Knights Of The Old Republic: Darkness Falls

[The Doctor]

The Doctor passed the water bottle back to the old man. *I'm the... the Doctor,* he said.

"Nice to meet you, The Doctor," said the old man, smiling slightly. "Tell me: how did you get here? I don't remember them bringing you in?"

The Doctor pointed weakly to the TARDIS. *This is my ship. It's called the TARDIS. That's 'Time and Relative Dimensions In Space'.*

The old man studied the TARDIS intently. "Interesting... it's not like any ship I've ever seen..."

*I'm not suprised. YOur galaxy won't have anything remotely similar to it for another... oh, about 20 millenia. Not until after the technological dark ages.*

The old man looked thouroughly confused, but didn't pursue the matter. He bent down next to the Doctor again. "You need medical attention. It looks as if y-"

"My left heart has been punctured by a fractured rib, and the bone marrow in left leg has become infected. That's not the worst of it, but that's all you would understand.*

"I am a retired doctor, my dear man," he responded indignantly. "I do remember basic human anatomy."

*Yes, but I'm not human. Oh, don't ask,* he added, seeing the look on the old man's face. *Needless to say, I am not human. Now, I need your help getting out of here. Is there a way out of these cells?*

"No," said the old man simply. "I've managed to find air circulation vents between them, but not out of the area. It must be a closed system."

*Then escaping will prove to be a challenge," he said. He sighed heavily. "If only I had the key to the TARDIS. Then I would be able to...*

He stopped. He sensed a cental contact. A strangely familiar one...

*No...* he muttered. *No, it can't be. They wouldn't have sent another Time Lord after me. Unless.... his TARDIS stranded him here, perhaps?*

"What are you on about?" asked the old man. "Who the devil are you talking about? Who are 'They'?"

*There's no time. We will be rescued, of that I am certain - Kira will come for me, I'm sure - or at least the Shards.*

"Kira? You don't... you can't mean Kira Starr? The Jedi Exile?"

*Yes, that's the one. And we must prepare fore her arrival.*

[ForceFightWMe12]

((OOC: Of course there'll be a sequal. After a story like this? There just can't not be one ))

 

IC:

 

“I believe this is yours,” she said, holding out her hand then letting the shard drop and dangle from its chain. “Master.”

Kira smiled, her face twisting in a demonic grin. The third Shard so close, the effects of her transformation were now amplified.

"Indeed, my apprentice." she added a particular weight to the word as she reached for the pendant.

"Guys!"

The Exile turned slightly, throwing a contemptuous look over her shoulder at the approaching group of people.

"I hope we didn't miss all the fun." Atton said, catching his breath. "Those damn puzzles on the doors..."

"I think they made Atton's head hurt." Disciple said, a grin on his face that told the others he was the one who had figured the locks out.

"Well, boys," Kira said, turning back to Jasra, "We have ourselves yet another Shard." and with that, she grabbed the pendant, tearing it from Jasra's grip.

A familiar pulsation rent the air, though this time it was stronger, and several more ensued it. Her eyes glinted in time with each pulse, the gold overtaking her pupils as well. Her lips curled upward, and little stubs of fangs were visible poking from beneath her upper lip. The small container around her neck burst, and the two other Shards floated free, to join with the third in her hand. The whites of her eyes greyed, adding to her devilish appearance.

No... she thought, as a gold haze came over her eyes and began to darken, Not again...I have to...hold on...

Her thoughts became muddled, and her vision grew dark. No!

[The Doctor]

The Watcher stood, abondoning Brax's body, as Kira took the Shard. Her pupils began to vanish into the gold void. He watched in horror as she seemd to lose control of herself.

*Kira?* he said carefully. *Are you alright?*

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Oh ****." Atton murmured, his blaster dropping from his hand. "It's the Shards!"

A muffled scream slipped through Kira's lips as her muscles tightened and the Shards began to complete their hold on her.

"We have to do something..." Disciple said, though no ideas came to him. "We can't let them control her again!"

Without warning, Atton shot forward, and locked his arms around Kira as she began the thrash. "Kira!" he said, his mouth right next to her ear, "You have to listen to me. Fight it! Please, Kira, don't let it control you!"

