Star Wars: The Darkness Within

[LDR]

Kif sprinted after Per'dra, and found something horrifying - Varik was trying to kill one of their closest friends. I knew there was something odd about him., he thought. He noticed Light's lightsabers on the ground, and despite having no formal training with them, picked them up and ignited them. He ran towards Varik, lightsabers in hand.

 

Hord knew that his cover was blown, and he knew that Kif was running towards him. He motioned his left arm in the direction of Kif, gripping his left wrist and twisting it. He force shoved the twi'lek back, and he threw Light's body into him.

 

Kif got back up, and ran towards Varik again. Hord spun, and his right lightsaber horizontally cut him. "Fool.", he spat.

 

Kif screamed in pain as the lightsaber horizontally cut through his eye sockets. He dropped his lightsabers and collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain - permanently blinded.

 

With both Light Fang and Kif out of the way, he focused his attention onto Per'dra Yllari. "You are foolish if you think you can defeat an ancient Sith Lord in combat - a lesson that poor Varik learned the hard way - despite his lightsaber prowess.", Hord said, glaring at Per'dra. "I am the great Tulak Hord, the greatest lightsaber duelist of my time - and perhaps of all of the Sith's history. My power is tenfold of that of Varik - and of you."

 

He gripped his sabers, and advanced towards Per'dra.

[Warlord664]

Corsail heard a scream coming from the building and instantly jumped up from his cover. Varik, Per'dra, and Kif were all in there, couldn't they handle themselves? He thought to himslef. Corsail quickly recharged his blasters and sprinted towards the building.

 

Before he reached the door however he stopped, he pulled out his grapple hook gun and shot it up through the window. Corsail pulled on it to make sure it was secure, then ran up the wall. He reached the window and climbed through, there was no threat left in up here.

 

He started his way down the stairs, making sure to be as silent as he possibly could. Time to finish these last assassins off.

[MsFicwriter]

If there's one thing I learned back on Korriban during my trials, Per'dra Yllari thought, it's that I'd rather go down fighting than retreating! If Tulak Hord has taken possession of Varik, I wonder how complete the transformation is. If there's any semblance of my former friend in there, then Hord's power is weakened, albeit slightly. Maybe I have a chance to fight him. I won't run!

 

Igniting her silver saberstaff, the Knight charged, catapulting in the air toward the enslaved Jedi. Varik, if you're there, stand down and I won't kill you. Otherwise, I'm going to have to or die trying. Per'dra's eyes flashed hotly.

[LDR]

Hord brought up both of his sabers to block the oncoming strike. Trapped in a saber lock, Hord soon realized that Varik's natural strength wouldn't last under the tenacity of Per'dra. Hord brought up his right boot, and dropped it upon Per'dra's left knee. He then punched her in the face with the hilt of his left lightsaber.

 

Varik, if you're there, stand down and I won't kill you. Otherwise, I'm going to have to or die trying.

 

I...I...cann't...the pain..., Varik replied, hurtfully. Hord knew of Varik's attempt to wrest control, and was drawing off of Varik's inner strength - both to exhaust Varik's ability to fight him, and also to use that strength to give him an even greater advantage against Per'dra. It was horrific - Varik had no way to regain control of his body. Unless...unless if they could expel the spirit from his body. But how?

 

After he punched her in the face, he brought up his lightsabers to strike Per'dra's now defenseless abdomen. Before he could bring the blades down, he was struck by blaster fire. Turning around, he saw Kif, using the auto-targeting laser in the blaster rifle to desperately distract Varik. One of his hands was clutching where his eyes once used to be, and with the blaster rifle being held in one hand - the shots were wildly inaccurate.

 

"Amusing.", Hord said out loud, as he used the Force to lift Kif off of the ground.

 

He slammed him into a wall, and then slammed him into the parallel wall, before finally propelling him through a window. The unconscious body tumbled onto the ground in a bloodied heap - merely inches away from death.

 

Hord turned around and focused his attention back towards Per'dra.

[Warlord664]

Corsail reached the bottom of the stairway and stopped, he saw Varik smashing Kif agaisnt wall to wall and throwing him through a window. A traitor... He thought.

 

He took careful aim, aiming one of his blasters at Variks head and the other behind his knee. "Lets see if he can defend himself from three things at once." He whispered to himself. He knew Varik was distracted by Per'dra, now was the time to strike. Both blaster in their correct positions he fired.

