A single tone filled the shuttle, followed moments later by a solid jolt as it came out of hyperspace, at this point nobody seemed to take notice of it anymore. It had been only a few days since they left Saqor, making their way back into charted space. Pathing was far easier coming back, such that Giz was able to find a shortcut between Saqor and Lothal, cutting their return time down by almost sixty percent.
Lindmon Crest stood at the holo-table with a glass of brandy, Sabine seated across from him, as they gazed at the data floating past about the rogue Rodian they had been sent to locate. Republic spies had been informed about the target, but very little had been learned over the past couple days. The search area was decreased from all of Nar Shadaa, to a section of undercity in the northern hemisphere the locals took to calling "The Grotto." A rough layout had been constructed and was now displayed prominently over the table, spinning slowly before the two.
"I feel like he would be less likely to frequent these bars, here and here." Sighed Crest, pointing at several locations highlighted in yellow. "Anybody with a whole mercenary band on their asses would be trying to stay as far from public as possible."
Ashoka sat off to the side, meditating, she looked up for a moment, eyes still closed. "Perhaps there is a Hutt, or similar king pin who may have him under service? Promised protection for promised protection?"
Sabine shook her head. "Intel suggests the Grotto is more or less self sufficient, handeling trade and so forth outside of Hutt control, it's possible though that a gang has set up shop there, knowing Shadaa it isn't outside the realm of possible."
Sulahaan's voice came over the loud speaker with a crackle. "Ssssir, we're out of hyperssspace now, scheduled for a brief refuel on Lothal, clearance already approved. Shouldn't be more than an hour before we can start making way for Hutt sspace"
Crest tapped a button on the console "Thanks Sul, I don't expect we have reason to disembark, should be a quick check and out."
Their stop went just as planned. The X-Wing patrols still guiding the above planetary traffic guided them in like clockwork. The planet was entering its winter months and the poles were slowly growing larger, the snow encroaching towards the bright Capital City. Instead of landing at the busy Capital City hangar bays they were directed to an alternate landing station. This one designed more for freighters and large shipping craft on layover. Since they weren't going to the planet to meet anyone, the refueling station was all that was needed. After an hour without incident they were off again to make for Hutt space.
"Tell me Lieutenant, what do you think of this situation?" Ahsoka asked Lindmon as they left the atmosphere. When Lindmon looked at her questioningly she continued, "I'm not surprised that the New Republic offered their help, even if it was unofficially. But I think we need to consider that there may be no good outcome from this mission. Even if we capture this fugitive alive, can you guarantee that these Blood Raptors won't torture and kill him once they have him?"
Lindmon pondered that for a long while, taking another sip from his drink. Finally he turned to her, leaning on the holotable.
"The situation isn't ideal, but we need that data. It's a hard decision, but turning him over, dead or alive, is the only way for us to get our hands on the comm station info, and the only lead we could get when it comes to finding Bridger. I can't say I haven't made similar decisions when I was with the Empire, but regardless, he's a criminal." He turned to Sabine. "That is what the old guy said right? Dead or alive? We don't really have the ability to transport a prisoner, but if we can get him to turn himself in I would prefer that to having to do their dirty work."
A tone filled the space again as the ship made ready to jump to hyperspace, each passenger braced themselves lackadaisically as the shuttle shuddered and lurched as it started the jump. R3 rolled in from the cockpit, chirped several times and bumped himself into the holotable.
"Yeah, Old Teroch said he was on the run for murder." Sabine replied, "Turning him in to the authorities won't be an option for us though. The contract is for us to bring him straight to the Blood Raptors, and I doubt he can be convinced to do that on his own."Ahsoka frowned, she didn't like the idea of hunting a man on the premise of revenge. Even if the information could be used to further their goals, seeking out this man and taking him to his certain death was unsettling. She gave a simple acknowledgment, but Lindmon could sense that she was not satisfied with the morality of the mission.
"We can continue this conversation in a few minutes, if you both don't mind, I need to send a report in to the Admiral." He said, eyeing Ashoka and her distaste. The two stood and retreated to the crew quarters, Sabine raised her glass as she exited and Ashoka nodded, the uncomfort clear on her face. Reed rolled around, chirping excitedly, as the table began it's connection to Republic high command.
"Lieutenant Lindmon Crest for Admiral Cest Sev'esa." A small chime emited from the table as the call began to connect.
