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The Greatest Sith... That
Never Lived
Posted by: Darth Danno
05.23.07 12:01am
Previously:
CHAPTER XX: THE SECRET REVEALED
MOS EISLEY: The three Jedi sat
under the canopy of an outdoor café discussing their options,
which were few. There were other needs throughout the Republic
that needed their attention, and they couldn’t afford to
remain here much longer if everything kept running into a dead
end. The current topic of conversation was exactly how long to
remain on Tatooine.
“We all need to regroup
and put our collective heads together,” Dychud began. “Perhaps
one of the other Masters could put a fresh perspective on things.”
Beyorel smirked, “We just
need to decide if we go to them, or should they come to us?”
The three laughed softly at the
joke, but were interrupted by the chirp of Dychud’s communicator.
The Jedi detached the comm from
his belt and depressed the talk button. “Yes?”
“Master Chemidael here,
sir. I’ve sensed a tremor in the Force.”
“The Sith?” Dychud
inquired.
“Possibly,” Chemidael
replied. “But not in Mos Espa. It seems further away, from
out in the desert somewhere.”
“How far are you from the
ship?”
“We’re heading that
way as we speak.”
“Good. Make sure Master
Dovarchi has it fully fueled, we may be flying around awhile.
Let us know the minute you’re up. Land on the outskirts
of Mos Eisley so as not to attract attention.”
Chemidael commented, “And
also so we don’t have to pay the high dock fees.”
“Exactly,” Dychud retorted.
“We’re heading out, and will meet up with you shortly.”
“Understood.” Chemidael
said and clicked off.
Dychud stood and turned to his
companions. “Let us go and see about acquiring the rental
of some Dewbacks or Eopies.”
Beyorel rose, but stated, “Are
you sure this isn’t just going to be some wild Bantha chase?”
Master Issew replied, “I
concur with Master Dychud, Master Chemidael has a strong connection
with the Force, and considering our current scarcity of options,
I suggest we make haste to locate some transport, we’ve
got a ship to meet.”
Lords Ruin and Contagion continued
their trek across the desert wastes of Tatooine. The hot wind
that blew in their faces did little to cool Ruin’s rising
temper. There had better be some answers within the hour, he
thought. Or Lords Danno and Mortis won’t be the only ones
not leaving this backwater planet.
They came upon the path leading
into the Krayt Dragon Pass, but Contagion stopped before venturing
further.
“We’ll have a better
vantage point from up above. Plus less chance of being spotted.”
Contagion then turned his speeder
to the right and proceeded to head up a narrow slope leading
toward the peak of the Pass.
“Be ready for…anything.”
Ruin spat to himself as he turned his speeder in pursuit.
The twin suns of Tatooine had
begun their downward curve toward the horizon, preparing to set
on another day. Yet this transition went unnoticed in the heat
of the battle transpiring far below. Beads of sweat pockmarked
the sand at Lord Danno’s feet, and then quickly disappeared.
His breath came in labored bursts, struggling for every last
drop of saliva that would slowly crawl down his parched throat.
He couldn’t fight on much longer; this should have been
over long ago. The Sith Master’s vision was failing also,
staring at his opponent, he started to see three of him, and
then two, then one, then Mortis would disappear altogether for
periods of time. Glancing down at his arms, he saw his skin had
begun to blister under the devastating rays of the twin suns
high above. It was now or never, he knew. One last shot at taking
his apprentice down for good. Failure was not an option. Even
if the exertion of this melee did him in, he could still count
it as a victory as long as Lord Mortis went first. Using what
mental energy that remained, he called upon the Dark Side to
give him one final burst of strength to vanquish his opponent,
and charged in blindly once more.
“Hours.” Lord Contagion
commented from their vantage point high atop the rocks that made
up one of the walls of the pass. “This battle we see unfolding
below us has been going on for hours now…just like this.
Sad, isn’t it?
Ruin gazed down at the spectacle
below with wide-eyed confusion. He had expected a trap, some
answers, perhaps even a chance to revel in watching the Sith
that had been a persistent thorn in his side for some time now,
get what was finally due to him. But what greeted him made no
sense, and in fact, raised more questions. Literally shaking
with rage, he turned on Lord Contagion and forcibly grabbed him
around the neck and knocked him to the ground.
“Lord Contagion.” Ruin
began, his eyes red with anger as he choked the life out of his
companion. “My patience is at its end! I DEMAND TO KNOW,
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE??? Is this some sick game you have concocted?
Some poor joke to be played out at my expense? If you do not
give me some answers, not riddles, not smug glances nor smirks,
in the next few moments…I will pummel your body with Force
Lightning to the extent that no one will even be able to identify
what race your form came from!!!”
Contagion tried his best to reply,
but with his Master’s hands around his trachea, it made
that quite impossible. Ruin eased up on his grasp, and got up
off the ground to allow his fellow Sith to regain his composure.
“My…Lord,” Contagion
gasped as life saving oxygen flowed back into his lungs. “Is…isn’t
it obv…obvious what’s tru…truly going on here?”
Ruin glared as if he were to
pounce on him once again. “NO!!! Nothing is obvious! That
is why I’ve given you these precious few seconds to explain,
before I resume what I began, and this time, I will finish it!!”
Contagion slowly got to his knees,
still taking in huge gulps of air. “Look down upon the battle…my
Lord, and t…tell me…tell me what you s…see?”
Ruin snorted, but played along.
He quickly glanced over the side of the cliff, seeing exactly
what he had seen before, and spun to face Contagion once again.
“I see Lord Danno down below. Engaged in a furious battle
to the death…WITH NO ONE!!!! Where, in the name of the Dark
Side, is Lord Mortis???”
Finally making the effort to
rise to his feet, Contagion replied, “Lord Ruin, don’t
you…don’t you see? Lord Danno IS Darth Mortis!”
Darth Danno
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