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra heard the blaster shots and ducked. At the same time, she threw her lightsaber in a spinning arc toward Varik, now possessed by Tulak Hord. This was a technique that was not her finest--she was far better in the mechanics of close-combat dueling--but, nevertheless, it might still be enough to throw her now-mortal enemy off guard.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Vlalkor and Zarev could only watch in horror as the body of one of the group went right through the window and hit the ground in a heap. Zarev looked up at the broken window. He could hear the sounds of blaster bolts being fired and lightsabers crashing agianst each other. But he could only catch a glimpse of the figures when they moved into view.

 

Zarev pointed at Kif's body. It looked like he was still breathing. "Do whatever you can to stabilize him and then get him to the medical bay aboard the ship." Zarev said as he struggled to his feet and headed for the ship. "As soon as he's aboard I'll take over. You need to get over there and stop whoever is attacking everyone."

 

Vlalkor saluted and reached into his belt and pulled out a small syringe and injected it into Kif's arm. He gently picked up the limp body and quickly carried him towards the ship, He passed by Zarev who was limping towards the ship.

 

"You can count on Havoc squad sir." Vlalkor said as he ran up the ramp of the ship.

[thelightfang]

Light watched in horror as Kif flew through the window. He had fully recovered and even helped Kif point his gun via the Force. He saw the assault on Varik and decided that, even if he didn't plan to kill or wound his friend's body, he should keep his sabers handy.

 

He used the Force to draw them towards himself, and they slapped his hands as he cought them. He returned them to his belt and watched as Varik, or Horde, dealt with the attacks.

 

He sent a message to Varik's female assailant. If he survives this, we can hold him down with the Force. If we want to save Varik, one of us may have to journey into his mind.

[Yukub]

Traver ran to Varik, with a knife strapped to his boot, but he wondered if it would help against a lightsaber. He took a dart from his belt and put it in his pistol.

He pointed it at Varik, ready to fire. He had a knife strapped to his boot, but he wondered if it would help against a lightsaber. He took a dart from his belt and put it in his pistol.

 

''Stand back, whatever you are. We don't have time for dusty Sith lords.''

[LDR]

Hord wasn't fully distracted, however. He heard the whirr of lightsabers, and blaster shots. He raised his hand into the air, and released a Force wave - knocked everything back within a 5 meter radius.

 

''Stand back, whatever you are. We don't have time for dusty Sith lords.''

 

"How about you make me, spice junkie?", Hord replied, as he lifted the knocked-back smuggler into the air with the Force. He shook him back and forth in the air as if he was a ragdoll, before slamming him into the backwards wall.

 

"Who's next?", he asked aloud, advancing towards Per'dra.

[MsFicwriter]

In her own mind, the female Jedi Knight heard the message from her mysterious ally through the Force: If he survives this, we can hold him down with the Force. If we want to save Varik, one of us may have to journey into his mind.

 

In the split second after she heard Tulak Hord's threat, she responded: That's a fantastic idea, but the big question is: Will WE survive this? If Varik--er, Tulak Hord--wins, he's going to kill us all if we're not already dead... Nevertheless, Per'dra still held to her previous plan: fight or perish. If there was one thing she knew about Sith Lords, it was that they loved to prove how weak and pathetic the Jedi were. She wouldn't let Tulak Hord have that satisfaction easily! All of a sudden, she had an idea: Even though she'd been previously trained as a Consular, she'd learned a new technique since then and could cloak herself in the Force and become invisible. Thus, in a flash, she did so.

[thelightfang]

Light had sparred with Varik on few occasions, but had fought several battles at his side. He knew how well his new enemy could fight, but that he was also getting tired from the energy required to use the Force.

 

Light ignited his sabers, hearing the female's message just before she vanished. Knowing that she couldn't spontaneously teleport, Light approached Horde from his side, hoping to draw his attention. He sincerly hoped she wouldn't leave when she had the opportunity.

 

As he advanced, he began moving slower, because he moved into a defensive, but mobile, stance.

[Warlord664]

Corsail ducked as Variks forcewave sent his bolts flying back towards him. "Blast!" I need a plan, if i just keep shooting directly at him he's just going to block. He thought to himself. Then he had an idea, something that wouldn't make the loud noise a blaster would. He pulled out his grapple hook gun and fire it towards one of Variks legs, the hook wrapped around his leg and stabbed into his skin.

 

He wasn't sure it it was going to work, Varik was a bit bigger then him. Corsail pulling with all of his strength pulled on the gun, trying to yank Varik off his feet.

[LDR]

Hord noticed Per'dra surround herself in a Force Cloak. "So, you're both a fool and a coward? Your technique is imperfect - I could see your shimmer, and I could hear the hum of your lightsaber.", he said, scolding her.

