"What can you tell me about the portals?"
Darth Plagueis was not happy. These rifts to Earth had been somewhat useful previously…he'd gained fine servants and resources from them, and his immense Force power was so high in strength, he barely felt much of a drain on his skills at all. But now…now things were different. Now it was an effort to do things which had come natural as breathing. Once, he could fry someone with a flick of a finger. Now he had to really concentrate. It was so irritating…and he hated that.
He couldn't control these rifts anymore, and their usefulness was proving lesser in comparison to their detriment. No…they'd have to be removed. Hence why he had specifically sought out the best scientists his newly rising empire could find, demanding they study these portals and find a way to close them.
"We've analyzed them on an electromagnetic scale, checked thermal readings, even analyzing them in terms of psi-activity." One of the scientists said. He was a Rodian with big black eyes, a very squishy mouth and he was sweating like a diseased yak. His long fingers nervously clutched his datapad as he read from it, the other scientists standing nearby. "We've thoroughly looked this one over sir, using every test available to your CONSIDERABLE resources." He said as he gestured with a hand at the swirling portal in the room next door, a singular, large, circular window showing the contents within.
"...if you have bad news, I am going to be even more irritated, Dr. Jonz." Darth Plagueis said, his lips very slightly parting to speak, his eyes becoming a little narrowed. "...you should try very hard not to irritate me."
"The thing is, sir…it's only ever had any sort of reaction to Force stimuli, sir." The doctor confessed. "We tried some basic tests with the apprentices you gave to us, members of your "Plague Doctors" platoon? They were able to slightly make it shrink when they were focusing their Force powers entirely upon it. One of them suggested they tried to WILL it shut, but…well, it didn't shut, but it did recede in size by about a foot."
"...how many did it take to recede?" Darth Plagueis quietly inquired.
"We used half a dozen, sir."
"So half a dozen made it shrink in size by a foot. Under this logic, using ten dozen would make it completely shrink to nothing, then, correct?"
"Yes, sir, although unfortunately the attempt proved disastrous for the assistants. Their hands burned away from the attempt. We were literally scraping up pieces of their bones and muscles and skin."
"Well, that's not an issue." Darth Plagueis intoned.
"I take it you want them, um…disposed of, sir?" Dr. Jonz quietly asked. "Shot?"
"Shot? Not at all!" Darth Plagueis smiled and this made Dr. Jonz want to puke upon the spot. His smile was worse than his threatening glare. "All of my Plague Doctors are young and fit for a reason. If they no longer have their hands, that's no issue. Their kidneys can be sold for a quarter of a million, and the operation won't even kill them. After that, we can remove their eyes, which will sell for fifty thousand dollars each, leaving them blind but otherwise in good health. They can also live without most of their intestines, which will make an additional one hundred thousand dollars. While they are recovering from each operation, I will drain off their blood cells and plasma. I'll keep this frozen solid, so it can be sold at around 1000 dollars a pint. Finally, of course, there is the heart. The heart of a young healthy boy or girl can fetch up to a million dollars…and this is before we add in the differential that comes from selling FORCE SENSITIVE parts on the black market. The price for such body parts get even higher, up to three extra digits."
"...very…economical?" Dr. Jonz squeaked out fearfully.
"Yes. Shooting them does me no good at all. But keeping them alive is good for business. After all, running a highly efficient, mighty empire is expensive work!" Darth Plagueis reasoned. "You might also wonder why I'm telling you this. I just want you aware that if you should happen to fail me in a similar fashion, you will nevertheless find yourself in the same boat. No doubt though, as a doctor, you'd be happy to know that in death you'll be improving the health and lives of others?"
"I'd be v-very f-fl-flattered s-sir…" Dr. Jonz whimpered, as he began to unload the contents of his bladder into his pants as Darth Plagueis leisurely exited the room.
"Clean yourself up and get more of my Plague Doctors in here. Make sure the hypothesis is correct…and get rid of that portal. Fast." He called back. "I want it gone in 24 hours. If it isn't, I'll remove your tongue. I won't be able to sell it to anyone, but I believe it would be a good motivator for you and your team. Don't you think?"
