Jump to content

Home

Knights Of The Old Republic: Darkness Falls


DarthSion101

Recommended Posts

Jasra was feeling better. Well, at least more balanced anyway. She rose to her feet, still a bit unsteady, and still keeping one eye closed so she could see just one of everything.

 

She looked at Crystal, then shook her head.

 

Walking over to where Crystal was, she bent down closer to her. "We'll leave you alone if...." She paused, then smiled. "If you go to the big ship bed. It's not significant, but its warm. And you're tired."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 1.3k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

"Tired," Crystal repeated. Her eyes opened and she looked accusingly at Disciple. Then, she stood slowly and headed off to find a bed.

 

"To make Jazzy happy, she finds a big ship bed," she said quietly, laying down on it and taking a deep breath. As her eyes closed again, she murmured, "She hates unhappiness."

 

And she fell asleep, finally submitting to the sedative Disciple had forced on her.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I've decided," Disciple said, watching Crystal amble off to find a bunk on the Hawk, "That I despise that Shard."

 

~*~*~

 

Atton, seeing that the Hawk was on auto-pilot while in the Hyperspace stream, left the cockpit, deciding to see if he could find any java. Or perhaps something harder than Juma.

As he entered the main area, he saw Kira rush through on her way to the dormitories. He could see simply by the way she walked that she was upset, so he decided to give her some time and get himself a drink.

After a while, he followed Kira into the east dormitory, where he saw her meditating on the floor. While she looked alright, he noticed that her shoulders shook every once in a while.

"Kira?" he asked quietly.

"Go away." the Exile whispered in return.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*Yes,* said the Doctor, still massaging his temple. *Yes, I quite agree.* He opened his eyes, again back to normal. *Perhaps you should... perhaps you should check on Kira. She...* he tried to find the best words to use in front of Jasra. *She will most definitely want to speak with you about... recent events.*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jasra frowned at the Doctor, but said nothing. Instead, she followed Crystal to the dormitory.

 

She sat down on the edge of the bed. While Crystal slept, Jasra removed one of her gauntlets and gently stroked Crystal's blonde hair. She couldn't help feeling that this was all her fault. Had she not strayed from the Jedi path... had she not accepted the job from Togo ... had she not found the Exile... had she stayed with Kira and Crystal instead of speaking to Brax... Things might be rather different now.

 

"I'm sorry, Crystal," she said softly, even though Crystal couldn't hear her. "So very sorry."

 

She laid her hand on Crystal's forehead, then closed her eyes, trying to detect the damage the shard had done to her.

 

In her mind's eye, she saw a swirl of colours--red, violet, indigo, green--threads of Crystal's thoughts. They were all matted together, knotted it seemed by a single golden strand. Ever so gently, Jasra began to try and detangle it from the rest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A comforting yellow thought lanced out toward Jasra and she heard the words, Batty, isn't it? The next thought was slightly more gold. She... I'll be... okie-dokie... I'll be fine... ish.

 

Though she appeared to be sleeping, Crystal was still semi-conscious and in this state, she began to talk to Jasra.

 

"She calls her Jazzy," she murmured. "Doesn't know why. Slip, slop, out comes the words... the flood of nonsensical words. She's sorry Jazz... Jasra feels blameable... is that a word?"

 

She sounded as if she could be laughing softly. "She wants to thank Jazz... Jasra for being comfy-closey... and brainy-picky..."

 

As Jasra continued to attempt unwinding and untying the gold strand, a tiny image of Crystal... the old Crystal with dark hair and grayish eyes appeared. "If you go too far, the golden thoughts will bind you," she warned. "Let me help. Leave us slightly tangled so as to restore much sanity without endangering yourself."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Eyes still closed, Jasra grinned. "Brainy-picky," she repeated with a soft snorting laugh. But Crystal was right. She could feel the golden strands beginning to wrap around her own thoughts, like a growing vine that needed constant trimming to keep it in check.

 

"Just a little more...." she whispered. More of the golden strand became solitary, but it seemingly had no end and no beginning. If she could just find one end....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"It wraps you up," Crystal murmured aloud. "Twisty-turnies twisting and turning you until you don't know direction... stupdidity... stupidoddity... the brain won't know logic... can't comprehend it."

 

Inside her mind, the dark-haired Crystal was murmuring the same things, but she quickly shook her head. It has no end, Jasra. It'll wrap us both up if you don't stop now. But once we wake up, we'll be somewhat more sane... all thanks to you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jasra suddenly understood what the shard had done to Crystal. She knew,but she couldn't put it into words. Heading Crystal's advice, she drew herself back, and opened her eyes.

 

She rubbed her hand soothingly over Crystal's forehead.

 

"Thank you," she whispered. She sat quietly, trying to realign her own thoughts while she waited for Crystal to awaken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"So many voices," Crystal murmured. "Vandar, Jasra, Kira, Disciple, Doctor, Nyssa, Tegan, Vrook..." The list continued on and on. Occasionally, there was a name Jasra recognized, but most of them came toward the beginning of the list. The later ones were unknown to Jasra. The list ended and Crystal sat up. "All of them. Echoes in my mind. To be there forever. The gold mocks them, distorts their voices, their messages."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Why don't you try to just concentrate on one voice," Jasra suggested. "Just one colour."

 

She put her hand over Crystal's. "I know what its doing to you. I can't put it into words, but I know." She paused. "And I know that Kira and I will need your help at the end." She gave Crystal a weak smile. "I'm tired. Let's both get some rest."

 

She rose, then noticed her gauntlet lying on the floor beside her feet. She picked it up, and put it on, then turned to look at Crystal. She was sheilding it, like Brax had taught her, but she knew Crystal could still see it somehow. "It's not what you think," she said to her, then went to lie down in the bed next to Crystal's.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Doctor stood. *Very well,* he said to Disciple. *I must return to the TARDIS and, uhm...* he closed his eyes again. *I must, uhm... ake sure Nyssa and Tegan are alright.*

He left the room, walking down the long hallway back to the TARDIS. As he passed the cargo hold and entered the garage bay, he saw Atton walking towards the main room.

*Atton,* he said. *Uhm... there was something, ah yes, that's it! May I ask what our next destination is?*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Doctor stared after Atton curiously for a moment, tempted to folow him and find out what was wrong. He though better of it, and entered the TARDIS. He accessed the TARDIS databanks on the planet 'Degobah', and began reading.

((This is where I consult Wikipedia about Degobah, to fit the later plans.

EDIT: First thing I learned: It's spelt Dagobah, not Degobah.))

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As she slept, Jasra dreamed.

 

Of humid swamps and gnarled trees. Strange creatures. And a depressing darkness that hovered over an ancient vine covered ruin.

 

She tossed restlessly. She could feel the frustration as she tried to use her gauntlets to cut a path through the thick and tangled vegetation. Trying to get to...

 

Kira. She was in a temple. Ancient writing on the walls. An altar in the middle of a great room. A stone sarcophagus.

 

And the call of the shard.

 

She awoke with a jolt. She looked over at Crystal, who appeared to still be sleeping, then threw off her blanket and headed for the cockpit.

 

As she'd been sleeping, she hadn't felt the ship come out of hyperspace. Through the cockpit window, she could see a moss green planet. "What is this place?" she asked Atton. "Where are we?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...