Escape from Corruscant - Continued from the SWG boards

Takes place immediately after the Battle of Yavin
Tales and stories set during the events of Episodes 4-6...

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Post by SmokeMare »

In the future Rissk had found herself in a place typical of her character. It was a small bar, she was sitting in the bar, watching an article on the holonet and supping a Corellian Ale. It was an interesting program too, a documentary detailing recent events and how they'd shaped the galaxy, the destruction of Alderaan, the death of the Emperor, the death of Darth Vader, the Rebellion taking Coruscant, the fall of the Empire and the formation of the Remnant.

It was a surreal thing to watch she mused, all these things being talked about as being history - yet they were yet to happen for her. As she sat a brown robed stranger entered the bar and looked starkly at her, there something about his stare that made her deidedly uncomfortable.

Carefully Rissk clicked her glass onto the table and turned angrily at the man, "Grrr! What's the matter?! Never seen a Trandoshan before!?"

Calmly the man raised his hand walked closer, "As a matter of fact, I have - but not for a long time, that's not why I was staring though... There's something about you... Something wrong."

Rissks expression turned angrier, then slid into a perplexing mixture of curiosity and understanding, "Hmmm, you may be right...."

She took a sup of her drink and began her story, the man listened intently.

~

In the present, Kregor was getting frustrated, he'd sent several probes and even fired missiles into the area where Rissk seemed to have dissapeared. The items had also dissapeared without so much as a flash, as they struck it, they seemed to cease to exist. Kregor knew little about spacial anomalies, he carefully positioned several buoays around the point where things were dissapearing and set a course for the remote planet where he'd dropped off Galena, Ariane and Reed.

~

Back on the planet Galena had found her crystal, it was blue and buried amongst a large cluster of various colours, it just felt right...

Carefully she reached down and picked it up, as she touched it she heard the sound of lightsabres igniting simultaneously.

Uneasily she turned to see what was behind her, it was a younger version of herself, clad in the glistening black cortosis armour of the Jedi War, all four of her wrist mounted sabres were ingited and hovering menacingly. The vision scowled at her, "How weak you've become, you could have ruled the galaxy."

Galena screwed her face up in confusion, she'd never aspired to rule anything, let alone the galaxy. She stood up slowly faced her doppleganger, the crystal in her hand had been replaced by a lightsabre, "I never wanted to rule anything, power corrupts, I will not be intimidated by you."

The vision chortled softly, "You really are pathetic aren't you? You have no understanding, you had no understanding then and you have no understanding now... Perem, didn't intend for you to be a footsoldier, you were to be his, everything about you was chosen to be the way it is by Perem."

Galena scowled at her double, " That's a lie ! " Galena raised her sabre menacingly at her double.

The double simply shook it's head and laughed, " You would have been too, if you had not gone off with Kregor, Perem would have won and you would have been Empress before long. Your actions condemned you to a life on the run, never having a real home, always struggling to survive."

Galena strode closer, her muscles tensed, " And what would the galaxy have been like? Under Perem's rule? He would have made Emperor Palpatine look as wise and calm as Yoda. The galaxy would have been tranformed into a living hell for almost all the population!"

The double scowled viciously at her and spat as she shout, "You weak, pathetic fool! Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven!!"

With that Galena struck her double down with all her might, but as the sabre hit her likeness it faded into the mist and Galena was left holding the blue crystal again. Eerie shadows flickered about the cave and the sounds of the others anguish could be heard elsewhere in the cave. Quickly she darted out of the cave into the moonlit night...

~

In the future, Rissk had finished her story, the man pondered for a moment, "Hmmm, interesting story, almost unbelieveable actually, but I believe you. My name is Jedi Knight Golen Raff, you must try and discover a way of getting back. The feelings you are feeling, the pain and the itching - it's the galaxy trying to remove you, it knows you shouldn't be here and it's trying to erase you."

Rissk shuddered at this... Her ship still in ruins, her gradually feeling worse by each passing hour. Somehow she had to get back.

"Golen, do you know someone who can repair my ship ?"
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Post by SmokeMare »

Reed slid down a narrow tunnel of the cave he began to feel a strange presence. He tumbled into a small cavern, lit with eerie red crystals, casting a foreboding shadow about the dank, dark pit.

As he regained his composure he began to feel the presence, stronger, darker. Hurrying, he picked a crystal from the cluster that felt. 'right' and started to wander back to the entrance. A dark voice beckoned him though, " Leaving so soon Jedi?! I think not..." Instinctively Reed swung aroudn, the crystal having become a glowing red bladed lightsabre, he blocked the wicked sharp cortosis wrist blade being swung by Kregor, but it wasn't Kregor, he was too young and he had a dark fire burning in his eyes, his face a contortion of anger.

"Who are you!" Reed demanded, desperately holding back the blade with his sabre. " I am Kregor, the Jedi Hunter, and you are my prey!"

"You'd kill your own son!? And for what!?" A look of shock and dismay appeared on the visions face and he faded into the mist, the crystal in Reed's hand having become a crystal again, Reed clambered back out of the hole.

Outside he met Galena, who was looking shaken and disturbed, "Mother... Where's Ariane?!" Galena shook her head, "I don't know, still searching for her crystal I guess, Reed, what did you see?"

Jeb interrupted at this point, sitting silently at teh entrance to the cave he raised his hand, "Do not talk about what you saw, it was for you and you only..."

~

By this point Kregor had landed and found a deserted camp, Galena, Ariane and Reed were nowhere to be seen. Cursing under his breath he stormed the ramp of the Crimson blade again, determined to complete his mission.

Once in orbit he punched in the co-ords of a small science station near Coruscant - it was his only hope of finding answers now.

~

Rissk meanwhile, in the future was watching her ship being rigged up to a transport and shifted to a shipyard. Golen had been most helpful but she still had her problems, each passing moment brought more pain and discomfort, Golen had told her she wasn't dying, but simply slowly ceasing to exist.

This of course was no comfort at all...
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Post by SmokeMare »

At the science station on Coruscant, Kregor was having a heated debate with a hangar security guard. Fortunately before it came to blows a white coated scientist appeared from the labs waving his arms, " Kregor! Hey, It's okay - you can let him through!"

