MDBenson

This was a lead-up story for an RP character I plan on rolling for Star Wars: The Old Republic. His name is Kai-Zinn Belaht and he is a Jedi Padawan. It is set shortly before the game starts, some years after the Sacking of Coruscant and as Kai is beginning to mature as a Jedi. I deliberately didn’t explain much about the scenario to leave a  lto of it to the reader’s imagination and to ensure I didn’t detract from the atmosphere of the short story scene itself. Enjoy and leave comments!

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“This is the Republic Frigate Revelion. We are experiencing technical difficulties and need urgent assistance. Calling all Republic ships in the vicinity, please assist.”

The hologram then seemed to lurch awkwardly back to it’s pose at the beginning of the message.

“This is the Republic Frigate Revelion. We are experiencing technical difficulties and need urgent assistance. Calling all Republic ships in the vicinity, please assist.”

The official sounding voice of Captain Theriam that accompanied the blue hued hologram that was running on the bridge’s communication console had overtones of strain and panic about it, those of a man rapidly losing control of a situation. His dead body, slumped in the Captain’s chair some ten meters away betrayed, however, the fact that the moment of losing control had well and truly passed.

“This is the Republic Frigate Revelion. We are experiencing technical difficulties and need urgent assistance. Calling all Republic ships in the vicinity, please assist.”

A tall, dark figure in red and black Imperial robes slowly approached the deserted console on the bridge. A long bladed red lightsaber plunged in on one swift action through the console, cutting off the message in mid broadcast, it’s repeating cycle terminated abruptly by the sound of severing, shorting power couplings and singed wires. The figure deactivated the lightsaber, it’s blade of blood red light withdrawing, leaving the fractured console in it’s wake. Turning to walk towards the back of the bridge and the entrance door he suddenly stopped.

In a flash a small figure, lightning fast and barely a meter tall sprung down from a ceiling vent, rushing at him across the floor, a short green lightsaber igniting as as it moved. With a loud growl figure flung itself through the air.

The tall figure ignited and drew his red blade in tome to block a violent swing that came perilously close to removing his head. His timely block became a thrust as he pushed back, only to see the small figure somersault over his head and land a few meters behind him on the metal grated floor of the main bridge causeway. The tall, dark figure swung around.

“Master Willa. How nice of you to make your presence known.” The tall figure rolled back a large felted hood revealing a pale, ashen skin, scarred face and protruding veins at his temples, pulsing with dark blue-black fluid. He, it was most certainly a he, had no hair, only the distinctive spiked horns of a Zabrak.

“Darth Synax. Not too good at hiding your presence. Overconfidence will be your downfall.” the small figure retorted, puckering his face into a scowl and raising an eyebrow. It’s very-much animal-like features, big eyes, large pointed ears, green-grey skin tone and slight stature belying the true power of this Jedi Master.

The pair faced off, circling together as if in some kind of dance, one daring the other to strike first, and simultaneously constantly calculating how to fend off his opposite number should they decide to attack. Chess at one-hundred heartbeats a minute, where every move was strategy and one poorly placed pawn or canny rook could collapse an entire defence and end the game.

The Sith Lord struck first, wheeling three-hundred-and-sixty degrees, his robes spreading around him like debris around the funnel of a tornado, and struck a diagonal blow towards the diminutive Jedi. The blow was in vein, the Jedi gone. As he turned towards the echo in the Force that was surely the small Master Jedi, he again saw the lightning fast figure strike at him in mid air. This time he met the strike with a better block, propelling the Jedi backwards. Landing atop a console on the bridge and steadying his mass, he was in time to fend off a blow from the Sith as he bore down on him. The Jedi dancing across the top of the consoles and the Sith Lord striking this-way and that-way only to be blocked by the determined Jedi’s swift and accurate blocks. Sensing the dark lord’s frustration, the Jedi timed a perfect attack, slashing the arm of the tall figure as he struck down. His off-hand weakened by the wound, the pain and anger burning inside him, he dark practitioner swung harder and faster as the masterful Jedi blocked, dodged and parried along the top of the consoles. The road however ran out and as he skidded to a halt at the end of the row of consoles the Sith struck one last blow. Dropping as low as he could, the small figure of the Jedi almost laid flat, the blade skimming over his head. A sudden yelp of pain echo’d around the cavernous bridge as the red blade severed one of the Jedi’s large pointed ears. Sensing his opportunity, the Sith Lord grabbed the weakened and hurt Jedi with a strong Force grip, his lightsaber blade fading away and the short hilt falling from his hands as he struggled to escape from the power of the dark master’s grip. The dark figure then tossed him aside with brutal force, watching with amusement as he skidded back along the semi-horizontal keypads and view panels, his body battered by protruding instruments, smashing through clear plasteel diving panels adorned with the Republic crest. Reaching the other end of the row of consoles, the Jedi’s forlorn and broken body smashed through one final clear partition and fell to the floor like a sack of bones in the dark recesses, only a quiet groan piercing the following silence.

