Taura snarled when Asa shoved her back. "Don't go at him alone!" the boy snapped, and for a moment their fury collided, gaze to gaze, but then the Sith was attacking. Lights sabers clashed, sparks flying, and then Asa was launching himself at the Sith. Fool! he's not heavy enough! Taura thought, just then caught the flare of red in the corner of her eye. The Sith's light saber was headed straight towards Ben! With a wild bellow the Tauntaun threw herself into Force Run, her body becoming a dark blur. Drawing out her own light saber, the blade flashing a pinkish-white, Taura brought it up and the two blades collided with a loud report. Her weight proved to help here here again, and her hind-legs spread, taking the blow and sending it into the ground. When the light saber was sent boomeranging back, Taura looked up, eyes blazing. "You are a destructive force that has only rarely been known, Taura. Use it correctly and your opponents will no longer see an animal, but a Jedi worth reckoning with." her master's voice echoed in her mind, and the Tauntaun shook off the grip of her instinct, locking it away. It was no easy think, mark my words, for how can one refuse eons of survival tactics melded into the past and the present -only to be replaced by new and feeble reason? How can one refuse the very thing that had allowed her species to survive all those years in an icy wasteland? Have to keep it from getting back to him. she thought, leaping up high with Force Jump and lashing out at the red light saber from above, aiming to bury it up to the hilt in the ground.
Too slow, dammit! thought Caeleck angrily. The battle opened up before her eyes without a moments notice. This time, however, Caeleck made sure to throw up her shields before anything happened. She then flicked out her lightsaber and Forced jumped on top of the Whisper to look out on the scene before her. Taura was trying to keep the Sith's saber from reaching it's master and Asa, the fool, was propelling himself towards the Sith weaponless. Caeleck searched the grounds for Asa's weapon, her sight brightened by the adrenaline that was rushing through her veins. Her forehead creased and her lightsaber pulsing deep purple had her looking like an avenging angel. It wasn't hard to find Asa's lightsaber, it reflected the same black void that Asa had wrapped himself in once again. She used Force pull to bring the lightsaber to her while sending out tendrils of her Aura towards Asa. As soon as she touched his mind to get his attention she threw his lightsaber towards him, using Force push to make sure it got there on time. After she threw it, she jumped down from the ship and started running barefoot towards the Sith. She didn't want to overuse her power, considering how much she had used already in the duel with Asa, and she hoped that Asa could hold the Sith on his own till she got there.
Taura buried the Sith's lightsaber in the ground and allowed Ben to throw a tracker on the cargo ship just as it was taking off. The cargo ship soared up into the heavens and was gone within moments. "I did it!", Ben cried exuberantly, pumping his fists. Then he realized how serious the situation was and started running back to the ship for cover. Asa launched himself at the Sith. Lord Shado held out his chalky-white hand, the barest hint of a smile on his face, and sent a volley of electrical bolts crackling from his fingers at Asa. The blue-violet lightning stopped him in mid-air and he plummeted onto the bridge, his clothes smoking and his hair singed. Shado leaned over him and whispered, "Why are you slumming it with these Jedi scum? Wouldn't you be happier with us...?" He reached out to stroke Asa's cheek when Caeleck came bounding toward him. Lord Shado stood like a snake rising from a basket, with uncanny grace. "I will show you the true power of the Dark Side!" He raised both his hands and more lightning jumped from his fingers at Caeleck. Alain Root gawked, but he was too far away. He put away his lightsaber and turned to the starship that George's was going to escape in. Master Root raised his hand and the ship started to trembled. He was going to throw the starship at Lord Shado.
Caeleck swung up her lightsaber to intercept the volley of lightning. The she managed to block the lightning but the force of it was so strong she was sent sliding backwards several feet before her foot lodged against something more solid. Her bare feet were shredded and they left crimson tracks from where she was to where she was now. Blood pooled around her feet but she was too focused on keeping the lightning at bay to heal herself. Caeleck struggled to hold her lightsaber still as the volley of lightning kept coming, I can't hold this much longer, she thought desperately. Through her sight she saw Asa crumpled on the bridge and it renewed her resolve. She let out a mighty yell as she pushed the lightning back a little more with her lightsaber. It was then she felt large stirrings in the force. Caeleck risked to spread her sight a little further and Saw Master Root trying to raise the ship. I got to keep the Sith distracted! Caeleck forced herself to stand a little straigter, "I know the power of the Dark Side already, you freak!" she yelled at the Sith, "I am Miraluka! I see you clearly!" rage suffused the face Sith lord and he brought both his hands together, effectively doubling the effect of his lightning. Caeleck dropped to her knees, barely holding her lightsaber. "We don't have time for you!" she yelled at him defiantly. Just then Asa moved slightly, distracting Caeleck for just a moment. Her strength failed her and she lost her lightsaber. The lightning hit her full force and she was pressed into the ground. The pain was beyond anything she had ever imagined. Tremendous heat sparked though out her body, sending every nerve into a painful frenzy. Her muscles contracted painfully as they cramped from the charge of the lightning. Her vision was suffused by extremely bright white light that flashed painfully. Caeleck curled on the ground, screaming in agony. "ASA!"