"A-Atton..." her voice was choked and broken, as if she were using every ounce of breath she had to force the name out.

"I'm here, Kira. I'm here to help you--"

"G-get away from me." she said, in the same, choked voice.

"What? No, I won't leave you not--"

Her entire body tensed again, and Atton could tell he was loosing her.

"P-Please...Before I..."

"Kira--"

"Get AWAY!"

The Scoundrel gasped as a sharp, burning pain errupted in his side. He felt a tingle on his skin as liquid dripped across it. He looked down, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw the saber blade peircing his skin. The blade dislodged itself, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he collapsed.

 

The now fully possesed Kira stepped over Atton's still form, her fangs gleaming in the light as she smiled wickedly at the rest of the crew. Her retinas and pupils were now both gold, and the whites of her eyes were now black. The tops of her ears were slightly pointed, and her blonde hair now had distinctive highlights of black. Veins formed small lines on her hands and temples.

"So," she said, in a voice that was definatly not Kira's, "What do you all think of the new me?"

Silence.

"What's the matter?" she asked, the activated saber rocking casually in her hand, "Cat got you tongue?"

Her grip tightened around her weapon, and the grin widened, "Allow me to loosen it up a bit for you."

[The Doctor]

*Mical!* yelled the Watcher. *Get everyone out of here! Now! I'll deal with this... creature.*

He pulled a metal stick out of his pocket. The hilt of the lightsaber gleamed in the blue light of Kira's weapon. He ignited it, and a white beam formed at the end. "Go," he said to Disciple again. *Get them to safety.*

"But... who the devil are y-"

The Watcher raised his lightsaber, falling into a defensive position. *GO!* he yelled.

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Oh, so now the stranger is going to challenge me?" Kira sniggered, moving towards 'the Watcher'. "You don't stand a chance."

As Kira moved away, Disciple darted up and grabbed Atton under his arms, dragging him quickly away before Karda levitated him with the Force.

"C'mon, you head him." he said, moving towards the exit with the others. "We have to get out of here. Now."

 

"Well, let's just see what you got, old man." Kira said, spinning her staff and stepping back into a fighting stance.

[3yks]

Brax's body sunk to the floor as the Watcher released it ... all life gone from it.

 

Jasra's body began to glow slightly a second later, as the watcher challenged Kira, and Brax stepped out of her. His body that of a shimeering blue light. He looked at Jasra, "Be well." He whispered, and with that he faded away into nothing.

[The Doctor]

*I stand more of a chance than you could possibly believe, young lady,* said the Watcher. He smiled slightly. *Master Yoda taught me well.*

"Not well enough!" she yelled, lunging at him. He braced himself, and pushed back with all the strength he could muster. He managed to push her away, blocking a series of attacks from her with a few quick flicks of his silvery lightsaber. He brought it around and up, aiming for her saber arm, but she blocked it easily and flicked his blade to the side. He barely managed to bring it back in time to stop her from cutting his chest wide open.

"You're good," said Kira, smiling cruely, her fangs protruding more than ever. "Better than I expected. But you cannot defeat me."

*It is not my aim to defeat you, Kira. My goal is to stop you. There is a difference."

He tryed disarming her again, but she doged the attack and matched it with one of her own, a viscous uppercut. He parried the blow, then dropped to the ground and kicked out at her knees. She jumped over him, and while in the air, kicked out herself. Her foot made contact with his face, sending him sprawling backwards. He managed to roll into a crouching position and bring his saber upwards to block another attack, this time at his head. She flipped over him as he attempted to stand, kicking him in the back as she landed. He fell to the floor, his lightsaber rolling to a stop at the foot of Exar's sarcophagus, almost four feet out of reach.

"You've lost, 'time lord'," she said, laughing in a deep baritone that was far from her own. She beared down on him, her lightsaber pointed at his chest. "Time's up!"

She dove at his chest, putting all her weight into the attack. He rolled out of the way, towards his falled weapon, picked it up, ignited it, and managed to stand again in time to block another attack. He forced her away, and they both fell into defensive positions.

