Krant: Transmission room
"Your move… Echuu," said Sev'Rance, smiling a sharp cold smile as her eyes blazed with the power that had so attracted Dooku to take her as his right hand. Echuu said nothing as he circled the blue woman with the cool motion of a warrior whose skills were about to be employed to there fullest.
Spinning faster then would have been thought possible Echuu pretended to bring his blade up but at the last moment he ducked under her defense and went to stab her and end the fight before it had begun. Sliding her second blade down and in front of Echuu's strike almost before he went to stab Sev'Rance went to bring her second blade down on the Jedi Masters head.
Spinning away at the last moment Echuu rolled under a computer panel and vanished. Disengaging the yellow blade Sev'Rance switched to a defensive stance and began to stretch out her senses for the hiding master, "Echuu?" she cooed, "Do you recognize this blade? Do you recognize its color?" she smirked, "Do you recognize its smell? Its sense? Do you know whose it is? Yes… you do, I can sense the hatred you've buried for so long coming to the surface as I speak. You do remember this blade," spinning around at the last second Sev'Rance brought the Cyan blade to parry against Echuu's strike just as it was about to land, "It is fitting I use it to run you through now," suddenly the second blade was in her hand and Echuu was back on the defensive.
Krant: Observation RoomBlocking each strike as they came was no easy task and for some strange reason Echuu could no longer touch the force as he had a few minutes ago. There seemed to be something blocking him… as if he couldn't fully connect as he once had. "Let me help you," whispered the shadow that lurked at the base of his spine, "You have wandered to far from the light, call out to the darkness – you true power! Only then will you be able to defeat the woman who stands before you,"
"Can you here it Echuu?" asked Sev'Rance as she brought her blades down even harder on the tiring master, "Can you here the beckoning of the dark side? Answer it you fool! Let it claim you… if you truly want to let poor little Stam rest in peace then you WILL answer that call,"
Echuu's face changed suddenly, a rock hard sheen seemed to come to it as he blocked away the darkness of the shadow and power that he could feel growing as Sev'Rance speak of Stam, "You have no right to speak his name," with a flurry of motion Echuu back-flipped away from Sev'Rance and as he jumped he sliced his blade through the observation window and landed in the poring rain on the outside ledge, "You have no right to draw breath Sith Bitch!" he shouted as he grabbed a boulder sitting on the ground miles below and called it to him, "I plan to rectify this!" using the force he broke the stone apart and threw the huge pieces at the woman.
Everything was going as planned, at least for Sev'Rance. Using the force she ran at Echuu and slid under the rocks as they came flying at her – suddenly one of the rocks smacked into her hand and sent the Cyan blade flying into the wall – where it exploded with a crunch, "Perhaps this is going to well," she thought to herself as she dodged the last rock and sent her yellow blade spinning at Echuu – who leapt over it and jumped onto the roof, "He shouldn't be calling on the force for attack this soon," If Sev'Rance hadn't been so cocky she'd have thought more on this. But being who she was the Sith Acolyte jumped onto the ledge and then onto the roof.
Krant: Transmission room"Naat?" called Eli hoarsely as he came lurching into the room, "Naat?" suddenly he saw her lying on the floor, gasping the clone ran over to the fallen woman and grabbed her. Holding her tightly as if he could squeeze the life back into her Eli sobbed softly as he muttered a few Mandalorian prayers.
"Your hurting me," said a soft voice, looking down Eli's smile returned as Naat's eyes slid open, "Your alive!" he said as he kissed her, "By the force your alive!" tears sprang to the young woman's eyes at the first sight of real emotion on Eli's face, "I couldn't die without your say-so Eli," she said softly, "You and Echuu outrank me after all," laughing despite the tears Eli held her closer.
