Chapter 28
I See Fire
The sound of construction work being done echoed through the hills. The six watchers observing what once had been a large compound as they watched the ongoing attempts at fortification. Four of the watchers sharing two sets of macro binoculars, the last two relying on the optics built into their helmets.
Four watchtowers had been built on the corners of the compound. Several barn like structures made the outer perimeter to the west. What appeared to be communal sleeping quarters were in front of the barns in five long oblong structures Another oblong structure was built in front of the living quarters, steam rising from a chimney marked it as the kitchen and dining area . Workshops formed the north perimeter and south was created by what appeared to be garages. A large empty space was between the dining area and a large hall and small mansion with a road running between the hall and the mansion up to a gate. Metal fencing creating the blockage between the various building and running around the compound to a gate post. The gate being an actual gate and not a force field aswould be standard for most places. Several signs on the fence indicated that the fence was electrified. Several armed figures were standing on some of the roofs. Most of their attention seemed to more inwards to the compound. Small armed groups were walking a patrol around the fence.
"Movement, west corner." Canderous reported
They saw two small figures making a break across the shortly cut grass to a reed filled gulley a hundred metres away. Terri and Bastila started crawling backwards to get of the rise of the hill the group had been lying on after sharing a glance
"We will get them." Bastila said
They returned half an hour later. Slowly they crawled back into their positions, careful not to highlight themselves against the now setting sun.
"Runaways."Bastila reported in" A girl named Meredith and her twin brother Liam, nine years old. They said they were too scared to remain there any longer."
"Could they tell us what was going on in there?" Melissa asked
"They and ten other younglings have been kept in their barracks for the last three weeks." Bastila replied
"From what they said, there had been more younglings but their parents had taken them and fled the sect. Seems their parents are hardcore believers, who refused to leave for the sake of their children." Terri continued
"The only contact with the outside was when food were brought into the barracks. Liam said it took them days to make a hole big enough to crawl through." Bastila added
"What caused them to want to escape then?" Juhani asked.
"They said the scary young one and his girl had brought several red boxes into the room and added it to the walls in their barracks. Their mother had apparently visited them once and told them they were going to have another sibling. According to Meredith the woman got angry when they said they wanted to leave, she said the woman was like a stranger." Bastila answered
"Liam said she struck them when they insisted on leaving. None of the other younglings had seen their parents in three weeks." Terri stated
"It seems like we need to grab one of the adults to find out what is going on." Canderous mused
"What did you do with them?" Melissa asked
"They are taking an assisted nap by the patrol bikes."
The sounds of shouting came from the fifth barracks as a blond haired teen dressed in elaborate robes exited the building. A group formed around the blond who seemed to be having a major tantrum. The patrols rushed to the watchtowers and had new orders screamed down to them. The patrols scattered and began searching
"Seems that they found the escape hole." Zaalbar observed
"There is our chance to grab on or two." Melissa commented
Juhani's form shimmered as she engaged her stealth generator, she ran hunched over to where a pair of figures were moving towards where the vehicles had been hidden. A quick force jump had her behind the figures and they crumpled to the ground as her form slowly reappeared. Bastila started crawling backwards to go take up her new role as chief interrogator
"Wait, movement east." Melissa called
A column of vehicles were rapidly moving to the gatepost. Further back more vehicles were coming into view. The first group moved through the gatepost, the last two vehicle parking parallel to the gates blocking the way. People started converging in the courtyard in groups. The doors to the barns were thrown open and several tractors emerged towing trailers piled high with crates. Two trailers had heavy repeaters fixed on swivel mounts on both ends and artillery pieces mounted in the middle. Grain bags were piled high to give protection to the operators in the back, the tractors had heavy plate welded to the engine casings and cabs.
The whine of fighter craft approaching at full throttle filled the air. Four planes approached on a low pass. The heavy repeaters opened up. One of the fighters took multiple hits and lifted up, smoke pouring from it. There was a blue flash from the cockpit as the pilot punched out. The orange parachute deployed and the pilot was slowly drifting to the ground. A laser shot lashed out from one of the watchtowers and struck the pilot.
