Chapter 2
Mercks attention was focused on the 9 obstacles between him and the stars. Covered by a shadow he lunged to the canopy of the surrounding trees. He than leaned in, taking in the night's air detecting several land predators in the area and at least one full flock of Jackal Cranes.
The Sith were in 3 groups, two larger Gamorians stood watch over the only clear passage to the landing area. Four other Sith ran scanning equipment in sequential patterns over the soil, they were clearly looking for something; the smallest of the four sith a blue humanoid woman got a reading or her scanner.
"It's here" she called out; the other Sith came to her side and began examining the area.
"I estimate at least 40, 50 meters down"
"At least," another Sith noted.
"I'm detecting heavy ore deposits between us and the target, with our equipment I estimate at least 19 hours of drilling, if the bits hold"
The fifth member a large human male approached with a commanding presence.
"You have exactly 16 hours or you answer to our lord"
The three answered in unison.
"Yes Sir"
And then began to gather their equipment to start their excavation.
Merck stretched out with his senses, and began to build an invisible thread between him and the Jackal Cranes. He closed his eyes, filtering everything out of his field of view except his targets.
The two Gamorians stood watch, panning left to right and scanning the area for signs of danger. Than with speeds only possible through the use of the force, one of the Gamorians ignited two double bladed lightsabers. He spun them in 2 beautiful red halos, cutting down 5 of the attacking Jackal Cranes.
Jackal Cranes are small leathery birds of prey with incredibly powerful talons, designed to puncture the shell of the massive mountain turtle.
The 2 Gamorians returned to attention, but not before one threw another a congratulatory smile. Merck settled back into the shadows and revealed himself ever so slightly in the force, enough to get the Gamorians attention.
This distraction was exactly what the waiting swarm of Jackal Cranes was waiting for; they descended on the Gamorians like and dark blanket blotting out the stars.
The Gamorians scream as their flesh is torn piece by piece. A flock of over 500 Jackal Cranes gorge themselves on the pig like aliens.
Merck watched the last lightsaber extinguish, as an eruption of lightning from the large Humans extended hand cooked dozens of Cranes and scares the rest of the flock away. The three Sith digging the hole stopped to see what has happened.
"Back to work" the man barked.
"Your deadline has not changed"
He scowled at the 4, and they got back to digging.
Merck dropped behind the Sith without making a sound and whispered in the larger man's ear.
"Jedi"
The Siths eyes widen, and he looked to the three Jedi digging the hole with shock.
"What"
"It can't be" the man exclaimed.
One of the three Jedi looked up and locked eyes with him. The man did not hesitate; he unleashed a volley of lighting incinerating 2 of the false Jedi. The 2 remaining Sith ignited red light sabers and took a defensive stance. The sight of the two red lightsabers was a startling wake up call for the man. He realized what he'd done and worse what took place, but it was to late the trap was triggered.
The Sith reached for his lightsaber, only to realize it was missing. He turned prepared to send a devastating array of force lighting at Merck. Merck is ready; using the Siths momentum Merck wrenched his arm down and then up folding it back 90 degrees. The Sith cried out in pain as Merck kicked down shattering his knee as if it were hit with a Dura steal bar. Merck is just too fast, spinning back around landing a back heel kick to the Siths head immediately rendering him unconscious.
The two Sith were airborne at this point coming down with the power of the dark side behind them ready to cut Merck down. They both sliced through Mercks body only to find no resistance as they cut, Mercks image disappeared and then re appeared behind them. With the dragon canines in his hands he stabed the last male Sith in his arm pit and then his torso, than again on his shoulder. This attack shattered his collarbone and the Sith cried in out as he passed out from the pain.
The Sith girl wasted no time, she attacked with a brilliantly thrown forward thrust of her lightsaber, Merck is forced back pushing of his front leg to avoid her saber, but he is not fast enough. The attack burned him directly right over his heart, this sent his blood racing and with a sonic boom of energy he force blasted her into and through a nearby tree.
The last two combatants emerge from the ship, strolled out casually as if they had witnessed the entire conflict. The first to reveal his face was a dark skin man whose face was ritually tattooed. The second, the master revealed her face; she was a beautiful woman by all standards strong sexy features that most males would find irresistible.
