Chapter Two
"So tell me Grievous, you didn't seem surprised that I was here before we began crossing blades? Did you somehow get prior information from someone on the inside?" Depa asked. "Oh yes, a spy of ours you may know as Quinlan Vos was charged with the task of seeing what was going on," Grievous answered. I suppose that would make sense, he has the ability to hide his presence in the Force as he pleases; perhaps that was why I was edgy around Xizor: because I suspected Vos' presence though I couldn't actually sense it thanks to his Cloaking ability she thought silently.
"So Vos is still working for the Separatists, eh? Hardly impressive, if you ask me or surprising for that matter," she said. "Enough talk now, just die!" he said before resuming the duel they had been fighting. She herself resumed her usage of Jar'Kai as he presented another blade on the opposite end of the red blade he had been using which explained the abnormally long hilt.
The two of them continued to clash, Depa's Jar'Kai still overwhelming Grievous' use of a double-sided lightsaber in unison with a traditional Jedi blade. Then, in an unexpected clash of blades, Grievous somehow managed to destroy both the blue blade Depa used and the green one he had. How he did this appeared to be using the double-sided lightsaber to sever her hand off to no avail. "Quite the accidental stroke of genius on your part, General," Depa said, dismissing the weapon she had held.
She merely switched back to Vaapad at this point with some occasional spurts of Ataru energy that threw the good General completely off. In the meantime, the Black Sun troops continued to finish off the battle droids Grievous had brought with him to the point of forcing them on the retreat. "Your forces are rallied and driven back, Grievous. Do you follow their heed and retreat or do you continue and risk capture as well as the theft of that interesting blade of yours?" Depa asked when she noticed this.
Grievous seemed to be at indecision, clearly desiring to add her lightsaber to his collection but also wanting to make sure he got out alive. Her Battle Meld combined with the strength of Black Sun's security have secured her victory against me. It's only a matter of time before they get to my shuttle and destroy it, incapacitating my ability to escape he thought to himself. She smiled him smugly so as to rub the security of her victory in his face so as to hopefully further his decision.
Fortunately for her, it did and when he decided, he first lifted up one of his feet to her face, grabbed it and jumped so as to use his weight to bring her down. "We will meet again Depa Billaba and I will be having your lightsaber added to my collection!" he shouted. Then he let her go and made a bolt for his shuttle so as to be able to survive long enough to report his failure to Dooku. Hardly the right thing to do when you're a man of honor or emulate the false aura of honor she thought.
Watching him flee, she had to pity him: all this prowess and he couldn't kill an old woman wielding an orange lightsaber. And I am not even anywhere near as old as my Mistress who should be naught but dust long blown away by the winds of time. Instead, she still exists to threaten those who once betrayed her and destroyed all she had once loved Depa thought, reflecting on the life of Arden Lyn as it currently was. "Milady, we will soon be disposing of the last battle droids that remain on the docking bays, shall we give pursuit to the General and his other forces?" Xizor asked.
"No, let them go, Grievous is counting on us to push our luck by pursuing him into space where his cruiser can down many of us before we even knock out the shields with what we have. Besides, why continue fighting when we have already won?" she answered. Xizor nodded, accepting that perhaps it was for the better that they let the Separatist commander leave and lick off the wounds in his pride. Besides, the Falleen prince could already brag that he had beaten back one of the more powerful leaders of the Separatists with naught but his guards and the help of a fallen Jedi.
Though if he bragged too much, Dooku would likely arrange another fleet to come back when Depa was gone and incapable of aiding them. But let's brag about it enough to where the galaxy knows of Black Sun's deeds and is asked how we did it by Republic officials Xizor thought with an external smile. "I will still need to leave for Malastare, your Majesty. Could you arrange a shuttle once you've seen to the cleanup work on this base?" Depa asked suddenly.
"Yes milady, I actually had one ready for you before the attack went underway and if we drove them back soon enough, it's still there. The pilot will take you there and then he will report back to me seeing as it's likely going to be a one-way trip for you and your Mistress," Xizor answered, surprised. "It will be a one-way until our work is completed where it needs to be conducted and not a moment sooner," she said. "I understand and with that said, may the Force be with you in your endeavors with your Mistress," he said with a bow.