Kregor snarled at the guard and barged past almost knocking him over, "Eldrin, it's good to see you again... I need to ask a favor." The grey haired scientist, smiled, "Same old Kregor - straight to the point... What can I help you with?"

Kregor motioned towards the labs and kept walking, "Can we step into somewhere a little more private, what do you know about spacial anomalies?"

Eldrin punched in the open code on the door to the small empty lab just off the hangar, "I don't know everything there is to know that's for sure, but yes, I did do some research on them a few years ago..."

Kregor told his tale, of how Rissk had disapeared, without a trace.

~

Back on the planet time was passing slowly, Galena and Reed sat about the fire haunted by their visions, and curious as to why Ariane was taking so long. Galena sighed deeply, "Jeb, why is she taking so long? Is she okay?"

"She'll take as long as she needs, some jedi manage to choose a crystal, in Ariane's case I'm guessing a crystal is choosing her..."

~

Rissk by this point had gotten her ship spaceworthy again, but unarmed, Golen had looked at her lightsabre, but it needed a new crystal - which he didn't have. Desperate to find a way back Rissk had left Cecil's Moon and was scanning space around where she thought she might have appeared.

"Grrr! This is hopeless, there's nothing unusual to detect! Hmmph, maybe Raynard can help?"

spinning her pilots seat to face the comms console she keyed in Raynards workshop on Coruscant, "Raynard, are you there? It's Rissk!"

Her greeting was met with crackle and fuzz, desperately she tried again, this time she was met with a stern sounding voice, "This shipyard was confiscated by the Empire and left for me to run, if you need work on your starship I can undertake it."

Rissk pondered for a few moments, then replied, "I'm trying to get hold of Raynard Quinn, the previous engineer who ran the yard, do you know where I can find him?"

After a little crackle the voice replied again, "Mr. Quinn was executed under Imperial law when he landed on Coruscant with the rest of the fugitives, a one eye'd Twi'Lek bounty hunter called Zebrin Vorr followed them from Kashyyk to Coruscant and turned them in."

Rissk fell silent at this shocking news... Raynard dead... It couldn't be... Her best friend since she had escaped Kregor dead...

She flicked the comm on again, "Thank you, for that information." She then flicked the comm off... Raynard dead... She punched in a search on the details of the incident into the holonet, the picture of Zebrin rang definite bells, it was the Twi'Lek who had been trying to capture or kill the jailbreakers on Tatooine, whose eye she had removed with her lightsabre... She should have done a better job and destroyed both his eyes totally.

~

Kregor was now flying the Crimson Blade towards his beacons, the characteristics of this anomaly were according to Eldrin, that it was an electrical static vortex. Kregor did not understand the sciene of it as Eldrin had explained it, but they had been discovered only a few times before, usually they were a gateway into a slightly different time, usually only hours later or earlier and they didn't usually last for long. A twist in space time had consumed Rissk's ship.

The technical details had eluded Kregor completely, but the practicality had been explained to him very clearly, to find his way back he would have to do several things, tie an anchor line to his ship and before flying through the vortex shutdown anything electrical otherwise the disruption would destroy it.

As he reached his series of bouys he fired a harpoon line at one and jabbed his thrusters to take him towards the vortex. As he started drifting he initiated a mechanical timer killing all electrical systems. He also pulled a notepad and jotted some notes down about what he was doing and what he expected to happen. As the Crimson Blade drifted into the time hole Kregor's brain felt like it was set alight. Strange flashing lights and sounds, eerie voices echoed about the cockpit and Kregor began convulsing, gripping his cockpit seats arms so hard his nails broke and his gums started bleeding, soon he was foaming at the mouth and thrashing about in his seat, fitting at the static energy coursing through his body.

When he came to, he was face down on the floor, aching all over with a very patchy memory of where he was or how he got there.

~

Rissk was stunned, gasping in amazement at the sight that was now infront of her. It was a distinctive, red painted Firespray Class Patrol ship. It was familiar too, having piloted the ship on a daily basis so many years ago, somehow Kregor had followed her here, through the time hole in his Crimson Blade.

Desperately she began banging buttons trying to coax her armaments into life, "Frell! Grrrrr, work stupid thing!" To no avail her dark green fists banged onto the weapons console. Teara began to well up in her eyes, to come so close only to be destroyed by her arch enemy, to travel through time and space for so long having survived numerous encounters with him, but now sitting in space with no shields or weapons.

She braced herself for the inevitable volley of blaster fire... But it never came, the Crimson Blade simply drifted forwards, slowed a little and began drifting sideways as if there were no power to the ship. Then just as suddenly as it appeared, the engines started and the thrusters stablized it in space.

Rissk confused, but pleased at her good fortune began to key in a complex hyperspace route that would be difficult to follow. Before she could make the jump though a voice crackled over the comm, " Rissk!? IS it really you?! Don't be afraid, I've not come to harm you!"
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Post by SmokeMare »

Rissk and Kregor's story is continued here:-

http://www.starwars-exodus.com/forum/vi ... php?t=6620
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Post by SmokeMare »

Back on the planet...

The embers of the campfire were glowing softly now, a cool breeze sharpened the night air. Ariane had been missing for what seemed like many hours. Reed turned his crystal over in his hands and sighed deeply, "Why is she taking so long? Is she alright? Should we go in after her?"

Jeb rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Be patient young one, she'll take as much time as she needs."

Galena stood up defiantly at this, "Vader nearly killed her back there... I don't know what she's doing or seeing, but can her new heart take it? I say we go in!"

Jeb pressed his finger to his lips and shushed her, "Shhh, be seated - I can feel her life force, she is alive and well - she will return soon enough."

Galena rolled her eyes and took her place at the fire again, she sat and pulled her cloak tightly around her. Her vision was still haunting her... What would her world be like if Perem's plans had come to fruition? Was Perem alive now? The waiting was torture, the future seemed so unsure at this point, but also so full of hope. The tide had turned, she had attoned for her past and the future was sure to be an improvement on the last twenty or so years.

