Chapter: 30 Stranded
"Survival not only builds character, it tests it."
A sinister plot! While the Jedi were competing in the Corellian Cup, a nefarious plan was hatched to infiltrate their vessel, the Ethereal. The competitors and their masters departed from Corellia unaware of their lethal stowaway. After sabotaging their starship, the intruder separated the Padawans from their masters. She then revealed herself as Count Dooku's assassin, Asajj Ventress, and prepared to execute the apprentices for motives unknown. In a daring act of desperation, Padawan Anna Dellian forced the damaged and rebooted Ethereal into hyperspace. Now enroute to Scarif, all the passengers can do is brace...
"The Jedi are a team where we build each other up. And if others don't exemplify that, let it start with us."
"It's just hard to not let it get to me sometimes."
"So you lash out. Instead, try moving forward through your own productivity. Like right now, how about hitting the hyperdrive? Punch in the coordinates to Scarif. I find repetition the best way to memorize something. S-15, S-15, S-15 and S-15..."
"S-15!" Anna screamed as her eyes shot open and the sun nearly blinded them. The cold, darkness of space was no more as overwhelming heat took hold. Sweat drenched Anna's face and she flailed against her seatbelt. Her chair's ravaged cushion and dented armrests quaked while she shifted about. "Where...who...Master!" she blurted belligerently. "S-15!" Flaming heaps of metal dug into the sand around her and waves crashed against them. A nearby explosion had her turning with a wild stare and gaping mouth. Despite the shrill ringing in her ears, Anna could make out a distinct voice calling her name. Only then did she peer down and realize she was suspended over a beach.
"Anna!" Hans called to her. The Jedi Knight stumbled across the scorched sands and weaved around heaps of wreckage. His eyes were calmer than hers as he threw up a hand and asked, "Are you hurt?"
"We were in space," Anna uttered.
"Yes," Hans said. "But we've landed now."
Anna's disheveled locks shrouded half of her bewildered face as she looked up. Her eyes scoured the endless, blue void and seemed unfazed by the sunlight. "We were in space," she reiterated.
"We were," Hans intoned. "But now we've landed. Well...crash-landed."
Surk emerged from a pile of battered metals and hobbled to Hans. He gingerly nursed a series of scrapes and bruises lining his forearm. "Where are we?" the Zabrak asked.
"S-Scarif," Anna stuttered while continuing to search the clouds. "I set coordinates for Scarif based on my master's song. S-15...S-15. We were in space..."
"Anna!" Hans snapped. "Look at me. I need you to look at me!" The Padawan's blue eyes slowly swayed down to him. "You're in shock," he said calmly. "We crashed. Do you feel any pain?" Anna took a moment to process his question and shook her head.
"Actually, a little sore. Wait...a lotta sore," she answered.
"We can work with that," Hans replied. "Let's get you down from there."
He and Surk observed her predicament with furrowed brows. As the Scarif sun beat down on them, so too did the sweltering inferno of the Ethereal's remnants. The starship split in pieces upon overheating and entering the planet's atmosphere. Though Anna's section of the passenger aisle remained intact, the seating was suspended two stories above the ground. Held only in place by her seatbelt, Anna fought through her grogginess to reach for the latch. Her pace quickened when she noticed flames spreading to the rest of the aisle. "Kriff," Anna growled while jingling the buckle. "It's stuck!"
"I'm coming up!" Hans hollered. He started to climb, but Surk pulled him back. "What are you doing, Padawan?" he berated until a heap of fiery scrap metal crashed towards them.
"You would've been in that, Knight." Surk scoffed.
Hans looked up at Anna as she fought to break free. The flames spread to closer seats while she reached for her lightsaber. "Drop!" Hans called. "We'll catch you!"
Anna hurriedly severed the seatbelt with her blade and plummeted towards the beach. She deactivated just in time to collide against Hans and Surk's arms. The trio collapsed into the sand as coarse, rough granules irritated their skin. Any earned rest was short-lived as the entire flaming aisle came crashing down. Anna, Hans, and Surk launched towards the water to evade certain death. The broken aisle triggered a chain reaction and a portion of the Ethereal's wing swung down to them. Slowed by sloshy sand and choppy waves, the Jedi braced for an imminent impact. They collectively held up their hands and were astonished to find the wing had stopped inches from their faces.
"Any time you'd like to help would be great!" Master Chaki grunted from the shoreline. Anna, Hans, and Surk reached out with the Force to assist the Selkath's endeavor. Together, they lifted what was left of the Ethereal's wing out of the way. With the threat eliminated, Chaki took a moment to revitalize his aquatic body in the saltwater. "Come on then!" he shouted. "We've got other survivors over here!"
While Surk rushed ahead, Hans helped Anna to her feet. "I had to do something," she panted. "Anything, Hans."
"Maybe you made the right call," he admitted while observing the site. "Force-willing, everyone's alive."
Anna felt sick to her stomach at the thought of Padawans dying in the crash. She could barely fathom the idea of getting people killed in an attempt to protect them. She rejoiced upon seeing Velti and Knox helping pull Dokin out of the wreckage. "He's breathing!" the Twi'lek assured.
"Let's give him some room," Tori suggested and limped out of the smoke. They backed away from the Bith as he coughed.
"Padawans!" Master Chaki announced. "If you aren't assisting, I want you to move as far from the wreck as possible." He pointed to Hans. "You don't look like a Padawan, lad."
"I'm a knight," Hans replied. "A Sentinel."
"A wild card...fantastic." the Selkath chuckled. "Look, I need your help with the students. You're the next highest in rank after me. Help keep them out of harm's way while I see to the other survivors."
"You heard him," Hans barked authoritatively. "To the treeline, now." While Dokin and Knox were more obedient...Anna, Tori, and Surk took their time. Hans glanced over at Velti, who was still rummaging through pieces of scrap metal. "Twi'lek," he beckoned. "Hey!" She continued to frantically search the sands until Hans recognized her symptoms. "Damn it," he muttered and stormed up to her. "Anyone know her name?" he called out.
"Velti," Anna murmured while resting beside a palm tree.
"Hey...Velti," Hans spoke soothingly. "I need you to look at me-"
"There could be others," Velti replied and kept digging through the sand. "I need to make sure everyone made it out. It's so hot...the flames...it...there are-"
Hans placed a hand on Velti's shoulder and she shuddered. "Everyone's accounted for," Hans assured. "Just...breathe."
"Just breathe?" Velti inquired. Suddenly, the Twi'lek bolted up and stared him down. "Look at where we are! We were preparing to face a woman embodying death itself and then we get sent on a collision course for some deserted island! You'll have to forgive me if I can't 'just breathe' for your sake!"
Hans noticed Velti wincing amidst her fury and glanced down at her thigh. A portion of her pant leg had been shredded in the crash. Streaks of fresh, indigo blood trickled down her bright yellow knee. Hans' eyes widened as he followed the bloody trail to a jagged, metal shard wedged in her quivering thigh. "Holy kriff," he whispered as Velti's adrenaline wore off. She peered at her own impalement and bit back a howl. She collapsed backwards as Anna and Surk rushed over to help. Hans didn't stop them and was occupied assessing the wound. "It doesn't look too deep," he deduced. "Okay, here's the plan. Surk, I need your tabards." The Zabrak hesitated for a moment until Hans snapped his finger. "We can't waste time! Take them off! Anna, hold Velti's leg up." She did as Hans said while he looked to the Twi'lek. "Velti, this is going to hurt. However, you need to remain as still as possible. Scream as much as you need to."
"That's not very comforting," Velti grunted.
"Yeah well-" Hans mumbled while Surk surrendered his tabards. "I tried. On three now...One-" Using the Force, Hans pulled the shard out of Velti's leg. The Twi'lek roared as blood squirted across her robes and painted the sands. Hans hastily wrapped Surk's tabards around the wound while Anna held her in place. He tightened the makeshift tourniquet and pressed down on the dampened fabric. "That should stop the bleeding," Hans assured and guided Velti's trembling hands over. "Just keep pressure on it."
Gav's painful caw caught everyone's attention. Anna and Hans made their way to the shore where Chaki was seeing to him. The Avinarian was sprawled out across the sand as the waves nicked his wings. Nelani knelt beside her master where the sun highlighted the cuts in her skin. "Is it broken?" Gav asked while writhing. "It's broken isn't it?"
"Hold still, lad!" Chaki asserted and examined his leg. "I can't help you if you don't quit squirming." He ran a hand from his shin down to his taloned foott and noted Gav's reaction. "It's not a fracture. You've got yourself a sprain."
"Oh thank the Force," Gav huffed. "I thought I was done for." He slowly turned his head and sneered at Anna. "What the hell were you thinking, you psychopath?"
"Me?" Anna defended. "I saved us!"
"Quiet, both of you." Chaki spoke sternly.
"No!" Gav squawked. "Master Chaki, this maniac thinks she saved us? Look around, Dellian! Where even are we?"
"Can we please stop arguing?" Nelani begged.
"Oh I'm sorry," Gav mocked her mousy tone. "Should we all hold hands and hug it out to make you feel better?"
"Hey!" Chaki rose to defend his apprentice. "Padawan Riden, that is enough. You are out of line and completely disrespectful. What would your master say of you?" As Chaki asked the question, a daunting realization sunk in.
