TITLE: Dark Sacrifice  30/36

AUTHOR: Cara & Quintus

E-MAIL:  [email protected]

RATING: PG-13

CATEGORY: Pre-TPM, Jedi Apprentice, Original Characters

ARCHIVE: Yes. Please keep headers intact.

DISCLAIMER: Star Wars is the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. No copyright infringement intended, no profit is being made from this fiction. All original characters and story belong to the authors. 

FEEDBACK: Constructive feedback appreciated.

TIME FRAME:  Pre-TPM @ 1-2 years

SUMMARY:  When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan join a diplomatic mission to the planet Sahmly II, they uncover a strange vergence in the Force, centered around a young padawan whose actions may determine far-reaching changes in the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan’s decisions about the padawan could save the boy's life, or drive him to the power of the Dark Side.

DARK SACRIFICE

By Cara & Quintus

Chapter 30

Ak'ra Dushiko ran at a steady pace, breathing easily despite the long distance he'd traveled. One hand clutched his light saber. He concentrated on extending his senses through the murk that was the Force on this ridge. Dark overshadowed everything, and added a sour taint to it all. A portion of his mind sought to break concentration and search for Remii. Dushiko was relentless in clamping down on the desire. He had to find these Dark Jedi and contain them. Yeriamman had a good heart, but Dushiko had his doubts on the Knight's light saber skills. Why else would a Jedi carry a blaster then if he was not competent with a saber?

Still, Yeriamman had his strong points. He was quite knowledgeable on history and anthropology, and seemed to have a fair grasp of military tactics. Dushiko approached the last rise in the canyon wall and slowed. He sensed a surge of Darkness up ahead, and thought he felt the eddies of Force battle. There was something else, something approaching him, something angry, and very hungry. From the sense Dushiko got, this angry thing was not alone. It had friends, and they were headed right for him.

Ak'ra Dushiko ignited his light saber and continued forward. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to his objective. Yeriamman- and Remii were counting on him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Obi Wan knew that there would be no help from Dushiko or Adin. If he wanted to survive, he must defeat this dark-filled opponent on his own. Obi circled, light saber held in front of him at an angle and sized up the other one. His adversary did the same. Obi closed his mind to anything outside himself; he shut out the influence of the darkness that permeated the area, he ignored the mental pain of his fellow padawan, he even shut out the touch that led to his master. There must be no distractions. His vision shrunk until he was aware of only his enemy, and the all-pervading influence of the Force.

He waited.

The Dark One came on in a rush. Obi-Wan was not intimidated. He parried the hard slash with ease, began to probe with slashes of his own. The Dark One raised a hand, and added Force blows to his attack. Obi-Wan countered them, surrounding himself with a shield of Force energy, slashing and parrying while attempting Force maneuvers of his own. Obi-Wan could find no openings to pull a move on the Dark One, but he was patient. This was a time to observe and assess. When the weakness appeared, Obi-Wan would be ready. The Dark One blocked whatever Obi-Wan threw at him, but the blocks were automatic, it seemed this enemy was well trained, but the training was based on habitual moves. All Obi-Wan had to do was lull the man into a pattern… then do something unexpected.

The two continued to slash at each other, the Dark one a bit more cautious now that he saw Obi-Wan would not be a pushover. Obi-Wan knew then that he was an equal for the Dark One, perhaps more than an equal. But the man he faced fought with desperation, the same kind of desperation Obi-Wan remembered facing in the practice ring with Remii. Desperation lent strength to the weakest of opponents, and a trapped adversary would be twice as dangerous.

Obi-Wan deflected a thrust and caught a glimpse of Remii. The boy was obviously injured, but standing, arms raised.  Green Force energy emanated from his hands. On the fringes of his consciousness, Obi-Wan could feel eddies of the Dark side and the way it rushed towards the younger padawan. The trickle of Darkness quickly became a roaring river.

Something was wrong.

