Chapter XXIV – It Comes
Down To This… Part I
After
the punishment from his Master regarding the cyborg,
Regan Sile, Zula determined he should begin
searching for a cause that may explain Regan’s
disappearance. Since all attempts at restoring her
connection had failed, he started with the
HoloNetNews and began scanning the latest headlines.
HOLONETNEWS: BREAKING
STORIES
FIRE NEARLY DESTROYS
HOTEL IN POPULAR VACATION CITY
Kuryn, Nevus
A
fire erupted in one of the more popular hotels, the
Maquisic Inn, which caused extensive damage to the
structure. The casualty rate is reportedly low,
however many suffered smoke inhalation and were
transported to Kuryn’s renowned medical facility for
treatment. A statement given by the establishment’s
spokesperson expressed their sincere apologies at
this tragedy and their complete cooperation in the
matter. Experts concluded that a possible electrical
explosion initially caused the blaze that soon
spread throughout the hotel….
Zula
didn’t need to keep reading, he knew that was the
same hotel Vaarn and Rheu were staying at during
their assignment. The article stated the
possibility of an electrical explosion, which
made the Clawdite stop and think. According to the
coordinates from Regan’s last signal, they had
emerged from this hotel.
He
leaned back in his chair and stared at his computer
screen, which still displayed the article he had
been reading. She must have been there during the
fire…or she caused it. The timeframes coincide…
Nothing would stop her from reporting in unless she
were incapacitated or dead, he surmised. “My
Master will not be pleased with this news any more
than he was with the last.”
Zula
waited beneath the large arched entrance of his
Master’s private sitting room waiting for Reynard to
invite him inside. The minutes passed and still the
scientist ignored his servant, instead he paced the
luxurious room, appearing to be deep in thought.
Finally, Reynard motioned him inside and Zula
hastened to obey. The Clawdite had found this room
to be one of his favorites and felt relaxed whenever
he was inside of it. He didn’t know if it was the
cream-colored walls, the soft, coordinating lighting
or even both, but it gave him a sense of serenity he
couldn’t help but enjoy. The Clawdite glanced up at
the ceiling and marveled at the rays of sunshine
that permeated through the transparisteel dome and
filled the room with its warmth. However, Reynard
being a security conscious individual, insured that
the ceiling be reinforced with a highly sensitive
monitoring system in case anyone thought to invade
his fortress through this room.
“What
is it, Zula?” Reynard seemed perturbed when he
acknowledged the Clawdite at last.
“Master, Regan’s fate is uncertain. She is either
incapacitated or dead. I discovered a news brief
regarding the hotel that Vaarn and Rheu were
utilizing.”
“I
have already ascertained such a conclusion is
probable,” he snapped.
Zula
remained silent, unsure if he should speak.
“And?” Reynard acerbically demanded.
The
Clawdite took note of his Master’s tightly clenched
fists and hoping it would cushion the blow softly
replied, “There was an electrical explosion and a
fire…”
This
information served as an affirmation and Reynard
could barely contain his rage. Internally he wanted
Regan back for he missed their conversations, but he
sincerely missed her companionship. Reynard had
never found a woman that could engage him
intellectually and his cyborg creation filled that
integral part. She pleased him in other areas as
well and the thought of her being gone, quite
possibly dead, made him shudder in agony and want to
unleash his fury upon the universe.
“Ready my ship. I will journey to Kuryn and uncover
what truly happened,” Reynard firmly stated.
“Master, if I may, perhaps I should go in your
stead,” Zula offered. “The unveiling of your new
creation is fast approaching and I’m sure you have
details to attend to.”
Reynard turned away from his servant, his shoulders
sagging slightly before he regained his composure.
Suddenly he turned back around, his vehemence
clearly displayed on his face and said, “Yes, go. If
Vaarn or Rheu survived, find them and get answers.”
“Shall I bring them back with me?”
