Chapter 12

Day 2 of The Tournament

The morning dawned painfully for Robin and Jaina, who suffered from an incredibly loud wake-up call from the tournament; it was both complementary and mandatory for tournament participants.

They both saw the receptionist from last night, grinning larger than the Cheshire cat and looking madder than a Hatter at the ungodly hour. "So you made it to round two! Yay for you!" Luckily, she indicated no obvious hostile intentions; regardless, Robin and Jaina both stood up quickly, without rushing and clipped their weapons to their belts. The receptionist continued to grin at them, and the implied message from their first reaction of grabbing their weapons which said that they were ready for potential threats outside of the tournament even when caught by surprise. "Beautiful teamwork; you two are totally in sync. The next round is coming up; grab a quick bite and let's be off. Combat can take a while, so we give as much of a show as we can for everyone by opening early," she added, as though she were reading Robin's mind about the early hour. In reality, Nancy, the receptionist, just knew the nature of people and how most of them generally reacted. The duo fixed their clothes, having slept in them, and got food and caf on the go. Neither tasted good, but at least it was hot and caffeinated.

After our heroes choked down their breakfast, tension was building in the arena waiting area until it was interrupted by the announcer: "The second round will begin soon, after a word from your host and sponsor, Wabba the Hutt!'' A robotic voice proclaimed before switching to the Hutt's frequency. "I see many so-called champions have left us out of fear. Good, that leaves only the best, and by the day's end, you'll be only the best of the best, and the day after that, only our winner shall remain. I need not remind anyone of the influence a tournament win here could garner. Whoever wins will be on the path to changing the fate of the galaxy, in addition to winning powerful Force-imbued items."

"Some of you fight not for your master or even yourselves, but for their ambitions, mostly the allegedly "Former" Sith representing politicians and captains of, shall we say, disreputable industries. Still, some of you are legitimate, honest competitors like our friends: former Nightsister turned Witch of Dathomire Disciple Salyl Sahib, representing the Witches of Dathomire! The only Sith representing an actual Master is Lord Kay, representing The Grand Lord of the Sith, Darish Vol! And of course, it wouldn't be complete without a Jedi, now would it? Jedi Knight Robin Stace, representing the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker, and the Order itself!" Thunderous applause broke out before Wabba continued.

"Those representing the interests of only your masters and their ambitions rather than your own pride or honour, please stand. You should die with some dignity. It's probably more than you deserve, but I'm feeling… gracious." Wabba gestured with his hand, and three hidden blaster turrets mowed down the Sith numbers from twelve to two before anyone knew what was happening. However it was unknown if it was luck or Wabba's own designs that spared a lone Sith representing an organization under false pretences. You can't kill all the participants and still host a tournament, but you can speed it along, which is exactly what Wabba had done. Everyone was shocked into silence.

Wabba sighed tiredly before explaining, "Grand Lord Vol stacked the deck. Well, he tried anyway. But now I've corrected things, so let's continue." Wabba said, indicating to a monitor with the four competitors' names, followed by a shuffling of the participant's names, and then the names were dealt out in pairs, seeming that it was to be a fight. The one-on-one setup meant Robin could win and spare his opponent, an option he was glad for. The names were revealed: Jedi Stace versus The Witch of Dathomire, Disciple Salyl Sabin, and Lord Kay versus "The scum Sith Wannabee lacking honour or pride". "At least the Hutt has a sense of humour and cares about honour, even if he is a gangster," Robin silently mused. "You all have five minutes to prepare," Wabba announced.

Robin looked less than thrilled about the prospect of participating in a battle for sport, but he was resolute because he knew that he had to win; it was a far cry from the day before, to be sure. Jaina understood his frustration. As negligible as it likely would be, saving the opposition was only going to hurt their chances at victory, despite it being the right thing, both ethically and morally. Robin would not kill if he could avoid it, even though he was making it all harder for himself. He was looking at the big picture today. Yesterday, he'd only seen a lone tree cut down and hadn't thought about the forest until afterwards. To save life, sometimes you must cut out the rot. Yesterday the rot had been Mangler, whose death now allowed Robin the chance to fight the Witch today with mercy in his heart, a trait Mangler wouldn't have fought with. "Remember, she's a Witch who was a Nightsister; she'll fight as she learned. Nightsisters are not afraid of using the Dark Side. You should expect freaky magic, like necromancy or energy balls. Lightsabers are best for reanimated corpses. Try to dodge her projectiles… they won't deflect. Win, and we'll talk," Jaina said, alluding to the intimate moment the two shared a few nights ago. "I owe you that much, I think," Jaina told Robin just as she heard the buzzer. She felt a rush of emotions as Robin was drawn back to the Arena and his second real fight. She knew that Robin was hoping that he could spare the Witch, that she would yield without fuss, and that he could claim victory without her death.