After several long minutes the transparent blue image of Admiral Cest Sev'esa appeared from the holo table. "Lieutenant Crest. Since you've contacted me, I'm assuming this is about the vital information about the Imperial Remnant you reported to have." He said, smoothing the gray brown fur on his face. "I'd like to hear the details on what you have found."
Lindmon saluted as the image coalesced, straightening his jacket. "Yes sir, as the report states, we have a lead that is beneficial to both our primary mission, and the secondary search operation. A contact on Saqor has information about several Imperial comm outposts. The only roadblock is that in order to get said information he has asked us to retrieve a fugitive on Nar-Shadaa, of which information has been sent ahead to try and make that easier. From what I'm aware the data includes the locations of three separate comm stations, which is the primary reason I have seen fit to approve the detour. We also have a fair amount of navigational data in regards to travel between Saqor and Lothal, including hazards in the interim space."
"Nar-Shadaa is not a New Republic controlled system. Your landing permits might not be valid when you get there and you'll likely face resistance from their local government if they find out what you're up to." Admiral Cest Sev'esa explained. "The locations of the Imperial comm stations could be vital to the New Republic, that is...if your source can be counted on to provide the information once you apprehend this fugitive." Sev'esa said suspiciously. Doubting the reliability of some mercenary on the fringes of space.
He sat in the private briefing room quiet in thought, contemplating the possible scenarios that may present themselves in the future. "Once you get the locations we will need to present our findings to the higher ups. The Imperials will not leave such important targets undefended and they will likely have a blockade around them. We will need New Republic approval and support to try and take the comm stations." The Admiral said cautiously. He moved to switch off and end the holo communication, "But none of that matters unless that information is reliable. Once you get it, then we can start to make preparations for a strike." The holo projection switched off and Lindmon was left to his own thought.
Lindmon sat in the silence for a moment by himself. This mission was becoming more intensive than he had been anticipating. After a moment he pressed a button on the console and activated the overhead. "All crew, report to the den for conference." He said, setting his glass down on the counter behind him and straightening his jacket again as the crew filed in.
"Just got off comms with the Admiral. We may have some trouble getting landing permit on Nar-Shadaa if they realize we're Republic. The comm relays are a top priority, as such our excursion has been sanctified. Sabine, how confident are you in this Teroch character?"
"I trust him." Sabine said resolutely, "My honor is on the line for this contract. If I don't complete it, or it turns out he's lying, that could start a clan war between the Wren's and Awaud's."
Giz piped up from the side of the table, "Do you really think that could happen?" She asked, in awe of the idea of two Mandalorian clans fighting to the death.
"My relationship with my family isn't the best, but if something like that were to happen Tristan would convince my mother to rally the clan." Sabine answered, "Contracts between Mandalorians are less about business and more about respect between the clans involved. If ba'vodu didn't have what we wanted he wouldn't have lied about it, he would be risking too much."
Lindmon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I believe you. Then our first hurdle is figuring out how to get our landing permitted, getting there isn't going to do us any good if the Hutts don't want to let us land, their relationship with the Republic is already strained as is. Any suggestions?"
The crew sat in thought a moment, finally Sulahaan raised his hand.
"We could pose asss mercenaries, or bounty hunterss.." He said two of his eyes scanning one side of the room while the second pair scanned the other for reaction.
"Some of us might be able to pull that off better than others." Sabine mused, "If Reed can scramble our transponder code we might just look like an illicit transport shuttle. It would be more normal to them than a Republic escort craft, we would just need to worry about visual identifiers and getting past hanger security." Reed chirped and beeped in response, willing to do anything to assist in the subterfuge.
"Would a fresh paint job help that along? We can always play off that we stole it...not like our little ragtag bunch wouldn't fit the look of a small bounty hunter cadre." Lindmon pulled up an image of the T-6 on the holotable.
Sabine perked up at the notion of painting the T-6, "Well now you're speaking my language! I can have a new paint job on this boat in a few hours!" She said rising from the holo table and climbing up the stairs to retrieve her paint sprays. "I might not be able to do the whole ship in time but at least I can make us look like proper scoundrels."
"Well before you go jumping out the airlock, we need a name for this bird." Lindmon shouted up into the crew quarters, where already things were clattering around. Sabine re-emerged with an armful of different colored cans.
"Besides don't we have to make planet fall somewhere for you to do that?"
"Yeah...I guess." Sabine said sheepishly. Realizing that the sprays would burst and freeze if she tried to use them in space.
"Sul, drop us out of hyperspace and scan for any uninhabited planets we can make for." Lindmon said.
