Chapter 28: The Last Hunt
"DEATH TO ALL!"
The phrase echoed out through the Force. The rage behind it sent shockwaves through his very being.
Merrit Fallenstar gasped and nearly fell over.
His arms hit the deck, as he struggled to breathe, feeling the both heat and cold on his back.
He felt the briefest sense of confusion, but that soon passed, passed, and was replaced with grim resolve.
Not me, he realized, not me…but her.
Avy.
He took another deep cleansing breath.
Something had happened, something strong enough to break through the barriers he had placed up in his mind, the blocks he had created to shield him from their connection.
Yes, something had happened…
…and…
…his old lover was enraged!
He did his best to find his center again, find it, and remember where he was.
He was not on fire; he had not just faced death.
He was safe.
He was still here…on this planet, on Vey's world.
He tried not to think of the name, to protect it, even as he tried to restore the blocks in his connection to Avy.
He could not let her know where he was.
He couldn't let her know where…she…was.
He would not think her name.
He tried to keep thinking of her.
He certainly would not think of her face, and her sweet kiss.
He shuddered.
What had happened, had happened, but it could never happen again.
For her own safety, and good…
…it must never happen again.
He rose from his meditations, and made his way down the ramp of the Knightfire.
He had taken to meditating more and more aboard ship. He didn't wish to distract Zhar and Bayla from their training, and besides…
He sighted, enjoying the night air.
…He felt safer here, and his frustrations didn't seem to spill out onto the others.
He shook his head.
The longer he was here, the more and more certain he was wasting his time.
The light was gone, he was either cut off from it, or it had retreated from him, leaving him in darkness.
Either way, there was no way back.
He feared that there never had been.
He found his eyes drawn to where IT had happened. Where he had knelt on the ground, and Bae had taken him into her arms. Where they…
I'm not going anywhere.
I'll NEVER abandon you.
His hand drifted to his lips, and he remembered.
The taste of those lips, her skin…
…the smell of her hair.
The softness as his hand slid inside her robes, he…
He shook his head.
No.
He…he couldn't go down into that place…not again.
Why?
His mother's voice echoed through the Force.
Because it is not right, he answered.
I'm not right.
Though he couldn't see her, he could imagine the look on her face, that concerned pained look.
We don't always know what's right or wrong, kid. We all struggle through the world, trying to find our way. I stumbled on that path…so many times, but even in falling and picking myself up. I found something…I learned.
What did you learn?
That I didn't have to be what others expected, the good Jedi, the troubled bounty hunter, the friend, the ally, and the one who tried to find her way back.
He listened, he could not deny, his mother had gone through things.
He could almost see her smile, felt it.
You don't have to walk this path alone, you know that? Bayla's not scared of you, and unlike those other girls you spent time with, she understands. Can you name anyone else who might?
He thought about it, thought about Fable and T'wyn. T'wyn had understood power games, the pretty blue Twi'lek had been raised around them. Fable had understood danger, and had been drawn to it through her slight connection to the Force.
Both women had helped him see sides of himself that he hadn't really understood. Parts of him that had been awakened by his…dalliance with Avaryss and Taya.
During their time travelling together, Bayla had seen some of that, and she wasn't afraid. She had offered to help him, stay with him.
Perhaps the girl is just what the healer ordered. She has become a strong young woman, compassionate and wise.
He snorted at the thought of that.
Back Up doesn't need me or my problems, mom. I may not know everything about my journey, but I do know that it will not end happily.
You don't know that.
He shook his head.
Yes, I do.
The Force was complicated, but not THAT complicated.
Everything that he felt when he reached out to it hinted at a bad end. After what he had done, the things he had seen, and the people he had failed…
…no…a happy ending…for him…?
Impossible!
Avy would see to that. He was sure.
He could almost hear his mother's frustrated sigh.
Vey. Talk to the boy, please.
He blinked, and turned.
Vey Ilo stood in the shadows, waiting, a concerned look on her face.
Merrit could not entirely hide his surprise.
"You can hear her?" he asked the Jedi Master.