"Impressive," she muttered, her voice echoing darkly. "Most impressive. This 'Yoda' has indeed taught you well. But you must know that resisting me is futile."

*Oh, not more of this 'resistance is futile',* groaned the Watcher. *I hear that enough in the rest of the universe. I'd appreciate it if you could come up with something a little more original.*

((Alright Kira, your turn:)))

[JasraLantill]

As The Watcher abandoned Brax to approach Kira, Jasra felt the spirit of Brax leave her body.

 

She reached out towards the shimmering blue reflection of her former teacher, but all her fingers touched was air. “No….” The word escaped her parted lips like a breath.

 

”Be well,” she heard him whisper, and before her eyes, his image faded away.

 

Jasra suddenly felt… alone. Again. She could hear Atton talking to Kira, but her eyes were focused on Brax’s lifeless body. Slowly, she went to it and knelt down beside it. Tenderly, she stroked his long, white hair, now matted with blood, and then removed his gauntlets and the small ‘key’ to his ship from his body.

 

She looked at Crystal, lying motionless on the floor close by, just behind the dead Night Beast. Jasra could sense she was still alive and breathing, but she was… damaged. For a reason Jasra couldn’t explain, Crystal felt… different. Damaged, perhaps.

 

Three teachers…Master Kelva, Brax, Crystal…. The anger at their loss began to swell up inside her. She knew that Brax and Crystal both had risked their own lives to save her from Exar Kun. But what she couldn’t understand why they felt that she was that important.

 

Her thoughts preoccupied, it took her a moment to realise that the chamber had gone silent.

 

She looked over at Kira, just as her blade was being extracted from Atton. He collapsed on the floor, unconscious. Another self-sacrifice, Jasra thought, staring vacantly at his body.

 

”What’s the matter?” she heard Kira ask.

 

Then everything seemed to happen rather quickly to her. The Watcher and Kira began to exchange their first blows. Atton was being carried away by Karda, and the Disciple was coming towards her and Crystal.

 

“Get Crystal back to the Ebon Hawk,” Jasra said distantly. “I’ll stay and help Kira.”

 

The Disciple nodded, and lifted Crystal over his shoulders and carted her off.

 

In a moment, it was just Kira, Jasra and the Watcher left in the chamber. And, like Jasra had told the spirit of Exar, she was not going to lose another master.

 

“I'd appreciate it if you could come up with something a little more original,” the Watcher said to Kira, readying himself for another attack by her.

 

Jasra rose. “How about this?” she said, depressing a stone on the wall near Exar’s sarcophagus. Another exit to the chamber opened. Exar had gone, but he had left some knowledge of the temple in Jasra’s mind.

 

Jasra ignited her sabre. “Master Kira, The Watcher is only wasting your time here. We must go.”

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Not before I've had my say." Kira said, a wicked smile engulfing her face. "Well, 'Watcher', it's been fun sparring with you. We must do it again sometime. Now, if you'll excuse me." as the words left her lips, Kira let loose a vicious Force-push, which slammed the Watcher so hard into the wall, the stone chipped and buckled beneath his body. "Toodles!"

She turned back to Jasra, and started through the second exit. "Now then, Apprentice, if we can get back to the Ebon Hawk before the others, we can comandeer Karda's ship, which I do believe is still docked to the Hawk, and collect the final two Shards. I can sense them both, and they're very close to each other..."

[JasraLantill]

"Karda and the Disciple can keep the others safe," Jasra said calmly to the semi-conscious Watcher. "I'm staying with Master Kira."

 

Her eyes glinted with golden highlights. "The shards await us, Master. And we don't need Karda's ship." She held up the key she had taken from Brax. "We have one far faster and stealthier to use."

[Writer]

Crystal's eyes fluttered open and she realized she was being carried away from Jasra and Kira.

 

"No, Dizzy," she scolded frantically. "No, no..."

 

Blink. She was gone. She reappeared in front of Jasra and Kira and pointed to Kira sternly. "You. Chrissy-girl understands your problem and she won't ask what she can do." Turning to Jasra she sighed, "But you, Jazzy. You're girl's fault..."

 

Let me help you, she pleaded in Jasra's mind. Please.

