Star Wars: Daughter of the Dark Force

Chapter 15: Consecutive Disbelief

I'll update in a week again. :)

Kimmy (AKA DarthKemberli)

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CHAPTER 15: CONSECUTIVE DISBELIEF

“It’s unbelievable... I couldn’t kill her. I just couldn’t.”

 - Galen Marek (a.k.a. Starkiller), Sith apprentice

A humming bar of blue energy quivered at my throat. I followed the lightsaber with my eyes up to the not-so-steady hand that held it, up the grey sleeve to the face hidden under a grey hood. Whatever composure I may have had completely dropped with my jaw. Shaak Ti had had a Padawan? How did I not feel him earlier? Why hadn't Vader known about him? Had Shaak Ti taught him how to conceal his Force presence? But that was a Sith technique... I silenced the barrage of knee-jerk questions.

"You killed Shaak Ti?" The unknown man asked incredulously. He was young and human, and that was all I could discern from his grey-clad body figure.

"Yes," I said.

"Then you are my enemy," he said, mouth twitching in the beginnings of a snarl. He took a few steps back and waited. I stared at him in confusion. He gestured with his lightsaber impatiently.

"I don't like unfair fights. Now stand up and face me!"

That gave me all the proof I needed. It was doubtless that he was Shaak Ti's apprentice. Only a Jedi could display such "honourable" qualities. Keeping one wary eye on him, I rose to my feet. I nearly stumbled as my right calf protested, and when I looked down I saw a puddle of blood pooled around my foot. I sighed. I couldn't attend to it now, what with the Padawan's curt challenge. Wearily I hoped that he wasn't a fraction as skilled as his late Master.

He was. He was far more skilled with a blade than I expected him to be. And that impression wasn't because I was so exhausted from my fight with Shaak Ti. He fought exceptionally well for someone so young. His technique was a combination of Juyo and Makashi, blending precision with violent thrusts. It was all I could do to fend off his attacks. I saw several openings, but I couldn't take advantage of them. I was too slow, and he was too fast.

I fell into the form of Soresu, hoping that a active meditative trance would return some strength to my limbs. Floating just above myself in the dark currents of the Force, I barely felt the weight of my fatigue. My body moved automatically to block the Padawan's attacks. Though my body was slow, my opponent landed no hits on me. I withdrew further into the Force, desperately trying to revitalize my numbed body, and then my mind touched the mind of the apprentice.

I fought to keep from gasping with amazement. Darkness, beautiful pure darkness, roiled in his mind. He channelled hatred, anger, and resentment into every strike, making his movements stronger through the dark side. Was this really Shaak Ti's Padawan? Surely no Jedi Master would ever allow her apprentice to nurture such raw darkness within him. Unless she herself embraced some aspects of the dark side... But I had not sensed any of the sort in Shaak Ti. My interest in my unknown opponent skyrocketed.

I came back into the real world, slightly revived by my communion with the Force. It was easier to keep up with my enemy's attacks. The rest of my fatigue was lost in the strangely elated feeling of knowing that I fought another that felt the pulls of the dark side. Quicker now, I threw out aggressive attacks. The boy seemed startled by my sudden onslaught. He fell back, then began circling me cautiously.