"Of course, who do you think taught her how to remain. The skill…has been lost for the most part, so many of the Jedi Masters who knew it passed on before their time, and those that were left…had more material worries, and those worries blocked them from accepting the path.
Vey shook her head.
"Exar Kun didn't simply hurt us when he destroyed Ossus. He changed us, and for the life of me, I cannot say if we will ever get back what is lost."
"Why didn't you teach others about the skill?" Merrit asked, "Bring it back."
"It is not enough to simply know how. It is a sense of being, of one's self. It is about trusting in yourself and in the Force. Too many of the order that rose after Ossus were unwilling to do that. They tried to hide from their emotions, or worse, ignore the things we lost. That fear, and ignorance has taken away from the Jedi, simply telling others about it doesn't work. There is a difference between knowing the path, and actually walking it."
"Are you saying the modern order has gotten it all wrong?"
"Not wrong, different, there is still a chance they can find their way back, it may take decades, centuries, maybe more, but I've tried to have faith, and teach those that I can. I can keep that sense of what was alive. I did it with your master, and your mother."
Vey smiled.
"All I can do now…is preserve."
He considered what she was saying.
"And where do I fit into all this, master. If I can't find the light again…"
"Then your journey must continue. You must face your destiny, and discover the truth."
"My destiny," he said, "And what is that?"
You already know.
His mother's whisper made Vey frown, and she nodded sagely.
Merrit grimaced.
Yes.
He did know.
Even thinking about it made the brand on his chest burn like new.
He had tried to avoid what had to happen. He had sought out others to help him cleanse the darkness, so when the time came, he could face his past as a Jedi, but his past refused to let go. He had made decisions, choices, and the consequences of those choices still haunted him.
His hand went up, he could feel the burned skin, even beneath his shirt, the mark that Avy had left him with before she threw him away, before she sent him out into the darkness to embrace what he had done, and become.
Perhaps no one could help him, and if that was so…
He shook his head.
Maybe the only choice was that he had to help himself.
He had to face the past head on, and make the final choice…
…darkness…or light, but in order to do that, he had to go through the one who had opened the door, the one who had offered him the darkness in the first place.
His deceiver and first great desire…
A shiver ran down his spine.
He had sought to change her, save her, and in return had become this…this person he barely recognized.
The one thing he had come to love and despise with equal measure.
"You know what must be done," Vey said, "I'm sorry, Merrit, but that is how it must be."
You can't run from this anymore.
Hearing it from his mother seemed to make it more real, she had supported his search for redemption, hoped that he would succeed, but maybe even she knew the truth, and accepted that he simply had to come to the realization himself.
He looked at Vey, with pain in his eyes.
"I don't know if I can do it, master."
Her expression remained resigned, perhaps a little sad.
"You cannot run from your destiny. You MUST face Darth Avaryss again."
"And when I do, what then?"
Vey didn't answer, and she didn't need to…
He knew what had to be done.
She would never let him go, she considered him her property now, once he had thought that amusing, but now.
Could he, do it?
She was never going to let him go.
She never let anything go.
There would only be one way to be free…to be rid of her.
He knew what must be done.
His hands became fists.
It felt like a betrayal, they had been part of each other since they were infants, in each other's minds and souls.
And she used that to change you, just as you tried to change her, but her will, her lust for power was stronger, and you were overwhelmed.
Now he had to be strong.
It wasn't just about them anymore.
Though he had never met his son, never seen him in person, sometimes, when he slept, he used his old connection to look in on her mind, not enough that she would know, but to see the one they had made together.
Andur.
He shook his head.
My son.
He had done so much in his life that felt like a mistake, but Andur…the boy had been conceived in love, or lust…
He didn't regret that, even though that new life pulled him further into a place he didn't want to be.
What would the boy say if he knew what Merrit had to do.
Avy was his mother.
HIS mother.
It was in that moment that Merrit weakened.
What was he thinking?
"I can't do it," he murmured.
"You can't run from this," Vey repeated, "You tried…"
He glared at her.
"I can't kill the mother of my child."
