Chapter 15. Father Vs. Son
Dromund Kaas
"Why are we on this dust ball?" Imelia asked in a sarcastic tone of voice.
"Because our son was here and if we wish to find him…I must follow his trail…" He said as they walked through the streets of the local market.
"Ah patrons what may I do for you?" A Hutt said in Huttese.
"We are looking for information…" Jammen pulled out a small holoprojector, "Have you seen this young man?"
The Hutt studied the hologram, "Can't say that I have information cost…" He hands the man two chips worth 50 credits each. "No…but I have people all over the market buying and selling to exclusive clients…I can pass his image along to them…How can I contact you?"
"So what did he say?" Imelia asked as they left the shop.
Jammen smiles, "How can a Senator not speak Huttese?"
"Well the Hutts aren't members of the Galactic Republic are they…"
Hutt Shop
"Mistress he was here searching for the boy…"
"Who?" Cognus asks.
"The Jedi Jammen Tayl…"
She smiles, "Send an agent to him and tell Jedi Talt his son is on Ciutric IV…"
Unknown World
When the Hutt's image vanished Cognus contacted her apprentice, "Where are you?"
"Aboard my ship heading home Master…"
"Change of plans…Meet me at the fortress on Ciutric IV…"
"Yes Master…Has something happened?"
"Oh yes! I will fill you in when you get there…"
Ciutric IV
Petyr exited hyperspace in excitement, he had never been to any of the other fortresses owned by his Master across the galaxy. All of his training had taken place in the Temple on the Unknown world. When he landed in the hangar he was surprised to find it empty. No droids or servants and as he walked through the fortress a cold pit formed in his stomach.
"Perhaps I should leave…" He said talking to himself, as Petyr made his way back to the hangar he felt a distant, but familiar presence approaching. One shined brightly and that aura could be made by a Jedi. He felt something else as well, another life force, more familiar and warm than the other. "Mother!" He said gasping.
Jammen had felt his son's presence, but no longer. In his studies the legends spoke of how the Sith could hide and mask their force aura's more importantly Jammen wondered where his son learned these Dark disciplines from. "The ship is still warm to the touch he is here…"
"Okay where?"
"I don't know…He is hiding his force presence from me…It is very gray and cold…Now it is gone…"
"Petyr! Its me your mother…Son!"
They walk through the fortress until they find themselves in the throne room. Petyr is on the throne. "Petyr!" Imelia screamed, but an invisible force held her to the floor, she could not move.
"Let her go!" Jammen demanded.
"Why are the two of you here?"
"To bring you home…"
"To help you overcome the Dark Side…Son…"
He laughs, "Don't call me that…You don't have a son remember…"
"Who taught you the Dark Side boy?" Ioa asked entering the throne room.
"Master Ioa what are you doing here…"
"The High Council sent me to follow you…"
"Liars! You have come to kill me!" Petyr said getting angry.
Ioa draws her lightsaber, "Master Ioa! Please give Imelia a chance to talk him down…" She switches off her lightsaber.
"Son please! Let them help you…" She begs.
A tear slides down his cheek, "You can't help me…I don't even know who I am anymore…"
"You are my son…Petyr Dayhok…"
He takes a deep breath, "And what does this help involve…"
"The Jedi Council will want to question you..." Ioa
("And lock you up…") Cognus says touching his mind.
"And lock me up…"
"No!" Jammen says.
"We will help you purge the Dark Side from your mind and body…"
("Ask them what will they do if they cannot purge you…")
"And if it cannot be purged from my mind and body…"
"Then we will purge you of the force itself…" Ioa said.
"Petyr please come home…"
"A home is a father…a mother…and their children…A home is…"
"What you make it…" Jammen said speaking up, "Your grandfather…"
"Is a bully and a tyrant…"
"And that is what you will become if you continue down this path…"
Petyr looks at Ioa, "The difference between me and my grandfather is that I know what true power is…And I will never give that up…" He points his hand at Ioa and she drops her lightsaber grasping at her throat as she is hoisted into the air.
"Let her go!"
"Petyr you are killing her!" Imelia screams.
He smiles with his yellow eyes and tears streaming down his face, "I am Darth Severuss…" He replies claiming his Sith name for the first time. He closes his hand and every bone in Ioa's body is broken. Then he drops her now lifeless body to floor.
Imelia looks at Jammen as he kneels beside Ioa's lifeless body, "If you want to be my father…Then join me and together we can destroy my Master…She will be no match for the two of us…"
Jammen slowly stands, "There is no emotion there is only peace…" He looks at Petyr drawing his lightsaber.
"Jammen no!"
"I am a Jedi…A servant of the light…You cannot tempt me…"
"Then die a Jedi!"
Petyr throws his hands out unleashing force lightening, but Jammen blocks the attack with his yellow blade. One of the bolts arc out and strikes Imelia in the head killing her. "NO!" Jammen screams.
As he bends over Imelia Petyr leaps across the room, ("Look what he did…He killed her…") Cognus says speaking to his mind.
"Leave me alone!"
("As you wish…")
"Mother!"
"Look what you did…" Jammen said, "Look well for this is the price of the Dark Side…"
"How dare you blame me! You brought her here…You abandoned us both!"
"ARRGH!"
They both scream drawing their lightsabers and attack at the same time. Jammen uses the Ataru style while Petyr relies on the simplicity of the Shii-Cho. When his Jammen slips into his guard, Petyr switches to Makashi style and elbows Jammen in the head. Jammen uses the acrobatic style leaping up and drop kicking his son in the chest. He runs at Petyr while he is on his back, but Petyr clips his legs. As Jammen falls forward he stabs his saber into the floor to stop himself. Then he rolls to the side and gets to his knees swinging for Petyr's legs. They lock swords and thrusts their free hands at each other.
Petyr unleashes arcs of lightening while Jammen places a wall of force energy up. The fortress shakes as father and son try to dominate each other. There is an explosion and Jammen flies across the throne room and hits the wall dropping his saber. Petyr leaps at him, but at the last minute Jammen grabs a statue in the force, rips it off the stand and throws it at Petyr knocking him out of the air. Jammen slowly stands using the force healing technique and summoning his lightsaber. He walks over to Petyr wo is stuck under the statue.
"You are right…I have no son…"
He raises his blade to strike, but Petyr's blade slices through the statue and then he reaches up placing his hand on his father's chest. Jammen feels a tug of his force aura as Petyr drains his life and power from his body sapping his strength. In a matter of minutes Jammen's body shrivels up and mummifies. Then his corpse hits the floor and shatters.
Petyr stands up and staggers to his mother's body. "NO!" He screams into the air and weeps over her.
Hours pass with Petyr on his knees, then a clawed hand touches his shoulder, "Many are the hardships of a Sith…Lord Severuss…" Cognus says standing over him.
"You did this!" He said with his head still down.
"I was not the one who cast lightening at your father nor did I hold the blade that ricocheted the lightening that killed her…"
He stood up and shoved her, "Watch yourself Lord Severuss! I have my limits even with you!"
"You led them here…"
"So what if I did…You haven't even accepted your Sith name…Nor have you taken on the true responsibility of the Dark Side…I killed your friend and in the past few months your passion has faded…That is why your mother died…If you had taken on your mantle…Your destiny…Your father would not have felt the love you still carry for your mother…In truth you called them both holding on to hope that your father would save you from me and then you all would be a big happy family…" Her words stung deep and all he could do was fall to his knees. "I am here if you wish to continue your training…If not your destiny is yours do as you wish…" She left him alone.