CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

KORRIBAN

Darth Marr paced back and forth, feeling the sweat drip down his face behind the faceplate of his helmet. It was almost the highest point of the day for the sun, and it beat down on all below with unrelenting fury. Marr kept moving, remaining where he was, keeping his forces in check despite the heat. Necrolis had thought things through well, he knew. He had to give the other sith some credit. He had not rushed headlong into his forces, instead slowly weakening them by drawing out the inevitable confrontation.

Casting a glance to his apprentices he could see both were hot and growing more and more impatient, Pyrannus especially. The cathar were sweating and panting, their white fur wet and clinging to their lithe form where it showed through their revealing armour. Even at a distance, Marr could hear Pyrannus growling and cursing under her breath. Blackheart too was complaining quietly to himself, the zabrak sith sitting cross legged and back to the small retaining wall that ran down the side of the entryway as he attempted to find even a small amount of shade. Only Raistlis seemed unaffected. The young sith warrior stood in his armour, unmoving, his eyes focused straight ahead and down on the entry to the tomb. Marr thought he might well wait an eternity if it took that long, so that not the elements or any person would ever move him from that spot. Marr had to admit he was impressed with that.

Looking to the base of the ramp, Marr cast his gaze over his forces. They were hot, tired, and impatient. The commanders were doing their best to maintain order, but as the heat grew, and the longer the wait became, the harder their struggle was. Men in armour were shifting about with some on occasion a few had taken a knee or sat down only to be yelled at until they formed back into rank. Already Marr had noted three had succumbed to heat exhaustion and been carted off. By late in the day, he suspected his forces would have withered and wilted to nothing more than a shell of themselves.

"We should be attacking them, not standing about in the heat." Pyrannus finally growled loudly and Marr turned to face the cathar in his usual calm demeanour, unfazed by her outburst.

"Calm yourself." Marr advised. " Impatience will lead to mistakes, apprentice. Only fools rush in."

"It is hardly being foolish. We know they are right there." Pyrannus argued back and Marr shook his head.

"You charge in and what then?" Marr questioned her. "Necrolis is no fool. They have a way out of that tomb back the way they came. Our forces could have the ceiling dropped on them and we have no means of pursuit. Now be silent and mind your place."

Pyrannus bowed low to Marr and fell silent, the beige eyes however burning with a fierce angry passion relaying what she would not say verbally. Marr grinned in amusement behind the faceplate that hid his visage. While most would have viewed her outburst as a challenge and likely put her in her place, Marr saw her spirit as something to nurture and teach her to control, not to break. It had its uses and she was easier to control when she was focused on something and did not see the bigger picture. Inexperience, he knew, was what it truly came down to. She had yet to be hardened by failure, used and found herself a means to an end and expendable.

Patience, he reminded himself, all too aware of the heat and his own irritability growing. He had to be patient.

Necrolis Darkstar sat on the step, back to the wall so he could see within the chamber as well as up the stairs. The others had hunkered down to wait until the time was right for their plan. To one side Bloodshade sat with her deshade. Aela sat with Vette and Malavai Quinn, the three conversing in low tones to pass the time. Jaesa sat leaning back into Pierce who looked like he was sleeping, though Necrolis doubted that. One single sound and the man would be on his feet and weapon in hand. Blizz was sitting with Asha, Kira, and Tormen Darklight, with the smuggler and jawa doing most of the talking. Catching Necrolis' look, Asha smiled and gave a slight nod of her head to him, which he returned.

Teffa Darkstar moved over and sat on the step across from Necrolis, looking at his brother through his visor. Necrolis nodded back to the bounty hunter, though he suspected they were about to have one of those moments between them. It had been all too clear, even helmeted, that Teffa was angry over his coming to Korriban on his own. Same old story, Necrolis thought and would have chuckled had he not been hot and tired, and still trying to not be distracted from the fight that was yet to come.

"You really piss me off, you know that right?" Teffa grumbled as he looked away and up the stairs.

"Hey, don't blame me for you crash landing." Necrolis countered. "It's not my fault you didn't listen when I said not to follow."

"Yeah cause getting killed is such a good plan right?" Teffa shook his head angrily as he spat the words out. "You never consider anything or anyone else."