"ASA!" Taura heard Caeleck scream, and her head whipped around. Roaring in anger as she saw both of her team mates go down, the Tauntaun readied to charge, but paused. "You may need these. I've seen you handle them- the light saber will only get in your way if you try to fight head on." Master Jii's words echoed in her mind, and Taura reached down to unbuckle a small packet from her ankle, beside the light saber's sheath. Two small guns with leather straps dangled in her grip, and Taura slipped them over her horns, placing a small trigger wire in her mouth. When master Jii had created them for her, she had been delighted to see that Taura was a natural at hitting her target. Must have been her combination with keen sight and scent. The Tauntaun roared, spreading her feet and biting down hard on the wire as she used Force run to dash at the Sith, kicking him away from Asa. Two red beams exploded from the guns, and Taura targeted the man's shoulders, planning to disable him. Her kick could have easilly shattered his entire pelvis, and if she'd fired at the right moment, would have taken all of his limbs out at once.
Asa Green Asa never realized such pain could exist. A white-hot tingle shot through his veins. His muscles convulsed, swapping between being crushed and shredded apart at blinding speed. Tense, his body smacked into the ground like a block of concrete. He gasped as all the air was blasted out of his lungs. Cracks seemed to shoot over him, scorching his skin. Then, his frame slackened, lying uselessly on the ground. The venomous lightning still pinched parts of his body, rendering him unaware of his own bleeding nose. A pale white hand touched his cheek, all his pains faded. But the blow of his landing still ached his chest, making it difficult to breath. "Why are you slumming it with these Jedi scum? Wouldn't you be happier with us...?" Asa noticed his lightsaber had landed just a few feet away from him, near the edge of the bridge. He stretched out his hand, but his saber was out of reach. With clenched teeth, he crawled towards his weapon. His hand missed, his weapon began to roll even further away. With a great effort he swung his other hand forward and grabbed hold of his saber. ASA! Through the slits of his eyes, to shield himself from the blinding blue lightning, he could see Caeleck was blasted back. He wanted to stand up and help, but his body had been broken. Then Taura charged forward. Asa was forced to roll to the side, to avoid being trampled. Air rushed past him as he plummeted off the bridge. With his weapon in hand he slid down the wall, into a bottomless pit. Thick, milky clouds, betraying the presence of gasses, approached him rapidly. He stabbed his saber into the wall at his back. His body jerked upward, his bones squeaked in their joints at the sudden stop. Every fibre in his body was stretched to the limit as he came to a stop. Far above him, he could see the tiny blue and green lights of his Jedi companions. Amazed that his desperate effort had worked, he clutched both hands to the hilt of his saber. His hair blew violently, how he was ever going to get up from there, he didn't know. But he refused to give up and let go.
Caeleck trembled from her place on the ground. The lightning was gone almost as soon as it had come but the effects were so strong she was still left twitching as remnant lighting coursed through her. Her breathing was heavy and came out in whimpers. She knew the battle was far from over, however. Caeleck forced herself to roll over onto her hands and knees, panting with the effort. She wobbled into standing and collapsed instantly, her feet refusing to let any weight onto their pads. She flopped over onto her back and lay there sprawled for a moment. Caeleck closed her "eyes" and focused her strength on healing herself. Using the Force she only healed enough of her body to where she could work with it. Her feet tingled as she healed the mutilated skin and muscle. When she was done her body still ached and her feet were still raw but she was satisfied she would be able to still fight. She managed to get back to a standing position and force pulled her lightsaber back into her hand. Taura had occupied the Sith lord, overwhelming him with her bulk. So that's why the lightning stopped, she thought thankfully. She would be sure to give the TaunTaun her gratitude when the battle was over. Caeleck looked for Asa but he was nowhere to be seen. Concerned, she spread her awareness even further. She found him hanging on for dear life on the side of the bridge. Cursing, she raced over to the side and looked over the edge. Sure enough there he was, lightsaber buried into the wall, both hands clenched around it's hilt. Her powers were almost depleted and she knew she wouldn't be able to haul him up on her own. Caeleck stood up again, sight searching for anything to help her. Her sight landed on Sevren. "Sevren! I need your help," she called to him.