The tunnel of hyperspace faded and the stars of real space warpped back into view in the cockpit windows. Deep space is all they could see, no planets or asteroids were around for thousands of kilometers. It took Sulahaan and Giz about an hour after that to find a suitable planet, expanding the ship's sensors to scan for a habitable biomass that they could reach with relative ease.
Once they locked coordinates on the planet, Sulahaan swung the shuttle around, lining up the hyperspace route and pushed the ship into light speed once again. After a short ten minutes the lone planet overtook the viewscreen, a pearlescent blue marble glimmering in the light of two suns. Small white sand islands peppered the ocean that spread across the entire expanse of the planet.
Eroded rock spires breached the surface of the water in clusters, the tidal salt spray still attacking the ancient edifices, attempting to tear them down once and for all. On the larger islands, long thorned sea lizards rested underneath groupings of palms, attempting to escape from the sweltering tropical heat. Territorial muja monkeys hooted and shrieked as they clung to the tops of the palms, throwing the pits of sweet fruits at the larger and more ferocious sea lizards.
The vista was beautiful, and the crew admired the planet stunned for words for a peaceful few minutes. Until the plumes of smoke started to waft into the cabin. The compressor had blown again and was leaking smoke and fluid into the engine room.
Crest rushed to a nearby control panel, pressing several keys as the ship's automatic fire system engaged. "Giz! Get in there and clean that up! Sul get us down somewhere in a hurry!"
The Cathar rushed past, grabbing a fire extinguisher as she went. The shuttle took a sharp turn, a large landmass coming into view as smoke billowed out the back of the shuttle.
"Sabine! Get to the back and lower the ramp! We need this smoke out of the interior!" Crest shouted. Sabine rushed down from the crew quarters, putting her helmet on as she climbed down the ladder two rings at a time.
Lindmon pulled several respirators out of a cabinet near the control panel, sliding one down onto his face and running into the cockpit to give Sulahaan his. Ashoka rushed in from the crew quarters, seeing the two respirators left in Crests hand. She reached out and the two flew from his hands into hers and she threw one on, rushing to the engine room to give Giz hers. Lindmon looked down as the two masks jumped from his hand, confused for a moment. As she left he pulled himself together and took a seat in the co-pilot chair to help with the landing.
"I've got the ramp!" Sabine shouted as the shuttle broke through the atmosphere. She pulled the emergency control lever down just enough to crack open the ramp and let the smoke funnel out of the shuttle.
The shuttle rocketed towards the large landmass, streaking a long trail of smoke behind it. Sparse palms gave way to a dense forest nestled beneath a sharp cliff like mountain as the island grew closer.
Sulahaan twisted the shuttle's wing manifold and lowered the landing gear. The ship's repulser lift engines flared to life and hovered the craft above the beach. The forest becomes too dense for a large craft to land in. Sulahaan instead set the shuttle down next to the beach in a large patch of sparse grass that looked sturdy enough to hold the ship's weight. The ramp slapped into the white sand and the crew of the shuttle scrambled out onto the beach. Plumes of residual smoke dissipating in the air.
Giz was the last out of the shuttle, her fur covered in black soot, more so than usual. She jumped under the ramp and, with Reed's assistance, pulled off the paneling surrounding the compressor, she deftly spun bolts out of place and yanked the piece out of its coupling, the whole section sparked and sputtered as the piece came loose. She dropped it to the ground as the the hunk of metal, still red hot from its recent fit, sizzled on the sand.
"Well L-T, the things shot, I may be able to get her patched up enough to make one more jump, but that's likely the last one she has in her, Zrunri vi'van dom lêr'ulyora."
Crest ran his hand through his hair, staring at the still smoking ship. He looked around at the beach, then the jungle nearby.
"Well...shit. Alright, Giz, Reed, get the bird ready to fly, try and get it cleared out abit too, best you can. Sabine, suppose you have your chance to do some painting. Sul, Ahsoka, with me, I want us to get a quick survey, make sure perimeter is clear."
Sabine and Giz moved off to their own specific taskings, the former using her jet pack to flit to and frow around the shuttle, spraying paint wherever she felt it was appropriate, the standard orange coloring being covered by yellows, reds, and browns.
Sulahaan marched up the ramp, opening a locker just on the inside of the shuttle and pulled out a pair of E-11 blasters and a large axe. He hung the axe from a ring on his hip and slung the blaster around his shoulder, throwing the other to Crest. The large alien looked at Ashoka, who simply waved her hand and smiled. The small group headed towards the jungle's edge tentatively.