[JasraLantill]

Jasra gave Crystal a curious, but blank stare. "Help? Sure. We could use some help."

 

Jasra's connection with Crystal had been enhanced each time she had entered Crystal's mind, or vice-versa. Now, filled with the Dark Side, Jasra sought to exploit it.

 

"Fly up to the ceiling and push the square carving," she said through their link. She knew the carving opened up another secret compartment that contained special lightsabre crystals hidden there by Exar Kun.

[Writer]

Startled, Crystal opened her eyes and stared at Jasra. Despite her obvious disbelief, she lifted gracefully off the ground and rose toward the square carving Jasra had indicated. Even, as she rose, she began to speak.

 

"Oh, no, no, no..." she protested. "No, no, Jazzy! No, no... why? No..."

 

She reached up and pushed the carving as she'd been ordered. The compartment slid open and, just a few seconds later, Crystal was back on the ground. Her hair had darkened significantly, now appearing more light brown than blonde and significantly straighter.

 

"I..." she gasped, staring at Jasra. Slightly confused, she pointed. "You... you're paler than normal, Jasra." Then, she understood. "Oh, no, no... you took the shards' twisted thought-lines from me... no, not all."

 

She looked from Jasra to Kira and back. "I see plans have changed," she said, frowning. "In light of that, I think I'd best be leaving."

 

With a quick nod, she turned to do just that.

[JasraLantill]

"Stop," Jasra said calmly, with a slight, wry grin at Kira. Jasra was rather pleased that she could control Crystal's actions. "Turn around."

[Writer]

Crystal was nearly shivering with anger as she obeyed. Her face had gone white as she realized that, while Jasra gave her orders, she could not control herself.

 

"So much for friendship," she spat, glaring at Jasra. She shuddered. "Just... leave me alone!"

 

With the last word, she tried to force Jasra out of her mind... and failed. Tears came to her eyes. "This is not how things ought to be..." she whispered. Then, she glared at Jasra, but said nothing further.

[JasraLantill]

"Don't you want to stay with us?" Jasra asked condescendingly, as she took the special lightsabre crystals from Crystal and put them in her pocket. "You'd be very useful on our journey. More so than you would be on the Ebon Hawk."

 

She grinned at Kira. "Wouldn't she, Master?"

 

Jasra looked at the Watcher. "I don't trust him enough to leave him here alone, Master. Exar still has too many secrets to discover here." She grinned. "And we can always come back to 'visit' later."

 

Her eyes glanced at Brax's lifeless body, then narrowed as they sought Crystal's again. "You will teleport us all--the Watcher, me, and Kira--out of the temple and to Brax's ship. Including Brax's body." She looked at Kira. "If we are going to Omwat later, then bringing back his body should allow us to have an audience with their leaders," she explained. She waved her hand and wrapped the body in a stasis field to protect it.

 

Back to Crystal. "Do this. Now."

[Writer]

With a heavy sigh, Crystal approached the Watcher and Brax, Kira and Jasra following behind. To the Watcher, she said, "I'm very sorry about all this..."

 

To Jasra she said, "Hold on to him and to me," and pointed to the Watcher.

 

To Kira, she said, "Touch Brax's body and hold on to me."

 

Once this was done, she sighed once more and said, "That's about the last time I'll get to give orders around this crowd..."

 

Blink. They were gone. They reappeared near Brax's ship. Despite how close the Ebon Hawk was, Crystal didn't try to run for it. She knew now it was pointless. She was an unwilling servant.

[3yks]

A hologram emited from the ship, a simple black symbol that was unknown to them all. Though if Jasra searched some shared memories she ahd had with Brax she'd realize it was the symbol of his order. It grew and shrunk just slightly as words emitted.

 

"Welcome Jasra, I see that my master is dead. Your friends will have a small difficulty in getting to the main ship with you, the fighter craft has room for two comfortably, though you can fit the remains of Abraxius into the hold, he will not decompress as a human might. I am sure that Crystal and Kira could wait here and use you to focus in and teleport to. Or you can all attempt to squeeze in. I have been programed on Abraxius' death to give myself over to your ownership in full. I hope that you have found his key though, as it is required for the transfer to take place. Yes i sense it on your person." With that a soft hiss sounded and the ship fully apeared, as the top opened to allow them entrance. There were two seats, there back to back ... there was controls ont he latter for weapons and such, though similiar controls could be seen accsiabl to the forward facing seat.

