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Remi the Grey


kabeone

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I'm updating this intro because this thread has lived so long.

This is the story of my Jedi Knight Remi. The story has two major parts, covers various periods of time beginning with the end of chapter 3 to about 10 years later, it is about 100,000 words long.

 

 

Main: Remi Syeriy, Jedi Knight

Other: Sith Warrior Ninka, Smuggler Nosc, Jedi Consular Zyel, Imperial Agent Vero

Spoilers for the above and most other stories too though I try to put a warning in for specific spoilering.

 

 

Part 1. Old Friends

 

 

 

Grey, the bounty hunter, waited for her new clients. The air of mystery surrounding this job left her on edge. Ordinarily, she turned down mystery jobs, but something in her gut told her it was important.

 

She heard sounds of greeting from the common area then silence. The cantina was never exactly noisy but even the musician stopped playing, that meant these clients were dangerous. She armed the explosives under the table.

 

The first to enter was a young woman with shoulder length red hair. She had a scar on her cheek, green eyes and generous lips. The lightsaber at her hip marked her as a Jedi. She was followed by a slightly older man wearing a leather duster, he was well groomed for Tatooine, and though his expression was careless and casual his eyes betrayed a keen intellect. Neither of the two would have been cause for much comment on Tatooine. However, the last member of their party, a giant of a man, with red skin and glowing red eyes, would strike fear into the hardiest of Tatooine’s outlaws. He was a Sith. Grey examined the last of the party. He looked exactly as she remembered.

 

In another life, she had known these people, Kira, Doc, and Lord Scourge. In another life, they had been her friends and crewmates. In another life, they had followed her into the Dark Temple in a desperate bid to defeat the Emperor. In that other life, she had been Jedi Master Remi Syeriy. Then she abandoned that life and left it far behind. Not far enough, she thought.

 

 

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Part 2. New Job

IA Spoilers

 

 

“Are you Grey, the bounty hunter?” Kira asked taking the lead.

 

That was not the confirmation phrase Kira, identify who sent you. Remi thought. Kira had been her Padawan once, she never liked following instructions or perhaps she was just testing the strange bounty hunter. Remi raised a finger and two turrets popped up out of the floor.

 

“Ardun Kothe sent us.” Kira said quickly.

 

Ardun Kothe, of course. Remi thought, I wonder how much he’s told you. Ardun Kothe was the leader of a special branch of the SIS. He had failed his mission to end the war quickly, but he was still the best information gatherer the Republic had. A former Jedi himself, he offered her another way to make a difference. She accepted, in exchange he helped her disappear. Over the years, as she made her reputation as a bounty hunter crossing back and forth between Imperial and Republic territory, she also gathered information about the Empire’s strengths, weaknesses, troop positions and political state. Remi lowered her finger and the turrets dropped back into the floor.

 

Remi nodded at the chairs across the table, Doc and Kira sat down, Lord Scourge stood in the doorway keeping an eye on the public room outside. Kira passed her a credit chip and placed a holo-comm on the table. Remi jammed the credit chip into a portable reader, the credits transferred to her Hutt account. A minute later, the holo-comm projected the figure of Ardun Kothe.

 

“Grey, it’s been too long.” Ardun said. “Now if I know you well enough, I’d appreciate it if you disarm the bombs under the table. I don’t want this communicator to set them off by accident.”

 

“Not when I haven’t heard a job yet.” Remi replied. She was glad her helmet distorted her voice.

 

“These are good people.” He sighed sounding tired. Remi nodded, relenting, and flicked a switch under the table. “This is Jedi Knight Kira, her chief medic Doc, and Lord Scourge. Maybe you’ve heard of them?” Remi rolled her eyes at the unsubtle comment. This was Ardun’s way of saying he told them nothing about her. “We need someone who can get this group into enemy territory.” Remi waited in silence. “Dromund Kaas.”

 

Remi thought about the way she usually landed on Dromund Kaas. “You sure you don’t want me to just detonate the bombs? Less painful that way.”

 

“If anyone can do it, you can.”

 

“I don’t suppose you managed to get ID’s so I can just land at the space port and pass customs?” She said hopefully.

 

“Sorry, this will have to be a hot entry; we’ve got a fix on a good drop off and pick up point. I’ll send the usual fee to your account.”

 

Remi shook her head. “No way Ardun, it’ll be double.”

 

“Even for an old friend?” He asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

 

“It’s double for an old friend. Sith are usually triple, you know that.” She said jerking her head at Lord Scourge.

 

Ardun considered her words; he knew her history with the Sith Lord. “Give me a minute to get back to you.” Ardun’s holograph winked out. She leaned back in her seat. Lord Scourge stared at her.

 

“Remove your mask, mercenary; I want to see who you are.” Remi suppressed a shiver; she had forgotten the intensity of his gaze. Does he suspect it’s me or is he just cautious?

 

“Sorry honey, not on the first date.” She replied waving at him lazily, he scowled and looked like he would say more but the projection reappeared.

 

“Fine, double.” Ardun confirmed. “I got the scramble codes for a freighter. Ghost’s man has them; he’ll be waiting for you in the usual place.”

