Soldiers of the Stars

Chapter 17: Catch My Breath

JEDI TEMPLE

BRYKA ACRUX

     "Oh great, you're here." I rolled my eyes. "Why is it so impossible to get rid of you?" I asked no one in particular. The Besalisk, remaining silent, stood frozen. "Alright then. Good talk." I walked up the stairs. Krell swiftly moved in front of me. I took a step to the left. He moved with me. "Move."

     "I follow your orders here," Krell replied.

     "Then move," I repeated. He stepped closer, pushing me back down the stairs. "I'm not dealing with you right now. You're not even real. This is just a stupid trial." I made a second attempt up the stairs but ran into Krell.

     "I'm as real as you want me to be."

     "You're dead. You're dead to me. Your plan failed. Your vision was flawed. You no longer exist."

     "My vision will unfold perfectly. All because you will walk out that door," He pointed. "And return to the life you once had. My vision is inevitable." I swallowed the lumps in my throat. "You wanna know what I saw?"

    "Not particularly," I paused.

     A low laugh, almost a growl came from him. "Yes. You do." I looked into his glowing eyes. I did. "If  you don't leave the Order, resign as a General, you will turn to the dark side." I scoffed. "Bryka! If you walk through that door, everyone you love and everything you hold dear will be destroyed!"

     "You did a pretty good job of that yourself when you sullied my name and committed treason." I walked up the stairs again.

     "You are risking the lives of the entire 239th. And you want to know why? Because you are me, and I am you. Everything I am is what you will become. You thought you could escape me, Girl. Look inside yourself. We are exactly alike." He taunted.

     "We are nothing alike." I hissed.

     He simply smiled. "If you stay here, they will be safe. Leave? They will surely die by your hand." I pushed at the door. "And the one you call Gunner." I froze. Krell laughed. "You'll be rendered helpless as you watch the light fade from his eyes, your saber driving through his chest." I spun around, summoning one of his sabers into my hand, and ignited it. The double-bladed blue saber illuminated the room.

     "Come up here so I can carve out your black heart!" I spat.

     "Oh. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. That's not the Jedi way."

     I narrowed my eyes. "I am no longer naive enough to be a Jedi." A devilish grin slowly crawled across his face. His saber clashed with mine.

     He loved this, and I was getting my ass kicked. Each attack I made was met with a more powerful block. I tried to use the advantage of being quicker, but it was no use against his strength. A double strike threw me to the dirt. I held my saber up as he came crashing down. It was almost too late to realize this was the block I used when General Grievous shattered my saber. I pulled my weapon down and redistributed the energy to throw Krell back. He slammed into a column with a wrathful cry. I made him angry. He swung. I stepped wrong. He swung again, throwing me off balance. His third blow sent my saber across the room. The fourth blow came from his hands. The Force choked me. My neck crushed under the pressure. My feet dangled in the air. Black spots filled my eyes as my body plummeted.

     The air left my lungs with a rush; a sharp pain shot up my back as I slammed down on the ground. I gave up. I didn't have the strength to move. I shifted my glassed gaze to the ceiling, the stars glowing above. It reminded me of the first time I taught Gunner to mediate. He was so enthralled by the view from the meditation room he fogged up the glass. Within a small amount of time, Gunner and I grew from hating each other to friends to the one person I trusted more than anyone. And I was never going to see him again. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes. "I'm sorry, Gunner." My breath stilled.