The dark figure walked slowly towards the fallen Jedi Master, pieces of the broken plasteel partitions crunching below his heavy boots. Nursing his wounded left arm against his chest, his right hand still holding his ignited red lightsaber, the dark master suddenly heard something move, a light sound almost like the passing of a breeze. The next sensation was much harder and definite as the dark figure received a full boot-strike to the face, knocking him flat on his back. Dropping into the bathing light of the bridge, a tall, slim figure in a light robe and brandishing a turquoise blue lightsaber with a simple hilt swung down towards the sprawled Sith. His blade met with that of the red lightsaber and he was thrown back by a forceful push of Force power. Landing on his feet a few meters back he readied. The dark lord sprung to his feet.

“I see the great Master has an apprentice. If you are lucky I will spare you, young pup.” uttered the Sith as he regained his balance, his lightsaber wielded in one hand across in front of him.

“I will never yield to the dark side.” replied a calm and levelled young voice.

“Then you will die!” raged the dark lord, rushing the young Jedi.

The pair locked lightsabers, then as if both snapping at once, they broke their lock. The pair swinging to and fro, block, parry, strike, block, their blades clashing with eerie spits and whines as the two fields struggled to remain separated. A low sweeping strike almost caught the young Jedi off guard. He leapt over the blades, feeling the energy of the lightsaber pass within a hair’s breadth of his feet. He landed, hooking up and under the sweep in an attempt to flick it from his opponent’s hand, but he only succeeded in forcing another deft flick of the wrist from the dark master as his good arm contorted around and readied for a parry. Another hard thrusting exchange of swings and blows, blocks and parries ended in the pair of them locked, lightsabers crossed once again, the fields skittering and moaning as they were forced together.

“Yield young Jedi, and I will spare you. As you can see, I am a more powerful master than your Jedi companion ever was. Join me and we can rise and challenge the Imperial Council.” came the seething words from the Sith Lords gritted teeth.

“I’d rather perish here than fall to the dark side.” replied the young Jedi, pushing back with all the strength and guile he could channel.

“I’m sure that can be arranged…” returned the deep voice facing.

With that the young Jedi Padawan felt himself lifted from his feet. He flew backwards landing back-on to a heavy steel bulkhead.

In the shadows a clawed hand reached out with as much Force power as it could channel. Pulling something towards it’s grasp.

The dark lord lifted his lightsaber up in front of him and walked slowly towards the young Padawan, a bleak smile crossing his face. They young man was slumped against the wall. His lightsaber still in his right hand but the blade extinguished. Pain shot up and down his spine like lightning bolts striking at the base of his skull. Blood trickled from the young man’s nose.

The clawed hand in the shadows strained as if all the power left it the small body were channeled through it’s form. Feeling out for an object far away.

The dark figure trudged slowly over to the young Jedi slumped on the floor. He raised his good arm with his lightsaber extended above him.

“Such a shame. You had potential.” the voice said blankly.

At that moment he raised his lightsaber, the blade pointing down and plunged toward the young Padawan. As he moved, so did something else across the room. A flash of green flew towards the Sith, like a bolt, impaling his leg. A gut wrenching scream rose from him as the pain spread out.

The clawed hand in the shadows slumped to the floor, drained of life and essence.

As the pain, torn flesh and shattered bone started to take it’s anchor on the dark lord, he dropped his lightsaber, the blade narrowly missing the young Padawan and extinguishing as his grip diminished. He fell to his knees, clutching with his good arm at the rupture in his leg. As he fell he was suddenly aware of a turquoise blue light before him. As he looked down he saw it disappear into the centre of his chest.

“As you feel the Force wash over you, remember the name Kai-Zinn Belaht. For it will be the last thing you remember.” uttered a young voice.

A wheezing gasp was all that came in reply as the dark lord slowly fell sideways, the leather of his armoured chest-piece creaking as he fell, ultimately crumpling to the floor. The young Jedi’s deactivated lightsaber falling with him with a metallic clatter.

As Kai looked up the room began to blur. He was absorbed by his own pain and exhaustion.

“Rest young one, your time is yet to come.” A ghostly voice, gruff and animal-like, whispered into his soul.