“No,”
Reynard shook his head. “Make their deaths a painful
one.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
“Mara
Jade…” Cela stopped to contemplate the question Bail
Organa had asked. “She’s pretty, um,” the teenager
sought her mind for the right word, “serious. She
can be cold too…” The teenager shifted in her
carriage seat and then continued. “But once in a
while you see kindness…” Cela sighed as she thought
about her mistress. In spite of the rough treatment
Mara gave her, the young girl was grateful to her in
many ways. She had taught her to be self-reliant and
assured, sculpted her body into something Cela was
proud of through hard exercise, and she had
developed the girl’s mind. She made her think about
what was happening around her and how to escape
difficult situations. “Mara’s complicated,” Cela
admitted with a shrug.
“I
didn’t mean to pry,” Bail apologetically said.
“That’s okay. Hey, are you hungry?”
Bail
leaned back and smiled at the girl, admiring her
spirit. “It is pretty late. Sure, let’s get some
dinner.”
The
carriage driver dropped off the twosome at a trendy
restaurant and then left, beaming at the amount of
credits Bail had given him for his services.
“Have
a splendid evening,” he cheerfully said as he waved
goodbye.
“After you,” Bail sweetly said as he bowed and
gestured with an out-swept hand toward the door.
Cela
instantly flushed crimson and quickly went inside.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Han
and Chewie, the latter who was still carrying the
inebriated Xar’ek, easily found their way to the
beach and trudged over to the water’s edge.
“In
you go,” Han instructed.
The
mighty Wookiee roughly threw Xar’ek’s limp body into
the cool water.
Needless to say, the drunken Corellian awoke
immediately and a plethora of curses promptly spewed
from his mouth.
Han
and Chewie found great enjoyment in watching the
drenched man spit and sputter the salt water. Xar’ek
glared menacingly at the duo and tried to wipe the
water from his lips only to leave more remnants of
the salty taste.
“You
more awake now?” Han shouted with a laugh.
“You
could have at least thrown in a woman too!” Xar’ek
sarcastically spat.
“No
takers,” Han shot back.
Xar’ek pointed at his chest. “With this bod? They
don’t know what they’re missing!”
Chewie retorted a comment that made Han laugh.
“Chewie says they do!” he replied.
Xar’ek waded through the water and half-heartedly
growled, “Shut-up, fur ball,”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Obi-Wan and Anakin could feel the extreme chill that
had reached out to them, attempting to provoke the
aggression the dark side thrived upon and craved.
Sakoya felt the same menacing chill but she was
focusing on what was happening to her daughter as
she screamed, “Nooooooo!”
The trio’s lightsabers appeared in each of their
hands and in one fluid movement, they descended onto
the darkness.
Aware of this new threat, Darth Sidious brutally
threw his apprentice aside, discarding her as if her
life were meaningless. He could sense that she still
lived but he would deal with that soon enough.
“Sakoya, check on Mara,” Anakin ordered.
“We will take care of this problem,” Obi-Wan stated
as he stared at the Sith Lord.
Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith and formerly
known as Emperor Palpatine thrust his hood back to
reveal himself. In spite of his quest for power and
dominance, his body had retained no semblance of
youth. He was still a decrepit old man.
“I
see that even the power of the dark side couldn’t
improve your looks or disposition!” Anakin gruffly
stated as he slowly moved into position.
Obi-Wan added his own insult. “I must agree, such a
haggard appearance.”
“You look exactly as I remember you in our final
battle,” Anakin continued as he slowly began to
circle the Dark Lord.
Sidious sneered beneath his withered, decayed flesh.
His dark sunken eyes fixated on the Jedi who had
escaped him and he seethed at his failure to corrupt
the ‘Chosen One’.
“And you are as arrogant as I remember, my
apprentice.”
Anakin found amusement in the Dark Lord’s
declaration but continued his movement around the
ghostly figure.
“You no longer reign supreme, Darth Sidious,”
Obi-Wan proclaimed.