Sitting, watching the flames, Galena fell into a deep meditative state. She was standing alone with her armoured doppleganger. Her double was scowling at her bitterly, " You weak fool! Denying the darkside is denying the greatest source of raw power in the galaxy! Without it you are nothing!"

Galena shuddered at the sharpness of her visions rasping words. As she finished she faded away into nothing and in her place stood an aged Galena, wearing the traditional Jedi robes of old, her hair was grey and her face was wrinkled and wisened looking. " You can embrace the light and still understand the dark, never allow the darkside to consume you or to control you, be it's master and don't allow it to become yours. Cast it aside, but remember how to call it... You can be great, but you can be greater if you walk the line between the light and the dark. It will not be easy but the rewards will be great..."

Suddenly her future was clear, she saw herself, standing symbolically, holding a blue sabre in her right hand and her red sabre in her left. She would tread the line between the dark and the light be all the stronger for it.

When she opened her eyes, Ariane was still nowhere to be seen. She huddled into her cloak and drew closer to the fire.
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Post by Gonesolo »

Wearily Ariane got to her feet, she put her hand to her head, which was throbbing, and when she took it away there was a trace of blood on her hand.

"Great just great" she mumbled as she tore a section from her clothing to clean up the blood on her hand and head. As she cleaned up the blood she started to get a strange feeling, a cold shiver ran up her back and then back down. Nervously she looked around the room. She was in a fairly large cavern. Although she was far down the cavern was lit. She noticed a small fire burning in the center of the room, strange that someone should be down here.

"Hello!" she called, cautiously. Her hand reached for her lightsaber, but it found nothing. A little anxious she moved forward towards the burning flame.

There was a small camp around the fire, a bed roll was spread to one side and some cooking impliments lay around the fire.

"Hello!" she called again.

"Hello Ariane" the reply startled her, she jumped away from the sound. As she watched a figure emerged, a man probably twice her age steped lightly from the shadows. He wore jedi robes and his face carried with it the worries of the galaxy, "Do not worry young one I am not here to hurt you!"

"Who are you!" Ariane demanded

"I.... am Kali Al Shahir. A Knight of what you would call the OLD order" he smiled speaking softly but clear "I am here to help you Ariane, to guide you. The choice you make here will shape your destiny and the destiny of all the people who's lives you touch!"

"What do you mean? I am here for a reason the force guides me why do I need your help?" Ariane asked confused as to why she should need guidance to find her lightsaber crystal, surely the force would show guide her.

"Because of your unique history. What lies within you is truely a duality. The fight between light and dark is personified within you. Within you are two people, both completely unique yet both very much the same."

He sat down on the ground and indicated for her to do the same, cautiously she did but she kept her distance as he continued to speak

"Within you are two people. Your mother still lives within you, altough touched by the darkside she sacrificed her life for the benefits of others. In doing so she rediscovered the light."

He paused for a moment before continuing

"However you have also devoloped a completely seperate identity for yourself. Completely seperated yourself from your mothers beliefs and teachings. You have seen so much suffering in your time, much more than your mother and I fear it has tainted you!"

"How do you mean?" she replied "I do not believe in this light and dark poodo, I live my life as I need to to survive, I do what I need to nothing more there is now dark or light motives involved"

"That is the problem! You let your emotions guide you. A true jedi is not lead by there emotions but by carefully considering how there actions will affect the galaxy as a whole. I fear you have already started down the dark path and I am here to show you the path to the light."

Ariane smorted "Great good of the galaxy pah, what has the galaxy ever done for me? What have I done that could have affected the galaxy so badly?"

"Think about it" he snapped raising his finger as if to correct her "You ran head long to Coruscant, fought Darth Vader the lord of the Sith himself, revealed yourself to him."

"And what off it?" she snapped

"Think!" he warned "Until now Vader, and the emperor believed that all the jedi were dead. Now, thanks to your actions, they know that some jedi have survived and will actively hunt them down. Jedi like your father and your sister will once again have to be extra vigilant to not reveal themselves."

"i never thought!" stammered Ariane

"That is why I am here" he smiled, "To help you to think before you act rashly to listen to your head and not your heart."

"HE WANTS TO MAKE YOU WEAK" snarled a voice from the shadows.

Ariane lept to her feet to face the direction of the new voice. A short Zabrak emerged into the light. His face was scared and his clothes dark as Vader's armour.

"Don't listen to him Ariane" he commanded "Your passion gives you strength you need strength to protect your loved ones. It was the "over thinking" of the Jedi council that almost lost the galaxy to the Mandalorians. It was only through the passion and strength of Malak and his followers that saved the galaxy."

"Raxnak" snarled the man in the jedi robes "I thought you dead!"

"As I did you Kali" smiled the Zabrak as he sat the other side of the fire and indicated to Ariane to again sit, "Do not worry Ariane I too am not here to hurt you but to show you the lies that Kali is spouting"

"It is you that lies" spat Kali viciously

"Carefull Kali" responded Raxnak calmly "You are giving into your hate and you know where that leads"

"Yes down that path that you followed" replied Kali compossing himself.

"I don't travel the dark path" smiled the Zabrak "I am merely aware of it, I have learned it's teachings so I may protect those that I love and I believe Ariane does the same"

"I'm confused" started Ariane "Who are you Raxnak?"

"I am a friend." he replied bowing his head to her, "I once found myself in a situation not unlike yours. At a cross roads with a choice to make. Like mine the choice is yours to make alone but I could not stand by and listen to the poodoo being served up by my master here!"

"Your master?" spluttered Ariane

"Yes" replied Kali "Raxnak was my padwan. Until he decided to follow Malak to war. A war that almost destroyed the republic"

"But it saved millions of lives" snarled Raxnak, "The Mandalorians had to be stopped and if you idiots on the council had taken your heads out of your asses long enough you would have known it and not condemned us for saving the galaxy!"

"What ever our personal feelings for each other are Raxnak, that is no longer the issue before us. We are hear to help Ariane make a choice" interupted Kali. He reached into his robes and pulled out a green lightsaber crystal.

"Agreed!" replied Raxnak as he pulled two red crystals from his robes. Both jedi place the crystals on the ground between them and Ariane.

