Star Wars: The Darkness Within

[thelightfang]

Light was getting Corsail off the bike when Varik spoke. His eyes widened, apalled that the others could have forgotten him. "Son of a b****"

 

Light laid Corsail down and ran off to the cockpit, repeating Varik's question when he got there. "Where is Kif?!"

[Chevron 7 locke]

Shan

 

"Where's Kif?"

 

The smile on Zarev's face abruptly vanished and was replaced by a look of pure horror as he realized what he had accidently done. "I...I...I'm sorry Varik," he whispered. "The republic solders were attacking us and the base was locking up. With all that was going on...I must have forgotten to get him out of the kolto tank."

 

Zarev lowered his head in shame and shook his head in disbelief. How could he have forgotten Kif?! He had done something that he would most likely not be able to forgive himself for.

 

"I'm sorry." He said quietly. "But the base is on lockdown and I think right now if we tried to go back for him the base's air defenses would rip us apart."

 

 

Shan Cockpit

 

"Where is Kif?!"

 

Vlalkor didn't turn from the controls as the Shan turned and headed towards the sky. "He's still at the base, most likely still in his kolto tank."

 

Vlalkor turned to look at Light and shook his head. "As far as I could tell we couldn't get him out of the base before the lockdown was over. Our mission takes priority over the life of one man."

[thelightfang]

There has to be something... There's always a way..

 

"We can spare more than a couple of hours, and those air defenses are designed for ships. If we can get thirty minutes and a way down, a lockdown won't stop a precise strike with a small team."

 

Light paused for a moment, snapped his fingers, and said to the pilot, "Do we have the gear for a HALO jump? That would allow us to avoid AA and get us in to the base. Only worry then would be friendly casualties, right?"

[LDR]

"Is this what I'm hearing?", Varik asked incredulously. "What ever happened to 'no man left behind'? Have you forgotten that Kif is in critical condition? If the Republic doesn't kill him then the Sith most certainly will!"

 

"The mission may come first, but that's no excuse for leaving people behind to die because you 'forgot about them'. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. Jedi should know better, and especially you. Was he too much of a burden for you? Had you forgotten he put his life on the line for the rest of you?! Did you forget that too?!"

 

Varik was fuming. If only his legs had not been out of condition...

 

"You might've forgotten about Kif, but I sure as hell haven't! Somebody turn this damn ship around!"

[Warlord664]

With some effort, Corsail pulled himself up into a nearby chair.

 

"The republic solders were attacking us and the base was locking up. With all that was going on...I must have forgotten to get him out of the kolto tank."

 

Corsail blinked. "Why were the republic soldiers attacking you in the first place? Was the entire outpost working for the empire?"

[Chevron 7 locke]

Shan

 

"What ever happened to 'no man left behind'? Have you forgotten that Kif is in critical condition? If the Republic doesn't kill him then the Sith most certainly will!"

 

"The mission may come first, but that's no excuse for leaving people behind to die because you 'forgot about them'. THAT IS RIDICULOUS. Jedi should know better, and especially you. Was he too much of a burden for you? Had you forgotten he put his life on the line for the rest of you?! Did you forget that too?!"

 

Zarev was completly quiet for a moment as he looked down at the ground. When he rasied his head his eyes were blazing with anger and fury. "Vlalkor, bring the Shan about and head for the base. Prepare for a jump."

 

Vlalkor shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, but the base's defenses would rip us apart before we reached the inside of th- Augh!" Vlalkor's voice cut off as Zarev slowly moved towards him with both of his hands facing outward. Vlalkor could feel the pressue as Zarev used the force to push him back into the pilot's seat.

 

"You seem to be under the impression that that was a suggestion. You will turn this ship around towards the base or you will be relieved of duty."

 

"Sto-Stop this..." Vlalkor whispered painfully as his hand tried going to his balster pistol, but Zarev grabbed it with the force and crushed it easily.

 

"Now that you've had the time to think...will you turn the ship around?" Zarev asked quietly. Vlalkor nodded urgently. "Good. Now turn us around."

 

Zarev turned towards the others and brushed past them as he headed for the ship's ramp. He turned to look at them with a small but dark looking smile. "Anyone who wants to come along can."

 

Zarev steadied himself as the ship stopped moving above the base and the ramp extended down to the roof of the base.