Arden landed on Glee Anselm and made her way through the village of tents and makeshift camps that the Vahla had set up for the Gathering. Her black robes combined with more than half of her face being covered by the hood intimidated most into leaving her alone. However, those who were not intimidated merely looked on with a strange, confused curiosity at this apparition before them. They will discover a new meaning to the title Angel of Death if they are not careful she thought sinisterly.
Luckily, none of them provided resistance for her as she soon approached the palace the Tribal Chieftains would be occupying. The place was a magnificent sight to behold with towers on every corner, forming it into a square, with a more massive temple in the middle. Undoubtedly, the Master would be meeting in the plateau nearest the Temple and the Gates of their palace. The wealth on this fortress also threw her off as it gave the appearance of having been made from silver and gold.
However, she instantly recognized paint on much of it as well as what was really silver and gold, such as the statues at the top of the Gates and the Temple roof. But is it fortified well enough to defend against a powerful enemy such as myself? she asked silently. Her question was answered most disappointingly when she saw only two guards at the Gates and an old man with a staff. The old man stood at the front of the bridge she would need to ascend, several meters away from the guards.
She also noticed cables on opposite sides of the bridge that seemed to have something to do with the machination of the Gates. So she immediately made an attack plan that she knew would work before hastening her approach toward the front of the bridge that would elevate her to the Gates. First, she lifted the guards up with telekinesis and threw them off the bridge to a watery death below. The old man noticed this but by the time he turned back, she was already shooting bolts of green Force lightning.
So powerful and continuous was the current of lightning that the old sorcerer could do nothing except defend himself with a shield of telekinetic energy. But still, she kept coming even as the shield caused her some strain when she was pouring the electricity on him. As her onslaught intensified, so too did his usage of defensive magic but soon, it would become all too much for even his own capabilities. Hardly a challenge for someone as ancient as myself, let me guess: another would-be sect of the Sith she thought to herself as she smiled.
Then what she had intended for him happened: the shield reflected on the man and exploded his staff. Briefly, a brilliant flash of light clouded over the space where the sorcerer had been but when it disappeared he was burning furiously and screaming in agony. Arden paid no heed as he ran out of her way to try and find a pool of water big enough for him to put out the burning fire that killed him slowly. Instead, the woman pitilessly kept her course toward the gate and even unsheathed her sword to create a crescent blade of energy that cut the lines and began the slow process of opening the Gates.
No doubt, the tribal chieftains would find this surprise most unexpected but Arden Lyn would waste no time on formalities. When she passed by through the Gates, she was immediately greeted with the sight of dozens of Vahla warriors who might have been training were it not for her disturbance. "Is that a Black Angel of Death, I see before my eyes?" an inquisitive Vahla pupil asked.
"Perhaps I can be if you do not back away now," she hissed as she clutched his throat with the Force. When he surrendered, she let him go and continued on her path to the Chieftains she wanted. "We are the Four Chieftains of the Ember of Vahla and we demand that you identify yourself, woman!" one of the leaders shouted. "Good afternoon gentlemen, I am Arden Lyn and now that pleasantries are aside let me get to the point: I need you and all your peoples for a very special mission," she replied.
"What kind of mission?" another asked. "We will go beyond the galaxy's edge, beyond even the Unknown Regions and into the Great Void to fight an enemy unbeknownst to the Jedi or the Sith. Will you come back? That remains to be seen if you are skilled and you are willing to find out the location of your homeworld to which I can guide you in exchange for servitude to me," she replied.
"You dare to profess knowledge that which we ourselves do not possess!?" a third voice boomed, angered and dishonored by her statement. "And do you dare to insult the wife of the man who gave you the hammer you wield as a symbol of power amongst all tribes?" she replied. "Arden Lyn... if it's really you then your husband was Xendor, the namesake of this hammer," the first one interjected. "How do I put this into blunt terms: duh!" she said with a giggle.