 

"And you.", he said, pointing a finger at Light. "Standing in the corner, watching his friends get picked off - one by one. Too cowardly to accept reality - just like your vaunted Jedi Council during the Mandalorian Wars."

 

As he strode over to Light - he felt a sharp pain in his left ankle. He looked to see a grappling hook cut into his ankle, and he screamed out in pain as it cut into his tendon, causing to him fall onto the ground. Raising a lightsaber, he cut the rope off of the hook, and then yanked it out of his skin. He stood up - using the pain to fuel his anger - and threw the hook at Corsail as if it were a tomahawk.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Vlalkor made sure that Kif was still alive as he was placed in the bacta tank and he caught Zarev as he came up the ramp and stumbled. "Sorry sir, but your going to the medbay."

 

Zarev smiled slightly as he was escorted into the medical bay and sat down on one of the beds. "I agree. I don't think that I can keep going much longer. But you need to get to where that dark presence is and stop it. I have faith that you can stop whatever it is. After all, Havoc squad has gone up against force users before."

 

Vlalkor saluted. "You can count on me sir." He said as he turned and ran down the ramp and headed for the building where the battle was taking place. He grabbed his blaster rifle from his shoulder holster and crept along until he saw a slight shimmering in the air and the rest of the group going after Varik.

 

I thought as much. He's been weird ever since his eyes turned color. He thought as he pulled a concussion grenade off his belt and launched it at him.

 

"Take cover!" He shouted as he actiavted his armor's retractable blades and than opened up with a volly of blaster bolts.

 

Alright, he most likely is going to try and deflect the bolts back at me which means I have to be ready. He thought as he continued firing at him.

[Warlord664]

Raising a lightsaber, he cut the rope off of the hook, and then yanked it out of his skin. He stood up - using the pain to fuel his anger - and threw the hook at Corsail as if it were a tomahawk.

 

 

Corsail tried to duck out of its way but with the hooks hoop-like shape it managed to catch one of Corsails arm, cutting into a bone. He rolled into cover, clutching his arm.

 

"Take cover!"

 

While he was removing the hook from his arm, he heard someone shooting of sprays of blaster bolts. Did the trooper finally get here? He wondered. He leaned out from behind the crate he was using as cover and shot off a few blaster bolt towards Varik. Does this guy run off of endless energy? He thought to himself.

[thelightfang]

"Cowardly?" He's losing his grip, as he would know what I think of cowards and that I am no longer attached to the Jedi. Varik must be fighting him.

 

Light winced as the hook sunk into his enemy's flesh. He moved back several steps as Horde threw the hook back towards its point of origin. He heard "Take cover", and shielded himself with both his sabers and the Force in a way he had not been able to when he had been hit with the first concussion grenade.

 

He thought of the female for a moment, but his senses were assailed by the effects of the concussion grenade before he could look for her, though they were significantly minimalized by the protection he had hastily put up.

[MsFicwriter]

"So, you're both a fool and a coward? Your technique is imperfect - I could see your shimmer, and I could hear the hum of your lightsaber.", he said, scolding her.

Inwardly, Per'dra seethed. You have called me that once, and you shall NOT do so twice. Even though her technique of Force cloaking was indeed imperfect, it was enough of a distraction while Tulak Hord was pulling Corsail's grappling hook out of his ankle. She took this moment to disconnect the two blades of her saberstaff and place them on each side of Hord's neck in scissor fashion. One wrong move by this "dusty Sith Lord" and he'd wind up dead. Unfortunately, however, so would Varik, and Per'dra wanted to save him.

 

"Now," she hissed. "Where's my former ally, you desiccated Sith corpse?!"

[LDR]

Instead of redirecting the blaster bolts at Vlalkor, he redirected the concussion grenade - the blaster bolts flying harmlessly past him.

 

With the concussion grenade staggering Vlalkor backward, Hord lifted the soldier off of the ground with the Force. He used an advanced form of 'Force Whirlwind', as instead of the target swirling around - it had ground particles swirling around the target. In Hord's case, sand.

 

He used the Force to lift the sand, and used it to swirl around Vlalkor - cutting him off from his supply of air - asphyxiating him. He then attempted to condense the sand until it was merely millimeters away from Vlalkor, but it was straining his abilities. After a few tense seconds, he instead slammed Vlalkor into Light Fang.

 

However, he focused so much into his technique, he did not notice Per'dra until the last second - with her lightsabers at his neck.

 

"Now, where's my former ally, you desiccated Sith corpse?!"

 

"I could sense the anger emanating from you. You would've made a great Sith - especially when you were on Korriban", he mused.

