Capítulo 32: THE CURSE WITHIN
"You crushed Alderaan under your boot, apprentice. I am incredibly impressed. The planet will feel the sting for years to come." Baras began to praise his apprentice when she and her crew came back at the ship.
She bowed. "I am your humble servant, Master."
Vette stayed by the side with her arms crossed and leaning back on the metallic walls of the ship, carefully watching her friend in the process. Through all those years of experience, the Twi'lek knew that L
CHAPTER XXXII | THE CURSE WITHIN
When the group arrived at their location the following day, the three of them noticed as the sand people didn't engage them at all but rather – ran out of the cave. The Sith didn't need to draw her lightsaber nor did the blasters of her companions. Vette found it weird and Quinn found it fascinating.
And Sharack was there as she promised. "I trailed and observed your descent here. I could not believe my eyes. The sand people all ran from you. What transpired inside the sand demon cave that makes this so?"
"I honestly have no idea why the Sand People ran." Her companions looked at her, and they all exactly knew why.
"Now that I see you close-up, I can guess. You have the demon's blood all over you. Its essence follows you." She said in awed while Vette was still rather disgusted by the stench they caught. It was bothering their noses on a whole new different level and Leena had a helmet to cover hers. "Now, Izsebowe said that this is where your path will be illuminated. But there doesn't seem to be anything here… wait! On your guard, offworlder." She said as one of the Sand people approached them with caution. "One of the Sand People approaches."
But when the Sith ignited her lightsaber, the Sand Person Shaman cowers and grunts in her presence. He bowed before her and held out a weathered parchment. When Leena turned off her lightsaber, she responded in kind and bowed in return. The Sand Person held the parchment to Sharack and quickly left the scene.
Her liaison responded. "I've never seen one of the Sand People approach an outsider in peace. This parchment the Sand Person brought is remarkable. It is a crude but very clear map of the desert. It marks a door carved into the wall of the Desert Wound Ravine. But I've mapped this ravine, and there is no such door."
"If this is where the Padawan went, I must follow." Spoke the Sith. She needed to know what that child did that had her Master so frightened by her mere existence.
"I shudder to think what awaits you there," Sharack warned. "The ravine marks the farthest I or anyone I know has dared to venture. Here are the coordinates. I will follow stealth, using the dune's shadows."
"Think first of your own safety," The Sith said with caution. "And do not follow if it becomes too harrowing."
This made Vette wonder if Leena would even bring her and Quinn along, but considering Sharack eager to follow – maybe her friend will. Quinn, on the other hand, thrives on harrowing. "Your concern is appreciated. Darth Baras enlisted my services to be scout and lookout, and I intend to do my job. Head deeper into the desert and you will find the Desert Wound Ravine. Safe journey."
Going their separate ways for this task, Leena didn't say another word as she proceeded out of the cave. Even when her companions followed her throughout the desert, it was starting again, the noises in her head. The rhythm, the beating – the heartbeat of a Sith as the voice described.
'Are you a coward or a killer?' The voice spoke inside her mind. This unknown yet familiar voice. The Sith took lives, and sometimes she thought that she lived too long – that perhaps that it was best if she died with her mother back on Alderaan.
Times change, and so must she. The noise in her head sometimes felt like the darkness. Through all those years under Baras, she knew what it meant to struggle for the sake of surviving – and she knew that she couldn't save everyone. Perhaps Arrun looked into her eyes and saw the boiling hatred in those rare, grey eyes of her. She was already tired.
Because in the end, people would just get tired. Tired of this never-ending struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to her, tired of watching everything turn to dust or be buried six feet under the ground. Perhaps, deep down inside of her, she convinced herself that she was the one who killed Arrun in the process and maybe, she would be the reason others would die on her behalf.
Everyone knows that everything dies, and no one knew it like Leena Sern.
She didn't need to own the universe, she just needs to see it. She just needs to listen to it.
'Listen.' The voice chanted again. The noise in her head, the drumbeat. It seemed like the rhythm of war – the drums, the never-ending drums. The moment is coming. 'The moment is us, you have to decide.'
The heartbeat of a Sith Lord.
When she arrived at the location, her two companions stood behind her with a respectable distance as the Sith apprentice proceeded to walk towards the small body of water. As she was hearing things, Leena couldn't help but shake her head when she began to see two different clouds – one of dark and the other of light.
When she turned around, Vette and Quinn were no longer there.
"Take a good long look, lightweight. See the woman you're supposed to be." She heard another familiar voice, it was her voice.
"No." Another voice spoke, but as confusion grew on her, she knew it was also her voice that spoke. "You have lost your way, dark one. But I have come to correct your course." When the Sith turned back towards the lake, she found herself – two very different reflections of herself.
Leena slowly removed her helmet, as she witnessed the reflection if she fully communed with the Dark Side of the Force and the other, the Light side. They seemed to be two very different people.
The dark reflection continued. "I am the embodiment of your true potential. I am what you could be if you had the guts to follow the dark path more faithfully."
"She is wrong." The light reflection spoke in a rather calmer and kinder tone. "I am the embodiment of your greatest potential. I am what you could be if you overcame your fear and walked in the light."
"Impossible." Leena shook her head in denial. "You two are trying to trick me."
"Vanity becomes you." The dark one spoke.
The light one had her own. "Only someone ridiculed with fear lies to herself. The light eliminates the need for such fear."
"Cease your merciful tendencies and embrace the full meaning of the dark side of the Force – or you will be destroyed."
"This is some sort of trick. You two are nothing like me." The Sith continued to be confused by all of this nonsense. Arrun told her that communing with the dark side will only destroy her, but she also knew that she needed the dark side to destroy Baras.
"Let me prove that we are you." Spoke the light one. "We hunt Noman Karr's Padawan, who can see the true nature of anyone. Our Master, Darth Baras, fears that this girl will expose his network of spies and bring him about his demise. And you believe that we need her to be free of him."