 

 

"Why were the republic soldiers attacking you in the first place? Was the entire outpost working for the empire?"

 

Avriela shook her head. "I'm going to guess that Voleran got to the base somehow and corrupted them. From what I understand, all it takes is one person to spread his influence."

[MsFicwriter]

"If you don't mind, I'll guard the ship, because I think the Republic soldiers will recognize me on sight," said Per'dra. "And, after all, it was my trying to figure out where the jamming signal for Grandmaster Shan's communications was coming from that got us into this mess. If I hadn't been wandering around, I don't think we'd be in this jam in the first place."

[Chevron 7 locke]

Shan

Above Balmorra HQ

 

"If you don't mind, I'll guard the ship, because I think the Republic soldiers will recognize me on sight and, after all, it was my trying to figure out where the jamming signal for Grandmaster Shan's communications was coming from that got us into this mess. If I hadn't been wandering around, I don't think we'd be in this jam in the first place."

 

Zarev shrugged his shoulders and ignited his lightsaber as he prepared to jump down to the roof of the Republic HQ. He shook his head. "I'm going to need a quick pickup once I grab Kif. Keep the engines at full power."

 

He couldn't help but shake his head in slight confusion. Why had he been so vicious with Vlalkor? In fact, he could barely remember the incident even though is had only happened a few minutes ago.

 

What is...What is wrong with me? he thought in confusion.

 

Nothing.

 

Zarev ran down to the bottom of the ramp and took a flying jump and landed safetly on the roof of the building although the landing did cause his feet to hurt for a few moments.

 

Another alarm began to sound as solders began to run up to the roof in response to the alarm. Zarev ran at the group and unleashed a wave of force energy that sent most of them flying back, most of them hit one of the walls but a few of them were sent flying over the edge of the building.

 

Avriela moved to the top of the ramp and watched as Zarev ran at the group of downed solders with his lightsaber ignited.

 

What is he doing?!

 

"Zarev! Stop this!" She shouted out urgently as he cut down two of the downed solders. She turned and stared at the group.

 

"It's like he lost his mind! He's not holding back! He's killing them!"

[thelightfang]

Light's eyes widened in confusion. He had suggested a way down without putting the ship in danger, and yet Zarev had flipped out. Despite this, and the ship getting hit by AA fire, he was right behind him after he hit the roof, landing more cleanly than Zarev had.

 

Light watched as Zarev cut down a pair of soldiers, then ran up behind him, putting a foot into the back of his knee, and putting the Sith's lightsaber close to his throat.

 

"No more killing. There is a chance we can save them if we take out whoever is causing this. One more, and I will cut you down, understood?"

 

Killing is not something you should do lightly in any case, let alone against friendlies. What is wrong with him?

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra Yllari doubled over in sudden agony. Despite herself, she screamed. Even though Jedi were trained to resist and restrain such displays of emotion, she could not control herself. The excruciating pain she felt was not only that of the soldiers as they died, but also of Zarev as he cut them down. What was he doing, and why? Who or what was influencing him, if anything? The Dark Side of the Force was like a cold black fog, clouding her thoughts. As she knelt, it took all of her strength to call out through its netherworld to Zarev's mind:

 

Zarev! Are you still able to talk to me, especially of who is controlling you? Is it Voleran? If so, I'll take the risk of contacting him directly. For now, speak!

[Chevron 7 locke]

Balmorra

Republic HQ

 

"No more killing. There is a chance we can save them if we take out whoever is causing this. One more, and I will cut you down, understood?"

 

Zarev chuckled. "You can't seem to sense it can you? There's nothing left to them. Their minds are gone."

 

Zarev turned to slowly look at Light as he smiled again. "You however...still seem to have some common sense left in you. You can either back off now or I will kill you."

 

What is this...this...this is wrong! What's in my head?!

 

Zarev's body seemed to move on it's own as his other foot slammed into Light's stomach which sent him reeling backwards. He then gathered the force around him and unleashed a powerful force push that sent him backwards against the wall. He simply continued pushing Light against the wall even as what was left of his mind screamed at his body to stop.

 

Your quest stops here Jedi. Voleran is the key my domination of both the Sith and the Republic. Nothing will stand in my way.

 

Zarev! Are you still able to talk to me, especially of who is controlling you? Is it Voleran? If so, I'll take the risk of contacting him directly. For now, speak!