 

“Wait, Ghost’s man?” Remi said incredulously.

 

“Kothe out.” He said and ended transmission.

 

Remi sat for a minute staring at the holo-comm. She looked up at her former friends who stared back with the eyes of strangers. She sighed, “Cripes, I hate bugs.”

 

 

 

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Part 3. Cynicism

IA Spoilers

 

 

Remi walked up to a cave filled with giant insect eggs in the heart of nobility on Alderaan. The mouth of the cave was set into the hillside but the tunnels ran under House Cortess and possibly a number of other Houses without their knowledge. While technically allied with the Empire, the Killiks were probably closer to independent and certainly had their own hive agenda.

 

Remi was relieved to see her contact waiting for her. Vector Hyllus, Dawn Herald to the Oroboro Nest, waited at the entrance next to a pair of man sized bipedal insects wielding electrostaves. “Hunter Grey,” Vector began. “We are glad to see you again. May we offer you some membrosia?”

 

Vector was one of the kindest beings Remi had ever met and apart from the completely black eyes, there was nothing bug-like about his appearance. “No, just the codes. How’s Ghost?” Ghost was Vector’s lover, a human and former member of Imperial Intelligence. Remi did not know the full story of how Ghost and Kothe came to know each other but those intelligence types always had complicated relationships.

 

Vector handed her a datachip. “She is well,” Vector replied, his smile reaching his jet black eyes. “She is sorry she could not be here. She wanted to thank you again for saving us.” He said referring to their first encounter. Remi had saved Vector from a band of Alderaanian Killik hunters. She noticed the earpiece Vector wore.

 

Shrugging dismissively, she turned to scan the countryside. She picked a likely spot, and waved at it, a flash of light pulsed a few times in response. She turned back to the surprised Dawn Herald.

 

“How did you know she was there?” Remi shrugged again, turning to leave without answering. Ghost was the best sniper and stealth operative she had ever seen but when it came to love people got predictable.

 

 

 

 

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Part 4. Mercenary

 

 

Codes in hand Remi met the small group at her favorite landing zone. It was an abandoned shuttle port overrun with Killiks and malfunctioning battle droids. No one else used it so it was perfect for her purposes. She surveyed her ship with pride. From the outside, her ship looked like the unholy mating of a freighter and a small D5-Mantis.

 

“We’re going in that?” Doc said as the group approached. He stared up at the oddly shaped hull dubiously.

 

“It’s not too late to grow brains and back out.” She replied, adding. “I keep whatever you’ve already paid though.” Remi walked up the gangplank; the others trailed behind her. They were welcomed by her crew, three astromech droids. She was rather proud of the upgrades she had made to their processors and she never wiped their memory cores. She thought wistfully about T7-01, they would never be as good as the little droid who had become her friend; she hoped he found a better Jedi.

 

***

The odd ship’s galley and mess were combined into one small compartment, not surprising for a ship with only one live crewmember. The bounty hunter had arranged the crates of Imperial and Republic rations so that the room could seat three people but it was still cramped. The group ate in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

 

“What do you think of the mercenary?” Lord Scourge asked.

 

Kira and Doc exchanged a surprised look. Lord Scourge was not one to start a conversation, especially one that would certainly be overheard by the subject. “Ardun Kothe trusts her.” Kira said uncomfortably. She had not liked how evasive the former Jedi had been when questioned about their contact.

 

“The trust of a failed Jedi.” Scourge said with contempt. Kira said nothing; it had been hard enough to convince the Sith Lord to come with them. She never learned what happened, one day she was part of a team that saved the galaxy, the next Lord Scourge was banished from Republic space and Master Remi left the Order. Then she just disappeared altogether.

 

“If you really want to know what’s under that helmet of hers. I bet Ole Doc can get her to open up.” Doc asserted with his trademark confidence. Kira rolled her eyes. He stroked her arm softly. “It’s just intel gathering baby, I wouldn’t take it too far.” Kira blushed, slapping Doc’s hand away.

 

As charming as he was, she hated his lack of discretion. It was hard enough to get the members of the Council to see her as a competent Jedi; a romantic relationship was one more thing for them to frown upon. When Master Remi left, they had looked to Kira to fill her role, sending her on countless missions to slow the Empire’s advance. She failed and the Empire devoured territory. At first, she had been angry with her former master, now she just wanted to know why she left.

 

 

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Part 5. Sith Partner

 

 

Remi lay on the bed in her quarters watching surveillance footage of her former friends and crewmates. She would not spy on them in their bunks but the public areas were fair game. She watched Lord Scourge pace slowly up and down the corridor. The ship felt cramped to her when she was alone; to someone like him with three other people it must be oppressive. Oh right, she though bitterly. He feels nothing. I should have made his quarters too small for him to lie down. She chuckled at the thought before feeling guilty. She closed her eyes thinking back to those last days on Tython before she threw everything away.

 

***

Remi faced Lord Scourge across the practice grounds. A smile hovered about her lips as she watched the Sith Lord circle. They heard the call and began the bout starting with Shii-Cho. The students were familiar with the form; it was the first form they learned in martial combat styles. Shii-Cho was developed during the transition between edged weapons and lightsabers. Novices tended to look clumsy with the standard strike-parry patterns but in the hands of the two masters, the random almost chaotic strikes were like watching water and magma as the red and blue sabers lashed at each other, each attempting to rip the other out of its wielder’s hand.