Sevren In one foul swoop the group had been crippled, each succumbing to the Sith’s dark power. Caeleck burns were visible and he could feel her life force waning, but she had still been able to struggle on. “Sevren! I need your help.” She called. He had been observing the scene fiercely, determined not to cross his line. His mind was crippled with thought and ever so conflicted. He had to stay emotionless; compassion was not the Jedi way. But his team – his friends – were dying. Sevren threw out a hand at Caeleck and Force pulled her through the air, careful not to catch her on the floor. She did not resist, making it all the easier for Sevren to guide her behind. When she landed softly, he sprinted to the edge of the platform to see Asa barely hanging on. Sevren stood there for a moment, unmoved with his hands together. The heavy wind shifted around the Jedi and the mist lifted between the pair. Only then had Sevren thrust his hands towards Asa, his focus as strong as steel. As if he was lifting a boulder, Sevren brought it up high and watched as Asa floated into the sky above. He was trying ever so hard to be careful. The winds rippled through Asa’s robe and tried their best to knock Sevren's balance. He had almost got the Padawan over the edge when suddenly he sensed something. A strange tingling quivered down his spine and in his panic he threw his hands over to the ship, soaring Asa across the platform. Sevren just managed to ignite his lightsaber in time to block a surprise attack from Lord Shado, the red blade appearing out of nowhere and slicing down hard. The dark lord forced the Jedi to his knees, both blades nearing ever closer to his face. But he pushed up fast and swiftly rolled away, with the Sith’s lightsaber swinging inches from his head. Sevren barely had time to get up to see the Sith attack again, parrying a sharp thrust from the left, and then the right, and then somersaulting over a low leg swoop. The Jedi flipped straight over Lord shado's head, taking a quick swipe while in the air which was hastily deflected. “All of you!” He shouted as he landed, his eyes never faltering from the enemy. “Get back to the ship! Get that thing in the air now!” The menacing Sith took a long step forward, but so did Sevren. He had tried to keep his calm. He had tried to remain clear minded. But the adrenaline flowed through his veins now and with it, came aggression. The orange blade whizzed around the Sith, clashing in sparks with the Dark Lord’s lightsaber. With each devastating blow he hungered for more, hell bent on breaking through. Strike after strike, he came forward, faster and stronger than before.
Asa Green Something tugged at him. He thought it was the wind at first. Normally a gust like that wouldn't have affected him, but now that he was hanging on his hilt, every breeze seemed to unhinge him further. His hands were sweaty and began to slide away. Then something began to pull him upward. Asa hit the button on his lightsaber, switching it off. Almost instantly he dropped a few feet. He flailed his arms around, trying to pin himself to the wall once more. Fortunately, the one who'd started to pull him up redoubled his efforts. Soon enough he was level with the bridge, he reached out his arms, trying to grasp hold of something. Smack! His already bruised and scorched back was hammered against concrete. Blinded by pain, Asa was unable to identify where he had landed or how. At least the ground was solid underneath him. He heard Sevren shout, he heard Taura roar, he heard the rapid breathing of Ben, cowered behind cover. The world began to spin. The ground underneath him seemed to slip away, then turned upside down. Asa's heart froze as he fell once more. All was dark.
Caeleck watched helplessly as Asa soared through the air. He landed heavily at the foot of the ramp leading to the Whisper and Caeleck felt his consciousness waver then blink out. She looked back towards Sevren and Taura, watching as the two battled the Sith lord. She watched as Master Root continued his efforts to move the other ship. She looked back to where Asa lay unconscious and Ben hid behind the the ramp. “Get back to the ship! Get that thing in the air now!” called Sevren. Caeleck nodded and ran towards the ramp, but she didn't plan on lifting off. Her and Asa were pretty much useless right now, with him unconscious and her powers depleted. She had hope that the others would emerge victorious, but she had to get the people the Sith would use against them away from him. "Master Root! I'm taking Asa and Ben to safety," she called out to Master Root as she ran past him. He gave her a curt nod but she ignored it. "Ben, get inside the ship. If something were to happen to you we'll have no hope at all," she told him sternly. She then turned her full attention to Asa. He was still breathing shallowly but enough that assured her that he would live. Remarkably, he also had no broken bones from the fall he took. Caeleck summond what strength she had left and grabbed him underneath the arms. She dragged him up into the ship and towards the medical bay, the sounds of fighting fading into the background. Once inside she paused a moment to catch her breath. The medical bay was small and only had one bedtable. Caeleck hefted Asa onto that table, glad that he didn't weigh as much as she thought he would. She scrambled around the bay for a cloth and then wet it in the sink with cold water. She placed the rag on Asa's forehead and sent a prayer to the Force, Please help us all.
