Don’t Kill Talia
“No” Corik said. “I won’t. I can’t. I don’t care what she did to me. It was you who brought about these things from the start.” He felt strong, stronger than he had felt back on Topan before all this happened, stronger than anything that this man or all of the Capula industry could throw at him.
“So, you’ve chosen the hard path. The path of conflict, of pain and suffering, of destruction; all because you fail to see that you can’t win.” Deneg began to smile, displaying a malicious smirk of victory.
“You’re wrong, Deneg. It’s you who can’t win. You have me standing in your path to power. You have the whole resistance meddling with your plans.”
“And you have the Jedi Council to deal with.” Master Quithar had recovered from his recent spill, and was up off the floor. Corik was relieved to hear the Jedi were on his side again.
“None of it matters. I have the power here. The people believe in me.” Corik could sense a hint of fear behind Capula’s voice.
“Not if the Jedi Council has anything to do about it. We’ll make sure you get behind bars if we have to physically put you there ourselves!” Master Quithar was confident, and despite her weakened state that made Corik comfortable.
“Well, the Jedi Council won’t know of this decision to overthrow me if you’re not around to tell them!” With that Capula reached out his hand towards Talia and Corik saw the most brilliant flash of electricity fly from his fingertips. The shock, which lasted about five seconds, sent Talia flying back against the same wall she had just met moments before. This time she was out cold.
“You’ve nowhere to turn now, young one, and you will pay for your ill placed faith!” Deneg reached in the same motion, turning the electricity on Corik, though he was ready it. Corik flew backward, turning on his lightsaber on as he flipped. As he landed he aimed the blade at the electricity, and the blade absorbed the shock.
Capula was surprised at the Jedi’s reaction, his bewildered face showed it. However, he struck again, sending more energy at Corik’s head this time. Corik deflected that as well. Deneg continued shooting lightning, each burst more furious and unpredictable than the last. All the while however Corik began inching closer to the Sith, and when the time was right he rushed Capula.
Corik saw the familiar sight of a red beam of energy that ignited and clashed with his green one, creating a glowing yellow color where the two collided. Corik remembered his encounter with that red blade back on Topan, and the thought gave him chill.
“Let your fear drive you!” Deneg shouted as he ferociously fought Corik, matching swing after swinging of the best shots the young Jedi could muster.
Corik knew he couldn’t give in to his fear, or let his anger control him. He took a deep breath, remembering the acrobatic style Master Quithar had taught him to use. He flipped and spun any direction he could to get an edge on Deneg, but Deneg’s blows were well placed, and neither seemed to take a hit.
They went at it for perhaps four minutes. Deneg’s blows were hard, and though he exposed weak points on them, Corik could never recover in time to get to them. After that, things changed. Deneg began controlling objects around the room as he fought, sending them at Corik from different directions. His lightsaber fighting was less aggressive by then, but the objects more than compensated. Corik had to adjust and readjust to avoid colliding with the sometimes half ton pieces of metal.
But still, nobody gave way to injury, and Deneg resorted to drastic measures. He dropped his lightsaber and lifted his hands. Corik felt a rumbling in the building, and it wasn’t from Capula’s laugh, which was ringing in his ear loudly as well. He looked up. The cave ceiling was shaking, and bits began to fall. Corik knew what was happening. He was bringing the whole place down on top of them. Without hesitating he ran over to Master Quithar, still laying unconscious on the floor, and headed for the nearest door. He heard Deneg’s voice as he ran “It’s too late! You can’t escape now!”
He was glad of Master Quithar’s light weight to sprint out with. Corik hustled for an escape, his only friend limp over his shoulder. He reached an elevator and clicked for the 39th floor. The rumbling grew louder and dust began to fall inside the cracks of the elevator, even after the doors had closed and it began rising. It was up to grace whether they made it out in time now… But they did.
When Corik reached a floor below the entrance he had come in, he got out and set Master Quithar on the ground. There Corik waited for her to awaken.
When he came about, Corik told her what had happened. Master Quithar said she would be alright, and was proud of Corik for not tolerating the evils of the Sith as the Jedi Council had.
“Why’d you and the other Jedi go along with Capula? Couldn’t he be defeated?” Corik asked.
“We were afraid of what would happen if the people heard their hero died, and I think we all still are. That Sith got the Republic into a huge mess, and all we could think of doing that made sense was to follow his will and compromise, or risk a severe downfall of the Republic. But you took that risk, and for that I’m glad, despite what may happen.”
And as Master Quithar feared, the downfall was severe. The Senate refused to believe Corik’s story about the death of President Capula, for there was a lack of physical evidence. The death was recorded as an accident, a structure failure on one of the lowest levels of the facility. Capula shut down due to lack of leadership and depression arose. The Council was put under supervision for the people’s suspicion of them involving Mr. Capula’s murder. The Senate worked to restore order, and despite the rough times those first few years following that day of change, the Republic was in for a better future.
Corik saw that future out, as the people began to trust the Jedi again. The Jedi’s numbers grew, and true justice, order, and peace began to service the Republic in full like never before. Corik died after a hundred years of strong and valiant living to become one with the Force, a life and death worthy of a Jedi.