 

The call rang out, Lord Scourge kept to Shii-Cho but his strikes became more vicious and deadly. Remi switched to Makashi form. The students were no longer taught Makashi, Soresu was more practical for modern defensive combat, but the point of the lesson was to show all the different forms and how they compare to each other.

 

The call rang out again Remi switched to Soresu. They continued the demonstration systematically comparing each form until they both used the Juyo, the seventh and most aggressive form. This was the part all the students enjoyed, Lord Scourge and Remi always ended the demonstration with an all-out sparring match that ended only in surrender choosing whatever form made the best counter.

 

Today Lord Scourge chose Ataru form, the aggressive acrobatics were a crowd pleaser and Remi often wondered if that was why he chose it. It was amazing to watch such a large man leap and spin, light, graceful, and deadly. Remi chose Soresu, patiently waiting for her opening; the form allowed her to conserve energy by efficiently dodging and parrying. She saw her opportunity to strike; normally, she would choose Shien form to go on the offensive. Today she switched to Juyo reaching to the Force to focus a burst of aggressive attacks. The unusual sequence and choice caught Lord Scourge off guard, she moved in for the killing strike reversing her saber at the last moment. Lord Scourge conceded the match.

 

A young sith looks up with terrified eyes as she moves in for the killing strike. Remi blinked as the memory slipped away. She stepped back bowing to Lord Scourge. He returned the gesture a glint of approval in his eye. She addressed the students waving down their applause. They were so young, too young to know that this was not entertainment, too young to know their elders frowned on accolades for fighting, too young to know that they should be contemplating the different forms and their purpose. They only knew the bout was exciting and one day they would learn to do that.

 

“All right, who can tell me the weaknesses of the first form?” She asked.

 

“Master Remi?” Master Kavil called. “A word, if you please.”

 

Remi had Kira take over the analysis of forms. “Master Kavil?”

 

“Yes, thank you for taking a moment, we were wondering,” he said gesturing at the other masters who had witnessed the match. “What you are doing teaching the initiates with that Sith?”

 

Remi glanced back at the Sith Lord who had moved to the shadows of the training grounds. He watched the young Jedi like a manka cat watching a herd after a large meal. Satisfied now, it would feed on them later. “He helps me show the strengths and weaknesses of the different styles. It would be difficult to find another partner who knows all the forms as well as he does.”

 

His face twitched when she said the word partner. “But he’s a Sith!”

 

Master Remi tilted her head, “What should I make him do? Harvest crystals and sew Jedi robes?”

 

Master Kavil set his jaw. The young Master’s penchant for sarcasm never sat well with the older members of the enclave. They felt it was a sign of immaturity; she was not ready to be a master. “You should make him a Jedi or you should never have brought him to Tython! He is a Sith!”

 

Remi sighed. “As you well know, you can’t Force someone to be a Jedi.”

 

“Lord Praven became one!”

 

“I offered him a choice. He was the one who took it.” Remi reminded him. “You also told me one of my duties as a master is to teach here on Tython. You wouldn’t let him wander around Republic space by himself. This is the only logical solution.”

 

“He’s corrupting the initiates!”

 

“What?” Master Remi looked over at Scourge who avoided the initiates, padawan, Jedi, and Masters equally.

 

“They respect him!”

 

“We should respect our enemies, not for what they do but the danger they represent.”

 

“They want to be like him!”

 

“Young men see a powerful man; they want to be powerful too. They will learn that power is not everything that is why they are here.”

 

“They don’t fear him!”

 

At this Master Remi laughed. It rang across the courtyard attracting the attention of several student and their teachers. Lord Scourge also looked up from the shadows at Remi. “Well master there is no emotion, there is peace.” Remi said, still smiling. “Unfortunately it’s not true yet; quite a few of the youngsters are terrified of him. But I think if they learn to overcome their fear it’s for the better.” Having said his piece, Master Kavil huffed a bit before he and the other masters left to convene the council. Remi walked back to finish the lesson, she had a feeling she had not heard the last of that conversation.

 

 

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Part 6. A Bad Plan

 

 

Remi checked her instrument display. There was not a lot to do on a ship in Hyperspace so she sat back watching the stars stream past the display. She saw Lord Scourge approaching, she had avoided talking to the Sith. She was afraid she would reveal herself in some way. She kept her sigh strictly mental and waited for Lord Scourge to speak.

 

“I wish to speak with you.” The Sith Lord began.

 

“Speaking costs extra.” She replied, looking back at him. The captain’s chair was elevated so she was almost eye level with the tall Sith. He scowled, as she knew he would, he detested greed. She took a small amount of pleasure at annoying him. She pushed away the guilt.

 

He pressed on, “I want you to explain how this will work. I am familiar with Dromund Kaas security, this ship will be shot down long before it reaches the planet.”