Walls sprung up and divided the arena in two for the simultaneous fights, with the two Sith each out for one another's blood. "So, Jedi, you seem very inexperienced, yet I sense that underestimating you would be most unwise. Interesting," the Witch Salyl Sahib said from behind him. He turned, drawing his lightsaber fast enough to absorb a green orb of energy, though it still pushed him back, and just as Jaina said, it didn't deflect off his lightsaber. "Well done, boy. That one was weak, though. Try this; it's much more powerful,", she said, drawing an item out and infusing it with energy before breaking it. All the while chanting something that Robin couldn't understand. Just as the energy was unleashed, Robin force jumped into a tree to avoid it, unsure what the energy would do. The arena ground was completely different, like the top layer had been swept away.

Then he saw them. Countless corpses, both skeletal and rotting, were likely victims of Wabba and similar tournaments of bygone days. They began stirring, their bones clattering. The Witch sneered at Robin, who had landed back on the ground looking reasonably impressed. "You like this one? They'll tire you out, and then I'll incapacitate you, so don't worry too much about getting killed. Instead, worry about the pain. Fallen warriors, rise and fight once more!" Salyl cackled, her voice a touch smug.

Now that he was surrounded by the dead, Robin switched to Ataru, granting him greater speed, strength, and agility. He'd mastered the Ataru signature acrobatics, thanks to Jaina's tips on their journey here and the previous day's training. As such, it took a remarkably short period of time to annihilate the corpses enough that they couldn't reform or combine; tricks that he'd read were mostly used by Nightsisters. (Nightsisters are essentially dark-side Witches.) When he was done, he faced a shocked and terrified foe who was waving and crying out, "I surrender!"

Robin gestured with a whisper of Force power, and the terrified poor girl, a one-trick wonder of a witch, was asleep, her mental defences already overwhelmed by a level of skill that she couldn't understand. Helping the girl this way was the least that he could do, as he was the likely subject of her fears. It was to be expected given the freakishly amazing things Ataru specialists, especially masters of the style, could do. The relatively unarmed style of ranged fighting preferred by both Nightsisters and Witches wasn't suited in combat with an Ataru practitioner. He'd fought in a unique style; he decimated a zombie hoard to splinters and won with neither he nor his foe suffering a scratch. It was no wonder that the audience was practically silent; even the Sith had taken a moment to look, their fight having paused mid-battle briefly before resuming. (The whole point of simultaneous fights is to distract the combatants while learning their strengths and weaknesses.)

Ben witnessed everything, as had Artoo, and both recorded it dutifully. Such a display of skill made Ben respect Robin all the more; his report would be objective while still reflecting the merits that Robin displayed. Robin and Jaina would be done soon, and Ben hoped that they would clear the air back at the inn. Ben had lucked out in getting his room above them, and the Inn was far from soundproofed, so eavesdropping was fairly easy. They'd been weirder than usual. Robin was all work, and there was not as much friendly chatter as was normal. Jaina usually bantered with Robin when he was overly thoughtful or brooding if only to provide a distraction or break his thoughts out of a loop, which he thought Robin definitely needed help with if the quiet was anything to go by. Ben silently mused, listening from his bed above Robin and Jaina's shared room. Whatever was bothering those dear to him, Ben prayed it would leave his family be.

Wabba saved credits by being his own announcer as he broke the silence. "Jedi Stace, The Shadow's Bane has WON! Moreover, he shows what being prepared looks like, and he spares his enemy! The perfect example of a Jedi Knight, a Pure Knight!" This was followed by thunderous applause and cheers from the stands.

"What's this?! Lord Kay has vanquished his foe. No mercy from this one! Can you even call that a corpse? Whatever… my Rancors will eat it gladly. I present… Jedi Knight Robin Stace and Sith Lord Kay, your Finalists!" Wabba exclaimed, hyping up the crowd. Robin was glad for his mask, but even more glad that no Sith had noticed it or caused a fuss about it yet. Revan was a sore point for many Sith for various reasons, betrayal being among them. Naturally, given their close proximity, Lord Kay noticed the Mask of Revan. Grinning cruelly, he was likely thinking of prying such a prize from Robin's still-warm corpse. Meanwhile, Robin tried and failed to avoid looking at his foe's last "corpse," if it could really be called such a thing.