It was cold, ice cold, and dark. He was flying effortlessly through space. There was a planet in front of him, it pulled him in with invisble hands. He dropped towards the surface... ~~ Asa let his eyes slide over the walls of garbage that surrounded them. They'd landed their ship in a small clearing on the scrap planet. He spotted spacecrafts, battered droid and decaying bots amidst the rubble. His gaze settled on Kaile who was circling him. He jumped to the left, narrowly dodging Kaile's first blow. He smirked, his speed and small size definitely helped, his age and inexperience however, did not. A second blow came hurling at him. He parried it. Kaile twisted his stick around Asa's and the blunted tip of his wooden saber hovered under Asa's chin. “Hmm, good you held out slightly longer,” Kaile said. “It's not fair, you're taller and stronger,” Asa complained. He threw his makeshift saber to the side and plopped down on the ground. Kaile had defeated him on every planet they'd landed on, usually within ten seconds. Besides, they'd been at it for almost half an hour now, training was only fun for so long. “If you are ever to be a Jedi you must get this notion of size and strength out of your head,” Kaile tapped him lightly on the noggin with his rod. “With the force you can be at all places at once. That is your strength. As for size,” Kaile chuckled, “one of the greatest Jedi was no more than your height, but he was a Jedi councilor and a veteran of the clone wars.” Kaile looked at the boy. The lad was spirited but undisciplined, nothing time couldn't cure. He considered giving his apprentice a break but thought better of it. “Get up. This time, try and anticipate my strikes.” Asa reluctantly got back on his feet and sauntered across the clearing to pick up his wooden blade. “Open your mind,” Kaile said. Asa wanted nothing more than to open Kaile's mind to his frustration at being defeated dozens of time in a row. His only way of fighting back was being deliberately slow, forcing Kaile to be patient, like a true Jedi. Kaile frowned and glanced over his shoulder, “that sounds like a...” Asa gladly took his chance now that Kaile was distracted. He held his weapon high above his head and charged. At the last moment he dropped his saber behind his back, caught it with his left hand, and transformed his downward blow into an upward strike. Almost effortlessly Kaile deflected Asa's strike, then stepped out of the way, letting the boy tumble forward. “Never attack in anger, they flow from the dark side. It'll make you strong, but at the cost of your soul.” He shook his head at his clumsy apprentice. “Now get up. This time, I want you to at least try to hit me.” “I'm not trying, I am doing,” Asa groaned from his position on the ground. Dark side or not, he found it impossible not to get angry with his master. He vowed to buy a quick-recharge drive for the ship as soon as he had the money. The shorter their waits, the shorter the time spent practicing. His ears picked up on a steady drumming beat in the earth. It calmed him. He jumped back to his feet, his heartbeat synchronized with the pounding beat of the soil. “Good, let your anger wash away. You're learning,” Kaile said with a grin. Then he surged forward, and tapped him on the top of his head before darting back. “We still need to work on that prescience-” A loud crash rented the air. Kaile spun around, just in time to see a bull rancor crash through the wrecked hull of an ancient battleship. “Asa! Run!” He pulled his lightsaber from his belt and ignited the green blade, then stood his ground against the fast approaching, furious rancor. The monster dwarfed everything around it. Asa wanted to run but his legs were frozen to the spot. The creature roared, sending a foul stench up his nostrils. Enraged by seeing two intruders on his territory, the rancor slung an old speeder at Asa. In a flurry of motion he threw himself to the side. The shock of the massive steel crashing into the earth sent him bouncing around like a rag doll. Bruised, Asa rolled over, and gritted his teeth. His eyes flicked over the ship. The ship! He had to get it away from the monster or they'd be trapped on this planet forever. With complete disregard for his own safety, Asa sprinted back to the ship and hopped inside of it. The many knobs and buttons confused him, but he knew where the throttle was. Good boy, thought Kaile as he heard the ships engine spin to life. He hurled every calming though he could at the rancor, but it was too big and stupid to be calmed by that. Instead it looked at him and roared, opening it's maw wide. Still he held his ground. "Alright you big ugly bastard. What've you got?" Kaile leapt into the air just in time to miss a massive swing of it's arm. He swiped at it with his saber, but it barely phased it. He landed nimbly, just in time to be hit with a swing from the beasts other arm. It sent him tumbling through the air and smashing heavily into a rusted hulk. Gasping, he pushed himself up. The rancor had lost interest in him, instead choosing to go for the ship, and Asa. He felt his blood start to boil at the thought of any harm coming to that boy. A large shadow loomed over Asa, he shielded his eyes with his arm. His heart dropped a million miles as he saw the rancor was about to can it's meal. To his amazement, it's arm stopped dead in the air. Kaile stood, arms outstretched at the monster, holding it in place with the force. With a great heave, he knocked it back away from the ship. It left him panting from exertion, but the ship was out of danger for the moment. As the rancor righted itself, he ran closer to it, and sheathed his saber. Again, Kaile snapped out his arms, fingertips at toward the beast, and a surge of lightning flowed from them into the rancor's body. It writhed from the surge of energy, howling. He released it for a moment, then let loose a fresh wave, holding it for as long as he could The shadow retreated and Asa lowered his arm, the beast was unable to strike down, as if its fist had been frozen mid-air. Finally, the engines were ready, and Asa was about to pilot for the first time when he was blinded by a hellish blue light. The nimble ship creaked at it's joints when the massive, smoking, body of the rancor hit the ground. Asa peeked over the edge of the cockpit, Master Kaile was about the size of the defeated rancor's lower arm. He sprinted out of the aircraft. "Master!" Panic electrified his bones, his feet hammered against the ground. "Master, are you alright?" He grabbed the man's shoulders