Chapter 34: The Hunter
Something was wrong.
Merrit sensed it, a shadow within the dark side, something roiling, the promise of greater destruction.
A Jedi would not have sensed it, it would have simply been another shadow cast in dark times, but being part of the dark side, of having one foot inside it, and the other slipping deeper every day.
He smiled.
There were some advantages to being a Dark Jedi he supposed.
He had started walking, away from Gabe Cooper's compound in the mountains, out onto the mountain paths that made up this part of Jomark.
He went alone, unsure of what he would find, but knew it was out here, something was out here…
…something bad.
IOI
Since Kalo Nord's arrival, he had thought about leaving, borrowing Tara's Stolen Heart, and getting as far away from this place as possible. If Kalo, or Quire as he had been known as a child, had found this place, how long would it be to another hunter showed up, looking to collect on Bayla.
The Knightfire was Bayla's, it is what her father would have wanted, and since Tara seemed intent at remaining at her side, he saw no reason that he not be allowed to take her ship, and, with luck, draw some attention away from Jomark and his master's daughter. He could use his own contacts to convince the other hunters that he had her. By the time they realized he didn't she would be in another safe location.
He had explained this to her, but she didn't want to leave. She said she needed him, and all but ordered him to stay.
Her reaction almost made him smile, he could sense her concern for his safety in the Force, and the fact that she played the royal card with him, trying to order him, told him how serious she was about him remaining.
Besides, he had felt a shift in his friend's attitude, the small victory over Kalo had reawakened something.
She had been running for so long, and frustration was starting to settle in, either that, or the recently arrived Tara Valenthyne had convinced her that running was not really an option anymore.
Was she in any shape to start striking back though? He wasn't so sure, even with Cooper's help.
The situation was growing more dangerous by the moment.
He had tried to discuss this with both Bayla, and her new protector. They all met during a visit to Cooper's medical bay. Master Vey was still recovering, having sustained multiple injuries during the attack.
The smugglers had set up in a mountainside retreat, likely a holdover from Jomark's more warlike past. It was the closest thing to a modern medical facility they had, and was far closer than the village below.
Vey now floated in a kolto tank next to her would-be killer. Both were heavily sedated, though for different reasons, Vey to ease her healing, and Quire to prevent him from attacking anyone else in his quest to turn Bayla into yet another piece of merchandise to be sold to the highest bidder.
Merrit had arrived to find the two women standing beside Captain Cooper and Zhar, Vey's young apprentice. The boy's eyes drifted over the two kolto tanks, switching between looks of disdain and concern.
Cooper, meanwhile, could only look on his lost son with a sense of pain, and confusion. Perhaps wondering how it had come to this, how arguments of the past had tainted his son, and left the young man in such a state, a state in which he would try to kill someone who had almost been like family to him.
The smuggler chief nodded to Merrit as he entered, he was grateful that Fallenstar had not ended his son's life.
Despite everything that happened, Quire Cooper was still his father's son. He didn't wish to see the boy dead.
Merrit said nothing, but he could…sympathize.
He DID know something about the love between a father and his son.
Fallenstar looked at Bayla, her brow with furrowed cutely, as she chewed her lower lip, deep in thought about something.
Captain Cooper looked over at her.
"Still can't believe he came after you," he said to her.
The Paladina merely nodded, still lost in thought.
"Quire spent so much time on Bantoon, a lot of it with your sister, Mirax. I thought they might…have something, can't believe that he would abandon all that for a pile of credits."
"It IS a lot of credits," Merrit said with a shrug, "Greed can be a great motivator."
"Fear can be an even better one," Tara Valenthyne chimed in.
She turned to Merrit.
"I still think it was a mistake sparing him."
Cooper gave her a cold look, but she gave it right back.
"He isn't your son anymore, Captain. He is powerful, and he is dangerous. Kalo Nord is one of the most feared bounty hunters in this galaxy. He has killed dozens if not hundreds of sentient creatures."
She shook her head.
"He doesn't deserve your protection."
"It isn't about deserving," the old smuggler replied, "He is my boy, MY boy! He is my blood…"
The old man shook his head.
"Harming him was never in the cards. I couldn't do it."
Tara's expression turned even colder.
Fallenstar didn't need the Force to read her thoughts.
You can't she was thinking, but I can.
He turned back to Bayla, he sensed a change in her, perhaps coming to a decision.
After all, she had known Quire better than any of them. As Cooper had said, his son had spent a lot of time on Bantoon, helping to set up his businesses on the moons of that planets. Businesses that Quire should have taken over when the time came.
