Chapter 11

Quinn was in the Temple Security Force’s barracks when Kira came to visit him. She had a look of concern on her face and for a moment he wondered if she had come seeking more medical help.

“You know Jaesa?” Kira asked.

Quinn tensed. He hadn’t realized she’d been able to hear him–he’d thought she was unconscious. He sighed and turned to her.

“I do,” he said.

“Your accent…you’re Imperial,” Kira said.

Quinn nodded resignedly. “I am. Are you going to arrest me now? Because I would prefer a quick death to what will happen if my Lord finds out I was taken alive.”

Kira shook her head. “Tell me what you are doing here, on Tython?”

“I cannot divulge those details,” Quinn replied, and his hand unconsciously wandered toward his blaster.

Kira raised a hand. “Don’t.”

He sighed. “I would rather die fighting than be captured and forced to tell you why I’m here.”

Kira nodded. “I figured. Just tell me this: are you going to kill anyone?”

Malavai shook his head. “No, I will not.”

Kira nodded. “Then do what you have to do. But be gone in a day.”

Quinn nodded. “Thank you.”

Kira began to walk away. “And tell Jaesa I said hello.”

Methic’s crew was currently docked on the Ziost Shadow, because once again the Sith Lord was off on a mission of critical importance…which apparently was too important for Pierce to participate in.

All he knew was that Methic had gone to deal with an alien race called the Gree, and that is was so hush-hush he didn’t even know what planet it was on.

So Pierce went back to his new favorite place, the training grounds. Not surprisingly, Kaliyo and some of the others were there. She had her crossbow, but it was strapped across her back and she was currently punching the dummy.

Talos Drellik, a scrawny little man, was sitting in the back corner of the room, deciphering glyphs on a stone tablet that looked like it dated to the reign of Marka Ragnos.

“Does he ever do anything else?” Pierce asked Andronikos.

The pirate shook his head. “Unless he’s with Lord Nox, no.”

Pierce shook his head, then pulled out his rifle and began shooting at the target. Khem Val, the giant Dashade, entered and stormed toward Andronikos.

“You,” the Dashade said. “You were the last one to see Ashara. Where is she?”

“Who’s Ashara?” Pierce asked.

“One of Lord Nox’s apprentices,” Andronikos replied. “I don’t know, Khem. She told me she was staying on the Fury.”

“She lied,” Khem said flatly. “She is gone.”

“You don’t think she made a run for it, do you?” Andronikos asked. Then, for Pierce’s benefit, he said, “Ashara used to be a Jedi, but was captured by Darth Nox. She has served him well so far, but she detests his acts of cruelty.”

“So you think she’s making a run back to the Jedi? Or just away from Nox?”

A voice said, “No. I’m right here.”

Ashara entered from one of the back hallways.

“I was on the command deck, observing Lord Nox’s mission. It…isn’t going well. The Gree have summoned a giant…thing. A…terror.”

Pierce shook his head. Methic, my friend, I hope you are okay.

Chapter 12

Methic and the rest of the strike team returned the next day, many of them wounded and torn to tatters. Methic’s armor was shredded, his black cape torn and only reaching his waist where it had once been to his ankles. His armor was scratched and dinged, and his helmet had been destroyed, forcing him to cast it off.

In addition, his lightsabers had been his with a kind of interference wave during the battle, damaging the blue crystal in his offhand weapon. Thankfully, his primary saber had been undamaged, but he had been forced to fight that…Terror…with only a single weapon.

He looked at his gear in disgust. The credits he would have to spend to repair this damage…he hoped the Gree suffered from their defeat for a long time to come.

“How you feel, boss?” Pierce asked.

“Would be better if I didn’t feel vulnerable,” he replied.

He stripped off his armor and put on a simple black cloak, tying it at the waist with a red sash. He clipped his sabers into the sash and threw the dented armor into the pile with the rest of the gear that was to be sent to an armory, including the armor Pierce had been wearing the day he’d been assaulted by the Mandalorians.

“Been months since that happened,” Pierce said in a little disbelief. “I’m recovered. It all seems so long ago, and yet at the same time, so…recent.”

Methic nodded. “Sometimes it seems just a few weeks ago I was an acolyte on Korriban waiting on Overseer Tremel.”

Pierce inclined his head. “The war is passing us up, boss.”

Methic nodded. “It won’t,” he said. “One day, it will end.”

“Then we’ll throw a party?” Pierce asked with a smile.

“One that will spread over all Dromund Kaas,” Methic said.

Quinn took off his armor and put on a set of civilian clothes. He was ready to depart Tython. He had some footage of the Jedi Master Gareb, hopefully enough for Lord Methic.