"Do you think she will hesitate if you tell her no again," the Jedi Master asked, "You know her. The last time you faced her she hurt you, burned you, and branded you like livestock, and threw you away to drown in darkness."
He nodded.
Yes.
She had done all those things.
You know what fate awaits the boy if you do nothing, his mother reminded him.
You SAW what he would become.
Yes.
He had seen.
The first in a long line of monsters, a line that would stretch on for decades if not centuries.
If he was weak. If he let her have her way.
Andur was lost anyway.
In that moment, he saw her face, the dark side in its most seductive form.
Avy.
But then…the vision shifted, he saw Tru Halcyon's face, her life snuffed out, her soul destroyed by the woman he had been bound to since the beginning. He thought of Mox Krys Capistan, and so many others who had fallen beneath her blade, and to her schemes.
More will suffer if I do nothing…
…all would suffer.
In that, he felt his weakness fade, the anger remained, the hate for what he had become, but grim resolve filled him up.
It would not be anger and hate that motivated this, this one last hunt.
Even in victory, he didn't see that there would be a happy ending. Not for him, he had made his choice long ago.
I don't intend to win, he thought.
I'm going to take her with me.
For the galaxy.
For all those that she would hurt, and those that had been hurt.
No more, Avy.
NO MORE!
For the Republic!
For the people of this galaxy!
For the Jedi!
One last hunt!
For innocence, and the one he would not her mold into a monster.
For Andur.
"For my son," he said with cold conviction.
"I WILL do this to save my son."
"What?"
He blinked, he and Vey both turned.
Bayla stood there, her blue grey eyes wide, her mouth was open.
"A son," she said.
"You have a son?"
He looked away, ashamed.
He had not told her, been afraid to tell her…
…afraid of what she would think.
He had given into lust and desire, and gave a son on the one he would now have to kill.
The boy would likely never forgive him, but…
…what choice was there?
"Bayla," Master Vey said, her voice calm and centered.
"I didn't hear you approach, my dear. Is everything okay?"
The question woke her up.
Bayla shook her head.
"I heard a voice in my head, telling me I had to be up here, that I needed to understand."
Merrit blinked.
A voice?
Whose voice?
It was at that moment that his mother appeared, her blue glow pushing back the darkness. Mirax Fallenstar stood next to Vey.
The Force spirit sighed.
"She needed to know if she is to help you," she informed him, "She deserved to know."
A wave of fury went through him.
How dare you, he thought, glaring at the spirit.
HOW DARE YOU!
He looked at Bayla, he expected to see disgust there, knowing what he had done, how he had sinned.
Yet, there was no judgment there, the surprise passed away quickly.
Bayla looked at his mother.
"I've been hearing your voice so much. At first, I thought it was my father reaching out."
Mirax gave her a sad smile.
"If he could, he would, dearie. He is still too new to all this; he needs to gather his strength."
The girl nodded; she looked at Master Vey.
"Who is she?"
It was Merrit that answered, his rage giving way to…well…he wasn't sure.
Gratitude that she accepted what she had just heard, and that she remained true to her word.
I will NOT abandon you.
"Bayla Istillo, I…I would like you to meet Mirax Fallenstar, my mother. Mother, this is Bayla."
The Force spirit smiled brightly.
"Hello, dearie."
Bayla gave her a sad smile.
"My sister was named for you."
Mirax nodded.
"I know. I was there when she came into this galaxy. Your dad placed her in my arms, while your mom told me their choice, that she would carry my name."
The spirit shook her head.
"It…it had been a long time since I had cried, and the last time had been in pain and fear. In THAT moment, I wept tears of joy. I felt unworthy of the honor, maybe I still am."
Bayla nodded.
The fact that she was standing in the presence of a Force spirit didn't seem to rattle her. Most might have been shocked into silence.
Not her, not this one, his mother's voice echoed in his head.
She is Vess' daughter, Vess and Jas'
She is strong.
Merrit nodded.
He couldn't deny that,
She looked so much like the old man, especially with her hair dyed black, though he had could strands of gold running through it, reminding him of the girl she had once been.
He had tried to spare that girl great pain, he had tried to let her down easy, years ago.