"I accept that you two are both sides of me. So what?" The apprentice questioned. "I don't get how exactly I will be destroyed."
"There are a number of disasters you are flirting with." The dark one warned. "You are Sith. You walk among Sith. The stench of light will be like rot in their nostrils. Darth Baras already caught that stench on you and soon, he will strike you down without mercy."
"And here I am to save you from that." The light one interjected. "If you persist down this path of vengeance and hate, your life will be consumed by paranoia and fear. Betrayal will wait around every corner. You will never know whom to trust."
"Both of you are speaking of a fantasy world. Baras caught me, yes, but we all know he needs me more than ever before." She was his weapon. He wasn't ready to dispose of her yet.
"Do you really think he would tip his hand to you?" The dark one spoke of mockery. "See, this is where the light will truly fail you."
"To someone who only knows darkness, it would seem so." The light one argued. "You see, the dark side seeks to subjugate the Force. It treats the Force as an adversary to be used and manipulated. When you embrace the light, you meld with the Force. Become part of it. Then true clarity and peace can be achieved."
"The light blinds you to the ill will grow from your fellows. Baras and the other Sith will have the advantage of deception. And the power of the strongest forces in the galaxy—passion, rage, love! The light shuns and denies these things."
"If the light truly shuns those emotions, how was your husband capable of loving you despite his light path?"
The dark one laughed. "And look where it got him. He was murdered for it. Think this through. This Padawan Baras wants you to kill can destroy him. He has seen it. What if you can seduce her, claim this Padawan for yourself? Corrupt her to the dark, control her and add her power to yours? A master of the dark side could turn this Padawan – and then you can destroy Baras and claim what you have always wanted… our freedom."
"Freedom is such a powerful word. If you can't listen to anything else, listen to this: Look at our master. If this dark is so potent, why is Darth Baras deathly afraid of a young girl? Noman Karr's Padawan is merely a nascent champion of the light, and already she strikes fear into the heart of a dark side master. To strike him down in the name of the dark side will only destroy you."
"I won't fall for your manipulations."
"Fool! One day, the darkness you reject will overwhelm you!"
"If you refuse the light or the dark, you must strike us down. Do you have it in you to kill a part of yourself?"
That was a question she truly wondered. To deny one side will be killing herself in the process. She was supposed to protect those precious in her life, and she failed. The further she walked down into the path, the more she continued to struggle to be the person she thinks she should be.
Was she truly, willing to kill a part of herself?
The time doesn't pass. The passage of time is an illusion, and life is the magician. The more she felt alone, the silence around her grew strong – she's not just a Sith apprentice, the daughter of Zylas Sern.
A Sern, alone in the galaxy, was such a terrible thing. It wasn't easy, outliving the people died and as they died – a part of her would die with them. It was better to have a broken heart than no heart at all. A life this long was like a battlefield and it felt empty.
It was her, just her – because everything else just fell. "Death would be a gift." She responded in a broken tone, along with a small, sadden smile upon her lips. And in the end, she would just get tired watching everything turn to dust. All that pain in misery, it just breaks her heart – and people around her would just grant her pity.
She can remember it all. She carries her prisons with her. "I need answers, and they're not here." The apprentice continued. "I need you to help me, help me see. Baras is playing an intricate game has made a pawn out of us. The loved ones I have betrayed, I have already made twice as many enemies and soon they will try and kill me and we all know… they won't succeed. We're only alive because the Force wants us alive. I cannot abandon vengeance as much as I cannot abandon mercy to those who deserve it."
"And what if you are wrong?" The light one asked as the dark continued to listen.
"If I am wrong then, what more can I lose?"
'Leena'? She could hear Vette's voice as if she was far away. 'Leena!' The apprentice noticed that her surroundings began to turn into the black void. With only her and the two different reflections – paths that she had to decide on.
'Leena come back!' Vette continued to call out to her.
'My Lord, can you hear us?' Quinn's voice followed on, but she had her focus on the reflections. There would come a day, that every person's life – a day would come that she must choose. 'Leena, please!'
"Leena Sern," The dark one spoke after the long silence. "You will be fighting your battles forever."
The last thing she could remember was that the two reflections walked towards her way. She could slowly feel Vette trying to wake her up while she was laid down on the ground. Quinn was trying to make scans to see if her pulses were doing well, if she was hurting or if she even needed immediate medical attention. The apprentice slowly opened her eyes as she could see the blazing light of the Tatooine twin suns.
"Leena! You're awake!" Vette cheered with tears in her eyes.
"There's… nothing wrong." Quinn was confused. When his Lord suddenly fainted, they were lucky that he caught her immediately and proceeded to remove her helmet to see if the heat was too much for her. But there was no indication of any kind of complication on his scans.
'You have proven your way is strong and viable.' She could hear her own voice.
"Wait… what was that?" Vette asked as she took out her blasters to see if anyone else was around. Being on the defensive, she knew it was Leena's voice but the Twi'lek also knew that it couldn't be her. Quinn continued his calibrations but he was on guard, like Vette – questions were in his mind. 'With this victory, our essence has been purified. In the clarity of this communion… a vision of our destiny on Tatooine appears.'
Leena slowly sat up, with the assistance of Quinn – but something rather caught him off guard. Her eyes were still the shade of corrupted yellow. She refuses to abandon her quest for vengeance. 'Can you see it too? An encampment hidden in the farthest reaches of the desert, past a rock formation called the Forbidden Pass.'
"Is this where I will find the Jedi Master Yonlach?" Asked the apprentice as her Captain assisted her, as she stood up. 'There is no doubt this is where the Padawan went… this is where the great Master helped her powers become expressed. The image fades. Find the Forbidden Pass and confront Master Yonlach beyond it. Our journey on this planet ends there. Farewell.'