 

Remi tapped her fingers on the console. “We put out a signal that we’re a freighter with engine failure carrying important cargo. We make a crash entry, detach from the freighter, detonate the core, and activate stealth. A freighter with the proper ID’s and tags will crash land somewhere and mask our entry. It’s a timing thing. Before you ask, they’d detect stealth on entry, breaking the upper atmosphere is a dead giveaway.” She said waving her hand nonchalantly. “Anyway, I stay low and get you folks to the drop point. Once you’re off you have twenty-four hours to get back to the pickup. I pick you up and we Hyperdrive out of there. If you’re not at the pickup when I get there then I’m gone and I guess you have to renew your citizen card.”

 

“And who thought of this plan?”

 

“Yours truly,” she said pointing a thumb at her chest. “Only person with the ship to run it, patent pending.”

 

“And this has worked before?”

 

“Sure.”

 

The Sith Lord considered her words for a moment then turned to leave. “Still going through with it?” Remi called over her shoulder.

 

“I have survived worse plans.” The Sith Lord said.

 

Aint that the truth. Remi thought.

 

 

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Part 7. A Worse Plan

 

 

It was a ridiculous plan: infiltrate a meeting of the top crime lords in the galaxy posing as Captain Nosc, the ‘Boss of Bosses’. Meanwhile Captain Nosc hides out on Tatooine protected by Lord Scourge and the rest of Remi’s crew. They swapped crews, they switched identities, and it was a trap, for both of them.

 

Remi reached for the Force. She sensed it waiting, the power of the light; it flowed around her wanting to help her, she opened herself to it. Her eyes glowed white. She fought tirelessly, fear and pain could not touch her. A familiar voice yelled her name, concentration broken she turned in time to see Corso go down. She rushed to stand over him, blocking the blaster fire with her lightsaber; he did not get up. Mercenaries poured in at the end of the warehouse. She looked at the man at her feet; she could not leave him, she was trapped and alone.

 

Alone, it seemed familiar, a distant memory she could not reach, as if it belonged to someone else. The memory flashed too quickly to be caught, leaving behind a burst of emotions.

 

Fear, her connection to the light faltered, she grasped for it but her turmoil only pushed it further away.

Pain, a shot slipped through her guard glancing off her thigh. She clenched her teeth trying to focus on her defense, the blaster bolts were not letting up.

 

Anger, I knew this was a trap, I warned the council. The pain in her leg slowed her movement; once again, she reached for the Force. She sensed it waiting, but it was not the light. It swirled around her, dark and chaotic; it tasted of smoke and death. It rushed to her eagerly asking to be used, asking to use her, as the mercenaries saw their opening and charged.

 

Hate, senseless mindless violence, these men driven only by greed and lust for power. You want power? Remi inhaled the darkness, feeling it scorch her throat and lungs. Have some. She channeled a blast of rage catching the first wave of mercenaries. Some of them were flung backward, most of them simply fell, all of them died. Her eyes glowed red and she leaped into the next wave.

 

Darkness.

 

She is somewhere else. A young Jedi adding her strength to attack the Emperor, she fails. Death is too good for her; she is not allowed to return to the Force. The Emperor twists her mind as he had done to countless before. The image swirls away.

 

She is someone else. A young Sith acolyte waits in the middle of an empty arena, alone. Several other acolytes watch from the stands above the pit. The overseer calls out something to them, they laugh. She turns slowly studying them. She feels their hatred, but it is petty and thin, it would not make them stronger. She completes her turn, these Sith all young, weak, and stupid, except one. He is not an acolyte, there was no telling his age; from him she feels nothing, but he watches her constantly, measuring, calculating. The other acolytes avoid him she meets his gaze fearlessly.

 

The far gate opens a company of captured mercenaries file out. They wear mismatched armor provided by their captors, they wield standard Imperial blaster rifles. She turns to asses her challengers. Their task is simple, kill the Sith and they can go free; gullible. They stand apart but not in formation; they were captured individually. Their attention is focused forward, they make no effort to communicate; there is no leader among them. From the front line, she feels arrogance, from the back, she feels fear; the fools die first, the cowards last. They charge hoping to take her in a rush. She snorts derisively flourishing her lightsaber as she waits for them to get within shooting range.

 

She leaps high, clearing their first wave of fire. They adjust their shooting angle but she moves too quickly. An errant bolt hits an acolyte standing above the arena instead. She lands on top of a man wearing a battered trooper helm. It does not save him; the Force of her fall breaks his neck. She crouches low, letting the fools shoot their comrades in panic. She feeds on their pain converting it to raw power as she lashes out with a wave of Force. Another line falls. She rushes forward, there are still many. She leaps again, they expect her to avoid being surrounded but she welcomes it taking their blasters and numbers out of the equation using their bodies as shields. Spinning, slashing, and leaping, the only dance she has ever known. The mercenaries fall, and now there are few.

 

The last two mercenaries attempt to flee. There would be no escaping the arena but their panic overwhelms them. She throws her lightsaber at the closest. It spins through the air cutting through his helmet and his hastily thrown up arm before returning to her hand. She strides toward the last man. He reaches the end of arena and pounds on the door. He jumps desperately; his hands scrape at the smooth walls as he tries to climb out. He slips, the fall knocks his helmet off, and it spins away from him. He slithers toward it on his belly, crying and begging for his life. She walks up to his pitiful form, her odd yellow eyes study him, she gestures with her hand snapping his neck. The door opens.

