Chapter 20
The Attack!/ It Begins anew
Coruscant. Outside the Jedi Temple, early morning
When someone of the grandeur of Luke Skywalker organizes a news conference, as he had done for Robin the day before, everyone goes, listens, or watches from home. It's not something to miss, ever. This was true for civilians and private citizens alike. It was doubly so for newscasters and bounty hunters, who had to have a finger on the pulse of the Galaxy to keep their edge. Tahiri Veila, the former Sith apprentice to Jedi Jacen Solo, (later known to all as Darth Caedus, which is pronounced Kie-dus,) Dark Lord of the Sith, and the perpetrator of the recent Galactic Civil War, knew this rule well. She spent a brief stint as a bounty hunter before temporarily rejoining the Jedi Order to help destroy Abeloth the Mother, a former mortal being that had fallen to the darkness of her fears, becoming Abeloth the Devourer; a quasi-immortal entity that had to die numerous times for it to actually stick.
A year after the Abeloth incident, she still knew and followed the rules of bounty hunting, except now she was a part-time journalist and photographer with a mostly pro-Jedi outlook while not ostracizing those who were neutral or anti-Jedi. She still helped the Jedi as a reporter and journalist, but she wasn't entirely sure if she was really rejoining the Order or just looking for an excuse to quit her current job. Abeloth had been in an all-hands-on-deck situation, and she wanted to be sure of things before committing to anything again, let alone the Jedi Order. It was do or do not. There is no try.
One reason that Tahiri wanted to rejoin the Jedi was because of her parents, who were Force-sensitive people themselves. She felt like she was dishonouring them by not using the gifts that they had blessed her with. Another reason that she wanted to join was the oppressive solitude she lived in. She was rejected pretty much everywhere because of the war crimes that she committed while under her former Sith Master's command. She'd been exonerated and aided by friends inside and outside of the Order. The Skywalkers and Solos had supported her pretty much the entire way, and she knew that even if they said otherwise, she owed her life to them, and she missed her friends. She had a reputation to change; otherwise, she would go mad from isolation.
The final big reason? She was drawn to the newest Jedi that Luke brought out of seemingly nowhere, with no background and sealed or redacted files, a true mystery that she was compelled to solve, though she'd learned to not be as aggressive in her pursuit of the truths out there. She had heard nothing but good things about him, and she was thus curious about his negative side, knowing full well everyone had one. He'd fought bullying and intolerance and was widely considered a prodigy, with an apprenticeship shorter than any in available recorded history, personally Knighted by Luke himself. He was inspiring, and not just to Force-users. Robin knew what it was like to live without the Force, just like the average person, which made him relatable to most people. In addition, word was that he and Jaina, Tahiri's best friend, were in or about to start a pretty serious relationship. Maybe it was time to organize a get-together and catch up over drinks. But first, she had to pay attention to the conference. Luke rarely called conferences, which meant this was big, important news. Nothing was going to be the same; Tahiri knew this in the core of her being.
BREAKING NEWS CONFERENCE WITH GRANDMASTER LUKE SKYWALKER
The Witches of Dathomir and the Nightsisters all listened closely on various platforms, as did the Bo-Ran monks and everyone from every school of thought regarding the Force. The whole Galaxy, regardless of faction or allegiance, was tuned in. Something big was going down; they all felt it. An ancient power was waking up. But was it for good or ill? Only time could tell.
BREAKING NEWS CONFERENCE WITH GRANDMASTER LUKE SKYWALKER
At the conference, the crowd parted like the Red Sea when Luke took to the podium. Robin watched as his former Master claimed the attention of all. He was a classic hero from humble beginnings, and everyone loved him. Naturally, he kept his humility, even as he knew how well he could draw a crowd. He didn't command silence; it was freely given since nobody wanted to miss anything that he said. Rare was the occasion when Luke called for a news conference. He despised public speaking despite being good at it.