"We weren't able to get any real ssscanss done on the wildlife thanks to the issuesss so we're on our own in that regard." Sulahaan said, eyes scanning the line of trees.
"Worst we may encounter is some local predators, records show that no sentient life lives here, at least not that we know of."
The group set out to explore the island, wary of predators that could be hiding in the dense forest. As they walked through the soft white sand Ahsoka turned back to the shuttle, sharing a look with Sabine. They had both seen this before, the uncanny luck and confidence, a natural sense for danger. Sabine had even noticed Crest's unconscious attempts to sense her emotions. An almost imperceptible prickling of the skin that she would have dismissed as a passing chill had she not been so familiar with the feeling.
Sabine removed her helmet and flashed a worried look at Ahsoka, her brow furrowed in concern. It was one thing to be Force sensitive, but to make someone aware of it. To open their mind to the possibilities. Could expose them to all of the tidal waves that the Force was capable of. The dangers that came with that great power, and especially, the person's own threat to themselves.
Her old friend Kanan had run from it, afraid of it's consequences, for so many years. She had known him for years before he revealed that secret, later accepting it's responsibilities and becoming a great Jedi. It was Ezra's experience with the Force that made her realize the difficulties that came with it's power. His strong emotions towards his friends, his family, urged him to seek more power. The jealousy, the fear, urging him to get stronger without regard, and he used those abilities to dominate the minds of his enemies, controlling them against their will. Murdering them.
Ezra had described it as a hunger, a thirst for power that never relented. He would wake in the middle of the night to it calling for him. Whispering of impending threats. It was cold and suffocating, like a spice addict clawing at their skin until they could experience the next release.
Ahsoka said nothing to reassure Sabine's worried expression. She simply turned back to Crest and Sulahaan, following them from behind. Whatever dangers Lindmon encountered, all she could do was try to prepare him for it...and hope.
With a simple hand motion Lindmon urged the small group forward into the dense jungle, the trees overhead shifting in a gentle ocean breeze. Ferns parted way as they made their way through. The jungle lay silent, unnaturally so. The only sound was the shifting leaves overhead.
"Well this is an unsettling island isn't it..." Lindmon said quietly, blaster at the ready. "We knew it was uninhabited but usually there's some kind of animal noises."
Sulahaan spoke up as he read from a small screen device connected to the ship's computer. "The initial scan shows an abundance of mammalian creaturesss as well as reptiles. Not to mention how dense the population of the ocean is with it's size." He sniffed the air, his keen reptilian nose examining the light scents on the wind.
"It looks like just this particular island is strangely empty."Ahsoka commented from behind the two, jumping off a large tree root and landing softly beside them. "The wildlife may be avoiding this place intentionally." She said walking close to Crest. "There seems to be a strong vergence in the Force on this island, the animals may be sensitive to it."
Lindmon shouldered his blaster, continuing to move into the dense brush.
"What does that mean exactly?" He asked, pushing a large frond out of the way and holding it back as the others made their way past him.
"Why would the wildlife just ignore a whole section of habitable environment?"
Sulahaan grunted as he stepped over a large fallen tree, landing unceremoniously in a large mud puddle on the other side.
"I don't blame them." He said, shaking the mud off his boots. "The whole island issss heavy. The air, the treess, something about it just tastesss funny."
"The Force can have a strong influence on its environment, it's not odd for the wildlife to feed off that energy. Or avoid it if it's something that makes them uncomfortable." Ahsoka said, keeping pace behind them as they worked through the brush.
"This Force thing sounds even more confusing the more you describe it." Crest sighed, watching as Sulahaan pulled out his Vibro-axe and chopped at several very large branches in their path. "Is it just me or is this are getting more and more dense as we go in." Crest finished just as the axe cleaved it's way through the last branch, just on the other side was a huge clearing, as they stepped inside and looked up, the foliage seemed to create a massive cavern like structure over their heads, the top of the canopy streatching over the entirety of the clearing.
In the center of the clearing several stones sat together in a small cluster around a larger central stone, standing about thirty feet tall. As they approached cautiously, the outline of runes and designs carved deep into the stone with precision become visible.
"Well...that's...unexpected." Sulahaan grunted, all four eyes wide.
The dark stones were eroded and cracked with the passing of time. Ahsoka touched one of the stones in the circle, caressing the ancient craftsmanship. "Unexpected maybe, but not impossible." She pointed at the design carved into the ground, the roots partially crawling across the large circular image. "This design is similar to the ones that used to guard the old Jedi Temples. An old relic of a time gone by." She explained as she continued to admire the cavernous entrance, walking up it's steps in awe of the sheer age that it must be.
