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Chapter 37

~X~

"As a Mandalorian, I'm proficient with many types of blades, blasters, and explosives…but that is a lightsaber!"

~Sabine Wren~

Ravana had been taken down several halls and at least one floor before they shoved her into a room, one filled with odd looking equipment. She was then strapped to an inverted table, one with metal clamps that held her feet and torso in place, confining her arms at her side. She'd tried to struggle, but the three Storm Troopers overpowered her and left her little choice in the matter. Once they had done their duty, they stepped back, taking up their position near the door as they waited for further instructions.

What a sad life that must be, Ravana thought to herself as she began to look around the room. There were panels of glowing buttons and gauges, screens with odd looking data, and an ominous looking clear cylinder to one side, the tube containing strange glowing objects.

Could these be the midi-chlorians that Dr. Pershing spoke of? Yet, hadn't he said they were microscopic? Could something so small produce such a bright glow? Anything was possible, she supposed, for it did appear that the container was filled with moving things, all of them releasing some sort of energy.

It still enraged her to think that they had been syphoning such creatures from those innocent children in the other room. And now that they planned on doing the same to the String-bean, she knew she would never forgive herself if she somehow failed to protect him. He didn't deserve such a fate, none of the children did, but what could she do while strapped to this infernal thing? Here she gave her bonds another jerk, wishing with all her might that she could break free. Sadly, all the wishing in the world wouldn't help her with this.

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It wasn't long after this that the door to the room reopened, and in walked Moff Gideon, Dr. Pershing, and at least another dozen guards. Either Gideon was very paranoid, or there was a reason for them to be there. Ravana wasn't sure which explanation she liked least.

"Now, Miss Searan," the man in black began, walking up to her as he stood there with an evil smile. "Shall we see if my theories are correct?"

"Which theory is that? That's you're an insane maniac who should go crawl in a hole and die?" she spat out.

"Fascinating opinion you have of me, my dear," he responded, his expression and tone not giving any hint that she'd angered him in the least. "However, I was speaking of my theory that the midi-chlorians found in those who are Force sensitive can be transferred to another…thus giving them the powers of the long-gone Jedi."

"If they can, you're the last person in the galaxy who'd deserve such a thing," Ravana told him firmly. "You, who'd kidnap children, do horrible experiments on them, and then what…dispose of them like an empty shell? You disgust me."

"And you intrigue me," Gideon countered. "You are strong, willful, and apparently very difficult to kill. Thus, you will make a fine specimen in which to test the implantation of the midi-chlorians on. For I would be a fool to trust that Dr. Pershing wouldn't tamper with things somehow, especially after knowing he'd just attempted to turn on me by letting you escape." Here he shot the subdued doctor a narrowed look, making the man whither even more under the heat of his gaze.

"You…you mean put those things in me?" this shocked Ravana, not only to think he would waste them on her, but fearing what such an act might cause her to become. "Aren't you worried I'll develop powers…ones I could then use against you?"

"That is a risk, but one I'm willing to take," he admitted, stepping forward and holding up one of the neural inhibitor collars he'd placed on the children. "However, I will also be taking all the precautions to see that you pose no threat if that were to happen." At this, he placed the device around her neck, causing Ravana to flinch as the cold metal encircled her throat. "With a simple touch of a button, I can activate the inhibitor and immediately stop your ability to utilize such powers in any way."

Ravana hated that he'd thought of everything and realizing that in her current situation she was completely at his mercy. This was going to happen whether she wanted it to or not.

"Please begin the procedure, Doctor," Gideon instructed, gesturing for the man to come forward. "And do explain everything as you go, just so that we all can understand what is taking place."

"Yes…Moff Gideon," he nodded, stepping over to the large glowing tank. "This…this is where the midi-chlorians are being stored. The ones I've extracted from the children. They are being held in stasis but will become fully active again once they are injected into the host." Here he reached for a small device attached to a tube running from it to the cylinder. It looked like a cuff of some sort, with clamps that would wrap around the upper arm and a small control panel positioned on the front. "When this is in place, it will inject the organisms directly into the bloodstream, the amount being determined by the dial here."