The second convoy came into view. Troop carriers and support vehicles slowly trundled forward. They increased speed as the artillery pieces on the trailers opened fire. A fireball marking a successful hit as a troop carrier went up. The force sensitives winced as they felt the mass cessation of lives. The column continued swerving around the burning husk. Two vehicles swung to the side. Shield generators came to live and a shield bubble sprang over the convoy. The shields rippled as they took fire. The remaining six vehicles pulled up a distance from the gates. Troops deployed from the remaining carriers. As they rapidly set up a perimeter and started digging in.
In the compound below the occupants were rapidly arming themselves and moving into position. Melissa observed movement at the mansion and zoomed in. A blonde woman was looking calmly on the organised chaos a crystal staff in her hand. The blond boy they had observed earlier was standing behind her to the right, to the left was a black haired olive skinned girl The girl had a datapad in her hand. She pressed a tab on it.
The ground erupted as a circle of explosives detonated around the compound, Three of the Sith vehicles were caught at the edge of the explosions. The shield cover failed and the artillery pieces started dropping ordinance between the Sith troopers. AN officer motioned to fall back and the troopers and remaining officers sprinted back leaving the burning husks of their vehicles. Cheering erupted from the compound below them
The watchers on the hills were stunned by the development. Melissa took of her helmet and reached for a canteen. She rapidly swallowed water as her throat felt parched.
"What the fuck just happened? When did this sect become a militia?" She rasped out
"It seems a lot of information had been left out." Bastila remarked
"No shit." Canderous growled out
Bastila gasped as she looked at the figures moving from the mansion
"That is the staff of Xavar. That is supposed to be locked in the temple vaults. How did she get it? Only the council has access to the vaults."
"Care to explain to the rest of us?" Melissa asked
Bastila motioned to the bottom of the hill.
"I will explain once we are out of sight, this changes everything."
The group retreated to where they had hidden the patrol bikes. Bastila started pacing alternating between rubbing her face and twisting her hands in agitation. Terri finally stepped into her path and took her into a tight hug.
"Talk to me. What is wrong?" Terri whispered in her ear
Bastila desperately returned the hug while taking deep shuddering breaths. Terri felt when she started calming down. She shifted her position so that arm was still around Bastila as she offered wordless support. The others were patiently waiting
"I am sorry for behaviour." Bastila started
"Bas, it is okay to show you have emotions. What has gotten you so terrified?" Melissa asked gently
Bastila took a deep breath as Terri gave her another sideways hug
"The staff of Xavar belonged to a Sith Lord of the same name centuries ago. It is made entirely of pontite crystal, records recovered from Xavar stated that it took him five years to carve it out of a single crystal formation. According to legend the wielder could use it to control and dominate anyone within its range, the range determined by the strength of the wielder. Anyone caught in its grasp will become fanaticaly loyal to the wielder."
She swallowed.
"That staff is pure evil. The creator imprinted himself on the crystal, eventually the wielder is consumed by his essence."
"So they become possessed by a dead Sith Lord." Melissa asked
"In essence yes. The wielder has to willingly take up the staff, history tell us that several others had tried to tame the staff to their will and became an iteration of Xavar." Bastla explained.
"How do you know this? I am certain that the masters would have suppressed knowledge of this artefact, quite rightly I might add." Terri stated
"My first master was the main assistant to the Archivist, as such she was given the knowledge of the vault and the horrors it contains. Before I unlocked my skill with battle meditation I was studying to become an archivist. She showed me the vault once during a lesson on the dangers of such items steeped in the dark side."
She shuddered in rememberance.
"The Evil in that place still haunts me. I can remember that staff calling to me, whispering promises of power."
"Just what was my mother position in the Archives?" Melissa asked
"According to what I have heard it was a close struggle between her and Atris to become the Archivist."
"So between losing a position she coveted and her nature she would have been an easy conquest for that staff." Melissa mused
"Yes." Another voice spoke
Berek Katarn was back. He was seated on one of the bikes a second female hoodedfigure was standing beside him
"Master Kashana?" Bastila breathed out.