"The choice is yours Ariane" said Kali softly "Choose whethar you wish to trust your mind or your feelings. In moments of clarity, when you are at peace your mind will show you the true path. The path that is best for the galaxy and the people around you!"

"But trust your feelings and they will give you the strength to over come all obstacles. The power to overwhelm all foes, to protect yourself and those you care about!" snapped Raxnak.

Ariane's mind was a blur, so much to take in. Who to trust, she could sense that both figures in front of her had an alternative motive, something that neither wished to reveal to the other. What was there true motivation. Never had the choice between the light and the dark been put in front of her so clearly.

She wondered about her friends, worried for their safety. Now that Vader knew about them would they be safe. She remembered her mother how she had sacrificed her life for the safety of the galaxy and how much pain that choice had brought to her. Had her mother even considered how her actions would affect her when she had made her decision.

She thought about the rest of the galaxy, what she knew had expierenced of it. What had it ever brought her. Nothing but pain and suffering. All those years as a slave. All the years of hate, it was not easy to forget. But that hate had driven her ever since given her a goal to achieve in life. To make them pay.

She considered the choices in front of her, the path of enlightment to change all she had believed and striven for all her life to help others, or the path of emotion. It was true her emotions had given her strenght, the strength to carry on, the strength to wreak revenge on those who had wronged her. The strength to defend her friends and loved ones. Her emotions had given her the power to achieve all that yet she felt there was more she could achieve.

Slowly she reached out her hands, crossing the void as her companions watched her anxiously. Her hands hovered for a moment over both sets of crystals and then with a new determination she reached down and picked up the pair of red crystals.

She looked at her companions, Kali looked disappointed

"You have made your choice, I hope you can live with it" he said as he vanished.

Raxnak smiled,"Indeed you have made your choice, Congratulations. Know this through those crystals I will always be with you, listen for me and I will guide you!" with those words his image also vanished.

With both gone Ariane looked around the room was now decidly dark, the fire was gone and a cold air blew down from the cave where she entered. She stood up pocketed the two crystals and started her way back to the others.

Back at the fire her father open his eyes,"Oh Ariane no!" he whispered as a single tear rolled down his cheek for his daughter.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Galena shuddered at Jeb, something he'd sensed... But what... The solitary tear running down his cheek... Something about Ariane, what had she chosen? What had chosen her? She gestured to Jeb for his attention, "Jeb, what's the matter? Something to do with Ariane?"

Jeb sat silent and still as a statue. His face stony and cold, "Whatever she does, wherever she goes... The darkside chases her and tempts her... It's always desperate to draw her in... I... I don't know how long she can fight it..."

Reed stood and walked from the fire gazing at the twighlight, the wind blowing his black hair, the firelight casting foreboding shadows about him. Sometimes when the firelight flcikered brightly, he looked like a young Kregor, or a young Perem... A past of so much darkness... Would it consume him also?

He sighed deeply, and without turning, "What does it matter? Lightside, Darkside... Anger and Hatred, love, courage... We're all pitiful fools, lost in a galaxy full of darkness, fighting for survival day by day... But we'll keep fighting, through the light and the dark... just for the chance to see another day, to fight another battle and to save the ones we love from the misery of seeing us perish... By the force it seems a miserable existance..."
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane eventually scrambled her way out of the cave to join the others. As she approached the camp Jeb looked up. A look of disappointment but understanding in his eyes. She was sorry he was disappointed in her choice but she was sure she had made the right choice!"

She stopped beside him as he stood up from his seat

"Father I ......" she started

But he raised his hand to stop her,"You made the decision that you believe to be right for you. Each jedi treads a different part. I'm am just sorry that when we are finished her our journeys will lead us in different directions."

He paused and put his hand gently on her cheek,"The choice is yours my beautiful daughter. I had hoped we would travel together but it is not to be. This is what saddens me, myself and your mother were seperated too long and I did not want the same to happen to us. But I suppose it is the force's will that history should repeat once more!"

He stepped away towards the others "It is time to move on, we have far to go!"

"Galena, Reed your training I will be able to finish and we must get started but Ariane while you may still learn much from me it is another who must complete your training."

Ariane nodded her understanding but she was confused as too who would complete her training now. She knew of any other jedi in the galaxy but she knew to trust her fathers words.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Galena stood up... "What choice?"

Ariane stared guiltily at her, feigning ignorance. Reed looked from Galena, to Jeb, to Ariane, "What's going on here? What aren't we being told? And why does Ariane have to leave?"

His face was a mask of confusion, only Jeb looked both knowing and content. He had an air of both sorrow and understanding.
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Post by Gonesolo »

"No, he is right!" Ariane started,"My decision in the cave was mine to make but it is not a path that my father can teach me!"

Nothing else was said as they travelling back to the camp. The silence was almost defening. Reed and Galena were confused by what had happened, before she had entered the cave she and Jeb were almost glad to be back together again, now, he was ordering her away!

When they reached the camp Ariane packed away a few things. Eventually they all stood around the fire together. Ariane hugged her father warmly, as she pulled back he handed her a small material bag.

"Parts you will need!" he smiled

"Father I...." Ariane started

"I know my child" he replied gently rubbing his warm, furry hand on her right cheek,"but you must go. The path you have choosen is not one we can travel together, you now present a threat to the galaxy. I fear if we meet again we will be enemies"

Ariane started to cry burrying her head in the hard matieral of his cloak as he held her again. He lifted her head away and held her looking directly at him.

"Promise me." he demanded" Promise me you will not give into your feelings of hate. If you do I will have lost you and I can not take loosing you twice!"

She sniffled a little as she pulled away "I promise father"

She turned to face Galena and Reed who were both confused and saddened.

"Why?" asked Reed

"It is the will of the force replied Ariane gently. My path is different to yours. My father has already taught me much but there is more I must learn. Elsewhere. Far from here!"

Reed, crying rushed forward and hugged her. She held him tight for a moment before pulling him away. She kneeled down in front of him.

"Listen to your mother, and your grandfather. They will teach you well!"

Then she stood up and looked at Galena,"Look after him. What ever happens if you ever need me I will be there to protect you both all you need do is call!"

