AN: Hope you enjoy
Disclamer: I only own my things
Chapter 17 (reinforcements and the beast)
(Location Varon, the Sages fortress)
The air reeked of Ozone, and burnt corpses, as a group of four stood among the pile of bodies, all breathing heavy and shaking slightly from exhaustion
Vega was breathing heavy his hair clung to his head and wet from sweat and blood, "Is it over?" he wheezed out.
Daniel got his breathing under control before answering, "For now, it is."
Vega let out a tired groan, "I'm glad they stopped when they did… I don't think I can keep going."
"I don't blame you, we've been fighting non stop for the last… uh." Auron started.
"3 hours," Blaze supplied he was actually the best one off out of the four due to his equipment.
"Thank you Blaze." Auron said. "Three Hours!"
"That's nothing, I know of Jedi Masters who can keep fighting for days." Daniel chuckled.
"Too bad we're not masters now." Vega quipped, "shall we go back to the keep?" he asked.
Daniel nodded, "Yeah… let's go back." he gasped, clutching his side, "yep definitely broken." he gritted.
"Daniel?" Vega asked.
"One of the death bringers got me good in the ribs, I'll be fine let's go rest up." with that the weary warriors fell back to the keep to rest and let the defenses hold off the legion.
Daniel groaned as he sat down and took off his shirt to tend to his wound and winced when he saw the mark, "Oh boy." he said.
Aaron and Yim walked up to him and checked him, "One of them got ya good huh?" Aaron asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
"I'll be the judge of that." Yim playfully snapped, and gently prodded the ribs causing Daniel to hiss, "How long would it take for you to heal this injury?" he asked him
Daniel chuckled, "I can't afford to do that." he stated as he attempted to stand back up only for Yim to push him back down.
"How long?" Yim asked sternly.
"At least a day." Daniel sighed, "I never really focused on healing." he explained, "I can't afford to rest."
"You will and you will thank me for it, I will not have you fighting with a broken rib that could potentially pierce your lung or force forbid your heart."
"What!? I fought with worst injuries then this!" Daniel argued, Yim however didn't back down causing Daniel to sigh, "Fine." he agreed reluctantly, he then turned to the other force sensitives, "I think we should put on the shards, they are putting up more of a fight then I thought."
The others nodded, "I agree." Auron stated, "you rest up we'll take care of this."
Daniel nodded he closed his eyes and delved into the force to allow his body to heal.
Auron turned only to see Qixoni, Adegan, and Sentinal standing right there, "Whoa! So I am guessing that you are aware of the situation?"
"Yes and we are at your service." Qixoni answered.
"Very well then let's get to it." Auron nodded, Qixoni and Adegan immediately opened their armor and allowed the their respective partners in, "Let's do this." Auron smirked.
The next two days saw some lite fighting, and Daniel was still in his meditation prompting Auron to shake his head in amusement when his estimated time had passed.
"Today should be the day that Rarok and the others arrive." Aaron commented as he stood at the holo table.
Vega smiled behind his helmet, "I look forward to seeing the other Jedi." he said, Causing Micah and Alpha 17 to internally winced, but didn't say anything, believing that there was a chance that Auron's theory was correct, abruptly they heard Tansii laughing across the hall and turned to see Auron standing over Daniel's sleeping form with a marker, "What did you do?!" Vega called as he ran over, he saw that Auron was trying not to laugh, then Vega turned to Daniel to see he had a thin mustache and goatee drawn on his face, Vega then turned to Auron, "This is stupid," he started before beginning to crack up. "But also hysterical, let me do something."
Auron handed him the marker, "Knock yourself out." causing the adults to shake their heads in amusement and exasperation.
(Location prototype Harrower Dreadnaught, Hyperspace, six hours from Varon.)
Uriah sat at the counsel when the door opened behind him he sense Rarok's presence enter the
room, "I'd thought I'd tell you that we'll be arriving shortly suit up."
"Thanks." the Cathar responded, the Mandalorian began to leave, "Rarok..."
Rarok stopped and turned his attention to the Jedi Vet, "Yes?"
"... Nothing." he sighed. "Actually... I want to tell you something."
"What?"
"I wish that you hadn't told me about Master Kase and his reasons."
Rarok raised an eyebrow, "I only told you so that you'd understand."