and shook him, "please, say something!" Kaile slowly looked up at Asa. His normally light green eyes were tinged with yellow around the iris's. "Good, you're alright..." he said. His voice sounded strange, like it had an echo for a moment. But then the yellow faded from his eyes and his voice returned to normal. "That was close... I'm sorry, I should have sensed it coming." Asa frowned in concern. "Master..." he took a moment to catch his breath. "Master, what was that light?" He considered how slim his chances of ever beating Kaile were, considering his master had just shot lightning from his fingers. He purged his lips into a slanted smile, "can you teach me?" Kaile sat up and looked his apprentice in the eye. "Listen to me, that is a dark technique. You must never attempt to replicate it, do you understand me? The Dark Side is not something to be toyed with. With it comes great power, but you risk loosing everything you are over to the darkness. I can teach you, but I never will." As he spoke he looked intently at Asa, trying to drive his point home. "You must vow to me that you will never try and replicate what I just did. Will you swear it?" Asa backed off an inch, puzzled by Kaile's fierce reaction. Many questions buzzed in his head, how had Kaile learned this? And from whom? Was it part of the force? He opened and closed his mouth a few times before he was able to answer Kaile. "Why must I swear it?" He frowned and stared at the ground, "I don't even know what the dark side is. Is it part of the force?" He wondered how Kaile could justify knowing something so dark and secret, use it, then forbid him from ever trying. Quietly he put his understanding of the force to use, it was more instinct than training but nevertheless he managed to search Kaile's feelings. He gasped, "I feel that you're afraid of it. But why?" "Damn boy, choose now to open yourself up to the force?" Kaile shook his head. "The Force is energy, and like all energy, there is positive and negative. The Light Side is the positive, from it flow the strength of compassion and empathy, justice, wisdom. The Dark Side is the negative, from it come hatred and greed, lust, envy. If you allow yourself to embrace those feelings, you are giving over to the dark side. And when you do that, it will consume you, turn you into a monster who lusts only after power at the cost of all else. That is why I fear it, because I fear loosing myself to it, and that is why you must swear!" Asa shrugged, Kaile sometimes had odd ways of appreciating his skills, whenever he showed them. "It sounds pretty bad," he concluded softly. He looked at the Rancor and wondered if he'd turned to the dark side as well. "But power can be used for good, can't it? You just did." He knew he was treading a dangerous path, he'd never seen Kaile so upset about anything. Considering that Kaile had just risked his life to save him, perhaps he was being too ingrateful. He sighed, "I swear it, if you will as well." Kaile sighed in relief. "I swear it, I swear it gladly," he said, then reached out and ruffled the boys hair. "The drive should be recharged, we should be on the move." ~~ He jolted upright. Someone was standing near to him but he couldn't tell who. His head felt numb and cold. "What happened?" he asked, confused. It seemed to him centuries had past but slowly reality began to trickle back into his consciousness.
Taura took Lord Shado by surprise and her kick broke his bones. The shots from her guns didn't land, though, because he used the Force to propel himself out of the way of danger. He slid across the bridge to the other side, where he skidded to a stop against the wall of the main building. His face was contorted with pain, but mostly rage, a rage that could burn down the entire galaxy. His red eyes glowed like fire. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!", Shado screamed, even though he couldn't stand. He raised his hands to summon more Sith lightning, but Alain Root beat him to the punch. He had lifted the small starcraft with the Force and now he made it soar through the air on a crash course with the Sith. Shado saw it coming and directed his lightning at it, but it did nothing to slow down the hunk of metal. He was crushed under it's overwhelming weight. Master Root took a deep breath and dusted off the front of his brown robe. "Everyone...good job. You handled that like professionals. Next time, don't run at a dangerous opponent alone and without a plan. It very well might get you killed." The words "next time" hung in the air like a bad smell. Apparently, the Master Jedi thought they would encounter danger like this again, maybe even another Sith lord. "Okay, now back on the ship. We have a Grand Master to find..." ... Once they were all back onboard, Master Root synced the ship's computer with Ben's tracker and they took off. Alain observed that the cargo ship they were following was going in the same direction that Luke had gone missing in. It was a good sign, that they were on the right track. The JEdi Master was so absorbed in piloting the ship, he didn't speak to anyone for hours, not even Ben. In the meantime, Ben busied himself by finding Taura. He walked up to her and, without hesitation, hugged her and murmured into her fur, "I'm sorry, Taura. I keep making you worried. I don't mean to." Then he looked up at her and smiled, a little sadly. "I make everyone worry, I think."
Caeleck jerked in surprise as Asa jolted from his stupor. "Lay down before you make yourself go unconscious again," she told Asa severely, giving him a nudge in the shoulders to make him lay down again. "Sevren lifted you from where you were hanging. Before he could put you down though the Sith had attacked. He threw you to the ship where you landed heavily and went unconscious," she told him a little more gently. "I brought you here and put that rag on our head to prevent the migraine that comes usually from unconsciousness. The worse you'll have is a throbbing headache, but that is better then the alternative I can tell you." she paused for a moment to catch her breath, she still wasn't all healed either. "Master Root killed the Sith. We are now en route to find that cargo ship that Ben put the tracker on." she looked at him for a moment and was surprised at how angry she suddenly got. "And you! You shouldn't of went off on your own like that. You could of been killed!" her voice was tight with anger, but she didn't yell. Instead, her voice had lowered and radiated anger and concern. "Promise me you won't ever do that again!"