"Really?" Necrolis countered in asking before pointing over towards Vette. "I'm not the one who brought her here, or any of the others, and nearly got killed twice already."

"You arrogant, pompous, self centered, son of a …" Teffa loosed his tongue as he made to rise, anger getting the better of him.

"Hey there!" Vette commented, having moved over and now settling herself on the steps between the two brothers. "Anyone know where the nearest swimming pool is?"

Necrolis remained unmoving but nodded to his wife. Teffa stared hard through the helmet visor at the pure blooded sith before his gaze moved and softened to the blue skinned twi'lek cracking wise to lighten the mood. He knew all too well she had shown up intentionally to keep them from fighting.

"I'm not sure they know what water even is here." Teffa commented as he took a few breaths to calm down and leaned back against the opposite wall from Necrolis.

"It could be worse." Vette remarked with a smile. "We could be freezing our asses off on Hoth!"

Teffa could not help himself and laughed at the thought. Leaning forward he kept his voice light and calm as he answered the twi'lek's statement.

"How could anyone tell you were freezing? You're already blue!"

Asha Lightstar glanced over to see Vette move between the brothers, guessing things had gotten tense. The twi'lek was pretty handy and quick witted at that as well. Sure she could diffuse such, Asha let her gaze wander about her. Blizz had risen and wandered over to sit with Bloodshade. The little jawa seemed particularly taken with the woman, Asha noted, and laughed at the mental picture of anything happening between them. Looking to her left, she noticed Tormen had taken off his helmet, setting it beside him. The scruffy faced smuggler had settled back against a wall, Kira settling beside him. The jedi had rested her head on his shoulder, his arm grabbed up in hers as she let her eyes close. Tormen caught her look and seemed to hesitate a moment before giving her a smile. Asha knew his thoughts well enough and shook her head as she smiled back.

"Relax, she's a big girl." Asha said softly.

"Hey, I'm not doing anything. I'm innocent here." Tormen quipped back grinning, "I'm just an innocent victim of circumstances. I can't help it I make a good head rest!"

Asha nodded as she laughed at the man's words. She had heard enough to know the two had sorted out whatever problem had existed between them, and she got the feeling more and more Kira was heading down a very new path. I almost walked the same one with Doc, Asha thought and the smile faded from her face. Whatever had happened, she doubted she would see the medic again. He had made his choice, and whatever happened, it had not included her. She should not have been surprised, she knew. He had always been chasing after a woman any time the mood struck. She did not put Tormen in the same category as Doc however. He was far more charming, there was simply more to him, or at least she thought there was. Still, it was Kira, who was like a baby sister to her.

"Tormen." Asha said, leaning forward towards the smuggler. "If you hurt her, there's no place in the galaxy you can run I won't find you to cut your balls off."

"Nice to know you care." Kira almost whispered she spoke so quietly, not even opening her eyes. "If you want his balls that badly though Asha, I might consider sharing him with you."

Asha burst out laughing even as Kira opened one eye to peer at her while grinning. Tormen sat there trying to look down at the auburn haired woman leaning into him, mouth hanging agape at what she had just said. The smuggler looked from her to the laughing Asha, then back.

"You know how he has a thing for redheads after all." Kira added before laughing herself and reaching up a hand absently to pat Tormen's cheek.

Necrolis heard the laughter and glanced over to see the two jedi and the smuggler. For a moment the features on his face softened so that he almost smiled. The moment was there and then gone though as he looked back to his wife, then past her to Teffa. Knowing they would put their plan into action soon, he could not leave things as they were between them. He had no desire to fight with him at all. The last thing Necrolis wanted was to worry about how relations with his family members were when he faced Marr. Looking past Vette, Necrolis stared at his brother, watching as Teffa's helmeted head peered back about his wife at him.

"Teffa, I don't want to fight. You ever stop to think not everything is simple. Yes I do think of things, of all of you. I wanted you out of the line of fire when this went down, not here and allowing me not to worry about you all when I take on Marr." Necrolis said calmly, frowning as he spoke and staring up the stairs. "Sometimes you just can't solve things to the liking of everyone."