Uriah began to chuckle bitterly. "Don't you get it Rarok? I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND, I DON'T WANT TO SYMPATHIZE WITH HIM!" he yelled, "He's my enemy... you're not supposed to sympathize with your enemy." he continued softly.
Rarok looked at Uriah for a long moment, "Master Kase died thousands of years ago Uriah... he's nothing but dust now, there is a saying among my people, Cin Vhetin, it means..." he began.
"I know what it means." Uriah interrupted, "but what does a white field have to do with this?"
Rarok resisted the urge to smack him, "Another meaning for it is a clean slate a fresh start."
"You don't get Cathar do you? we don't forgive easily." Uriah told him.
"You have a chance to start a new life!" Rarok exclaimed, "and instead you are wasting it hating a bunch of dead men who have long since turned to dust."
Uriah stared at Rarok for a long moment, "... Your people really have changed..." he said almost in disbelief.
Rarok rubbed the back of his head, "I hope for the better."
"I'd have to see the others before I make up my mind... but if there are others like you... I like those odds."
"Well the Death Watch you'd have to watch out for." Rarok stated, "They want to bring the Mandalorians back to our crusader days…"
"Heh," Uriah chuckled, "So there are Mandalorians I can kill in good conscious."
"We call them Dar'Manda, it means..."
"No longer Mandalorian, I know." Uriah interupted, "Isn't that the highest form of dishonour you can get in your society?"
"Yes."
"Hmn… How long did you say it was till we reach our destination?" Uriah asked, changing the subject.
"Less than six hours." Rarok answered.
"Alright, I'm going to find Nuru then tell Breakout squad the truth."
Rarok just shrugged, "You're going to get a lot of fists in your face."
"I expect nothing less."
With that the duo went looking for Nuru and found him in the observatory, "Let's go and prepare for battle." Uriah commanded, the chiss did not question him and followed him to the armory.
In the hanger Breakout Squad was busy cleaning their equipment and making sure it was in the best shape it could be, Breaker was scrubbing his carbine so hard that Knuckles reached over and stopped him, prompting Breaker to snap his head in his direction, "You're going to catch the rag on fire with all that scrubbing."
Breaker let out a bitter chuckle, "Maybe it should then the fire suppression systems will activate and I can die of suffocation."
Knuckles sighed, "Look I miss him to, hell we all do..."
"You don't have to anymore," The Chiss Jedi interrupted as he and Uriah walked into the hangar dressed in borrowed Sith battle armor, prompting all of breakout squad to spring to their feet in disbelief, "Uriah here." Nuru said stiffly, "Used his telepathy to trick you into thinking you killed us during our brief fight." he explained, all the clones slowly turned to the Cathar Jedi a look of outrage on their faces.
"WHAT THE HELL!" they all shouted, Uriah braced himself for all the fists coming his way.
Outside the hangar Rarok waited after a few moments Uriah came stumbling through the doorway his face all bruised, "So… how'd it go?" Rarok asked rhetorically.
"Just shut… up." Uriah groaned and fell over.
"So pretty good then." Rarok sighed and dragged the Cathar to the infirmary.
After three hours in the infirmary using both the bacta and force healing Uriah was back at full strength and the two went back to the Hangar, there they saw Breakout squad and Nuru all good and ready to go and at least 3 dozen combat droids that the clones had got working and 6 Sith war droids.
Breakout squad turned to the Mandalorian and Jedi as they entered, the latter they glared at,
"Don't expect another free punch to the face, you come at me, I will take you down." Uriah growled.
"We had our fill, sir." one of the clones spat.
"Good then let's shut up, sit down, and try to get along, while we wait for the ship to arrive." Uriah stated as he sat on some crates, with that the group just waited for the three hours till they finally arrived in the system.
(Location unknown, planet Varon.)
The Dark master glided into the underground chamber, waiting for him was the whisperer and the thirty draugr, upon seeing him the Whisperer took a knee "Welcome my liege."
The armored spirit nodded, "Rise." he commanded, the Draugr did so, "are the beasts ready?" he asked.
"Yes my liege."
If the dark master could have he would have smiled, "Excellent, let's mount the new steads, we'll be at the battle in a day's time." as soon as he finished a loud in human roar sounded within the dark.