"Lay down before you make yourself go unconscious again," Asa obliged. He let out a rattled breath and groaned. Hundreds of icy needles were hammered into his forehead, he sighed. Caeleck began to relay what had happened but his mind, incapable of keeping up, drifted to some unknown regions. The slight shaking of the spacecraft told him all he needed to know, they were going away from cloud city and chase the transport. "And you! You shouldn't of went off on your own like that. You could of been killed!" Asa smiled weakly, "I don't think you'd let them. Kill me, I mean." His eyes collided with Caeleck's and he knew then that he was safe. Though he couldn't see it himself, he could feel a slight warmth surge through his cheeks. He fixed his eyes on the ceiling then, and found the reflective white remarkably interesting. "I can't make such a promise. Besides, the more I promise, the more I am bound to dissapoint." Xelas hurried himself into the medical bay. Without so much as saying a word he rolled up his sleeves and held his hands above a suprised looking Asa. "What are you doing?" "Quiet! I need to focus for this," said Xelas. Asa frowned but the Bith took no notice of it. With a loud snap Asa's back straightened, he let out a painful gasp, his breathing fluttered before he fell down to the table again. "There, all better," Xelas grinned. Asa opened and closed his mouth a few times, "I didn't know you could do that," he stammered. "Well I can. Broken bones are my speciality as a matter of fact. Now catch some rest, your body will need to adapt to the changes." "Changes?" Asa veered upright. "What exactly have you done?" "I fixed you," said Xelas simply. He then turned around and marched off towards the cockpit, leaving a confused and tired Asa behind, to rest.
Caeleck raised an eyebrow at the Bith as he walked out, What a strange person, she thought curiously. Turning back to Asa, she used her sight to see what exactly the Bith had done. All of Asa's injuries were healed, including the fractured bone in his back, but there was something different about him now as well. Caeleck bent down a little lower, heavily scrutinizing the Bith's handiwork. She couldn't find whatever it was he did so she shrugged her shoulders and went to sit in one of the hard chairs found in the medical bay. She sat gingerly, trying to avoid some of her more sore spots. I suppose I could go back to my bunk, she thought, then she looked at her raw feet, Then again, maybe not. At least, not until I gain enough of my power back to heal my feet. She glanced at Asa again and saw how his eyes had closed again, but he was breathing normally so she didn't understand why she was still so concerned over him. She snorted and then made it a point not to look at him again. She leaned her head against the wall and closed off her sight so she could meditate. Her thoughts turned to the Sith lord. I knew they would return, like insects. When Master Luke had defeated the Emperor all the Sith had retreated to the Outer Realms, making their homes amoung some of the more abandoned planets. Her own planet, Alphridies, was just beyond that so the influx of Sith had further cut off her people from the rest of the galaxy. Not that it mattered. Caeleck had seen some of what had happened to the other planets on the rim during her trip to Coruscant and she expected the mission would lead her back there again. If that's the case perhaps we can stop by Alphridies, find someone to heal my mind. Caeleck batted the idea out of her mind, If I say anything Master Root will come to suspect my condition. I will just have to bide my time. I'll survive.
Taura Maymier In the meantime, Ben busied himself by finding Taura. He walked up to her and, without hesitation, hugged her and murmured into her fur, "I'm sorry, Taura. I keep making you worried. I don't mean to." Then he looked up at her and smiled, a little sadly. "I make everyone worry, I think." Taura was surprised by the gesture, but when she saw the sad look in the boy's eyes her muzzle curled into a smile. "Ben, it's okay if you make others worry a bit." she murmured, hugging him back gently. "You're the little one here, no offense, and you are the son of a very important person. It's our duty to protect you. But . . ." she turned her head to look at the door to the training room. "Maybe I can teach you a few things. I have an idea, but it involves a lot of teamwork. Like this-" before the boy could react she'd swung him up and onto her back, taking a few slow steps so he could get used to being so high up. "I can use Force Run and Force Jump, and my weight will keep me from being blown away easily. If you had a pair of beam-guns, then your attacks, combined with mine, would make us a lot more dangerous than just one human and one Tauntaun. You could also use the Force much more easilly if you don't have to keep running. See what I mean?" her smile had widened into an outright grin, and an odd noise that could be translated into laughter could be heard. Looking over to the others, she spoke again, "Maybe we should all learn how to work together and combine our attacks, it will make it much easier for us to read what the others are about to do, and to help them out then."
"Maybe we should all learn how to work together and combine our attacks, it will make it much easier for us to read what the others are about to do, and to help them out then." Asa's eyes fluttered open. Bored by having to lay down he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and carefully plopped his feet down on the ground. "I am fine," he grumbled pre-emptively at Caeleck. "Or I am not, because I agree with Taura. We all made a mess of it." Carefully he rolled his shoulder, they felt somewhat a little rigid and numb, but aside from that he felt perfectly fine. Even his headache had faded to a mere buzz in the background. Whatever Xelas had done, it had worked. His mind returned to what the Sith had said, he wondered if the man had more to say. "So where exactly are we keeping that Sith? We should interrogate him," said Asa. Xelas shook his head, "he's dead. Even I can't fix him. Last time I saw him he was being crushed, with a spacecraft." "Dead?" Asa glanced around, trying to comprehend what had happened between his passing out and Shado being grinded to paste. "W-Why?" he stammered, "I mean, couldn't we have captured him instead? Wouldn't the council want to interrogate this man, to find out if there are more Sith?" Xelas shrugged, "if Lando is dead and an entire city is being evacuated against the will of its inhabitants, it seems quite likely that there are more." He then turned towards Taura, "I agree, we must co-operate. What do you have in mind?" Asa realized he had someone to thank. That Shado had been killed was dissapointing, but not suprising. That Sevren had saved him however, was . "Sorry to interupt but, where is Sevren?" he inquired
Ben's eyes became shifty as he listened to Taura. "You mean a gun like this one?" He took out a tiny laser pistol from an inner fold of his robe and quickly stached it away. "Master Root thinks guns are inconsequential toys for non-Jedi, but Han and Leia taught me how to use them, so I keep this one on me at all times, just in case." He quirked a smile, but he couldn't how tired he was. "I think I need some rest..." Meanwhile, Alain Root took a brief reprieve from piloting the ship, putting it on auto-pilot so he could stretch his legs. "We're following the other ship at a safe distance, they won't suspect a thing," he said with a huge yawn. He rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes. Then he overheard Asa's protests about killing Lord Shado. "Asa, it had to be done," Master Root said in a solemn tone. "The situation had careened out of control, some of you were getting hurt. And there is not guarantee that while he was aboard the ship he wouldn't have caused further sabotage and destruction. The Sith are known for their skills with manipulation; the Dark Side can be very seductive." Root looked Asa over fully. "You're healed. That's great. We should all get some rest. Wake me if anything happens." The Master Jedi stalked off to find an empty bed.