That had never happened, he had left after his mother had died, left and become Kalo Nord. Those businesses had passed to Jas' son, and the Underlord Go had been born.
What is going through your head now, Back-Up, he had to wonder.
Baylan nodded slightly.
"I need to speak with him."
The other's around her gave her a surprised look.
Zhar's the most disbelieving of all.
"Miss Bayla, you can't! He was trying to kill you!"
"I'm aware of that, but…there are things he needs to know. Things that have waited far too long."
"I'm not sure he would listen, my queen," Tara said.
"I will make him listen," the Paladina replied, "And please Tara, do not call me your queen."
The former smuggler, turned enhanced assassin shook her head.
"Your lady mother is a prisoner of the Sith, your older sister's fate is unknown. Our people need to know to the royal line is secure, and your freedom, your possible reign assures that."
Bayla winced in reply.
"The line IS secure. I can assure you of that, and it will not pass through me. The chance of that went away years ago."
Merrit looked at her.
"What does that mean, Back-Up?"
She didn't answer, but from the way she was looking at the bounty hunter in the kolto tank.
He could sense nothing from his childhood friend, not even through the Force.
Her certainty surprised him.
What did Bayla know that they didn't?
Whatever it was, it was for the best that Avaryss didn't find out.
"He won't turn me over to the Sith," Bayla said, "I'm sure of it."
"So am I," Tara said, "I won't let that happen."
"Cooper gave the young woman an evaluating look.
"You sound like your Aunt Val, kid. She would be proud, I think."
Tara shrugged.
"She didn't want me joining the sworn protectors. Even though I wanted to follow in her footsteps."
Tara pursed her lips in thought.
"Maybe on some level, she knew something was wrong. Maybe she realized that the protectors were not what they seemed."
"You did find a way to get the abilities of one," Coop said.
Tara shrugged.
"The galaxy is a big place, and Bantoon's secrets were not as well protected as we thought. After Survivor Squad fell, I sought out those that could give me the strength I needed to help my people. I…I paid a heavy price for these abilities, but they ARE mine. I'm not a part of the system, not like Aunt Val and the rest of her fellow protectors. I got everything they possess, without the programming. It…has not been easily adapting to the change, but it has been worth it. For my people…"
She looked at Bayla.
"For our people, and our world."
Bayla nodded, in this the two women were in agreement.
"Your sacrifice will be honored, Tara, you have my word on that."
The other woman nodded.
"Honor that sacrifice by staying alive, my….I mean…Lady Bayla."
"That would be nice," the Paladina agreed.
Merrit watched the two, his old friend seemed more confident with Tara here, having someone from her own world restored some of her faith in her mission.
It was good to see that Bayla's cause was not lost, and that she was not alone in this fight.
Merrit had done what he could, protected her the best he could.
He could only do so much.
He had his own battle to wage.
His own to save.
He looked up at Vey, and thought about what had been said before everything had fallen apart.
He would have to face Darth Avaryss again.
If he wanted to save his son and daughter, it was inevitable.
He would need to deal with his children's mothers.
He excused himself, feeling a sense of melancholy. He wished to be alone with his thoughts.
As he made his way out, he sensed something in the dark, an approaching shadow.
Merrit's eyes narrowed, and he started walking.
He wasn't sure what it was, but it was…something, shadows moving of their own accord.
After a brief stop aboard his ship to get his working clothes, and in Cooper's armory, he headed out of the base, and began to walk the perimeter.
Something WAS out here, or would be. The dark side seemed to be coiling about this place. He couldn't tell what that meant, but something was here, or soon would be.
He slipped his glasses on, hiding the glow in his yellow eyes.
Whatever it was, he would find it first.
Bayla would be kept safe.
IOI
He had walked for hours, still not sure what he expected to find.
He checked in with Coop's sentries along the mountain paths. He told them to stay sharp, and call in anything unusual.
"Like what, Master Jedi?" one had asked him.
"You will know it when you see it," he promised, stopping himself from reminding the man that he wasn't a Jedi.
They seemed to take comfort in the fact that he was, even though he knew it to be a lie.
Ironic, considering how smugglers were usually targets of Jedi during peacetime.
Of course, the galaxy had not known true peace in a very long time.
Sometimes, Merrit doubted that it ever would.
As he made his way up won of the high mountain paths, he felt a familiar presence fill his mind.
He smiled slightly.
"Hi, mom."
"Hello, sweetie. Tell me, why are you trying to abandon that girl?"
