Apogee, Part IV

Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2019 @ 1:05pm by Nala Sao & Kalen "Rex" Vickers & Thane & Bomoor Thort & Amare & Rynseh Lahan & Reave & Zenarrah Sozo & Mentis & Tolmin Voq & Kelderesh jai Nektus
Edited on on Thu Oct 3rd, 2019 @ 11:29pm

3,486 words; about a 17 minute read

Chapter: Chapter V: Unbound
Location: Red Raptor Landing Site, Valley of the Dark Lords, Korriban
Timeline: Late Day 4, After "Apogee, Part III"

OLD

Once upon a time, to address elder Jedi so brazenly would have offended every sentiment within the young Caanan. Now, he felt the manner of address only appropriate to their relative positions.

"Master Jedi," the fallen knight opened politely, projecting his voice through the power of the Force in his first conversation with a Jedi since Loren's demise, "you are a long way from Coruscant. It appears a good many of us might be losing our way, of late."

NEW

Rynseh Lahan smirked at the young nobleman with narrowed gleaming green eyes. He took two slow steps closer towards Thane leaving a good dozen feet or so between them, then rested his hands casually on his hips.

"Every living soul that stands before me is exactly where they should be," Rynseh said in his confident, yet soothing baritone voice, his flat worker-class accent akin to that of a Corellian. "A wise young woman shared an old proverb with me once: 'What is a wave without an ocean? A beginning without an end? They are different, but they go together.' For you, the Prince of Caanus, and to your clan-brother, the scion of Bruta and Mumin of Öetrago, those words could not be more true."

Thane listened to the Jedi's honey-sweet words with scepticism, although he stopped short of saying anything to this mysterious man yet. As expected, the alien had made good on his mandate from his superiors within the Order; he had learned well and knew the pertinent details of Thane and Bomoor's background, and of their well-known friendship.

And although he had no desire for blood to be spilled, he did not trust a word that came from the warrior's muzzle. Thane would do what he had to, should the need arise.

Zen, almost entirely unable to keep her jubilant eyes off Amare, managed to turn to Rynseh as he recited the ancient proverb. It was an old piece of Nautolan wisdom, words she shared with the older Cathar the night they first met. She was deeply impressed and touched that he remembered the verse perfectly after so many years. It gave her pause, and made what she planned to do all the more difficult to act on.

"So too is the way of the Force," Zen added, stepping forward casually, but keeping one pace behind and to Rynseh's right. "The darkness and the light...they are different, but they go together."

Rynseh nodded approvingly to Zen's interjection, but kept his steely gaze firmly into Thane's eyes, noting that mild bit of corruption from the distinctive gold rings around the human's pupils. Bent, but certainly not broken.

"This is a former Jedi Knight like yourselves, Zennarah Sozo," the Cathar introduced to Thane and Bomoor. Within the periphery of his vision, he took weary note of the survivors of the Janna crash, but in particular noting the young wide-eyed Nautolan female as well. Ryn was astonished that while the girl was curious with Zen's persistent attention upon her, there seemed to be no recognition from her for the one who was truly Zaracoda's mother. "I am Master Rynseh Lahan of the Reborn Jedi Order, and there is very little time. Any moment now, an unidentified vessel will be landing here to confront us." He turned to Mentis and Rex. "It's likely the same vessel that shot your ship down. It was docked with the station in orbit when we arrived, and I suspect they are the ones that massacred the Jedi protectors of this world. Unless the lot of you wish to be their next victims, I ask each and every one of you to stand with me and Zen and show a united front when they arrive. What do you say to that, Thane of Caanus? Do you and your companions agree to a temporary alliance?"

“Master Lahan?” Bomoor could not help but voice his confusion, recognising the name he had introduced himself by, “But Master Lahan died three or four years ago and had been estranged from the Order long before that.”

"And yet here I am," Rynseh clarified with a smirk promoted to a salesman's smile. "With a seat on the Council no less. They recognized that the Force helped me survive the impossible for a purpose. Being here today in front of the two of you...and your young disciple as well, I can see why I was spared. None of this is coincidence; this is destiny." His comlink bleeped a warning from his belt and he withdrew his small datapad from one of the pouches. "Ah, right on time. You have about thirty seconds to deliberate my offer; they are landing as we speak."