The Sith are known for their skills with manipulation; the Dark Side can be very seductive. Asa nodded in compliance and glanced around for Sevren. Perhaps the ex-sith was avoiding him, for reasons Asa could only barely understand. He considered looking in the cargo bay but decided against it. Careful not to inflict any harm onto his healed body, he sauntered through the corridors, looking for Sevren. His mind wandered off into deep thought. Already he had nearly gotten himself killed, if not for the unexpected help of Sevren, the least trustworthy of the entire crew. What worried him even more was how quickly the Sith had dispatched of him. He had deemed himself much better. He had held his own against two dozen Killik guards when he and Kaile had been sent to kill the Geonosian Yuk'bac and his dark nest. Yet one man, had been able to withstand him with childish ease. However Shado had reached such skill and prowess, Asa didn't know. All he knew was that he desired such power and ability for himself. If seven years in Jedi training could do so little to stop one Sith, then perhaps the Sith methods were more effective... It seemed that Sevren, for the time being, was still his only chance of getting to know more about the way of the Sith.
Taura nodded, then quickly averted her eyes from where Ben had hidden his gun when Master Root strode into the room. "You're healed. That's great. We should all get some rest. Wake me if anything happens." The Master Jedi stalked off to find an empty bed. "Though you may find it disgusting, i can spit to keep enemies at bay -and sometimes it can be acidic enough to burn flesh. Guns may seem to be toys, but they are weapons just as much as light sabers." she whispered, "so be careful with that please?" "I agree, we must co-operate. What do you have in mind?" The Tauntaun's muzzle turned a tad red at that -no one had ever asked her opinion, or for advice, from her before. "W-well, remember how Asa launched himself at the Sith? That could be an example of a bad idea for a human -no offense to you Asa," she said, looking over to the padawan, but starting as she realized he had gone off on his own somewhere. "Uhh . .. well I think that only i would be able to make an effective battering ram, so I think we should all focus on our prime abilities. Find a way to strengthen our best talents -such as your healing, Xelas- and then defend those strengths from their weaknesses by combining them with the other's moves. If you heal us in battle, we can defend you from immediate attack. Also, for example, if someone were to ride on my back, they could use the Force while i ran in order to keep themselves safe while they would otherwise be unable to move." she shrugged, then turned to Caeleck. "You can sense the Force in ways that none of us can hope to accomplish -so you could possibly focus on detecting any ambushes. Do you all see what i mean now? We all have special abilities, and if we just figure out a way to make them all work together, we can take down another Sith like the last one quite easily i should think."
Sevren Sevren knelt in the middle of the dojo, meditating once more. Yet there was no tranquillity in his mind, only a heavy and thunderous storm. His body flinched every now and then, and cold sweat trickled down his brow, the visions hazy and vivid. A blurry landscape of copper rolled underneath him and he soared through the putrid gases of Tythe like an eagle. The barren world was covered in nothing but rock and dust, and Sevren was going so fast that he barely had time to spot anything, especially through the filthy atmosphere. Suddenly he swooped down low, gliding across the plains where he saw rows upon rows of copper and steel. They were robots, marching with programmed discipline beneath him. Hundreds more continued to flow out of a behemoth structure ahead, spiky and twisted with violent orange peeking out of every gap. Sevren realised now he was flying towards it. It dwarfed the highest mountains he had ever seen and cast a dark shadow across all the land, swallowing up what little natural light there was. And the noise was excruciatingly loud. He could hear every oversized cog turn and every rusted chain jangle as the monstrosity constantly pumped out more robots to march down the steps. This crumbled stairway was a mountain in itself, starting just at the foot of the factory and plummeting far down to the depths of the rotten path below. And standing atop of the mountainous stairs, clad in limitless black and iron, was a hooded figure. They towered over every being in sight, as the mindless robots continued to pour past. As Sevren flew closer he could make out two crimson lightsabers clenched in each hand, and an aura of pure evil, so red and foul that its stench filled the air. Sevren tried to stop his flight with his mind; change his direction – anything! But it was no use. His vision barrelled towards the lost soul, who stood expectantly, waiting for Sevren to arrive. The Jedi tried to blank his mind but he knew who he would be facing. These had been his droids to command and his factory to build and his planet to control, and he was to rule over all and march upon the weak. Every fibre in his body wanted to fold, to dart away but he couldn’t. And now they were face to face. Two sides of the same coin. Equals and yet so different. The brooding figure whipped off the hood and shouted at Sevren with a scathing and shrill voice, “Embrace the darkness!” The hood was off. Sevren froze, paralyzed by shock. It wasn’t him. It was her. The once golden locks, smooth and dazzling, were now frayed and greying. Her eyelids were sunken and black with irises of feverish red, and her skin was so pale and butchered by scars and blood. “Embrace me!” She screamed again, scratching through her throat. Fear had replaced her hatred and Sevren could see the pain in her bloodshot eyes, watching them well up with a single tear rolling down her cheek. He could see the frightened woman inside the monster and he tried to place a hand on her face, he tried to wipe away that tear and hold her close but she vanished instantly. Only the blank wall of the dojo stared back at him now. Sevren’s hand still held out in the air, the single tear resting lightly on his cheek.