Obi-Wan had to put the thought aside, and focus on the Dark One. It would do Remii no good if he could not kill or disable this man. Obi-Wan concentrated, gathered what he could of the Light Side to him, then leapt in a Force directed bound over the head of his opponent. The instant his feet touched the ground, Obi-Wan leapt again, back the way he came, over the head of his opponent while at the same time applying a Force push to hold the man in place. In mid air he slashed downward, completing his flip, he landed, stepped, and swung his light saber in a controlled arc. The move tore a gap in the Dark One's chest. The man faltered, then jumped forward. The light sabers clashed.

~~~~

Adin ran lightly across the top of the canyon wall. He'd sent Bellicus ranging outwards a dozen kilometers to scout for Remii and check on the ship. Adin slowed as he sensed someone up ahead, but his senses were muted by the prevailing Darkness of the area. Best to be cautious. He dropped to a walk, and unfastened his light saber. He could feel the Arrcats all around him, but they remained wary and stayed well hidden. The blaster would make him feel better, but Adin remained stung by Dushiko's accusation that he was incompetent with a saber. True he was not a Guardian, but Master Billaba would not have allowed him his Knighthood had he proven inept with this most basic of Jedi weapons. He'd save the blaster for the cats that showed no respect for the Force.

The sense of foreboding grew as Adin approached the rim of the canyon. He stepped into a clearing, and found someone waiting for him. The humanoid had a strange elegance that went with the dark clothing and translucently scaled skin. He smiled at Adin, a mocking smile that instantly put the Knight on the alert. He ignited his saber.

"Welcome, Jedi. I've been waiting for you."

"I'd have called ahead, but you seemed to not want to be found," Adin replied with a shrug. He used his senses to scan the area and got back very little except the overwhelming sense of hungry cats and Darkness.

"I find my skills underappreciated by your kind," the man answered.

"What kind would that be?" Adin asked. He began to circle, saber at the ready.

"Weak minded Jedi. Those that have not yet come to understand the true glory of the Force. Those that cling to the Light like little children, afraid to discover the darkness within. For it lies within us all, you know, Jedi. Do not try and deny it."

"I have explored many a world in this universe, friend, and have yet to find anything that compares to the inconceivable wonder of the Light Side." Adin stepped cautiously around the vegetation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an Arrcat flit closer in the low-lying shrubs. "I have explored the depths of my soul, and still prefer the Light to anything I've seen."

The Dark Master reached both hands under his robes and drew forth two light sabers. They ignited simultaneously in a deadly orange glow. “So, you are the Explorer? I must say that I am rather disappointed. I expected someone more sophisticated.” The Dark Master twirled the dual light sabers with a casual motion. "I suppose playing with Dark artifacts has changed your perspective, however. I could use someone of your… interests."

Adin raised an eyebrow. “Your recruiting slogan needs some work. In the future, show more passion for what you do! Try ‘Join the Dark Side - See the Universe... die at the hands of a Jedi…’ Adin replied. He changed his stance as the Dark Master drew on Force energy. Best to be ultra cautious were the Dark Ones were concerned, they were as slippery as Corellian weasel worms.

“You have seen the power of the Dark Side firsthand,” the Dark Master said, eyes narrowing. “Are you so simpleminded as to deny the attraction? Are you that much of a coward that you cannot face that which you want?” He walked sideways, attempting to close in on Adin.

“Are you that much in thrall? The Dark Side has enslaved far greater Masters than you,” Adin responded.

The Dark Master growled, and thrust a palm against open air. Energy crackled in a bolt, shooting from the Master toward Adin in a deadly green arc.

Adin soaked up the Dark Master’s Force strike a few beats, then spun in mid air and closed the distance between them. He reached out with a hand and issued a strike of his own, catching the Dark Master under the chin with a fist. At the same time, Adin slashed outward with his light saber.

His instincts were true. A shower of black gore blinded Adin as his light saber caught an Arrcat in mid-leap, cleaving the creature nearly in two. The impact of the dead cat knocked Adin off balance. He curled into a ball and rolled head-over-heels on the ground instead of landing on his feet.

Adin came to a crouch and wiped an arm across his face, trying to remove the worst of the blood; a scuffle of boots against sandy, rocky soil betrayed the Dark Master’s movements. Adin leapt over the head of the Dark Master, and threw a Force blow as he landed. The Dark Master sprawled forward in the dirt. He rolled and was on his feet instantly, swept his light sabers around him and neatly severed the heads of two attacking Arrcats with a flick of his wrists.

The Dark Master stood, light sabers at the ready, watching Adin. He slashed the sabers through the air, warning off the milling Arrcats.

Adin maintained a ready stance and moved in a slow circle, keeping the Dark Master in front of him.

“You have no hope of defeating me, Jedi,” the Dark Master said. “Submit, or die!”

"I chose option three," Adin said. "None of the above." He leapt sideways as the Dark Master attacked, parrying a firestorm of well-aimed saber blows. He blocked a double slash assault then grunted as a boot landed in his mid-section. The impact sent him flying backward. Adin turned several backflips to bleed off the energy of the Dark Masters attack before landing on his feet. There was no time to rest, no time to think, there was only time to react. Adin blocked another slashing attack, followed by several thrusts. He sensed that the Dark Master deliberately feinted to move him in a certain direction.

Adin swept the light saber in an arc from front to back, and impaled a prowling Arrcat. The felines dying scream echoed off the black rock and reverberated in Adin's ears. The Dark Master pressed forward, light sabers twirling. Adin blocked desperately then kicked outward with a boot and caught the Dark Master in the knee. The man went down and bounced back up to slash at the Explorer. Adin turned a forward flip and blocked it.

"Is that all you have?" Adin asked, panting.

The Dark Master’s face contorted with anger as he reached out a hand, emitting lightning bolts.

Adin parried as the bolts shoved him back a foot at a time. He threw his own energy bolt, to the right and behind the Dark Master in an attempt to drive an Arrcat closer. The cat instead vanished into the underbrush, wary.

"You will die as pathetically as the padawan," the Dark Master said, advancing with light sabers flashing. "Jedi cannot stand against the glory of the Dark Side!" He made to leap forward, but stopped as a massive green energy bolt flew over Adin's shoulder and vibrated against the orange sabers.

Another voice spoke. “You are wrong. About everything. The Dark Side has no glory. It has nothing. That is why it will never win." Ak'ra Dushiko walked into the clearing. "Honorable Jedi win if we defeat your plans. And we will defeat them.” Dushiko ignited his light saber. Black feline blood covered his robes and spattered his face, giving the Weapons Master a terrifying appearance. "Fight me, you pathetic excuse for a master."

"I will be glad to make you choke on your arrogance, Jedi."

"Allow me to take over, Adin," Dushiko said, never taking his eyes off the Dark Master.

Adin glanced at Dushiko, then the Dark One. "He's yours, Master." It was obvious they hungered to fight each other, which suited Adin just fine. He had business elsewhere. Adin somersaulted out of the combat area as Dushiko stepped forward

“Don’t run too far, Explorer! I’ll get around to dealing with you soon enough,” the Dark Master called. "Three Jedi destroyed in one day, it will be an honor…"

