Chapter seven: Hate leads to suffering
Slowly the landing gears fell out from her Jedi Starfighter onto a large landing pad outside the cloning facility on Kamino. Shika pulled the hood of her cloak over her head before opening the cockpit. It was raining like crazy, thunder roared across the sky and lightning flashed, lighting up the area for a brief moment. She climbed out of her Starfighter and closed the cockpit. Eleic beeped as rain dribbled down it's robotic round head. Shika turned to the facility; it was a large white building. Hard to believe the Republic's whole army started here, she thought.
The long hours she waited on Coruscant had finally passed and the sun had already set. Shika was able to sneak out of the temple with Eleic without making a sound or being seen by Obi-wan. When they arrived at their fighter, they got packed up and left quickly, the guards in the hanger bay hadn't even asked where she was going, they just allowed her to leave like it was no big deal.
She slowly began walking towards the building, where was she supposed to go? The so called invitation didn't tell her the exact location this meeting was going to take place; it was just supposed to happen on Kamino. That's all it really said. As she approached the doors she heard a light clunk sound come from behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see the sith woman standing behind her with a tiny smile on her face.
"Glad you could make it." She said. Shika turned to face the woman fully.
"What was the point of me coming here, Shebika?" Shika answered forcefully. Shebika chuckled lightly before pulling back her hood.
"I told you once before that we would duel, don't you remember?" Shika nodded slowly." This, my girl, is why I called you here. You are going to be put to the test; I want to see how well I have trained you." As the woman drew her light sabers, Shika stared in confusion.
"Trained me?" She asked." But you-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Shebika ignited her light sabers and sliced at her. Shika jumped over the woman's head quickly, she pulled out her light saber and ignited both sides before she landed safely on the ground. She spun to face Shebika quick enough to block a second attack. Their light sabers made crackling sounds as Shebika pressed forward, making Shika step back, which was a mistake, she slipped after her foot pressed into a puddle and fell onto the ground, Shebika laughed and brought her sabers down at her, Shika quickly rolled out of the way and back up onto her feet. She panted lightly. That was too close for comfort, she thought. Not only was she using her sabers, but she's using the element of the area to fight as well.
Shebika darted at Shika and began throwing out a vicious chain of attacks, one right after another, this was only allowing Shika to block, and she couldn't attack the woman because her attacks were hard and fast.
"What's the matter, girl, can't handle it?" Shebika snickered. Shika grew somewhat angry but kept it under control. She wasn't worried about fighting back; she was busy scanning her movements for one simple flaw that she could easily use as a counter attack. She saw none. Now she was worried.
Shika jumped back from Shebika and stumbled slightly to the wet ground. If it was one thing that was messing her fighting up, it was her cloak, so she pulled her arms out of the sleeves and allowed it to fall onto the ground. Shebika smiled and did the same. This time, Shika charged at the woman, giving Shebika her own dish out of powerful, yet slow, attacks. The two moved across the landing pad, flipping and twirling, force pushing and pulling, slugging and kicking. The two were giving it all they had, from the smallest attacks to the strongest. And watching all of this from on top of the cloning facility was General Grievous. He was pacing back and forth, his eyes traveled along with the purple and red flashes that danced around in the darkness below.
He was somewhat interested in the outcome of this battle, sure he hated both women, but he enjoyed watching saber duels, not because they were interesting, but because he liked watching two Jedi struggle for survival. He could care less who wins and who loses, just as long as one dies, he'd be happy, heck, he'd be delighted if both were to die. Then again; Dooku wouldn't be happy if the younger girl was to die, after all, she is supposed to join up with the Separatists. And Grievous hated dealing with an angered Dooku, because he knew that he couldn't beat Dooku if he were to attack, after all, he was the man who trained him.
Grievous continued to watch the saber duel, but it was getting harder and harder to see the flashing lights, they were slowly scooting away from the building, and the rain was blinding his vision. Grievous clenched his fists before walking down the side of the building, his sharp clawed feet allowed him to stick onto the building, keeping him safe from falling. Once he reached the landing pad he slowly began walking towards the faint humming and crackling sounds of the sabers, they seemed to have gotten faster, meaning the battle had finally gotten good. He then quickly lurked towards the fight until he could see the battle fully; Shika and Shebika were going all out on each other.
Shika jumped to the side, dodging an attack from Shebika, she then twirled around and swung her saber down at Shebika's waste, she only blocked the attack with both sabers. Shika growled and attempted to pull the same attack with the other edge of her saber, Shebika went to block that attack but Shika quickly attacked her with the other edge, cutting a bit of Shebika's skin on her ribcage. She let out a soft yelp before blocking another attack from Shika. Once more the two began twirling about while swinging their sabers violently at each other. Obviously Shika was sick of trying to figure things out while during a battle, she was actually fighting like Riku would, just go all out with attacks and not use strategy and smuggler tricks to win. Shebika was doing the same. However, the two were so focused on the battle they didn't even notice they were close to the edge of the landing pad. Grievous didn't even bother to tell them.