"Where is Master Chuza?" Nelani asked as Gav gulped.
"He was in the passenger aisle when we left him," Anna recalled. She gasped and looked to the burning seats. "Where I was-"
"Did you see him?" Gav queried with a frigid gaze.
Anna bit her lip and her eyes darted between Gav and the wreckage. "I-...I-"
"Was he there or wasn't he?" Gav screeched.
"I didn't see him!" Anna blurted exasperatedly. Her tone dropped as she noticed the desperation in Gav's eyes. "I'm...sorry."
The Avinarian sat up and battered the sand with his wings. "I should've stayed behind," he grieved. "I never should've listened to the likes of you. This is all your fault, Anna!"
"I am so tired of people blaming me for their problems!" Anna exclaimed. "I did this with Tori...I did this with Surk...I am not going down this road with you, Gav!" Anna felt woozy from yelling so much.
"We don't know if your master's gone," Chaki affirmed. "He could still be somewhere in this wreck. You need to trust in the Force, lad. We all do."
Gav scoffed. "Trust in the Force? Master Chaki, look where that got us!"
"We are alive, young man!" the Selkath scolded. "And you are taking that life for granted. Have you Padawans lost sight of what we stand for?" The group watched as Chaki stood atop a protruding piece of the ship. Smoke billowed from the fires behind him as he boldly addressed the youths. "We are Jedi! We find a ways when there aren't any. In the name of peace and justice, we withstand any trial as one. And if the Force be with us, who or what dare stand against us?" The Padawans looked to one another while Hans listened on. "Each of you carries the future of the Jedi Order on your shoulders. Nothing is without purpose and we are all here to overcome this darkness." Chaki started to smile as the Padawans' spirits were reinvigorated. "So as Jedi, we're going to remain calm. We're going to trust the Force to guide us above all things. And no matter what, we will remain united." He relished in the plethora of responding nods. "We can do this, lads and lasses. I believe in-"
Master Chaki's dark eyes lit up and his cephalic lobes twitched. The group froze as a steaming, scarlet lightsaber shot through his chest. The Selkath's head lurched forward and he stared at the blade's dreadful tip. A thin, haunting figure emerged from the fiery smoke behind him. It cackled and drove the lightsaber deeper into Chaki's back.
"No," Hans uttered.
"Master!" Nelani wailed. Mustering whatever courage she could scrounge, the Duros ignited her lightsaber and rushed towards Ventress. She made it two steps before a dreadful power took hold. While keeping Nelani's master impaled, Ventress raised her other hand to call upon the Force. Nelani's breaths shortened as she was lifted into the air. "So," Ventress hissed while squeezing the life out of her. "-this is the future of the great Jedi Order? Pathetic."
Tori readied her lightsabers. "We can take her!" she goaded her peers. The Pantoran's eyes widened when she noticed Hans staggering towards the treeline. Ventress laughed at the sight of him and the other fear-stricken Jedi.
"Anna," Hans whispered. "Run."
She stood with her boots dug into the sand...unsure whether to spark up her blade and charge with Tori or bolt with Hans. Time seemed to slow as she assessed the other Padawans around her. They weren't all as fearless as Tori was and some were hindered by injuries. "There's no time for a moral debate," Tori intoned and moved to attack.
A sinister grin formed across Ventress' dark lips. In one swift motion, she retracted her blade from Chaki and clenched her open hand. When she did so, an ominous crunch sounded from Nelani's neck and her body went limp. The bright red eyes which once teemed with fear were now empty, dark pools. She collapsed atop her fallen master and their bodies rolled into the sand. Anna wanted to feel devastated. She wanted to feel pure anger towards what'd just occurred. But in those moments, Anna found herself experiencing an insurmountable sense of fright. The insidious realization that she'd stranded them on an deserted island with Count Dooku's assassin sunk in. Her conversation with Mattias on Kamino echoed throughout her mind.
"I appreciate your support so that one day I might hit the frontlines, but that might mean facing down a real Sith. Is my best option really to run? Was I that fortunate in this scenario to just survive?"
From the moment Nelani and Chaki fell, Tori went into a fit of rage. In the name of her fellow Jedi, she boldly spun her sabers and yelled, "Come on!" Surk's green saber ignited and he sprinted alongside Tori.
Hans dashed in the opposite direction and shouted, "Run!"
Anna remained frozen as the chaos descended around her. She thought about how Mattias had told her to listen to Chaki, but then looked at how the Selkath lay dead. She considered how Nelani was just talking a moment ago and how her life had been robbed so quickly. Between her aching limbs, dizzied head, and guilty conscience, Anna remained in shock. She saw Hans yelling and waving his arms at her, but no sound escaped his lips. When she glanced over at Tori and Surk, Ventress was severely overwhelming them. Her furious sabers battered against their blades as the Padawans strictly went on the defensive. Ventress kicked Surk in the face and Force-pushed Tori into the sand. During the brief pause in combat, her icy stare listed towards Anna. Her heart sank when she felt a pair of hands seize her shoulders and spin her around.
"We have to go!" Hans panicked and pulled her away.
Anna snapped back to her senses and shoved him off. "Stop it!" she exclaimed only to hear a sharp clang against half of the ship. Ventress had used the Force to fling Tori and Surk across the wreckage. She set her sights on Gav, who was desperately limping towards the jungle. As Ventress closed in on the Avinarian, Anna rushed to intercept. She was about to when Hans grabbed her sleeve. "Let go!" she barked.
"I'm trying to save your life!" he asserted.
"And I his," Anna countered.
"He's already dead," Hans insisted.
"You don't know that!"
"I do! Now come on!"
Anna furiously reclaimed her sleeve. "Coward," she scolded and sprinted to Gav's aid.
The limping Avinarian was almost to the treeline when he heard the terrifying hum of Ventress' sabers. He turned with a squawk as the assassin lunged to strike him. Before another Padawan could fall, Anna threw herself between the blades and deflected with her own. The parry sent both combatants tumbling while Gav hobbled away. Ventress recovered with a speed Anna wasn't used to seeing. "If it isn't the champion?" she taunted. "I'm surprised you'd come to this one's aid. You didn't strike me as a team player."
Don't let her get in your head, Anna told herself and flourished her saber. Overwhelm and overcome! Anna sought to do just that as she went on the offensive. She unleashed a wave of furious Ataru strikes against Ventress, who spent more time dodging instead of blocking. When they finally locked blades, Ventress was sure to gibe again. "You think you have any say in their lives? Because of a trophy? Because of your skills? You have nothing and that's all your efforts will amount to."
"No!" Anna roared and savagely swung her blade. She kicked up sand while connecting with her frustrations. Ventress exploited her heavy strikes to elbow Anna in the face. She was about to slash Anna in her daze, but Gav's screech caught her attention. With his emerald saber readied, the Avinarian took a swing at Ventress' back. The Sith easily parried his attack and countered with double the ferocity. His eyes widened as she rushed him with an intense barrage of strikes. By the time Anna recovered, she found herself watching the nightmare unfold. Gav's limp had caught up with him and he couldn't maintain a steady defense. With a hefty swing, Ventress batted the saber out of his grip and left him at her mercy. "Gav!" Anna yelled while running to him.
Out of sheer desperation, Gav threw up his wings to protect his face. He braced for the inevitable as Ventress thrusted her sabers forward. The impact sent Gav soaring across the sand and into a palm tree. His stiff body plummeted from the impact and the tree collapsed over him. "It's like I said," Ventress scoffed and turned to Anna. "You have no say." As Anna saw Gav's lifeless wing protruding from beneath the palm tree, she glanced back at Nelani and Chaki's bodies. With Ventress closing in and a vast jungle at her side, Anna chose to run.
From the moment her lightsaber switched off, there was no stopping Anna. She was like a Terellian Jango Jumper running the obstacle course of her life. As Anna swatted thick leaves and low-hanging vines out of her face, Ventress' laugh echoed throughout the jungle. It was as if the Sith witch had taken over the island and her voice was permeating from everywhere. Her demonic cackle had Anna's heart racing as she constantly looked over her shoulder. She didn't stop running for anything while sweat soaked her body. Her head swiveled towards the slightest sound in the high trees or the briefest shadow in the bushes. The sound of saber strikes and screaming only made her quicken her pace. So much so, that she tripped on a thick root and tumbled down a muddy slope.
Anna's body ached as protruding stones and mossy roots bludgeoned her on the way down. She got a face full of mud at the base of the slope as all went quiet. Anna slowly lifted her head and chunks of loamy soil slithered off her hair. A thin layer of dark sludge slid down her cheeks and she cautiously wiped her face. She struggled to get the taste of soggy dirt out of her mouth and slowly opened her eyes. When she did so, she found herself staring into Dokin's black, lidless eyes. The Bith's elongated, peach-skinned head bobbed in a puddle as Anna backed away. She bit back a gasp while staring at a pair of smoking, cauterized saber wounds in his back. By the time she realized how fresh they were, Ventress' reflection was already in the puddle. The Sith's blade's reactivated as Anna felt herself sinking deeper into the muddy trap. She exasperatedly clawed for dry land as Ventress leapt down to her level.