Once, he might’ve sabotaged the armor so that the next user would be injured, or even killed. The old Quinn sometimes scared the new Quinn.

“Where to, buddy?” asked the pilot.

“Neutral space,” Quinn said. “Nar Shaddaa.”

* * *

Methic and Vette stood at the Upper Promenade, waiting for Quinn’s speeder came in for a landing. As the man, dressed in a trenchcoat and technician’s visor, approached, Vette turned away to give them some space.

“I have all the recordings of the Jedi Master here, Lord Methic,” Quinn said, handing over what looked like a spotlamp.

“Good job, Quinn.” Methic patted his arm. “Let’s go.”

He led Quinn to the Lower Promenade cantina, where Pierce, Broonmark, and Jaesa were waiting. While they had been waiting for Quinn they had gotten a message from Nomen Karr. No one had opened it yet; they were waiting for Quinn.

Suddenly a Jedi appeared from nowhere–a Shadow!–and grabbed Quinn. Then he used the Force to cloak himself and Quinn, and they were gone.

“I think we better find out what Karr wants,” said Methic, grimly.

Only one more chapter to go after this!

Chapter 13

“By the time you open this,” Karr said, “your spy will be in my hands. I let him leave Tython due to the wishes of a Jedi named Kira Carsen. Now that he is offworld, he cannot be permitted to give the Dark Council information on the Jedi.

“If you want your man back alive, bring me the information he gave you, and never speak of it again. Oh, and one more thing.” Karr’s face looked bleak. “Give Jaesa back, or the man dies. Come to these coordinates on Hoth. Nomen Karr out.”

Jaesa had tears welling in her eyes, and Methic could sympathize. No doubt she was thinking that Quinn’s capture was her fault. Rage grew in his gut, and he whirled to her.

“Jaesa, it’s Karr, not you.” He patted her arm. “Don’t worry, we’ll get Quinn back.”

Jaesa nodded. “You’re right. Because I am going to go back with Master Karr.”

Methic shook his head. “I beg to differ.”

“It’s the only way!” she exclaimed.

“Maybe not,” Pierce noted. “Listen, hear me out–a classic double-double cross. We go to Karr’s place on Hoth, and we bring Jaesa. But after we do the deal, I bring in Broonmark and Vette and we put the smack down on Karr.”

Methic considered. “I don’t like trickery; I much prefer straight out dealings. But I will not risk either Jaesa or Quinn.”

“It could work,” Vette admitted.

Methic nodded. “Okay, here’s how we do it…”

Quinn struggled against his restraints and wondered who these blasted Jedi were. Had Carsen betrayed him? He snarled and tried to reach a small knife lying on the floor a few meters away.

“Now, now,” a voice said. “We can’t have that.”

Suddenly the knife flew through the air and into the hands of a man too familiar for Quinn’s tastes.

“Nomen Karr,” he snarled.

Another man joined him. “Master Karr?” Master Timmns said. “What is this? This is that Sith Lord’s companion.”

“I know,” Karr replied. “He was caught spying on the Jedi on Tython. We captured him and demanded the Sith Lord return the data.”

“That Sith Lord was the most honorable I ever met,” Timmns argued.

“But he is still our enemy!” Karr roared. “He will use every opportunity to hurt us!”

“Master Karr, you are not well,” Timmns insisted.

“I’m fine,” he snapped. “Or at least I will be once that data…and Jaesa…are in our hands.”

“Jaesa?” Quinn asked. “You touch her and I’ll murder you, you sadistic piece of trash! You ever come near her and I’ll–”

“Oh-ho,” Karr said. “It appears we have some attachment here. See, Timmns? It’ll be better for Jaesa to be away from such a man.”

Quinn shot to his feet and tried to approach, but Karr roughly blasted Quinn into the wall of the cave. Timmns quickly stood between them.

“I don’t like this, Karr,” Timmns said. Quinn noted he’d dropped the honorific title ‘Master.’ “But I’ll hear you out if you leave this man alone.”

Karr nodded. “Fine, he’s not my target anyways.”

Methic and Jaesa approached the cave. Jaesa looked nervous, and with good reason. Methic had not missed the change Jaesa and Quinn’s friendship had taken.

“Relax,” he said. “He’ll be fine. And so will you.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

They entered the cave. Methic drew his lightsaber and shone its red blade around, wishing he had his blue blade, but it was still damaged and he’d been unable to procure a backup in time.

“Karr!” Methic called. “We’re here. I have the information. Bring out Quinn. Now!”

Karr appeared, lightsaber in hand. Quinn knelt next to him, and Karr’s lightsaber was in front of his throat.

“Malavai,” Jaesa breathed.