 

Zarev let out a howl of rage and grief as he continued to push Light against the wall. Something...Something so much stronger. He sent back to Per'dra as whatever it was in his mind closed off his mind to everything.

 

"Light...get Kif...get out of here...before he takes you as well." Zarev whispered painfully as the remaining republic solders suddenly stopped firing at Zarev and formed up on him instead and took aim at the Shan's ramp.

 

"Please..." He whispered. "Get Per'dra and the others out of here before he takes them as well."

 

It was at that point that Zarev's body twitched once and Light was no longer restrained by Zarev's force push. Instead he slowly turned to the Shan and gripped it with the force and began crush the vessel's laser cannons with the force.

[LDR]

As Varik was sitting close to the boarding ramp, he looked down to see chaos Zarev killing Republic soldiers, then pinning Light against a wall, and then turning to see Per'dra scream.

 

"Light needs help down there! Avirela, could you heal up my legs, so I could at least be able to walk?"

 

The firing stopped, and then suddenly he heard the sound of metal crushing, and rifles being aimed. "Preferably soon?"

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Light needs help down there! Avirela, could you heal up my legs, so I could at least be able to walk?"

 

Avriela looked down at Zarev and the corrupted Republic solders before turning to Varik.

 

"I'm going to try and move some of your bones back into place in your legs. You should be able to walk but Its going to hurt pretty badly at first. Use the force to try and block the pain."

 

Avriela gently took Varik's leg and positioned it.

 

"Hold on!"

 

Avriela used the force to hold the leg steady as she quickly began to move the bones back into place. She couldn't fix the broken ones but she was hoping that Varik would be able to assist Light.

 

"Alright...one last thing." She said quietly as she grabbed a stimpack from one of the shelves and injected it into his leg.

 

"That should numb the pain. I can't fix the broken bones right now but if we have more time I can."

 

The Shan shook violently as two of the laser cannons were finally crushed as Zarev continued his assault on the Shan.

 

Vlalkor swore violently from the pilot's chair. "He's starting to attack our concussion missle launcher! If one of them detonates we might not make it out of here!"

 

The sound of blaster bolts could be heard hitting the hull and sparks began to erupt from consoles all around the ship. "Either we get Kif now or we don't! The ship can't take much more of this!"

[Warlord664]

Corsail had no idea what was going on, and was starting to black out again from the pain. He shook his head to try and clear his vision so he could see what all the shouting and sounds of blaster fire was about.

 

"Whats going on? Who's attacking us?" He asked, as he failed to stand up.

 

Wonderful, i'm completely useless. Were under attack and i'm too wounded to do anything. He thought to himself.

 

"He's starting to attack our concussion missle launcher! If one of them detonates we might not make it out of here!"

 

"That's a comforting thought." he mumbled as his vision grew hazy again.

[LDR]

Varik wasted no time, jumping out of the ship. He channeled the Force as he released it as he hit the ground, resulting in a shockwave that knocked all of the soldiers back. He grabbed and ignited one of his lightsabers, saving the second for when he really needed it.

 

"Stand down Zarev! I will NOT hesitate to hurt you.", Varik said, pointing his lightsaber at him.

 

Light, I'll distract him. Just go and get Kif. Now!, Varik said telepathically to Light.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Shan

 

"Whats going on? Who's attacking us?"

 

Vlalkor didn't turn from the controls. "It's Zarev. Something happened to him and now he's using his force powers against us. He's already taken out our laser cannons and now he's trying to take out our concussion missle launchers."

 

 

Balmorra

Republic HQ

 

"Stand down Zarev! I will NOT hesitate to hurt you.",

 

Zarev slowly turned around and released his force hold on the Shan's concussion missle launchers and turned to face Varik . His hand went down to his lightsaber and ignited his double-bladed lightsaber.

 

"I'm afraid your friend is no longer in control of this body." Zarev voice sounded off...as though something was speaking through him. "Your jedi friend is no longer here. I will use him to kill you all off and than my plans will continue unopposed."

 

Zarev briefly gathered the force around him and unleashed a massive force wave that caused the Shan to shake violently and almost caused Avriela to loose her balance and fall off the ramp and sent Varik stumbling backward.

 

Some of the republic solders were starting to get back to their feet and Zarev smiled as he grabbed a large piece of debries with the force and sent it flying towards Varik while grabbing smaller pieces and sending them flying towards the Shan.