"How exactly did they get captured?"
Before they'd gotten into the specifics of the plan, Finn and Poe wanted to know all of the details Leia could give them, so they'd all sat around as Leia's little holographic figure stood in the middle of the table they sat at. Mr. Boyega kept nervously glancing at his son, then at Leia…it looked as though he wanted to say something, but…couldn't make the words form.
"The Skull of the Sith managed to get to them, he was just…wild with grief after losing that boy, the one he called Bones." Leia said. "I didn't think he had it in him to be so…heartbroken, but…"
"How OLD was Bones, would you say?" Zack wanted to know.
"He's not very old at all, I don't even think he's a teenager yet. He seemed VERY young to me, and the doctors said, after the Skull had taken his body away, that the child had endured horrific abuse…we guess at the hands of his parents."
"How can you be sure?"
"He had wounds on him that…that would only have been there if they were inflicted at a VERY young age." Leia murmured. "I've seen these sort of wounds before. As a senator I pushed very hard for certain types of legislation, especially protection for children, and the kinds of wounds I saw were VERY common among children suffering from parental neglect and abuse. On top of that, the way the Skull treated him, I…I don't think he would have EVER hurt the child. He was treating the little one like he was a mixture of best friend and child…"
"The Skull's a grown man and his best friend's an abused little black child?" Finn was stunned by this, looking at the others. "I didn't think a guy like him could…act that way."
"...sounds like HE hasn't had a happy life either if he's so desperate for companionship that his greatest connection's with a little kid and not his own compatriots…" Mr. Boyega spoke up.
"I wouldn't be surprised by this." Leia murmured. "After all, Darth Plagueis was supposed to be PALPATINE'S master. Palpatine was an expert in manipulation…it'd make sense his master would be too. Both of them preying on weaker wills and minds to get what they want…and seeking out Sith they can easily bend to their desires."
"Yeah, I think we saw that in his little broadcast he sent out to the galaxy when he had Han in carbonite." Zack murmured. "We saw that in Rose too, Rose had horrible trauma in her life and her master, the Axe, was using that to help turn her against HIS master's foes…and remember what the Soul of the Sith said? He had to bring a Jedi back to life to find a real, actual friend…the way he was buddy-buddy with my brother…"
"I'm noticing a pattern. All of them desired companionship…an INTENSE desire for it. These are people without others to care for them in their life…" Leia realized. "They probably don't have any other friends or family…and that makes them an easy target for someone as manipulative as Darth Plagueis."
"...how pitiful." Zack murmured. "...and the sad thing is I get what that's like…" he added.
"Me too." Omarosa confessed. "When you're without friends or family for years on end, you get really desperate. The Dark Side is eager to embrace those who are at their lowest point…it'd be so seductive to give in to its words, especially coming from someone convincing as THE Darth Plagueis…"
"You guys wanna feel bad for them, fine. I get that." Poe interjected. "But we need them beat. I got an idea on how we CAN beat them…"
The ship was on fire. Luke knew that much. So he was bolting through the hallways, avoiding the slow spreading of flames as he heard shouts and yells above him. The blonde-haired man was barreling down the hall at top speed when he turned the corner...and ran right into the two bounty hunters.
Frequency and Ember stood there, blocking the way forward. Luke looked right at them, his lightsaber drawn as he took up a fighting stance as best he could in the rather small hallway. The hissing crackle of flames mixed in with the crackling of his lightsaber as he narrowed his eyes at the blue-furred alien before him, who slightly adjusted the red head wrap he wore atop his head.
"Get out of my way, please." Luke requested.
"I guess this is a bad time to ask for your autograph, dude." Frequency remarked. "...but...I'm not the person who's gonna be known as the man who killed Luke Skywalker."
Ember shook her head. "You should get going, your friends are really going to need help up there. Mr. Ario has actually been keeping a lot of zombies here, hidden at the lake because they don't need to breathe, so he just stuck them under the water...and now they're all going to come up."
"How? I doubt they can swim." Luke remarked.
"Well, when you're a Sith...you don't need to swim."