"But how?" started Galena tears welling up in her eyes

"Father will teach you!" she smiled before hugging her sister.

"I'll send the ship back for you. I have a feeling I'm going to be travelling by another method soon!"

Without another word she walked away from the camp towards her Macraw freighter standing on the end of the clearing. She looked back only once to see Reed hugging his mother and Jeb watching quietly from the fireside as she set course for Naboo and blasted away from the planet.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Reed turned to Galena, "What the hell was that about?!" Galena frowned, "I don't know... Something in the cave... Something went wrong."

Jeb shook his head in dismay at them, "She has made her choice, and now must live by it. The test has to allow for the Jedi to choose the dark path, some of the crystals were strong in the darkside. Now we must hope that it doesn't cost her, her immortal soul."

Galena shuddered, the darkside was known to consume people from the inside, destroying them. She remembered the fall of Master Yado and his battle on Naboo - the hatred, the fear, the anger... She hoped Ariane, would not befall a similar fate.

Jeb started walking back to his cave, "Come you must rest - we have a lot to do tomorrow."
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Post by Gonesolo »

Sitting in the cockpit of the frieghter Ariane cried for what she had done. Her choice has cost her dearly. Her father was now lost to her, there was no way she could change that now, she knew that had it been any other jedi they would probably have killed her rather than allow another Dark Jedi roam the galaxy. But her father could not, she hoped she did not make him regret that decision.

"You made the right choice Ariane!" the voice from behind her made her spin around. In front of her the image of Raxnar stood again before her. He was dressed in standard jedi robes and was wearing a cloak with the hood down. His face was remarkably clear of tatoos which was unusual for a Zabrak and he had a long pony tail tied up neatly.

"i'm not so sure!" she stammered "It's already cost me so much! My father hates me!"

"No Ariane, he does not hate you he just does not fully understand the decision you have made but rest assured it is the right one! He is correct in one thing however he can not complete your training, that job will fall to me!"

"But you are a sith" snapped Ariane "You believe is none of the jedi principles your only driving goal is yourself!"

"NO that is NOT true" snarled Raxnar "I am not, nor was I ever a sith. I merly made a choice, a choice to help millions of helpless suffering. Unfortunatly the jedi council did not agree with my choice and branded me, and many others, as outcasts"

The image walked forward and sat in the chair beside her. "Ariane I fought the Mandalorians many years ago because I believed that the Jedi councils decision to not interveen was short sighted and was costing the lives of millions of innocents. However I was still much a padwan when I went to fight and still had much to learn. I learned much on the battlefields of that conflct. Learned how openinig yourself to the influences of your feelings can give you the power you need to survive." He sighed before he continued.

"I say a great many deaths during the war, unnecessary deaths in many cases. I was determined I was not going to die like that. A woman I met there taught me how to embrace my feelings ALL my feelings, to understand them to use them to make me stronger. It was true her teachings that I survived the war. But I did not turn Sith, unlike many of the other Jedi who followed Malak I stopped fighting when the war was open. I retreated to that cave it was in that cave that the jedi council found me and when I refused to denounce what I had done they attacked and killed me!"

"Are you saying the council betrayed their own kind!" gasped Ariane

"Many jedi who died at that time did not die fighting the Mandalorians or during the civil war that followed. What many jedi are still unwilling to accept, Ariane, is that the path between light and dark is not so clean cut. There is another path one that embraces the teachings of both but is neither light nor dark, neither Jedi nor Sith. This is the course I will teach you!"

"Very well" smiled Ariane "When do we start!"

"When we arrive on Naboo" Smiled Raxnar "I sense you are still very weak from your wound, while it heals on Naboo we will continue your training so that by the time you are fully healed your training will be complete!"

Ariane smiled and turned to the computer console, punching in commands to the navigation computer she directed the vessel to the house where her mother had grown up on Naboo, she just hopped it was still there.

Behind her Raxnar pulled the hood up on his cloak, a vicious coniving smile on his face before his image faded from view.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Ariane and Inara stepped in and attacked the clone in unison. Ariane struck high and Inara struck low, immediatly they had the clone on her back foot. Despite containing Ariane's memories and expierence this was a second rate replica of the original.
As Ariane blocked high with the clone Inara dropped low and cast her blade cutting the clone just above the knee, the clone fell to the ground in pain. Ariane did not relent however she stepped in by Inara raising her blade high above her head, spining the blade once around her wrist she brought the blade straigth down and ran the clone through.

Ariane immedialty snapped her blade off and stared intently across the room at Lady Malrum who was cautiously starting to back out of the room.

"M A L R U M!" Ariane cried as she strode across the room towards the woman an intense rage buring in her eyes.

Malrum simply smiled as she could hear her re-enforcements coming up the corridor, re-enforcements she had called when she saw the Naboo crusier landing in the Palace hanger, Quickly she slipped out the door and down the corridor.

Ariane started to burst to a run to follow but she felt dizzy and stumbled a step or two before quickly recovering and following after the fleeing woman.

Kregor and Galena rushed into the hangar just in time to see Jeb run into the ship with the Queen, " Kill the power quickly ! We can't let them take off!" Galena nodded and ignited her four sabres as she ran. All four sabres carved into the hull of the ship slowly but surely melting a large hole in the fuselage and cutting off the fuel pods.

Meanwhile Kregor was sprinting up the ramp into the ship. The queens protector Jedi was already waiting for him though. Cortosis glove and lightsabre clashed, three, four, six times, as Kregor swung, swept and stabbed at the Jedi - Pushing him back. " The queen has to die Jedi, because you are defending her you must die too - " As he spoke the armour quickly stopped glowing red, and returned to it's perfect black. Galena rushed up the ramp into the ship. " Sir, for this plan to be executed correctly I must terminate the queen - you kill this Jedi..."

Simultaneaously Kregor charged at the Jedi, Cortosis Wrist blades slashing and Galena rushed at the queen. Kregor slashed, spun and struck with his weapons... However this Jedi was faster than his previous foes, dodging and parrying, Kregor pressed on his advantage - always conscious to cloud his thoughts - mentally projecting incorrect decisions on what he was going to do... Eventually a high sabre strike swept down onto Kregor, who caught it square in his left gauntlet and simultaneously swept a disembowleling slash to the Jedi's abdomen...