 

She walks out of the arena; forty-five mercenaries and one acolyte do not.

Remi blinked looking around; the warehouse was dark and silent. She rushed to Corso heedless of the bodies that lay strewn around her, he groaned, still unconscious. He’s not dead. Relief swept over her. She knelt beside him and gave him the last of the kolto; the smell of blood and death was oppressive. She closed her eyes to center herself reaching for the Force. It flowed around and through her. The whirling darkness retreated satisfied for now.

 

They limped out of the warehouse; fifty mercenaries did not.

 

Remi’s holocommunicator beeped as they reached the relative safety of the speeder terminal. “Remi,” Risha said without preamble. “I hope your meeting is over we need you back on the ship, the Captain’s in trouble.”

 

“I know.” Remi said and disconnected the call. She helped Corso into the back of the speeder. “Spaceport, hurry.” She said shortly. The Evocii driver nodded subserviently and guided the vehicle into traffic. They headed to the Nar Shadaa spaceport, Remi wondered if they were already too late.

 

 

 

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Part 8

 

 

 

On board the XS Freighter, Remi contacted the Jedi Council. “Master Kavil, the meeting was a setup. Lord Ebon is planning an attack on Tattooine. There’s an army of Exchange and Black Sun heading to Anchorhead, the Captain and my crew are in trouble.”

 

“Calm yourself Master Remi. We received a distress signal from the Captain. The Republic is dispatching additional troops to Anchorhead as we speak.” Relief flooded through Remi, she sagged against the console.

 

“How long until they touch down?” she asked, knowing every minute would count.

 

“Two days.” She heard gasps behind her as the crew listened in. That would never be in time.

 

“Two days?” She repeated in disbelief. “Are they walking? Anchorhead will be overrun in two days. You said you’d have back up ready for them if it was needed!”

 

“The criminals have set up anti-air defenses in the wastes. We can’t just land forces at the spaceport.” He replied. That means the Scourge and the others can’t escape either. Remi thought.

 

“The citizens have been instructed to evacuate to their dwellings, we believe they can hold out until reinforcements arrive. We need you to return to Tython to give your full report.” Master Kavil continued blithely. “I know you are worried about your friends, but the Republic army can handle their rescue.” That’s a lie. Remi seethed. My friends are just expendable to you.

 

“As you wish Master.” Remi bowed to the holograph and cut the transmission.

 

“We’re not really going to Tython are we?” Corso asked, he looked tired and battered, but he hefted his rifle in challenge. The rest of the crew moved to surround her.

 

“We are,” she said through clenched teeth. “After we save our friends.” The crew relaxed, they had not wanted to mutiny against the Jedi, but they would rather die on the ship than abandon their Captain. “How long till we arrive.”

 

“Two days,” Risha replied without having to calculate. “Even in this ship we’ll never get there in time. ”

 

Remi stalked to the navi-console and tapped in a new route, a fast Hyperspace route between Nar Shadaa and Tattooine. The Order had discovered it and kept it on an astrogation computer; it sat in the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, until Remi helped recover it. Giving the route to a band of smugglers was not exactly treason, but she was sure she would be reprimanded. They can just add it to the list. She thought grimly.

 

Risha studied the new coordinates. “Four hours, she announced.” The rest of the crew ran off to prepare.

 

“Do you have a way for me to get to the surface through the anti-air?” Remi asked.

 

Risha smiled with none of her usual cheer, “Yeah, we call it the XS Freighter Flyby.”

 

 

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Part 9. A Doc and Kira Romance

 

 

 

Lord Scourge leaned against a bulkhead in the tiny ship’s corridor. Half of his attention was on Doc and Kira, the other half on the bounty hunter piloting the ship. He had taken to speaking with her from time to time, conversing with her felt familiar to him. He had spent much of the past years alone and while she kept her comments to a few sarcastic remarks, she was intelligent and listened well.

 

He turned his attention back to his companions. To their surprise, the mercenary had assumed they would share quarters. While they had not bothered to hide their relationship from him, they had thought it was a secret to everyone else. His lips twisted with amusement, if so the Council is blind. He remembered the first time he saw the spark of their relationship, his amusement faded.

 

***

The doctor worked furiously running back and forth between his patients. They had fallen back to the spaceport in Anchorhead. He set up a triage center behind the Defender in the open-air hangar. His patients were made up of the civilians that could not make it to their homes or those who chose to stand and fight instead. The group was pinned down by anti-air guns and an army of hardened criminals.

 

“What the stars are they after?” Captain Nosc asked. She was dressed as the Jedi Master Remi. She was supposed to be a decoy but she was not supposed to be bait.

 

“My guess is Remi, you better get out of those clothes.” Doc said. Kira shook her head with disgust, the doctor and smuggler had been flirting heavily for the entire mission. “For once, that’s NOT what I meant.” He snapped. His temper was always a little short when there were wounded to attend.