He frowned slightly.
"I'm not trying to abandon her. She has help now, real help."
He shook his head.
"If I stayed…I would just get in the way."
"You don't believe that. I can sense that much."
Though she wasn't there, he could almost imagine her shaking her head.
He sighed.
"I'm just trying to protect her."
"From what exactly?"
"From me, for starters. Mom, I'm…I'm the one threat she isn't trying to guard herself against."
"Oh. Merrit."
"It is the truth!"
His hands curled into fists.
"She trusts me, and she really shouldn't. She doesn't really understand what I've become. If I had been able to find the light again, maybe I would think I could stay, but like this…as I am now."
Dark images flashed through his mind. He tried not to think on them. Desires for revenge, desires to punish those that had wronged him…
…but…most of all…
…desire.
Lust.
He could not deny that he wanted her anymore! It was easy to think of her as just his childhood friend, at first, but now…after he had held her…touched her…kissed her.
She has grown, in so many ways, and the darkest parts of his mind desired what she had…
…what she could give him, if he made her…his. If she stood at HIS side…
…if she turned…if…if…
He shook his head.
No. He would not be the one that corrupted her.
He would not make the vision he saw in the dark side real!
What he wanted wasn't love…it was possession, and all that came with it.
He…
…he was no different from Avaryss now, and that realization…
…it sickened him.
There was only one choice.
He couldn't take the risk.
He wouldn't put her at risk.
No.
He would not be the thing that guided her into darkness.
"Love doesn't lead to darkness," his mother said, "Jas was where you were once, and he found his way back, because of his friendship for me, and his love for Bayla's Mom. She saved him. We saved him.
Merrit nodded.
He had heard this story before. There was just one problem.
He was far more gone than his master had been, and besides…
…Jas Dar Bynn had not been cut off from the light.
In his mind's eye, he saw it again, the moment she had come to him, she had kissed him and then…
I will not abandon you.
Those words offered much, and he had been tempted to take it, so tempted…
…to take…everything.
Her compassion for me will be her undoing. Her passion would take her down a dark path.
It could have ended right there, he could have taken her, and with it the final step in having what he wanted. What he could take from her.
Yet, he had stopped, accepted the moment for what it was, but still…still…
He shook his head.
Forgive me, master. I…I should not have done that with your daughter.
Again, he felt Mirax Fallenstar's presence, could almost see his mother rolling her eyes.
The girl came to you freely. You didn't force yourself upon her. She offered comfort, and you took it.
He sensed her annoyance.
Do not turn a moment of comfort into proof of weakness. Don't put her on a pedestal and don't think yourself lowly for accepting help.
Merrit shook his head.
"I….I don't know, Mom."
It is smart to be careful, not to seek to give into rage and fear, but don't turn away help offered in good faith because you fear where it might lead. Remain mindful, my son, but don't turn away those that can help you find your way back to where you want to be.
He felt her presence leave his mind, what she had said, it offered comfort.
Perhaps he was being too hard on himself. He had spared Quire, he had not given into rage, and he had stopped himself with Bayla, stopped her from what could have been a terrible mistake. He…
He paused. He was approaching the last of Cooper's checkpoints on this part of the mountain path. There should have been two sentries up ahead…
…yet…he saw no one.
He reached out with the Force, and felt…something odd, he took a step back, and probed what he felt with his will.
His eyes narrowed.
Interesting.
There was…what felt like a bubble in the Force, a swirling sense of confusion, and fear. Not from the sentries, he didn't think. As far as he knew Coop employed no one who was that strongly Force sensitive.
Something was there though. Something…powerful.
Something…familiar.
It was like the smell of perfume as someone crossed your path. The taste of a kiss that had been long ago. The scent of someone's hair long desire, and finally enjoyed.
He frowned.
Is that you, Avy?
It felt like her, but it wasn't, and the more he thought about it, he realized it was wishful thinking on his part.
Darth Avaryss was no fool.
She would not come alone, not into a place with so many possible enemies. She was a ruler now, and would not take the chance of her plans being ended with the stroke of a lightsaber.
It wasn't Avaryss, no, but it felt like her.
His eyes narrowed, behind his glasses, their glow increased.
Avy would not have come, but she would have sent some of her maggots in her stead, and if they were here, they were here for one reason.
Bayla.
He slowly took a step back, his mind watching the disruption in the Force.
She wants Bayla, to kill or take her.
He smiled wickedly.
Like hell.