~~~~~

The Dark One attempted to use Force pressure and unseat Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan returned the pressure measure for measure. The stalemate grew dangerous, as overstressed light sabers crackled and hissed. It came to Obi-Wan then; he saw it as a replay in his mind. Obi-Wan cut his Force counter suddenly, and threw himself backward. Off-balance, the Dark One stumbled, then tried to leap over Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan slashed upward as the Dark one passed over his head, and tore a gaping hole in the man's neck that continued down to connect with the wound in his chest.

The man dropped him to the ground, gravely wounded, as Obi-Wan flipped to his feet, on the defensive. The Dark One attempted to lift his light saber, attempted to use another Force trick, face a snarl of defiance. Obi had no qualms about running his blue blade through the Dark man's chest, killing him.

Panting, Obi stood a moment, and let the tight concentration fall away. He staggered as other influences invaded his consciousness, his master's frantic query, the tremors in the Force, the tang of the Dark Side, and the mind numbing panic of his padawan friend.

Obi Wan whirled, and looked for Remii. The boy was on his knees, surrounded by glowing Force energy. The taint of shadows was overwhelming, and as Obi-Wan watched he could sense the Dark Side grow. To Obi-Wan's horror, the Darkness centered on the young padawan, moved in, and inundated him.

~~~~~

Adin didn’t bother to reply to the challenge as he bolted over the crest of a hill. The Dark Master was a better saber fighter than Adin, but that was the way of the universe; there were always people better than oneself. Ak'ra Dushiko was the superior swordsman to the Dark Master, of that Adin had no doubt.  

Adin ducked and rolled between two Arrcats that collided in mid-air as they missed their lunch. He swung his light saber around him, backing the Arrcats off; if nothing else, they’d learned to fear light sabers in a relatively short amount of time. Adin pulled a comlink out of his utility belt.

“Bellicus! Where are you?”

“Seven hundred meters north, northeast of your present position. I show you running perpendicular to me. Is something wrong, Adin?”

“Apart from unfriendly felines and bloodthirsty Dark Jedi? Not a damn thing," Adin replied. “Listen, I need you to perform a scan for a shuttle or other ship right now. Is there one in the vicinity?”

“Yes. Five hundred meters due north of your current position.”

“Can you identify the class?”

“Negative,” Bellicus replied. “The configuration is not recorded in my data banks. Crosscheck with our ship's computer also produces no matches.”

Adin cursed under his breath. I hope I’m not running into a trap, he thought as he changed course and sprinted toward his destination. “Bellicus. I’m going to disable that ship and check for the boy. You search for Remii also, and if you find him, defend him until myself or Master Dushiko arrives. I need you to protect Remii at all costs, Bellicus. Do you understand?”

“Affirmative, Adin. On my way.”

--Continued in Chapter 31--