The Dark Lord didn’t even glance at the other Jedi
as he raised his ethereal hand and blue lightning
burst forth from his fingers directly at Obi-Wan.
The Jedi Master quickly dodged and ignited his
lightsaber, however the Sith lightning managed to
graze his leg.
“How pathetic,” Sidious groused. “You were no match
for me before, Master Kenobi. A fact that remains
intact.”
Obi-Wan refused to yield to the Emperor’s taunts as
he checked his wound. It could have been worse and
he knew it. Struggling, he got to his feet and faced
his enemy once more.
In
the meantime, Anakin’s blade had already ignited.
Two Jedi Masters versus
one Sith Lord – already the balance had been
altered, would it fall even further?
Before the dark
times…before the Empire…two Jedi stood out
prominently. Their skills tested, their resolve
toward the dark side intransigent. During the war,
they had fought side by side and endured.
They were in
synchronization then and the same held true now, in
the present.
They were heroes who
emerged victorious.
However, the rules of
engagement in this arena were…avant-garde.
Anakin’s lightsaber thrummed with life, the cerulean
blade cast an eerie glow in the haze that was
beginning to build around them.
Obi-Wan brandished his viridian blade and stood a
few meters away.
Lord Sidious’s lips stretched out into a grotesque
smile that revealed yellowed teeth and secreted a
stench that made the two Jedi noxious. He opened his
mouth and the foul breath contained within seeped
out and encircled each Jedi.
“You forget, Master Jedis’, you are within my
empire.”
Blue Sith lightning again sprang forth from the Dark
Lord’s fingertips and struck both Jedi. Their bodies
convulsing uncontrollably as the current coursed
through them. All the while, a virulent laugh
resonated in their ears.
Sakoya was hovering over Mara when she heard the
screams behind her. She turned and saw Sidious
torturing both Obi-Wan and Anakin and soon realized
her error. The Jedi were not prepared for this
confrontation. She had no doubts as to their
abilities, but this was not an ordinary field of
battle and there were no rules in which to follow.
‘I
should have briefed them but there was no time,’ she
censured herself as remorse filled her being.
‘Think!’ she scolded and then quickly recalled how
she had been able to grasp Palpatine’s hand when he
had attacked her. “It stemmed from determination,
protection of my baby,” she said aloud, rapidly
recalling the incident. Although unconscious,
Sakoya knew Mara was safe for the moment and reached
into the Force.
The spiritual entity responded to her and she could
feel it radiate around her. The Jedi took off at a
run, igniting her lightsaber, the familiar hiss
re-enforcing her to act. She arced her arm back and
whispered, “Force, guide me,” and hurled the active
blade directly at the Sith Lord. She could only
watch as the blade flipped through the air as she
continued running.
Palpatine turned toward the new threat but had no
time to react as the blade found his ghostly form.
It sliced through the top of his head and on down
his torso, cutting him nearly in half before he
vanished into the thickening fog.
Sakoya knelt next to the fallen Jedi, making sure
they were all right.
“Is…he dead?” Obi-Wan struggled to speak as his wife
helped him stand. His body still trembling from the
impact of the Sith lightning.
Sakoya shook her head. “No, beloved. I surprised him
and that’s all.”
“Then he’ll…be back soon?” Anakin managed to ask as
he slowly stood up. He was feeling the same effects
as his counterpart.
Sakoya paused before she answered the question. “I-I
didn’t have a…chance to tell you.”
Both Jedi could sense the regret coming from Sakoya
and her husband reached out to embrace her. “It’s
not your fault,” he told her.
“My friend, you have nothing to blame yourself for,”
Anakin assured her.
She glanced over at her daughter and was thankful
Mara was still unconscious, and then refocused her
attention on her fellow Jedi. “I don’t know how much
time we have.” ‘Time!’ she scoffed at herself. ‘What
does that matter here?’
“Time has no beginning here or an ending for that
matter – it just is. Look around you,” Sakoya spread
her arms wide, “what do you see?”