The Cathar kept a target lock on the cultist ship, feeling very tempted to disable their engines, but instead tapped an icon on the flat screen which ordered the ship to fire a few warning shots off their bow to make sure they would go planetside. They were likely delayed trying to keep the Descent off their tail, but with no living soul on board to feel through the Force, plus its stealth systems, sensor absorptive plating, and military-grade electronic counter measures, the cult would have to target it manually by visual alone. Even for Force users, he knew that would be a tall order without the use of a maneuverable starfighter, and even then they would have to get past its point-defense systems and shields. He made a mental note to have a chat with Damask Hul about acquiring another ship like it for the Reborn Jedi.

Bomoor spoke aside to Thane, “Yet more secrets and conspiracies from within the golden Reborn Order. They must be some kind of Shadows to know so much about us and to be here right now.”

"It is a cheap and cynical gambit," Thane half-hissed to Bomoor, not breaking the eye-lock with Rynseh. Certainly, the alliance being proposed by the Jedi Master - an apparent new addition to the High Council, no less - was a distasteful notion. It was never a preference to enter into an alliance of convenience, and it was even more troubling when the other partner was a complete unknown. He also found himself pondering the positions of Masters Sotah and Thurius on the Council, and their awareness of this hairless Cathar's mission.

“So, are they Jedi or not?” Mentis asked, listening in and quickly trying to piece together the situation, “I know they are not members of the cult so perhaps we should consider trusting them for now.”

Bomoor was uncomfortable with their former enemy being so close at hand. It seemed so absurd to be debating the validity of Rynseh and Zennarah when they had so quickly accepted a Dark Jedi, a smuggler and an unconventional Jawa.

“It’s not that simple,” Bomoor frowned at the pale, tattooed man, “but perhaps we do have to prioritise those we know to be the enemy and sort the rest out later.”

Thane, although it pained him to admit it, dipped his head in frustrated agreement with the Ithorian. He took a few long strides forward, eyes unwavering upon the Jedi Master. "You have left us with little recourse, Master Lahan. We are not your enemy, but I do not consider this cooperation an intimation of trust or capitulation to your master's will. If the Cult of Axion falls upon us now en masse, you will require our power to survive as much as we may require yours."

As if on cue, five figures appeared atop a nearby ridge that overlooked the broad plateau the Red Raptor was landed within, dotted though the space was by jagged rock formations and surrounded on one side by a large ravine. At the centre of this quintet was Axion's favoured apprentice, the baubles she affixed about her head-tresses glinting in the grim orange light of Korriban's setting sun, whilst four Humanoids flanked her either side. The three central figures had their lightsaber blades engaged, each a varying hue of the red colour spectrum, whilst metal blades were clasped in the hands of the two warriors at either end.

On this occasion, it was only the Nautolan - Nala - that Thane recognised.

Although her face was obscured by distance and sun glare, the man that would be Dark Lord was certain he could sight the infuriating woman's pearl-white teeth grinning at her quarry below.

As if heralding the cultist's impending dark descent upon the smattering of defenders below, one of the warriors beside Nala, a Kaleesh, raised a three-clawed hand high above him. Bolts of irregularly-curved lightning of various colours erupted from his bony palm and arced upwards, high into the golden skies. Thunder echoed loudly from all directions, rumbling through the ancient ravines of the valley. Loose stones tumbled down and the ground shook beneath them.

Clouds that had not existed mere moments before began to swirl menacingly around the five Dark Jedi, thick and black with forks of electricity spiralling this way and that from the centre of the mystical vortex, which grew larger and darker with each passing second, spreading and consuming light like a plague upon the heavens above. Several great bolts of lightning shot down from the sky and struck the mountains and ground about them, dislodging large chunks of boulder and turning great swathes of sand to super-heated glass. The air grew cold as heavy winds began to billow all around them, but the atmosphere became saturated with the terrible might of the Kaleesh's Force perversion.

The brilliant violet blade of Thane's weapon sprung to life in his hand with its unique and distinctive snap-hiss, barely audible against the backdrop of the unnatural storm now spreading out from their foes above. As he moved his attention from the cultists to his companions, and then back to their unwelcome Jedi allies, he considered how far he might have to go in this coming battle, of what he would have to display in their effort to survive against these new and mighty foes Axion had unleashed upon them. Clearly, their efforts had left some alarming impression upon the Dark Jedi Master: the malicious intent and twisted power he sensed within the beings now confronting them dwarfed that of the previous grunts they had felled in the past.

