Star Wars: The Darkness Within

[Warlord664]

Corsail look over across the room at the others. . Bunch of babbling idiots. Almost as if they were having a contest of who had lost the most friends. He thought to himself. He placed his fathers lightsaber back inside his pouch and got up.

 

"Didn't know you jedi added a new part to your code, there is no silence, there is non stop stupid annoying pointless conversations." he said outloud. He turned towards Varik, "You talk as if you enjoy having a list that long, I bet you killed have of those people yourself."

[LDR]

"Didn't know you jedi added a new part your your code, there is no silence, there is non stop stupid annoying pointless conversations. You talk as if you enjoy having a list that long, I bet you killed have of those people yourself."

 

Varik looked up at Corsail, glaring at him angrily, clenching his fists as he stood up - slightly taller than the smuggler.

 

"In case if you didn't know, I don't believe a single lying word of that pacifistic code.", he said.

 

He gripped Corsail by the neck with his right hand, and held him up by a few inches.

 

"Do you think I enjoy having all these people I've cared about dead? Do you think I endure days easily? Do you think I could sleep at night, with their deaths haunting me? How I was too late to save any of them? Maybe you should reflect about the loss of your little Jedi daddy, you worthless space trash.", he growled in a dark tone.

 

He released his grip, dropping the smuggler to the ground. He briskly walked away, pushing aside Zarev as he walked into a dormitory and locked the door.

 

Kif just sat there, in shock of what happened.

 

"Did Varik actually do that?", he wondered aloud.

[Warlord664]

"Do you think I enjoy having all these people I've cared about dead? Do you think I endure days easily? Do you think I could sleep at night, with their deaths haunting me? How I was too late to save any of them? Maybe you should reflect about the loss of your little Jedi daddy, you worthless space trash.", he growled in a dark tone.

 

 

Corsail watched as Varik walked out. He almost pulled out his blasters and fired at him. Corsail just stood there for a moment, fuming with anger.

 

"Get back in here you jedi idiot! You think you can insult me and just walk away?" He was about to charge into the dormitory after Varik when something stopped him, as if something was pulling him back.

 

Corsail turned and looked at Kif, "I hope you're not too attached to your jedi friend, because if he gets near me again I'm going to kill him." He turned and walked towards the cargo hold.

[Yukub]

Traver retreated to a corner and took a little box from his pocket. He carefully opened it with tremling fingers. He took the spice out of it and quickly stuffed it in his mouth. He chewed on it for a few seconds and didn't care what the rest was doing. Stupid rabble of Jedi and idiots he thought. He took a needle from his pocket and stabbed it in his arm. ''Ah.. Free..'' He said.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"It's horrifying, isn't it? Here we are, a Knight and a Master, still reeling from losing those who were dear to us. Now Voleran presents an even greater threat. I know that the first part of our Code says, There is no emotion; there is peace..., but even I know that's not always true. Whatever happens, I'll remain loyal, and won't let the Sith get either of us if it's within my power to prevent it."

 

The Miraluka smiled. "Actually, I'm only a knight. But earlier, before my master was killed I was supposed to take on a padawan. But after what I did...I didn't think I should take a padawan."

 

He clenched his fist and began to feel the anger that had once coursed through him at one point but he quickly began to recite the Jedi Code in his mind.

 

He than watched in shock as Varik closed the dormitory door behind him. He could sense the rage coming off him and was very surprised. He looked over at Per'dra and shook his head.

 

"Well, it looks like we're off to a fine start on this mission." He said quietly. "Already the majority of the people on this mission hate each other and we have only a very slight lead on Master Voleran."

 

He shook his head again.

 

 

Unknown location

 

A lone figure sat in silent meditation on the floor. He sat even as a small companel lit up next to him. "My lord, the plan is in full effect. Your Jedi pawn has succeded in obtaining the data and is on his way to meet with one of our operatives on Dromund Kaas."

 

The figure didn't open his eyes. "Are the sith aware? We cannot risk them interfering in our affairs."