Indeed. Hiss snarled with fury as he spread his arms wide. The sheer raw might of Force power rang forth as Kyle shot forward to engage Zack in combat, and THRAA-SCHROOOOOOOOOOM! A gigantic pure cascade of lake water shot up, as many zombies were lifted up, up, out of the air! He THREW several of them right at Finn and Poe on their hover bike, others climbing onto the burning ship...
And he was about to get MORE called up before TSSEWWW! A laser rifle almost took his head off! He growled angrily, looking behind him. On the far off shore, the Mandalorians had come together, the troops were setting up firing positions as General Mandalore, 10th of his name, was barking loudly for them to fire there...and fire THERE! And don't forget a broadside THERE!
"ERRGGGHHH!" Snarling, the serpentine Sith focused again, and now his zombies were rising from the waters, going towards these troops, just as Luke emerged onto the deck. Taking a deep, calming breath and trying not to get more furious than he already was, he drew his specialized lightsaber, strumming upon that guitar a little as he and Luke circled about.
"Well...you got out of your bonds. Did that silly surfer let you free?" The Soul of the Sith asked. "Let me give you a piece of free advice, out of respect for the great man you are...you can't beat me because I can't DIE. You could cut my head off and it wouldn't do a thing."
"No, he didn't let me go." Luke answered honestly as he shook his head. "I freed myself. Your "doctor" was kind enough to explain what he wanted to do to me...the very thing you did to Kyle. You're making him think he's a zombie so he'll do what you want, even though he's not really dead!"
The Soul of the Sith shook his head. "Thing is, what's I put inside of him...it basically means he IS dead. He wouldn't be alive without me." He remarked. "If I go, so does he..."
"Indeed, it was a brilliant plan. I admit, I'm sorry you're not on our side, you sound like you would have made a wonderful Jedi." Luke said as a twi'lek zombie launched himself at him...and he ducked and sliced, spinning around. The zombie's legs were cut clean off as he then KICKED it at the Soul of the Sith! Hiss grinned as he blew it away with a Force shockwave from his clawed hands, ducking backward to avoid a stab from Luke.
THWOOSH THWOOSH THWOOSH! Indeed, Luke was trying to level stabs right at him over and over, forcing him to dance backwards, to duck and dodge. Zombies on the ship's main level would surge at Luke and he'd have to back off on his attack of the serpentine sith, and slice and slash at them as Hiss T. Ario, Soul of the Sith, began to realize WHAT Luke was doing...
Stalling.
He knew he couldn't slice and dice him, because he wouldn't die. So he was just trying to buy time, and he could only have been trying to buy time if what Luke really wanted...was to somehow free Kyle Katarn from HIS influence.
TRRRZZZZTTT! The two lightsabers clashed, red against yellowish-gold, Zack and Kyle trying to force one another back. They circled about, the two brothers staring so deeply into one another's eyes, both gritting their teeth...neither one wanting to think about just how much they were reminded of their father by the face that gazed back.
Zack managed to knock Kyle back as he did something VERY unorthodox, and managed to get a STOMP in on Kyle's foot. He then HEADBUTTED Kyle when he was caught off guard by this sudden attack, Kyle reeling back as Zack spun his lightsaber. "Sorry, big bro...I've picked up some rather dirty Sith tricks...and a kick like a mule from my GOMORREAN friend!"
THRAA-THWAAMMM! Indeed, he kicked Kyle hard, knocking him against where the captain's quarters on the ship was. Kyle barely managed to tug himself away as flames licked around him, and he wiped his mouth free of some blood. "Well! That's a good kick! You must have some wonderful friends who've helped you get this far."
"I admit I'm jealous of you, brother." Zack confessed. "You've got a far nicer-looking lightsaber than me. I had to STEAL mine. Where'd you get YOURS?" With that, he launched forward at his brother, who deflected a blow and managed his OWN kick! Poor Zack got knocked back into the mizzenmast, and he ducked just in time to avoid a sweeping slash.
"I actually had it sort of "given" to me by a Dark Jedi. He felt I deserved a fair chance at fighting off his compatriots. It was the last thing he ever did..." Kyle said as visible discomfort flashed across his face. "He died bravely. Like a Jedi."
