Star Wars: The Darkness Within

[LDR]

((OOC: I'm going to be in Las Vegas for the whole week. So...I don't quite know how active I will be.))

[MsFicwriter]

Per'dra laid a hand on Zarev's shoulder and began to project calm through the Force. She was attempting to contact the individual who was screaming inside her ally's mind: Who are you, and why or what can't you stop? She decided to ignore Corsail for the moment, because all of her concentration was being required to reach the other, unseen presence.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Who are you, and why or what can't you stop?

 

Cant stop...the voice echoed back to Per'dra as it went down slightly in intensity. He...controls all...I can't stop him...Too.strong...Underestimated him...

 

Avriela reached through the force to try and find where the voice that was tormenting Zarev was coming from but couldn't locate it exactly. Instead she was sensing a location somwhere in space but she couldn't get an exact fix.

 

"Jedi...Whoever is doing this to him is not on this world. I can sense...something...but it is very far away. I can sense something else as well, whoever is doing this is strong with the force...very strong."

 

The voice was steadily losing strength as Avriela continued building a mental block between Zarev and the voice of the mysterious force user. "I can sense somethnig else in his mind..." She whispered to herself. "Affection...compassion and something else...I can't tell what though..." A brief mental image of Per'dra appeared in her mind and her eyes widened in surprise

 

Wow...she thought. Didn't see that one coming. Despite seeing what she had seen she continued working on the mental block. The voice was slowly losing it's strength as she continued until finally it was nothing more than a whisper.

[MsFicwriter]

When the Jedi Knight opened her eyes once more, she told Zarev: "Apparently, this being who is attempting to contact you has been possessed by some sort of malevolent presence. Not only is it intensely evil, but also intensely powerful. "'He controls all'? That's not an exaggeration, even due to all the pain that the possessed being is experiencing. The sooner we get to Balmorra, the better, I say!"

[Warlord664]

He ignored Lights sickening wink and turned to Zarev and the others.

 

"If you are done with your little chat with the sith, I suggest we head back to the ship." He started to walk towards his speeder then stopped,

"Please don't tell me that we're taking the sith with us, she'll be nothing but trouble, just put her back where you found her and lets be on our way."

[LDR]

((I'm back from Las Vegas! Wait...I still don't have an opening to make a post?! Well, I'll just wait until you guys get back on the ship.))

[thelightfang]

"Ex-Sith, remember. And while I'm all for speed in our assigned task, we did save her. Whether we take her with us or not, I propose a vote for the group, but being that they aren't all here, we should return to the ship. Plus, I think she just helped our friend here. The least we can do is get her somewhere safe."

 

Light made his rather lengthy statement from atop his speeder bike where he waited patiently.

[Chevron 7 locke]

"Apparently, this being who is attempting to contact you has been possessed by some sort of malevolent presence. Not only is it intensely evil, but also intensely powerful. "'He controls all'? That's not an exaggeration, even due to all the pain that the possessed being is experiencing. The sooner we get to Balmorra, the better, I say!"

 

Zarev slowly got to his feet and nodded in agreement. "Whoever this person is needs our help. But I am worried that if this being has the ability to control other people than whos to say that members of the Jedi order have been posessed as well? I'm not going to lie, I'm worried that he may have gotten to members of our order and may be using them to further his own goals. I agree with Per'dra, the sooner we arrive on Balmorra the better."

 

"Please don't tell me that we're taking the sith with us, she'll be nothing but trouble, just put her back where you

found her and lets be on our way."

 

"Ex-Sith, remember. And while I'm all for speed in our assigned task, we did save her. Whether we take her with us or not, I propose a vote for the group, but being that they aren't all here, we should return to the ship. Plus, I think she just helped our friend here. The least we can do is get her somewhere safe."

 

Zarev looked over Avriela, knowing what she had seen an image of Per'dra in his mind and was slightly worried that she would tell her what she had seen. But at the same time he was slightly confused by her actions: She had nearly drained herself of nearly all of her strength to help him create a mental wall between his mind and the voice. She wasn't a typical sith.