"Where's master Shen-John?" he asked as he patched up the burns that were all over her body from the DEMP gun, "I don't know," she rasped, "I can't sense him… I can't sense anything at all from him other then his life force... it almost as if…" suddenly a pained look came to her eyes, "Oh by the force!" she said, "He's weakening… I can feel the Darkside overshadowing him," she whimpered as a child whose parent had just been hurt, "It means to claim him Eli," she whispered, "He's going to fall!"
"I think that DEMP gun hit you to hard," said Eli, laughing despite the pain in his chest, "Echuu is one of the most powerful Jedi I've ever known, he is fiercely loyal to the…" Naat shook her head angrily and tried to sit up, "Eli don't you understand?! Echuu is facing something that has tried Jedi for centuries! The call of the Darkside is not something that can be easily avoided," her eyes began to close as her body forced her to begin to heal, "He's going to fail… I can sense it," he eyes began to close, "Echuu Shen-Jon shall not leave Krant as a Jedi,"
Krant: RooftopSpinning around Echuu nearly slipped in the rain as he brought his blade to bear against Sev'rance's attack. With both of her Lightsabers the woman had fought without worry – now she was defending herself and attacking with one blade, with a ferocity that far outstripped her ability with two blades. Echuu had more then met his match… he had met his end.
What really filled him with fear was the knowledge that he had called upon the force for attack. "A Jedi uses his power for defense – never attack," a proverb that all younglings have bled into them, and yet Echuu had forgotten that so easily… what was it about Sev'Rance that gave her the ability to so easily touch every one of his raw nerves?
"Why won't you just die?!" bellowed Echuu as he blocked yet another of her strikes and pulled away. The two blade masters circled each other like wolves – one of them wounded and tired, the other fueled by an unknown strength that outlasted even the force. "I can sense anger in you Echuu," said Sev'Rance, "That's not very 'Jedi' like," suddenly the anger that he had felt was amplified and rushing to his head, "I can feel it call to you, beckon you to use it," she ran at him and barely missed his strike as he blocked her attack and spun to deliver a killing move to her spine.
"Why didn't' I sense that?" she thought worriedly, putting her hand against the secret at her neck the woman glowered, "I should never have used this accursed thing," she thought as she parried the Jedi Master as a sudden rush of energy flowed through him.
Without warning the haze over his mind lifted just as Sev'rance's fear overcame her confidence. Echuu began to realize that something was amplifying her power – and lessening it whenever she lost confidence. Spinning around Echuu's attack stopped mid slice as he caught sight of something dangling in Sev'rance's hand. He stepped back and dropped his blade as she lifted it high and a sudden piercing fire of fear burned into his mind.
"Do you see THIS Echuu?!" she bellowed, suddenly her muscles began to expand and her armor grew thicker to compensate for her growing bulk, "The Vor'Na'Tu," whispered Echuu as he saw it dangle in her hand… for some strange reason he no longer felt fear… but a growing desire for something, "The greatest creation of Sith Alchemy ever! A weapon of the Jedi that was twisted during the first days of our order!" Sev'Rance could feel her lust for power and anger sharpen her powers and her body as they were enhanced by the relic, "Do you really think that my masters wanted your puny weapon?! No Echuu, this weapon was hid here ages ago by the Sith ancients – and we have come to claim it for the Sith once again," she lifted the relic high and twined it so that it fit over her ears like a crown. Her Chiss eyes burned like living fire as the Vor'Na'Tu's glowing blue gem sat between them, "And now I use this power to bend you to our will!" she shouted.
Echuu could feel the lust for the Vor'Na'Tu growing. He had heard of this weapon in ancient tales… the Vor'Na'Tu was a power amplifier and had been used by the ancient Sith Lords to bend Jedi to they're will, they had found that the relic had the opposite effect on Jedi Knights and masters and those without the strongest will would be drawn by its dark whispers and its promise of power. Drawn so strongly that, once they saw it, they would kill any to claim it.