Quickly, she observed that the first voice belonged to the leader of the Northern tribes who also had her husband's hammer. The one who felt insulted was from the West, the one who had inquired about the mission was from the East, and the one who had not yet spoken was from the South. But then the Southerner spoke and asked for a demonstration of her skills.
However, he was immediately stamped out by the Northerner for suggesting such a thing as a demonstration. "Perhaps you are Arden Lyn and perhaps you are not but you have violated sacred ground with the blood of two of our soldiers. Their bodies taint the waters that are below this Palace because of how they were violently killed by your power," he added. Then East and West charged to attack her, accepting South's suggestion that they find out her skill with a blade.
Arden steadied herself for the attack and when the latter of the two got close, she immediately ducked under him before jumping back up and kicking him down his back, smashing him against stone. When she had pinned him to the ground, the Westerner lunged just in time to meet her sword with his spear though much of her blade remained in its scabbard. Quicker than he could react, she hit him in the side of his face three or four times with the sheathed part of the blade. Unsheathing the rest of the blade, she sent several waves in the direction of the Northerner who had decided to intervene in the fight.
West had risen back up and proceeded to attack her with his own sword, which she parried with ease before hitting him with the pommel of hers. By this time, the Northerner had successfully repelled the bursts of energy she had sent his way and was about to hit her with the top of the hammer. Instead, she turned the tables on him by arming her sword with magic that would deflect his blow greatly enough to send him flying into the air for brief seconds and crashing onto the stairs below him. She sheathed her blade, having no desire to keep up the fight if she could avoid it and spoke again.
"This is your last opportunity to join my cause without any bloodshed that is both trivial and unnecessary in the long run," she warned. She didn't want to repeat it so she made certain that this time, she would kill them if they didn't go along with her offer. "Quiet witch! We are the Ember of Vahla and we do not give up a fight we've started until either we've finished it or perished trying!" the Northerner said.
By now, he had risen up from the blow she had dealt him but she knew he wouldn't be living long enough to enjoy it now. "Hmmm, very well," she whispered. Then she followed up on her threat by withdrawing her blade and cutting through the Westerner's arm and neck. She continued by diagonally bisecting the Easterner and concluded by both horizontally and vertically bisecting the Northerner.
None were able to strike after she had dealt the respective blows and all just stood where they were, petrified by the effects of the blade. That was when she finished off with her specialty of slowly sheathing her sword down to the last few inches or so and holding it there for a moment in time. Then she rammed the last of the blade back into its scabbard and watched as the blood and the gore spewed like volcanoes on a lava world.
The head and neck of the Westerner both fell off, the Easterner's upper half slid off the diagonal lower half, and the Northerner split into four equally sized pieces. Their blood stained the floor around them and even flowed to points of intermingling under Arden's black boots. During the chaos, the hammer had fallen from the Northerner's hands but she took it and offered it to the Southerner. "You never lifted a finger which tells me you would have joined me if you were allowed to," she said.
"You would give me what rightfully belongs to you far more than I?" the Southerner asked. "The whole of the Four Tribes would follow you more comfortably than they would ever follow me. Besides that, all you have to do in exchange for the hammer and knowledge of your homeworld is agree to join me for my noble crusade," Arden answered, nodding as she did so. "After careful consideration, I don't think I would have a choice even when faced with such a good deal as that," he admitted.
"Good that you understand that, perhaps renewing my relationship with you and your people will not be such a bad idea after all. But do tell me something now: who could I go to if I felt your numbers were not enough and I wanted another powerful ally to add to my armada of crusaders?" she asked. "I know not of very many tribes outside of the Jedi and the Sith but one powerful one could be the Sorcerers of Tund. But there's one problem: you just killed one of their more powerful members when you came in through the Gates," he answered.
"Would they sense his death greatly enough to know I was the one who did it? Otherwise, I doubt it's anything to worry about unless they can smell him on me," she inquired. These Sorcerers sounded intriguing and she truly did hope that her murdering one of their members would not be problematic. "If they couldn't, I wouldn't be citing it as a problem for your future relations with them," the Southerner replied.