"My My," the woman spoke.
"Aren't you the resourceful one" she purred in an erotic tone.
"Are you impressed Danko" she addressed her apprentice.
"Not in the least, he shows mercy in which he show weakness"
"Do not be too quick to assume weakness, I sense a great, but unusual power in this one," the woman declared.
"I sense a coward that hides behind shadows and tricks," Danko says glaring at Merck showing his sharpened teeth.
Merck stood his ground and put the canines back in their holsters.
"With all you Jedi making a mad dash for the inner core to your precious Tython, we rarely get the opportunity to test our skills against your kind."
Two light sabers burst into life and illuminated the area in deep red. Danko carried 2 curved red lightsabers and took the customary stance off Niman style. An awkward choice for a man of his size, Merck wondered as he summoned one of the lightsabers from the fallen Sith.
Danko exploded out of his robes striking hard and upward forcing Merck to flip back. Merck then dropped low to the floor to catch his balance, he noticed Danko had left his right hand to low and exposed, a mistake Merck capitalized on. With one swift gesture Merck removed Dankos hand at the wrist. Danko boiled in pain and anger, but did not waiver he came down even harder missing but striking the planet so hard that the trees shook for miles away. The two men distanced from each other to regain balance.
"This man is incredible…."
"my new apprentice" the woman said with a satisfied smile.
"Never gonna happen," Merck smirked.
The woman's eyes flashed yellow for in an instant.
"Why you insolent mongrel", she splayed out her hand to throw a bolt of Sith lightning at Merck.
Before she was able to attack, Merck spun around, eyes yellow with a blood red ring around the iris. He hit her with a bolt of Sith lighting so hard it destroyed most off her teeth, she convulsed unable to speak and dropped to the ground.
"You're a dark lord" Danko said with a fearful and puzzled look on his face.
Merck spun on his back leg and traced a perfect arc through the air with his other leg connecting to Dankos temple instantly rendering Danko unconscious.
"I'm no Sith" Merck whispered as his eyes regained their original color.
"That remains to be seen" a voice came from the tree line.
"I started to think you were a figment of my imagination" Merck said with a hint of salt.
"I never left", said Bastila.
"So you just enjoy watching me get attacked, again and again and again"
Merck rotated the lightsaber in his hand, and while doing so dismantled the weapon piece by piece effortlessly. As the pieaces hit the floor Merck made his way to Bastila.
"So, am I to adopt this new world" Merck questioned.
Bastilas eyes meet Mercks, she braced herself with what was about to come.
"Why I know nothing of this world, everyone I knew, the one I loved gone."
Mercks eyes became glossy.
"All I have seen in this world is pain and suffering, so why should I not be the one to see an end to it".
Mercks hand flew up and made a hard fist in front of his face, all the sudden 8 trees behind him crashed together into one point as if into a singularity.
Bastilas eyes softened, and Merck composed himself.
"Do you know why" Merck questioned Bastila.
Bastila smiled genuine joy.
"That little girl on the hill side. If Alana is the only hope for that little girl to stay there on that planet in peace, than I will teach Alana what I know, as much as she can handle."
Merck surveyed his surroundings again, this time the Sith freighter in more detail. It was actually a very old deep water Mon Calamari light freighter, or at least it was originally. Merck stretched out with the force and peered into the ship. The shell was really all that remain of the original freighter; the cargo hold was completely custom. Several crew cabins a medical bay a dojo and a captains quarter that would have tempted even a Hapan Royal. This Sith definitely had a flare for indulgence. The ship was armed as well with 2 hide away rotating turrets on top and bottom, as well as torpedoes silos.
Merck also sensed something else on the vessel, something thing very old several things to be accurate. These items were saturated in darkside energy, and radiating from on of the converted cargo holds.
Merck looked at Bastila, "they were not here for me," he stated
Bastilas eyes closed and the air seemed to come to a stand still. Creatures squired away in droves avian life took to flight as any creature that could flee did. A rumble bellowed from deep in the ground, as new dirt came up from under ground like the start of a well, but no liquid came to the surface just more and new dirt rose.
Merck stood back as a small hill was forming; trees shook and fell as the planet it self was trying to expel something.
The small blue Sith girl stared in amazement.