 

“I better help Scourge.” Kira said apologetically. She turned to Nosc, “He’s right, if they’re after Remi, you don’t want to look like her right now. Go change, then stay here and protect Doc and the wounded.” Kira ran off toward the Sith Lord who despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered was keeping the thugs in a bottleneck at the hangar door. Rusk lay down cover fire.

 

Lord Scourge fought the seemingly endless wave of thugs and criminals. His Soresu form had improved since he met the Jedi. He had watched her both as a Jedi and as a Sith. She was a gifted duelist, sparring with her gave him insights into martial skills that he had not learned in the more than three centuries before she was born. He saw an opening and switched to Shien form taking down a wave of assailants using their own blasters against them.

 

Kira arrived, fighting beside him, she could not compare to the Jedi but her abilities were sufficient. The criminal’s numbers began to thin. They soon discovered it was not due to their success; the criminals were allowing someone through.

 

A powerful Sith and his three apprentices appeared; the wave of thugs parted to let them through then closed behind them. “The Emperor’s Wrath and the Emperor’s Daughter defending the Emperor’s assassin.” Darth Ebon laughed. His mouth formed a rictus in a gruesome parody of mirth. He gestured sending lightning at Kira. She caught the energy with the tip of her lightsaber but the pain sent her staggering backwards. His apprentices rushed forward forcing Scourge and Kira to retreat.

 

Doc had just finished tending to a moisture farmer with blaster wounds when three Exchange mercenaries unstealthed in behind him. Without hesitation, Doc spun around drawing his blaster and shot the first two thugs before they were fully visible. The third, a giant Nautilan wearing heavy armor slapped his pistol aside. “Where’s the Jedi?” The mercenary demanded knocking Doc off his feet with the butt of his rifle. Doc scuttled backward under the rows of tables set up for patients. The Nautilan followed him laughing. Doc reached the end of the row; his hands scrabbled under a table pulling it over him to use as a shield. The Nautilan laughed again, “I can shoot you through the table little man.”

 

“Great idea,” Doc said, blasting the Nautilan with a scattergun he had hidden there. The powerful shot sent shrapnel through the table into the alien’s face.* The mercenary went down and did not rise. The doctor stood up grabbing his blaster from where it fell.

 

Nosc did not like fighting large groups, especially not alone, she used every dirty trick she had to keep the thugs from overwhelming her. Finally, two of the men fell from their wounds; the last, she shot in the face with her scattergun while he was distracted by the loss of his comrades. Doc ran to her side surveying the fight. One of the apprentices was down but now they had changed their tactics trying to separate Scourge and Kira. The Darth had been focusing on Scourge when suddenly he whirled and hit Kira with lightning. Unprepared the lightning picked her up and threw her like a ragdoll, her lightsaber fell from her grasp. The apprentices saw their opportunity and closed in.

 

Cursing, Lord Scourge leaped over the Darth Ebon and threw his lightsaber at the nearest apprentice. Too intent on the disarmed and wounded Jedi, the apprentice did not see the spinning saber until it was too late. His saber cut down the apprentice and returned to his hand just in time for Scourge to block the Darth’s next attack. The second apprentice still loomed over Kira, Scourge would not be able to save her.

 

Doc had already started running when he saw Kira go down. He had no idea what he was doing charging a Sith. He tackled the hooded man simultaneously stabbing him in the chest with a syringe. They fell to the ground, Doc backed up quickly, stumbling on the dusty ground, his heart pounding. The apprentice lay frozen by the fast acting paralytic. Doc grabbed Kira under the arms and dragged her toward the triage area. Once there he frantically checked her wounds administering kolto and adrenals. He alternated between checking her pulse and hugging her trying to get her to regain consciousness. Finally, her eyes fluttered open.

 

“Doc?” Kira asked trying to sit up. Nosc and Doc both held her down. “What happened?”

 

“I saved your life beautiful,” Doc said trying to keep his voice from shaking. “That means you owe me a date.”

 

* I may have ripped that part off from Die Hard :)

 

 

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Part 10. A Reason for Conversation

 

 

 

Remi checked the console, still a few more hours. She compulsively checked the instruments, the freighter, the codes, the sensors, the stealth generator, the engine. Lord Scourge walked onto the bridge taking his usual spot in the corner facing her. After their first conversation, he had often returned to speak with her.

 

He spoke to her about the Sith, the Emperor and his vision, the Jedi, all laced with his unique perspective on people. She wondered why he would tell these things to a mercenary. Not that she didn’t enjoy the conversations. She had missed his insight and his stories, but she wondered if he was trying to get her to slip up. If he suspects, why doesn’t he just say something. Then she remembered the last thing he said to her. She resolved to keep their conversations limited.

 

“Do you know the story of the Emperor’s defeat?” he asked.

 

“Is there a reason you keep coming to talk to me? Can’t you go talk to your friends or something?” She said feigning annoyance.

 

“The ship is small, they are in their quarters copulating, I would prefer not to hear them.”

 

Remi stared at Lord Scourge for a moment then burst into laughter. He nodded at her patiently waiting for an answer to his first question. “Bunch of people went to the Dark Temple and killed him.” She said simply.

 

“It was more complicated than that.”