"Sounds like he had a lot of integrity." Zack confessed. "But it takes more bravery to live on than to die...even if you think you've got nothing to live FOR. I'll get you back, brother…I promise."
"I'm sorry…but there IS no going back for me…"
Kyle and Zack's sabers clashed, the harsh sting of the sabers crackling through the air, which was getting hotter and hotter as flames rose around them. The distinct sound of laser fire from the beaches added a percussive element as the two seemed to swing in time to the thudding of cannon fire! Zack looked down briefly, analyzing the floor...
Hmmmmmm. The plank wood floor they were on, one was loose in JUUUST the right spot, if he could maneuver Kyle in the right way, then...
"I can't quite pull off the great tricks so many other Jedi or Sith can..." Zack admitted. "But there is one thing I can do better than most of them!" He said as he quickly backed up, and then turned the lightsaber off, looking rather smug.
"What's that?" Kyle asked, looking around, seeing if there was something about to fall on his head, or shoot at him from afar. But it seemed as though there wasn't anything! So he began to race forward, lightsaber held up to slice!
"Thinking outside the box!"
THRAA-THAM! THWAAAAKKKKK! He slammed his foot down into that particular plank and the area he stomped on went down...with the other end flying up and RIGHT. Into Kyle's crotch!
"OOOOOOOOOOH!" Jedi or not, hitting a man in the balls that hard hurt like hell. Kyle flopped down onto his knees as Zack held his lightsaber up to his brother's neck...then withdrew it, and THWONK! He knocked Kyle over the head, conking him out. "Sorry, big bro..."
THRAA-SCHWOOOOOOM! A moment later, the ground beneath him gave way! The fire was spreading uncontrollably, and Zack barely managed to jump away in time, getting to Kyle, and trying to carry him off the ship to safety...
But that was when it happened. The Soul of the Sith had called upon his largest zombie, the biggest, nastiest one he had hidden down in the depths of the lake...and Omarosa, who'd been turning the tide for the Mandalorians on the beach as Finn and Poe joined in to help now saw it coming out of the water.
A FUCKING RANCOR.
It's skull had been clearly half-caved in, you could clearly see its brains. Big, nasty claws, a rather bulldog, squat face with nasty teeth...and it was barreling RIGHT at them. THAA-THROOOM! It leaped through the air with astounding swiftness, slamming its fists into the ground, warriors being knocked back!
"MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, leave this to the Force users!" Finn was carrying several Mandalorian warriors over his shoulders as Poe was firing Sith Lightning at the thing to force it back...but though he AND Omarosa were piling it on, frankly...it wasn't doing much. If someone was alive, the pain and the shocks might have made it reel back, but it was an undead rancor beast! It didn't really have nerves to fry, no synapses to bust. It was a dead man walking and it was only mildly IRRITATED by this electrical assault.
Zack gasped at the sight, just as Luke ran up to him. "I'll get your brother off the ship and go help the others, can you hold the Soul of the Sith at bay until we defeat that rancor?" He asked. Zack looked up, seeing the Soul of the Sith was focusing his Force powers, and creating a gigantic wave! He was trying to use a mighty Force Pull to WILL the water towards the ship...no doubt to put the fires out.
"Okay. Take care of him, please, Master Skywalker...don't let me lose him again." Zack said as he handed his brother to Luke, who leaped off the ship and started to make his way over to the others just as SPLAAAAAAAAASH!
The fires on the ship were finally all put out as the Soul of the Sith wiped his brow, turning to look down at Zack. Now...it was only him and the serpentine Sith left on that ship as Hiss strummed leisurely upon his guitar.
"Color me impressed." He intoned. "It was a good plan. You got me away from my partner, you caught me off guard, and I admit, I'm rather worn out..." He wiped his brow a bit before he kept strumming on his guitar. "I'm barely hanging on...but...even so..." He shook his head. "You're not going to win."
Zack held his lightsaber up, aiming it at the Soul, who kept leisurely strumming along. "You're kind of complacent...you think because you can't die, we can't beat you."
"I'm not going to be caught off guard by a freeze grenade trap or anything like that, Zack." The serpentine Sith informed him. "I never fall for the same trick twice..."