 

A side compartment opened up as well, room enough for .. .well all three of the two that couldn't get into the cockpit. But the ship had mentioned something about decompression.

[JasraLantill]

Jasra immediately recognised the black pulsing symbol of the Zedai, and she felt a twang of sadness as it spoke. Then she looked at Brax's body, shimmering with the stasis field she had put around to preserve it. Even though she knew Brax's spirit was gone, it seemed a shame to her to have to treat his body as mere cargo and put it in the tiny compartment his ship had opened for her. Still, if Brax had been anything, he had been practical. He wouldn't have minded her feeling this way, but she figured he probably would have chided her if she was overly sentimental.

 

"I think Brax's ship is right, Master," Jasra said to Kira. "It would be best if I took the fighter to his main ship, then swing close and have Crystal teleport you on board. After all, Brax seems to have left instructions for me. It might be best that I receive them, in case he had set any traps for... well, for you."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kira thought for a moment, then turned to Crystal. "You can get me there, correct?"

[Writer]

Crystal grimaced and glanced at Jasra, saying, "If I must."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Go on then, Jasra. Let us know as soon as you've reached the ship, and we'll be off."

[JasraLantill]

Since she was the only one going, Jasra used the Force to levitate Brax’s body into one of the two seats in the small fighter. She felt better about not having to stuff it in the cargo hold, even though she knew he probably would have scolded her for the impracticality of it. She closed up the cargo hold door, then climbed into the fighter herself.

 

The controls were of a strange configuration, but somehow, she knew what was what. Probably another throwback from being mind-linked with Brax so many times. She fired up the ship and took off.

 

Even though it was cloaked, it didn’t take her long to reach Brax’s ship in orbit. The fighter ship seemed to ‘know’ where to go and what to do, and soon she had docked with Brax’s main ship. As she opened the hatch and stepped out of the cockpit, she found herself on a small circular platform, with stairs winding around it. It was then she realised that the cockpit of the fighter ship, doubled as a control cockpit for the main. No wonder the fighter seemed to home in on it without a problem.

 

Brax’s ship was about the same size as the Ebon Hawk, only a good deal more open. The main hold she was in contained hundreds of artefacts—treasures and art that Brax had picked up along his journey. It reminded her rather of a museum—items reverently and meticulously catalogued and labelled, and stored in such a way as to be secure, yet viewable. Suddenly, Jasra felt very sad that she would never have the opportunity to learn more from the Omwati, who had obviously travelled further in the Galaxy than she could have ever dreamed.

 

She turned to his body in the cockpit, still shimmering with the stasis field. “Oh, Brax, why did you have to go and save me, only to get yourself killed?” she asked quietly.

 

She felt in her pocket for the carved wooden figure he had given her outside the temple, and she felt a tear begin to well up in her eye. She realised then that she had loved Brax, not like she had loved her old Jedi Master Kelva as a caretaker, teacher, and mentor, but in a much deeper way.

 

She wanted to mourn for him, but practical as he was, Brax would have told her that now was not the time. She had more important things to do first. Quickly dabbing her eye, she vowed to hold back any and all tears until the time was right.

 

She meandered down the stairs and headed towards one of the two doors in the main hold. It opened as she approached it. Inside, was another control cockpit, not as large as the Ebon Hawk’s, but still fully complemented. Obviously, the control for the main ship while the fighter was away.

 

She sat in the pilot’s seat, and studied the panels in front of her. There were a few buttons that were unfamiliar to her, but she finally located the one for the scanners and did a search for Kira and Crystal on the planet below. Once they were on board and their course plotted, there would be time enough for her to take care of Brax’s body.

 

“Jasra to Kira,” Jasra said into her com unit. “I’m aboard the main ship and coming to pick you and Crystal up, as soon as I familiarise myself with the controls.”

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Alright, we'll be waiting." Kira answered into her comm. and turned to Crystal. "Get ready, Jasra's coming."