Luke cleared his throat before beginning. He smiled at the assembled crowd, camera drones were buzzing above as they relayed everything through a live feed. "Thank you all for coming to this news conference I called. Yes, I know… It's me. Shocking, right? There are bigger things in play than my very out-of-character request." The crowd chuckled at the joke before Luke continued. "I did not call you here today to talk about me. We're here to talk about my former apprentice, Robin Stace. Many of you have likely seen his fight with An-Dru, who has since been expelled from the Order. More of you are no doubt aware of his meteoric rise. I don't play favourites; you know that about me… I am nothing if not fair. So you should know that despite his comparatively short tenure as my apprentice, his ascension to the rank of Jedi Knight is not born of favouritism. It is born of merit, and with the upcoming collapse of specific classified Hutt and Outer Rim crime rackets, which will lead to the eventual collapse of Hutt crime in the Outer Rim, he's earned the rank. Soon, the Outer Rim Territories will be at least a quarter free of organized crime." There were shocked faces everywhere; everyone knew that the Hutts were in complete disarray as their hold over entire star systems became looser and looser, and for one person to have such an effect on a damaged part of the rule of law was astounding. Without a doubt, Stace had power and promise.
"I'm here to reveal something to the whole Galaxy, so everyone at home… listen well. I proudly present to you Jedi Knight, and Jedi Paladin Knight Robin Stace, the restorer and heir of the Paladin Clan of the Jedi Order! This is an era for secrets to be revealed and ancient powers to come back into play. First Abeloth, then the Lost Tribe of Sith on Kesh, and now the Paladins have returned. The Force and the galaxy are changing everyone, and we must change with it. But I digress… Here he is, folks. Be gentle… It's his first conference." The audience chuckled in appreciation of the joke. Robin stepped forward, then there was a flash that only Luke had seen; he knew that it was not from a camera but a projectile of some sort, and a second later Luke was in front of Robin's mother, holding what appeared to be a bloodied glass knife embedded in his body. He had sensed through the Force that it was intended for the Stace matriarch and so intervened without conscious thought. It had a perfect edge, if the depth it went into the grandmaster's abdomen was anything to go by.
Then the screaming and shooting started; the conference was under assault by forces unknown. Just before Luke passed out from his injury, he had a vision. A vision of pirates with scarlet lightsabers, An-Dru, and the final confrontation between Robin and An-Dru, whom he'd finally been able to boot from the Jedi Order. He saw the outcome but lacked the strength to continue or speak of it. He hoped that Robin could forge ahead because if what Luke saw came to pass, Robin would need even more power, influence, skill, and allies. His last thought was that he would accept dying, but not yet. Not without getting Ben Knighted, maybe becoming a grandfather or grand-uncle. "Hell, both would be awesome," Luke thought with a weak smile. He felt himself as he was gently lifted, and taken to the emergency triage station they'd have set up in the designated area. Just as Luke arrived, he passed out from pain and blood loss. To save his life, the medical staff placed Luke in a chemically-induced coma to reduce stress on his body.
PIRATES ATTACK CONFERENCE, GM SKYWALKER INJURED AWAITING UPDATE
The enemy forces had vanished when the dust and debris had settled, leaving only death, ruin, and misery as evidence of their existence. The Dark Side had been in motion, as had other, different parts of the Force, rogue Force-users from other schools of thought. "They must have used a Force technique to leave," Robin mused as he observed the area. Perhaps the timing was just a good opportunity, but Robin decided that that wasn't likely. Jedi track Kyber crystals, especially the ones from Sith lightsabers; each was blood red. None had been reported missing, and besides Mandalorians of the highest calibre, only those gifted in Jedi or Sith teachings could use lightsabers safely. Yet he'd spotted a couple of active scarlet lightsabers, deactivated as fast as the enemy could. Robin had a theory about the pirates and Sith being linked but would need backup from the council if he were to take action or launch any kind of investigation; it could wait for Luke to recover. Robin knew that he was too inexperienced to be taken seriously by the majority of the Jedi Council, so he would build the case while he gained support from the council members.
Everyone had gone to help the injured, Jaina included. Robin had lagged, observing his surroundings closely. He sensed something, something familiar... Then he felt it, less controlled and more excited this time, an unmistakable tremor in the Force and a presence that he barely recognized, shrouded in the Dark Side. Robin turned, drawing Balance Breaker as he did, his new lightsaber clashing brilliantly with a crimson lightsaber; it was An-Dru wielding a double-bladed lightsaber. "We meet again, at last. Now our true battle can begin. You'll find me a different man than before." An-Dru said by way of greeting as their blades continued to crackle and spit, locked together as their respective wielders sought to push each other back.