 

"No my lord. However it appears that Voleran must have left some sort of clue. One of our jedi pawns has reported that a small group of individuals are heading for Tatooine in an attempt to intercept him."

 

A small smile appeared on the figure's face. "Dispatch Avelra. She is strong enough to kill them. instruct Voleran that he is to change course in order to reach Dromund Kaas."

 

"Yes my lord."

[MsFicwriter]

Aboard the Light Corvette "Satele"

 

Per'dra lowered her voice so only Zarev would hear. "Honestly," she asked, "what did I do, besides being late, to get things off to such a bad start? I may be naive, but there's a reason I always try to control my emotions. Besides," she continued, "if we don't stop hating each other and start working together, then this mission is going to end before it even begins. For now, I'll stick with not talking about the Jedi Code from here on out, since right now it's only served as an object of ridicule." Turning to Zarev, she said, "You may not be ready to take on a Padawan right now, but in time...You have serious potential, and shouldn't deny it so quickly."

 

Unknown Location

 

Everything is on schedule, and secure in the palm of my hand.

 

The figure smiled underneath his hooded cloak. Was he a Jedi? Most certainly not, but neither was he a Sith. Throughout his life, he had only remained loyal to one cause and one side: his own. If pazaak players lived by the sole motto of "winner take all", then he was their inadvertent champion. Oddly, he had never even touched a card, finding gambling to be a frivolous activity. When there was a galaxy to be had, and people to be ruled, games didn't matter. Only potency did, and the figure exuded it. He stroked his ruddy left cheek.

 

I can't afford to lose, so I might have to play both sides versus the middle. Both the Jedi and the Sith are fools, and don't know how much power I command! However...if Avelra fails in her task, why should I destroy what I can use? Among this group of individuals sent to locate and dispatch Voleran, there must be at least one with a weak mind and a volatile disposition...

[Warlord664]

Corsail sat in the cargo hold, brooding with anger. No matter how hard Corsail tried, he couldn't forget his past. He remembered when he was young he used to train with his father, he was to be a jedi.

 

However when the day came when he was to face his trials, the jedi order threw him out, saying that he had to much anger in his heart. What hurt Corsail most was the fact that his own father didn't defend him, he just stood there.

 

The next day his father along with other jedi were called out to defend another world, the world his family was living. A few days later word came the empire had killed everyone there and had taken the planet.

 

What good is the republic if they can't even defend their own planets? He thought.

 

Corsail had no one, everyone he knew was dead. He remembered the last thing he said to his mother was, "I'm going to become a jedi!" Before his father left to defend the world he had given Corsail his lightsaber, although he had no idea why.

 

He had force potential, however the only training he ever recieved was the days he trained with his father. Corsail turned his head and looked at a sealed lockbox sitting on top of a shelf, he closed his eyes and focused on it.

 

He tried to pull it towards him but the only thing he managed to accomplish was making it topple off the shelf. "Well, how about this?" Corsail whipped his blasters out and fire at the shelf bolts, everything on it fell off. "Much more effective."

[Chevron 7 locke]

Light Corvette Satele

 

"You may not be ready to take on a Padawan right now, but in time...You have serious potential, and shouldn't deny it so quickly."

 

Zarev smiled sadly and shook his head. "What I'm about to tell you can't go beyond the two of us: My master and I were sent to answer a distress call from one of the mining colonies out on the outer rim. When we arrived we found that a small sith force had managed to kill off all of the republic defenders and were holding the mining crew hostage. My master and I split up against my better judgement. I was sent to take care of the sith in the mines while she took care of the sith forces in the garrison."

 

Zarev clenched his fist. "I managed to get rid of the sith in the mines but I could sense that something was wrong with Master Beval. I ran back to the garrison just in time to see her cut down by blaster fire."

 

His eyes took on a haunted look as he remembered what had happened next. "I...saw her die. The woman who had taken me as a padawan when I was a child, taught me the ways of the jedi and for all intents and purposes raised me as her own. I lost control."