"If we stuck you in a big box, we'd probably beat you." Zack taunted. "And unlike most pet snakes, maybe we'll forget the holes..."
"I don't even need to BREATHE..." The Soul of the Sith laughed. "Wow, you're really willing to be petty if it means you'll win, huh? Such a dirty fighter you are! You sure you're not interested in being one of my comrades?"
"...I don't think you understand what camaraderie means." Zack admitted. "I can tell you want friends...and I do feel sorry for you for that." He added quietly. "It's a very...HUMAN trait...to want others to like you, to love you. But you don't seem to get that it's wrong to manipulate people into doing that. That's why I have to beat you. Not just because you're a threat...but to prove that everything you know is wrong! And only then...maybe THEN...you might even be on our team."
"Well, that's awfully kind of you." The Soul of the Sith said. He looked into Zack's face, and chuckled softly. "Heh-heh…I like that face you've got." He told the red-haired young man. "That same defiant, brave face your brother had…that Luke has shown. I admire that. But we both know you're not going to beat me any more than they could. All you're going to do...is die…and then TURN INTO A MEAT SHIELD!"
With that, he launched himself at Zack, who shot, in turn, towards HIM. Their sabers clashed, the two trying to force the other back as Zack cringed, some sweat dripping down his brow, the Soul of the Sith's legs slightly shaking. Both were rather weakened from all the fighting, but neither one was willing to give an inch.
BRRZZZTT! The sabers hissed as they tried to force one another back. Both of those blades coming so…so close to one another's faces. Zack was gritting his teeth, he was trying to focus, because he had an idea that just might work if he could pull it off, but it would take perfect timing. He could feel the build up of Force lightning inside of him, swelling up within, and he needed to unleash it in just the right way, but the minute his hands sparked, he KNEW that the Soul of the Sith would reel back and dodge, or deflect. No…he had to make the Soul of the Sith come to HIM and unleash the lightning power in just the right way, in a way that the serpentine Sith couldn't block…
And he thought he had an idea.
He leaped back…and turned his lightsaber off. The Soul of the Sith stared in stunned surprise as Zack held his hands up, and clenched them into fists. "Why don't we settle this like men would?" He asked. "If we can't beat one another with our sabers or our force powers…then let's do it the "old fashioned way". So…put 'em up!" He said, slightly bouncing back and forth on his feet.
"...oh wow, you're serious?" The Soul of the Sith gaped. "...I'm actually really touched by that. Alright…but you're going to regret that." The serpentine Sith said as he turned his own saber off, and shot towards Zack, his fist held high.
Zack placed both his hands together, one hand gripping his fist as he held it before himself, and he slightly bowed his head, breathing out…
And the Force Lightning swelled from him. It crackled out ALL around him in a big, wide, net-like blast, striking across the Soul of the Sith, knocking him through the air, flying, soaring over to the wheel of the old ship as he landed with a THWUMPH, draped across it as Zack flopped to his hands and knees, panting heavily. He was slightly smoking himself, a lock of hair on fire as he clenched his fist around it to put it out. "Damn…I didn't know if that'd even WORK…" He murmured. "I gotta work on refining that technique…" He mumbled.
Meanwhile, Omarosa, Finn, Poe and Luke were all trying to force the Rancor back. They sliced and slashed at the beast, and it swung and slammed down its claws at them. They kept rolling out of the way, or racing out of his swings, but its hide was tough! Mere saber slices were nasty cuts indeed, but it just didn't seem to be enough to beat the thing.
"I think I've an idea…" Luke reasoned as he looked across the beach and saw that hover bike that Finn and Poe had ridden over to the lake. "Mr. Poe Dameron, you're a good shot, right? And a good pilot?"
Poe ducked to avoid the swiping claws of the rancor. "I'm a DAMN good pilot and shot!" He bragged. "Why?"
"I'll need you to target this thing's LEGS. Can you do that if we keep him still?"
Poe grinned and barreled off towards the hover back as Omarosa turned to Finn and Luke. "I've an idea, this might be a dumb zombie but it still needs to see, right?"