The camera drones recorded every moment of the beginning of the battle, while the operators were smart enough to stay far away from the titanic duel. Robin and An-Dru had locked blades three times now, each taking a moment to study the other; they'd both improved. "I'm surprised that you are willing to fight back, Stace. You've always been such a goodie-goodie; it's shocking and refreshing. Don't worry about the bystanders; they aren't my target. I only want you, and I want you at your best. That requires that no potential casualties are holding you back. The cameras shall stay to capture this day for posterity. You destroyed my life, but if you hadn't, I would probably not have improved or grown as a warrior. I should thank you… My new Master promised me vengeance by hurting those close to you. I thought it would be enough to hurt you by hurting your loved ones… which is why I just tried to kill your mother. It's just not the same, however, especially with Skywalker intervening, so now I'll take my vengeance instead. Nice lightsaber, Paladin boy. I'll make sure it's not wasted on you. Your friends and comrades, if any are still here, should leave and take the injured with them. They can come back later for your corpse." An-Dru thundered; his focus was not on his mission from Kaiser but on his very personal vengeance. Kaiser's methods had failed. Robin felt his wrath grow upon hearing that An-Dru had targeted his mum, but he kept it under his control.
Robin got some breathing space, drawing heavily on the Force as he summoned the Mask of Revan from his personal pocket dimension. This not only gave his face protection by being made of Beskar, it also augmented his Force power. It was only a temporary boost, lasting a grand total of three minutes. The power from true Harmonization was reserved for the Big Bads, the Vitiates, Vols, and Kaisers, the planet-killers, and the Abeloths. All were agents of imbalance and disharmony and thus would qualify as fair game to the Paladins. An-Dru was not fair game, limiting Robin's options a bit. The Mask created a much weaker version of Harmonization on a passive level, allowing Robin an easier time using Dark Side and Light Side abilities in tandem as long as he wore it; it was like suddenly being perfectly ambidextrous for three minutes once every day.
He'd started lessons with the First King on the King's Double and other Harmonization abilities, like extending how long the power of the Mask remained before needing a recharge, but his Paladin training was incomplete; he could sense that it lacked something. Robin could use King's Double because it wasn't offensive, by nature, but it was incomplete and dangerous if he were to mess it up in a live-fire situation like this. He prayed that the situation wouldn't get that desperate. The two traded blows, each using Ataru, which was heavy in acrobatics and pushed the body to new heights. The cameras caught only brief glimpses at the speed the two warriors were moving, occasionally something concrete if they were still for long enough. Once Robin and An-Dru locked their blades again, they both realized that they were equally skilled in Ataru. "Truly, An-Dru has grown as a warrior, just not as a person," Robin mused silently. He was regretful that An-Dru chose to miss out on a chance for actual self-improvement.
Since both had been pushing themselves beyond their normal physical limits with Ataru, both combatants knew that they had to use something else, not only because of the impasse. Although Ataru offers incredible skills, prolonged usage was never healthy for the user, and both combatants were aware of this. Some have compared Robin's Form VII Juyo, the most attack-based lightsaber technique, to controlled chaos mixed with dirty combat. He hadn't had time to completely learn Shien or its more offensively inclined advanced twin, Djem. So, though he was still capable, he would master it, assuming that he won and lived, as he promised himself.
He wanted to avoid killing An-Dru, so Robin had been holding back, keeping Juyo up his sleeve while reserving his more powerful Force abilities. He would try using reason, hoping to avoid any further deaths. An-Dru had spared the audience further harm, though if that was mercy or practicality, Robin wasn't sure. He hoped that a little good remained inside his opponent, but if not, he would do his duty as a Jedi Knight, not as a Paladin. This was not a Paladin-worthy affair. "Time to break out the big guns," Robin thought, determined to get it done quickly.
Robin and An-Dru clashed once more. This time, each focused on using Force abilities, from telekinesis to cryokinesis, (this is the manipulation and conjuring of anything cold; water, ice, fog, etc. and using them as weapons. Ice spears or swords for example, fog was good for smokescreens) and pyrokinesis, (the conjuration and manipulation of fire or other forms of thermokinetic energies.) The battlefield looked like the element's playground; all that anyone could do was watch in anticipation, the fated duel being relayed by the news drones.