A distinct shout caught both of their attentions as Hans dashed out from the foliage. With his saber readied and horror brandished across his eyes, he dared to attack Ventress. She broke off her pursuit of Anna to engage him and the two crossed blades. Not once did she feel threatened by any of them, even a knight such as Hans. When she dipped her blades to close in on his face, she couldn't help but grin. "I remember you," she jeered. "The Padawan on Corellia. Fitting we'd meet under similar circumstances." Hans fought to not exchange words and instead focused on dueling. "You're still that quivering boy. How low the Jedi have fallen to grant a worm like you the rank of knight."
Hans' heart pounded as Ventress' words clawed their way into his resolve. He relived their first encounter of how he'd failed to save the Corellian nobleman. The stinging agony of Ventress' lightsaber across his back burned him all over again. His forearms weakened under pressure and Ventress adored every moment of it. She toyed with his dwindling strength and acted only once he fully collapsed. Though Ventress prepared to gut him, both she and Hans were surprised to see a bizarre organism approaching. A brutish, belligerent, muddied redhead came charging into battle.
With chunks of dirt still oozing down her chin and ears, Anna threw herself towards Ventress. She delivered a strong enough blow to send the Sith sliding back in defense. Anna then hauled Hans to his feet and pulled him towards a clearing. "You wanted to go, right?" she panted. "Then go!"
She and Hans staggered, stumbled, and vaulted through the jungle. Thick, mossy leaves stained their robes with green splotches as they weaved by. Globs of dripping dew wet their faces from the towering canopies. Ventress' shadow loomed overhead as she leapt between the trees. "Run, Jedi. Run!" she mocked and her laugh reverberated down to them.
As Anna and Hans rushed further into the jungle, they came to a winding stretch of loamy pathways. "Which way?" Anna huffed.
"Right!" Hans confirmed as Ventress' saber swung in from the left. He pulled Anna away just in time as a scarlet blade bisected one of the palm trees. Anna couldn't help but clench her waist and imagine what could've been. "Just keep running!" Hans blurted desperately. Both his and Anna's legs throbbed as they picked up speed. Ventress' sabers could be heard grinding and slashing against the trees behind them. Neither Jedi dared to look back as they neared a cliffside. Without a second guess, Anna and Hans threw themselves over the edge to succumb to a multi-story plunge. Upon hearing rushing water below, the duo hoped for the best by straightening their legs and holding their breath.
They pierced the raging rapids below like cliff-dwelling water creatures. While Anna landed and swirled amidst the waters, Hans felt something scrape across his back. When Anna broke the surface, she found herself immediately splashed with whitewater fury. She flailed and sputtered while trying to find the river's bottom. "Anna!" she heard Hans call amidst the rushing waters.
"Hans!" she coughed while her boots skimmed the riverbed. With eyes shut tight and nostrils flared, Anna tried to tread towards his voice. Keeping her eyes closed didn't prepare her for the log she was getting pushed towards. She collided into the sturdy bark with a thud and desperately tried to ascend it. As her burning eyes opened, she noticed Hans drifting beside her and stretched out a hand.
Hans thrusted his arm to her and she caught his wrist. With gritted teeth and a deathly grip, Anna hoisted Hans onto the slippery log. They were barely able to catch a breath before their weight started to shift the trunk. "Move," Hans warned. "Jump for it!" He and Anna scrambled to their feet as the log shifted deeper into the rapids. They leapt to the gunky mangroves along the shore and collapsed on damp land. Without saying another word, both Jedi fled farther into the jungle. They weren't even sure if Ventress was still on their trail nor what fate had befallen their friends. In those moments, all that mattered was getting as far away as possible.
The Ethereal's cargo container remained adrift in space. Like the Jedi masters occupying the hold, it too was cold...severed...and very much alone. Mattias and Savil wouldn't stop pacing by the viewport. They alternated routes like a pair of anxious guards on patrol.
"Eighty-five," Chuza said.
"Eighty-six," Halsey grumbled.
"Eighty-seven," Chuza continued with a hint of dramatic flair.
"What are you two blabbing on about?" Savil snapped while Mattias raised a brow behind her.
"How many laps you two have done," Chuza chirped. "You know all that pacing isn't going to make us move any faster."
"How can you of all people be so relaxed right now, Chuza?" Mattias queried. "Someone kicked you off the ship and then severed it and all of us from our Padawans."
"Someone with a lightsaber," Savil added. "Halsey and I saw what it did to a temple guard."
"Mattias," Chuza intoned. "I would think as a fellow master of the Order, you would already understand the nature of our predicament. There is no passion, there is serenity! There is no chaos, there is harmony! We have trained our Padawans to the best of our abilities. They are prepared to counter threats to this Republic and stand against them."
"Just like the temple guard was," Savil scoffed.
"Master Chuza is right," Halsey affirmed. "You two have grown far too attached to your Padawans. Anna and Surk are fine Jedi, but you must view them as such as well. How else do you expect them to hold their own or reach knighthood for that matter?"
Savil and Mattias exchanged frustrated glances. They were about to refute Halsey and Chuza's claims but Krell spoke up. "They won't make it," the Besalisk bellowed. All eyes turned to him as he meditated in a corner of the hold. "At least, most of them won't. Can you so-called masters truly be so arrogant? The ways of old are dying. The threats we faced are nothing compared to what rising Jedi are encountering today. Yet still, you act as though you know everything. There is no emotion, yet you wage war on peace. There is no ignorance, yet we claim to hold all knowledge. There is no passion, yet we encourage a confusing sort of empathy. There is no chaos, yet all we do is thrust each other into it. There is no death, yet..." Krell snorted. "Well, there's always more death. You all sensed what was on that ship. Whether you're still lying to yourself or not, I really don't care. You can't deny the Dark Side's presence. You can't pretend that the Jedi can all vanquish it with a single swoop. It's how you get people killed." Krell's stern, yellow eyes scoured the floor for meaning. "Mine probably won't make it," he deduced nonchalantly. "Half of these Padawans won't. Maybe more, actually."
His words would've left the room in a chilling silence had Master Beetra not started wincing. The Aqualish felt a deep pain in her chest as she was forced to sit on a crate. Kalia came to comfort her and asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"
Beetra's tusks and hands trembled. Her four eyes narrowed in on a profound sorrow beyond comprehension. "I sense a disturbance in the Force," she uttered. "It's...familiar, yet distant. She clenched a fist as it felt like part of her essence had been ripped out. "Dokin?" she worried.
Krell nodded solemnly and muttered, "So it's begun."
Anna and Hans had been fleeing until midday. Exhaustion was catching up with them and Hans gripped a tree. "Hey!" Anna huffed. "We can't stop now. We have to-" Halting her momentum gave her body permission to feel every ounce of pressure weighing it down. Her aching muscles rebelled until she too stumbled against a tree. Light-headed from dehydration and starvation, Anna struggled to stay focused. She sat beside Hans and gazed at the sun-streaked canopy overhead. "Do you think we lost her?" she asked.
"Doubtful," Hans admitted. "But maybe we bought some time?" He loosed a painful groan when he tried to stand.
"Hans?" Anna worried.
"I'm fine," he grunted before falling over.
"Bantha crap," Anna retorted. "You're anything but." She forced him on his side and noticed the crimson splotches on his white robes. "Kriff," she whispered and started to undo his tabards.
"No," he murmured.
"You're hurt!" Anna snapped.
"I know!" he fired back. "Just don't do this here. We're too exposed."
"Fine," Anna huffed and helped Hans to his feet. "Come on then." She dragged him up and over a steep, rocky slope. Her thighs burned as she pushed herself to ascend.
Their luck was either taking a turn for better or worse as an obsidian cave came into view. Glossy, dark stone beckoned them closer to its mouth like a form of natural salvation. A thin stream of water trickled out of the cave and kept the tall grass shrouding it healthy. Knowing they'd need a shelter, Anna chose the cave and was careful not to disturb the grass. She assumed that Ventress was an expert huntress and could pick up on the slightest clue. Being cautious of these missteps, Anna and Hans shimmied along the cave's wall to become one with its shadows. Its frigid, shady embrace was a welcomed change against Scarif's blazing heat.
The cave's winding path eventually led towards the source of its trickling water supply. A set of bioluminescent fungus highlighted a shallow reservoir. Anna saw it as the ideal spot to rest by and set Hans down with a groan. The natural, fungal light allowed them to shut off their lightsabers and avoid any unnecessary attention. Anna rolled Hans over and huffed. "Okay, here we go." She tugged his tabards up as he winced in pain.
"Careful," he hissed. "Watch it!"
"Quiet," Anna whispered sharply and raised the robes. Two scrapes endured during the escape had caused minor bleeding across his lower back. While the wounds were daunting, Anna couldn't help but gaze upon the saber scar Ventress had left him. It was a long, clean, brutal mark which stretched diagonally across his back. After seeing what that Sith witch had done to the others, Anna thought. He got off easy.
"So are you going to do something or..." Hans snarked. Anna dipped a hand in the cave's pool and scooped water against his scrapes. "Hell!" he growled from the stings.
"What?" Anna retorted. "I'm doing something." She splashed the scrapes until the wounds were properly cleaned. "I'm not a medical droid, but that'll have to do."
Hans shifted onto his side and drank from the pool. He took a moment to let the waters quench his ravaged throat before speaking. "Thanks, Anna."