Closing her eyes in understanding, the apprentice could feel a stronger sense of power within her. The dragon was no longer sleeping but rather, waiting for its time to strike.
"Leena…" Vette couldn't help as the apprentice turned her attention to the Twi'lek.
"I cannot believe what I just witnessed!" Even Quinn couldn't predict when Sharack arrived. "Did… did you just tell yourself to venture beyond the Forbidden Pass?"
"That is my understanding." The Sith nodded.
"I am chilled to the bone. The desert beyond the Forbidden Pass is an area that no one can survive. No one!" Sharack continued to war as the apprentice could clearly see the fear in her eyes. "Even the Sand People dare not go. You mustn't go!"
"Your concern for me is unnecessary." Claimed the Sith as she raised her hand, grabbing her helmet from the ground with the use of the Force.
"This is not some silly superstition! Those who go beyond the Forbidden Pass are never seen again! I will not… I cannot follow you there."
"You've done enough Sharack." Said the Sith as she casually wore her helmet. "Thank you."
"Thank is… kind of you to say. I told Lord Baras I would see your mission through, but I never imagined it would come to this. With a heavy heart, I give you the location of the Forbidden Pass." She said as she granted it to the Sith's Captain. "I am… shamed that my cowardice paralyzes me. I fear I will never see you again."
"I'll be fine. I don't plan on dying in this desert."
"If you plan to cross the Forbidden Pass, that is exactly what you are doing." She continued to warn the Sith before she walked away. The price of freedom is high, and she was willing to pay for it.
"Leena?" Vette gently called her name, placing her hand onto the Sith's shoulder the noise in her head was still there. 'Show mercy.' "You need to rest."
The Sith could sense the worry in the Twi'lek, her attention went onto her Captain who was feeling the same way towards her. The past few days on Tatooine weren't so easy for them but, she didn't need to push herself further into the void. But after this encounter, she felt stronger, enlightened even – she could sense clarity despite the core of the inner conflict within her.
"We have to keep moving forward," Leena spoke as she gently removed Vette's hand from her shoulder, and proceeded to exit the cave.
The location wasn't too far, they could finish this by the evening. When they proceeded to travel through the sands under the twin suns of the planet, the group was rather quiet, not a soul to speak, unlike the previous days where Vette would try to make it seem lively and less boring.
She could feel it. The Force within this planet, it speaks to her loud and clear: 'Listen.'
She could never have a normal life, because of who she is and without power – she's nothing but a threat. For a Sith, there is no such thing as safety and everyone who is close to her lives in constant danger. 'Don't let fear keep you from greatness,' she remembered her father's last words before they were separated all those years ago. 'This is your destiny.'
When they arrived at the location, the Sith didn't hesitate to even enter. Two Jedis were in front of her presence. The younger one spoke: "Master Yonlach, the Sith you've been tracking is upon us. Retreat to safety. I will take the intruder on!" Igniting his green lightsaber, Quinn and Vette had an understanding as they took out their blasters in defense of their Sith Lord.
But the Sith herself did not ignite her lightsaber. "No, Yu-li, control your feelings. Stand at my side. I will face this trespasser." Said the Master Jedi as he stood beside his student. "Come no further, Sith. I have been aware of your pilgrimage here. You are a fascinating and contradictory example of your order. I know why you've come. Master Nomen Karr's Padawan threatens you somehow. You seek to flush her into the open and silence her."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Vette just looked at Leena, they knew very well that this wasn't the time for jokes or even lying.
"Don't insult me, child." Spoke the Master. "You are an open book to me. You are here for her, I know it. She came to me for guidance, and the bond we struck was the most profound of my life. We are psychically linked, she and I, and I have already warned her about you. She will not fall for your manipulations."
"I only seek to talk to her." The Sith spoke her truth.
"I will not fall for your manipulations either." Yonlach denied her claim. "You showed restraint and reason on your journey here. Your choices reflect conscientiousness I've never witnessed in a Sith. The disparity in our capabilities is equal to the disparity in your age. You cannot win. Turn away now."
"I've come too far to stop now."
"What does it matter how far you've come, if your life ends here? In me, you face a full Jedi Master. And Yu-li has greater command of lightsaber combat than any Jedi Knight I've trained." The Master spoke with pride, at the same time, the Sith could sense a small lingering feeling of guilt inside of him. A kind of guilt he has carried with him for years.
"uh," Vette cleared her throat. "Color me nervous. Have we ever faced a full-fledged card-carrying Jedi Master before?"
"My Lord, the threat is not lost on me. Are you certain we can take on a full Jedi Master and Jedi Knight?" The two showed their concerns towards their Sith Lord under the helmet.
"The Jedi don't know how lethal you are Vette, and they have no idea how potent you are Quinn." Her companions approve.
"I sense that's a bluff. But no matter." Master Yonlach wasn't taking any chances. "Your compatriot's query is moot, as you will be facing us on your own." As the Jedi raised his hand, both of her companions suddenly dropped on the ground unconscious.
"Well done, Master Yonlach. Now please, retreat and let me face the Sith." Spoke the knight.
"Your concern is appreciated, Yu-li. But I did not seize the advantage here to immediately relinquish it."
"For a Jedi, you don't fight fair." Leena didn't appreciate what the master did to her companions at all.
"When the stakes are this high, I am bound to do whatever it takes to preserve the order. I sense that the Twi'lek is fond of you – despite herself. Bordering on the friendship, I should think. If you attack us, she will cry over your body. The Imperial, however, I sense his feelings for you, Sith. His devotion goes beyond professional duty. Such misplaced affections are a sign of self-loathing, I think. I hope that comforts you. Now, for the last time, will you stand down?"
As much as a part of her believes that what he said was all true, she knew that she would have to draw her lightsabers to ensure that her companions will make it out alive. "Let me think about it."
"Enough of this!" And it was enough to push the Jedi Knight's buttons. "It's useless to reason with a Sith!"
