Padawan - Part 2
Shortly afterwards, the groups began to disperse, enjoying what was left of the party before departing. The Sith and his apprentice slipped away, following the Moogan. Moogan were strangely slender beings, taller than they with greenish-blue skin, fanged teeth and flat faces. Something akin to a serpent, they donned strange domed helmets, either a flare toward the base, in an almost triangular fashion, or with flaps of fabric hanging down around their shoulders. It gave them an almost regal air, however to Zaiya's eye it seemed more like a strong wind might blow them over.
They approached their ship, only to find her master and his group awaiting them, the Nightsister stepped into the room behind them, sealing the doors behind her to trap them in the small space.
"Is it possible that you actually thought you might get away with this?" Her master growled, the anger coming off him in waves. The thought that this chance of vengeance would be stolen from him… "Did you truly believe you could just purchase a Jedi Padawan and walk away without repercussions?" He was finally ready to destroy these petty criminals. Not only that, but he had given permission to the Nightsister to take part in this attack.
"Let's see how clean we get through this." she heard Bane mutter dryly.
"Did you think I would allow such a transgression?" The sith continued, through clenched teeth. Zaiya's lip twitched, he made it sound as if he cared for the wellbeing of the Jedi. Though she knew better, petty gangsters were not worthy of such a death, for to them it would mean nothing. The Nightsister wished he could step back and see that it wasn't worth the risk… but he was her Lord, and she swore to obey. Even if it hurt to do so.
The Moogan were scrambling for some sense, it was then that they noticed the Nightsister and the closing door, beginning to panic. Her master launched in a swift attack, using his robe to smother the nearest gangster, suffocating him as he used the force to constrict the fabric over his face.
Zaiya attacked swiftly, leaping up to kick the nearest scrambling fool in the face. She shoved the next back using the Force, the battle was quick, the snake-like gangsters falling to the two Sith's hands and kicks to the face.
"I know who they are…" Zaiya heard the Twi'lek speak, "What they are." The last of the Moogan dropped, and an eerie silence fell upon the cargo hold. "You… you are-" Eldra began.
"You know nothing!" The Zabrak cried viciously, his fists clenched as he rounded on the Jedi. "Nothing about who I am! Nothing about what I want!" He got right in her face, and Zaiya recognised the same anger as she was faced with before.
"I know I am not afraid of you. I know you're trying to hide who you really are from the scum you're working with. Even while fighting just now. Despite all the jumping and kicking, what you really wanted to use was-" She was cut off as she watched Zaiya lean down to pick up the Jedi's weapon casually, rolling it in her hand curiously. It felt… heavy. She liked the feel of it in her hand. The 'scum' eyed the three force-users curiously, hesitantly.
"We're leaving." Her master stated sharply. "Get us into space before what we've done here is discovered." Zaiya felt a shiver run up her spine, something didn't feel right.
"Whatever you say… boss." Bane responded with a tap on his hat. The two sith turned away from the others, ushering the Jedi into the back cargo hold. The Twi'lek demanded to be released, and the Zabrak smirked, shoving the Padawan forward, the girl barely managing to keep her feet, she spun back around, glaring at them.
"You… You're Sith, aren't you?" She hissed, "I've heard rumours… since I was a youngling… but I didn't think you were real."
"Of course not." He hissed in response, "You prayed you would never stand before your nightmares made flesh."
"You think you scare me? You're the ones lurking in the shadows… keeping who you really are a secret. You're the ones that are scared." Zaiya let out a chuckle. The fiery words amused the Nightsister, she circled the Jedi, moving to sit on crates. The Twi'lek looked at her with a strange expression. "Both of you…"
"Far above, far below…" Zaiya began in a sing-song voice, tossing her master the Jedi's saber casually.
"We don't know where we'll fall." Her master continued, catching the saber, but both of their gazes on the Jedi. "Far above, far below."
"What once was great is rendered small." This time Zaiya finished the rhyme, her head tilted slightly.