"Its impossible" said the girl.
The earth shook furiously until the outline of a ship came to the surface; the shaking exposed the very old ship and stopped.
It was a star fighter, a particularly old Star fighter from the days of the old republic, from the days of Raven.
Merck circled the ancient ship slowly and stretching out with his senses. He stared in silent wonder as he approached the ship. A loud pop and hiss escaped the ancient ship as ancient atmosphere escaped from the cockpit.
Merck did not flinch; he tilted his head to get a better look inside the cockpit. A silhouette appeared and slowly came into focus; it was the remains of the pilot and it was a female.
Sudden realization occurred to Merck and he looked at Bastila, she lowered her gaze with sadness and loss in her eyes.
Nothing but bones and a pilot uniform remained of Bastila in the star ship. Merck kept investigating; he noticed there was no damage taken to either her body or the inside of the craft.
"You weren't shot down",
"You set down here" Merck stated with curiosity.
"I did" Bastila whispered still looking as if her mere presence filled her with incredible sorrow.
"Why" Merck inquired.
"My story is over my child, yours is still in progress," Bastila said.
"Why were the Sith looking for your wreckage" Merck questioned as he continued to investigate the ship, and that's when he saw it.
Her body was positioned in a calm pose with her two hands holding something near to her heart.
With incredible dexterity and control of the force Merck gently opened the hands of the body in the ship exposing 2 golden yellow crystals and a Sith Holocron. The three items levitated and hovered so Merck could examine the items.
His eyes found Bastilas, just as she rose from her sorrow.
"The crystals were mine, very very rare, created from the explosion of a yellow giant star."
"And the Holocron" Merck questioned.
With incredible sadness Bastila answered, "It was Ravens"
"The last of Revans essence is in that Holocron" Bastila continued.
Raven was arguably one of the most powerful Jedi, and Sith of all time. He created this Holocron almost 4000 years ago.
Merck stared in wonder, overwhelmed with all that had transpired in the brief period of time since he was awoken. Mercks life had always been one of trial and hardship, at the age of 5 his family was slaughtered by the Dark Lord Vader. Immediately following this devastation, he is adopted as the secret apprentice to Vader. All Merck ever knew growing up was pain, suffering, and hate; that was until he met Juno.
Mercks eyes watered as he lowered to his knees and looked up to the stars.
"There are answers out there my child, but you must understand that every answer will come with a new question," Bastila said running a hand over Mercks face.
"You look like him, you know"
Merck looked into Bastilas eyes, Merck barely knew his mother and for the first time in a long time he felt her spirit again.
He rose to his feet, inhaled deeply, and regained his balance. He than summoned the three items to his hands, and put them in a pouch.
" Your Journey must continue child, it will take you far, further than you could imagine. You will encounter many obstacles, and adversities but you must let the force guide you."
"And remember the descendent of the chosen one needs you, she is critical to the survival of the Jedi, but she stands no chance without your guidance."
Mercks attention went back to the Sith freighter, it was a highly modified deep water Mon Cal freighter. The freighter was custom from top to bottom and painted in matte blacks and deep reds, fitting for the Lady Siths vanity.
"Will you be with me Bastila"? Merck asked
"I will always be with you my child, whenever in doubt follow your heart and I will not be far"
Merck exhaled preparing to leave yet another world he was reborn on. He walked aboard the ship straight to the cockpit studied the console for several minutes. Than with incredible control and dexterity over the force, he began the launch sequence, depressing switches and puling levers a job that should take at least 2 people. The ship hummed to life and was ready to launch. Merck walked back to the boarding ramp to see Bastila one last time, but she was gone.
"Goodbye Bastila, thank you"
Merck surveyed the area, the Sith were still alive although unconscious. Merck focused on the petite blue woman, she groaned in pain and was fading in the force. Merck knew the surviving Sith stood a chance in this environment but not her. He turned to board the ship but was halted.
"I'm sorry," the blue woman whispered.
Merck turned to face the woman; he extended his left hand and lifted her broken body with the use of the force. He began to walk back toward the cockpit as he did her body followed behind suspended in the air. He set her down in an overly lavish lounge area. Once both of them were aboard he closed the hatch took the controls and set out for space.