"Such a relic of power and historical significance. I admit, I'm surprised Jedi scum like you can wear it, let alone have it. When you're dead, I'll relieve you of your burdensome mask. It would make an excellent gift for my Master, or perhaps my father. Either way, it will serve to further my ambitions." The Lord said this to Robin while glancing in Jaina's direction. "I'm in need of a skilled coach; my last one… broke… on me. Perhaps I'll take yours as a replacement." Kay said with a sneer as he leered at Jaina, his meaning very clear through his eyes, body language, and vocal tone.

Shadow was raving mad in the Mindscape, just as Robin was, his influence through the Paladin bond with one's Familiar affecting Robin, his darker emotions gaining further steam. Both holding back his rage, paired with his extreme discipline in not killing Kay on the spot had the effect of making Robin's fury sound as cold as the void of space and just as empty of life. The true fires of his rage were only reflected in his eyes and visible only to those with the knowledge of what to look for. If you knew Robin as both Jaina and Ben did, you knew something else: Tomorrow he would be merciful to Lord Kay, though his mercy would be different from today's with the Witch. He'd debated in classes that sometimes killing the enemy that can't or won't be redeemed was the greatest, and only true mercy you could dole out, likened to putting down a feral animal incapable of knowing joy or peace. Tomorrow, a death match is guaranteed to happen. The reaper would have a life to claim. Who's, was a matter for the unknown future.

Robin calmly and respectfully requested a microphone and a moment to address the audience, including the former patrons, whose representatives had been almost all supposedly "former" Sith, (the ones Wabba slaughtered, in case you forgot.) Vol, Kay's former Master, and patron for the tournament. The message, however, was almost exclusively for the bastard who dared to threaten one of his friends, one of Robin's closest companions. (Though the message applied to all who heard it).

"I entered this tournament to represent my former Master, Luke Skywalker, Grandmaster of the Jedi, as well as the Order itself. I did come here with the intention of winning, but for different motives than I do now. Now I'm even more motivated to win." Robin paused, taking a breath. His eyes briefly settled on Jaina's gaze before he continued his impromptu speech. "Today I vow to win not just for my original reasons… but also to show this stain on the Galaxy what a real warrior with honour and righteousness on his side can do! Lord Kay, I recommend you set your affairs in order. Tomorrow I'll be showing you mercy.. the Greatest Mercy. Tomorrow, you will meet with death." Everyone was shocked into silence at the death threat, which, coming from Robin, was a promise and proclamation. The young Knight always kept his word, even before joining the Jedi Order.

With those parting words and a still-shocked crowd, he dropped the mic, stepped down from the arena, and made a beeline for Jaina and the relative safety of their hotel room. Robin made sure to move silently and keep himself close to Jaina, more to reassure himself of her safety and shield her should Kay or someone else nefarious pop-up. He knew it was illogical and stupid, but thankfully Jaina let him; she probably understood his current mindset to some degree, such as it was. At that moment, he was running on more animalistic instincts while remaining in control. Jaina was the Sword of the Jedi, his partner in the battles of life in this place of hellish blood sport. And yes, his love, if he was honest with himself. He briefly wondered if he would be this poetic when they were alone or freeze up. Jaina had promised that they'd talk after his fight, and she didn't break promises, just like him, but he no longer felt like it was as necessary, if indeed it was ever necessary at all. Facing one's mortality tends to put life in a different perspective.

Ben, unseen as he was, saw, heard, and felt everyone's reactions through the Force just after Robin and Jaina left. Surprisingly, and strangely enough, Grand Lord Vol looked keenly interested in Robin and felt contemplative when Ben sensed him through the Force. Little more information could be gleaned without risking discovery, though. Ben and Artoo followed his cousin and Robin, whom Ben saw as a brotherly figure, back to the safety of the Inn.

"Well, we're back. Home sweet home." Jaina said sarcastically, hoping for a reaction of some kind from her companion. "We're safe and sound when the doors are closed," Robin responded. Jaina was closing the door and windows, locking whatever would lock, and drawing the curtains closed. Robin seemed to breathe easier after they'd secured the room as best they could.