 

"I...remember the sith troops turning towards me and raising their rifles, and than all I remember is my vision going red, the sound of my lightsaber humming, the screams of the troops and their voices begging me for mercy, begging me not to kill them. I woke up surrounded by bodies and destroyed machinery"

 

He turned to Per'dra and shook his head. "That is why I can't take a padawan. If that ever happens again...I wouldn't be able to forgive myself...Besides, I have already disgraced Master Beval's memory."

[MsFicwriter]

Aboard the Light Corvette "Satele"

 

He tried to pull it towards him but the only thing he managed to accomplish was making it topple off the shelf. "Well, how about this?" Corsail whipped his blasters out and fire at the shelf bolts, everything on it fell off. "Much more effective."

 

Per'dra raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of losing control..." She turned her head, almost imperceptibly, to where Corsail was destroying the nearest utility shelf. What's with him? her perplexed expression seemed to say. However, out loud, she told Zarev: "I'm waging war with my own past, too. I've done certain things that I haven't told any one of the Jedi Masters about yet, and I'm not anticipating doing so. I've faced it as much as I can, but the final battle within myself hasn't happened. It's all I can do to collect myself and focus on this mission, since my last one ended so quickly...and not neatly."

 

Clearing her throat, she continued, "Did you know Master Voleran well, at least before he defected? I must admit I had only a passing acquaintance."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Did you know Master Voleran well, at least before he defected? I must admit I had only a passing acquaintance."

 

Zarev shook his head. "I once saw him sparring with another Master and I talked to him once in the temple library when I had trouble finding one of the data files. But other then that I didn't know him that well..."

 

Zarev paused for a moment as he remembered something else. "However...at one point when I was out at night meditating I thought I heard him speaking to someone but when I followed the voice I found only him. I always thought it was a bit strange but than again I've seen my share of strange things."

 

He looked over at Per'Dra. "You don't think that night I heard him speaking to thin air could be connected with this do you? It was nearly a year ago."

[LDR]

Locked in his quarters, Varik did something he'd never done in a long time. Meditate.

 

He sat cross-legged on the floor - trying desperately to dissipate the anger that was brooding outwards. What caused him to do such a thing? The last time he lashed out at somebody was when...

 

He withdrew from his memory of Light Fang. How he focused all of his anger onto him on Tatooine - blaming him for all of his misfortune. It was not a memory that he wished to remember.

 

But what, though? Why did he nearly kill Corsail? Why is he doing things he would never normally do before? Why all the anger? All of these questions swirled in his head like a typhoon - until all of them reached a focal point. Of course! It has been so obvious! Tulak Hord, you have been a subtle one indeed.

 

And now, now is when you will break., a voice responded in his head.

 

Pain. It was pain that Varik never before felt in his life. A lingered, horrid pain, that tore into every fiber of his being. His thoughts felt ripped apart, his actions felt numbed, and his vocal cords felt as if they had been shredded apart. His will felt as if a Star Destroyer crashed into it. He screamed a deafening scream, and clutched at his head.

 

"GET...OUT...OF...MY...HEAD!", Varik screamed, trying, but failing, to retain himself.

 

Give up, child! Your will has broken! Surrender, and the pain will stop!

 

"I...I...W-will not!", Varik yelled, valiantly fighting Hord.

 

Hord then pried open Varik's mind - picking apart each and every memory.

 

Your story, is one of hate, not of justice. How you hunted and killed Javir and Zhein out of revenge - not of blind vindication - that you hopelessly told yourself to try to justify the dozens murders on your hands. How you were once captured by mercenaries - along with that whore, Avidea Snocami. How you lost your lightsabers to a mere Mandalorian brute - and then killed him because you couldn't stand the humility of losing your lightsabers to a thug. And now here - how you couldn't stand dealing with the countess failures of your past, couldn't stand criticism from a mere spacer. Give up!

 

"SHUT UP!", Varik hollered, and used what was left of his power to block out Hord's influences - at least for a few moments.

 

Scrambling for his datapad, he hastily added a new entry.