 

“Most jobs are.” She agreed. Then she sat back to listen to his tale of how she used to be a hero.

 

 

 

 

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Part 11. Crazy

 

 

 

The ship would arrive at Dromund Kaas in two hours. Remi began readying the decoy freighter. She opened the door that connected it to the Mantis. The seal wobbled perilously but held. She tapped a wall panel exposing four bodies frozen in carbonite and started the defrosting process.

 

“What the flying nerf is that?” Doc said in a rather shrill unmanly tone. The defrosted bodies plopped to the ground in a pile.

 

“Dead bodies for the freighter crash.” Remi replied, hefting a corpse over her shoulder. “You want to help? The one on top is the captain.”

 

“Who are they? Did you kill them?” He demanded not moving from the doorway.

 

Remi sighed remembering what it was like to have principles. “They were the crew of one of my bounties; they died in a real crash, so yes I killed them when I took their ship down.” She hefted the body on her shoulder. “Excuse me, this guy is heavy and he will not start smelling better.” He moved aside looking a little green.

 

After wrestling the bodies into place, Remi added the ship ID and emergency codes to the ship transponder. She checked the explosives that would wreck most of the ship and made sure there were no stowaways. Satisfied that the decoy was as real as she could make it she went back to the Mantis and sealed the door behind her. “Strap in,” she called to her passengers. “This is going to be bumpy.”

 

She turned the ship into a steep dive. She had studied dozens of crashes so that she could mimic the seemingly uncontrolled tumble of a ship entering the atmosphere with engine trouble. She watched the ground spin toward her. She found it odd how she never got dizzy. She hit the chaff button and the entire freighter detached and spun away exploding. She engaged her cloaking device then the ship engines arresting their fall just as the bottom of the ship skimmed the treetops. Locating their landing zone, she touched down several kilometers outside of Kaas City.

 

“Everyone still alive back here?” She called to her former crewmates. They were still belted in unsure if it was safe to move. Kira unstrapped herself and scrambled unsteadily for the refresher. Doc unhooked his harness and fell to the floor. He crawled to a wall trying to find his equilibrium.

 

“You,” he said his eyes closed tightly, “are the craziest woman I’ve ever met.”

 

Lord Scourge stood, steadying himself against his seat. He remembered the last person Doc said that to.

 

 

 

 

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Part 12. Still Crazy

 

 

 

The Sith apprentice recovered from the paralytic Doc had administered. He joined his master against Scourge. The thugs had wised up and used heavy plated shields so they could push through the hangar doors. The Darth cast a surge of lightning at Scourge, he caught it with his saber but was driven to one knee. “They keep coming,” Nosc said, panic thick in her throat. “Why the stars do they want your Jedi so badly?”

 

Doc opened his mouth to answer but it was drowned out by the scream of engines. Nosc’s eyes widened with horror as the XS Freighter made a suicidal dive over the spaceport; if they were fast they would beat the anti-air guns, if not they were dead. They were lower than their usual run and coming in hotter than she expected.

 

Remi waited at the cargo door; the wind lashed at her robes and stung her eyes. She watched the spaceport and the ground rush toward them. The fighters within resolved from a blur, to specs, to dots, to tiny fighting men. She leaped.

 

Nosc saw something fall; the ship roared away firing at the anti-air guns. The figure fell unnaturally. She would not call it flying but it seemed to aim itself at Darth Ebon. It landed like a meteor, cracking the ground, sending up a cloud of dust and rock. The men in the immediate vicinity were thrown off their feet including Lord Scourge. The dust cloud spread outward, Nosc could not see through it. All she could see was a whirling blue light; and where it traveled, men died.

 

No longer able to see their targets and finding death in a dust storm instead, the hardened mercenary army began to panic. They no longer poured into the hangar. They reversed direction, clawing and pushing as they tried to escape the spaceport.

 

The dust settled, the hangar entrance was empty, and Darth Ebon’s apprentice lay dead. Remi stood in a small crater poking at a tattered robe and a splatter of blood, all that remained of Darth Ebon. She trudged to the triage area, glad to see all of her friends, including the Captain and Lord Scourge, had survived the attack.

Doc stared at the dust covered Jedi, “You,” he said, “are the craziest woman I’ve ever met.”

 

 

 

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Part 13. Abandonment

 

 

 

The trio stood outside the ship checking over their gear. “You all have the pickup coordinates. I will arrive in twenty-four hours and I will wait for two hours. If you’re even a minute late, start practicing your accents.” She said, “Except you I guess.” She gestured at Scourge.

 

“So you would abandon us here.” Scourge stated. “You would do nothing to help?” Kira and Doc exchanged a worried look.

 

Remi shrugged with apathy she did not feel. “I’ve abandoned people before.” She boarded her ship and closed the door.

 

***

 

“Master Remi,” Master Kavil began, he was acting head of the Council while Grand Master Satele Shan was on a secret mission. “You were ordered to report to Tython.”

 

“I’m here to report, Master.” Remi said. She stood alone in front of the Council. Kira was still recovering, Doc was with her, T7 and Rusk were away on a mission, and they specifically asked her not to bring Lord Scourge.

 

“You were not to go to Tatooine first.”