"Yeah," she scoffed. "Thank you too. You know, for coming back."
"I never left," Hans admitted.
"But you did," Anna retorted. "At least that's what it felt like. I couldn't find you anywhere when I returned from Rodia. Did you even hear about what happened to me?"
"I heard," Hans assured. "And I'm sorry about what happened."
"Well thanks for visiting then," she grumbled.
Hans sighed and removed two capsules from his utility belt. "Does this make up for it at all?" he asked.
Anna's eyes widened. "Are those-"
Hans nodded. "Energy capsules. I brought an extra one for you when I heard what was going on." He tossed it to her as she examined the container.
"Really?" she queried. The energy behind her question emerged with far more emotion than intended. She pretended it was her hunger and directed it towards opening the capsule.
"Mhm," Hans assured while munching on one of his capsule's food pellets.
"It's even chocolate," Anna rejoiced while chewing on hers. "How'd you know that's my favorite?"
Hans discreetly glanced at his container and realized they were all chocolate. He feigned a smile and said, "You seem like a chocolate kind of girl."
Anna grinned back but her blushing was short-lived. As the flavored pellet left her mouth, so too did the sense that anything was remotely safe. Her thoughts took her back to what resided outside the cave. She saw her dead companions and the sinister force hunting them, all while wondering when it'd be her turn.
"Do you think we're the only ones left?" Anna uttered. "Do you think anyone's looking for us?"
Hans slowly swallowed and replied, "I don't know, Anna." He sighed when he saw her nodding somberly. "But, I do know that we have each other. And that's got to count for something."
Anna chuckled while warding off the traumas at her mental doorstep. "I mean...we wanted to spend more time together, right?"
"Right," Hans affirmed and sat up by the water. "You know, I wanted to visit you. Really, I did. But I was...afraid."
"Of what?" Anna asked.
"Of seeing you like that. The idea of almost losing you...broke me. By the time you were up and moving again, so was I. As fate would have it, I had a chance to make things right. I learned of the situation on Corellia and abandoned my mission to get here...to get to you. As you know, I wasn't fast enough."
"Wait," Anna blurted. "You abandoned your assigned mission?"
"But you're glad I did, right?"
"Hans!" Anna scolded but immediately took her voice down. "You going against the rules is what got you on probation in the first place. What do you think will happen after this?"
"If we even survive this."
"Don't talk like that," Anna intoned.
"I'm serious, Anna." Hans countered. "You're scolding me as if you're my master, but there's far more going on here. I knew what I was doing and I damn well knew the risks."
"You just didn't care," Anna sighed.
"It's the opposite, actually." Hans retorted. "All I did was care. And the more I think about it, my actions were never about myself or the Jedi. They sure as hell weren't about 'the mission', that's for sure. When I took the fall before the council, it was because I couldn't let you go down. When I heard about a threat at the Corellian Cup, I dropped everything knowing you were there."
"I can handle myself," Anna assured.
"But that-" Hans took a deep breath. "Anna, that doesn't stop people from caring about you. Not the way I do."
"Hans?" Anna uttered as she felt her heart thunder. She thought about the warmth they'd felt in the Archive storage room. "What are you saying?"
Hans too was thinking about the Archives as he replied, "I told you we could figure out your feelings together...remember? I think ours are one in the same and I'm tired of fleeing from that emotion."
Anna bit her lip and sat back against the cave wall. Her heart raced as a festering desire to speak against years of Jedi doctrine prodded her mind. Her stomach fluttered as the horrors outside the cave were held at bay. She lost herself in the moment, as if she'd escaped into one of her holodramas where the heroes always won and love prevailed. Love, the way the word swirled through Anna's thoughts was enticing. Maybe it was her instincts talking, or the chocolate pellets...but something was different with Hans. She felt he was giving her an emotional experience unlike anything a master, sister, nor a friend could ever.
"J-" Anna composed herself. "Jedi aren't allowed to form attachments."
"We-" Hans specified with a smirk. "-also shouldn't be channeling the Dark Side. But suns still rise either way. New days dawn while people still live and die. At the end of it all, you and I are still the same. We can still have each other."
"The feelings are already there anyway," Anna admitted and leaned forward.
"And they're not disappearing," Hans whispered and mirrored her body language.
Hans and Anna looked into each other's softening gazes. "What if-" Anna considered. "-someone found out?"
"No one will," Hans affirmed and they pressed their foreheads together. "It'll be our secret. The Order keeps us together, but at the end of the day...we fight for each other and no one else. That's how we'll survive this."
Anna tilted her chin upward and pressed her lips to his. It mattered not how much they sweat nor how tired they felt, Anna lost herself in that kiss. She felt the warmth of Hans' palm on her cheek as he pulled her closer. She tried to incorporate what techniques she'd seen on Celeste, and followed Hans' lead. With each passing kiss, each Jedi wanted another. They kissed to satisfy years of deprivation as a sense of liberation took hold. Their passion prompted a euphoria to quiet the terrors they'd witnessed on the beach. Hans dipped his head to kiss Anna's neck and she snuggled up against him. They rested in each other's embrace and shared a sense of newfound freedom.
Master Eno Cordova's corvette glided over the icy mountains of Rhen Var. Cordova looked over BD-1's holomap and hollered to his companions. "We're approaching the dark spots now!" When he didn't receive an answer, he set the ship to autopilot and checked the meditation room. "My friends?" he inquired. "Is everything alright?"
Elsa glanced worriedly as her master struggled to meditate. "She's been like this for some time," the Padawan said. "She sensed a disturbance and is trying to tap into its meaning."
"Which is much easier to do without people talking," Yelena murmured. All went silent as she gripped her knees. She listened to the Force around her and thought, What are you trying to tell me? As Yelena delved into her senses, she found herself succumbing to grief. Cordova and Elsa exchanged nervous stares as Yelena's brows raised. A single tear escaped her eye before she pulled herself out of the meditative state.
"What was it, Master Yelena?" Cordova asked.
"I'm not exactly sure," she answered and wiped the tear. "But I sensed Manaan as if Elsa and I were there again. Or perhaps it was the imagery of a Selkath. I saw Master Chaki's face for a moment, but it faded so hastily. I hope my old Consular friend is alright."
"He and Nelani were at the Corellian Cup too," Elsa realized. She made herself nervous by recalling how Anna's holocomm transmission cut.
"That's right," Yelena realized grimly.
The shrill whir of the corvette's landing gear startled everyone. They made for the cockpit as Cordova reassumed control. He set the ship down on a flat cliffside with a peculiar, frosted gateway. After gearing up, the group disembarked to examine the peculiar ruin. BD-1 hopped onto Cordova's shoulder and scanned the glyphs lining each door. "It's ancient Rhen Varite, alright." Cordova identified. "Perhaps a bunker of sorts."
Just the kind of place they'd seek shelter in during a cataclysm," Yelena deduced. "Let's see if we can get it open." She stretched out a hand and called upon the Force. Elsa and Cordova joined in as the ice glazed around the doors began to crack. Frozen fractals spewed from the hinges and the ancient gateway slowly swung open. A chilling flurry instantly blew through the opening and the Jedi entered. A patterned array of gargantuan, stone pillars formed a path into the mountain.
"Hopefully there's no native populace to attack us this time," Yelena muttered and sparked up her lightsaber. The others followed suit as they used their weapons as light sources. BD-1 scurried between their legs and his spotlight bounced with intrigue.
As they traversed the darkness, Elsa noticed a shimmering orb across the way. "There!" she shouted.
"What?" Cordova asked.
"Where?" Yelena added.
"The light from my dream!" Elsa asserted. The orb drifted closer to her as she stepped to meet it. "How are none of you seeing this?" she asked. "BD-1, can't you scan it?" The droid chimed confusedly and looked to his master.
"Elsa," the woman's voice emanated from the light. Elsa felt inclined to reach toward the mysterious source. As she utilized her Force senses, she didn't feel any darkness behind the energy. Whatever it was seemed inviting to say the least.
"Padawan?" Yelena worried. "What are you-...Elsa!"
Elsa touched the light source and it expanded across the room. It stretched until she felt completely blinded and was forced to shut her eyes. When Elsa came to, she realized the howling winds had simmered. As she opened her eyes, she found that her dark environment had warped into a vibrant corridor. She also discovered that Yelena, Cordova, and BD-1 were all gone.
The cave's hidden reservoir provided a hint of tranquility in the evening darkness. This peaceful ambience had worked too well, as Hans had fallen asleep during his watch. Anna was still snoring on his chest as a silhouette rose from the cave entrance. One of Anna's snores was loud enough to wake herself up and her eyes fluttered open. She groggily glanced up at Hans and kissed his cheek. The frustrating realization dawned on her moments before she could drift back to sleep and her brows furrowed. Furious, she smacked his chest and he bolted upright.
"Seriously?" she whispered sharply. "You had one job."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "How long was I out?"
"Long enough for us to get our throats slit," Anna scolded. "We-" She noticed a shadow lurking in her peripherals and bit her tongue.
Hans' eyes widened as the intruder lurked further up to their location. He and Anna quietly unclipped their lightsabers and took up positions on adjacent walls. As the figure lumbered closer, Hans and Anna nestled their fingers on their activation switches. Hans mouthed the word 'together' and Anna nodded swiftly. As they prepared to strike with all of their fury, a familiar voice spoke up in desperation.