Eldra was not impressed. "Did you practise that? No offense, but I don't have time for nursery rhymes. If you're going to kill me, get on with it. Better yet-" She lowered her voice and glared at the Sith. "-take these binders off me and hand me my lightsaber. We'll see how all that spinning and leaping helps you against an equal-"
"You are not my equal!" He hissed viciously, igniting her saber and pointing it toward her throat. "No Jedi can match my skill, my fury, my righteousness!" His eyes blazed and Zaiya felt a sinking feeling in her chest. "And- trust me, my dear- I will cut you free, I will hand you this lightsaber and then I will have my revenge."
"Revenge?!" Eldra sneered, "Revenge for what-" she began, but the Twi'lek was cut off as an explosion rocked the ship. The three were thrown off their feet, sent flying as the ship swayed in the aftermath.
"Hold on to something, we're going down!" Came the cry from the comm system, Zaiya reached out, using the Force to steady her Master as he fell against the crate she had been sitting on. Her senses pricked and she dove forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as another explosion shot through the cargo hold.
The ship plummeted down onto the nearby moon, smoke rising from the crash and a small fire blazing where the engine had collapsed into the surface. Slowly, slowly, the occupants began to make their way out of the wreck, groaning in pain, though fortunately in one piece.
Zaiya was drowsy, her head was killing her, she became aware of a voice above her, soft, but urgent.
"...tice… wa… up… don… on me..!" she slowly began to blink, light entering her blurred vision. "Apprentice… -Zaiya!" She jerked, eyes open suddenly, seeing her Master leaning over her. It took a second for her to remember the situation. She had leapt to protect him, managing to be struck by one of the crates in the crash. She sat up, noticing a frown cross her Master's face, his eyes lingered on her, and she reached up to touch the side of her head, realising she was bleeding.
"Damn…" She huffed, blinking as her master's hand entered her vision. He was offering her his hand and helped her up. "Thank you Master, are you alright?"
"Am I-? Foolish apprentice! You could have gotten yourself killed!" He hissed angrily.
"I think I am made of stronger material, Master, you need not worry, there is only one way I intend to die." She chuckled, ignoring the dizzy feeling she had as they climbed from the wreckage.
It seemed that the Padawan made it out as well, and he left Zaiya's side to move toward the Jedi, and shove her forward, toward the others.
"You survived." Bane mused with a flat tone.
"Worried about your pay day, friend?" Zaiya called, noticing the Duros' eyes narrow as he looked at her.
"That… and the hazard bonus." He scoffed. The nightsister grinned.
"Of course. Can't pay you if we're dead, can we?" Her expression sobered, "Were we hit?"
Aurra answered that from the top of the wreckage; "The charge was set from the inside, positioned to blow outward, disabling the ship with minimal damage to cargo and passengers."
"That explains why we're alive then." Zaiya muttered aloud, and she recalled her thoughts from earlier, making her curse softly again. "I knew it."
"They want the Padawan alive." her master spoke bluntly.
"The Padawan has a name." Eldra snapped, causing him to shoot her a glare.
"Either way, we need to find a way off this rock, and fast." Bane interrupted, having no time for what he was not privy to. Aurra agreed, bringing their attention to the incoming ships that had left the station they had just left. "Xev Xrexus is making a bit of sport out of us, Aurra. Us taking the padawan the way we did made her look bad. She's going to save face and make a bit of profit."
"They're hunting me." Eldra stated in a moment of revelation.
"You were going to die one way or another." the sith growled, "You were destined to die the moment you first stepped into a jedi temple." He flicked his gaze up to his apprentice. "They are hunting all of us."
"Well… you kind of brought it on yourselves." Eldra retorted with a smirk. Bane let out a chuckle, himself.
"Your friend's got fire in her belly. I like that. She's right of course. We came here looking for a fight."
"A fight is what they'll get." Zaiya mused, looking upward toward the ships in the distance.
"We'll split up." The Zabrak male stated. "The hunters will likely be most interested in the Padawan. We'll lead them away. That should give your team room to… requisition one of those ships. Kill anyone who gets in your way. Scuttle any ship we don't need. We'll strand what few survivors there might be on this desolate moon." The three force users turned away, readying to head out away from the others.
