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Chapter 31
Led by Lonna, the group has managed to leave the cave rather quickly. The former Jedi Master has turned out to be well acquainted with the cave's layout, in compliance with her words. She was at the front, illuminating the path with her lightsaber. Meetra was walking right next to her. The two women were still talking, sharing their adventures from the time of their exile. Meetra also revealed what has happened to her ever since she had returned to the Republic space.
The Exile was testing her new lightsabers from time to time, twirling both weapons in her hands, familiarizing herself with them. A lightsaber was much more than just a tool – it was an extension of a Jedi's arm. And if she wanted them not to fail her in battle, she had to get used to feeling them in her hands again.
The four people left the cave and entered the canyon that connected the Valley of the Sith Lords and the Academy. Meetra greeted the warm sun on her skin, feeling as if she has been frozen in carbonite for a few days. Even the wind that was blowing across the planet's surface wasn't as cold as the interior of the cave.
They turned right, heading towards their original destination. Meetra ordered Atton and handmaiden to be cautious. The two obeyed her words without complaint, drawing their weapons and keeping them at ready. The canyon was curling left and right, making the four people unsure of what they would find behind the stone walls. Luckily for them, the canyon was empty.
They've soon reached the end of the canyon, finding themselves in front of the entrance to the Sith Academy. The door has been broken down, miraculously hanging in midair. They rested against the rock faces, refusing to fall to the ground. Meetra felt a shiver running down her spine.
"Looks like somebody left the doors to the Academy wide opened," Atton commented, attempting to lighten the mood. "I have a bad feeling about this," he added in a serious tone.
"It seems unlikely that the Jedi Master we're looking for is within," the handmaiden commented, scrutinizing the entrance to the Academy carefully. Her grip on her staff tightened, but she refused to show any signs of fear. "I see no tracks," she noted. "No disturbance of recent travel," she clarified.
"If Raana is indeed on Korriban, this is the only place where she might be," Lonna countered, keeping her lightsaber in her hand. She was expecting to be attacked at any moment. Abandoned or not, it wouldn't be wise to underestimate the power of the Sith Academy.
"Be on your guard," Meetra warned them, igniting both of her blue lightsabers. Lonna followed her example and turned her weapon on as well. Atton reloaded his blaster while the handmaiden made an experimental twirl with her staff.
Meetra was the first one to enter, followed closely by the former Jedi Master. The handmaiden has joined them quickly, and Atton was closing their group, looking around from time to time. The interior of the Academy was mostly dark, though not pitch black as the cave. A dim light was filling the corridor, illuminating the path in front of them. As soon as the entire group has entered the building, the door behind them was closed.
"It's a trap," Atton stated, listening as the mechanisms inside the door were being locked.
"That means that someone has been waiting for us," Meetra replied, turning around from the door. There was no other way than going forward. Atton gulped loudly and reloaded his blaster rifle. A single droplet of sweat appeared on the side of his forehead.
They walked cautiously ahead, looking around from time to time to see if anyone wanted to sneak at them. But the group hasn't encountered any rooms in which someone could have been hiding – the corridor was narrow, barely allowing two people to walk next to each other. Meetra and Lonna were scanning the area in front of them, using the Force to guide them. But the power of the Dark Side was blinding them, clouding their vision.
They walked in silence, approaching the center of the Academy. No sound could have been heard, and nothing could have been seen. The Academy seemed to be as empty as the Valley of the Sith Lords, devoid of life. Once again, Meetra felt a shiver running down her spine. One didn't need to use the Force to realized that something was wrong.
They've soon reached a circular chamber that was offering them to go in three different directions – to the left, to the right, and forward. But they didn't, because of what they saw in the middle of the room. Turned in their direction, a red Togruta female was kneeling, most probably meditating. She kept her hands on her thighs, and her eyes were closed.
"Master Tey?" Meetra spoke, not sure if she was seeing correctly. She looked to her left, observing Lonna's reaction. She was equally stunned.
"Raana?" the former Jedi Master asked hesitantly. Only then, the Togruta opened her blue eyes. Meetra heard the handmaiden's accelerated breath and sensed Atton's nervousness.
"There is no emotion," Master Tey spoke, seemingly ignoring them. "There is peace," she whispered, taking in a deep breath. She raised her head to look at them, though she was still kneeling. "I didn't expect any Jedi to find me here," she said calmly. "And I was correct. I don't see the Jedi before me – I only see exiled traitors," she added with a small smirk.