His hand went to his belt, not his saber, but one of the toys he had picked up in the armory. He watched closely, waiting to see what the disruption would do, if, whoever created realized that they had been detected. They.
The disruption flowed forward, he still couldn't sense inside of it, but did not give it a chance to wash over him.
He hit the activator switch, and tossed the device, and at the same time leapt back.
The sonic grenade he had thrown went off.
The result was everything he had hoped for.
The shadows split, revealing two creatures he didn't recognize, they stumbled covering their ears. He could see they were armed with blades and blasters.
One actually tried to draw a weapon, even as he stumbled against the sonic shock.
Merrit lashed out.
Force lightning leapt from his fingers, a killing blast incinerating one of the attackers, his weapon fell as the creature died with a gasping bleat.
The distortion shrunk by almost half.
Merrit laughed, understanding what he was fighting.
It was an area of effect, one generated by these things.
Kill one, and the effect lessens, but he didn't want to kill the last, not yet, oh no.
He grinned.
Let us have some fun first.
He kept his distance but reached out with the Force, slamming the creature hard against the rocky outcropping, again and again.
It was then that he felt two more presences behind him, not Force sensitive, but as dark as the thing he toyed with.
They moved with incredible speed, both armed with short swords, he ducked under the first blade, but was slashed across the forearm.
The pain made him gasp, but he didn't lose focus.
He drew his saber,
His first cut caught the blade, and it didn't break, cortosis weave. The second attacker tried to come around for a back stab, but he used the Force to fling him back, sent him crashing into the wounded creature.
He dueled with the one that cut him, a soldier clad in the armor of a Sith soldier, but faster and stronger than any mere non-Force sensitive.
"A sworn protector in Sith garb?
It made sense, if Avy had sent these.
Merrit Fallenstar didn't toy with his prey. His master had warned him of the skill of the Sworn Protectors of Bantoon.
He caught the attacker in a stasis field, caught him, and then gutted him with his lightsaber. He called on his rage, and seized the second one through the Force, and pulled him forward, impaling him on the point of his orange saber blade.
By then the creature that had been generating the distortion managed to struggle to its feet, it tried to scamper towards him, only to be pinned by the Force.
Merrit still kept his distance, he had no desire to be swept up in…whatever the creature was trying to do.
His anger burned bright, he wanted to make the creature suffer, make it bleed for coming here, but again, he resisted those dark impulses.
He slammed the creature's head against the ground, it slumped, no longer moving.
He risked entering its field, feeling the strange sense of vertigo and confusion…fear.
He smiled.
It was…disquieting, but nothing he couldn't handle.
He had learned over the last few years to draw on his fear.
He checked its neck, and found a pulse, it was unconscious, but was not fatally wounded.
Good.
He would have questions for this one.
He removed some binders from his belt, for a bounty hunter, it was always handy to keep a set at the ready. Once the creature was secured, he was free to tend to other business.
He found the two missing sentries, one was dead, his neck broken, the second lay whimpering, he had been wounded, but it didn't seem that bad.
I'll need to call for a medical team, Fallenstar realized, but first, he needed to make sure the base was secure, warn them that they might have uninvited guests.
He raised his commlink, he needed to contact Cooper.
He doubted these things had come alone.
His comm squealed with electronic interference.
A jamming signal.
Merrit spun on his heel and headed back towards Cooper's base.
His fears had been confirmed.
Jamming meant that these four were not alone, and if these did serve Avaryss...
...Bayla was in trouble.
He fought the urge to rush forward, panic would not serve him, not now.
The enemy was already inside, and I can't call Coop and warn them.
Not by normal means anyway.
He took a deep breath and stood still for a second.
He reached out with the Force.
"Bayla," he whispered.
"Beware, Bayla, beware, enemies among you! Wake up, protect yourself! Beware!"
He sensed a slight shift in the Force, acknowledgement, he hoped.
Back-Up was no fool, she would know what to do, and…so did he.
Merrit smiled.
He sensed that…distortion again, not from the creature behind him, but from down within the base's perimeter, more of those creatures.
He moved with the tread of a hunter, whether they realized it or not, the predator had become the prey.
He would hunt these creatures, Avy's worms.
He would send her a message.
She had won too often; it was time for her lose something.
His smile widened.
He was going to enjoy breaking her toys.
He almost laughed.
This…would be fun!
A/N: Happy Holidays everyone, hoped to have this one out Christmas Day, but things got hectic. Would like to have one more chapter in before New Year, will try to make that happen. Hope you all had a good Christmas. See you soon, dear readers.
DG