Flashing, crackling, humming and grunting. The two continued to push one over the limit, burn marks and cuts were seen placed in various areas of their bodies, bruises from punches and kicks where seen mixed in, even some of their wounds were bleeding. Shika blocked an attack to the leg, and then brought her saber at Shebika's head. The woman just held both sabers in a scissor like form to block the attack. Shika then began to attack at Shebika's head over and over, causing Shebika to back up in the same defensive stance. Grievous tilted his head slightly at Shika, he saw she was attempting to push Shebika off the edge, now this was interesting, the girl was somewhat cheating. Shika continued to do the same attack, right till Shebika's foot was right at the edge; then Shika brought the saber down even harder, causing Shebika to slip.
She gasped as she fell back and slid down the side of the landing pad, she then jabbed both her sabers into the edge and flipped over onto her stomach and she held in that position. Shika then slid down after the woman. Grievous was amazed for once, the Jedi girl actually wanted to finish the job. He lingered over and stood at the edge, he watched the two struggle to stay on the side of the landing pad, and kick and slug each other at the same time. Their sabers were only used to keep them hooked into the edge. Grievous knew that wouldn't last long, the sabers were slowly burning down the metal; the two girls were slowly melting towards a long fall of death. Shebika saw this as well; she then rammed her elbow into Shika's cheek, causing her to sway off to the side a bit. Shebika then pulled out one saber and jabbed it into the side again, only a little higher than the last spot, she did the same to her second saber, she was slowly climbing back up.
Shika growled before sticking her feet into the holes Shebika's saber's left, she grabbed another hole and pulled her saber out from the wall, and then she began climbing by putting her hands and feet into the holes Shebika left behind. Grievous backed up once Shebika reached the top; she spun around in time to block an aerial attack from Shika, who had just used Force jump to get up onto the landing pad again. The two once more began swinging their light sabers at each other, only a little slower; the two were getting worn out. Shebika twirled and swung down at Shika's feet, she jumped and landed on the ground, then Shebika kicked her in the gut, Shika stumbled back and held her gut. Shebika dropped one of her sabers, and then grabbed the braid of her hair, which had flung over Shika's shoulder, and pulled it, causing her to stumble toward Shebika. She then brought her knee into Shika's chin, blood shot out from Shika's mouth as her teeth slammed together. Then Shebika brought her elbow down at her back, Shika then fell over onto the ground in pain.
Shika struggled to get back onto her feet, but Shebika kicked her in the side, the Jedi girl rolled a crossed the landing pad, her light saber slipped out from her hand and switched off. Shebika then stormed over and kicked her again, harder and more forceful, causing Shika to somewhat fly across the landing pad, before crashing into the ground and rolling across it. She then rolled onto her stomach, groaning in pain as she attempted to get at least onto her knees. But no, Shebika slammed her foot down on Shika's back. Shika let out a light squeak of pain. Shebika then stood above Shika; she slammed her feet down on Shika's back, she was now standing on top her. She looked over at her extra saber that she had dropped earlier, she held her hand out to it and it flew to her. Once she had hold of it, she ignited it quickly and set both blades beside Shika's neck in the same scissor fashion.
"I can see I failed at training you as well," Shebika said between breathes." I thought you would have been different, but you were just like my first two padawans." Shika only coughed, she felt the warm heat rising off the sabers beside her neck. Her eyes weakly rolled over to her light saber, if she could only get her weapon, she could keep fighting." I cannot believe I failed with another… Perhaps I was never meant to train Jedi or sith." As Shebika continued to speak on how she failed and how weak Shika was, she failed to notice Shika's light saber slowly rolling towards them.
Grievous watched the saber roll across the ground, and then his eyes traveled to Shika. Did the girl ever quit? It was like she wanted to keep going, even though she almost had no strength to keep fighting. Once the saber was in Shika's hand she then ignited the back end of it and then brought it at Shebika's foot, she yelped out in pain as she stumbled off Shika, Shika also screamed out in pain, for her neck was lightly cut from when Shebika removed her sabers. Shebika growled before attempting to strike at Shika, Shika only flipped her saber around so the end was facing forward and she rammed the saber into Shebika's stomach. They sat in the very pose for a few milliseconds before Shika switched her saber off, Shebika slumped over onto the ground. Her two sabers flicked off. Shika whipped the blood from her mouth as she sat there on her legs, staring down at the fallen sith warrior.
"But how?" Shebika asked. Shika coughed as she held her stomach.