Impressive, most impressive; perhaps Xendor would have found them worthwhile if he were with me now she thought but didn't say. "When do you think you can have your peoples rallied for a ride in my cruiser?" she asked aloud. "They'll be ready to leave the moment I command them to be," he answered. "Then mobilize them immediately, I want as many to travel with us as you can acquire," she ordered.
"Yes mademoiselle, I will have them ready immediately. There are a few who have become bounty hunters and will not be persuaded to join us. What do we do about them?" he asked before getting to his task. "Leave them, some of your people will need to stay in case none of you who come with me return from our mission; just for gratitude sake if none of you survive," she answered.
He nodded, understanding that it would be a good idea to have some of his people live to share the knowledge with others once Arden gave it to them. "And do tell me something about this enemy: do they know how to counter the Force?" he asked. "Energy-based attacks affect them but telekinetic related bursts have nothing on them," she admitted. "Then you have yourself an army that can destroy any of them: over eighty-percent of our powers are energy based," he said.
Good, good. It's just as Xendor and I remember it being when we helped form your present society she thought to herself. And when the Vahla were gathered for the mass-exodus off Glee Anselm, she signalled the Chiss Officers to ready accommodations for them. They would be their guests for a long while if not possibly all the way to death, after all.
Admiral Thrawn gazed at the formations presented on the holograms in his communications chamber. The Yuuzhan Vong had gotten bolder since Arden Lyn used Battle Meditation to force them back into the Void from whence they came. First they tried their best to destroy the shield of Killiks that Thrawn and his fellow Chiss had created. When the bugs fought back, they were repelled almost immediately but now they were trying something they had never been documented attempting before.
They were going to attempt to go around all defenses and attack from behind starting from a launching point on the planet Malastare in the Mid Rim. They do not know about Arden Lyn and her allies, or the Jedi and their Sith enemies for that matter. I wonder if Maul would notice them and think they would be someone to recruit to his cause as well Thrawn asked himself silently. But while he was watching their would-be counterattack off to the side he was watching their main force too.
"Keep a careful eye on the Western, Northwestern, and Northern frontiers where Yuuzhan Vong are present. I'm not worried about what's East and Arden will soon dispose of the Southeastern Infiltration Force," Thrawn said, making orders for his troops to follow. A better examination of the Yuuzhan Vong formations also had him worry about the forces coming from the Southwest angle. "Though not a high priority, keep a careful eye on what's going on Southwest of us as well: I don't like what they're doing down there but it's not an immediate threat to our welfare," he said.
Besides that, the fortifications in the Southwest, West, and Northwest are far too strong for them to break through unlike the East and Southeast where Arden will meet them directly. The Northeast are almost non-existent which may come in handy when Arden reports success on her mission Thrawn observed silently. Stroking his chin and cheeks with his fingers, he made careful note of the weaknesses and strengths of the Yuuzhan Vong formations before him. Then he decided what he wanted to do next: it was risky but worth it if it worked out for the better.
"Play around, stall them, let them think they have us besieged for the moment. When Mistress Lyn and her apprentice report success, I'll have them move in for the kill along with all of our forces," he ordered. "Yes sir," his generals said though they sound a little contempted not to be going offensive immediately. No matter, in the long term, we will emerge on top regardless of Maul's success or failure back in the known galaxy Thrawn told himself.
Still, he did admit it was strange they were taking on these formations now that that their initial efforts were no longer to be relied on. Up until now, they had shown themselves not to be very adaptable unless they deliberately did that to fool him into thinking he would always see the same strategy. If that was their intent, they did indeed manage to sidestep him but only a little bit as he had seen similar adaptabilities amongst the Killiks who now acted as his shield against the Yuuzhan Vong. Perhaps having Arden see what she could do to rescue Vergere from their grasp after all so as to have her information on their culture available for his personal convenience.
It had been suggested before but he didn't think to actually consider exploiting it before due to having no means to save her. The power of two fallen Jedi Masters, however, had proven unequal thus far and could be useful for that goal. When Arden reports success, I may ask her to do that. Our future victories may depend on what Vergere has to offer for our cause he thought but didn't say aloud.