The next minute, she briefly glimpsed his face. His expression was that of a cornered wild animal, both aggressive and afraid. He had been covered by the mask up until this point, so she hadn't seen his face since the tournament started. It was a jarring sight, and she fervently hoped he never wore that expression again. He looked strange; terror and excitement warred for supremacy. It was to be expected given his darker, more aggressive actions. She knew what Robin was probably thinking; he was worried about people he cared for suffering as repercussions for his words and deeds should he lose to Kay. She'd been there before herself, a few times if she cared to think hard enough about it, but she'd had her brothers and her other family to help her out of her pit of darkness. She'd just have to do the same and be there for him; he was owed a conversation anyway, and Jaina hated breaking promises.

Robin was deep in thought. Why did he let his darker nature have a say in his words and actions? He just delivered a death threat, no, a promise to a Sith Lord twenty years his senior and three times that in experience who had been more than willing to butcher his Sith brethren. He remembered that look Lord Kay had in his eyes and body language, Kay's promise to kill him, take a priceless heirloom, the Mask of Revan, which was Robin's by right of inheritance, and implied certain atrocities against his friend even if it wasn't spoken openly. Robin didn't like how Kay leered at Jaina while talking about her. "Oh yeah, that's why," Robin thought with dawning comprehension and a wave of sickness at both his actions and motives. He'd grown possessive of Jaina, in a way. He hated that he'd become that way; he'd just grown tired of the Bantha Fodder from Kay, (translation: BS,) and part of him snapped, but he had no real excuses. Intentionally or not, he had claimed her as his, which wasn't much better than what Kay had done, at least not in Robin's mind.

Robin decided that he'd have to apologize to Jaina, feelings or not, reciprocated or not, (not a topic that he was one hundred percent sure of either way, despite suspicions,) because he had no right to treat her that way. She was not his, not an object to be owned or won. He turned to apologize and was met with a frowning, slightly angry Jaina. "Don't apologize. Lord Kay has it coming, and the tournament rules do allow killing in the arena. Besides, you will have to kill someone eventually. It's better that it's on your terms than some random moment against someone who might not entirely have it coming. I know that you're scared, and I think I know why. You want to kill him, and that scares you. Here's a little reminder of the painfully obvious: You're not like Kay. If you were anything like him, you wouldn't fret like this for anyone… or feel fear from liking the idea of killing him and enjoying it. Besides, I think it's okay to be possessive of those you love." Jaina said, managing not to blush with the last word. "I'm an adult, not a teenager with raging hormones, for goodness sake", she thought, slightly embarrassed. In all honesty, she appreciated his protectiveness; it made her feel special and important in his eyes. In spite of her extreme skills, Robin still wanted to protect her however he could; it was good to know she was appreciated so deeply.

"I need to check you for wounds. You know what to do. Strip. You're not dying because we overlooked something and assumed you were fine." Jaina said. Robin did as he was told, treating it like a standard physical examination as best as possible. Not so easy when you're only wearing your underwear. Jaina looked everywhere she could: minor cuts that had already scabbed over; his bones were okay; he was sore, but with Ataru use, that's a given. When practicing Ataru, the body does things it normally can't; movement is extremely fast and strong, and the body's normal inhibitors are disengaged temporarily. When she was done with her inspection, Robin dressed quickly. Jaina was deep in thought as she composed herself to talk with Robin about the night at the party almost a week prior. Before she could start explaining her erratic behaviour that night, he spoke.

"Jaina, you owe me nothing. No explanation is required. You gave me your time and, more importantly, your friendship. You gave it freely, without being asked. You showed me kindness in a strange new life." He smiled at her with the warmth of a thousand suns.

"I say you owe me nothing because no matter what you say, it can't change this feeling. Even if it should prove that you don't reciprocate, I'd regret not telling you how I feel." Robin took a moment to compose his thoughts. "I enjoy your company, on a more than platonic level, obviously. I also know you have things to work through before you're ready to even consider anything more, and I'm here if I can help. After I win this thing, let me know if you're ready, and we'll go for dinner or take in a concert. If you're never ready, I'll always be your friend. My friendship is unconditional." Robin finished, amazed that he'd been able to get it all out without passing out from nerves.