Suddenly the crystal began to twitch… Sev'rance's connection with it was severed and her power began to fade, looking all over her rapidly shrinking body the woman tried to draw more power to her but instead it was being pulled into the crystal. Looking up Sev'Rances fear sharpened as she saw the crystals reflection in Echuu's eyes… the crystal was calling out to the power that the Jedi master possessed and he was answering.
Calling her blade to her hand Sev'Rance was surprised as she nearly fell out of her boots, they had grown bigger – as had her torso body armor. Her breast guard simply fell off and she looked in shock at her tiny breast and thinning arms. Suddenly she realized what was happening, judging from the sudden adolescence of her breasts, her skin her entire body. The crystal was not only draining her power it was draining her life as it fed Echuu's lust.
Leaning forward the blue woman shoved the crystal off of her head and shook herself, with a flash the crystal faded out and Sev'Rance looked at her new form. Gone was the tall well-curved leader of the Confederacy droid army – in its place was a longhaired doe-eyed child of fourteen. Her barely expanded chest made her age obvious, as did the length of her hair. Chiss women did not grow very much on top until they were older. In short Sev'Rance had lost nearly ten years of her life.
Calling out to the darkness Sev'Rance spun the blade and marveled at the energy level of her new body, it felt strong and quick, without the armor - which was now far to large – she felt a lightness and speed that she hadn't felt for years. Her clothing contained nothing more then a few scanty pieces of cloth covering her top and her waste down to her knee's. Ignoring the smaller-factors of her height Sev'Rance lunged at Echuu – her strength was less but her Dark powers and knowledge of the force remained – the adrenaline and the hormones of this new form enhanced both of those skills.
Her youth gave her an unlimited store of speed and energy. Something Echuu wasn't all that sure he could face as she sprang from place to place and brought her blade to bear on him no matter where he stepped. As he fought her Echuu was shocked at the memories that were flowing through his mind. His lust for the Vor'Na'Tu that now sat on the ground six feet away in the rain had blinded him to the truth of what had happened at the battle of Geonosis. He now remembered that he had seen the gem on Sev'Rances neck when she had fought him with Stam's Lightsaber… he had wanted it so badly that he had lied to the council and his friends in an attempt to gain it for himself.
That was why the Jedi had never tried to find the weapon. No force user could resist its call. Now Echuu was battling for his life against a foe he had never needed to fight. She had used his anger and his hatred of her to cover the truth even from him. Only now did he realize just what she was capable of… and he no longer saw how he was going to leave here.
Spinning around Sev'Rance crowed at the adrenaline and power that was flowing through her young body, she was pulling moves and attacking the Jedi master faster then she had ever fought anyone before. The power of youth and the power of the Darkside were hers to command – suddenly she heard the dark whisper. The Vor'Na'Tu was calling to her again. Dooku had trained her to resist the weapons charm but this was different. "The crystal is for Sidious…" she thought to herself, "But what do I need those fools for? The Empress! That is who I shall become, they will crawl before me just as Echuu and the Jedi shall," reaching out to the weapon she called it to her hand. Gripping the relic she began to drain energy from the force and sent it flowing through the focusing crystal. Spinning around she used it to send ball of orange energy straight at Echuu, slamming him into the wall and sending his Lightsaber spiraling into the darkness.
"Power!" she chirped in her new voice, "This weapon is pure power!" she grinned crazily at Echuu as the energy from the Vor'Na'Tu burned through him and levitated her into the air, "You can see your end now can't you Echuu?! I shall have the power my foolish master intended to waste on some Sith Lord! I will have your life force!" She used the force to bring her armor to her. With a rush of energy she returned her body to its proper age and returned her armor to its natural place, "I shall rule all you fool!"
Echuu screamed against the pain… but deep in his mind, the anger and hatred of the woman turned child turned woman began to focus itself again. The need to avenge Stam – a poison that Sev'Rance had placed inside his mind with the power of the Vor'Na'Tu began to surface again. Suddenly Echuu no longer cared for the war… he wanted the Vor'Na'Tu more then anything, he wanted it to avenge Stam! He wanted it to avenge Naat… and he would have it.