"My master always told me the battle was never over until your enemy was defeated," Shika answered." While you stood there weeping, I cut your ankle, causing you to fall off me, and because you were blinded by anger, you failed to see my jabbing attack. A little trick I learned from my master as well." Shebika smiled faintly.
"Then I have taught you well, my old apprentice." She said out in a cough.
"Why do you keep calling me that? I was never your apprentice to begin with." Shika snapped.
"Oh, but you were, Shika." Shebika said weakly. Shika's eyes grew somewhat large.
"… Riku?" Shebika nodded slowly." Master Riku… You're alive! But the council said you were dead!"
"Is that what the Council told you?" Riku asked before letting out a soft chuckle." The Council lied to you then. I never died…" Shika slowly and weakly crawled over to Riku; she cradled the dying woman up in her arms.
"Master… What really happened?" She asked. Riku sighed before coughing again.
"My old apprentice, Latin Sunrider … I sent him to Dagobah, I told him to wait for me there, and to be ready," Riku replied." He did as I told him. Days after I sent him I went to Dagobah myself, I wanted to see if my training had really made him stronger. For you see, my race… It was a tradition to fight your apprentice in a duel of strength. If the apprentice won, the master would then be killed by its apprentice, if the apprentice lost, they would be killed… I was raised that way, and even as a Jedi I continued to do the tradition, I did not want to dishonor my family… Or dishonor my slowly dying race. And so I faced Latin and destroyed him, the same goes for Namui Kri'tak. She suffered the same fate… They did not fight back because I became a second mother to them, so they allowed themselves to lose…"
"That's why you never allowed me to get close to you… You didn't want me to lose." Shika muttered lightly. Riku nodded.
"The Council was angry with me for my tradition, and so they punished me for it, they removed me from the Jedi Council, they told me I was to never do anything like that again… When you joined the Jedi, I knew you were different from my other padawans, so I accepted to train you. When you became a Jedi Knight, I saw Dooku had left the Jedi order, I followed after him… I wanted to join him so I could face you in a duel and you would have no choice but to defeat me, I wanted to fight you… You were so excellent with a light saber… But I was surprised that you never created your own…" Shika smiled, a tear slowly rolled down her cheek, but it only seemed like it was just rain water.
"I told the Council I made it myself… I didn't want to lose the saber you once used. It was a treasure to me…" Riku laughed weakly before coughing once more.
"Shika. I am glad you were once my apprentice… Even if the council does not see it, in my eyes you are a Jedi Master…" Shika swallowed hard as she attempted to keep herself from shedding tears.
"Master… I am grateful for being your apprentice…" Shika said it a light whisper. Riku gave a tiny smile.
"And I am sorry… For everything… But thank you… For a warrior's death…" Riku's head then rolled off to the side. Shika sat there, wounded and bleeding, soaked in rain water. She couldn't believe she killed her own master, even though Riku wanted this death, she still felt horrid. Tears then began steaming down her cheeks, even though she tried her best not to.
"Master…" She whispered as she gripped the corpse tightly. Grievous watched from a short distance, none of this emotional stuff affected him, but as Dooku had said, it was time for him to move, he picked up her cloak that she had taken off before the battle began.
"Sad isn't it? Your master would still be alive if the Council had only told you the truth." Grievous explained as he slowly walked over. Shika looked at him with tear filled eyes as she stood up; he placed the cloak over her shoulders.
"My master was alive… Why didn't they tell me?..." Shika asked in a low tone as thunder roared across the sky.
"The Jedi council thought they could protect you by hiding the truth... So they lied, saying she was dead." Grievous explained as he lurked around Shika, his eyes not leaving her." They said that she went to Dagobah in search of the two missing Jedi, they told you that she died there." Shika looked down at her master's body; she began to breathe heavily as she attempted once more not to shed any tears.
Grievous chuckled softly as set his hand upon her shoulder, slouching a little to become eye level with the young Jedi Knight." General Kenobi, young Skywalker, everyone you thought was a friend lies to you, just to protect you from the truth. Count Dooku, however, would not think of lying to you... He wants to save the Jedi from all the lies... But no one will give him a chance…" Shika once more looked to Grievous with a sadden look in her eyes.
"What should I do? If everyone lies to me... Then I have no one I can trust..." Grievous set his other hand on her shoulder.
"You can trust Count Dooku, and you can trust me…" Shika turned her head from Grievous." … Come join the Separatists, you'll be much better off there than staying with the Jedi." Shika shook her head.
"I… I can't just…" She looked to Grievous once more." I don't know what to do… I have never been so confused…" Grievous reached into his cloak before pulling out a small remote, he held it out to Shika, and she looked down at it.
"Take it… Once you have your answer pressing that button will alert me, it will then lead me to your exact location…" Shika took the small remote from Grievous and held it firmly in her hands." Take your time and think things over…" Grievous backed up from Shika, leaving her standing there in the rain on a landing platform on Kamino.