When the Jedi made the first strike, the Sith didn't have much of a choice and ignited her lightsaber. Having it clash against his, master Yonlach joined the fight. "Yu-li, don't! Blazes, my hand is forced!"
And they say that Jedi only strike when the enemy strikes first. Leena didn't have much of a choice but to draw and ignite another lightsaber from her belt. Yonlach's eyes widen as he witnessed the speed and flexibility of this Sith – how she was able to hold two fully trained Jedi with her lightsabers left and right, she did not attack – the Sith continued on to defend herself and made sure that her companions were unarmed.
The formation, the strength – it all seemed familiar to the Jedi Master. To be able to turn the tables around, Master Yonlach was able to witness the last of the seven classical forms of lightsaber combat – Juyo and from a Sith, no less. Commonly known as the ferocity form, the Sith did not hesitate ongoing from the defensive to the offensive as she continued to battle the Jedi. To be able to master such a chaotically offensive fighting style, for the first time in her life, Leena was forced to use the formation that Tremel had her bleeding before she could enter the grounds of the Sith Academy.
To have the speed and unpredictability became her greatest advantage over the combat, at the same time incorporating some sort of strength and aggression – but form seven is also notorious for bringing its users dangerously close to the dark side. He only knew one student of his who has completely mastered this art of combat. A former Padawan of his who was never knighted as a Jedi but was named a Sith Lord instead.
For this specific form requires the use of one's emotions and passions to overpower rather than subdue one's opponent. The form that directly goes against the first line of the Jedi Code: There is no emotion, there is peace. This was a form that was banned by the Jedi Order, even though there was a selected few who dared to master form seven itself extreme caution and knowledge of one's limitation as required.
And Yonlach's former Padawan was denied of that request. This Sith in his presence, made him remember the Padawan he gave up so long ago. To think that form seven was well mastered in combination with the dual lightsaber combat – there was no mistake for the Jedi Master, this Sith was very much similar to her in terms of fighting.
In the end, the advance knowledge and mastery of the lightsaber combat were too much even for Yonlach and the Jedi Knight. For no one in the Jedi Order was too bold to even attempt on mastering form seven, a kind of form that can destroy even the defensive positions of form three. The Jedi Knight began to plea for mercy. "Stop! Hold your weapon, Sith, I beg you!"
"Yu-li, stay your tongue!" Yonlach spoke.
"No! She's just a Padawan, you are a great Master! I must bargain for your life!" As the apprentice watched, here she witnessed a bond between a master and a student. Something that Occlus described so many years ago. "Sith, I tell you everything I know, if you spare Master Yonlach."
"Your devotion to your Master is… remarkable." She was impressed.
"I'm sorry, Master Yonlach, but I must do this. Her name is Jaesa Willsaam, and Nomen Karr has taken her to—"
But Master Yonlach raised his hand. "Yu-li, you have no recollection of the Padawan this Sith seeks."
"I… have no recollection of the Padawan this Sith seeks."
"Now sleep." And the Knight did. "I do not relish wiping Yu-li's mind like that. But his feelings for me have got the better of him."
"Most impressive." She even praised. She understood his position, she would have done the same if she was going to protect her own.
"It's a terrible thing, the last resort. I had to act for the greater good. Jaesa is special, her power unprecedented. If untouched by the likes of you, she has the potential to lead the Jedi to greatness." She could feel it again. The feeling of guilt and regret within the Jedi Master.
"You are filled with presumptions, Yonlach, I mean her no harm."
"I know your kind, Sith. You twist the truth and manipulate weakness. I must err on the side of caution. You know Jaesa's name, but that is all you'll get here. So, you may as well kill me. I must find tranquility, so Jaesa will sense only peace when you strike me down."
"I refuse to deal with the killing blow." Leena didn't wish any harm not further the violence that has already been done. "Just tell her I want to talk."
"You only wish to send a message? I am at loss to understand you, Sith. Because of the link we share, Jaesa knows what transpired here. Your message has been received. She will do with it what she will."
"That's all I ask." Out of respect and perhaps even a bit of trust, the Sith removed her helmet to reveal her face to the Jedi Master. Yonlach's eyes widen one more time, he couldn't believe what he had seen.
"You… you're alive? No…" The apprentice grew confused with his words. "…I would have sensed it if it was really her. Tell me Sith, what is your name?"
"Leena Sern."
Master Yonlach nodded in delight, and even a small smile on his lips. "You're Zylas's daughter."
"You know my mother?" The curiousness caught her. How can a Jedi Master know her mother?
He nodded. "She used to be a Padawan. My Padawan… I failed her. Your mother was a good person with a good heart, and it is hard for a good person to be Sith."
"First you say how a Sith is like and now you're telling me that my mother, who was a Sith Lord… is a good person?" The apprentice didn't get him. There was this boiling anger inside of her, it seems to be a never-ending confusion for her.
"Your mother… has always thought about family. Her loyalty belongs to that family she was taken by the Empire young. She did unspeakable things to protect that family and when she fell, she had nothing to hide. What confirmed… my failure was that she did those things… that… I wasn't even capable of imagining." It seemed like a curse for a Jedi Master, to know that a student has fallen to the dark side and has become their sworn enemy – it was a failure. "A word of advice… from your mother's former Master."
"You have my attention." Her curiosity grew. No one spoke of this to her. Not her father, not Darth Occlus, and not even her own mother.
"There is nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity. I suggest you think about what it is that you want from your life, and why."
The Sith looked up to the Master. "I want my revenge. That is all I want."
"What that means is up to you, young Sern."
"Goodbye, then." The apprentice bowed in respect. He did give her a good fight.
"Goodbye, Sern. You've left me with… much to ponder." As the Master proceeded to heal Yu-li of his wounds, the apprentice wore her helmet again as she proceeded to aid her companions. Vette and Quinn slowly woke up from the experience and from the looks of it – Leena was already finished and probably got what she came for.