Reaching out with the force Echuu yanked the crystal out of the woman's hand, Sev'Rance screamed as it sliced itself through her palm. The power she controlled vanished and she fell to the ground and began screaming in agony over the hole that had been torn through her hand. Echuu held the crystal in his hand, he felt his power grow – his senses strengthen at the smell of the blood of the Chiss woman and the rain that covered him and the necklace in his hand.
Putting it around his neck he looked at the writhing from of the woman, "She is not worthy of the power that was granted her," Whispered the crystal, "No," said Echuu, his anger growing with each passing second, "But her life force could grant you much, take it from her," "Yes," said Echuu.
Suddenly Sev'Rance felt herself being lifted into the air. With a flash her arms shrank to her side and her legs drew themselves up until they were tiny. Without warning her hair fell out and her clothing and armor fell to the ground. In the place of the once great warrior hung a screaming infant with a bleeding hand.
"Wha ha you don?" asked the now toothless and tiny child, "You are not worthy of your power," said Echuu, his eyes burning with the power of the crystal and his voice deep and demonic, "We have given you some back, and now we take it all away,"
Suddenly Sev'rance's form began to grow "Stop!" she shouted as teeth began to grow in her mouth and hair began to grow on her head, within seconds the struggling infant began to grow into a six year old, "Sthop thith!" she shouted in a tiny voice – affected by a lisp, "Whereth your honor?!" she screamed, "Where was yours when you killed our Padawan?!" bellowed Echuu as he drained more of her life. With in seconds Sev'Rance passed into the budding years of adolescence, her hair and body growing larger as she aged, "Please stop!" she wailed, crying now as emotions and hormones coursed through aging body. "Tears?" asked Echuu, "We grow strong from your fear! It feeds us!"
Krant: Transmission roomNaat was lying in the middle of the floor; she was sweating profusely and screaming incomprehensible words as she writhed about on the floor. Suddenly the tall form of Rahn could be seen in the door – or at least it would have been tall if he wasn't on the floor crawling, both of his ears were bleeding and he seemed to be half-crazed with pain as he crawled towards Eli, "What is happening?" he asked weakly as he collapsed to the floor, "Pain!" he shouted as he grabbed his temple, "Make it stop!" he looked at Eli pleadingly, "Stop the pain! Someone is tearing a hole in the force!" falling to the floor he began screaming even louder, "Make it stop!"
Krant: RooftopMinutes latter Sev'Rance began to shrink again, her aging form progressing so far that she was positively crone-like, she no longer had the will to fight and was simply lying there crying. Echuu could feel the pain of two others below him, the pain made him stronger and he cared nothing for who the pain was coming from, "Naat" said a voice, Echuu shook the voice out of his head – it was the voice of someone who would let those he loved die… his own voice… without warning the gems glow began to fade.
Looking at Sev'Rance Echuu let go of the gem and allowed it to sit about his neck, calling his Lightsaber out of the darkness Echuu ignited it, "And now… crone," he said, "We will kill you," a gurgle of fear escaped Sev'Rance Tann's lips as Echuu spun around and brought the blade down through her neck and let the bag of skin drop to the floor.
"Echuu?" called a voice, spinning around Echuu grabbed the crystal – thinking that another fool dared to challenge him Echuu was shocked when who should stand before him but a glowing form that looked much like a boy he once knew, "Stam?" he asked softly, his blade fell from his hand as did the crystal when he lurched towards his Padawan, "Our brother… our Padawan… you were like our son… we've given you peace… you can rest now," he glowered, "We go to kill more who would cause pain to those we love,"
"Master… what have you done?" asked Stam, "You have called me from the gray twilight," he pointed at Sev'rance's twisted form, "You have torn a hole in the force… you have robbed someone of they're very essence and being," Echuu shook his head, "We have-" Stam held up his hand, "We? Master We? There is no we, there's no our – there is only Echuu Shen-Jon… the man who raised and trained me," he smiled sadly, "There is only my Master," Suddenly the crystals glow vanished, the anger that had guided Echuu faded… the hatred and pain that had grown in his heart faded… all that was left was a tired old man consumed by his own grief.