Robin dipped into his personal technique, a combination of Ataru's speed with Juyo's viciousness and ferocity, hoping that he could disarm An-Dru. He wanted to give him a chance to reconsider his current path. "Stop this An-Dru. If you surrender and share the enemy's plans, I'm sure that you could rejoin the Order." Robin advised. An-Dru looked angry until he heard a second lightsaber activate behind him. That distinctive snap-hiss sound that only a lightsaber can make made him pause, and then he looked cautious, even wary. "He's not wrong. I've done some horrible things, but the Order, especially the Skywalker's and Solo's, helped and supported me. "The first step is knowing when you've lost." Tahiri Veila spoke firmly and comfortingly from behind him. She'd been one of the few to not run or seek shelter. She was still very skilled in the Jedi arts.
An-Dru saw Tahiri Veila; he had sensed her approach, but he'd been too focused on the object of his fury. Though not officially recognized by the Order as a current member, she was nonetheless a well-known ally and friend to the Jedi.
Maybe An-Dru could beg for forgiveness and throw himself at the mercy of the Jedi Council. "No, remember, the Order kicked you out for bullying and cheating… even attempted murder. You've only been upping the ante since. Training under the Sith, adopting their philosophy of the strong leading and trampling everything else underfoot. Spying and sedition against the GA, (Galactic Alliance,) organizing the Sith pirates. You don't deserve forgiveness, not that they would forgive you," he thought to himself. It was too late to go back. He wasn't able to be saved, so he would have his vengeance instead, even if he had to die to get it. "I'm not here for you, Tahiri. Begone." An-Dru said this, grabbing her with the Force and sending her flying too far to intervene in the duel this time. The duel-bladed lightsaber separated into two single-bladed lightsabers that An-Dru held in a reverse grip, one of which was damaged and more dangerous than a stable blade as it was easier to manipulate with the Force, an observation and weakness that Robin might be able to exploit if he played his cards right. Robin anticipated An-Dru's upcoming use of either Shien or Djem. So, it was fortunate that An-Dru wasn't using the dual-wield Jar'Kai combat style, which would best suit his decision to use two lightsabers. Taking the initiative, he rushed An-Dru, forcing him to defend with Shien. Robin was trying to control the flow of the battle as best as he could by keeping An-Dru on the defensive.
Robin had come up with a plan. He would either overwhelm An-Dru physically or use an illusion, the only technique that he hadn't yet tried on the miserable bastard. The last thing that he wanted to do was invade An-Dru's mind if possible; who knows of the horrors in his noggin, but he would if he had to. An-Dru fired a Bolt of Hatred, a projectile composed of pure dark side energy born from fairly advanced Sith sorcery that moved at incredible speeds, and used the time it took for Robin to dodge the bolt to close the distance between them, reengaging him blade to blade. As skilled as Robin was at defending, An-Dru got through his guard, and one of the blades aimed to pierce his heart. Robin and An-Dru were both thinking the same thing but for different reasons: "All too easy." An-Dru thought that he'd gained the upper hand, while Robin, inspired by his studies, borrowed a move that was notoriously difficult and, in his current situation, stupidly dangerous. Naturally, it was the best move that he had to end the fight quickly.
Robin grabbed the unstable lightsaber by the emitter; the blade cooked a hole through his palm, and he redirected it immediately away, forcing it to the side with just his agonized hand and willpower alone. He would contend with the torturous pain of his injury later; for now, it was an unwanted distraction. (Ouch! Understatement much?! I bet you're wondering if his hand smelled like cooked bacon? I'm not telling, haha.) Robin syphoned all the power from the weapon skewered through his palm; the scarlet light of the blade shone through his hand, flickered, and died. A moment later, An-Dru's other undamaged lightsaber was crushed with the Force, making him back off, unarmed as he was. While Robin still bore Balance-Breaker in his uninjured right hand, his left arm hung uselessly, and the Force numbed his hand for the time being by the Cold of the Dark Side, (a useful Dark Side Force ability that he'd cobbled together himself, though it was a band-aid solution at best.) "You are defeated, An-Dru! Surrender. Don't make me destroy you." Robin advised with his lightsaber pointed at An-Dru's chest. His voice was deep, imposing, and laced with a little bit of the Dark Side of the Force for added emphasis. Reason had failed to resolve the conflict, so Robin figured that intimidation might work.