"OH." Luke's eyes widened as Finn nodded. The rancor roared, reaching for Finn, just as Finn and Luke and Omarosa all swept their arms up, focusing their Force powers. SCHAA-THWOOOOOSH! It was as if a WAVE of sand propelled up, soaring up into the rancor zombie's eyes and…sure enough, the thing was blinded! It yelled and shrieked, zombie or not, it was furious that it now couldn't see! It was swinging wildly, it smashed its fists into the sandy beach again and again, but by now they could VERY easily see its swings coming. They just had to keep backing away as it looked around, trying to sniff at the air to get their scent…
But by now it had been in place for too long. Poe, on the hover bike, fired away at its legs. BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA! The small but potent plasma cannons on the bike tore at the thing's ligaments and hamstrings, and the creature shrieked as it flopped onto the ground, with Finn, Poe and Omarosa shooting forward with their lightsabers, all at once…aiming at the now-fallen-to-the-ground head.
SCHAAA-THRRRUUUUSCCHHH! The lightsabers slammed right into the thing's head and they quickly sliced outward. The skull of the rancor zombie was sliced open in different directions, looking more like a mashed up head of cabbage now than a proper skull, all of them stepping back, Omarosa wiping her brow as Finn pumped the air. "WOOHOO! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!" He cried out as Luke shook his head.
"Poor thing." he murmured. "I hope Zack's alright…we should check back in on him, I'll see if Kyle's doing alright." He suggested. "We need to capture the Soul of the Sith and put him somewhere he can't do anyone harm."
"Did you have an idea for what we could do for him?" Omarosa admitted. "...wait. Why don't we just stick him in a volcano? He'd be burned down to a crisp!"
"That's so morbid!" Finn cringed in disgust. "Yeccchh." Luke also shook his head back and forth.
"Besides, we need him alive right now. We need to pick at his mind to find out where the Dyad is…where Darth Plagueis is hiding. And I'd rather not resort to such a…cold-blooded execution. It's not the Jedi way." Luke added gently, unaware that Kyle had ever-so-slightly stirred, not far away as his unconscious frame rested against a tree…
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly a Jedi…but fine. Point taken." Omarosa sighed. "Let's go pick him up then, and see what he has to say about his master's headquarters…"
At the moment, Zack was trying to catch his breath. He was struggling to stay up, resting against the main mast of the ship, taking in deep, long, rattling breaths. It felt as though his very LUNGS were on fire as he turned, seeing the others climbing on board the ship to join him. "You…all…alright?" He asked. "That l-last one took a…took a lot o-out of me…" He moaned. "I don't think I did it right…"
"You tried that "lightning splash" thing you were working on?" Omarosa asked. "I told you ol' partner in crime, you barely can get lightning going as it IS, doing super tricky stuff like that…"
"Heh…partner in crime…heh heh heh heh…"
They heard a distinct sound, looking up, seeing the Soul of the Sith was now playing his lightsaber guitar, slowly strumming a very haunting, sad tune on it.
"Lully, lullah, thou little tiny child…bye bye, lully, lullay. Herod the king, in his raging,
Charged he hath this day! His men of might…in his own sight…all young children to slay…"
"Well. That's…a rather…gloomy tune…" Zack muttered. "I don't even think my favorite band the HU has broached that subject and those Hutts did an entire song about the horrible death of every Rebel that died to get the plans to the first Death Star delivered to Princess Leia…"
"Where's THAT song from?" Luke asked, stunned.
"This is a very old tune from my home of Earth…King Herod was told of a prophecy, that a young babe born to a certain Religion would help bring the people OF that faith to freedom. Since he had conquered their lands and dominated them for years, his first reaction was…kill all the children you can find. It's a very sad, horrible tale, and it reminds me of the preciousness of life…" The Soul of the Sith sighed. "Maybe you can't understand…after all, you're only humans. You die so easily, but for me? My life's meaningless because I can't die. Only the companionship with others I forged brought it meaning…" He shook his head back and forth, looking down at them all as he kept strumming on his guitar. "No matter what I do, I can't die…and the truth is…not EVEN Darth Plagueis can kill me."