The crew stepped wearily into the large central room, it's round circular shape dotted with alcoves carved into the walls around them. In the center was a large plynth of carved stone with intricate designs. On the far wall, a low doorway sat, dark inside. The group moved around the room slowely, Ashoka ran her fingers along the walls, inspecting the designs and engravings.
"The door is a sstairwell, leads down, seemss to spiral." Sulahaan said, poking his head into the doorway.
Crest stopped in front of the Plynth, examining it. "I can't tell if there was supposed to be something set here but there's a small impression on this." He ran his hand along the object and as his hand reached the center of the plynth he pulled away sharply, gasping.
"What the, that was.." He said, staring at the plynth confused.
Ashoka moved to his side. "What is it? What did you feel?" She said, looking at him expectantly.
"It was like I could feel the whole structure, it's massive..." Crest said quietly.
The words echoed inside the chamber, trailing down the spiral staircase. Carved stone worn from many hundreds of years gone by, the deep entrance pulled Lindmon's attention, demanding his curiosity, the chill of the cave wafting up to him. The skin on his body shivered at it's touch.
"I'm beginning to realize why this island may have been abandoned." Ahsoka's words reverberated in the chamber as she realized the nature of the temple. Just as Lindmon turned his head to respond to Ahsoka, from the corner of his eye a deep black cloak fluttered out of sight. It fleed down the stairs into the depths of the temple, the soft echos of feet trailing behind. "Lieutenant!" Ahsoka cried out, stopping Lindmon from rushing down the stairs after the figure. She stood in the center of the room, stretching her arm out to keep Sulahaan from following Lindmon. "Your weapons. You won't need them."
The thought didn't even clear his mind before he had thrown his blaster behind him and rushed down after the figure, the faint echo of a hissing voice calling out to him from behind bounced off the walls and faded rapidly. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he realized the others hadn't followed him, he turned to shout up to them but came face to face with a stone wall. He pressed on it, searching for any hidden levers but finding none. He turned back to the darkened room before him, the intricate details in the walls glowing a faint blue, illuminating the small space.
I won't let him lose his way. Not like I did.
Lindmon heard the distant voices reverberating throughout his head. He chased the cloaked figure down the corridors of the temple, passing the decades old sleeping chambers and forever unused sparring dojo's. Each corner he turned showed the mysterious figure slipping out of view. A dense fog curled around Lindmon's feet in wisps as he moved through the halls.
...Bring balance to the Force. Not leave it in darkness.
The blue glow emanating from the walls were all that kept Lindmon's vision from going entirely black. His movements were slow, as if he was trapped in a chamber of ice water.
I killed them all. They're dead. Every single one of them.
It's too late for me now...
The figure stopped at the last chamber, a large altar room supported by cracking columns that struggled to hold up the aging ceiling. The mist was unrelenting in this part of the temple, it whiped around the dark cloak that Lindmon had been following. Gusting around the room like a silent tempest.
"Why have you come to this place." The figure asked, his voice raspy and labored.
Lindmon looked around the room, scanning for any possible exit in case he had to make a hasty retreat but as before the door behind him had vanished.
"My crew and I had to set down in a hurry due to a compressor failure, the other two up stairs, are they ok?" Lindmon held his ground in front of the hooded figure.
Lindmon was knocked back off his feet, a wave of energy slamming into his chest. He reflexively tried to recover and pick himself up from the ground but the wave continued to press down on him. It held him against the floor threateningly, preventing him from getting up. For several moments the constant cascade of telekinetic force kept Lindmon locked in place before suddenly releasing him."Leave this place. You don't belong here." The raspy voice demanded, looking slightly towards Lindmon, showing a portion of his face twisted into a vicious scowl.
Knocked off his feet and out of breath, Crest stood back up shakily.
"If you have any intention of harming my crew I will have to stop you, I'm not leaving until I'm sure they will be safe.
The tingle moved down his neck and into his back and arms, standing firm was the only thing he could think to do, if it meant he had to take the brunt of whatever this creature had to give he would. He looked around the room for anything he could use to defend himself, greeted only by the engraved walls and thick fog covering the floor.