Robin was still filled with excess Force energy from the drained lightsaber, but An-Dru didn't care. Blinded by hatred as he was at not only losing, but losing again after improving as much as he had, he rushed Robin with a hidden short-hilted lightsaber that he'd drawn from his sleeve. Robin used the extra energy from the remainder of the boost to move faster despite his fatigue; he couldn't outright avoid further injuries, but he would finish the fight and survive. Robin sighed regretfully as An-Dru rushed him. The dust cleared, and the two fighters both looked like samurai after a one-on-one clash. The next moment, An-Dru gasped as he was bisected at the waist, the two halves toppling in opposite directions. Robin wasn't unscathed; his other arm with the undamaged hand now sported an injured shoulder; right in the nerve bundle and bone, it would be agony without the Force bolstering him and acting as a sling for his arm. That it mirrored the wound Kay had received from Robin's purified lightning at the tournament not that long ago was not missed by Robin, but he'd cope with life's little ironies later.
The King's Double, while incomplete for the moment, was still able to save his life. Switching Robin with a Force illusion of himself, a solid temporary clone that took his place absorbing the strength from the blow, turning an otherwise fatal injury into something he could survive. This was only possible with the aid of the Mask, which had reverted to just a regular protective mask as the time limit was up and it needed a recharge. Robin's wounded shoulder was evidence of his need for further training from the First King and as a Jedi Knight. He couldn't always rely on the mask for protection and power; that would just make it a crutch. Robin sent Revan's mask back to his pocket dimension for its recharge. The scarlet mask would only raise difficult, unwanted questions later anyway. According to theory, Robin could eventually dodge certain strikes without a scratch using the King's Double, but not yet, and injury was still better than death.
An-Dru had, however, successfully hurt his foe, and while it was a far cry from the revenge he'd sought, he'd take it as a win all the same. He'd proven that Robin Stace, the prodigy, was flawed, normal, and mortal. If you can injure someone, you can kill them with enough skill and luck. An-Dru died, smirking at his victory. He died well, while Robin barely held on to consciousness, hoping that someone would come and bring him medical aid. He'd long since burned through the power boost and adrenaline, leaving his body tired and hurt to an extent that he hadn't known before.
Jaina had been working on triage since the smoke from the mysterious attack had cleared and the necessary equipment was up and running. She also found a passed-out, mildly injured Tahiri just outside of the established safety perimeter of the triage station. Tahiri's eyes shot open when Jaina brought her into the medical station. It was a good thing that Jaina had the foresight to disarm her friend; her reaction upon waking was one of fear and violence. Before the blow that gave her the concussion, she'd been fighting, or had been ready to fight; that much was evident. "You're alright, Tahiri. It's just me, just Jaina. Relax. Breathe," she said in a soothing, gentle, almost big-sisterly voice, hoping to comfort and calm her friend. Tahiri relaxed after a few moments. Jedi discipline kicked in, coupled with the presence of her closest friend.
"We can deal with my crappy emotional state later. Your boyfriend, on the other hand, was fighting An-Dru. He's much stronger than I remember, and he was drawing heavily on the Dark Side. I can't sense An-Dru now, but Jedi Stace is likely injured… you might want someone to cover for you and go save his ass." Tahiri advised, after reigning in her emotions, she was in control of herself once again. "Thank you; I owe you one," Jaina said this to her friend before going out to take her advice and look for Robin. She sensed that he felt weaker through the Force than usual, and pained. After arriving at the scene of the battle, Jaina found Robin passed out. An-Dru lay dead on the ground, a pitiable creature born of a damaged ego and fear.
She checked Robin's vitals; everything was good, and he was stable enough to be moved despite his injuries, so Jaina brought him back to the triage station. A couple of weeks of Bacta baths, (these are slightly gooey healing fluids,) and some nerve regeneration therapy later, assuming that everything went right; he'd be as good as new. Jaina had never really thought that scars were attractive, until now. Robin's scars would be minimal, but all the more evocative for their minimalism. Jaina had utilized a Dark Side ability called Flow Walking to witness his healing progression before it happened; his shoulder scar eventually would look like a wing. Stem cells combined with Bacta would be used to regrow his palm; good as new. He'd obviously borrowed a move from Master Corran Horn's playbook, syphoning the energy from the lightsaber for his own use, and it was not remotely easy or safe. That kind of resolve was mind-blowing and a hell of a turn-on for her. "Oh, we're going to have such a good time after you heal," she thought happily as she watched him sleep a moment before returning to tend to the remaining injured.