(Location Varon's Orbit)
"So how are we all getting down their?" Breaker asked, "I mean I don't think there is enough room on any of our ships to bring us all down there." the clone said pointing down at the planet below with a large cloud formation over the battlefield.
"We could always nuke it and destroy everyone in the blast zone." Uriah said poking at Rarok a bit.
"Are you trying to start something?" Rarok growled.
"Please, I'd win." Uriah said confidently.
"That remains to be seen." Rarok retorted.
"How about we jump?" Nuru said.
Uriah shrugged, "Works for me, Rarok, and Cleaver can take the droids down to the planet while Nuru, breakout squad and I can jump out of the ship and into battle."
"Sounds like fun." Knuckles agreed with a chuckle, the other clones had mixed reactions ranging from cautious agreement to blood freezing terror.
"Bring us into position." Rarok ordered agreeing with the plan, "if any of you want a ride down just go to my ship I'll take you down to the battle myself."
With that the warriors went to do last minute preparations, "Nuru." Uriah called getting the Chiss
Jedi's attention, "let's part the clouds."
Nuru looked out over the planet and smirked when he realized the Cathar's plan, "Alright then." with that the two Jedi spent a moment summoning the necessary energy and outstretched their hands.
(Location Varon, the sages fortress)
Micah and Alpha watched the holo display of the battle with calculating gazes, "it looks like they are going to launch another assault." the arc trooper observed.
"Again." Auron sighed in annoyance and stood up, "can they at least send something different?"
"Why do you want them to send something different?" Katie asked.
"Because I am getting tired of killing the same old creatures over and over again, I want to face the Lorakime or whatever those things are called, or the ogre things, hell I'd be fine with a Draugr, anything other than the Urku, no offence." he added towards the friendly Urku who just waved his apology off.
Vega shook his head at the formor Sith's blood lust, or was it lust for battle? "Alright then, shall we go for the hundredth time?" Vega asked sardonically.
"Correction: We have only had to go out 8 times." HK 51 stated.
"It's called Hyperbole you soulless machine." Vega retorted.
"Hey HK." Auron called preventing the assassin droid from continuing his conversation with the young Jedi, "show the enemy some love." he ordered giving him a Aratech sniper rifle with a tri-light scope, all the while he had a straight face.
"Compliance." the Hk droid turned to one of the dramons, "would any of you flying meatbags be willing to take me a 120 kilometers from this location?"
"HK, you don't need to go that far." Auron told him barely keeping his composure.
"Affirmitive." the droid then went to the top of the keep and prepared for the incoming assault.
The others turned to Auron after the droid left, "It's an inside joke between the two of us after we survive this ask him about the definition of love and you'll understand." he explained
Vega just shook his head before he heard chuckling coming from Daniel, "I understand the joke." the eldest Jedi there said as he woke up, "but enough about that the enemy is on the move?" he asked.
Micah nodded, "We believe so suit up Daniel." he ordered, Daniel nodded and did so Sentinal opened his suit and Daniel stepped inside.
"You two." Daniel said towards Vega and Auron, his voice betraying nothing, "We're going to have a stern talking for drawing on my face at some point."
"How did..?" Vega began to ask.
"I can maintain awareness of my surroundings when I fall into meditation, it's a trick I learned during the war." Daniel explained, "really helped when we were besieged or conducting a siege."
Vega nodded in understanding, "I see, look I'm sorry..." he began.
"Battle first, apology later." Daniel cut him off, with that the three armored force users ran out to meet the enemy to begin another bought, however as they charged the incoming horde the clouds that darkened the area parted, causing the light from the noon sun to come in unabated like a sign from Heaven, the Urku all froze in place as the sunlight hit them, "Okay what?" Daniel asked grateful that the shard armor had polarizing faceplates.
"I can see something falling in from the sky." Vega said pointing in the distance, several figures were free falling into the battle field the lead two were force users if their senses were telling them right, as they got to the fast approaching ground in the center of the enemy camp the lead one twisted in the air and slammed his arms into the ground creating an explosion of telekinetic energy that leveled the camp and sent the enemy troops flying all around, .
Auron's eyes widened in disbelief, "There is a God!" prompting the other two to look at him strangely, "What?"
"...Nothing." Daniel shrugged, and turned back to the army in total disarray, "it's time to break the siege."