Before Meetra or Lonna could have reacted in any way, an echo of loud footsteps could have been heard. It was spreading across the Academy, bouncing against the walls, though it wasn't difficult to locate its source. It was coming from the corridor right behind Raana's back.
Meetra couldn't help taking a step backward after seeing who has entered the room. It was the same Sith Lord who has attacked them back on Peragus.
"I see now that Revan was correct, Lonna," Raana spoke, ignoring the person who has joined them. "One cannot fight the Dark Side without understanding it… without embracing it," she clarified, looking the Jedi Master straight in the eyes.
Meetra watched in shock as the Sith Lord approached the Togruta from behind. With each step he took, Raana's appearance was changing. Her skin was becoming paler and paler, adopting a shade of pink, and many wrinkles have appeared on her face, aging her. Dark circles began forming under her blue eyes that were also losing much of their original color. The Sith Lord placed his hand on one of Raana's montral, stroking its top with his right hand. The Jedi Master didn't flinch at the contact, seemingly anticipating it. That's when her eyes have changed their color entirely, turning from blue into gold, filled with hatred.
"Did you come here for answers?" the Sith Lord asked calmly, though his voice was filled with anger and pain. It sent shivers down Meetra's and her companions' spines. "There are none," he said, still standing right behind Raana Tey. Meetra looked around after hearing other footsteps. As the Sith Lord was speaking, masked figures were coming out from the depths of the Academy, wielding staffs. Assassins, she realized with fear. They were approaching them, though they kept a respectful distance.
"The call of Korriban is strong, but it is the call of the dead," the Sith Lord spoke again. Meetra couldn't believe her eyes. During the Mandalorian Wars, she had seen the soldiers with smaller wounds that died. It was impossible to tell into how many pieces his body was shattered and put together, time and time again. "It is fitting you came here," he added, igniting his lightsaber.
Meetra replied in the same way, activating her own weapons. Lonna followed her example, and Atton and the handmaiden readied their weapons as well, turning around to face the assassins. Raana Tey stood up from the floor and turned on her lightsaber. It was crimson red.
"The call of Korriban is not the only thing that is dead," Meetra countered with more confidence than she felt. She was lucky to have her lightsabers ignited because otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to block a Force Lightning that came from Raana. Meetra has managed to absorb it with her weapons.
It seemed that it was the signal everyone was waiting for. The assassins moved first, attacking them in a blink of an eye. The Sith Lord's companions charged at Atton and the handmaiden, leaving Meetra and Lonna to him and Raana. Shaking off the initial shock, the Exile has brought her weapons up defensively, just in time to black a blow of the Sith Lord. Her lightsabers were crossed above her head, not allowing the red blade to make contact with her body. Lonna engaged the former Jedi Master in combat, also using her weapon for defense.
"I know you," the Sith Lord said, dealing another blow, attempting to break Meetra's blockade. "I have studied you," he clarified with the same creepy voice. "Immersed myself in you. I know the paths you walked in exile. I know your teacher. I know the fires that rained upon the Dxun moon while the Republic died around you," he said, all the time attacking her.
Despite using a single lightsaber for almost her entire life, Meetra knew how to fight with two weapons, and it worked to her advantage. Her opponent possessed great physical strength, but Meetra was able to block his attacks mostly with one hand, giving her an opportunity to deliver her own strikes. But each time, the Sith Lord was able to bring his own weapon in defense so quickly as if he was wielding two lightsabers as well.
"You know war," he praised her. "You know battle. And I know of Malachor," he said, staring at her with both of his eyes – one was entirely white, devoid of color. It had a large scar around it, as if a piece of his skin was ripped from that spot. It sent shivers down her spine again, feeling as if that blind eye was penetrating her soul. "You saw the heart of war, what Malachor wrought, yet you turned away from it."
Meetra has managed to deliver her own powerful strike, causing the Sith Lord to stumble a few steps backward. She breathed heavily, correcting her grip on her lightsabers. She brushed away a strand of hair that fell into her eyes, just in time to block another blow from her opponent.
"You are a wretched thing," the Sith Lord continued speaking, all the time attacking her. It was as if he wasn't getting tired from their combat, unlike Meetra. Never before in her life has she dueled against someone who was using a lightsaber and was trained in the ways of the Force. "A thing of weakness and fear. You are her apprentice in name only," he added, causing Meetra's heart to skip a beat. He didn't have to clarify who he was talking about. "I am the Master."
The Sith Lord seemed to notice the look of hesitance on her face caused by his words. He smiled wickedly at her. "Yes, I know her," he said, attacking her from the side. This cut could have easily decapitated Meetra if it wasn't for the fact that she had managed to block it. "I know her as an apprentice knows their master, and as a master knows their apprentice," he clarified.