All consideration of ending the threat of Rynseh Lahan and his Nautolan companion during the inevitable turmoil of this looming battle became secondary, as the grim reality of this coming conflict became paramount.

The incredible display of power far above was a deep, gut-wrenching inspiration of fear the stirred within Amare. She suddenly felt completely out of her depth. Neither Jedi, or ex-Jedi, or a certain prospective Sith Master had suitably prepared her to deal with such proficiency in the dark side. Amare feared that this was it; that this was going to be the end of her story.

Zara, no... the mind-voice she heard from earlier spoke telepathically to her, this time Amare matched it with the spoken voice of the mysterious Nautolan woman that showed up with Master Lahan, the one called Zen. She turned and saw Zen smiling warmly at her.

...You mustn't let fear conquer you, child. Fear is death. You can do this. The Force is with you. Be not afraid. I am with you now.

Amare wanted to say something, her lips ready to convey the words, but the storm above recaptured her attention as she held both her lightsaber, her grip tightening nervous on its metal hilt.

"So shock and awe is their game," Rynseh said aloud. "Pitiful. A poor strategy to show their hand so early." He chuckled and shook his head, completely unfazed by the awesome display of dark power. He drew his lightsaber, but refrained from activating it. "They are not Sith; these are gifted fools playing with power they don't understand."

"They are not Sith," Bomoor confirmed, casting eyes of distrust at the mostly-hairless Cathar Master, "They are the pawns of the dark Jedi Axion we were tasked with seeking by the Jedi council. Whether or not we are aligned with the Order, it is still our goal to defeat Axion and his followers. You will now see firsthand the threat they pose."

Rex gulped audibly as he took a couple of staggered steps closer to Mentis. His gun hand shook slightly as he regarded the fantastical situation unfolding before him, eyes wide in panicked disbelief. Heavy sweat was beginning to bead over his skin, and he twitched with each bout of thunder that shook the valley. "Y-your f-friends, huh?" He stammered to the Rattataki, eyes flitting about manically as the orange light of Horuset was subsumed by the Kaleesh's dominion over nature, blotted out by his Force storm.

Mentis pulled out his hilt, feeling the comforting red leather ribbon upon it against his fingertips as he pushed the ignition, sending his own crimson blade flaring outwards. He then brought it upwards in a Makashi guard in front of him.

“They were never friends of mine,” the Rattataki kept his composure, at least knowing he was now facing his fear alongside proven warriors, “Just other deluded souls. Rex, Reave, stay sharp and keep your distance.”

Rex nodded quickly, nervousness becoming him. He held up Cindra, his modified DL-18 sidearm, towards the advancing Dark Jedi. "Uhh... Brick?" He called back to his disjointed astromech droid, who was dutifully fizzing just behind the group. "Why... why don't you take that sled and get the ship running, huh?"

Thane glanced back to the other Human and gave a small nod of affirmation. A rapid departure might be necessary - these cultists did not seem as disadvantaged as in their previous encounters.

“Bomoor!” Mentis shouted, his voice now needing to be raised as the dust whipped up around them from the unnatural storm, “The one causing the storm is Kelderesh. His Force powers are strong, but he is weak with a blade. Someone swift with a blade could quickly overwhelm him.”

The sky crackled as thunder began to build in the dark clouds that rolled in from behind the cultists. They looked up to see the Nautolan and two others begin descending down the steep mountainside towards them.

Bomoor nodded over to Mentis before turning to Thane and his regal blade, “Think you can outmatch the sorcerer?”

Thane clenched his free hand in reply, power coursing through his limb as he tested his strength within the dark side of the Force before the battle. As before, he gave a small nod to his companion. With his own nascent abilities with Force lightning and tutaminis, he hoped to hold his own, but the Kaleesh's impressive display would dwarf his burgeoning talents, he was sure. He trusted that the magician's talents with the blade would be inferior, as was so often the case with these one-dimensional creatures.

"Thane," Zen called out as she strode up to the Caanan, "I possess a means to absorb dark spells. I can cover you while you rush in and finish their mage off."

Amare gazed at Zen curiously and stepped to Thane's side, "I can help too, master," Amare offered.

"Not with this," Zen shook her head in an effort to prevent Amare from becoming a liability and a casualty in the battle. "Trust me."