"Yes my dear. It is good to see you again. I see you have finally started taking some of my advice to heart."
Terri groaned
"We are so fucked aren't we?"
"Hello to you too, dear. Normally we are only allowed to give vague advice and guidance, now the Force is pushing us to actively interfere in this. The staff must not fall into the Sith's hands." Kashana replied
"Is the force not supposed to be neutral between Light and Dark?" Melissa asked.
"The force itself feels threatened for a lack of better word, there are things moving beyond your perceptions and the staff must be neutralised to prevent severe damage to the Force itself." Berek explained
"The force is about balance between light and dark, life and death, if the staff falls into the wrong hands the balance will be severely damaged." Kashana continued
"So we are going to have to go into a compound full of fanatical zealots, beat three force users, recover the staff while hoping to make it out before the Sith return in force to flatten this compound" Terri summerised
"Succintly put." Kashana answered
"Terri was right, we are so fucked. I am going to die a virgin." Melissa remarked, distractedly
"You are not the only one." Bastila muttered
Night had fallen as the group of four crawled down the hill using the long grass as cover, Zaalbar and Canderous remainng at the top to give overwatch. Searchlights was constantly panning the clearing as they watched for approaching enemies. Melissa was making a mental note to either paint her armour or make another set more suited for infiltration. She loved the dull silver of her current set but it stood out slightly in the night, one thing was certain the first thing she was going to build was a reconnaissance drone before turning her attention to her armour. The other three were wearing combat suits, Bastila and Terri having blacked out their faces. Juhani and Bastila still appearing uncomfortable with their rifles
Melissa left them in the tall grass at the foot of the hill and rapidly crawled to the reed filled gulley. She came to one knee and prepared her bow, the arrowheads fitted was narrow pointed, designed for armour penetration and longer range. She looked over the west wall where sentries were patrolling on the roofs of the barn structures, the light coming from the compound enough for her to activate night vision without having to add her own light. She activated her comlink
"Rover four in position, overwatch can you give me a count."
"Ten on the roof, random movement pattern observed. Two towers; four per tower." Canderous replied.
She saw one of the sentries standing at the very edge of the roof. Pulling back the bowstring she let an arrow fly. The figure jerked as it was hit mid thorax, before it toppled over and fell from the roof
"Clean kill, other sentries unaware." Canderous reported
The searchlight was panning in her direction and Melissa looked down in effort not to be blinded. The light swept over her position and continued onwards. Checking for movement on the edge she prepared to run. She sprinted for the wall to the spot where the children had exited earlier, heart pounding in her ears.
She spotted the exit point, the children had scraped a hole in the sand they had used to crawl through. The hole much to small for her frame. She switched to thermal and scanned the small alleyway before unclipping her lightsaber and cutting an entryway in the durasteel fence.
"Rover four, we have a breach, moving to primary objectives."
"Be careful, Rover four you are about to exit visual range."
"Rover Four, copied, going dark."
She stepped into the small alleyway and crept forward. She swore in her helmet as she saw a light approaching Jumping on the sides of the walls. She reached some height before bracing on the walls in an uncomfortable split. The light bearing figure was slowly moving down the alleyway. She heard an exclamation as her entry point was discovered. She dropped onto the figure deploying her vambrace blade, stabbing down repeatedly till movement seized. She looked at the entry point wondering what had betrayed her entrance besides the hole she had cut. A single spark of electricity flashed. She swore again.
"Forgot that the fence is electrified, must have tripped a breaker."She muttered to herself
"I think we all forgot."Terri's voice came over the link
Melissa fought the urge to swear again, she had forgotten to mute her comlink when she went dark, for a moment she worried about what else she was forgetting. She lifted her arm and fired her grapping line, She started climbing the wall the line reeling in as she climbed. Pulling herself over the roof edge she took a moment to scan her surroundings before padding to the base of a watchtower mounted on the roof.