Yet, now, they were drawn back together, and he wasn't sure exactly what that meant anymore.
Her brow furrowed cutely, and expression he had come to adore, that look of her lost in thought.
When she looked up, finally meeting his eyes, her expression was cool, as if she had come to a decision.
"You have a son?"
He nodded.
"I have two children actually, but it is the boy who is in the most danger."
She nodded again.
"This woman, she is the one that my father feared. She is the one that took Bantoon from my family?"
Again, he nodded.
"Your insight serves you well," Vey said.
"The question now is," Mirax added, "What are you two going to do about it?"
"A good question," she agreed.
She looked at Merrit.
"Bae…I…"
"We will have to have a long talk later, Ritt."
He winced at that.
A long talk?
Goody?
The girl shrugged.
"It seems that our destinies are more intertwined than I thought. We both have a reason to free my home, don't we?"
"I didn't want to pile my problems on top of yours," he explained.
"You haven't. If anything, it is kind of reassuring."
She smiled.
"You have just as much of a stake in stopping this…Avaryss was it, as I do. Maybe even more so."
Bayla stepped forward; she reached out to him.
"Help me free my world, and I will help you free your son."
Merrit licked his lips.
Despite his fear, knowing what they would be facing going up against Avy. He also felt liberated, he felt free.
She knew.
She knew, and she had not discarded him.
She wanted to stay.
He…he had no words.
He looked at her, her determined look. The look was that of a Paladina Grand Master. What Kit Shalaya had seen so long ago.
It was more than that though.
He thought of that moment, their kiss, she had asked for nothing of him in that moment, except that he be himself, and that he stand beside her.
It made his heart surge, something he had shut down when he had broken off things with Fable surged anew.
He…
…she…
…they…
He was ready, ready to accept…
His eyes widened.
DOWN!
He leapt forward, pushing Bayla down even as Vey tried to dart away.
Neither of them made it.
The rock wall overhead exploded raining down boulders and pulverized rock.
Mirax vanished the sudden surge of dark side energy filled the air.
Merrit found himself on top of Bayla, the girl was not moving, though he could feel her heart fluttering in her chest.
His ears were ringing, and everything seemed to be spinning, he could not see Vey, or the Knightfire, it may have been buried in the cave in, or destroyed.
Though the shockwave had left him disoriented, he thought he could hear the roar of a ship's engines, the blinding glow of a spotlight, and out of the dust, a single figure emerged.
"Looks like my contacts have paid off in a big way this time."
The voice was cold, cold and familiar. Arrogant and sadistic.
Merrit tried to stumble to his feet, but fell down again. Even over the roar of the hovering ship, he could hear the man's cruel laugh.
To lightsabers sprang to life, one red, and one green.
Each held by the man before him, the hunter.
He smiled as he stepped out of the dust. Revealing a long blue coat, sun goggles and a white head wrap.
"Easiest two million I ever made, and the price on Vey. I'm sure that is good anywhere in the empire. You…Fallenstar…well…maybe I'll take the dead price rather than the living one."
Merrit snarled and fought to his feet.
Quire Cooper, he thought.
Kalo Nord.
He didn't know how the man had found them, and he didn't care.
Nothing mattered in that moment, no only one thing did.
Fallenstar smiled wickedly.
The death of Kalo Nord!
Merrit let his fury grow, the man meant to take Bayla, take Vey, and kill him.
His smile widened, that of a predator, a Tukata, or Firaxa shark. He let the shadow take him, letting the dark side clear his head.
Take Bayla?
Not kriffing likely.
He had spared this one once, in the Lehon system.
Not this time.
He lit his lightsaber, its orange blade sizzling in the dusty air.
"You want something, Huttspawn," he called out.
"Come and get it!"
The hunter nodded, a merry smile on his face.
"Love to," he said.
The two dark Jedi lunged at each other, blades flashing.
Merrit had been ready to face the past, to try to let go of his darkness, but now…
He was glad it was still with him.
Not yet, he thought as their blades flashed in a dozen half a second clashes.
Not yet.