All of them now stared in shock at him as Hiss quietly put the guitar down, and turned to face them, hands behind his back. "I've never told anyone this. Truth be told, Darth Plagueis tried to get rid of me. He honestly became afraid of what I am. He tried to have me dissolved in acid…and not even that was the end of me. Even as the tiniest molecule…it was enough for me to return. Somehow, my unique connection to the Force…the thing that should be my greatest asset…has turned into an even worse curse. I can't die. And how empty and boring life is when you can't die…"
"Why work for him, then?" Zack asked. "Why work for someone who did something like THAT to you? Why not become a Jedi?"
"...because if I did…then Kyle Katarn would have been killed in my place." The Sith said. "And he was the first one I connected with in centuries." He murmured. "He was all I had…and now…now he's no longer "my Kyle". My buddy. My friend. My…partner in…crime…"
The Soul of the Sith gripped the railing before him, head hung. "...I do hate Darth Plagueis…but I hate you too…for what you've taken from me. Now I have nothing left…nothing…but the hate…"
He picked his guitar back up, and pressed a button, as the insides opened, revealing the crystal within. Pulling it out, he held it up to the sky…and then DUG it deep into his chest. Everyone gasped in horror at the sight, as he stabbed it into his chest again…and again…and again…
And still…still he did not die. Though he bled and he screamed and his chest was now an open cavity of foul bloody rot…he would not die. Luke nervously bit his lip, and then turned to the others. "I…I think we have to get inside his mind. I hate doing this when he's so…pitiful right now but…"
"Yeah…I know what you mean." Zack murmured. "Omarosa…you and I and Master Skywalker should try and get inside his head. Finn…Poe…can you hold him still and steady?"
"We thought you'd never ask."
Finn and Poe raised their hands up, focusing intensely upon the serpentine Sith, spreading his arms and legs wide as he kept snarling and hissing. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU ALL! I HATE, HATE, HATE…"
Zack, Omarosa and Luke all took aim at his head, slightly clenching their hands, Zack putting one hand on top of Omarosa's shoulder. He wasn't nearly as good at this as they were…but with them further weakening the serpentine Sith's mental strength…even someone like him could get in.
But as soon as they WERE inside his head, he wished they hadn't. Getting inside someone's head under normal circumstances with the power of Force Persuasion, their mindscape would be fairly plain, like a soft field stretching everywhere, the core of their mind in the middle, as easily influenced as a child. It was almost like tapping a toddler on the shoulder, and pointing and going "Hey! Go do that thing, it's fun", and the cute tyke would just go "Okay" and bound off to do exactly what you asked.
But…those with Force sensitivity…those who were Sith and Jedi…their mindscapes were far more developed, more like closed off homes or large mansions, or even dark fortresses, where getting to their core was a challenge. For the Soul of the Sith…he'd gone even further. His whole body was now a dark-scaled frame, a living fortress in the shape of himself, looking coldly at them all as he cracked his knuckles.
"Don't make us do this." Luke insisted. "Please just come quietly. We can give you a new life and you can find happiness on the Light side of the Force."
"I will NEVER forgive you for what you've done to me." The Soul of the Sith said. "You took my friend from me…and now you want me to just join hands with you and sing? No…no, I think I'll just break your mind in two!"
He launched himself at Luke, and THRAA-THWAM! Luke was knocked back with one punch, spiralling away. Omarosa ducked, trying to punch at him herself. Here in the mindscape, their only weapons where their fists, nothing else had come with them, but he caught her fist with one hand, the other grabbing her throat.
"Hmm…" His eyes narrowed, and Hiss T. Ario looked into HER mind. "My, my. Toss me in a volcano? Not a bad idea there. You're as ruthless as Darth Plagueis…you sure you're not on the wrong side?"
Zack looked around desperately for SOME type of weapon…and then he saw something behind the Soul of the Sith…something getting closer. And he knew JUST what to do…
"The…others…gave me…a chance…even when I…ERGH…didn't…deserve it…" She croaked out, trying to pry his clawed digits off her neck, feeling him sloooowly cracking her throat bones.