"How do you expect to stop me?" The voice thundered inside the chamber. The man turned fully to face Lindmon. Black metal stretched across his face, searing into his skin. The twisted mask split the man's image, for a moment fully overtaking his visage to resemble a black skull, it's eyes gleaming with hunger and fury. The mask struggled to dominate his persona, flickering underneath the mans hood like a faulty holo recording. He reaches towards his belt and grasped the lightsaber affixed there. "You're weak. Just like I was." The saber ignited in his hand. The blade extended with a 'snap-hiss', illuminating the altar room in its scarlet fury. It thrummed and growled like a starving rancor within the chamber.
"However I can." Lindmon said, staring down the dull black sockets glaring out at him. "No harm will come to my crew." As the words left his mouth the tingling moved from his arms and back into his legs, the mist around his feet swirled and parted. On the floor in front of him was an old, dusty metal cylinder, plain in construction but familiar. He reached down and picked it up quickly, pressing the button as the figure darted forward. From the hilt a bright white blade extended, raising up and making contact with the red blade of his opponent, the face inches away from his own, snarling at him.
"There is no hope for you, your friends will fall one by one whether you try to stop it or not, each a worse fate than before. You will fail them, and in so doing fail yourself." The grim creature hissed, pushing off, blades flashing as they separated.
"Impressive. Now release your anger. Only your hatred can hope to destroy me." The man growled, his mask flicking over his face like a glare in the sun. It twisted his voice. Made it seethe as he spoke.
Lindmon rushed at the black cloaked man, raising his saber high and cleaving it down at his foe. The Black Skull lifted up his saber and swatted away Lindmon's white blade. Taken aback Lindmon shifted his blade for a return strike, not wanting to relent or give the upper hand. The Black Skull smashed his blade into Lindmon's strike, empowering his attack with the Force. The strength of the Black Skull's strike was overwhelming, dropping Lindmon to his knee as he struggled against their locked sabers. Pushing upwards relentlessly against the scarlet blade to keep from being cleaved in half.
"Getting angry means you make mistakes." Lindmon hissed through clenched teeth, twisting his body to throw the other saber off his own, his Imperial combat training kicking into gear. He took several steps away from the sinister figure, readying himself for another blow.
He swings hard, which means redirection is your best bet Crest. If he swings hard he will fall harder. Lindmon positioned his saber in front of him, both hands on the hilt to keep his hold against the power of his opponent.
The Black Skull charged towards Lindmon, smashing his saber against the white blade. Lindmon parried and blocked the attacks, shifting his feet behind and backwards quickly to keep from being slammed into the ground. From each impact he could feel a tremor of Force exploding off the Black Skull's red blade, slamming into the walls of the alter room. With each swing sections of columns were blown away with explosive force. Scattering across the ground, pushing away the fog in deep plumes. Underneath the separated fog, Lindmon could see the desiccated corpses of ancient worshippers. Their hands clasped together for all eternity as they prayed to their lost deities forever.
Lindmon's hands were red and blistering, the strikes stinging his hands as his saber struggled against the relentless power. The Black Skull forced Lindmon to retreat to the corridor at the back of the room, swinging and parrying as they went. Their blades locked together and separated in a desperate struggle against darkness. The Black Skull's wide and powerful swings carving deep heat scars against the walls of the corridor, dragging sparks and chunks of stone in his blades wake.
As the blows rained down one after the other, the tingeling sensation spread through Lindmon's entire body, as it reached his fingers and finally his toes, filling him, it pulsated. Matching time with his own heartbeat making him hyper aware of his own pulse. During one of the few lulls in the hail of saber strikes he took a few breaths. The world around him becoming crisp as he forced himself to control his own body. Time seemed to slow around him, the arc of each swing becoming more clear. With time the strikes began to slide off his own blade as he moved, his own blade flashing white as it flowed around him. The pair come out of the hall into a large circular room, a high ceiling arced over their heads as the sound of clashing lightsabers rang through the room. Markings along the wall emitted red and blue lights, leaving the room shrouded in a purple haze as the light mingled with the fog. The lights pulsated and seemed to move with the pair, the half of the room black skull occupied throbbing a dark scarlet while the side Lindmon stood on pulsed slowly a deep sapphire.
Sweat beaded across his forehead and down his arms as he got the chance to breath, retreating to one side of the room. The blade in his hand stuttered, the blade flashing before solidifying once more. He took his position once more, ready for the next flurry to come.
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.
The Black Skull twisted his saber in his hands, gripping it tightly in anger. "The Force is strong in you, but you have yet to realize it's power."
He stepped forward towards Lindmon slowly, the mist parting as his cloak flowed around him. Lindmon shifted in preparation, bringing his guard up for the next barrage of swings. Instead his breath was lifted from his body, a whimper escaped his lips and the saber he had been holding clattered to the floor beneath the mist.
"Your feelings are strong for your friends. I was once like you, my passions made me stronger. Gave me purpose."
Lindmon clawed at his throat, looking for the hand clutching his neck, to pull it away for a breath of air. The Black Skull was choking him from a distance, using his rage to suffocate his opponent. He wrenched his arm back and Lindmon was thrown towards Black Skull, his feet scraping quickly across the floor.
The telekinetic suffocation halted as Lindmon was pulled through the air. He could only get a small breath before the Black Skull clamped a steel grip around his throat, lifting Lindmon off the ground as he struggled and fought against the cloaked arm, pounding at the man in a desperate chance of escape.
I sense much fear in you. Fear is the path to the dark side.
"Look at what I have become!" The Black Skull roared into Lindmon's face. At this close distance he could see the monster under the hood, the deep tissue scaring. Beneath the skin where there should be blood, was instead replaced with twisted metal and circuitry. His voice raspy and choking, every breath a struggle against his corrupt organs. The hall reverberated with the echoed screams of hatred, tormented souls screeching out so loudly that it displaced the stagnate air in the chamber.
Just as Lindmon's vision began to fade, the lack of air and strangulation tearing his consciousness away. The howls of terror ceased and his lungs filled with the dry air once again. He looked around to an empty room, the lights of the chamber dark and useless. The form of the Black Skull vanished to nothingness.
Falling to his knees in the now dark, dust filled room, Lindmon stared at the floor where the figure once stood. The last several minutes whirling through his mind, leaving him in a fog. The pulsing was gone, as were the glowing runes and fog, all that remained was him, the room, and the lightsaber, laying on the floor behind him where he had dropped it. After a long moment he stood and walked over to it, picking it up and carrying it back to the entrance of the room. As he climbed the steps, they began to circle, which he hadn't remembered them doing during his struggle. As he reached the upper landing he came out into the first room, Ahsoka and Sulahaan standing much in the same position as they had been when he left, as if only moments had passed.
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Ahsoka asked as she saw the state Lindmon was in. His tattered and torn cloths, the red stinging blisters on his hands still aching. She guided him to a small overturned pew and sat with him. "Tell me what happened." She asked gently.
Lindmon sat quietly for several minutes, looking around the room slowly. Finally he took a deep breath and laughed, quietly, nervously.
"I chased after that cloaked figure down into the temple, followed him for awhile from room to room, always just a little to fast for me. I...heard...things. Voices? They were saying things I couldn't understand, or make sense of. Loss, fear, anger.. I finally caught up, it was a small alter room and he turned to me. He had cybernetics, on the inside of his face, half his face, and it kept...dissolving? I guess? Into this black skull. He talked about using my anger, called me weak, told me you all would die and it would be my fault... and then he attacked me. I got that tingeling thing, the one I get, what I had always thought was just my instincts but now... I'm not sure."
He took another deep breath before continuing. Pulling the hilt out and holding it up to her.
"I found this, it was just laying there on the floor in front of me. His attacks were so strong, just hammer after hammer and with each attack it was like the force of his anger blew past me... I was able to keep myself calm enough to focus but the pounding was so loud..in my head, all around us. He pushed me deeper into the temple where a huge room was, I think it was a dueling ring, and then I couldn't breath, like a hand was gripped around my throat. He pulled me towards him and screamed at me..'Look at what I have become'. There was so much rage, just overpowering rage..and then he was gone, and I came back here.."
He leaned back on the stone bench, leaning his still perspiring back on the cool stone wall and closed his eyes, behind his lids he could still see the red of the saber against the smooth, grinning, black skull.
"This temple was built on top of a vergence in the Force, a gathering of energy. What you experienced was a vision, a powerful one. From what you described, I can only imagine who you fought was something like a revenant, left behind like a scar in the Force." Ahsoka explained, gently resting her hand on Lindmon's shoulder. "These feelings you keep having, your instincts, your sense of danger. It's your strong connection to the Force that gives you these strengths. The Force is strong in many people, my master had it, I have it...and you have that power too."
