Conflict of Interests Part I
Posted on Tue Oct 9th, 2012 @ 5:40am by Thane & Bomoor Thort & Mentis & Berry & Trey†
Edited on on Fri Jul 26th, 2019 @ 1:29pm
1,385 words; about a 7 minute read
Chapter:
Chapter I: Web of Fate
Location: Alley, Nar Shaddaa
Timeline: Day Two, Morning (straight after "Quarry")
Bomoor ushered Berry backwards as he removed his weapon from his belt, "Looks like we're in another tough spot. I really mean it this time when I tell you to stay back."
Berry pouted at him as she cracked her knuckles. "But I'm not a little man!!" She frowned over at Tattoo Face. He was even paler than Pale Guy!
Sev Rezer didn't wait to discuss any further. He opened fire, knowing very well his enemies would deflect the shots with their lightsabers. It was merely a diversion, as he prepared his armor to fire the flamethrower over the one that called him to fight. Fifty shots were fired in twenty seconds and all of them were deflected. When Sev was aligned with Mentis, he simply swung the rifle to his back and streched his right arm, closing his fist. A Column of furious fire came alive and shot straight towards his enemy. The left arm moved slowly and a long cortosis made blade appeared.
Trey threw his dramatic robes off as he ran to the side of the flames, using the force to deflect some that flickered too close to him. He activated his sabers and ran alongside the wall, eyeing the most appealing opponent—the Jedi with the most anger.
As the dark sider lunged towards Thane, his heavily-Ataru-based style of lightsaber swing coming in from high up, his own violet blade sprung forth from his lightsaber hilt to deflect the attack, the two weapons singing as they scraped against one another. As their saber-lock continued, Thane could feel the arrogance emanating from his opponent. A loose cannon, certainly, but one that was not inaccurate. This cultist would not be as easy to end as the Gran from the previous day.
Swinging his body around, Thane threw a kick straight into Trey's gut, pushing him back (but not as far as he hoped), as he brought his lightsaber around into a Makashi opening stance, blade pointed down and ready to sling back the cultist's double-bladed lightsaber attacks. Not waiting to let his opponent make the first move, he took a step forward, pushing all of his strength into a quick series of slices. As Trey deflected each of the sharp and precise movements, Thane could not help but be impressed by the Dark Jedi's mastery of his Soresu-Ataru blend, particularly given his use of the saberstaff... or to note his enemy's enjoyment.
Bringing his offhand in to support his blade in a strong downwards thrust, Thane pushed his weight into his attack upon Trey, seeking to draw out the most of his enemy. "Your rage," he mocked, pushing harder, "your overconfidence," he went on, focusing as best he could onto the Force, drawing from his enemy's misplaced feelings to fuel his own abilities, "do you injustice!" In the seconds surrounding the new saber-lock, Thane began to consider a switch to the seventh form. This opponent was powerful, certainly - not one he would usually risk such a manoeuvre with - but he was uncontrolled, as well; a bastion of ridiculous and self-motivated emotions. He could serve Vaapad well.
Mentis felt the heat of the Mandalorian's flame-thrower and jumped high into the air. He flew up to the wall of the alley and pushed off in order to land himself behind the group, hoping to trap the Jedi between himself and Trey. He threw off his scorched cape and flew towards the Ithorian.
The force sped Bomoor's motions as he ignited his viridian blade and caught Mentis as he engaged him. Their blades locked together - the force of the dark Jedi's jump pushed the sabers towards Bomoor's shining eyes - sending bright sparks into his face. The Rattataki sneered at him - a controlled darkness could be felt within him but Bomoor could sense that it was another who held the control. Bomoor bellowed as he sent a wave of force forwards, knocking his enemy backwards and breaking their saber-lock.
The Ithorian held his lightsaber up in the defensive Shien form and looked to Rezer beside him, "Try to keep him back," he shouted.
Berry cheered from the side of the alley, eyes gleaming as she eagerly watched what Eye Guy was going to come up with. Maybe he could shoot lasers from his eye. At least it wasn’t red like that bad guy in her dream…
Trey laughed, grinning at Thane before suddenly releasing the saber-lock by jumping back. His eyes glittered at the Jedi. “Do I look mad?” He tilted his head. “Well, maybe a little crazy, but I’m not mad.” It was as if his aggression was turned off, and he smiled congenially at Thane, speaking between parries. “How can just two Jedi…and a bounty hunter…defeat Axion?” He smirked slightly. “You’re the mad one.”
"We'll see about that." Thane upped his pace, making clear his transition from Makashi into the seventh and most ferocious form of lightsaber combat, channelling his deep-set aggressions and disdain for so much around him into quick and powerful swings, forcing Trey to fall into a more Soresu-based style, spinning his double-bladed weapon to fend off the attacks. His amusement with the battle only led to an increase in Thane's annoyance. Drawing on that as well as the annoyance both Sev Rezer and Nar Shaddaa gave him, Thane let his form break, utilising an array of unpredictable moves in what he hoped would break Trey's parries.
Trey frowned, actually having to put in effort now as he found he didn’t even have time to talk. This Jedi was crazy! He smiled widely as he was pushed back, the heat from the clashing sabers warming his face. Crazy was good.
As he finally managed to worm a short opening into the duel, Thane shunted into the Dark Jedi, delivering a heavy elbow blow into Trey's gut, followed by a thrust of Force to push him backwards. With his blade held firmly in one hand again, he let his eyes shift over to the battle between his allies and the other dark sider as Trey began to draw closer again.
The Rattataki was moving quickly, darting in and around Bomoor's slower techniques, as well as Rezer's gadgets and attacks. Utilising what could only be interpreted as an adapted form of Makashi, the nimble white-skinned dark sider was hopping between slices and blaster bolts, executing numerous jumps and dives that could be seen to be too much for Thane's allies.
With Trey looming ahead of him, Thane could think of no other alternative as he used the Force to draw the spare lightsaber - the one taken from the Gran he decapitated the previous day - into his offhand, igniting the red blade and quickly darting to the side to intercept Mentis' own red blade. The move would have been surprising if the Force had not alerted the Dark Jedi to the sudden attack. At the same time, Trey drew up and Thane quickly ducked before thrusting upwards with the other blade.
Trey smiled, almost in relief at Mentis’ late arrival. Finally, a chance to move on. He kept up his defense against the crazy dual-wielding Jedi, steadily making his way over to where the other Jedi was.
Although not a master of the art of Jar'Kai, Thane's relative expertise in Niman - the most 'universal' of the lightsaber forms - afforded him a relative ability in adapting his style to dual-wielding, but he quickly found himself in a defensive position, taking numerous steps back and pushing slices back - particularly from Mentis' quick Makashi blade curves.
With Thane now covering the Rattataki, Bomoor was suddenly aware of the other dark Jedi approaching very fact from behind. Bomoor had just enough time to revitalise before Trey's blade flew down upon him. Bomoor pushed the blade back and began a strike of his own, sweeping to his opponent's side with great speed and clashing sabers. Bomoor had switched to Ataru, the fast-paced form favoured by Trey himself. The strikes between the pair were quick and indistinguishable to those without the ability to sense their movement in the force. Bomoor felt his energy leaving him as it often did, only this time a weakness in his technique could be fatal.
TBC
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