"Well, the rumors are true—being paralyzed is a blast," Vette spoke in sarcasm. "You put on quite a show, I knew you were good, but…"
"Would you have cried if I died, Vette?" Leena asked, with her mind wandering back to what Yonlach said before.
"Sure. For many reasons. Mostly 'cause I'd be stick on this overheated eyesore of a planet."
"My Lord, I'm sorry I was of no use to you. I did not anticipate the Jedi's incapacitating tactics." Quinn apologized as he bowed in the presence of his Lord.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Quinn."
"I do not like to be caught unaware." Quinn openly admitted with shame. "I'm just thankful my support proved to be unnecessary."
Vette, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh that he was actually feeling that but, Leena was more than merciful towards them – they were family after all. "So, Sharack said she'd be at the ship. She thought we were done for. Can't wait to see the look on her face."
"We should inform her of our success," Quinn added with his usual professional tone.
"She will be surprised to see us, but not until I'm good and ready." The journey did tire her out, not to mention how many days it will take them to go back to the spaceport.
"I'll practice my smug look on my way there." Vette teased.
After days of traveling back, Leena had a couple of things in her mind.
"I never expected to see you again." To Sharack's surprise, all three of them were in one piece. "Does this mean you ventured beyond the Forbidden Pass and found Master Yonlach?"
"I have yet to meet a challenge I can't conquer. The mission is complete."
"This is a great lesson. The only barriers that exist are the ones we create in our minds. I will never again assume that I know all there is to know. And I will explore the entirety of the Tatooine desert without reservation."
"You have learned much from this." As did the Sith.
"I hope Lord Baras knows how fortunate he is to have such a fine champion shepherding his cause. I shall never forget you."
"I'll remember you fondly as well."
"Safe travels, my Lord." Sharack bowed in respect. "If you're ever on Tatooine again, come and see me."
With her liaison leaving, Vette stretched her arms along with a yawn. "Ugh. I hope we never come back to this sandy inferno. It's bad for my complexion. I'll go on ahead and take a refresher before we head out. I'm exhausted!"
When Vette proceeded to the ship, Leena couldn't help but chuckle while Quinn was slowly shaking his head in annoyance. "It would be a pleasure to but this overheated sandbox behind us."
"You look good with a tan, Captain."
"I hope it hides my blushes, my Lord." The Captain admitted without any reservations nor hesitations. "I will ready the ship for our departure."
When Vette was done, Leena proceeded to have herself cleaned and have a new set of clothes and have 2V clean up her armor while he was at it. The Sith was laying down on her bed, thinking over the events that happened in the past few days – it wasn't as long as her stay on Nar Shaddaa but Tatooine strained her even more.
Once the ship was already out of the Tatooine sky, the apprentice proceeded to the holoterminal to speak with her Master. "You have done admirably, apprentice. Your time on Tatooine was well-spent. Noman Karr's Padawan Jaesa Willsaam, no longer enjoys anonymity, I am very pleased."
"I'm touched by your enthusiasm." Lies.
"Your handling of Master Yonlach has sent our enemies a clear message. Nomen Karr and Jaesa Willsaam now know they cannot hide. It gnaws at the Master and will bring his prized Padawan to her knees."
"You are a master strategist, my Lord." Vette wanted to laugh at Leena's words.
"It is deeply satisfying to see a plan take shape. Only Alderaan remains. Your homeworld. Go there immediately. I will contact you when you arrive."
Leena nodded in acknowledgment, as her Master proceeded to cut the communication leaving her alone. Vette stood by the sides when she watched the apprentice make her terms with the Master. Quinn came out of the bridge as he finally set course for Alderaan, awaiting orders, Leena took a deep breath before she addressed her crew.
"It's time to accept my fate…" She was going to the place where it all started for her. "Finally after all these years… I'm going home."
eena had to smile in front of the face of her torturer – and must always be seen as Darth Baras's apprentice if she is to survive long enough to kill him.
"Nomen Karr's Padawan can no longer hide in anonymity. I am pleased. By rooting out this Jaesa Willsaam's parents, you have reached across the galaxy to strike a sharp blow to our enemies. Every lead followed perfectly. Every planet ravaged. Our adversary is growing antsy, I can feel it. Expect news soon, Baras out."
"My Lord," Quinn approached his Lord when the holo finally ended. Leena turned her attention to the Captain as the Twi'lek also began to approach both of them. "I thought it prudent not to interrupt Darth Baras. We received a recorded transmission. It is queued when you are ready."
"Proceed." Quinn nodded at his Lord's commands and began to display the recorded transmission on the holoterminal.
Leena was rather amused when she saw a young girl, probably just turned seventeen or eighteen. "Sith, I'm Jaesa Willsaam. My Master, Nomen Karr, has no idea I'm sending this message. Let's be real – we both know this isn't about us."
"Ah, the hunted seeks the hunter." Quinn was also amused by the turn of events.
"Our Masters pretend otherwise, but this is personal." The Padawan continued. "You and I are only pawns in their private war. And those I care about are getting caught in the middle. It has to stop."
"Wow," Vette commented. "Gotta give it to her – she sure has guts."
The apprentice slowly smiled. "She certainly does."
"I appreciate directness. And as merciful as your actions have been, it's time you stopped this passive-aggressive campaign. This message includes coordinates where I'll be waiting in my shop. Let's discuss this face-to-face. No more nonsense."
"What do you think of that, Captain?"
"It could be a trap, my Lord." The Quinn gave out his honest assessment on the matter. "Nomen Karr may have put her to it."
"Hey." Vette inserted herself into the conversation. "Don't listen to Captain Paranoid here. I don't think it's a trap. I trust her."
"Thanks for the input, Vette."
"The coordinates are set, my Lord. We can rendezvous with her ship whenever you give the word."