"That's all well and good, Necrolis, but you never asked us what we thought." Teffa growled back, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. "Did you ever think that we would have chosen to come and stand with you?"

"I did but I was not willing to risk your lives." Necrolis answered back before nodding and looking to his brother again. "You've changed some for the better, you know. There was a time you'd have wanted to shoot me or punch me in the face instead of seeing different views on things."

"Oh I still want to punch you in the face." Teffa remarked and shrugged. "But why give Marr the advantage of you being concussed?"

"Aww." Vette chimed up looking between the two men. "Can we just hug it all out now?"

Teffa broke into laughter even as Necrolis grabbed his wife and pulled her into his lap. Wrapping arms about the twi'lek he held her close and breathed in deeply to enjoy the scent of her. Resting his head against hers, Necrolis looked towards his brother and nodded to him. Teffa nodded back remaining silent.

Time passed slowly, the sun shifting and the rays drawing deeper and narrower through the doorway. Necrolis guessed soon enough it would disappear behind the academy itself. Vette had fallen asleep against him. Sliding her gently and carefully from his lap he let her rest back against the wall before moving over to where Teffa had remained sitting across from him. Crouching down beside him, Necrolis put a hand to an armoured shoulder.

"It's time, brother."

"I know." Teffa said as he took a breath and glanced up the stairs. "We still could turn about and run for a pick up from Shadellis?"

"This ends here and now." Necrolis stated.

"I knew you were going to say that."

"Teffa." Necrolis said, hand pushing down to hold him where he sat a moment. "I need you to do something for me, promise me to do it."

"What?" Teffa asked head cocking to the side, wondering just what Necrolis was up to and not sure he liked the sounds of it already just in how he had approached asking.

"Keep Vette close to you, and keep her out of the fight as much as possible. No matter what, you keep her safe." Necrolis said and Teffa could see the worry on his face and hear it in his voice. "Promise me, brother."

"I promise." Teffa said after a moment. "Just make sure I don't need to worry about it."

It took only a few moments to wake those that had taken to napping to pass the time, and then for all of them to get ready once more. Necrolis waited at the stairs, watching as they all gathered together. Looking at each in turn he studied them as if to memorize their faces. Seeing they were all ready, he took hold of both of his lightsabers and then turned and headed up the stairs, letting them fall in and follow behind him. Reaching halfway up the steps, Necrolis let out a loud bellowing challenge.

"Marr!"

Darth Marr stood and endured the heat of the day, every so often noting where the fiery orb was in the sky. He had remained unmoving for some time as the day grew later. Soon now, he guessed, seeing as the shadows began to grow. Beside him, only the royal guard remained unmoving. Raistlis had knelt down where he had always been, while Pyrannus had settled for sitting on the small retaining wall. To his other side Pumirra had joined Blackheart in sitting and trying to hide from the sun as much as she could in the shadow of the wall.

The squads of troopers had wilted under the glaring sun, with a handful more having to be carted away due to heat exhaustion. It was not the ideal situation, but tired and drained or not, Marr expected they would do their duty. He was about to call the commanders to him to remind them of what he wanted done, when the still silence was shattered by the cry of his name.

"Marr!"

Darth Marr moved finally, striding to the edge of the flat entryway at the top of the ramp, hands clasped before him, head dropping to stare at the staircase leading to the tomb underground. He did not need to look to know both of his apprentices were moving to join him, and Raistlis had risen to his feet. The hiss of his lightsaber showed he was ready.

" Raistlis, patience. I will say when, but remain ready." Marr spoke loudly and clearly without looking at the four of them. " Pyrannus, Pumirra, you shall remain with me until I say otherwise."

"As you wish, master." Pyrannus growled out the words even though she detested such.

"I hear and obey, master." Pumirra added.

Orders being shouted rose up to Marr as he looked down and watched the commanders drawing their troops to attention and tight formation. Glancing back towards the stairs, Marr saw Necrolis as he reached the upper steps. Marr cocked his head to the side as he studied the man. What are you up to, Marr wondered? Armed and striding towards his forces with purpose, it was almost as if Necrolis were prepared to attack head on. He could not do such, could he? Marr pondered the question as he observed how things played out.