Ravana could see the mechanism he spoke of, it appearing to go from zero to one hundred in a series of increments.

"Set the dial for only ten percent," Gideon instructed. "While we now have a new asset in which to get more, there's no sense in wasting too much on her. This is only a test to see if it works…and to make certain the new host does not die in the process."

"WHAT?" Ravana balked.

"Oh yes, there's always a chance that death might occur when trying something so risky and new," Gideon informed her. "I had considered experimenting on one of my own men, but your presence has provided me with a much more disposable subject."

"I hope it does work then, and I'm able to break free from this and kill you!" Ravana growled, once more thrashing about, wishing to get her hands on the vile man.

"Again, I've taken every precaution to see that this does not happen," he stated, turning away from her as he went to stand at a distance…just in case. "Doctor, I think we are ready. Please proceed."

Ravana watched as Pershing brought the arm clamp closer, the sadness in his eyes making it quite evident that he didn't want to do it, but he – just like her – had not been given a choice. She could almost forgive him for what he was about to do, knowing his life would be ended immediately if he refused to comply.

"I'm very sorry, Ravana," he whispered, as he placed the mechanism over her immobilized left arm, the clamps locking in place and attaching it securely. "I wish things could be different."

"So do I," she agreed, turning her head away and squeezing her eyes shut in preparation for whatever was about to come next.

Yet, in the silence that followed, she became vaguely aware of a faint beeping noise…one that was growing louder and steadier as it came closer.

"What is that?" Gideon questioned, having also heard the mysterious sound.

"I…I do not know," Pershing admitted, looking at all his instruments, but finding no source for the sound.

"It seems to be coming from the hallway, Sir," a guard by the door spoke up, turning as he moved to investigate.

However the moment he opened the doors, the troopers found themselves facing a Mandalorian with a blaster, a Togruta female with two lightsabers, and a snarling zaktan…all poised and ready for battle.

"KILL THEM!" Gideon shouted, signaling for his men to attack, while Dr. Pershing dove for cover.

From Ravana's vantage point, everything happened so fast, with over a dozen blasters going off at once, while the strange new woman began using her glowing blades to block the shots…or do damage of her own. Ravana was thrilled to see Din alive, as well as Zax, but it wasn't until she spotted the kid's little green head poking around the doors from out in the hallway that she felt she could breathe easy. However, her relief was short lived when she realized just how much danger they were all in. Gideon was not one to underestimate, and the amount of guards he brought with him would now come in handy to protect him from her rescuers as well.

Oh, if only she could get herself free!

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Din had followed the tracking device right to where Ravana was being held, and he'd just removed the bag the kid was in off his shoulder, setting him securely on the floor, when the doors had opened before them. It took only seconds to size up their opponents, and even less time than that for the shooting to start.

Ahsoka was indeed a formidable warrior, that was evident from the way she'd already taken out two of the troopers with her strange weapons of light and was now deflecting many of the blasts with them as well. Din found himself dodging shots left and right, a few even striking his beskar and bouncing off…though not leaving him completely unfazed. However, his main focus was on Ravana, doing his best to assess her condition while still concentrating on the firefight. He could also see Moff Gideon standing back but having drawn the Dark Saber as a means of protection. Still, there was no way for Din to get to either of them with so many troopers blocking his way.

Stepping forward, he grabbed the nearest trooper's blaster and jerked it to the side, shooting another one directly in the chest before turning his weapon back on the one he was grappling with. Once they were effectively dispatched, he made a move to get to Ravana. Sadly, he was blocked once more as three of Gideon's goons rushed him.

This would not be an easy rescue, Din decided.