"Thank you for understanding and for not pushing the subject. You're a wonderful person and an excellent friend, and when I'm ready, not if, but when, we'll paint Coruscant red." Jaina stood as tall as she could, chin up and eyes shining with determination and purpose. "Now let's go to the training area and work on your stamina some more. Maybe we can increase your skill with Juyo (form seven, one of the hardest to learn). You're making good progress. You have a tournament to win and an enemy to kill, and they saw your skill in Ataru, so you need an edge they haven't seen. Ergo, Juyo combat style training." Jaina paused for a minute before continuing. "Remember to stretch out the fight. Play him like the tool that he is. Grand Lord Vol's champion cannot win. Grand Lord Darish Vol has already acquired a fair bit of power with friends and pawns in the Senate," she added with a familiar glint in her eye. Jaina would work Robin to the bone; that's what that glint was: the resolve to train Robin as hard as she possibly could in the time that they had. Jaina was five feet of ferocity, small but fierce; she took after her mother that way. Suffice it to say that the minimal training went well, if a bit rough on them both.

Later that night, the two exhausted Jedi slept like babies or bricks; either way, neither had any energy to speak. They just slept. No more discomfort or awkwardness; they even spooned for warmth; the walls of the Inn were paper thin, and the insulation was a joke. Jaina pondered how lucky she was that her friend and love interest was so compassionate and patient; she decided that she'd figure out a way to repay his kindness. She was looking forward to her Robin bisecting (cutting in half) that bastard Sith Lord Kay. "It's okay to be a little possessive of those we love after all," Jaina reminded herself mentally as she adjusted her grip on Robin, pulling herself closer as she went back to sleep. (She was the big spoon; not exactly important, but I know that some people might be curious).

Sith Residence, Wabbas asteroid, approximately 11:00 that night.

Vol and Kay were awake, and the former Master listened, amused that a whelp had rattled his old Apprentice's cage. The Jedi sure was powerful, surprisingly so. He glanced Kay over. "I could use an upgraded subordinate", Vol thought. Kay was only recently made a Lord among the lower echelons of the Circle of Lords, (the ruling body of the Sith, akin to the Jedi Council,) and hadn't completely stopped calling Vol Master yet. Kay has many uses, but like An-Dru and so many others before him, he would be tossed aside like trash when his usefulness ran its course. Vol ignored his former student's ranting, his mind on the Jedi Robin Stace. "He makes me feel uneasy", Vol brooded silently. "But if he could be turned, what an asset he'd be." Vol was inspired to turn the young man to the Dark Side, tried to determine the best approach, and soon settled on a plan. Kay would be pivotal for this job.

Vol gestured, and Kay kneeled. He then began giving his old Apprentice his instructions. "Kay, tomorrow, toy with the boy… push him to bring out his darkness. Make the fight long and painful. Win, but remember: I want him alive!" Vol commanded, stressing the point. He wanted to see the potential new recruit at his best with the darkness, not dead, so Lord Kay would push him, harassing him until young Robin drew on the Dark Side. Kay, who had remained kneeling, spoke, looking up at his former Master on bended knee. "You seek to measure his darkness, Master? It will be done. I shall not kill him." "Don't get complacent or arrogant. The Jedi meant what he said: He'll kill you." Vol didn't really care much about Kay but had to play the part, if only for his father's allegiance and support. If the galaxy saw the true Darish Vol, Sith Lord, and master manipulator, all his work would be undone. "He will try… and should he succeed, you'll have found a perfect replacement for me. I live and die for you." Kay replied calmly.

This was why Kay had been made Vol's apprentice years ago. Unwavering loyalty, possibly to a fault; not that Vol minded. Kay would die to serve Vol's ambitions. Perhaps he ought to ensure Kay's survival? No, he was Sith; if Kay won, it would be by his own strength. It would be the same deal if he lost. Vol would not intervene for his former Apprentice. Kay would win, or he would die.

Coruscant, Skywalker residence. The same night, 11:00 PM

Luke watched an anxious Cindy pace his home, the same place her son lived alongside his own. "I miss Ben too, but worrying won't help," he said, trying to appeal to her parent-to-parent. "I'm not worried, not for his physical safety. I feel like he's going to irrevocably change, and I'm not sure if it will be a good change," she replied. She was a little bit worried for her son's safety, but ultimately, his spirit was what caused her the most worry. He felt, not darker, but heavier, as though he bore a great weight. His presence in the Force had altered, or maybe her perception of his presence; it wasn't easy to tell as she was a beginner with the ways of the Force. "I'm worried for Ben, but all we can do is wait and have faith. Your son and mine are both incredibly strong, and Jaina is too. Try not to worry. Here.'' He poured her a hot cocoa, and the two talked, distracting themselves from their worries. TV and a joint helped too. (Cindy and Robin had "borrowed" Earth TV frequencies among other Earth-based amenities).