"Come on," Tori urged. "Keep pushing."
"I'm...trying." Surk grunted from the cave entrance.
"Then try harder!" Tori growled. "Don't call it quits now!"
Anna breathed a sigh of relief and spoke from behind cover. "Tori?" The Pantoran instantly activated both of her sabers. "It's me, Anna." she said calmly. "I'm gonna come out now. Please don't kill me."
"How do I know that witch doesn't have you as a hostage?" Tori panted. "Or...or-"
"Hey," Hans spoke up. "I know you're scared. We all are. But right now, I need you to trust us."
"Don't tell me what I am and who to trust!" Tori snapped. "We trusted Master Chaki! I trusted Krell! We're on our own!"
"That's not true, Tori." Anna said and dared to step out. Tori jabbed her sabers forward as Anna raised her hands. "You have us. We're all we've got now."
Tori's sabers trembled in her hands and she pursed her lips. "Surk's hurt," she uttered. "I couldn't protect him."
"You did everything you could," Anna replied. "That's all any of us are doing. But you're not alone now."
Tori finally let herself believe it and deactivated her weapons. She dropped to her knees as the pain of it all overwhelmed her. "We couldn't stop her," she lamented. "Why didn't you help us?"
"Hans," Anna said. "Get her some water. I'm gonna check on Surk."
Hans was about to guide her to the reservoir when she swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me, you coward." Tori hissed. She trudged up to the pond herself while Anna saw to Surk.
The Zabrak hobbled over while clutching his shoulder. "It's good to see you," he spoke through his anguish.
"You too, bud." Anna replied. "Let's see what's going on here." Surk reluctantly moved his hand and Anna grimaced. His arm lengths weren't symmetrical and his wounded shoulder was greatly deformed. Any attempt at movement caused him to grunt in pain. "It's dislocated," Anna said.
"Karabast," Surk dreaded.
"I actually dislocated my shoulder as an Initiate way back when," she admitted.
Surk gulped. "So you also know what has to be done."
Anna sighed. "Stand up straight, buddy." Surk huffed and obliged as Anna gripped his wrist. He gritted his teeth when she pulled his arm forward and turned it towards proper alignment. With a forceful jerk, Anna popped Surk's shoulder back into place and he loosed a vicious roar. As he recovered from the throbbing agony, she guided him to water and the others.
"What else did you see out there?" Hans asked.
"The sun was setting when we emerged from the wreckage," Tori said. "There was no sign of her or anyone else. As far as we knew, Surk and I were the only survivors."
"Who do we know is still out there?" Surk asked and shook his head remorsefully. "Nelani and Chaki are...gone. Gav?"
"I don't think he made it," Anna replied as another grim memory struck her. "Um...Dokin is-...He's-" She didn't have to say it for the others to feel her grief.
"What about Knox?" Surk asked.
"I don't know."
"Velti?"
"I don't know!" Anna blurted. "I'm sorry, Surk."
"It's okay," the Zabrak replied. "In this situation, not knowing gives me hope. I'm sure Knox is resourceful."
"He couldn't climb the challenge tower," Tori scoffed.
Surk forced a smile. "Well Velti's acrobatics are-"
"Did you see her leg after after that shard was pulled out of it?" Tori added.
Surk angrily shoved her with his uninjured arm. She pushed back with double the ferocity as Anna interposed herself between them. "That's enough!" she shouted.
"I'm trying to be hopeful, damn it." Surk spoke through a scowl. "The very hope our Order has taught us to believe in. The same beliefs our friends have died for!" He jabbed a finger at Tori. "I may be you best friend, but you will not drag me down with you. We are Jedi! Where there is life, there is hope."
"Surk," Tori said. "We aren't kids anymore. Masters leave us, knights show us how afraid they really are, and there's an evil to this galaxy that's very real."
The Zabrak scoffed at her. "Throughout our friendship, I've always walked in your shadow. I used to look up to you, Tori." He shook his head at her. "The galaxy's always been broken. Horrible people never stopped existing either. But if evil is real, so is goodness. So stop acting like the galaxy's out to get you because you can't handle your own hardship. We're in this together. A life without hardship is non-existent, but that's why we have each other. So let's do what Jedi do best and find a solution."
Tori and Hans sulked back while Anna paced about. "Let's work with what we know," the young Dellian said. "Our opponent is highly skilled in both the Force and dueling."
"What do we think her objective is?" Surk asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hans murmured. "Kill us all. Dooku's assassin was skilled enough to infiltrate the Ethereal and split the Padawans from their masters. With an exception here and there, apprentices are easy prey in her eyes. Perhaps this is a personal statement against the Jedi through an act of terror."
"Or a training exercise for her," Tori growled. "Practice."
"The point is she's probably still out on the hunt," Anna said. "And if we want to best her, we need to think like her. If she thinks we're easy prey, she's going to underestimate us. I would."
"Perhaps we can use that to our advantage," Hans proposed and the others turned to him. "The last place she'd suspect us to return to would be the scene of the slaughter."
"And why would we go back?" Tori asked.
Hans plucked a cracked stone from the cavern floor to use as a reference. "The Ethereal's faulty hyperspace jump forced it to split and crash-land on its ventral side, leaving the dorsal section mostly unscathed. There's a possibility that the communications array is still functional and we can get a signal out to someone."
"That sounds like suicide!" Tori berated. "First of all, what if the wreck is exactly where she'd expect us to go. Second, all of this is based on a what-if. Going means potentially losing this strategic cave because unless someone brought a map...or a trail of breadcrumbs...we're not going to remember where it is."
"You were calling me a coward for running before-" Hans jeered. "-now I want to take action and you shut me down? What do you want, Pantoran?"
"I want a solid plan, not a stupid one." she answered. "And my name is Tori, human."
"We'll put it to a vote," Anna suggested and immediately facepalmed. "Kriff, I sound like my sister. All in favor of Hans' plan?" Anna, Surk, and Hans raised their hands as Tori rolled her eyes.
The Ethereal's jettisoned cargo hold drifted as a series of searchlights swayed across its hull. Mattias squinted when the lights met his face and he waved from the viewport. He smiled upon recognizing the the bright, starred emblem gleaming atop each ship's wing. "It's the Corellians," he told his fellow masters.
"About time," Savil replied and rose from a crate.
"This gives me hope," Kalia said. "Someone aboard the Ethereal must've gotten a distress signal out."
"It doesn't mean they aren't still in distress," Krell snarled.
One of the Corellian cruisers attached itself to the hold and linked to its hull. Torches blazed through the sealed hatch and several officers emerged from a pale hallway. "Corellian police," one of them announced. "Is anyone hurt?"
"No," Mattias assured. "But our ship's been hijacked. It was last seen heading into the asteroid cluster."
"We must pursue!" Beetra urged. "Our apprentices may be in grave danger."
The officers nodded to one another and beckoned the Jedi to their vessel. Once aboard, Mattias rushed to the command bridge for the best view. He scoured the cosmic debris for any signs of their missing ship. "Captain," one of the pilots called from the lower decks. "We're not picking up any ships on our scanners. All readouts are negative."
The Corellian captain was a lanky nobleman whose navy blue uniform contrasted vividly against his dark skin. "Circle around the asteroid field," he commanded. "An incapacitated ship this large doesn't just disappear without a trace." He turned to the Jedi with inquisitive brows. "It was incapacitated, yes?"
A dreadful thought dawned on Mattias as he turned to Savil and asked, "You don't think they jumped to lightspeed, do you?"
Scarif was truly a beachside paradise at night, Anna thought. You know...if it wasn't for the evil Sith acolyte trying to kill us all as we fight to survive. Great vacation spot.
"You know," Anna whispered. "I said it once and I'll say it again. I hate this planet. I'm gonna make a list of worlds I never want to come back to and Scarif is gonna be in bold capitals at the very top."
"And yet here you are, back for more." Tori jeered.
"Quiet, both of you." Hans scolded. He peeled back a thick branch to observe the Ethereal's shadowy wreckage. The moonlit waves were disturbingly tranquil and had extinguished most of the fire. After checking his corners, Hans rolled through the sand and pressed up against a fallen turbine. He then raised a hand and beckoned the others to join him. They quietly crawled across the beach and met up at the turbine. Hans glanced over its metallic surface and pointed towards a protruding, fragmented spire. "There's the command bridge," he whispered. A smile crept across his face when he noticed lights strobing from its smashed viewport. "And it looks like power's still circulating. We can climb up to it from here."
Hans gave Surk a boost, but they immediately stopped after hearing how loudly the metal clanged. Tori ran a hand across the dented, battered surface. "You climb this and we won't have to send a signal," she said. "Someone'll hear your footsteps from Tatooine."
"And we can count on Ventress showing," Hans realized.
Anna ducked beneath the spire and noticed a collapsed vent resting against the sand. "What about this?" she whispered. "It's a tight squeeze, but I might be able to take it up to the bridge."
"Worth a shot," Hans replied. "Just be careful. Get a signal through and get the hell out of there. Tori and Surk, keep watch on adjacent sides. He waited for them to disperse before gripping Anna's shoulder. "Hey," he said and pulled her into a kiss. "For luck."