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Ravana continued to watch, helpless to aid them while still locked within the metal clamps. She could see that Gideon was beginning to panic, as he watched more and more of his guards being overpowered or killed by Din and the mysterious woman fighting alongside him.

Where in the galaxy had she come from?

Yet, all Ravana's attention suddenly switched when she saw Gideon turn and head directly for her, reaching for the device on her arm and yanking it off none too gently. Still, she was happy to be free of the thing, never having wanted to be infused in the first place. However, when she saw that the vile man planned to use the thing on himself, she became highly concerned.

What if it actually worked, and their enemy then became as powerful as he hoped? What would she and Din do if Gideon suddenly acquired abilities similar to the kid's? That was not something she ever wanted to see happen.

"NO!" she shouted, at once getting the Mandalorian's attention. "He's taking the infusion himself! Stop him!" Yet, as she watched Gideon clamp the device on his own arm, twisting the dial up to one hundred percent, she knew it was too late to halt the inevitable.

Then, with the flip of a switch on the control panel beneath the glass cylinder, the liquid inside began to bubble and Gideon stiffened up, grabbing onto a nearby table as he started to shake and cry out. The painful process of transferring the midi-chlorians finally driving him to his knees. Ravana could also see that Pershing, still crouched behind a desk, was taking in the whole process with wide eyes, looking both frightened and mesmerized at the same time.

The battle between Din, the woman, and the troopers raged on, but amidst it all, Gideon had managed to complete the transfer…staggering to his feet as he removed the arm-clamp. He then stood completely erect, looking, for all intents and purposes, stronger and more evil than he had before. Ravana felt her heart drop into her stomach.

It had worked! The bloody idea had actually worked! Now what were they going to do?

"I pity you now even more, my dear," Gideon told her with a wicked grin. "For you will never know this amazing sensation, that of ultimate power flowing through you. I am strong…I am in control…I am invincible!" he shouted, raising his hands in the air, the Dark Saber springing to life once more. "The Jedi might be dead, but their powers shall be reborn within me. I will rule supreme! The galaxy is mine!" And as if to prove it, he turned to where his enemies were battling and held up his hand, much the way she'd seen the kid do several times.

Ravana watched in horror as some unseen force slammed into Din and the woman, the two of them stumbling backwards and grabbing on to anything they could in order to remain standing. Were they now going to lose? Was Gideon too powerful for them to fight this time?

There was no way they could let it end this way!

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Din had felt the blast, it knocking him back several feet before he was able to find his footing. When he saw where it had come from, he knew that things had just gone from bad to worse. Gideon had somehow acquired the powers he'd sought…those possessed by the kid.

Sparing a quick glance at Ahsoka, he could tell that she was concerned as well. Though you wouldn't have known it by the way she'd leapt back into the fight, once more blocking blaster shots and slicing her way through more troopers. Din followed suit, though his goal was still to get to Ravana, wanting to free her before she caught a stray shot, wounding her…or worse.

"Come, Mandalorian!" Gideon shouted, raising his hand and tossing several of his own troopers aside, effectively creating a clear path for Din to approach him unhindered. "Let us see if your beskar armor was truly designed to withstand a hit from a lightsaber, as old tales tell. Was that not why your people created such things? To fend off Jedi?"

Din watched as Gideon brought his arms down to his side, giving the impression that he was defenseless…but Din knew better. He was baiting him, wishing for him to attack. And normally, he wouldn't have been so foolish as to actually fall for his ploy…but there was Ravana's life to consider. Thus, he charged forward, firing off a few rounds as he did.

Din watched in frustration as Gideon deflected the blasts with his own glowing blade, much like Ahsoka was currently doing - the bolts of energy ricocheting back at him with deadly accuracy. Two even struck him, one in the chest and the other on his shoulder plate. Din was thrown back, stumbling a bit, but righted himself quick enough, at last placing himself between his enemy and Ravana, determined to protect her at all costs.