“A…fog?” Anakin asked, perplexed.
“Now, close your eyes and visualize something else,”
she instructed.
A
moment later Padmé – or at least a vision of her –
appeared. She looked as real as any of them and
Anakin felt compelled to reach out and touch her.
Sakoya continued, “There are no rules here. It’s
like a midpoint – a delicate balance of light and
dark.”
“But the dark side –” Anakin started to question
before Sakoya cut him off with a shake of her head.
“Sidious wants you to believe this is the dark side.
He holds great power here because he knows how to
tap into it, but this is more like neutral
territory. The shift of power can go either way.”
“So in order to defeat Sidious –” Obi-Wan began.
Anakin interjected, “I have to become what he has
become. Elevate myself to match him.”
Sakoya slowly nodded. “To truly defeat him – yes.
You could use your lightsaber against him repeatedly
but it would never physically hurt him although he
can hurt you because he knows how to break through
the barrier. You have to join the dream world.”
“Is that how you healed yourself?” Obi-Wan asked.
“Yes. I thought I had died by Mara’s hand, just as
you had, and felt myself slip into unconsciousness –
it’s difficult to explain.”
“What must I do?” Anakin asked.
“You’re not doing this alone, my old Padawan,”
Obi-Wan argued.
Anakin looked directly at his old mentor and firmly
said, “Yes, I am. You need to get Sakoya and Mara to
safety and that means out of here. Think of it as a
complete fulfillment of the prophecy.”
“Anakin –”
The Jedi locked eyes with his former mentor. “No, my
old friend, I’ll take care of this.”
Obi-Wan knew that intense look – he had seen it too
many times in the past to dismiss it. Realizing that
any further argument would be futile, he reluctantly
relented. “May the Force be with you,” he stated,
placing his hands on Anakin’s shoulders.
As
her husband stepped away, Sakoya went forward and
embraced her friend. “Go deeply into the Force,
Anakin,” she told him. “Let it guide you and you’ll
find your way. The power is at your fingertips, all
you need to do is harness it.”
He
gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Go home. I’ll join
you later.”
Obi-Wan walked over and picked up Mara and shortly
thereafter, the trio disappeared.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
His
journey into the spiritual world now behind him,
Obi-Wan’s eyes fluttered and then opened fully. He
was back in his suite and he took a moment to look
around the room, his gaze resting on the body of his
wife lying on the bed. He quickly thrust himself to
his feet and ran over to her.
“Mon
aimé,” he
whispered to her as he sat on the bed, hovering over
her.
Sakoya slowly opened her eyes and saw everything as
a blur. She repeatedly blinked and soon her
surroundings became less distorted and more in focus
as they should be. “Oh, beloved!” she exclaimed and
threw her arms around his neck. The couple held each
other tightly, allowing themselves to indulge in the
moment.
“What?” Sakoya exclaimed, feeling the pinch of pain
in her arm. She looked down and saw the tube
extending from her arm. Her gaze followed it upward
to the lightweight plastex bag hanging from a metal
stand.
“An
intravenous access unit had to be inserted into you.
You needed fluids to sustain you. Mara has the same
in her arm.”
Sakoya carefully removed the unit from her arm. “I
don’t believe I need this any longer.”
Obi-Wan found himself in awe of his wife’s boldness.
“Apparently not,” he chuckled.
“What
about Mara?” Sakoya asked, her face a mask of
seriousness, as they shifted their gaze to the other
woman lying beside her. Sakoya leaned over and took
a closer look at her daughter’s condition. “She’s
still unconscious.”
“Give
her more time,” Obi-Wan assured her.
Sakoya shook her head. “No, I was able to touch her
mind, but not her physical body. She’s no longer
trapped but the toxin’s affects are still present.”
In
another dimension, apart from the physical plane of
existence…
Two lightsabers – one of light and one of dark –
clashed together with deafening reverberations as
the battle began.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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