 

Entry 316:

Here I am, a prisoner in my own mind. It isn't worth fighting anymore, my will has been broken down under months of subtle influence. Even the strongest of wills have their limits. I fear that mine has lost, and Tulak Hord has won. The pain is just unbearable, it's far worse than the worst torture that these current Sith can do. I fear that if Hord can't be vanquished from my spirit, I will be a tool of the dark side for eternity.

 

~ Varik

 

It was then, that the pain came back at full force. Varik had used what little of his reserves that were left to create a message in his datapad. Now, he is completely and utterly defenseless.

 

"I...I am broken. I give.", Varik said, admitting defeat.

 

The pain stopped, but at a price. Varik's spirit is now twisted - as a slave to Tulak Hord.

 

***

 

Kif looked to his side to see Traver chewing on spice. He cocked an eyebrow at his old friend.

 

"Are you alright?", he asked Traver.

 

Suddenly, he heard screaming - coming from Varik's room. He ran past everyone and stopped right in front of Varik's dormitory.

 

"Varik! Varik, are you alright?!", he yelled, banging on the door for a response.

 

He heard footsteps behind him, and a sudden silence in the dormitory.

[thelightfang]

Tatooine Docks

Light was relaxing at the docks, awaiting what the message he'd recieved described as a "squad" of "talented individuals" who he would be assisting for this mission.

 

The streets were quiet, which was unusual. Here at the docks, something was always happening. There was no sandstorm presently. Light had, at first not understood. Then, he noticed a couple of things. First, the only person he saw anywhere near the dock was a female. She had this deadly aura about her. And he couldn't be sure, but every once in a while, he thought he saw the barrel of a blaster, rifle, or some other gun appear out of some of the nearby buildings' windows.

 

Light decided to wait, as it had served him well in the past. If it turned in to a fight, Light thought it would be a good test of the "squad", though it wouldn't stop him from warning them and helping if it became too much for them to handle.

An interesting demonstration of abilities, he thought contemplatively. He had a prior reputation for stylish entrances. We'll see what they can do.

 

With that he knelt, and began to attempt to sense their arrival. He would send them a warning with a mental image of the woman and the empty streets as soon as he felt their presence.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Zarev was about to ask Per'dra if she had any ideas of what had happened to Master Voleran when he suddenly heard screaming coming from the dormitory that Varik had locked himself in followed by rapid footsteps. Zarev got to his feet and was about to head for the dormitory when he briefly felt a dark presence that vanished as soon as he sensed it.

 

He turned to Per'dra and motioned for her to follow him when he was nearly ran over by Vlalkor who had also heard the screaming. The trooper had his rifle ready for combat.

 

"Whats going on?!" Vlalkor asked as he searched for an enemy that wasn't there.

 

Zarev shook his head as he turned and headed for the dormitory. "Don't know. But I heard screaming and than I might have sensed some sort of dark presence but it vanished too quickly for me to know."

 

He turned to Per'dra. "Did you happen to sense anything? Anything at all?"

[MsFicwriter]

Aboard the Light Corvette "Satele"

 

Per'dra activated her saberstaff with a surprisingly aggressive snap-hiss, her muscles tense. A guttural sound emerged from between her teeth, halfway between a hiss and a growl. Then, just as suddenly as she'd sprung into attack mode, she stood down, extinguishing the two silver blades. Closing her eyes, she remembered the ferocious assault on Pfon Urazhai, a pureblood Sith apprentice, which she'd carried out on her previous mission. That was why her head sank forward wearily, and she motioned for Zarev to bend down and listen closely.

 

"The Dark Side is strong here," she murmured, "and it's making me uneasy. I was poised to attack when I saw no imminent threat with my own eyes, and that's why I've only been recently promoted to a Jedi Knight! Be watchful, because it's still pulsating. I can feel it in my temples." A cold sweat broke on her forehead.

[Warlord664]

Corsail got up from the crate he was sitting on, he thought he heard screaming. He drew his blasters from their holsters and walked out of the cargo hold.

 

"Whats going on?" He asked, as he entered the main room of the ship. He saw Per'dra's saberstaff ignited and stopped, "Did you kill someone? He asked, keeping his blasters pointed in the direction of the two jedi.