"So predictable," Gideon said with a shake of his head, though he didn't appear disappointed in the least. "You are truly a warrior race, and yet your weakness is that your creed values the lives of the innocent. Thus, manipulating you into doing exactly what I wish is far too easy. You desire to protect the woman, do you not?"

"I desire to protect my wife!" Din growled, engaging his flame thrower and blasting the insolent man with a wall of fire. "And since Mandalorians value family above all else, you really have no idea what you're up against!"

Both the blast of fire and the words Din shouted seemed to make Gideon shrink back, though not for long. Once more his hand came up and the flames were repelled, forcing Din to disengage or be singed himself.

Yet, before he could even recover from that, Gideon lunged forward, bringing his saber down on him with brutal force. Thankfully, Din was able to turn in time, the weapon grazing across his beskar cuirass on his shoulder. Sparks flew as it hit, making him jump back, firing his blaster several more times in quick succession, all of which Gideon blocked with his dark weapon.

"I can sense the Force flowing through me. Thus, this ancient weapon feels as natural as an extension of my own hand," the former ISB Officer nearly shouted in triumph.

Din spared a moment to look around. Ahsoka was still fighting with the troopers. Ravana was still bound and unable to move or run. And Zax, had disengaged from the battle in order to keep the kid from coming inside, blocking his way while protecting him at the same time. Yet, all their efforts might be for nothing if Gideon was truly as powerful as he'd thus far shown himself to be. Din's blaster was useless against him and his strange Jedi weapon, as was his flame thrower, and in such close quarters, he dare not fire any whistling birds, for he might accidentally strike Ravana or Ahsoka in the process. He had nothing with which to combat the Dark Saber. He was defenseless.

"Mandalorian! Catch!" came a voice from his side, causing him to turn just in time to see Ahsoka disengage one of her sabers and toss the hilt towards him, the weapon sailing over the heads of the remaining troopers.

Din skillfully caught it, and though he'd never used such a blade before, he quickly engaged it and stood ready, willing to take Gideon on in a one on one fight.

"Oh, how marvelous!" the man in black smiled. "I do relish a good fight before I vanquish my foe. You think you can best me, Din Djarin?"

"I will…or die trying," he swore, bringing the blade up in a strike position.

"Then die you shall," Gideon responded, swinging his own sword as they came together in a mixture of sparks and a crashing sound.

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Ravana watched in horror as Din and Gideon engaged in a fight that never should be happening. If he had not been infused with such powers, she was sure that Din could have defeated him easily by now…but no, this was all wrong, and she could do nothing to help!

Just then, she caught movement at her side, and looking down, there was Pershing, crawling along the floor. At first, she thought he was attempting to escape, but when she saw what he was reaching for, she could have kissed the cowardly doctor. With a loud click, her bonds were instantly released, and she leapt from where she'd been confined, dodging a few laser blasts and grabbing one of the fallen weapons for herself.

Quickly getting off a few shots, she took out one of the troopers still engaged in battle with the strange looking woman. Of course, the moment they realized they were being fired on from behind, a few of them turned around and began shooting at her. Diving behind the metal table she'd just been bound to, Ravana now used it as cover, peeking out and firing, before ducking back behind. Pershing had also made it to a place of relative safety, hiding behind one of the large pieces of equipment, drawing his knees up to his chest in an effort to make himself as small a target as possible.

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Din was aware that Ravana had been liberated at last, though he'd not seen quite how it had happened. Still, knowing that she was no longer a sitting target, and able to move around, made him breath a bit easier. Yet, at that moment, he needed to focus all his concentration on fighting the man before him. He'd trained with a number of weapons in his time, but this was something new. Din found himself barely able to block the blows aimed at him, and the few times he found an opening to strike, Gideon used his heightened reflexes to counter it.

Din hoped that Ravana and Ahsoka would be able to dispatch the remaining troopers and then they could all converge on taking out Gideon. Sadly, that did not happen, for just when it looked as though they had whittled down the dozen or so guards in the room…another wave of them appeared at the door.