 

Vlalkor swore violently as the Shan continued to take severe damage. "We can't take much more! We need to grab Kif and leave before the engines take more damage and we won't be able to get into space!"

[Yukub]

Traver had awakened from the wild shaking. He felt horribly, and he was like seriously ill. He stumbled outside and saw them and he quickly pointed his pistol at Zarev. His face was as pale as marble. He was sweating, blood dripping from his mouth. He looked quite mad, his mouth wide open and his eyes wide open. Then his nose began to bleed too, and he couldn't breathe for a second.

 

''S-stand down.'' He said, with the utmost difficulty. ''O-or I will kill you.''

 

His free hand lowered to his belt, where he got a bottle full of blue liquid. He opened it and it began to smoke rather alarmingly. He drank it all up and then fell on the floor, but not before shooting at Zarev's chest.

 

''F-****.''

[Warlord664]

"It's Zarev. Something happened to him and now he's using his force powers against us. He's already taken out our laser cannons and now he's trying to take out our concussion missle launchers."

 

"Zarev's attac-" Corsail was interrupted by the ship lurching sideways sending him flying off the chair he was in. He grunted in pain as he slammed agianst the ships floor. Looking up he saw Zarev outside sending waves of wreckage and debris towards the Shan.

 

Seeing Avriela standing on the ships ramp he unholstered one of his blasters.

"Hey Sith!" he shouted, "Use this!" He tossed her the blaster and unholstered his second one, just incase.

 

He tried to take aim with it but he was in a very bad angle and position. Just then Traver stumbled in. Where has he been all this time? He wondered.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Roof of Republic HQ

Balmorra

 

Zarev heard the sound of a blaster shot and moved instantly to the left. The bolt barely missed him. He didn't turn away from Varik though and unleashed another powerful wave of force energy at Varik.

 

"Hey Sith! Use this!"

 

Avriala knew that her lightsaber wasn't the ideal weapon for this battle. Even though she knew quite a few force tecnniques she knew that they wouldn't do much good against the seemingly posessed Zarev. She caught the blaster and immediatly pointed it at Zarev's hands.

 

"Sorry about this Zarev." She muttered. She began to rapidly fire the blaster repeatedly at Zarev trying to get his attention away from Varik.

 

Zarev was forced to turn around and began to deflect the bolts away from him.

 

"Varik! Nows the time to get Kif! You and Light need to get him now!"

 

Avriela ran down the ramp and unleashed a blast of force energy as she landed as she continued firing the blaster with one hand while reaching for her lightsaber with the other.

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra Yllari dashed into the ship and quickly located a hatchway that would allow her access to the Shan's exterior. Climbing up the long metal ladder, she knew she didn't have much time to stop Zarev and his damage to the vessel. Thus, when she reached the outer hull, her vantage point was above him and all of the havoc he was causing. Perfect. He won't suspect me from up here... Using all of the strength and ability in the Force that she could muster, the Jedi Knight raised her hands high and concentrated. I tried to use a stasis field against Master Lenina Karos when I fought her in our final battle. It didn't work then - she was too powerful - but I hope it does now. Come on... She squinted her eyes tightly and felt waves of energy drain from her body.

 

Slowly but surely, Zarev began to freeze. His muscles clenched taut, and his hands balled into fists. His mouth, once grinning in triumphant revelry, was now sculpted into a grimace of fear. His weapons were now useless, because the stasis field was rendering him immobile - at least for now. As for Per'dra? To the people on the ground, she shouted, "Go! Go! I can hold him! Go!" However, could she fulfill her promise? "I'll die trying before I release Zarev!"

[LDR]

As Varik was going to advance on Zarev, he was knocked backwards by a pile of debris. Getting up, he was about to advance again when he was knocked backwards - again. He saw blaster fire from Avirela and Traver, and Traver collapsing shortly thereafter. Where the hell has he been?, he thought to himself.

 

"Varik! Nows the time to get Kif! You and Light need to get him now!"

 

"No way! You can't hold him off with just a blaster!", Varik shouted back, just before Zarev was trapped in a stasis field. Even then, he didn't budge. He didn't want to risk him breaking free. He walked up to him and held his lightsaber upwards, right behind Zarev's back. If he moved, his spine would be incinerated.

 

"Just to be safe.", he added, nodding to Light to get inside and get Kif.