"Not a bad idea." Bane called. "What makes you think we won't just leave you here along with the rest?" The sith glanced over his shoulder.
"I'm counting on the supposition that you want to earn your hazard pay." He retorted bluntly. With that, he shoved the Jedi forward to walk forward.
"You have an interesting friend there…" Bane mused, looking down to the Nightsister. Bane wasn't so tall to her anymore, she still had to look up at him, though she didn't have to crane her neck as he towered over her as she had done once, it had been a few years since they had met the first time, and she could not help but wonder whether the strange way he looked at her was concern. No… it couldn't be. Not Bane of all people. He was just concerned that he wouldn't get paid.
"Don't let it worry you Bane, you will get your money." Zaiya chuckled, a grin on her lips as she turned away. Suddenly Bane grabbed her upper arm and pulled her in closer to speak into her ear.
"Be smart, girl. You aren't some blind follower-" His broad hand squeezed her bicep as she looked back at him in shock. What was he doing?
"Apprentice." Came her master's voice, cutting off further conversation. Zaiya's big eyes looked between the Duros right in front of her, to the Zabrak a dozen feet away. The confusion on her face swiftly faded and she flashed a smile.
"Careful Bane, someone might think you cared." She laughed off the comment, silently assuring him everything was fine. It wasn't like the bounty hunter cared for her specifically, there was a modicum of respect between them, sure; and she did think of him fondly, though he was never the kind to worry about that. She was left a little confused, was this a professional warning? Bane shook his head and sighed, releasing her.
"Keep telling yourself that." He drawled with a roll of his eyes. With that odd occurance finished, she hurried over to her master, whose yellowed eyes glared at her angrily. Zaiya kept her face neutral as she looked back at him.
"Do I always have to ask you twice, apprentice?"
"Not always Master, but I might be a little deaf from the explosion."
"I see your wit made it in tact." He scoffed.
"Small miracles." The Nightsister smirked.
"It's wasted on bounty hunters-"
"Do you two need a minute…?" The Jedi asked, obviously able to feel the force energy around the Zabrak male, his anger rising for some reason. Zaiya looked at her confused. What did she mean by that? The Sith master just shoved the Jedi forward roughly instead of replying, and escorted both women away from the crash site.
Something about the way the Bounty Hunter had laid hands on his apprentice was… unsettling. No, it was infuriating. He had found his rage rising and had barely managed to keep his cool enough not to reach for his saber. His foolish apprentice should not allow herself so close to that filth. Not allow him to touch her. Clearly she knew him well, and there was a respect in her gaze when she spoke to him. He was a bounty hunter! Why should she respect that? He was no warrior, had no honour, had no pride, he worked for money and greed alone! Petty, insignificant! Yet she smiled at him like they were friends! His teeth grit and his jaw tightened as he watched his apprentice approach so casually.
The sooner he was away from these pathetic hunters the better. He would show his apprentice what a true warrior looked like. One that could destroy a Jedi! He would show her what true power looked like. What it was to have so much more than mere money as a motivator.
Not that he wanted to impress her. He didn't need to. He certainly hadn't gotten anxious when he'd awoken in the crashed out ship. He'd only been out for less than a minute, but it was enough to lose sight of his apprentice, and seeing the Nightsister laying like a ragdoll beside him, her dark blood staining her pale face. His hearts had leapt into his throat though he couldn't fathom why. She'd looked so… delicate, suddenly. Laying there with next to no life in her. Rounded cheeks, full lips and long pale eyelashes… she suddenly seemed so small, so fragile. Her instinct had taken to wrapping her warm body around his own in protection… and the first thing out of her mouth was to ask if he was alright?! Stupid. Selflessness like that was a weakness, one he would have to break from her, she could not have his apprentice being so foolish again! He had ignored the barb from the Jedi learner, but it grated on him. Smug, insipid fool that she was. He didn't know what bothered him more, the fact that she was good at hiding her fear… or the fact that her eyes were similar to Zaiya's.
-+ Notes +-
As promised, there is another chapter coming shortly after this one! So far things are mostly to script of the original comic, though I can't promise that everything will.