Now trapped between a number of enemies, both from the front and back, Ahsoka looked as though she didn't know who to engage fist. Flipping from her left to her right, she did her best to keep the troopers at bay. Zax, not knowing exactly what to do, grabbed the kid by the back of his collar and raced inside the room, avoiding as many enemies as he could before placing his friend in a corner and continued to stand in front of him, protecting him there.

"Lay down your weapon, Din Djarin," Gideon ordered, knowing that he now had the upper hand. When the Mandalorian didn't do as asked, the man in black gave a sigh. "Do it now…or the woman dies." Here he raised his hand, drawing Ravana out from behind the table as she struggled against the unseen force controlling her movements. She aimed her blaster at him and fired, yet he deflected the bolt easily. Before she could fire again, Gideon changed his tactics, now focusing his powers on cutting off her airway, making her drop her weapon as she fought to breathe. "I can easily crush the life from her, Mandalorian. Do not doubt that I will, should you defy me!"

"Don't…do it!" Ravana stammered, her hands going to her throat as she fought against the pressure that was cutting off her air supply.

"Submit now, or she dies," Gideon warned, his hand slowly closing into a fist, with Ravana now being lifted off the floor, causing her to let out a strangled cry.

"NO! Stop!" Din shouted, turning off the blade and laying it down at his feet. "Let her go!" He then stepped back, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Again, so predictable," Gideon said with an almost tired expression. He did however release Ravana, her body crumpling to the floor as she gasped for breath. "But sadly for you, I too am a man of routine, and as I told you before…I would gladly break any promise and watch you die at my hands, if it serves my purpose. Well, this time…it does." And before anyone could react, or give a cry of warning, Gideon pulled back his saber and thrust it forward into Din's side, just below his protective beskar breastplate.

Din felt the searing blade go deep into his body, taking his breath away, as well as his strength. When Gideon pulled it out - the pain just as intense as when it entered - he collapsed to his knees, leaning sideways as he attempted to remain upright.

"NO!" Ravana screamed, reaching out to him from where she lay only a few feet away.

Din turned his helmet, doing his best to focus on her through the agony he was experiencing. If he were going to die this day, he wanted her face to be the final thing he saw.

"Ravana…" he muttered as he began to slip backwards. "Ravana…I love you." And that was the last words he got out before his helmet struck the floor.

Oops...another cliffie. (cringes)

BUT before you come after me with sharp implements of death, I promise to give you a bonus chapter on Wednesday IF you send in 'nice' reviews and not bite my head off. Deal?

So, how was the action? And what did you think of Gideon being infused? Wow...Din getting stabbed with a lightsaber. Bet you didn't see THAT one coming! (oh, who am I kidding, I'm sure some of you sleuth-like readers did.)

Whatever will happen next?

Oh, and just for LH Wordsmith, because she demanded kisses and hugs be in this chapter...

[[Din sprang to his feet like a Loth-cat and threw his hands in the air. "Missed me!" he shouted, pulling back and punching Gideon in the nose so hard that he fell over, out like a light before he even hit the floor. Then, reaching down he took hold of Ravana and pulled her to him. "I was so worried about you," he told her. "But now I will never let you out of my arms again. Kiss me!" And without any further ado, they commenced with the smooching. Only stopping long enough to lean down and scoop the kid and Zax into their arms as they shared a group hug. And they lived happily ever after. The End.]]

There! Hugs and kisses, just as requested. (wink wink). Do I deliver or what?

Guest Reviews:

Phantom Guest: (for 35 and 36) Yes, of course, the evil villain had to lay out his plan for all to know before he attempted to implement it. Classic bad guy behavior. Glad you like Paz and Cara...and even if you don't know Ahsoka, I hope you enjoy her character. She's fun...and very useful. Of course the String-bean had to hug Din...wouldn't YOU do so every chance YOU got? ha ha. Thanks!