DYAD

FIFTY FOUR

"You are not focused, Keres." I growl, watching her stumble while sparring with an unmasked trooper. "Do I need to reorient your priorities?"

"My priorities are oriented!" The teen shouts, punching the soldier in the jaw. I shake my head, looking at one of the soldiers who stand against the wall, waiting for my signal. He leaves the room with another soldier.

"Enough." I order. Keres bends over, hands on her knees, panting. "I have a test for you." I tell her. "Have you ever killed anybody?"

"No." Her eyes are wide now, and worry creases her brow- rightly so.

"Then this will be a good first kill." I say as the doors slide open, and the troopers push a figure in, a hood tied over their head. I hand Keres my lightsaber. "I want you to kill him." I order, watching as she raises the saber over her head. "No, not like that." I nod to the soldier, and he rips the hood off. Keres gasps, dropping the saber. "Do you know him?" I ask, keeping both my face and voice neutral.

"Please don't make me do this." She turns, throwing herself at my feet. "Please, I'll never see him again, just let him go!"

"He is only a cadet, he is being trained to die." I say, gesturing to the dark haired boy in front of us. "Why do you have a problem with this?" I crouch down to her level, gripping her chin. "You know the rules. You are not to make acquaintances. You are not to find lovers." My glare turns to the boy. "Kill him. Or I will." A moment passes, and she doesn't move. I grab her arm, pulling her to her feet. I summon my saber, shoving it in her hands. "Kill him!"

"No!" She ignites the lightsaber, and I leap back, thinking that she'll try and attack me, but she's ignited it into her own stomach.

She crumples to the ground, and the once stoic boy is now fighting the soldiers holding him. Tears are falling down his face as he screams. "Keres!" He cries. "Keres!"

"What a waste of a good apprentice." I mutter, grabbing my saber from Keres' bloody hands. She knew right where to aim. She knew it would be instantly fatal. I ignite my saber. "And a good soldier."

His eyes hold no fear as I cut him down.

"You passed your final test." A voice says from behind me. I turn. "You had no mercy on your apprentice." Marduk approaches me, and I watch the soldiers file out of the room.

"She did not deserve it." I tell him.

"Good." He waves his hand, and I watch as the girl coughs, rising to crouch on her hands and knees. She looks towards the boy's body, and releases a choked cry. "Keep an eye on her. Once distracted, it is very hard to get back on track."

"Yes Master." I say, but he's already gone. "Keres!" I bark, watching as the girl stills. She rises from her kneel beside her lover, and looks at me with nothing but rage in her gaze. She reaches out her hand, and my lightsaber is wrenched from my hands. She leaps towards me, lightsaber blazing. I surround my hand with the Force, catching the blade in my hand.

"I hate you!" She cries, fingers bloody and trembling around the hilt.

"Good." I hiss. "Use that to fight me." I use the force to pull a beskar staff from the wall. I parry each attack, and she throws her body into every swing.

"Darth Manik!" A stormtrooper bursts into the room, and I throw my hand out, tossing Keres against the wall. She drops her head, unconscious.

"What?" I turn towards the soldier.

"The Resistance! They're her-" I watch him tumble to the floor, a Resistance soldier behind him, blaster aimed at me.

"Great." I push my hair out of my face, sweat soaking it lightly. I turn towards Keres, who still grips my saber, even while unconscious. I curl my fingers, and the snap of the soldier's neck echoes in the hall as I bend towards the girl. My fingers wrap around my saber, and it sparks to life just in time to block another. "It's unwise to attack my home base." I narrow my eyes. "Come to rescue your princess?"