 

"I think we should give her a chance. When I was in trouble she helped me with no hesitation and I could sense her intentions. I don't think she means us any harm but thats just my opinion. I say we take her back to the ship at least for a hot meal and than decide to either let us travel with her or give her some credits and send her on her way."

 

Avriela looked over the group. "I haven't had a hot meal in days so I would welcome something besides rations. All I ask is that if you decide not to take me with you at least let me have my lightsaber back. I've been hunted by sith forces for quite awhile now and I wouldn't last long without it."

 

Zarev looked over the group and at the speeder bikes. "We should get back to the ship as soon as possible. I no longer know who we can trust aside from the people in our group."

[LDR]

"Hey Vlalkor,", Varik said, walking up to him. "I think we should fly the ship to their position and pick them up. We could use the speeder bikes." He gestured towards the cockpit.

 

"And by 'we', I mean 'you'. I can't fly.", Varik continued with a chuckle.

[Chevron 7 locke]

Shan

 

"And by 'we', I mean 'you'. I can't fly.",

 

"Agreed. Once we arrive I'll let them know that the Grand Master called." Vlalkor said as he sat down in the pilot's chair and powered the ship up. Almost immediatly the ship's communication systems picked up a message coming in.

 

"Attention Shan, you have not filed a departure plan with Tatooine spaceport. Please power down and prepare for inspection and file your departure plan."

 

Vlalkor looked over at Varik and rolled his eyes. He thought that Tatooine was the one planet where this kind of thing could never happen. After all, Tatooine was widely known as a lawless planet."

 

"Tatooine spaceport control, this is Vlalkor of Havoc Squad. We are on an urgent mission authorized by the republic. We're heading out to pick up the rest of our crew who are in the dune sea."

 

There was a pause on the other end for a moment. "Shan, you are permitted to leave."

 

Vlalkor grinned and the ship slowly rose into the air and slowly turned and headed for the dune sea. After flying towards the last known location of the group for a few minutes, he saw a small group of people along with a few speeder bikes. He squinted and saw that they were the people he was looking for.

 

He quickly set his comnlink to the group's frequency and began speaking. "Attention everyone, this is Vlalkor aboard the Shan. We've recieved a message from Grand Master Satele Shan. It looks like we're going to be heading to Balmorra."

 

Vlalkor gently set the ship down and opened the ramp so that everyone could get aboard. "I think we should also bring the speeder bikes." He said into the comnlink.

 

Zarev looked up at the ship and grinned. This would save them a long trip to Anchorhead. He looked over at Avriela and motioned forward. "Don't worry, you won't be harmed. If you wish, we can give you a ride to anchorhead and let you off there...or if the crew allows it, perhaps you could come with us."

 

Avriela smiled. "Honestly, I think I would like to come along with you, I'm tired of being on my own and I'm tired of being hunted by the sith. If your crew allows it...I wouldn't mind traveling with you."

 

Zarev and Avriela both turned and headed up the ramp. Zarev turned towards the others and motioned for them to get onboard. "If everyone is ready...than it's off to Bamorra!"

 

Unknown location

 

"My lord, the group is on the move. If they leave Tatooine within the hour they should arrive on Bamorra within two days. Your agent in the tatooine spaceport has placed the tracker aboard the ship."

 

"Excellent. Prepare our agent on Balmorra. I want to make sure that these insects do not interfere with our plan."

[Warlord664]

"Perfect..." Corsail mumbled to himself as he watched the sith walk up the ships ramp. He walked up the ramp, shaking his head in disbelief. Zarev was treating the sith like she was a friend,

 

"Ok jedi, stop with the whole welcome party garbage, we haven't even decided what we're going to do with the sith yet and you're already acting like shes part of the crew! I say we take a vote right now, I think it's pretty obvious what the outcome should be."