She started climbing up the cross bracing to the base of the tower where she set a breach charge under the floor and set it for remote detonation. She fired her grappling line at the second tower, once the grapnel took hold she detached the line and tied it down, She swung her legs over the line and started pulling herself along the line hand over hand
"Rover One, Two, Three prepare to move. Rover Four is en route to second primary target." Canderous reported
She reached her target and placed the second charge. She climbed down softly and stepped onto the roof.
"Runners hold, two sentries overlooking area." Canderous, said urgently
She saw two sentries standing on the edge looking over the edge. One suddenly pointed down. She grabbed her bow and two arrows, the bowstring sung rapidly in succession and the two thumps of striking arrows were close together.
"Sentries down, move."
Melissa lashed out with a force push and shoved the bodies from the roof. Deploying her second and last line she rappelled down the side of the building cutting the line on touching ground. She found herself behind the block that housed the children. Switching to thermal she frowned on not detecting heat signatures. She placed the emitter of her lightsaber against the wall and activated her blade. Cutting a hole she entered the building. Her blood froze at the sight before her. The bodies of ten children were scattered across the room, all bearing wounds inflicted by a lightsaber. A light switched on, momentarily blinding her.
"A Mandalorian using a lightsaber, who could have predicted that."
The boy strode into the room
"Like my work? I believe it has a nice visual impact."
His blue eyes was tinged with yellow. Melissa breathed harshly as she fought against her rage. If she could have seen it, she would have seen a yellow tinge in her own eyes. She stepped into the middle of the room lightsaber activating with the characteristic snap-hiss.
"Do you really think you are a challenge for me! You are facing Arthur Carpenter future grand Master of the new Jedi Order."
Melissa pulled her helmet of with a snarl.
"I am Melissa Wren clan Wren Clan Ordo. You are facing a true Mandalorian, you sick fuck"
"Speaking of fucking, I think I will keep you alive to breed a few of you. The face is nice and I will see what your body looks like later." Arthur drawled
"Incest is not my thing, so will pass. I might piss on your corpse though"
"I have not even started and you are already broken, Incest?"
Melissa gave a harsh laugh
"Say hello to your older sister, hu'tuun."
"So you actually lived, mother will be surprised. She has often wondered about you."
Melissa took up a high guard position.
"Time to face justice, brother. Don't worry, I will send Mommy to hell to join you there soon enough."
He tried to throw Force Lightning at her and she caught it on her blade, she retaliated with a Force Choke. HE pushed at her breaking her hold
"How? You were blocked off from the force."
"You will never know."
Melissa moved in blade flashing. Arthur desperately parried her attack the confined space giving her an edge. She spotted that his style was Nieman a good counter to her Ataru style. She flipped over him and struck the blade behind her in a reverse grip. A scream echoed in the room as she scored the first hit. She rolled forward before flipping to her feet and spinning around.
He was leaning against a bunk bed, a hand to his hip where she had struck.
"Should have gone more left."She taunted
His eyes went full yellow as he gave in to the Dark side.
"Sister or not, I am going to kriff you till you scream before I cut you in half." He snarled
Melissa flourished her blade in an arc before lifting a hand and giving him the finger
"This is the closest you will ever get."
He came at her, his injury giving him little trouble as rage gave him more power. Melissa parried his attacks slowly giving ground. She threw out a force push and he flew back having been caught of guard. She capatilised on the breathing room by going on a counter attack. She felt the heat as she scored a hit on her pauldron. She closed her blade and stepped into his space. Her lightsaber's emitter was against his chest as she switched the blade on again. He staggered back, pulling the blade through his chest, he took another two backward steps after clearing the tip before dropping to his knees, eyes already vacant. Melissa pulled his lightsaber into the air before slashing at the hilt destroying the crystal
The force screamed a warning at her and she threw herself forward flipping over the body. Two yellow blades slashed through the air where she had been moments before. The olive skinned girl stood in the doorway, tears running down her face.
The girl attacked in a flurry of jumps and slashes. Melissa felt herself being pulled back. Juhani stepped into the room from the hole she had made deploying her own two blades.