Meetra couldn't afford to examine his words. Surviving that duel was much more important. Perhaps if she managed to defeat him, she would wonder on what he had said. But still, his words echoed within her mind. Their duel continued, with each side refusing to give up. Meetra was mostly at the defense, attempting to tire the Sith Lord, but every now and then, she managed to deliver her own attack, wanting to find and exploit any mistake made by her opponent. But there were none. There was nothing she could have used to her advantage.
Atton and the handmaiden were already exhausted from their fight against the Sith assassins, though they continued holding their ground. The pilot has cast away his blaster and picked up the staff from one of his fallen enemies. After enduring the training of a Sith assassin himself and becoming the best in Revan's Empire, Atton was able to defeat most of his opponents, though not without breaking a sweat. Not to mention that they were heavily outnumbered.
But simply carrying the title of a Sith assassin didn't enhance someone's skills in battle. Their opponents could have had numbers on their side, but Atton had years of practice to back him up. Judging by their abilities in combat, Atton assumed that his opponents haven't even seen as many Jedi in their lives as he had killed in his time as 'Jaq'. He couldn't help smirking. He recalled many adepts he had helped to train in his spare time between missions. Even some of those raw recruits were better at fighting than his enemies.
His thoughts of the past have quickly slipped away from his mind, though, after he caught with a corner of his eye what was happening in the middle of the chamber. It didn't take him much time to realize that Meetra was losing in her duel against the Sith Lord. Gritting his teeth, he pushed back the assassin he was currently fighting with and thrust the staff into his body, impaling him and killing him instantly. He dropped his weapon, knowing that it would only slow him down. He started running as fast as he could, heading towards Meetra and the Sith Lord.
One of her lightsabers has already been knocked away from her hand, forcing her to defend herself without any possibility of delivering her own attack. She was being pushed back by the enormous strength that was hidden in every attack coming from the Sith Lord. Meetra was gripping her lightsaber with both of her hands, attempting not to lose her only weapon. But her efforts proved to be in vain. A powerful cut, delivered from her left, has forced her to drop her weapon if she wanted to keep her arm. The Sith Lord's blow could have easily dislocated her shoulder if she was holding her lightsaber more tightly. She was defenseless. The Sith Lord raised his blade high above his head, aiming to kill her with one final blow.
Neither he nor Meetra saw Atton running at them. The young man sprinted towards the Sith Lord, knocking him away from the Exile. He grabbed her opponent in the waist, forcing him to stumble a few steps backward. The surprise attack has knocked his crimson blade away from his grip.
Having no weapons at him, Atton began attacking the Sith Lord with his bare hands, attempting to use his speed to his advantage and take down Meetra's opponent. It was a futile attempt, and he was aware of that, but he was willing to try. Atton has managed to deliver a few powerful punches, hitting the Sith Lord on his face, though it brought no result.
The Sith Lord has quickly managed to shake off the initial shock and began defending himself from Atton's assault. He caught his fist with his hand when the pilot tried to punch him again and gripped it tightly. Atton screamed loudly, feeling the bone of his hand being broken. He gasped for air when the Sith Lord clenched his fist around his throat and lifted him from the ground, using only his own strength, not the Force.
"I know you," he said hatefully, suffocating Atton. The young man was struggling against the powerful grip. "You reek of him," he said, tightening his grip around his neck. "Of that traitor. And I've sworn to destroy everything he has built," he clarified, gritting his teeth.
"There is… nothing worse you could do to me," Atton has managed to say, still gasping for air. "Take your time," he whispered, looking the Sith Lord straight in the eyes.
"That's where you're wrong," he countered. "I will remake you," he promised menacingly. "So when I look upon you, it shall be like a mirror. Then I shall let you die," he said, sending a Force Lightning through Atton. The man in his grasp was shaking uncontrollably, but the Sith Lord was still holding him tightly. He summoned his lightsaber back to him and ignited it, piercing Atton's abdomen.
He dropped the pilot after hearing Meetra's scream. He turned around, only to see her charging at him with both of her lightsabers ignited. With her newfound strength, she began attacking the Sith Lord ferociously, attempting to push him away from Atton. She succeeded at doing that, forcing her opponent to defend himself from her attacks.