"Proceed." Said the Lord. "I will go alone this time."
Vette and even the Captain were shocked by her statement.
"Woah! Woah! Woah!" Vette began to wave her hands. She wasn't very comfortable with the idea of her friend going out there alone. Sure she's Sith and she's slowly becoming more powerful by the day, but – it scared her. "I said I trust her but that doesn't mean you can go out there alone!"
"And why not?"
"I mean sure, you're strong and all but – what if Noman Karr is with her?"
Leena smiled, making the Twi'lek even more worried. "I appreciate your concern towards me, Vette but the Padawan is right. This is between me and her, and this has to stop."
She kept her word and proceeded alone when she arrived at the ship. She closed her eyes and slowly began to feel the power of the Force, two beings, warriors of the light stand within the same ground as her. But she felt something wrong as she took her first few steps within the ship.
'Are you there Sith?' Cyrus's voice entered her mind. 'Can you hear me?'
'I can hear you loud and clear, Jedi. What do you want?' The connection was rather stronger than what she experienced back on Alderaan. She could only assume that he was in a quiet place, meditating in the process.
'I could feel that you're in a position of trouble. A different kind of conflict within you.'
'You sound concerned.' Said the apprentice as she proceeded deeper into the ship.
'I strangely am.' The Jedi admitted. 'I feel genuine concern for you, even though you are my enemy.'
'You are not my enemy.' The Sith claimed. I only have one goal, Jedi – revenge.
'And you think by killing the enemies of your Master will grant you the vengeance you crave so much?' The Jedi continued to give out his concern towards the Sith. This was something unheard of. Being connected by the Force as if there was a bond formed years ago, a kind of bond that was long forgotten. 'Revenge will not cure your pain, nor will it resolve anything.'
'You know nothing about me, Jedi.'
'I know you are in pain. I wish to help.'
'No one can help me.' Leena resorted as the doors began to open for her to find two Jedi knights, the Padawan was nowhere to be found.
As the connection was slowly lost when she began to approach the Jedi, one of them spoke in rather complete arrogance. "Well, well, we're going to have to take Nomen Karr after all. The Sith showed."
"Stand down, Sith." The other Jedi spoke calmly. "The Padawan you seek is not here. Master Karr discovered her plan and talked her out of it."
"It's not your day. You were expecting one lowly little Padawan to crush, and instead, you got us."
"I should have known." The Sith couldn't help but sigh upon the realization that her time and efforts have been wasted by these Jedi. "This wasn't going to be easy after all. But you'll do just fine."
"Just like a Sith." The arrogant one spoke. "Always looking for a shortcut."
"I am Ulldin, this is Zylixx. We are fully trained Jedi Knights and more than your match. You should submit."
"Of course, we have yet to encounter a Sith who had the sense to surrender. You all seem bent on having us destroy you."
"Admit it, you'd be disappointed if I gave up."
"Not at all," Uldin spoke his peace. "We don't go around picking fights."
"I wouldn't trust it if the Sith surrendered. I prefer the sureness of death." Zylixx didn't act much on how the Jedi should be.
"Keep thinking like that and you'll fall to the dark side before you know it."
"Shut. Your. Mouth." But he did fall for it.
"Zylixx, remain calm. The Sith is just trying to unbalance you. Don't let this get under your skin." Ulldin spoke. The apprentice did wonder if Jedi are so easily turned to the dark side as some Sith claimed.
But Cyrus was right at some point. She had no companions and she was alone – she didn't wish to have any violent confrontation with the Jedi. It was going to waste her energy and efforts even more. "I have no quarrel with you. Let's just go our separate ways."
"Now, why would we agree to just let you go?" Zylixx asked as he crossed his arms.
"Zylixx, we assumed this Sith would engage, as all others we've faced have. If that's not the case…"
"No, Ulldin, this Sith will continue to hunt Nomen Karr and his Padawan. We must end the threat for good!"
Leena couldn't help but cross her arms, unable to listen to what this arrogant Jedi had to say. "True Jedi don't attack to kill. The light side demands temperance. Of the two of us, it's clear that I am the more serene, the more grounded. The better the Jedi."
"Who are you to lecture about the light side?!" Zylixx already has into his temper. "The Sith force us to take measures like this! No…" he took a deep breath. "You won't goad me like this, Sith. I… I can control my emotions."
"You, Sith, pose as an exception. Your vile attempts to hurt Nomen Karr and Jaesa Willsaam are provocation enough."
"You don't know my motivation." She turned her attention to Ulldin who was calm throughout the whole exchange.
But Zylixx continued to explode. "Come on, it doesn't take a genius to know you came here to destroy. Your presence is all the confirmation we need. Right, Ulldin?"
"No. Zylixx I… I'm unsure. Master Karr claims this Sith means Jaesa harm, but we do not have proof."
"Master Karr's word is proof enough! I have no crisis of conscience assuming his assessment is sound."
"That's an assumption I cannot make, my friend. I will not engage. I must walk away, and urge you to do the same." With that, Ulldin proceeded to the bridge, leaving his companion as well as the Sith alone in the same area.
He wouldn't take no for an answer. "You may have derailed Ulldin's resolve, Sith but I am calm… I will not give in to your taunts!"
"Yes, stuff your feelings, deny your true nature, Zylixx. It's a ticking time bomb." She continued to taunt.
"I will be calm when you're dead! No more talk! You die Sith!" He shouted as he ignited his lightsaber.
Leena sighed, perhaps she should have listened to that Jedi in her head. "You're going to regret that." The apprentice spoke as she only took out one lightsaber, never mind the other. All she needed was one.
When Ulldin sensed the presence of the Sith leaving the ship, Zylixx returned injured and tired – but luckily in one peace.