[MsFicwriter]

"I will," replied Per'dra, "if whatever's in there doesn't let go of Varik." Without another word, she stormed into Varik's quarters, almost stumbling across the threshold. Righting herself, she lay eyes upon Varik himself, looking moist and deathly pale. "Are you all right?" she asked quickly. "What's wrong? Zarev and I heard screaming from in here, and wanted to make sure you weren't in danger." The surrounding air contained a whiff of ozone and a metallic odor.

[LDR]

Hord stood up and looked at Per'dra, moving his hand to wipe off the sweat from his face.

 

"It's nothing", he responded, throwing the datapad off to the side. "I just got a little visit from an old friend. Everything's fine."

 

He looked at Kif. "What's up with you? You look as if you've seen a ghost.", he asked.

 

***

 

As Kif entered the room alongside Per'dra, he knew something was wrong. Something felt wrong. He had an uneasiness in his gut, and as he looked at Varik, he knew something must have happened. And as he got closer to Varik, he felt something dark and sinister - as if they were on Korriban itself. And then he looked at his eyes - their normal icy blue replaced with a golden-green. This was not Varik that was speaking to them.

 

"What's up with you? You look as if you've seen a ghost."

 

"I think I have.", he muttered to himself, walking back into the Main Hold.

[MsFicwriter]

"It's nothing", he responded, throwing the datapad off to the side. "I just got a little visit from an old friend. Everything's fine."

 

"What old friend?" asked Per'dra suspiciously, while trying to control her temper. "There's no one else in your quarters except for you, Varik. Were you meditating? If so, then a Force Ghost might have contacted you, which may or may not be a bad thing." She was trying to convince her comrade that her hackles weren't raised, but they were. The hairs on the back of her neck were as stiff as quills. "Still, weren't your--You have blue eyes, don't you? Why do they look so strange, of that sickly golden-green color? Are you ill, or what?"

[Chevron 7 locke]

Satele

 

"Still, weren't your--You have blue eyes, don't you? Why do they look so strange, of that sickly golden-green color? Are you ill, or what?"

 

Vlalkor looked closer at Varik's eyes and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry to say I wasn't really paying attention to his eyes when we were talking." He looked around carefully and than put his rifle back over his shoulder and headed back to the control room. "I'm going to make sure that we're set for landing. Before I heard the screaming I was about to let everyone know we just dropped out of hyperspace."

 

Vlalkor took a last look at Varik and then headed back to the bridge.

 

 

Zarev took a closer look at Varik and shook his head in confusion. "I'm not sure what it is...but I can sense something on Tatooine...I don't know what it is but it's almost blurry...I can't focus in on it."

 

 

Tatooine

 

The assassin watched as with quiet satisfaction as the comn-device in her hands lit up. She had bugged one of the comnrelays so that she would be able to track any transmission coming to or from the planet.

 

"Tatooine landing control, this is the light corvette Satele. Requesting permission to land in Anchorhead."

 

"Permission granted to land in hanger bay three."

 

The assassin smiled darkly as she watched the ship come in for a landing. She took out her comnlink and spoke quietly. "This is team leader to Squads one and two. Target is landing. Prepare to terminate as soon as they're in the open."

 

The assassin put her hand down by her lightsaber and crouched in the shadows as she drew on the force to cloak herself and waited.

[Warlord664]

Corsail walked into Varik's quarters along with the rest.

 

"It's nothing", he responded, throwing the datapad off to the side. "I just got a little visit from an old friend. Everything's fine."

 

"You really are an insane lunatic, theres nobody in here but you." he said.

 

"I'm going to make sure that we're set for landing. Before I heard the screaming I was about to let everyone know we just dropped out of hyperspace."

 

"It's about time, Lets get off this ship and find that stupid jedi."

[LDR]

"What old friend? There's no one else in your quarters except for you, Varik.

 

"I was... reminded... of terrible memories of the past. Memories I've wished forgotten.", Hord replied.

 

"Still, weren't your--You have blue eyes, don't you? Why do they look so strange, of that sickly golden-green color? Are you ill, or what?"