"Go! This is my fight." Juhani calmly stated
Melissa pulled her helmet to her before giving Juhani a nod.
"Gal'gala, sister. See you at the end of this."
"I will hold you to it…Sister."
Melissa exited the hole as she heard the clash and whine of blades behind her. Terri and Bastila were waiting outside.
"Let us finish this." Melissa said
The trio moved forward, pausing only to place mines to the entrance to the other barracks. Inevitably their luck ran out and a siren started screeching. Melissa detonated the charges and the two watchtowers went up in flames. Bastila and Terri vaulted onto one of the gun trailers, taking the crew out before taking the weapons over. The crumps of the mines announced that the base was alert. Melissa fired a grenade arrow at one of the remaining towers. Fire from the hill gutting the last one as Canderous and Zaalbar joined the fight
Melissa started walking to the mansion as a figure exited it. She jumped over a stream of force lightning and dropped in a perfect three point stance
"Is this how you greet your long lost daughter?" Melissa snarked
"You are just a parasite I gave birth to." Ashani Carpenter snarled.
She swung the staff at Melissa who parried with her blade. Melissa felt herself being pushed down to her knees. She felt herself flying arse over tea kettle as she was pushed back. She flipped to her feet and parried rapidly as blows were swung at her.
Melissa howled in pain as a set of Force Lightning ran across her torso, her helmet muffling her pained scream. Her lightsaber was pulled from her hand and she felt an iron grip on her throat, Ashani's face filling her visor.
"I felt when your brother died, you will die slowly as your father should have."
Melissa deployed her wrist blade and swung. Ashani blocking the blow. The blade shattered as it hit the crystal. Melissa was flung back again. Ashani was looking at the staff in horror as cracks were forming along its length.
The crystal staff gave a final loud crack before a blast of power erupted. Melissa felt herself being thrown through the wall of a workshop.
Her back was in agony as she laid helpless against the far wall of the workshop. Ashani stepped in through the hole she had made. An orange light sprung to life as she lit her lightsaber. Melissa followed the arc of the blade as it was swung towards her. A Crimson blade erupted stopping the orange blade.
" . Kitten. Aunty did say she would show you how to really play."
"You!"Ashani disclaimed in shock
"Yes. Miss me…Master?"
Ashani stumbled back in shock as she stared at the woman she had abandoned all those years ago.
"What? No words of wisdom for your pupil?"
Ashani tried to speak. Bella pushed her back through the hole and jumped after her. The two met in a clashing of blades .Melissa laid there as she watched the fight The two blades arcing in the night, lightning flashed between the two as they threw all out attacks on each other, dust flew as force pushes and other techniques missed. The two broke apart and circled flourishing their blades. For a moment time seemed to stop as the two faced of for the last time. They rushed at each other and the blades flashed. A blade erupted from the chest.
Ashani looked at Bella and then the red blade in her chest. Bella returned the look and then the yellow blade in hers.
"See you in hell."Ashani snarled
"I have been waiting there for you for years." Bella replied.
The two blades died as they lost contact with their hilts, The two slowly sinking down hate filled glares fixed on each other. Melissa started feeling cold and sleepy. She was aware of three voices calling to her.
She saw lines of fire erupting along the compound. She heard the panicked voices calling to her again. She felt movement as she was lifted, where did the pain go to? She closed her eyes as more fire bloomed in the compound
Terri felt her going limp after she pulled her through the newly cut hole in the wall.
"Melissa! Stay with me!" She screamed.
She saw Canderous and Zaalbar rushing towards them, ignoring the fire coming from the Sith Armoured vehicles, She did not resist as Zaalbar Pulled Melissa from her arms and started running backup the hill. She heard Canderous firing his roatry blaster at the approaching figures. Bastila was screaming something in her ears as she tried to pull her along. Laser fire scattered trough the air as a freighter came in hot, fighters harrying it. Everything seemed grey and distant, sounds were muted
Terri found herself on the loading bay floor holding on to the limp body.
"There is a pulse."She distantly heard.
Sound and colour came rushing back.
"There is a pulse." Bastila sobbed in relief.