"Aw, that's very touching. But I'm not going to show you that same mercy…because you DON'T deserve it." He said, though a moment later, he felt Zack grabbing him by the leg.
"HHHHRRRRAAAAAAAAH!" Zack screamed at the top of his lungs and THREW the Soul of the Sith back, forcing him to let go of Omarosa. The Soul flopped onto his back as Zack launched himself at him, ripping his clothing off! Now he was shirtless, and he wrapped it tightly around the Soul of the Sith's lower head region as quick as he could, trying to completely cover his face. "Stay DOWN!" He growled out. "Just go to sleep!"
The Soul of the Sith chuckled as Zack heard him speak inside his mind. "Heh-heh-heh. Such vain struggling, and yet it's so passionate…so sincere. Honestly, I really do pity you from the bottom of my heart. Even NOW you're trying to hold back. Why is that?" He asked as he slammed his fist into Zack's face. POW! POW! POW!
Zack was taking a nasty beating. His cheeks were being pounded open, his nose was being broken, cheek bones crushed as the serpentine Sith kept slamming his fists into his face to get him off him. Zack's plan wasn't really working.
"First rule…of medicine…do no…harm…" Zack grunted before the Soul's next punch FINALLY knocked him back and off him. The Soul of the Sith took the shirt off his almost-fully-wrapped-up face, advancing on him as he saw Luke and and Omarosa racing forward to help.
"That's a noble medical sentiment." The Soul of the Sith clenched his fist tightly, raising it up. "I wish I still believed in that…"
That was when he felt someone grabbing him from behind, and force him to the ground. And the minute he looked up into this someone's face…
The walls came down. The "fortress" armor he'd built up around himself shattered, leaving only Hiss T. Ario in his true form, gazing, stunned, up at the one and only…Kyle Katarn.
"I saw what they were doing over on the boat…and I had to come over." Kyle said. "I've been thinking more clearly now than I have for months. Maybe it's because they finally knocked some sense into me…maybe it's because you're at your weakest right now and the influence you had over me's almost gone…maybe I just finally built up enough will…or hell. Maybe it's just a miracle…but my mind feels so free…and I have to stop you."
Kyle sighed. "But…that doesn't mean that I forgot all those days I spent with you." He admitted, his voice sad and mournful, looking deep into Hiss's eyes. "After all…I was on the verge of death, and you saved me. I haven't forgotten how kind you were. You treated me like a real friend, and that was real, that was you at your truest self. But I can't just let you hurt my brother like this. So…I'm sorry…and thank you, for everything, Hiss. You really were a great partner." Kyle said, as he rested his hands on Hiss's shoulders.
"...Kyle…" Hiss said, just as he felt Omarosa, Zack and Luke reach him, touching his head again…
And with that, he knew no more.
Luke and the others looked down at the head-bowed, staring ahead quietly, mouth-slightly-open serpentine Sith as Kyle quietly gazed down at his former friend. Zack covered his face, cringing as Luke looked ashamedly at his hands, Omarosa biting her lip slightly.
"...what…did you do to him?" Finn finally asked as Poe nervously poked the side of the Sith's head.
"...we…took what we needed from his mind while…well…" Omarosa cringed. "...he…he sort of broke." She murmured. "The wheel is spinning but the hamster's asleep."
"His mind's just…shattered. We couldn't kill him…but…but now he might as well be dead. His very spirit's just collapsed in on itself." Luke murmured. "It was like his mind crumbled like paper when we touched it…"
"I can't believe it. We basically lobotomized him…" Zack groaned as he shook his head back and forth again and again. "And I didn't MEAN to, we just…I had no idea he'd take seeing Kyle that way, I…I…" He moaned as he flopped down onto the deck of the ship. "This is horrible…this is just…I feel sick, I…I…" he covered his mouth, barely able to get to the side of the ship in time to vomit off the side. Kyle quietly walked over to him, patting him on the back as Zack kept unloading the contents of his stomach off into the water.
"...do you…think he'll ever come back?" Finn quietly inquired.
"...I would like that." Luke admitted. "...I hope one day his heart can heal. If nothing else…he's a good guitar player. And I'd like the chance to hear him play something with a HAPPY ending…"