 

"My eyes were never blue, you must be mistaken. My eyes are viridian. We've never spoken face-to-face, so it's understandable that you might've thought I had different eyes.", he replied. "But hey, at least they aren't pure gold right? Hah!", he finished, laughing.

 

"You really are an insane lunatic, there nobody in here but you."

 

He turned and looked at the smuggler, anger brewing once again. "I'll let your little comment slide this time, spacer.", he said, pointing a finger at Corsail, "Next time, I'll kill you. You're nothing more than a liability.".

 

***

 

Kif was leaning on a wall when he noticed Vlakor walk into the Main Hold.

 

"Hey, is Varik alright? He looked...pale.", Kif asked, looking for conversation.

[MsFicwriter]

Aboard the Light Corvette "Satele"

 

"I'll let your little comment slide this time, spacer," he said, pointing a finger at Corsail. "Next time, I'll kill you. You're nothing more than a liability."

 

"Are you sure you're all right?" Per'dra asked Varik, the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach deepening to a wave of nausea. "That's something a true Jedi would never say, even as a joke." She stepped backward slightly. "Corsail's on our side, and he's going to help us track down Master Voleran. That said, if you try to kill him, I'm afraid I'm going to have to attack you in turn." Her tone was soft, but firm. She didn't want the obligation of possibly killing her squadmates. "Corsail's also correct. Let's all move out, and get off of this ship at least..." She moved toward the exit ramp of the Main Hold.

[Warlord664]

He turned and looked at the smuggler, anger brewing once again. "I'll let your little comment slide this time, spacer.", he said, pointing a finger at Corsail, "Next time, I'll kill you. You're nothing more than a liability.".

 

Just try it, I'd be more then happy to blast your face off. He thought to himself.

 

He turned to walk towards the exit ramp, Wait a minute, Varik did have blue eyes. He thought. He remembered pretty clearly, he was only a few inches away from Variks face when he had been picked up.

 

Is that common for jedi? He thought. He checked both of his blasters to make sure they were fully charged as he was walking towards the exit ramp.

 

"Do you prefer this jedi alive or dead?" He asked. "Because now will probably be a good time to tell me if you don't want him to be a corpse."

[thelightfang]

Tatooine Docks

Light sensed a change in his environment. He opened his eyes and no longer saw the woman, yet the streets remained empty. He was an excellent multitasker. So, while he was scanning his environment, he continued sending his message, since he had sensed several Force presences. He was still curious about the woman's sudden disapperance.

 

Maybe she wasn't so dangerous, he thought, or maybe she was very dangerous indeed.

 

He couldn't keep sending his message and search for her with his senses or with the Force, despite his ability to mutitask. Looking up, he noticed a large black mark in the sky now.

 

Probably them, or a bird, but I haven't seen too many of them here... Well, they'll get my message soon enough if it is them.

 

Light was aware that none of the presences had yet recieved his message, which he considered slightly troubling. He concentrated again on sending his message, closing his eyes and sending his message further.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Zarev had just walked off the exit ramp when he recieved a sudden image within his mind. A vision of a woman with a violet lightsaber standing in an empty street.

 

What the...? was the only thought that he had time to think before he sensed a sudden darkness above him. He quickly ignited his green double-bladed lightsaber just as the woman from the image within his mind brought her lightsaber down on his own, knocking him back and sending him down to the ground.

 

"Everyone down!" He shouted urgently as a sudden barrage of blaster bolts that came from the buildings facing the hanger bay streaked through the air and blew holes in the wall and in the ground.

 

Vlalkor ran down the ramp as soon as he heard the sound of an igniting lightsaber and hesitated for just a moment before pulling his rifle off his back and running toward Zarev.

 

"Stay down!" Vlalkor shouted as he fired a volly of supression fire at the woman with the violet lightsaber who was able to block it and deflect it back towards him without a second thought.

 

"Multiple hostiles!" Vlakor shouted back at the group. "Force user with unknown capabilities." He called out as he continued firing at the assassin.