[MsFicwriter]

Something about Avriela reminded Per'dra not only of the Sith, but of one particular Sith. Pfon Urazhai had been cruel, cunning, deceptive and brutal. Once, Avriela was just like Pfon, aligned with the goals of the Sith Order. She has certainly repented quickly... "All right," she told Avriela. "I'll be watching you closely, cautiously, and without forgetting your former allegiance. However, I myself have been given a second chance after--" No. Not now. Not now, not ever. Master Lenina Karos' death was no accident, and still... "Never mind. We should head for Balmorra, with Avriela on board. Force help me, if either she or I fall, I'll--" She shook her head, clearing it of sudden anxiety.

[Chevron 7 locke]

((Sorry for the late reply, been busy.))

 

"Ok jedi, stop with the whole welcome party garbage, we haven't even decided what we're going to do with the sith yet and you're already acting like shes part of the crew! I say we take a vote right now, I think it's pretty obvious what the outcome should be."

 

Zarev stopped and slowly turned around to face Corsail. "The sith was in my mind. And I was able to see in hers. The things that she has done disturbed me I won't lie, but I could see the truth within her mind. She is no longer a part of the sith empire...in fact at times she has thought of going to the jedi."

 

Avriela turned and stared at him before nodding. "It's...well it's true. I've been running from them for so long and at times I've honestly thought the jedi might be an option but...I don't think they would take me in."

 

Avriela turned to look at Corsail. "If you want to vote on keeping me than fine. I won't hold it against any of you if you throw me off. But at least let me take my lightsaber so I'll have a chance."

 

"I'll be watching you closely, cautiously, and without forgetting your former allegiance. However, I myself have been given a second chance after--"

 

Avriela turned to look at Per'dra and smiled gratefully. "I thank you for at least giving me a chance."

 

Zarev turned to look at Light, Traver and Corsail. "Well? What do you all think? Remember, she may have saved my life after building that mental block between my mind and that voice that was screaming in my head. I'm not asking you all to trust her, I'm asking you to give her a chance."

[Yukub]

Traver looked in Zarev's eyes. He leaned his head a bit forward towards Zarev's face. He whispered something to him.

 

''Are you...''

 

''Mental?'' He bellowed. He took his blaster from the hip and pointed it at Avriela.

 

''You may believe this crap, but I certainly don't. Once a Sith, always a Sith, until she joins her friends in hell!''

[thelightfang]

Light pressed his lightsaber, unignited against the back of Traver's skull.

 

"Regardless of what is decided here, she should be allowed to live. Besides, the score is 3 to 2 as I see it. We should involve the others, but if you fire you won't live either."

 

Light had his thumb on the button, ready to press if Traver's finger twitched.

[LDR]

Varik, along with Vlalkor, walked into the hallway, and Varik stopped dead in his tracks.

 

"What in hell is she doing here?", Varik asked incredulously.

[Chevron 7 locke]

''Are you Mental?!"

Avriela stayed perfectly still as Traver pointed his blaster pistol at her. To be honest, without her lightsaber she knew she couldn't deflect any shots that came her way.

 

''You may believe this crap, but I certainly don't. Once a Sith, always a Sith, until she joins her friends in hell!''

 

Zarev put his hand down near his lightsaber but spoke in calming tone. "Listen everyone...we all need to put the weapons away and just think for a moment. She could have killed me when she was in my head but she didn't. She helped save me from that voice in my head. She could have killed me when I was weak but she didn't."

 

"What in hell is she doing here?",

 

Zarev turned to look at Varik. "We're deciding to take the sith along with us or not." He then turned to look at the others and his gaze hardened. "My master was killed by sith forces not long ago but I'm willing to give her a chance." He said in the same calming voice. "I'm asking you all...just give her a chance or maybe we can find a way to prove that she's no longer with the sith."

 

He turned to look at Per'dra with a pleading look in his eyes. "Can you help me out somehow? There has to be someway we can prove that she means what she says."

 

"I believe her." came Vlalkor's voice from behind them. "In the entire time we've been arguing she could have killed or disabled us all and stolen the ship. I've been trained to identify body language and I agree with the others, I don't see any hostile or threatning movements from her." He turned to look at Traver.

 

"You on the other hand...you don't even know this person and your willing to kill her just because you believe she's sith."