Kregor thought he had won, he saw the blade contact while he held the sabre... But just at the last micro-second the Jedi arched backwards letting go of his sabre. Two neat cuts had opened up his Jedi robe revealing his stomach - but his flesh was unscathed... Kregor threw the sabre onto the ground - not wanting to test the upper limits of his Cortosis at this time.

While this was happening Galena had used Kregor's distraction to get close to the queen. The ship was confined and there was nowhere for the queen to run. Just as the Jedi lost his sabre Galena struck mercilessly, a vertical downward sweep with the twin sabres on her right hand. Neatly slicing the queen into three slices. Looking over her shoulder Galena saw Kregor looking weary from his hard fought battle, force jumping at the Jedi she swept her four sabres elegantly towards him. However, before she was in range he had force-pulled his sabre to his hand and easily blocked the assault...

Meanwhile as the queen rounded the corner Campbell and Thorn strode past her, igniting their sabres.

Ariane and Inara skidded to a halt. They could clearly see the queen casually walking away with these two black armour clad warriors blocking their way. Ariane spoke first, " Our fight is not you, step aside NOW and you may live. "

To this Thorn and Campbell raised their weapons and began sweeping and stabbing at the two Jedi. Ariane and Inara fought seemlessly blocking and striking in unison, defending each other and attacking both targets. Sabres swug and clashed - occasionally bouncing off Cortosis armour.

Campbell suddenly locked Inara's sabre in his twin sabre gauntlet and twisted. Sabre flying accross the corridor he drove his other Sabres straight at her chest. Seeing his move Inara force jumped backwards and force-pulled her sabre back to her hand.

Ariane and Thorn were battling ferociously, occasionally Thorn's armour would start to glow red, then fade to black again. Fighting this deadly armoured foe reminded Ariane of someone else, the style... There was something about his style, As Ariane struck high Thorn blocked, ducked to his knees, and sept at her feet at knee height with his right gauntlet. Ariane leapt into the air, allowing the blades to pass harmlessly beneath her and at teh same time swept down at Thorn's head. " YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!" Thorn screamed, he'd thought he was safe, he'd blocked the shot, but the angle of his black hadn't quite been right, exposing tiny bit of his head. Half of his ear lay severed and cauterised on the floor...

He backed away as Ariane non-chalantly stepped over his severed half-ear menacingly. Just then Campbells ommunicator beeped, he knew what it meant. He called to Thorn," Thorn, the missions comeplete - we have to escape ! Back to the ship !"



Galena tossed and turned in her sleep, her dark dream haunting her...

As Perem's cruiser landed next to the Nubian vessel, he sensed the battle taking place.

Yado was still bounded and was subdued for the time being. As Perem landed he saw his mother running out and Ariene following behind.

"Now old Master, I'll release you. But I fear your precious Jedi will not welcome you as you think. Your a Dark One now and they will sense this, and not trust you. You are an ally of mine whether you like it or not."

Perem undid Yado's bindings. His lightsaber no longer exsisted and Perem regarded him as no threat. Still Perem lefted his hands bounded so he could run into the fray outside without being held up by Yado.

Perem charged out in between his mother and Ariene. Thorn, the clone that resembled Perem was on the ground.

"AH! Ariene my old friend." Perem smirked and lashed out to Ariene. He swung low and then upwards as she darted back and forth.

"Mother board the ship!" Perem lookd back quickly to see his mother run up the plank as Yado came down. Perem turned back at Ariene and slashed forward and then grip her in a Force grip. She choked as he tightened his grip.

Yado seeing this became confused. His head pounded and was spinning out of control. He wanted to help but he was fighting the Dark Side within and could not act.

Perem smiled at the artistry of his plans. Grabbing his com-link he ordered for more support to come to the hanger, as the Queen's re-enforcements were starting out to the battle.

They began to fire at Perem and he had to let go of Ariene to block a blast, he rolled backwards then stoode up as two more blast came his way. He swung his saber and bounced the blast to the guards, who fell instantly.

Perem then turned back to Ariene. He smiled and looked at her.

"I have the cure." he laughed as he jumped back to his cruiser. With his mother aboard he felt better. He then signalled Kregor on his com-link.

"Kregor finish with these Jedi, and rendezvous to the Dark Messiah."

Perem was confident Kregor would get the job done. As he started off the platform he looked at Yado who was in the fetal positon and looking back at Perem. Rage began in Yado. He would not let this happen!

Yado stoode up and noticed Ariene was getting to her feet. One of her sabers was on the ground and Yado quickly Force pulled it to him. He ignited it and as Perem's ship rounded overhead, Yado flung the saber to his ship.

It twirled all the way to the fuel pods and connected with the saber point first. As it hit Yado used the Force to staedy it as it burned inward until it met it's goal.

Fuel and fire bursted as Perem's Ship rocked back and forth. Laughing Yado fell to his knees.


Naboo... It was Naboo... All those years ago...

The smell of burning flesh permeated the air around the exit ramp of the queens ship. The ghostly image of two dismembered hands gently clasping a light sabre would stay with Kregor for many years. Seeing the action on the higher walkway Kregor adn Galena quickened their pace.
Galena force-jumped up onto the walkway, and Kregor jetpacked up... The scene that greeted them was one of utter chaos. Thorn was backing away from the Jedi cluthcing the side of his head. Campbell was still locked in fierce combat with one of the female Jedi. The Master 'Yado' whom they had captured for Perem was rolling on the floor laughing hysterically like a madman. Ariane was gazing at the handless Jedi kneeling at her feet - he appeared to be weeping.

The flames from the burning cruiser scorched their skin, it probably wouldn't be long before the ship exploded completely. Still they had a job to do... Kregor called out to Thorn, " Thorn, get to the Crimson Blade, and fly it back here - we'll take care of these.... 'Jedi'." Thorn nodded and force-jumped off the platform. Before his twin sabred Jedi attacker could follow Kregor and Galena leapt at her, lightsabres and Cortosis wrist blades snapping and whirring, she was puched back struggling valiantly to fence against such and overwhelming amount strikes and slashes...