Anna smiled and brought her arms together. She rigorously shimmied up the narrow vent as sand shifted everywhere. I hate this stuff, she thought while inching her way through.
Surk leaned against the sunken turbine and let the oceanic breeze bring him peace. He gasped when a peculiar movement across the beach caught his eye. "It can't be," he muttered while taking a closer look.
Anna's eyes widened when her advancement came to a halt. Part of the collapsed vent proved to be a tighter squeeze than anticipated. Her breaths hastened as she tried to wriggle through the shaft. "Come on," she grunted and sucked in her stomach. Her boots skidded across the metal and she was cautious not to make too much noise.
"Do you see her yet?" Tori asked Hans.
"No," he replied only to raise a brow. "Wait. Where's the other guy?"
Tori leaned out from her hiding spot and spotted the Zabrak. "Surk!" she whispered sharply. "What are you doing?" When he didn't respond, she was forced to sneak closer to him. "Hey!"
"Look," he finally responded. Tori followed his finger to the grim scene of Chaki and Nelani's murders. But while the master remained motionless, the Padawan's head and arm were shifting. "It's Nelani," Surk said. Tori's eyes narrowed while she watched the Duros' head sway facedown in the sand. "Think she's paralyzed?"
"I think she's dead," Tori intoned.
With a profound grunt, Anna pushed herself through the vent and crawled into the command bridge. She caught her breath, threw up a hand from the viewport, and proceeded to examine the dashboard's remnants. "She's up," Hans rejoiced. "I knew she could it."
Anna scoured the cracked and shattered control panels for anything salvageable. She tried to relate any of the tech to devices Mattias had taught her about. A staticky screen positioned above a speaker attracted her attention. "Please be comms," she willed and twisted a switch beside it. A blurry image fought to emerge through the static. Anna squinted to try and read the message as it strobed repeatedly. On a whim, Anna struck the screen with the back of her fist and the static worsened. "Nice going, Anna." she scolded herself as if she was Elsa. "Always gotta punch everything." When she rolled her eyes, she discovered a loose cord above the screen. "I swear if this-" She held her breath and straightened the cord. When she held it at a precise angle, the screen appeared fully functional. "Kriff yeah. Anna Dellian: Jedi Genius."
The screen read: COMMUNICATIONS SIGNAL OPTIMIZED. SELECT A REGISTERED STATION OR INPUT A CODE AGAIN.
Anna despised how 'S-15' was the only code tormenting her mind. But what does the monitor mean by "Again?" she thought. Who the heck placed a call before me? Is this in regards to Velti? While keeping the cord straight with one hand, she shifted through planetary options with her other. My best bet'll be the Jedi Temple, she thought. Recalling Master Chuza's history lesson on the Ethereal, the vessel had to have primary registration to Coruscant.
Back outside, Hans impatiently tugged at his tabard. Tori gave Surk a nudge and said, "I'm not trying to be pessimistic here. I'm asking you to consider all of the facts. Nelani's neck snapped, Surk. If she's moving, it's because she's being-" As Tori figured it out, the Duros' body went limp again. Tori's eyes widened and she reached for her lightsabers. She turned to see Ventress perched atop the wreckage like an ominous reaper.
"Clever girl," Ventress lauded. "Your friend should be ashamed of himself. He never would've survived as a Nightbrother." With a flash of red from her hilts, Ventress descended across the starry sky.
"She's here!" Tori warned and lunged to engage. Surk readied his lightsaber and rallied to her aid.
"Damn it," Hans gasped while Anna heard sabers clashing. She peered from the command bridge as Hans yelled, "Make the call!" He activated his weapon and leapt into the fray.
Anna anxiously scrolled through the comms network while trying to keep the wire balanced. Her eyes darted between the list of station names and the ensuing beach battle. Ventress crashed before the Jedi and kicked up sand in their faces. Tori, Surk, and Hans each prepared themselves to attack. With a devilish smirk, Ventress fused her sabers together to form a saberstaff. With bold determination, the trio took Ventress head on regardless of her conjoined weapon. She spun the saberstaff overhead and deflected all of their blows simultaneously. Hans took the closest lunge and took a knee to the face for it. Ventress tried to strike him, but Tori and Surk moved in next.
Anna rejoiced after finding the Jedi Temple's station. She placed the call without hesitation and waited impatiently as the signal blipped. "Hurry up!" she groaned as every second stretched forever. Sweat soaked her forehead as she longed to join the fight. Hearing her friends getting bested only quickened her heart rate. Tori kicked off a piece of wreckage and flung both her sabers at Ventress. The Sith backflipped to evade the blades and parried Surk's incoming strikes. Hans slid in for a strike, but Ventress was ready to block him.
The communications array chimed as Anna's signal reached Coruscant. "Jedi Temple to starship Ethereal," an elderly voice said. "We hear you."
"There's not a moment to waste!" Anna screamed into the comm.
"Who is this?" the voice responded.
"Jedi...Padawan...Pa-" Anna composed herself. "Anna Dellian! Ethereal has crashed on Scarif! Send immediate reinforcements! We are under attack! Jedi are down! I repeat. Jedi are-" Anna watched from the bridge as Ventress Force-pushed Hans across the shoreline. She then overwhelmed Tori with a flurry of attacks and kicked her into a pile of scrap. Surk batted away the Sith's incoming blows and remained on the defensive. When he raised his blade to counter her upward strike, she split the weapon in two again. Before Surk could counter, Ventress swiftly slashed across his torso with both sabers. "No!" Anna screeched. She abandoned the command bridge, activated her lightsaber, and launched towards Ventress.
Anna's weapon slammed against the Sith's as she laughed. "Good," she critiqued. "Such hate for a follower of the Order."
With twitching eyes and a lingering scowl, Anna glanced at Surk's body. The glowing, smoking scars across his abdomen fueled her fury. She thought back to their fist bumps and consider how Ventress had robbed them of any future friendship. "I'll kill you!" Anna growled and struck again.
As Tori emerged from the scrap pile, her eyes filled with sorrow and fury. "Surk!" she screamed and wildly spun her sabers. Seeing his lifeless, sprawled out form was enough to send her into a fit of rage alongside Anna. Hans joined the duo as they pushed Ventress further along the beach. She unclipped her skirt and flung it at Hans to blind him. Anna slashed through the fabric and was met by a much more agile Ventress. She rocketed towards the group with her sabers in a wild frenzy. There was a flash of spinning scarlet that forced Anna and Hans to duck. Tori faced Ventress straight on and jabbed both shotos. They locked blades atop the fallen turbine while Anna and Hans rushed to help. While Tori grit her teeth and fought to endure, Ventress simply smiled. She outmaneuvered the Pantoran's spinning sabers and delivered two upward strikes.
Anna and Hans collectively Force-pushed Ventress away mid-strike, making the attacks non-lethal. Tori loosed a painful grunt as Ventress' blades slashed her thigh and bicep. The Pantoran collapsed and clutched her cauterized wounds as the others arrived.
"Tori?" Anna worried.
"I'll be fine," she writhed. "Go get her!"
Fueled by rage to avenge her companions, Anna chased after Ventress with Hans in tow.
Elsa traversed the long, indigo halls around her and pondered their meaning. "Master Yelena?" she called out. "Master Cordova? BD-1?" Her voice became an echo amidst the seemingly endless corridor. The columns around her pulsed with bizarre energy when she ran her fingers across them.
"Elsa," the mysterious woman whispered again. Her voice was like that of a siren beckoning her through the void.
"I-" Elsa stuttered. "I'm here. I followed the signs and pursued my vision What do you want with me?"
"Elsa."
Elsa scoffed. "Yes?"
"Elsa."
The Padawan grew impatient. "Yes?" she shouted and flailed her arms. "Here I stand, in the light of day! What do you want? And please don't say 'Elsa' again!"
There was a long pause until the voice responded, "-Dellian."
"Seriously?" Elsa blurted as a glowing orb flew overhead. It blasted her hair forward and sent her stumbling into the wall. When she braced to protect herself, she discovered the barrier had vanished. In fact, she found her entire environment had warped once she parted the locks from her face. "By the Force," she gasped while standing atop a glorious, snow-covered tower. Steep, silver-stoned stairs led to a jagged cliffside overlooking a mountain range. "The tower from my dream," Elsa realized. She steadied herself when a powerful breeze almost pushed her over the edge. She watched as the glowing orb hovered to the tower's center. The luminous energy morphed into a female figure with pulsing white eyes. Her flowing hair was made of vibrant strands of pure light as it swayed in the wind.
Elsa nervously held her breath as a smile formed across the entity's thin, spectral lips. "Do not be afraid," she said. Though it spoke calmly, its voice echoed as if a choir of hundreds was talking.
"What...who are you?" Elsa asked.
"I go by many names," the entity said. "For an equal amount have sought me out. And I've helped those I could, for all things are possible to all who trust in the Force."