[LDR]

Varik crossed his arms, but Zarev made an excellent point. Part of him wanted to believe him, but he still remained staunchly apprehensive.

 

"Let's delve back into recent history. Ever hear of the horrific Battle of Haeedon? It was regarded as one of the worst space battles in the Cold War. I commanded the Republic fleet there. I trusted a Sith, and I refuse to make the same mistake again."

 

He tossed Avirela's lightsaber to her.

 

"I am not completely unsympathetic however. I won't deprive you of your tool."

 

He winced, expecting Avirela to activate the lightsaber.

[Warlord664]

Corsails eyes lit on fire as Varik threw the siths weapon back to her, "You blasted idiot!" he shouted, "If we trust her we'll all be dead before we reach Balmorra!" He let out a sigh of frustration, "If we take the sith with us, we should at least lock her up during the flight, and search her for any trackers."

 

"Is anyone in agreement? Or do you all trust the words of this sith enough to let her wander around our ship with her weapon?"

[MsFicwriter]

"I, for one, do not," Per'dra replied, using the Force to pull Avriela's lightsaber away from her before the former Sith managed to tighten her grip on it. Clutching it in her right hand, the Jedi Knight continued, "There will be plenty of time for you to prove yourself with your blade once we reach Balmorra. However, I think it would be wise to confiscate it for the time being, because we're aboard ship and in transit. What kind of team would we be if we started losing members before the real battles started?" She snorted in disgust.

[thelightfang]

Light whispered in Traver's ear:

"Are you seriously siding with the guy who shot at both of us earlier?"

 

Light kept waiting for Traver to lower his weapon.

 

Aloud he said:

"I wouldn't say that we'd be a team at all if that was the case. We can all have a nice chat about this out here, catching bits of sand in the wind, or we can go inside where we can comfortably chat... After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."

 

Light gestured towards both Traver and Corsail, indicating that they were the ones he pointed the statement towards.

[Warlord664]

"I, for one, do not,"

 

 

"Finally! It's good to see someone around here besides me has some sense."

 

 

After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."

 

"Watch it jedi, remember that you weren't at Coruscant when we started this mission, you're not even officially on this team" He placed his hands on both of his holsters to make sure Light couldn't pull them out using the force.

 

"Which reminds me, if you aren't an imperial spy, then who are you? You just happened to be on tatooine, you just happened to know everything about our mission?"

 

He leaned against the wall of the ship as he continued, "Our did you think the small detail of who you are was unimportant? Call me paranoid but it sure looks like the signs of a spy placed on tatooine to earn our trust."

[LDR]

"He's a Gray Jedi, genius.", Varik said in an aggravated tone.

 

"After all, she isn't the one who shot at some of us today. Maybe we should disarm more than just her."

 

Wait a minute, this lunatic shot at my friends?, Varik thought to himself.

 

He moved to the side of Corsail, and kicked him in the shin. He then grabbed his ankle and yanked him to the ground. He used the Force to pull the guns from their holsters, and then tossed them to Light.

 

"Done.", Varik said with a grin. "Now, are we going to close the boarding ramp or what? I'm not too big on sand."

[Warlord664]

Corsail hadn't been looking in Variks direction so he didn't see the blow coming. He let out a shout of pain as Varik kicked his shin, sending him to the ground. All at once Corsail lost control, he leaped off the floor and tackled Varik into the ships wall, throwing a punch into Variks stomach then wrapping his hands around his throat to strangle him. "That was your last mistake jedi." he said as he tried to squeeze the life out of Varik.

[LDR]

Almost immediately after he spoke, he was slammed into the bulkhead, and saw hands at his throat.

 

"That was your last mistake Jedi."

 

Thinking quickly, he punched Corsail in the face with his right hand, and started to repeatedly bash him in the face. Corsail was losing his grip. Varik punched him in the face, fracturing his nose and making it bleed. He then grabbed Corsail and slammed him into the opposite bulkhead.

 

"Now that is enough, Corsail.", Varik said firmly, keeping Corsail pressed against the bulkhead.