Echuu fell to his knees, "Stam… what have I done?" tears sprang into his eyes, "The Darkside called me and I answered," looking up Echuu tried to find Stam… he wanted to beg him for forgiveness – to plead with him to forgive what he had done to the force… what he had done to Stam. Echuu had forced Stam back into consciousness after the boy had become one with the force, "By the force Stam… forgive me… I'm not the man I was," tears came freely as he tried to find Stam, "Stam? Please Stam?" looking left and right Echuu reached out to the force in hope of finding Stam… but no answer came… no feel of the force came… nothing came.
"No," said Echuu as he tried to bring the force into his body, to comfort him as he had when he was a child, "NO!" Echuu wailed as a mortal does when his heart breaks after losing someone that has been with him as long as he could remember. For in his heart he knew the truth, he had torn and beaten the force… and it had left him.
Krat: Orbit: Observation Deck onboard Echuu's Venator-class Star Destroyer the Jedi's Resolve
Naat sighed as she cradled her broken arm; her once long hair had been trimmed incredibly short to aid in the healing of her burned neck and shoulders. A single tear slid down her face as she looked out of the observation decks window at the planet bellow.
"All went as planned," Rahn told Yoda and the gathered Council members on the holo-projector, "The Confederacy force has been beaten back and Sev'Rance Tann has been killed. The Decimator has been destroyed and Krant reclaimed,"
"What of Master Echuu?" asked Mace, worry could be seen on the Korun Jedi Masters face – something few ever saw.
"He was killed master," said Naat before Rahn could speak, "A group of battle droids came upon him when he was weakened by the attack from Sev'Rance Tann and killed him,"
"A dark wound," said Yoda, "Sensed from Krant it was… someone, a hole in the force they tore… such things do not heal easily," he shook his head, "Such things, created easily they are not, what of the hole?"
"It was created by a Sith Relic," said Rahn, "Who or what made it we do not know… according to the archive many are still missing so…" he shrugged, "What are your orders my masters?"
"To Coruscant you return now," said Yoda, "Debrief you we must, much more to this tale I sense but speak of it we shall not until return you do," he bowed his head, "May the force be with you," with that the holo-projector winked out.
"If you'll pardon me sir," Eli said to Rahn, "Why did we not give your masters the true report?" Rahn sighed and bowed his head, "Because somewhere down there Echuu faced the darkness inside himself. I do not think he lost… but I do not think he won either," Rahn nodded at Naat, "We agree that the wound created by Echuu could only have sealed itself so quickly if Echuu did it himself… and the only way to do that…"
"Is to close oneself off from the force," said Naat softly, "Wherever my master is now I know this to be true; I said he would not leave this planet a Jedi… and he will not. Master Echuu has exiled himself here," she bowed her head, "We can only pray that he finds the answer he needs,"
Rahn nodded sadly as he left the room and went to the bridge to begin preparations for the jump to hyperspace. Eli came up behind Naat and put his arms around her, his armor had been left in the shuttle that they'd come on board in, he was wearing little more then a gray shirt and a pair of loose pants, "Will he survive?" he asked her, "He was a great man… whatever claimed him must have been truly powerful… will he ever return to the Republic?"
Naat said nothing, for over two minutes she simply stood there, finally she sighed and spoke, "Eli… my love?" she asked, "Yes Naat?" he said softly, "Just hold me," she said as tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. Turning around Naat buried her face in his chest, "Just hold me,"
In all of his life Eli, Clone 1071E, had never found an order so easy to follow.
To Be Concluded…