Ulldin stood in front of the holoterminal as the image slowly began to make sense for the Jedi. The image was clear at the same time, he wasn't so pleased with what events he managed to feel, hear and even see through the eyes of the Sith. He couldn't help but sigh, to express his own disappointment.
"I could tell that you went against the Sith that Master Karr claims to be a threat to him and his Padawan?"
"Master Cyrus." Ulldin greeted. "We proceeded with what's instructed to us but the Sith meant no harm—"
"And yet Zylixx continued to engage, unable to control his emotions. Luckily the Sith showed mercy and the same time restraint. She has the power within the Force that Master Karr has clearly underestimated." The Jedi Master continued. He seemed young, in his late 20's to even be in the Jedi Council and yet he had earned the title and respect for it. "Return to Tython and I will give you instructions as you return."
"Yes, Master Cyrus." The Jedi Knights nodded in agreement. When the transmission ended, he couldn't help but sigh. Troubled as he was, even with the doubt he managed to stay calm. Cyrus didn't know how to feel – the more he made connections to the Sith, the more familiar he was becoming to her power.
She walks within the path of the dark side and at the same time embraces the temperance of the light.
For years he felt her pain, her sorrows, her anger, and her happiness. She claimed vengeance can cure her pain but, even he knew that wouldn't bring those she lost back to the living.
The Force has the plan and they must follow it.
Cyrus closed his eyes as he felt the generosity of the dark. The silence of the room gave him serenity and clarity, trying to reconnect to the Sith named Leena. What he saw was something else. A holoterminal with the face of a Dark Lord he could only assume was her Master, the Darth Baras Master Karr wanted to root out when he presented Jaessa Willsaam to them.
"Apprentice, the timing of this calling is fortuitous. I was just about to contact you with the news."
"I'm eager to hear it." Said the apprentice. But the Jedi Master could sense it – the deception and the lies that she hides behind the dutiful face of an apprentice.
"I'm pleased to report that your exploits have been successful. I have received a transmission from Nomen Karr – calling me out if you will. Challenging me to face him to death. Our enemy has become desperate."
"He must have lost his mind." Claimed the apprentice.
But Cyrus spoke his peace. 'You have plans of your own Sith, show Master Karr mercy.'
'You witness this conversation because I allow it. Your connection to the Force is powerful, Jedi.'
'As is yours, Sith.' He answered as he continued to listen to what the Darth had to say to his apprentice. "Your efforts to disrupt his precious Padawan has unnerved him. He seeks to turn the tides. Karr fails to understand – I have outgrown our personal dispute. He expects me to jump at the chance of strangling him. He will not be prepared for you."
'He seems to be a coward.' "Just tell me where to go," Cyrus spoke as Leena gave out her word to her Master. The apprentice replied. 'He has turned me into a lapdog to do his every bidding.'
'I can sense why you hate him so.'
'I am glad.' The apprentice acknowledged. "The Duel is to happen to Hutta, at the site of Nomen Karr's betrayal so long ago. A fitting place for his end. Defeat him, but do not kill him. His torment will reach out to his Padawan. He will be the bait that brings her to you."
'Jaesa Willsaam is a sweet and kind girl, Leena. She will only be hurt within your Order.'
'Anywhere in the galaxy, they hurt little girls, Cyrus.' Leena spoke of personal experience. 'I can only assume that she might be safe with me if I welcome her to my crew.'
'I cannot allow that. She's a Padawan, one of a kind – she must walk through the light.'
'I know.' "Sounds like a plan."
Her Master continued to speak. "I can feel Jaesa Willsaam on the verge of breaking. And Karr's desperate actions confirm it. Subdue the Master, and the pupil will come to save him. I have foreseen it."
As the transmission ended, the Sith proceeded to her chambers. Vette wondered the silence even though Leena wasn't as talkative as she is. Quinn, on the other hand, proceeded to place the coordinates to Hutta and preparing for lightspeed.
The apprentice cut off her connection with the Jedi do receive at least the peace and quiet she needed. Removing her armor, the girl lay down on the bed – her gaze locked on the metallic ceiling. There are Jedi that could turn and fall to the dark side as there are Sith who seek redemption for their actions and turn to the light.
She was none of those.
Leena stands in the middle of light and dark. She closed her eyes, wondering what the Force can bring her at times like this. She distrusts the Jedi because of what happened to her mother, she loathes the Sith because of all of her sufferings – a woman without a home.
The noise in her head came from a Jedi. The guilt in her soul came from the Sith.
When she arrived on Hutta, the Sith brought in her two companions as they were closing in on Noman Karr's location. She closed her mind to make sure that the Jedi didn't need to hear what she hears. She didn't need the additional weight of guilt in her heart. Her mother and brothers are gone, she already accepted the fact that she might never see her father and sister again.
Maybe serving her Master was all she was good at. The darkness that has been kind to her have been whispering to her soul, the power that she could have embraced.
"Your presence tells me that my fellows Ulldin and Zylixx must have failed. Pity." Master Karr spoke as he stood up from his meditation position. "I should have known Baras couldn't be trusted. As a man of my word – I'm here, alone, as agreed." He turned to find the apprentice with a mask. Much like her Master, she had secrets of her own.
He found the apprentice young and could sense great power in her. "Your Master shows himself a coward, sending you in his stead."
"You sound upset, Master Karr. Angry, even but I haven't come to kill you." The apprentice spoke rather calmly. She could feel it inside of him, the core of his anger and hatred.
Master Karr had acknowledged that she looked familiar, or similar to someone he knew. "No, I'm sure you're here to play pazaak. Your crusade has me affected, Sith. I'm not blind to that. But I've wandered the line between the dark and the light before. I walked among your Master and the Sith. My connection to the light survived them, and it shall survive you. You are Baras's pawn – an especially resourceful and powerful one, but still only that. I must put an end to you."