Her onslaught didn't last long, though, as the Sith Lord has quickly regained his composure and began attacking Meetra. Once again, she had been forced to defend herself, breathing heavily from the effort. She saw with the corner of her eye that Atton was being attended to by Lonna, who has managed to defeat her own opponent. Raana was lying in the middle of the chamber, dead. The handmaiden was protecting them, fighting off the Sith assassins. But no matter how many they have managed to kill, more and more were coming.
The Sith Lord has pushed her away with his attack, causing her to stumble backward. She used that split second of pause to correct her grip on her lightsabers that were sliding away from her sweaty hands. She was still breathing heavily, but she was happy to see that Atton was being healed by the former Jedi Master. She would have never expected that seeing him in such pain would cause her to fight so viciously.
Just as the Sith Lord was going to charge at her again, something unexpected happened. A double-bladed purple lightsaber flew across the chamber, colliding with Meetra's opponent. She gasped in shock after seeing it. The Sith Lord wasn't caught by surprise, though, as he managed to deflect the weapon with ease. Meetra risked turning around, wanting to see who had helped them.
At the entrance of the corridor from which they came, a purple female Twi'lek was standing, holding the lightsaber that has returned to her. Meetra sighed with relief, realizing that the Force has sent them aid. The stranger sprinted across the chamber, running towards Meetra and the Sith Lord, just like Atton did a few minutes earlier. She cut down effortlessly the assassins who tried to stop her and attacked the Sith.
Meetra wasn't waiting long to act. She joined the Twi'lek, and the two females were attacking their opponent ferociously, forcing him to defend himself. It was easier for the Exile to fight against him when she was being aided by another Jedi.
They've quickly managed to get the upper hand. Despite the fact that the Sith Lord has summoned Raana's lightsaber to help himself, he was unable to keep up with the attacks. One of his lightsabers has been cut in half, and Meetra used that opening to her advantage, pushing both of her weapons forward, attempting to pierce the Sith Lord's chest. She has succeeded at that, causing him to fall to his knees. Her opponent screamed in pain as Meetra retracted her lightsabers.
Meetra's initial pride was quickly replaced with shock when the painful yell turned into a hateful scream that echoed throughout the Academy. She watched as the Sith Lord in front of her shook with rage and felt the Force coursing through him.
Sion, Meetra heard Kreia's voice. He cannot be defeated, not as long as Korriban runs through him. He is not a beast of flesh and blood. It is not a battle that can be won. Flee! she commanded, practically shouting the last word.
Deciding not to argue with the old woman, Meetra turned around and urged others to follow her. They've complied immediately, feeling that continuing to battle against the Sith would be pointless. The Exile, alongside Lonna, helped Atton to get to his feet. The former Jedi Master has managed to heal his wound to some extent, but he was still in pain. The purple Twi'lek and the handmaiden were following them closely, protecting their backs from the assassins.
They have sprinted through the corridor that they've entered through as fast as they could, with Atton between their arms. He was panting heavily, and he was pale due to the loss of blood. Fortunately for him, Lonna has made sure to close his wound with the Force, preventing more blood loss. But his body hasn't been cured fully, and he required immediate medical attention.
Meetra let out a sigh of relief after noticing that the entrance to the Academy was unlocked. It had to be, though, after the purple Twi'lek has come to aid them. She didn't know what to think of an unexpected ally, but she was sure that she had no hostile intentions towards them. After all, she wouldn't have helped them if she was their enemy. She would speak with her later, after safely retreating to the Ebon Hawk.
They've left the Academy and entered the canyon that was leading to the Valley of the Sith Lords and their ship. Meetra risked turning around, wanting to see if they still were being pursued. She saw the Twi'lek shutting down the door with the Force and blocking it. It gave them a few precious seconds of advantage.
"Run back to the Ebon Hawk," Meetra ordered, directing her words to the handmaiden. The young woman nodded wordlessly. "Tell Bao-Dur to launch the ship immediately!" she yelled behind the servant of Atris. She has quickly run out of the canyon, heading directly towards the ship. The Exile was panting heavily, exhausted from the fight and from carrying Atton. She was surprised at how heavy he actually was.
She didn't dare to look around after hearing the doors to the Academy being broken down. She only nodded at Lonna, urging her to run faster. She tried to increase her speed, despite the loud protest of her muscles. She looked up, finding hope in the silhouette of the Ebon Hawk that was getting closer and closer to them. It wasn't long before she heard the ship's engines coming to life, but they failed at blocking the shouts that were coming from behind them. The assassins were slowly catching up with them.