 

"Or did you think I was asleep in my tomb? I saw you and Pfon - you killed that pretender like a true Sith would. Yet you stay with the Jedi."

 

He weighed the odds that were stacked against him. He's lost much of his Force energy, which means that Varik is gaining strength. One 'wrong' move by him, and Per'dra will kill him - if she has the guts. But she is foolish, she will kill her 'friend' also. However, he still has enough Force energy - one card left to play. He could collapse the walls, ceilings, and floors of the building - burying everyone in the wreckage. He could regain consciousness - leave all of them to die - and find a new body.

 

However, he stared at the sabers pointed at his neck.

 

"Ah, you stay with the Jedi because you are a coward.", he noticed her begin to fume. "Oh, did that get you angry? Are you going to kill me? No, you aren't. You're bluffing. You're too much of a coward to act on your instincts. And for what? Varik? Even if you try to save him, and somehow extract me from his body, if you make one wrong move - he will die. Do you want to take that risk? Or you could let me go, and I won't kill you all."

 

He knew he was bluffing about the 'killing Varik' part, but these Jedi will believe anything. The quality of Force users have diminished ever since Ludo Kressh and Naga Sadow had their childish scuffle over control of the Sith.

[MsFicwriter]

Or you could let me go, and I won't kill you all."

 

"Let you go?" Per'dra was incredulous. "What makes you think I'll trust you? It's true that Sith lie, but they don't always lie. As for Varik..." She had to think carefully. "I could say he's of no concern to me, but that would be an untruth that you'd see right through. I suppose it all comes down to this: the true Varik, as a Jedi, would sacrifice his own life for the greater good. Right now, he's buried deep within your shell--too deeply for me to pry out, if you understand my meaning! Therefore, I'm afraid I'm going to have to slay both of you. Varik? I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm going to let this Sith Lord keep his hold..."

[thelightfang]

Light caught the near unconcious body of another ally who's name he knew not, redirecting his momentum by turning while he caught the unnamed male. When he placed this ally on his feet, he was likely unbalanced because not all of his momentum had dissipated, but Light had little time for that.

 

He moved quickly to Varik, hearing the words of both the female and Horde. Light was unsure about venturing into another's mind, especially with a hostile presence there. He had trained briefly in the art, enough to be able to pick up on what moves an enemy was thinking about using in combat, but hadn't excelled.

 

"Hey, there are still more of us than him. He's not too powerful; I can see he's sweating. Do you have any skill in reading minds with the Force?" He asked quickly after her most recent words of "no way I'm going to let this Sith Lord keep his hold..."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"I could say he's of no concern to me, but that would be an untruth that you'd see right through. I suppose it all comes down to this: the true Varik, as a Jedi, would sacrifice his own life for the greater good. Right now, he's buried deep within your shell--too deeply for me to pry out, if you understand my meaning! Therefore, I'm afraid I'm going to have to slay both of you. Varik? I'm sorry, but there's no way I'm going to let this Sith Lord keep his hold..."

 

Vlalkor slowly got back to his feet and spat out a mouthful of sand and checked to make sure that their mysterious ally was unharmed before turning to look at Varik who was now at the mercy of Per'dra.

 

She can't be serious...There is no possible way that she can kill Varik even if something has taken hold of his body.

 

Vlalkor set his rifle for stun and pointed it at Per'dra before getting another idea and pointing it at Varik.

 

"I agree with him." He said pointing at the man who he had been thrown into. "I don't think we should kill Varik even if something has control of him. I say we stun him and than try to figure something else out." "Besides...as a member of Havoc squad I won't allow anyone to kill him. Whoever tries to kill him will have me to deal with."

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra saw the logic in the soldier's words; however, she did not stand down. She was not going to let Varik/Tulak Hord escape on her watch! "Very well," she said slowly. "Fire, and quickly, before he has a chance to use his powers again..."

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Fire, and quickly, before he has a chance to use his powers again..."

 

Vlalkor nodded once and tried to fire the rifle only to have it make a clattering sound and one of the lights turned from green to red. Vlalkor sighed heavily. The sand must have wrecked something on the inside of the rifle.

 

"Just a second." He muttered as he dropped the rifle and pulled out his blaster pistol and set it for stun.

 

"Sorry about this Varik. But hopefully you'll wake up as yourself once this is done" He said quietly as he fired a stun bolt directly at Varik's chest.

[Warlord664]

"I can't believe this, you stunned him?" Corsail walked towards the group standing over Variks body. "He tried to kill everyone here, just put put a blaster bolt into his head so we can get on with the mission." He turned to look at Vlalkor, "Variks either a traitor or insane, I can't see one good reason to let this guy live."