"Are you a spirit?" Elsa queried. "I've encountered demons of the Dark Side. I sense your connection to the Light, so perhaps you are-"
"A wraith," she answered. The winds howled louder at the mention. "One endowed with tremendous purpose. A mission forged by my predecessors thousands of years ago. The Light Side of the Force must prevail, Elsa. It must be preserved or all will be lost. Wraiths ally themselves with those in the mortal world to accomplish this and combat the Dark Side. As unseen evils rise through these times, I have chosen...you as my ally." Elsa gulped and the wraith chuckled. "Remember, Elsa. Do not be afraid. My tower is a place of safety, not anguish." She wrapped a luminous arm around Elsa and guided her to the structure's ledge. She could see their ship stationed miles in the distance from there.
"What must I do?" Elsa asked.
"Truly trust in the Force," the wraith said and took her hands. "Fully commit yourself to it." Elsa could feel the warm energy of the Light Side radiating from her palms.
"Believe it or not," Elsa admitted. "It's hard to do that sometimes. I thought my fellow Jedi...even my master would stand by my choices."
"I will always be with you, Elsa," the wraith assured. "Open your heart to the Force and I won't be far behind. Listen for my voice. You are far more powerful than you deem yourself to be."
An uneasy feeling struck Elsa as she thought back to Anna. She combined the sensation with what Yelena felt about Chaki and asked, "If you are with me, is there anything that can be done about future events?"
The wraith paused and hovered around Elsa. "Dark and light are in a constant battle. One of which you must join." Elsa suddenly felt her shoulders being shaken as the wraith began to fade. Before she vanished into the wind, a single name swirled within Elsa's mind.
"Evara," the name fled Elsa's lips and she heard a man gasp. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself face to face with Cordova. The elder was checking her vitals back in the corvette.
"Yelena," he rejoiced while BD-1 danced on his shoulder. "She's awake!"
"What...happened?" Elsa groaned.
Cordova's smile faded as he recounted the incident. "You said there was a light and collapsed before our eyes. We brought you back to the ship shortly after and have been here ever since." He felt her forehead and sighed. "Now take this from someone who's been on enough expeditions to get his own museum. There's no shame in going home and returning with clearer heads. That ordeal on Felucia was unexpected and might've-"
"I saw a wraith," Elsa explained and Cordova's brows raised. "She was in the tower. I was there, Master Cordova, and that light took me to it." Elsa huffed when he didn't respond. "You don't believe, do you?"
"It isn't that," Cordova assured. "I've only told you what your master and I witnessed. What if what you experienced was another dream vision?"
Elsa reclined and shook her head. "I don't think so," she admitted. "It was surreal, sure, but I was there. I know it!" Elsa loathed feeling like she couldn't count on Yelena to believe her. As she thought of her master, Yelena came stomping in. Both Elsa and Cordova were taken aback by the master's wild, nervous eyes.
"Elsa," she uttered.
"I'm alright," the Padawan assured.
"It appears you were right to be concerned," she affirmed and Elsa's blood ran cold.
She glanced at Cordova and asked, "Master? What's going on?"
"It's Anna," she said and Elsa stiffened. "The Jedi Temple intercepted a transmission from their ship. Your sister said they'd crash-landed on Scarif and that there had been-" Yelena quivered. "-casualties." She recomposed herself and stood tall. "The temple contacted Mattias, who had reported the ship missing upon being rescued by Corellian authorities. In turn, he contacted me because he doesn't know how quickly his team can get to Scarif."
"Master," Elsa interrupted with Facilier's horrific card in mind. "We don't have time to explain. No expedition is more important than the lives of our fellow Jedi. Set a course for Scarif."
The Jedi exchanged dutiful nods as Yelena and Cordova rushed to the cockpit. While he powered the engines, Yelena gave Mattias a call on her holocomm. "We'll see you planetside, old friend." she assured. "Don't worry. We'll bring them home."
"Anna!" Hans panted. "Slow down!"
Anna dashed through the darkened jungle like a raging beast. She angrily sliced branches out of her way while listening to Ventress' insidious laughter. "Show yourself, you snake!" she jeered. While brutishly attacking the foliage, Anna tripped over an oblong stone. She took a grievous tumble into a leafy pit, where a pair of scarlet sabers were waiting for her. Anna parried both and found herself backed against the loamy wall.
Ventress aimed a saber at her and asked, "Frightened?" Anna retaliated with a mighty slash. Her opponent evaded the attack and kicked her in the knee. "That's a yes."
"Witch!" Anna jeered.
"Temper temper," Ventress commented as they locked blades. "Is that any way a Jedi champion should be acting?"
"Why?" Anna pleaded while thinking of her dead companions. "Why are you doing this?"
Ventress appeared falsely endearing to mock Anna's grief. Her eyes suddenly narrowed as she sensed a presence above the basin. "Care to join us?" she hissed.
A double-bladed, yellow lightsaber ignited and its wielder sprung from the bushes. Her bright lekku shone with the rising sun as Velti Munar descended to attack. Ventress spun to engage her and immediately eyed the Twi'lek's thigh wound. Upon landing, Velti was already flinching with pain from it. She sliced the dirt beside her to send cloud into Ventress' face. The assassin Force-pushed both opponents away to recover. She then performed a wall run and took the fight to Anna. Noting the differences in their forms, Ventress kept the aggressive Anna on the defensive. This forced impelled Velti to go on the offensive and overexert her leg wound. Royal blue, scarlet, and golden hues illuminated the basin as their sabers clashed. While locking blades with Anna, Ventress kicked Velti in her injured thigh. The assassin relished in the Twi'lek's screech while Anna submitted to her hatred.
"Leave her alone!" she yelled and frantically swiped at her. Ventress dodged the attack, elbowed Anna across the head, and used her momentum to follow trough with upward slash. Still recovering from her wound, Velti raised her weapon to block as Ventress sliced down the middle. The Twi'lek's hilt severed and revealed a lethal wound across her chest. Her head fell back as a grin formed on her killer's dark lips.
She slowly turned her head to Anna as Hans slid down to the basin. "Next," she taunted breathily.
Cordova's corvette blasted through Scarif's atmosphere as he scrolled through his datacharts. "According to the transmission sent from the Jedi Temple-" he explained. "-Padawan Dellian's distress signal came from the biggest island on this archipelago." His finger hovered over the map as he steered towards the isle.
Elsa leaned towards the viewport with worried eyes and pointed at an ominous smoke trail. "There," she said.
"By the Force," Yelena remarked upon seeing the crash site. They landed on the beach, left an ongoing signal for Mattias, and departed to investigate.
"Anna!" Elsa called as she ran onto the shore. Without wasting a moment, she shut her eyes and called upon the Force to sense her sister. When she did so, she felt an overwhelming darkness plaguing the island. The sickening stench of death brought tears to her eyes while Yelena searched the wreckage.
"Focus," a voice echoed within Elsa's mind.
"Evaru?" she answered through her subconscious. "I knew I didn't dream our encounter!...I didn't, right?"
"Focus, Elsa."
"Right."
"Though an evil poisons this land, a light struggles to defy it. Focus on the light."
Elsa thought about what Anna meant to her. She recalled how she learned Niman from her sister on a beach just like this one. Though they had their disagreements...whether it resulted in Anna chewing her out or screaming into a clone's helmet...they were sisters at the end of the day. She remembered what it meant to reconcile on the night before their expedition. As Elsa focused on their bond, she started to sense Anna's distress. She could feel the exhaustion weighing her little sister down as an environment came to her mind's eye. "Anna," Elsa gasped and raced into the jungle.
Yelena rounded a collapsed turbine to find her fallen friend and his Padawan. "Chaki," she lamented and dropped to her knees. "Nelani...No." Her brows raised when another body shifted into view. "Padawan Vica?" she murmured.
"Help," Tori grunted and inched her way across the beach.
Yelena crawled to her aid and cradled the Padawan's head. "I've got you," she said soothingly. "Where are the others?" As if on woeful cue, Yelena noticed Surk's body several feet ahead of her.
"Anna and Hans are all I know of," Tori replied. "They went back in after...Ventress."
Yelena's eyes shot open at the mention of Dooku's assassin. "We're going to get you to safety," she assured and helped the Padawan to her feet. "Cordova! I have a survivor!"
"I may have one too!" he hollered as BD-1 chimed by a severed palm. "What is it?" he asked his droid. Cordova used the Force to clear debris and found a wounded, coughing Gav. "By the Force. We're going to need a stretcher for this Avinarian."
"Elsa!" Yelena called. "Get the stretcher from-...Elsa?"
Elsa jogged through the jungle while trying to find the basin from her senses. Every turn looked identical and anxiety caught up with her. Her breaths hastened and knees trembled until another sinister presence came to her senses. Elsa froze as a set of four, crimson eyes stared at her from the canopy. A whip-like tail swayed beneath a feline which still gave Elsa nightmares. "Not you again," she fretted as the nexu snarled. Having marked her as its next meal, the creature pounced with a savage roar.
Anna and Hans battled sheer exhaustion to defend against Ventress. While Anna was striking to kill, Hans was focused on their survival. If they had a chance to flee, he'd probably take it. I can't let her take anyone else, Anna thought. She looked to the man who had her heart and believed he was worth dying for. Knight or not, she knew she was the more capable duelist. Her Ataru was far more effective than his plethora of mixed techniques. If she couldn't defeat Ventress, she knew he didn't stand a chance. Anna gasped as Ventress shattered Hans' defense and swung towards his chest. She retaliated by throwing her saber between the blades. Though Anna's throw was poorly aimed and clunky, it managed to deflect the attack and save Hans' life. She recovered her weapon as Ventress staggered back.