They ran between the tall monuments of the Valley, not daring to face their opponents again. The purple Twi'lek tried to slow them down by knocking over one of the stone statues. Her action has caught a few of the assassins by surprise, as they were pinned down to the ground by the heavy monument, but others continued their pursuit. The Sith Lord – Sion, as Kreia named him – was chasing them as well.
The Ebon Hawk was no more than a hundred meters away from them. Meetra sighed with relief after seeing the loading ramp being lowered down. The handmaiden was waiting for them, wanting to help them to get on the ship.
Meetra accelerated her moves with the Force, and Lonna did the same, knowing that they couldn't stop. They had to make it back to the ship as soon as possible, or Korriban would become their grave as well. The Exile was surprised to see the guns of the Ebon Hawk being lowered down. The Valley was soon filled with the sounds of turbo lasers, aimed at those that were pursuing them.
They've reached the loading ramp, covered by whoever was operating the gun turret. Meetra gladly accepted the handmaiden's outstretched hand that helped her to get on the ship that has already started taking off from the ground. She jumped at the platform, and, with Lonna's help, she lifted Atton with the Force. The former Jedi Master jumped up, followed closely by the purple Twi'lek. Meetra pressed the button to close the loading ramp after making sure that everyone was already back in the safety of the Ebon Hawk.
One of the assassins, however, tried to chase them even further, and jumped right behind the purple Twi'lek. Their unexpected ally yelled in surprise after feeling a pair of strong hands grab her torso. She lost her balance and fell back, struggling to fight against her opponent. The loading ramp was still being closed, and she had to hurry, or her lower half would remain in the Valley of the Sith Lords.
Meetra didn't waste time thinking about what to do. She activated both of her lightsabers and dashed to help the Twi'lek. With a precise swing, she cut off both of the assassin's arms, causing him to fall down to the ground. Meetra has helped her to get back on her feet right before the loading ramp was closed. She felt the Ebon Hawk gaining speed, leaving the planet's surface behind them.
"Thanks," the Twi'lek breathed out, gasping for air. Meetra only nodded her head, knowing that it wasn't the time to chat. They had to get Atton to the medical bay.
Lonna helped her once again and lifted Atton, this time using the Force to do it. Meetra directed them to the small room that had some medical supplies in it. The former Jedi Master laid down the young man slowly, careful not to reopen his wound. Atton only grunted quietly after feeling the soft mattress behind his back.
"I need the Kolto packs," Meetra announced, examining Atton. She took off his jacket and his shirt, leaving him topless. She wanted to be sure if he was hurt only in the abdomen. The handmaiden has quickly provided her with the medicine, almost immediately finding it in one of the drawers. The Exile nodded her head and unboxed the small package. She applied the bandages that were soaked up with Kolto, wrapping them around Atton's midsection. Lonna helped her to keep Atton in a semi-sitting position that allowed her to apply the medicine. Atton grunted again after feeling the cold material on his wounds.
"He needs the oxygen," Lonna informed him after scanning Atton with the Force. "His windpipe has almost been crashed," she said, examining the man's neck. Meetra has quickly found the breathing mask and connected it to the oxygen cylinder. She put the apparatus on Atton's face and opened the turncock of the container.
"He needs morphine as well," Lonna said, still checking for any more injuries. "The electricity has done severe damage to his internal organs, and I'll have to operate him, but I won't be able to do it without the anesthetic," she said quickly.
"Can you save him?" Meetra asked hesitantly after injecting the liquid into Atton's bloodstream.
"If I start now, then yes," Lonna replied. "I just need time. It's been quite a while since I've practiced my healing abilities, but I haven't forgotten them."
"Do you need help?" she queried, gripping Atton's hand tightly. The Exile was observing his face, still contorted with pain.
"No," Lonna replied quickly, immediately beginning to carry out the operation. "And I think it would be better if you remained outside," she added. Meetra was about to voice her objection, but the former Jedi Master was quicker. "He will be fine, I promise you that. And you won't be able to help him without calming down first," she reasoned with her, though Meetra has still remained unconvinced. "Go. I'll inform you when I'm finished," she added, placing a comforting hand on the Exile's shoulder.
Meetra looked at Atton's face once again. The grimace of pain has vanished from his face already, due to the fact that he fell unconscious because of the morphine. Finding sense in Lonna's words, Meetra left the small room, closing the door behind her. She knew that pacing in front of the medical bay would be a pointless waste of time, and so she headed through the hall that was leading towards the crew quarters that Kreia used as her mediation chamber. There were things she had to clear up with the old lady.
Okay, that would be it for today. Let me know if you like what I'm doing with the events of KotOR 2, and see you in the next chapter.