On the hangar floor Thorn was sprinting towards the place where they had hidden the Crimson Blade.

At the same time Campbell and Inara were fighing a vicious, fierce battle. The speed at which sabres were contacting rockd both combatants on every strike... His opponent often getting a good hit on his body, but the armour just would not give, and try as hard she might she couldn't a good head shot in.

After a blinding sideways sweep at neck height towards Campbell he leapt up a few inches, raised his arm and caught the sabre blade in his armpit, simultaneously aiming a savage kick to her mid-riff. As his opponent stumbled backwards towards the edge of the platform Campbell saw Kregor and Galena's oppent struggling hard to defend herself. Seeing his oppurtunity he leapt towards he exposed back, all four sabres poised to strike...



The dreams were vivid it was like being back there, in the hangar.


"R5, Joren take Jeb to 1-5A on the Hunter, he will know what to do!" She leant in gently to Jeb, "Do not worry I will be along shortly!" and with that she gently kissed him, he smiled warmly but weakly back at her.

Ariane stood up and retrieved her lightsaber as Joren and R5 withdrew with Jeb in tow.

"I thought I recognised the combat style alright Kregor, it has been a long time!" she called to the man as she sidestepped in front of the two attackers,"You will not find me as easy a target!"

Galena moved to intercept the fleeing Joren and R5 and Ariane moved to intercept quickly force running to close the gap she slid low and took the womans leg out from her, Galena fell onto her back. Moving as soon as he saw Ariane move Kregor stepped in to intercept but did not anticipate the low assault and connected with nothing. Ariane quickly threw herself back to a standing position, she had not even ignited her lightsaber.

Galena quickly recovered her feet and charged at Ariane swinging wildly with her lightsaber's, again Ariane ducked the blow but this time she caught Galena and threw her, using her momentum as force, across the platform. Galena skatted across the platform as Kregor charged in from behind Ariane wristblades extended, the lightsaber hissed to life and she spun, almost as soon as Galena's body had left her grip, and deflected the first assault, manevouring her body so that the wrist blades slide just past her chest. Ariane brought the palm of her left hand down in a flat palmed back strike as Kregor swung past her and with a quick enchancement from the force he stumbled forward, reeling slightly from the impact of the strike and a little shocked that he had actually felt the pain!

As Kergor stumbled forward Galena had recovered at the far edge of the platform as was preparing to assault again, but she did not get the chance with one fluid movement Ariane completed a turn and force pushed the hapless woman off the walkway! Galena screamed as she fell from the walkway.

Kregor meanwhile recovered his combat stance and again Ariane turned to face him.

"Now we are even!" she hissed at him as she brought her lightsaber level with her chest,"You take my loves hands, I take your love!"



What did it mean? Why these dreams now?


Kregor stood stock still, silhouetted against the backdrop of fire and burning starship, a new look of menacing calm on his face, " Ariane, I thought I recognised you... You're not the whelp you used to be... I never understood why Master Sars wanted to train you in the first place... And now what do you do with what you learned? You ally yourself with the pitiful Jedi !? The Arrogant masters of the parlour trick, a stain on the galaxy ?! I pity your weakness..."
Arianes resolve stiffened, with fire in her eyes she retorted, "The Jedi are more than just a collection of people it is a way of life, a code to live by. Knowledge passed from one generation to another. So while the numbers may change the Jedi order will never die, not as long as 1 Jedi exists in the Galaxy!"

Kregor smiled warmly, " There will not be one Jedi in the galaxy soon. I am about to reduce their numbers by one... Let's seee if you've learned anything since we last sparred..."

Ariane scowled at Kregor, "Kregor, how could you ally yourself with this monster did none of Master Sars teaching sit with you. He told me his previous student held no regard for the ethics of his art! The Jedi have kept peace in the galaxies for centuries you would do well to grant them the respect they deserve!"

Kregor laughed heartily, " The Jedi are finished, their order has been failing for a long time. Soon the Jedi are going to be wiped out, exterminated... And not by me alone! The Jedi have had their golden era, and soon will fade into darkness..."

Ariane retorted with fire in her eyes, "The Jedi are more than just a collection of people it is a way of life, a code to live by. Knowledge passed from one generation to another. So while the numbers may change the Jedi order will never die, not as long as 1 Jedi exists in the Galaxy!"

Smiling warmly Kregor snapped his wrist blades out to their full frightening length, " Ariane dear, I'd love to stay and talk but I have Jedi to slay, and unfortunately you are one of them, let's see what you've learned since last time we sparred !?"

With that Kregors face dropped, looking more sullen than before. Pushing his mind into the deepest Jedi fighting trance he ever experienced, Jedi precognition and telepathy would be so scrambled by the conflicting imagery of how he was going to fight that a Jedi's advantage would be totally muted....

Ariane raised her sabre elegantly, and adopted a steady fighting stance. Slowly, purposefully the two combatants circled each other, looking for an opening...

In the background Campbell and Inara were still battling to the death, each trying to gain an advantage. Neiter able to, their battle overshadowed by the drama of Kregor and Ariane carefully weighing each other up.

Galena was unconscious, her leg trapped in loose wires, dangling precariously over the drop down to the platform below. A gentle trickle of blood dripping from where her head had smashed into the gantry.

Kregor and Ariane paused, simultaneously both let out a piercing battle-cry and charged forwards. Kregors left claw hooking in viciously towards Arianes neck. Her left 'sabre hand' corssing her body and intercepting his strike, then spinning with her right backfist straight at Kregors face.

Kregor ducked, the hadn passing harmlessly above him and at the same time thrust his right claw at Arianes groin. Arianes left knee crossed her body again, deflecting the claw past her, then she whirled straight into a spinning reverse roudhouse kick to the kneeling Kregor's head. Seeing it coming he dropped down onto his back , then flicked back up onto his feet.

Kregor could see the starship fire reflected in Arianes eyes. She looked more menacing than any Jedi he'd ever seen. His thoughts weren't of winning or losing, or even of what may have become of Galena, he was totally focused on the fight.

Ariane sensing his pause sprung forwards sabre aimed square at Kregors head. Kregor raised his arms to an X-fist block trapping the blade, then simultaneously Kregor and Ariane lashed out with lightning fast kicks to each others abdomens.

As the combatants stumbled backwards Kregor felt a new rage building inside him. He quietnened his mind- not wanting to be distracted by rage, and rushed forwards, wristblades slashing high, low, spinning... Ariane was pushed bakwards by the sheer ferocity of Kregors attack, barely able to hold her sabre, his strength was so great...

As Kregors flurry of attacks slowed, Ariane saw her chance to counter. Crossing his body with her sabre she unleashed a surprise punch, augmented by the force - straight onto Kregors nose, as he reeled back he slashed horizontally at her face with his right wristblade - opening a deep cut above Ariane's left eye.

The combatants backed away, blood pouring from Kregors crushed nose, and pouring from the deep cut above Arianes eye. Both were panting, physically exhausted, mentally frustrated at the seemingly indomitable nature of thier opponents.

Both Kregor and Ariane were unleashing a hundred percent of their potential at each other... But to no avail... Never before had either fought such a relentless opponent.

This time Ariane seized the advantage of being attacker. Lightsabre whirling above her head, spinning and striking seemlessly, as Kregor skipped back blocking and defending his head... His armour glowing red... As her attack gained momentum, the ferocity increased, Kregors Armour was glowing white in places. Ariane, filled with emotion struck for the whitest parts until an ear piercing crack was heard, Kregor trapped her sabre in his left gauntlet, and swung his right wrist blade at her head. Ariane reacted, grabbing the attacking arm, but Kregor twisted around and smashed his right elbow into her head.

He connected with a sickening cruncha and Ariane stumbled sideways... Backing away Kregor looked down at his Cortosis Breast plate. A tiny hairline crack, millemetres acroos had opened up where Ariane had concentrated her attack.

Re-focusing himself for another onslaught Kregor looked at his battered oppponent, his muscles were aching, his mind was tired. Yet he had to continue his fight. Charging forwards again in his blood splattered armour he struck simultaneously with both wrist blades at Arianes head, she blocked his right with her sabre and the left with her hand. Kregor seeing his chance grabbed the sabre and her arm, flicking the sabre out of her hand he slashed with every ounce of strength he had left at her right elbow...

The sound of metal meeting metal startled Kregor. The crunch of his wristblade ripping through cables was not what he expected to hear. His right blade trapped only a third of the way into the elbow Kregor was momentarily helpless. Ariane seized her chance smahing her left back fist into his jaw... A solitary tooth clinked onto the metal gantry and Kregor sstumbled back - exhausted....

Ariane's muscles were burning with exhaustion. Some of her robotic fingers didn't work and her tunic as soaked in blood. Staring at each other full of hate neither had the energy to attack again.

While they stared timelessly at eeach other Thorn appeared alongside the gantry. Having pulled Galena to safety and picked up Perem. Campbell force-pushed Inara back, sprinted past Ariane, grabbed Kregor around the waist and dived onto the open ramp.

Kregor sitting exhausted on the open ramp as the Crimson Blade hovered called out to Ariane, " We'll meet again Ariane ! Next time I WILL kill you... "

Ariane stood motionless as the ramp closed and the Crimson Blade swept out of the hanger, en-route to the Dark Messiah....




Galena woke with a start... The cave was cold and eerie... The past niggled and stabbed at her - what was it trying to tell her?
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Post by SmokeMare »

Galena sat and mused over the images of the past for a long time. Eventually desperate for a conclusion she concluded - let the past lie... The future is all that counts. The past is merely a foriegn system, far across the galaxy - don't pay it attention.

The rest of the night passed without incident and in the morning Galena woke first. She stretched and strode past Jeb and Reed into the fresh morning air - into the new day. There were now birds singing in the trees and she felt rejuvenated and alive.

It was a new day - Ariane had gone, but so had the pain. Whatever paths lay before them they would tread, and tread seperately again. For now Jeb would train in the the use of the force - who knew? Maybe Kregor would return. Hope had certainly returned, and Galena was not afraid anymore.

Created to destroy the Jedi Galena swore there and then to fight for the Jedi cause and restore the galaxy... Feeling enlightened and empowered she recalled the darkness about Ariane after she had returned from the cave.

She smelt of pure malice, she left a friend though, no matter how tentive and tense their biref relationship had been Galena felt for her...

Galena shuddered in the cold morning light, if Jeb had been correct,....

Then the Force have Mecy on Arianes mortal soul.
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Post by Gonesolo »

The freighter touched down in the lake area of Naboo. Quickly Ariane disembarked and the ship took off again after she was clear. Returning to Reed and Galena so she would not have abandoned them on that planet. She turned to face the house she knew from her mother's youth. Many memories filled her mind, she lingered for a moment and then cast them aside and headed inside.

Inside the house showed years of neglect, the counter and table tops were thick with dust and the cupboards barren and empty. What remained of any type of food had gone off a long time ago and a stench of decay filled the house.

Ariane quickly moved around the house opening doors and windows to remove the smell of decay. She discarded any old foodstuffs that she found. Noting that she would have to get some new supplies. She wondered if her mothers old speeder was still in the garage and moved quickly to find out.

Upon opening the door to the garage she was pleased to note the old speeder was still there, but a little dissapointed to learn that one of the engines had been stripped down. Upon a casual investigation she noted that it would not take long to repair and started to work.

A few hours later and grubby from the dirt on the speeder she returned to the main house. Her task complete she decided it would be good to get some rest. It had been a long day and much had transpired. So after dusting down one of the beds she collapsed on it and was soon in a deep sleep.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Sitting on the hillside outside the cave the years wieghed heavily on Galena. It had been along time and there was far too much water under the bridge. Part of her wanted to run away, maybe find Kregor...

Seeing Kregor again, in these circumstances, it opened an old wound.

Reed exited the cave next, "Mother, are you alright?"

Galena nodded softly, "I'm okay, just a little weary... Where is Jeb?"
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