea why he was letting Damian stand a chance, but he really didn't want to know. And he had no intention of letting his guard down. Not that he truly believed he could make a difference if the Sith Stalker actually wanted to kill him. Finally, Damian growled in annoyance, slashing at the same time as sending a pulse of Force Energy out through the blade of his blade. When the Sith Stalker blocked the slash, he was sent flying backward, blasting through his wall. On the other hand, the blast also sent Damian flying over the edge.
Damian swore as he tumbled through the air, flipping and spreading his arms, squinting through the wind and fog. He could hear something, a high pitch humming whine. Then, he spotted it. The shuttle the others had stolen with Ahsoka waiting on the ramp, watching for him. He angled himself toward it, holding out his hand. Then, as he was passing it, Ahsoka grabbed his hand, being yanked off the ramp but catching the end of it.
"You came back for me?" Damian asked.
"Of course," Ahsoka said before grinning down at him. "Those lightsabers are valuable."
Damian snorted and rolled his eyes before swinging and flipping up onto the ramp, pulling Ahsoka up. Once she was on the ramp, he hugged her and she hesitated before hugging him back. Then, she stepped away, walking up the ramp. He followed and once the ramp was closed, whoever was piloting turned toward the sky, jumping to hyperspace from inside the chasm.
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