"Zen is an experienced fighter and a former Temple Guard," Ryn assured Thane. "You can trust her to back you up. As for the rest of us, we should divide our forces; work in pairs to cover one another. Two to each hostile. They may have surprises prepared for us, so keep your senses sharp and be ready to adapt and counter."

Thane felt no need to add to Zennarah's warning to his apprentice, a knowing glance from him being more than sufficient. This was no time to quibble with the elder Nautolan, even if he found her presence and manner disturbing in a way quite different from Rynseh. There was too much convenience to this development, but it could be addressed later - if they survived.

The group began splintering in preparation to face the oncoming cultists, who were now leaping down past the final outcroppings to close the distance between them and the open space occupied by their enemies. Leading the cultists was the Nautolan known as Nala, her sharp, sultry smile unchanging as she leapt closer and closer to their targets, the unnatural Force storm following close behind them.

The sound of sizzling briefly drew Thane's attention down to his lightsaber, and he quickly looked up the blotted sky when he realised what was happening. Despite the climate of desolate Korriban, a light patter of rain was now falling from the sky, accompanied though it was by more tremendous thunder and lightning. He spun his weapon in an opening Makashi salute, bringing the blade in front of him as he focused on Kelderesh who, having stayed upon higher ground alongside another blade-wielding cultist, continued to bring the storm with him, his hand no longer raised and his vermilion lightsaber now extinguished.

Nala, dressed in a form-fitting leather ensemble, with no adornments hanging from her lithe form, headed up the remaining cultists, sauntering towards Bomoor, Amare and the others, her own magenta blade held in a mockery of the traditional Makashi pose, the tip of her blade slicing into the hard ground as she advanced upon them, sparks leaping up to meet Kelderesh's storm from above.

As the companions prepared to engage the cultists, an almighty roar suddenly carried over the din of the twisted weather, remarkably louder than the crashing of the insane lightning. It came from behind the group, calling from the direction they had arrived at the Red Raptor's landing site: their one route away from the plateau, barring the ship itself.

Standing tall against the narrow passageway, the beast's breadth consuming what little space there was within the gap, was a creature both larger and more daunting than Rynseh's own sizeable form. A monstrosity of matted white bloodstained fur, rotten teeth and glowing pink eyes, the albino Wookiee loosed another bloodcurdling howl. A grotesque cybernetic fist was opening and closing manically at the end of one arm, the sound of its rusted servos audible over the distance. Clenched within that fist and the bloodied claws of the other were two sawblade-knuckle weapons, the serrated edges catching the small amount of light still cast over the Valley. For the third time, the monster roared and began charging towards the cluster, its arms held out wide and teeth gnashing with murderous intent, its hateful eyes set firmly on Bomoor as it closed the gap inhumanly fast, pincering them on both sides with no opportunity escape.

Bomoor ignited his viridian blade and held it across his body, while backing up slowly, finding himself edging closer to the ravine and creating a safe gap between him and the rest of the group, who were now steeling themselves as Nala and the remaining cultists converged upon them.

He felt another strong presence behind him and turned to see the stern face of Master Lahan following him into position, his own classical blue blade ignited and pointed towards the bloodied Wookiee. Bomoor was worried having the mysterious Master at his rear, but knew his obvious strength would be an asset against such a great beast.

"Let us keep this one at bay as long as we can," the Ithorian cast a wary glance at the thick, morphing clouds above, "As soon as the ship is ready, we should depart."

The crew of the now destroyed Janna found themselves joined by the younger blue Nautolan, facing down Axion's favourite pupil Nala and the pyromaniac of the cult, Tolmin Voq. The third cultist was a Rodian and not known to Mentis but the lack of a lightsaber and the empty look in his large glassy eyes told him he was not destined to be much more than a pawn within the cult.

Mentis had not seen Nala since the night he had killed Trey and fled from the cult. A part of him wanted to appeal to her, but the way she looked at him now with that self-assured smirk told him that he was just another victim to her now. He felt the rising fear and trepidation that came from facing those who he had seen in combat time and time again. Now he had so much more to lose; newfound allies and friends. It was a new feeling, but also a quiet strength knowing he must fight for more than just his own life or for the glory of something he no longer believed in.

He allowed that fear to become his power. He stepped forward.

TBC

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