“Forget him, Jaesa,” Karr said quietly. “You can come home now, and never worry about these people again. I’ll get help for you and the Jedi can heal your brainwashing.”

“I never brainwashed her, Karr,” Methic said.

“I wish I could believe you, Sith. Now hand over the information and back out of the cave.”

Methic pulled the tube from his belt and tossed it to Karr. Jaesa crossed the room to stand beside him, between him and Timmns.

“Back out, Sith,” Karr repeated.

“Give me Quinn, first,” Methic argued.

“If I do that you may just attack and take back Jaesa and the information. No, you leave the cave and I’ll send him out to you. I’m a Jedi. You can trust me. Go.”

“You’re corrupt, Karr. You just can’t see it.”

Karr raised his blade. “Last warning, Sith. Go now or die.”

“Now!” Methic said.

Pierce, Broonmark, and Vette charged in. In a flash, Timmns drew his lightsaber and deflected the blaster bolts sent by Pierce and Vette, while Karr leapt at Methic.

Methic blocked Karr’s blade and redirected it, and then kicked the man in the gut, followed by a pommel strike to the chin. Karr went with the blow, letting the momentum spin him in an arc and cutting his blade toward Methic’s neck.

Methic brought his lightsaber up to block the blow, whishing again he had his second blade. He Force pushed Karr back against the wall.

Quinn looked up in surprise as Jaesa slashed his shackles. Thankfully, he leapt to his feet and took his blaster from her.

“Thank you,” he said.

She nodded happily. Quinn watched as Timmns battles Broonmark, all while deflecting bolts from Vette and Pierce.

“Vette!” he called. “Pierce! Forget Timmns!”

Suddenly, Karr used the Force to disable Methic and leapt at Quinn. Surprised, Quinn didn’t have a chance to move. Karr’s blade neared his throat…and Jaesa’s lightsaber lit and blocked it.

“You are corrupt!” she said. “He was right.”

Then she began to battle Karr.

Chapter 14

Pierce was surprised when Timmns lowered his lightsaber, and even more surprised when Broonmark also lowered his vibrosword.

They were all turned toward Jaesa and Karr, now. The two were dancing across the room, three green lights brightening the dark cave. Jaesa blocked every one of Karr’s strikes and returned it twofold.

Pierce watched as Jaesa redirected Karr’s saber to slash into the wall, melting ice and making the cave shift dangerously. Then she used the Force to blast him across the room. His lightsaber deactivated and clattered to the ground.

Timmns walked over to Karr and pointed his blade at Karr’s throat, surprising everyone.

“Stand down, Master Karr,” Timmns warned. “This is not you.”

Karr nodded, and slowly stood. Timmns kept his lightsaber carefully angled.

“I am sorry,” Timmns said to Methic and his crew. “You have done no wrong to deserve this. I suspect what your captain here recorded was of no consequence to the war. Correct?”

Methic nodded.

“Then go in peace,” Timmns said.

Methic, Vette, Quinn, and Broonmark started to walk away.

“NO!” Karr yelled.

He kicked Timmns over, grabbed his lightsaber, and leapt at Methic. The Sith Lord turned, but too slowly. Karr was within centimeters of decapitating Methic, when a blaster bolt sheared through his head.

Pierce lowered his rifle.

“I am sorry,” he said to Timmns.

Then, as one, the crew left–Quinn and Jaesa hand in hand.

The End...for now

Yay, Pierce saves the day!

Yes, indeed! It's called what it is for a reason.

Subbing. You said for now, so i can hold out hope!

Hey, imperialmerc, I actually have continued the story, so your hopes have been answered! I have three other fics at the moment, two of which include Pierce and Methic.

Life Aboard the Thunderclap, a story about my trooper that takes place and retells throughout the trooper story.

Legacy of Destruction, a story that takes place after all the class stories.

Rise of Black Sun, which takes place after Legacy of Destruction.

I also post regularly in the Short Fic Weekly Challenge thread. Hope you enjoy!

Hey, imperialmerc, I actually have continued the story, so your hopes have been answered! I have three other fics at the moment, two of which include Pierce and Methic.

 

Life Aboard the Thunderclap, a story about my trooper that takes place and retells throughout the trooper story.

Legacy of Destruction, a story that takes place after all the class stories.

Rise of Black Sun, which takes place after Legacy of Destruction.

 

I also post regularly in the Short Fic Weekly Challenge thread. Hope you enjoy!

I would love to, but the everlasting dilemma I have is that I don't want to see spoilers for the 4 classes I haven't finished yet. You can see in my sig why I can't in good faith for my enjoyment of the game read those right now. Really sad about that, but it will pay off.