The Art of Chaos and Darkness

Chapter Eight

The ship settled on the landing pad with a hiss and the ramp lowered to reveal The Mandalorian and Valda standing side by side.

Valda held up her wrists. "Don't you think the restraints are going to cause a bit of unwanted attention?"

The Mandalorian looked at her. "I'm not taking them off. And no. I'm a Mandalorian. That will cause the unwanted attention." He gave her a push down the ramp. They stepped onto the ground and immediately a space-sport worker scurried their way.

"Fuel for you ship, sir?"

"Fill the whole tank." He flipped him a few credits and the worker backed away. Valda noted the tremble in the worker's hands and voice when he regarded the beskar-clad warrior. He directed Valda through the security terminals where he flashed his guild membership. "Stay close," he told her. "Don't try to escape."

A chilled wind whipped at her and sent shivers up her spine. The planet seemed eternally dark, the only light source a faintly glowing moon. It wasn't cold... but there was no warmth either. Everything just seemed dead. Or slumbering.

The streets were largely filled with people in black or grey cloaks, shuffling slowly along. It was deathly quiet. Valda shuddered again and this time it had nothing to do with the cold wind. She stuck close to the Mandalorian in front of her, his beskar glinting in the moonlight. People parted around him, going so far as to cross to the other side of the street. If he noticed, he didn't say anything.

They moved down the streets until the Mandalorian stopped at a bar, one rowdier than most. She looked at him. "Really?"

"Let's go." He ducked through the doorway and Valda had no choice but to follow. It was dark inside, the light flickering in changes of blue, purple and green. The air was smoky and thick with the smell of body odor, liquor and stars knew what else. The Mandalorian selected one of the only empty tables near the back. Valda took a seat, holding her restrained wrists beneath the table. "Why are we here?"

The Mandalorian surveyed the crowd. "Kill time. Get information. Something to eat."

"I don't think anything to eat in here is actually edible."

The Mandalorian didn't answer and Valda leaned back in her seat. More than a few pairs of eyes had roamed to her, making her skin prickled, and then to the Mandalorian where they quickly looked away. At least he was good for one thing.

Valda observed the crowd, the drunks at the bar, swaying on their stools. The groups gathered around card tables, screaming obsenctities. The filthy, pervaded people huddling at the base of the platform where a female Twi'lek danced wearing almost nothing. Valda clenched her jaw at the sight, anger coursing through her. Abruptly the Twi'lek was shoved off stage and another girl was pushed up to take her place. The people jeered at her until she started dancing. To the side, the Twi'lek was all but sobbing as people threw credits at the man in front of her. He gathered them as fast he could, shoving the female into the hands of the one who had paid the most.

It was a fucking slave auction.

Anger and rage sharped her vision and her hands gripped the table. Her entire body tensed at once.

"Relax," the Mandalorian said, looking at her abruptly.

Valda didn't even acknowledge him, gaze fixed on the sobbing Twi'lek and girl on stage. The Mandalorian tracked her gaze finding the auction. She could have sworn he said in the quietest of tones, "I'm sorry." But the club was so loud and Valda's rage was a living thing thrashing inside her, the words didn't register.

She felt it then. A small, hesitant tugging at first. Almost like a tickle in her mind. As soon as she reached to grasp it, it flittered away in the wind. The feeling was familiar, a comforting sense. It slithered around her, enveloping her in it's hold.

Use your anger. It makes you strong.

All at once the power slammed into her, an intoxicating wave of the full and unyielding power of-

the power of the Darkside

This whole planet was infused with, the eternal night, the people, the culture- it thrived on the dark. Coupled with her rage and strength slowly returning from being fed and her health improving, the Force she'd spent so long crushing suddenly burst to the surface. Her vision honed and the wind whistled in her ears. The markings beneath her clothes warmed faintly. It was calling, she felt it in her bones.

Let go

It sang to her. Death was a familiar song. Everything around her filtered into pristine focus, the Darkside seeping into her skin, into her very essence.

The Mandalorian must have sensed the shift because he was turning to face her, hands reaching for her. "Relax-"

Valda flipped the table, a smooth motion that sent the entire thing toppling onto the Mandalorian. He flew backwards, knocked from the chair and hit the ground. One of the blasters flew from his holster and into Valda's waiting hand. She spun and fired two shots, one into the man bartering the slaves and the second into the man dragging the Twi'lek away. Valda knew she only had seconds now.

She leapt from the chair, darting through the screaming crowed. People rushed everywhere, randomly firing their own weapons in the chaos. Valda made for the sobbing Twi'lek and yanked her to her feet. She snapped through the restraints first on her own wrists and then broke off the ones holding the Twi'lek and the second girl. "Run," she told them. "Get as far away as you can." They both were gone in a matter of seconds.

Valda sensed the attack seconds before it happened. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and her skin tingled. She spun as a blaster shot cracked the air where she'd been. No, not a blaster shot. A stun beam. Because the Mandalorian couldn't kill her. Valda fired shot after shot at him with his own weapon, the beskar deflecting them all. But the Mandalorian was forced to back off and by the time the shots had stopped, Valda was gone.

She hurtled out into street and ran, knowing he would follow. She needed to draw him out, fight the battle on her terms, in a ground of her choosing. Strength surged through her limbs and she moved faster than humanly possible. The scenery flew by but her steps never faltered. Out of the small town and into the clearings of the forest beyond. A shot cracked through the tree to her right. A high-powered rifle. She dove to the side as another shot hit the ground to her left.

He was trying to herd her somewhere. Smart man.

Valda ducked into the cover of a few shrubs, willing herself to blend and materialize with the shadows. From here she could make out the Mandalorian with the help of the Force. The moonlight glinted off his beskar, just barely giving him away. He slowly strapped the rifle to his back and advanced, palms up. "Valda!"

Her name clanged through her. She had no idea how he had learn it. She calmed her breathing, the only thing associated with that name was her slave history. Nothing more nothing less. She'd made sure of it.

He tried again. "Valda, you know I can't kill you. And I don't think you want to kill me."

She snarled and slowly stood from the shadows. "What makes you think that?"

He turned to her, palms still upraised, holding no weapons. "You could have escaped. Or kill me in the club but you didn't. You freed those girls instead."

Valda gritted her teeth, still holding the blaster at her side. The Darkside surged around her and she raised the blaster, holding it level with his head.

Then she pulled the trigger.