Asa Green "You meditate alot," Asa remarked as he entered the dojo. He kept his distance from Sevren who seemed to be rather upset by something. Unsure how to approach the man, Asa simply sat down near the door. A good twenty feet seperating him and Sevren. He'd seen Sevren's outstretched hand, as if he'd tried to reach something, but decided against making a remark about it. He cleared his throat, "I just wanted to thank you, for saving me. At least that's what Caeleck said you did, I don't remember much..." his voice trailed off and he felt incredibly stupid for sitting there. Leaving wasn't much of an option either, so he simply stretched the odd silence between them for as long as he could. No thoughts or words entered his mind, only a tingle of nervousness and a hint of drowsiness. "Why do you meditate so often?" Asa inquired, desperate to break the silence that had divided them.
"You can sense the Force in ways that none of us can hope to accomplish -so you could possibly focus on detecting any ambushes. Do you all see what i mean now? We all have special abilities, and if we just figure out a way to make them all work together, we can take down another Sith like the last one quite easily i should think." Only sometimes can I see so clearly, thought Caeleck bitterly, but she did agree with the Taura. She watched as Asa wandered away but decided to leave him be, If he wants to go off on his own, let him. she turned her head away, but she couldn't resist the urge to send out tendrils of her aura to wrap around him. She imparted her concern for him and then withdrew, leaving him to his own. Now lets see what we can do about this abilities thing... "I do see what you mean Taura. But, each of our abilities also require certain positional things as well. Taura and Sevren are best at frontal assaults from what i've seen, so in battle you should make it a point to take the lead. Xelas can back you up with his healing," she nodded towards the Bith, "I, on the other hand, is more of a dodge and strike. So it is better I stay slightly behind the rest and take advantage of openings. Don't worry about healing, I can do that myself as well. Not to the extent of Xelas, but I can mostly manage on my own." she paused again then looked at Taura, "I can sense ambushes but it would be easier for me on higher ground, above the rest, and it would take concentration. If that's the case I would require back-up myself," she thought for a moment, back to her dojo fight with Asa. Their styles were completely different, but they complemented each other. "Asa would then come with me. His style complements my own." Caeleck drew out some small glass beads from one of her pockets, she used them to decorate her blindfold from time to time, and laid them out on the table. She arranged some of the beads in a main group then drew out two of them. "These beads would be us, per say. Taura, Sevren, and Master Root would all take the front line," she pushed three of the beads forward, paused then added a forth bead on top of one. "Ben is the smallest of us. He would still be protected by your bulk, Taura, but also be of help. Xelas," she pushed another bead forward, very close to the rest but still behind them, "Would follow close behind, healing and fighting when he could. Asa and I," she took the two beads she had pulled out earlier and set them off to the side of the main group, "Would go wherever our abilities would put us at the advantage," she raised her head to the others, "This way, none of us would be alone but neither would our unique abilities be hampered," she gestured to the beads, "Anyone else have input? It is wise to plan this out,"
Sevren and Asa “I just wanted to thank you, for saving me. At least that’s what Caeleck said you did, I don’t remember much…” Sevren blinked away the tears and turned his head slightly to see Asa sitting behind him at the door. He had not been able to sense the Padawan; too wrapped up in the visions of darkness. But he was unable to reply, still lost between two worlds unsure which was reality. “Why do you meditate so often?”Asa inquired. “The official answer to that question is to reach a state of true serenity and enlightenment, enabling you to become one with the force.” Sevren responded quietly, thankful that clarity was returning to his mind.
“The official answer to that question is to reach a state of true serenity and enlightenment, enabling you to become one with the force.” Asa could hear the cracks in Sevren's voice. He was being unusually quiet, almost sad. Bluntness hadn't been the most effective path of inquiry with regard to Sevren, but Asa gave it another shot regardless. "What's up?" he asked. "Does it have something to do with Shado?" Though Asa wasn't trained in using mind tricks, he still had a vague concept of how the force could be used to demand an answer. Out of curiosity, he reinforced his question with the desire to answer. He cringed at his own realisation that, if he played it well, he could get more answers out of Sevren, perhaps even answers that had been previously denied to him.