Igniting his lightsaber, both Vette and the Captain had the instinct to draw out their blasters and pointed it to the direction of the Jedi. But the Sith raised her hand, gesturing them to lower their weapons. The two grew confused but obeyed anyway. "You can't fool me. Your connection to the light is sputtering."
"I find your disruptions… unnerving, but don't flatter yourself." Master Karr warned. "I will be calm once I put an end to you. Once you're out of the way, Jaesa will provide the proof I need to open the Jedi Council's eyes and expose Baras's network of spies."
Leena didn't have much of a choice as she drew both of her lightsabers, facing Karr in battle alone was the most honorable thing she could think of – even if that wasn't the Sith way. "Come, Karr, let us embrace death and settle this once and for all."
Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
To stand on the defensive wasn't an option when Nomen Karr decided to jump and attack. The apprentice held her position and stood with both her lightsabers, holding one of her lightsabers up to block the Jedi as well as she could. While the other hand turned to the direction of her companions, pushing them away from her for safety.
Vette and Quinn were both caught off guard when they were pushed away by their Lord. The Twi'lek looked up to find the Sith holding herself well in the duel against a fully trained Jedi Master, with both lightsabers out defending and assaulting – she knew that her friend was serious in taking this Jedi down.
Master Karr didn't expect the Sith to be fully skilled in lightsaber combat, especially with form seven when she became aggressive towards him. The strength and power doubled her efforts, she was channeling all of her frustrations and anger towards the battle – giving her the upper hand. She grew close to the idea of having Jaesa Willsaam on her side, a mere child who brought fear into her own Master's mind
Leena turned off one lightsaber before she could manage to push Nomen Karr with the Force.
"Ahh!" Screamed Master Karr as he hit the ground hard. Stubbornly standing up, Leena could feel something within him. Something rather dark as her Master before her. "The Force… is very strong with you. I… must dig deeper!"
Through passion, strength.
She appreciated the challenge. Leena of all people knew that this was something she should have been prepared for. The mere feeling of excitement flooded her soul, the man who has been her Master's rival feeding into his connection deep within his heart.
She knew human nature at its core – and there is no light. Master Karr was one of many examples. The Force is conflict, the Empire is conflict and the Empire is war made manifest. That is why it is perfect. The Jedi and Sith fight because that is what they were made to do. They chose to ignore the fundamental nature of the Force – that the Force is conflict.
That kind of ignorance can result in Jedi falling into the dark side, much like Master Karr. The Sith are destructive, and the Jedi are no different. "Release your anger! It's the only way to defeat me!"
When Baras saw her, he did saw what all Masters live to see – a kind of raw, untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special. She had pledged herself to the dark side's teachings at the same time, she cherished and carefully learned about the light within the depths of the jungles of Dromand Kaas by a Jedi Master.
There will always be two: A Master and an apprentice. Master Karr turned to the idea of the destruction of the Sith apprentice in front of him. He was giving in to his emotions, the unbalance within him – Leena could feel the light slipping away from him as they both exchanged a rather hostile and aggressive battle.
Now that he could feel his anger through his very connection to the Force – he has now unknowingly embraced the dark side.
There's hate and there's a passion inside of him.
"Misdirected passion… such a waste." Said the Sith as she pushed Master Karr with the Force. She stood tall, having him look up to the Sith with his lightsaber in hand – he couldn't accept it.
He could never forgive it. "No! This is not right! You must fall to me!"
As the Jedi stood up, Leena immediately put her lightsabers up for the defensive. Master Karr turned to the blindness of the dark side, forcing himself to slice the Sith down with his green lightsaber. That was now the remainder of the Jedi he was.
"I fall to no one." The apprentice spoke in confidence.
Baras may have tortured her, humiliated her, and broke her – yet, she refused to give in completely to become nothing more than a weapon for him. She watched Master Karr carefully as they were still fully engaged in combat.
It is such a quiet thing to fall, but far more terrible is to admit it.
Karr is similar to Baras. The apprentice could see that well – and yet, he continued to deny it, claiming that everything he did was for the greater good.
Through straight, power. That power is her right and her weapon.
She could feel it, the boiling anger within him as they continued to exchange blows with their lightsabers as they danced into death's doors. Power such as these weighs heavily on those who wielded it. The dark side is no trick, she knew that even when she sometimes turns to the light.
When you feel anger in your every connection to the Force. When you accept that a woman must use any means necessary to prove her strength – then you have discovered the dark side. That is true power.
When Nomen Karr finally fell with his damaged body, even the Sith knew he wouldn't last for long. "My… wound is mortal, Sith. At least I die knowing you'll never find Jaesa…"
She could see it in his eyes, the pure corruption. Even when Master Karr had nothing to do with her hatred for her own Master, she didn't even feel a single string of pity towards him. All of this for a Padawan Baras wanted dead and Karr wanted to protect – but she didn't know why. She didn't have the answer to that simple question. Why couldn't grant him mercy?
Vette slowly walked towards her companion as she turned off her lightsabers. The Twi'lek placed her hand gently on Leena's shoulder. When the Sith sighed, Quinn turned to find a couple of armed Imperial soldiers heading towards them. "My Lord, Darth Baras sent us in case you… needed… help. Clearly, that's not the case. He said Nomen Karr should be kept alive. May we stabilize him?"
"No!" Master Karr denied their help. "Baras be damned! I want… to die. Then Jaesa will be safe…"
"Despite what you think, I'm not trying to kill your Padawan." Leena tried to explain herself to the Jedi. She needed her alive and she didn't plan on mistreating her the same way her Master did. But even with the words, the apprentice heard from Karr – she couldn't feel the love coming from him to his Padawan.
He didn't care for her. Even when he denies it, he only used his own Padawan for his own gain. "Lies… tricks…" Were the only words he mustered before fainting.
The Imperial immediately turned to the apprentice. "We'll save him, my Lord. And then be out of your way in an adjacent chamber. Hurry men, the Jedi's fading!"
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder