Chapter 178: Stupid vs Crazy
I don't own star wars
Roland
"I am Margan." The Mandalorian said coolly, his voice echoing in his helmet as his half dozen soldiers wheeled my Mother's frozen coffin into the room we will be using to bargain. The massive frigate they had landed on the planet had two entrances, one for us, and one for Malisis, apparently, the ship was specifically designed for wheeling and dealing. "Babayaga sends her regards…" he added as once mom was in place, they began to set up multiple camera's around the room. Apparently for Babayaga's show.
"Are you prepared?" Newt asked as the rest of our group readied itself for a possible fight. Barradowwa and X-E, armed with his axe and a vibrosword respectively, Mirai adjusting her slugthrower's aim, Seis and Killa of course were kitted out in their usual gear. And me, mom's swords, dad's rifle. Nike was with Circe back on the ship, along with Rattletrap.
"Yes." The Mandalorian said confidently. "My men and I are more than capable of dealing with sith…" then added calmly, "Try not to make us." He noted as the ship rumbled… the other side had been opened… They were here.
Newt turned to me as Xalbaia grabbed my shoulder. "Stay out of sight for now… and Roland." She frowned at me, "I might have to say things that could anger you. But don't interrupt us…" I took a deep breath letting Xalbaia turn me around. Everyone nodded to me, we were ready… this was it. I leaned against the wall as a door hissed on the opposite side of the room.
Malisis stepped into the room, her robe gliding on the ground as she was flanked by Whisper, Gasp, and a rather bemused looking Kaath-Tyi. "Good morning everyone…" Malisis said cheerfully as everyone with guns, aimed their guns. "Now do we really need those?" she asked as they primed. Barradowwa growled a low wookie rumble, twisting his hands on his ax shaft as Gasp winked at him. Her eyes however glanced to the cyro chamber and mom's face, the lightsaber scar prominent on her sleeping face. "Hello sweetie…" she whispered almost motherly as Newt cleared her throat.
"The formula." Newt began diplomatically, "Do you have it?" Malisis however ignored her.
"This is the first time I've been so close to her." Malissis said absently, brushing her hand on the window. "That's your work isn't it Kaath-Tyi?" she asked, referencing the scar. Kaath-Tyi looked indifferent.
"Malisis." Newt began again.
"I heard you the first time New'wettenora'dea." Malisis said as Newt flinched, apparently surprised she knew her full name. Hell, I was surprised I now knew her full name. "State your terms."
Newt scowled, then held up the holocron, "The formula, for the holocron. If you lie to us, Yura dies." Malisis scowled.
"You're precious Aiden Firemane wouldn't approve." She said coolly, but Newt shook her head dismissively.
"I don't care." She said firmly, "Your only option is, to be honest with us, or lose years of your hard work." Malisis sighed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Give us the formula…" Newt said coolly her diplomatic nature gone. as several Mandalorian blasters primed back up.
Malisis sighed, smiling coyly as she reached into her robe and pulled out a very, VERY, small vial. No bigger than a pinky finger. It was filled with an ominously dark green fluid, so dark it was almost black. "Here it is." She said, holding it daintily between her fingers as Newt and Xalbaia stared at it confused. Xalbaia actually stepped away.
"You've made another batch?! That wasn't what we agreed" she hissed nervously as Malisis rolled her eyes dismissively.
"No… this." She wiggled it as they all jumped, "IS the formula. It is venom that comes from an insect that could only be found on korriban… well, not anymore. Toxitus hunted the species into extinction for its venom." Xalbaia looked at her confused, I could tell that her mind was suddenly whirling in her skull as it processed the new information. "Given time we could probably synthesize more but between you and I, I have no desire to release a torture plague that could potentially kill me." She shrugged.
"… It's not a virus…" Xalbaia said, she sounded a little impressed.
Malisis smiled, "It is NOT. Not at first, but Toxitus managed to make it into a sort of transmitted venom. Cough, sneeze, kiss, breath on the wrong person and suddenly its a full blown plague-"
"It's a contagious poison…" Xalbaia slapped her forehead as if suddenly realizing something obvious. "…Oh for force sake. I don't need a genetic connection between Aiden and his wives, I just needed a physical cure! He's been poisoned!"
"And there you go…" Malisis smiled, speaking like a proud teacher informing their student what a good job they did., "And I have the only venom left in the galaxy…" she said, my blood went cold as she let it slide down between her loosened fingers. "Whoops." She said simply as Newt flinched, ready to charge to try and catch it, but Malisis caught herself. "Ah… just kidding…"
"…Fine. Cleaver you sith. Give me the venom." Xalbaia said, holding out her hand.
"Well my good doctor I will be more than happy to. Why don't you come over here, give me the holocron, and take it?" she said softly. Whisper, Gasp, and Kaath-Tyi all watching nervously.
"…Why don't you come over here and give it?" Xalbaia replied coolly, as Killa's hands curled into fists.
Malisis merely smiled sweetly and after a long, nervous silence, she placed the vial slowly back into her robe. This wasn't a good sign "…My good doctor, I recognize that you're the only one with the skillset to cure my daughter… but you have to understand that there is no way I'll let you cure Aiden…"
"That's not your choice if you want the holocron…" Newt replied as Malisis suddenly looked very bored, an odd beeping sound coming from their side of the ship.
"Yes yes, bargaining how delightfully Jedi…" she said as her sith allies began to let their hands linger on their lightsaber hilts.
"Don't…" Newt said warningly, but Malisis still looked bored. But she had a soft smile.
"Now don't worry Newt. After all it would be stupid to offend Babayaga…" she said, slowly. "Nobody's stupid enough to offend her…" then turning to Whisper she added, "…But there are a few people out there who are crazy enough to try…"
As if on cue, the ship shook.
"Shit!" Hissed Seis as she dashed out, glancing at the security screen and cursing. "Dausut!" a group of thugs and battle droids led by her brother and grandmother marched onto the ship and started firing into the halls as Margan glared angrily at the sith.
"The Varli?" he snarled as if disgusted. Seis however drew her rifle as she passed us toward the entrance of the compound.
"Estranged Varli!" she shouted indignantly as the sudden sound of activating sabers echoed around the room. Gasp, Whisper, and Kaath-Tyi had activated their red blades of death and they glowed ominously in the room. Seis hesitated but Killa shouted her on.
"Go! Handle your brother." She said as Seis growled, running off to hold them off as Mirai and Margan's mandalorians charged with her to help.
The holocron suddenly flew from Newt's grip, Malisis caught it and, amazingly tossed it towards X-E. Reflexively she caught it and… froze, the holocron suddenly flickered in her hand as did X-E's eyes as she stared at it, flickering green and red... That can't be good.
"Take the doctor. Kill the rest." Malisis said as she suddenly reached out, her hand flat as Newt was sent hurling across the room and curled on the floor. Malisis then curled her hand into a fist and Newt clutched at her throat and began to gag as Margan drew a pair of vibro-blades to fend off the other sith, Killa already charging Gasp with her claws. Kaath-Tyi, hesitated for a moment but was quickly engaged by Barradowwa, both of them seemingly evenly matched as Kaath-Tyi deflected her attacks.
No… they weren't even. Kaath-Tyi was obviously holding back.
"Ah Newt…" Malisis said as I gripped Mom's lightsaber tightly, "I will miss our talks…" Newt gasped for breath as Malisis force choked her.
I leapt out of hiding towards her. Her eyes flashed at me in surprise as I brought the lightsaber down on her. A long-hilted lightsaber shot from her robe and slapped into her other hand as it activated on both ends, a lightsaber staff. "Roland…" she said as my saber slammed onto her saber. "You're alive!" she said sounding both joyous and surprised. "…Well that makes things so much easier…" she said smiling as Newt coughed, her throat clearing from being force choked.
It was utter chaos… everyone seemed to be fighting everyone at once as explosions and blaster fire echoed throughout the ship. X-E continued to violently twitch, but otherwise remained still as she held the flickering holocron, Killa was holding her own against Whisper as Barradowwa traded blows with Gasp… but he was fighting Kaath-Tyi earlier, where did she go?
…I didn't have time to think about it as Malisis' saber clashed against mine. She grinned at me, "Be a good boy Roland…" she suddenly forced pushed Newt out of the room, she shrieked as her back slammed against a far wall and dropped to the ground, "And come quietly… if you do, I won't butcher your friends… slowly." The bottom half of her saber erupted into life and she began fighting more earnestly, top blade, bottom blade, top again it came at me rapidly spinning in a deadly whirl like helicopter blades clashing against my saber as I struggled to hold her back.
Then saber high in the air she paused, her face contorting in confusion as she looked over her shoulder.
Rattletrap was hanging from her saber blade, Vargoss' metal arm clamped tightly around the end as he seemed to have transformed it into some sort of… toy grab arm. He hung in the air swinging slightly as both Malisis and I stared at him.
"What… the devil… are you doing?" she asked, genuinely curious as she tried shaking him off, but he bounced comically in the air as she began to speed up. "Get off." She said firmly.
"Get her bro!" he shouted as I began my attack. She turned off the end that he was hanging from before activating it immediately once more only for him to use the arm to grapple the other blade as she barely stopped my first swing, then my second. Now I was pushing her back as Rattletrap detained her weapon again, and again.
"Enough!" she roared, suddenly a torrent of lighting surged through her hand and Rattletrap screamed. She force pushed him away toward mom's cryochamber, slamming hard against it as the arm clattered to the ground. She kicked it far from herself spinning the saber staff again and striking back, harder and more violently. She was pissed.
"I just wanted to achieve immortality! Is that to! MUCH! TO! ASK!?" she shrieked manically as she began to slam me down, again. And again. "JUST GIVE IN!!!" she snarled, her eyes manic and wild as our saber's clashed.
Newt had recovered, pulling up a fallen slugthrower and aiming at Malisis she fired, Malisis back away giving me time to get back up only to send another torrent of lighting at Newt as she shrieked and fell to her knees. Malisis then, horrifically, threw her lightsaber like a deadly giant buzzsaw.
…Doing the only thing I could think of… I threw mine. It spun end over end smacking the blade off course and sent both clattering to the ground. Before I could retrieve it, however, complete and utter pain surged through my body as she sent streaks of lightning from her hands into me. I knelt before her, screaming as it ripped through my body.
"Be a good boy! And PASS OUT!!!" she roared, wrapping her hands around my head and giving me a direct dose as I shrieked… complying with her demand…
????
…I heard screaming… I was so cold… and I felt awful… where am I? Where was I?... Who is screaming?
......….Roland?
"AHHHHHARGHHH!!!!!!" even after so long. I still recognized his voice.
My son was in trouble!
"ROLAND!!!"
Newt.
…The cryochamber exploded. The door flew across the room and slammed into X-E. separating her from the holocron as she lay on the floor. Still twitching as everyone stopped fighting to stare at Yura… her hands outstretched, as Roland collapsed to the floor unconscious and smoking…
Malisis stared at her for a moment, and Yura's scarred face turned from Roland, to her mother. Then back to Roland as a look of fury crossed her face.
"Yura… sweetie." Malisis said slowly as Yura held out her hand, and her lightsaber flew directly into it as it activated.
Yura SCREAMED in complete and utter rage as she leaped from the cryochamber, Malisis pulled her lightsaber back towards her and began to fend her off. But it was obviously one sided. And she was clearly nervous. Blow after blow Yura forced her back, literally and physically, force pushing Malisis off balance and slicing through her robe…
A tiny, pinky finger sized vial clattered on the floor. But didn't shatter, nobody else noticed it. I dove for the vial, quickly finding Xalbaia as Yura and Malisis tore the room apart, narrowly missing Whisper as Killa got in close and stabbed at his leg.
"Xalbaia! Quick! here!" I pushed the vial into her hand, "You got to figure out the cure quick!"
"What?! Now?!" Xalbaia hissed as Whisper and Gasp regrouped, fighting Barradowwa and Killa side by side.
"Yura is still sick!" I told her, as she cursed to herself, "Hurry! I don't know how much longer she can fight like that!"
Unfortunately, it wasn't long. Yura's swings started to slow, and her breathing sped up. Panting and gasping her arms went somewhat limp. Malisis was exhausted as well, but not nearly as much as Yura. Yura dropped to her knees, the lightsaber slipping from her grasp as she sucked in air, her face flushed and her eyes quivering as she gasped for breath.
"Admirable…" Malisis said, gently caressing Yura's face with her hand. "Sleep now Swe-"
There was an ominous. HISS. Malisis stood shocked, everyone stood shocked… everyone but Kaath-Tyi. Who looked triumphant as she pulled her lightsaber from Malisis' heart from behind. "…Wha-" she vomited blood and fell over… her eyes vacant… and very dead.
Everyone was stunned…
Whisper and Gasp. Seeing Malisis dead, took action quickly. Whisper grabbed his sister's hand and with a great burst of the force sent everyone flying across the room before turning and running for it. Kaath-Tyi stood up first, tapped something in her ear rapidly, paused, frowned, then quickly darted after them…
I however quickly approached Yura, lifting her back towards the cryochamber as Barradowwa, being the smart wookie he was, retrieved the door.
"Roland… what about Roland?" she gasped, the poison acting quickly, she was looking more like Aiden by the second. "Roland?"
"He's fine!" I said firmly, probably lying through my teeth. "You need to get back in there Yura." I said, lying her down as Barradowwa fit the door. It already began to cool. "…See you soon." I said, as Yura sighed… and went back to frozen slumber.
"Doctor! Now!" Killa shouted, easily lifting Roland as Rattletrap rubbed his head.
"…X-E?" he mumbled blearily, approaching his droid and shaking her gently. I walked over, taking the holocron as Xalbaia and Killa took Roland away. Barradowwa helping Rattletrap as he lifted the still twitching replica droid in a bridal carry as Rattletrap retrieved his arm.
"What did I miss?!" Seis said skidding into the room, a fresh vibro-scar gash over her left eye and several burn marks and fresh blood on her armor. Mirai limped lightly behind her, a fresh hole in her leg but nothing worse than that. "…What smells like burning bacon?" However, upon seeing an unconscious Roland, she frowned and stepped aside. Saying nothing and giving them room to move.
"Your relatives?" I asked as Seis frowned.
"…Dasut is dead…" she said coldly, not elaborating on the subject but tracing the gash lightly over her eye with a finger. "Granny ran off." She said as I handed her a kolto patch, she slapped it over her eye. "…What am I going to tell my moms?..." she said softly.
I patted her shoulder and she flinched, eyeing me curiously as I shrugged. "…Families are complicated…" I said simply. Turning to view the corpse of a sith lord… "…Especially ours…"
Kaath-Tyi.
Whisper and Gasp turned to face me… seriously?
My lightsaber lit up as I leaped onto, soon to be, my ship. They readied their sabers as I pulled out the holo-device I had been given. Tossing it onto the floor as the image of Tolara Kane appeared. Looking stern, and noble…
"…Greetings." She said coldly as Gasp and Whisper glanced at each other.
"…Moff Kane." Whisper said, grinning silkily at her, "I'm… sure we can… talk… about this…" he said, apparently trying very hard to believe his own words.
"…We certainly can…" Tolara said nodding thoughtfully. "…But we aren't going to…" she said, turning to face me. And nodding confirmation…
I grinned at them… and spun my lightsaber before leaping across the hold to their roars of defiance…
End of Chapter.
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