"As long as I live," Anna asserted. "You will not harm him!"
Ventress sneered. "Is that so?" Her icy stare alternated between the Jedi and she lunged with greater ferocity. Anna was forced on the defensive as the Sith's attacks rivaled her Ataru.
Elsa leapt to the trees as the nexu clawed after her. She Force-pushed it back, but it pounced forward with twice the momentum. Acting quickly, Elsa Force-pulled several vines down from the canopy. They tangled around the predatory feline and kept it ensnared. Elsa was about to flee when an idea dawned upon her. With a deep breath, she reached towards the creature as it snapped its jaws. Though it was difficult to not fear the nexu, Elsa imagined it having a family. She envisioned tiny cubs and how they might live. As she calmed down, so too did the beast. As she did with the sarlaac on Felucia, Elsa felt the nexu's hunger. Her fingers ached like its haggard claws. But most of all, Elsa connected with the nexu's keen sense of smell...one made perfect for tracking.
No amount of training for a tournament could've prepared Anna for the sleepless amount of dueling she was forced to endure. Her calves strained and arms weakened as Ventress gained the upper hand. She knew that the only way to carry on was to accept the pull prying within. It fed on her hatred for Ventress, grief for those lost, and fear of losing Hans. Realizing he too would have to call upon the pull, Hans gave in to his anger and drew from his pain. Ventress sensed the darkness festering within both of them, but recognized their differences. While Hans was merely dabbling in the Dark Side's capabilities, Anna had no control over it. In fact, she had no idea what she was toying with. Perfect, Ventress thought. She used Anna's blind rage to her advantage and uppercutted her away. Hans moved in to attack, but Ventress delivered a mighty Force-push that hurled him into a rocky wall.
Anna's heart sank when Hans' forearm crunched. Hans loosed a deafening yell and fell cradling his arm. Ventress was about to finish him off when a bizarre snarl caught her attention. She looked up to see a Elsa and a nexu looming over the basin. With a thrust of her lightsaber, she ordered the beast to attack Ventress. The assassin went on the defensive as Elsa slid into the pit.
"Sis!" Anna rejoiced. She hobbled towards Elsa with ripped sleeves, disheveled hair, and dark circles around her eyes. "Am I glad to see you."
"We were the closest to you," Elsa answered. "Mattias and the others are on the way." Suddenly, Elsa felt a sharp pain in her chest. It meshed with the shrill wails of the nexu getting impaled by Ventress. As it perished, so too did Elsa's connection through the Living Force.
"A sister," Ventress overheard. "This just keeps getting more interesting."
"Elsa," Anna ordered while readying her saber. "Get Hans back to your ship."
Elsa took one look at her sister's condition and shook her head. "There's no way I'm leaving you," she said. "We do this together."
"Elsa," Anna intoned as Ventress closed in. She thought about what became of far more skilled duelists. "You can't handle this!"
"I can!" was all Elsa could say before Anna shoved her out of the way. Ventress noted her action and pursued Elsa instead.
"Kriff!" Anna cursed and rushed to defend. Elsa gasped and parried the Sith's initial strike. Anna immediately intervened and made an effort to get the duel away from Elsa. She pushed Ventress towards the treeline as they a rock-ridden beach. While she kept up the attack, Elsa occasionally lunged from the sides and was deterred.
"Padawan!" Yelena called in via comlink. "Where are you?"
Elsa separated herself from the duel to call in. "I found Anna! We've engaged a Sith-" Ventress took a swing at Elsa and forced her to drop the call. Using the Force, Ventress smashed Elsa's comlink and pushed her into the rocks.
Elsa hurriedly recovered and realized she was surrounded by a collection of potential ammunition. Anna was locking blades with Ventress when Elsa yelled, "Get clear, sis!"
Anna ducked with widened eyes as Elsa threw sand-coated stones at their foe. Ventress flipped to evade each projectile and dashed along a thin sandbar. "We've got her on the run!" Anna proclaimed and gave chase.
"That's fine," Elsa huffed. "Let's get Hans and go."
"She can't escape," Anna insisted.
"Sis-"
"People are dead, Elsa!" Anna snapped with the utmost intensity. "Surk, Chaki...Nelani. So many are gone because of her. I can't let her get away with this."
The pain pried at Elsa's heart, but still she spoke up. "Revenge is not the Jedi way, Anna."
"This is about right and wrong," Anna asserted. "And I won't sleep a single night if I let her go. Not after everything. This isn't revenge...it's justice." Anna flourished her saber and sprinted across the sandbar.
"Anna, wait!" Elsa hopelessly warned. Lacking communications and fearing for her sister's life, Elsa chose to pursue.
"Ventress!" Anna roared as seawater splashed her shins. The Sith turned and let her sabers boil against the water's surface. "You're going to pay for all the lives you took."
Anna dashed towards her foe as they clashed atop the waves. Their sabers swayed across the reflective, crystal clear waters while their heels dug into the sand. When Anna performed a spinning strike, she noticed Elsa rushing over to assist. Determined to keep her out of harm's way, Anna pushed the fight closer to the next island. Inky, volcanic rock stretched toward the sandbar while a steady flow of lava seeped into the ocean. Taking the duel to the volcano meant there'd be no turning back, and Anna prayed Elsa wouldn't follow. Still, Elsa persisted and Ventress used Anna's concern to her advantage. She frontflipped over Anna and surged towards Elsa.
Elsa blocked Ventress' initial strike but was quickly overwhelmed. Realizing this, Elsa compensated by using the Force to push seawater towards Ventress. The assassin's sinister smile faltered as Elsa's artificial current sent her spiraling towards the island. Understanding the eldest Dellian's Force attunement, Ventress remained on land. She ran alongside a lava-ridden caldera as Anna kept up her pursuit. The fiery ooze far below them set their eyes aglow as their duel continued. Ventress dodged Anna's incoming strike and called an igneous rock to her. She sent the small, yet jagged stone hurling at Anna's forehead. It struck her with enough force to send her rolling across the ground.
As Anna recovered from her daze, she felt blood trickle from a cut on her head. She peered up through the smoke and ash to see Elsa dueling Ventress in her stead. "No," Anna coughed. "Elsa..." She crawled across the ebony gravel with the hopes of reaching her sister in time. She swallowed hard as their lightsabers suddenly vanished. An oceanic breeze cleared the smoke and revealed both combatants. While Ventress stood with a demonic leer, Elsa was hovering while clasping her throat. The sight was all too real for Anna as she witnessed Nelani's predicament all over again. Elsa kicked haplessly as Ventress slowly squeezed the life out of her. "Stop it," Anna uttered. All Ventress had to do was clench her fist and Elsa would be done for. Instead, the Sith wanted to make her suffer. She watched the Padawan's eyes twitch with her sister's dwindling air supply. In those moments, Anna felt a fury like never before. She thought about the dead and her failure to save them. She put Hans' injury and Elsa's imminent death on her hands as she squeezed the gravel beneath her. She let the sharp fragments pierce her palms and drew power from that pain. "I said...STOP IT!"
Anna Force-pushed Ventress and Elsa in separate directions. While her sister plunged into the sea, Ventress tumbled towards the caldera. Anna recovered her lightsaber and slid towards Ventress. She brought her weapon down hard as the Sith went on the defensive. In spite of everything, Ventress was still grinning. "Congratulations," she began and rolled behind Anna. The Padawan tried to turn in time as Ventress placed her in a headlock. Anna was like a rabid, flailing animal as her opponent squeezed on her pressure points. Her fighting spirit faded and her head fell forward against Ventress' arms. "You'll do," the assassin said as the shadow of a ship loomed over her.
Elsa recovered from the Force choke while simultaneously climbing her way out of the sea. The sound of an engine roaring had her in high spirits, believing that her master and Cordova had found their location. Elsa's smile dropped when she discovered an unknown craft hovering over the volcano. While a droid pilot was visible from the cockpit, Elsa watched as Ventress dragged her unconscious sister up its ramp. Her heart nearly stopped as she recalled the haunting imagery from Faciler's card.
"Anna!" Elsa screamed as tears filled her eyes. Calling her name brought great pain to her throat and distracted her from using the Force. She gripped her aching neck as the ramp closed before her. "No," she croaked and haplessly reached towards the vessel. The ship vanished amidst the clouds and left Elsa sobbing on her knees. "Anna," she whimpered.
TO BE CONTINUED IN...
"THE FROZEN FORCE: SEASON 2"
Author's note: We made it! Season 1 of the "The Frozen Force" is complete, but Anna and Elsa's journey is only beginning. I want to express my wholehearted gratitude to each and every one of you who's been embarking on this adventure with me. Your continuous support means the world to me. If it wasn't for fans like you, Frozen Force Fridays just wouldn't be the same. Your reviews are all very much appreciated, and I'd be honored to hear your thoughts on season one.
But after that pulse-pounding cliffhanger, where are we headed next? Mark your calendars, because Season 2 of "The Frozen Force" premieres two weeks from today!
On September 4th...the search for Anna begins in "Chapter: 31 - The Lost Jedi"
Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with You
~ Michael