"After what just happened down there, I would believe anything at this point...but looking back you're right, all through flight training I was able to figure out where the fire would come from before it was shot, enough at least to get out of the way. I could tell where I needed to shoot to land the hit, knew where I needed to be and not be, 'whatever feels right, I just do that' was my motto. Hell I think I said the same thing to Sabine not even a couple weeks ago... what do I do now? It's like somebody said there was a fairie behind a door, and it's all jokes and jibes until they open it up and there it is... the Force, Jedi, it's more than just stories and vague intel... even you, I heard you, and I knew that you felt strongly about it but to actually...feel it, fight it...what now?" Lindmon kept his eyes closed until he finished talking, leaning foreword to rub his temples, the red sparks dancing behind his lids, the flash inside gaping holes in a black head. He opened his eyes finally, holding the lightsaber in front of him and pressing the switch. It flashed to life, glowing a soft white light before sputtering and deactivating.
Ahsoka watched as the saber flicked out of existence, a useless hilt left behind. "What we do now is teach you the ways of the Force. How to live in harmony with it, it's balance." She said simply, "I can't teach you how to be a Jedi, but I can show you how to use the Force well enough to defend yourself." Ahsoka rose and walked towards the entrance of the temple. "You might want to keep that lightsaber. It may never work again but it could help teach you how to make another in the future. Lightsaber schematics have nearly been erased from existence, it will be almost impossible for you to find one. The lightsaber is the heart of a Jedi, if you're to go down that path, you will have to know how to make one of your own."
Lindmon let out a chuckle, waving his hand. "I'm no Jedi, I don't even know where to start." He stood and stretched, his arms sore from the recent bout. "What do you think of this Sul?" He looked over to the large alien who, up until now, had been standing next to the altar watching.
"Thisssss is a lot to take in sir... I'm not sure I have much to add, but on my planet we do not look at such things as choicess. If thisss is something you were born for, then it is the path you take, and every choice until now has brought you here." His four eyes looked into Lindmon's with a certain force, the conviction of his words passing to his superior. "It seemsssss you've been chosen for thiss." He finished, tossing the blaster into Lindmon's lap.
"Suppose you're right...we'll Ahsoka, where do we begin?" Crest said looking at her with so many questions in his eyes.
"We can start that another day Lieutenant. For now let's get back to the ship, you look exhausted." Ahsoka said sympathetically, gesturing to Lindmon's tattered jacket and blistered hands.
"And for fucks sake I am. Sul give me a hand." As Sul went to help Lindmon up, the latter clipped The now dead lightsaber to his hip, shaking as he stood, the small group made their way out of the temple, slowly making their way back to the opening of the forest wall they created. As they passed back through the thick brush Ahsoka turned back to look once more at the temple, but what she saw from the tree line was more trees, the temple seeming to have vanished when its duty had been fulfilled, she smiled to herself as she turned back to follow the other two.
The way back to the shuttle was short, and as they came through the dense forest growths they found the ship had gone through some fairly huge changes. Sabine still flitted here and there around the shuttle, adding finishing touches to the hull. Down the beach, Giz and Reed sat in the sand, the former splashing her feet in the water each time it came up the shore.
"Welcome back Lieutenant!" Sabine yelled from atop the shuttle. The shuttle had been almost completely repainted with the limited amount of paints she had brought with her. Dark black lines bordered the shuttle's wings and cockpit, with the majority of the ship covered in an overlapping desert camouflage. A massive hookbat was emblazoned on the crest of the ship, it's influence obviously drawn from the previous world they had visited. "I give you, the Saqorian Zephyr!!!" Sabine said triumphantly, landing in the sand next to him. "Does it look pirate-y enough for you?"
"Yea it looks great, good job." Lindmon said, barely glancing at the shuttle. Hobbling along, only keeping up right because of the shoulder Sulahaan had given him. They shuffled past her and she looked quizzically from Lindmon to Ahsoka.
"Um...something we should be worried about?" She said. Ahsoka simply waved her hand, and smiled.
"If you may recall the temple on Lothal, and Ezra's foray into it, he will be fine. The good news is, I have a feeling that our worries were for naught." Ahsoka watched as the pair stumbled up the ramp and into the ship. Giz had turned around as they entered and ran up to Sabine and Ahsoka, looking back at the pair and pointed her thumb at them over her shoulder.
"Should I tell him now that the compressor is ready to go or..." she trailed off. Ahsoka shook her head.
"Let him rest. In the mean time, let's start making our way to Nar-Shadaa." As Giz and Sabine boarded the shuttle, passing concerned glances to each other, Ahsoka stopped at the foot of the ramp, turning back to the island as the others passed into the entry bay.
"Master Obi-Wan... how would you handle this..." she gazed out at the beach, thinking for a moment before shaking her head and boarding the shuttle.