[thelightfang]

Light nodded back, having only just gotten air to return to his lungs. He took off, with his sabers in his hands. They were not ignited and through a combination of dodging and taking cover, he knocked out enough troopers to allow him access to the compound.

 

Once inside he found that they were actually quite close to the med-bay, and followed a couple of arrows to arrive at the door to the room containing Kif. However, as it opened, he found that it also contained five troopers, one of whom was tampering with Kif's kolto tank.

 

Light pushed the first two, low. This forced their legs out from under them, and, since their hands were on their guns, their faces smacked the ground. They were knocked out. He moved up, ducking the next soldier's shot. Then he swept the soldier's leg and grabbed his throat, slamming him to the ground.

 

Two more soldiers left, one of whom seemed to be unaffected by the events as he continued to work on the computer. Light grabbed the gun of the first as he fired a few shots, kicked him in the gut, and slammed his saber's hilt into the back of the computer-using soldier's head.

 

Accessing the computer, he set the devices to release Kif, who then slid out of the tank, flat on his stomach. He started to go over to him, when one of the soldiers started to get up. He delivered a kick to this one's face, and went back to Kif.

 

"Can you hear me? Now would be a good time to get up..."

Light heard more soldiers on their way, and belted his saber and pocketed the Sith's. He started to pick Kif's groggy body up.

[Chevron 7 locke]

((I'll post again once Kif is on the Shan. Zarev is going to pull off one incredible trick later.))

 

"Just to be safe.",

 

An internal battle was being fought within Zarev but his true mind was steadily being overwhelmed. The presence within his mind was rapidly overcoming his own mental defenses. On his own, he knew that he was going to lose this mental battle within a few minutes. He knew that at the moment the others were safe from the presence that was controlling his mind. But he knew that sooner or later the presence would be able to break through the stasis field that Per'dra had hit him with.

 

"I'll die trying before I release Zarev!"

 

She must think that i'm a traitor to the republic. He thought. A part of him would rather die then have Per'dra think that he had turned on her.

 

No Jedi. I highly doubt that they would ever trust you again even I did release you from my control. No...The Dark council member that you ended up killing was to be my weapon but now that he is gone I will take a new body to control. Your first act will be to kill these fools.

 

No...I won't hurt Per'dra...I'll die before I do that!

 

You forget yourself Jedi. You will kill her and the others because I command it. Go ahead...try and resist.

 

And Zarev did try. But he simply couldn't break free of the control no matter how hard he tried. But he did have one thing that he could do. He went through his memories and recalled the memories that he had with Per'dra. He took them and the emotions that were brought up with him and used them to create a shield...a barrier that was able to barely hold back the presence wthin his mind.

 

Hmph. An interesting trick Jedi. It may hold me back from total control, but I still have total control over your body.

 

The sith was able to break free of your control even if it was only briefly. I will break free even if it kills me! Zarev mentally shouted as the presence within his mind started to gather the force around his body as Zarev fought against the presence. Zarev's body began to break free of the stasis field as the presence pushed his body's abilities dangerously close to the limit.

[LDR]

Balmorra, Republic Base

 

"Can you hear me? Now would be a good time to get up..."

 

"Wait what? What's going on? Am I having a hangover?", Kif got up and tried walking, only bumping into a steel wall. "Oww. Hey, why can't I see? What happened?" Kif was having amnesia, and being knocked out for a few hours, he was rather groggy. He was also dripping with kolto.

 

Balmorra, Base Exterior

 

Not paying attention to Zarev slowly breaking out of the stasis field, Varik looked up at Per'dra.

 

"So how's the weather up there?", he asked in a light manner.

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra gritted her teeth and hissed, "Excellent!" through them. She continued clenching her fists and keeping the stasis field active, or at least as much of it as she could. Whatever this presence was, it was stronger than she, and her former Master had taught her well. The Force barrier would soon be broken, and Per'dra feared that Zarev would kill her then. He was clearly possessed, and the Jedi Knight tried one last time to touch his mind.

 

Zarev. I don't know whether or not you can hear me, but I don't want to lose you. Against the Jedi Code, I'm beginning to fall in love with you, and don't see how I could ever want to stop. Even now, I pity you, and don't want you to fall under the complete control of this monster. Whoever he is, we'll defeat him together. No one has to know--no one MUST know--but keep faith in me!