 

“I don’t remember that part of my instructions, Master.”

 

The members of the council murmured. “Master Remi, we feel that you do not take the weight of your position seriously.” Master Kavil blustered. “Perhaps due to your accomplishments you were given the title Master a bit,” he paused. “Prematurely.” He emphasized the word mature.

 

“I suggested that very thing when Grand Master Satele gave me the title.”

 

“True, it is good that you know yourself.” He said condescendingly. “It may be best for you that we remove the burden of the title for now, you will still be a full Jedi Knight.” He assured her. “And as you are young, there will be many opportunities for you to prove yourself.”

 

“Whatever the council feels necessary, Master.” Remi replied. She had always felt Jedi should not care about titles.

 

“There is something more.” Master Kavil said slowly. “We feel that your,” he paused looking for the right word, “relationship, with Lord Scourge is part of your problem.” Remi remained silent, she knew better than to argue about Lord Scourge. He continued when she did not argue. “We think that it would be best for you if you spent more time around other Jedi. It would also be best for him if he found a place where he could be more comfortable.” He shifted uncomfortable when she still did not speak. “We have asked him to leave Republic space.”

 

“You’re banishing him?” She asked incredulously. “But what about the Emperor?”

 

“You defeated him. You fulfilled Lord Scourge’s vision. There’s no more reason for him to remain where he is so obviously unhappy.” Remi remained silent. She could not suggest Lord Scourge would cause violence, they would just imprison him, and they were right, he was not happy among Jedi. He was never happy anywhere.

 

“What if he’s not dead.” She persisted.

 

Master Kavil consulted with the other council members quietly. “We believe that your self-doubt is unhealthy. Perhaps Lord Scourge placed the suggestion in your mind so that he could remain here to influence you. It does not matter. We have spoken to Lord Scourge and he has agreed to leave. We will grant him a ship and aid him in finding a place in neutral territory.”

 

Remi stood quietly, unable to believe the council could be so phenomenally stupid. She thought about the last mission, then all their past missions, suggestions, assumptions, plans all the way back to the first attack by the Flesh Raiders. In an epiphany she realized, the Council is blind. For men and women who are supposed to have visions they are completely reactive. She looked at the faces and images of each of the Masters. Most of them took the Jedi Code absolutely literally. They were rigid, inflexible, so unlike the Force she knew.

 

“Then,” she said calmly. “I can no longer be a part of the Jedi Order.” She bowed to the masters and left the council chamber.

 

 

 

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Part 14. Nathema

Revan (the book) spoilers

 

 

Remi arrived at the pick-up. She was disappointed that the group was not there yet. It was dangerous to wait around; a random patrol droid could spot her and set up an alarm. She scouted the perimeter setting up mines as she went. She wished she had gone with them, she had regretted her decision more each day she spent with her old friends. Even though the council was blind, she had also been blind to the consequences of leaving. She should have found a better way.

 

***

Remi’s announcement of leaving the Order was met with the expected shock, disappointment, and smug certainty that they were right about her all along. They gave her a week to make sure she was certain. They said due to her ‘past experience with the dark side’ and ‘current associates,’ they could not allow someone as so strong in the Force to run around unfettered. If she chose to leave the Order, they would block her connection to the Force.

 

She sat in her room meditating. She had not spoken to anyone; she wanted to make sure her decision was her own. She hoped that her statement would wake them up; she hoped they would review their policies. She had to admit, their schemes only worked because she never obeyed orders fully.

 

The door to her chamber opened and to her surprise, Lord Scourge walked in. “I want to show you something.” He said. She followed him silently through the Tython orbital station to the small hyperspace capable ship the council had given him; it looked like the predecessor to the BT-7 Thunderclap. They boarded the ship and set off without telling anyone where they were going. Lord Scourge entered the coordinates and the ship jumped into hyperspace. He finally spoke, “You cannot let the Council block your power.”

 

“It’s not my intention to fight them. They need to see they are not infallible and that their success came from flexibility. ” She was silent for a moment more. “They’re also wrong about you. It’s foolish to make you leave.”

 

“You do not need to convince me that your Council is blind and foolish.” He smiled sardonically. “I have been telling you that for years, which I am told is part of the problem.” She sat quietly not needing to confirm the obvious. “I do not care if you call yourself a Jedi or not, but if the Emperor remains and you are to defeat him, you cannot do so as a Force-blind archivist in the temple library. I want you to understand that if there is the smallest possibility that the Emperor lives you cannot take that risk.” Then he told her the story of the Emperor, as it had been told to him more than three centuries before. He recounted his other observations of the Emperor, his power, his hunger, until finally they arrived at a gray-and -brown planet Remi had never seen before.

 

Remi stared in mute fascination, “This is it, isn’t it? Nathema.” He nodded gritting his teeth taking the ship to the surface. They landed at the spaceport in what used to be a city. Remi would have described the city as dead, but death is natural. There was nothing natural about the city. Instinctively she reached for the Force, and for the first time it was not there.

 

She walked away from Scourge feeling heavy and weak. He stayed close to the ship; he did not want to stay any longer than necessary to prove his point. She knelt closing her eyes, it felt like she was being pulled apart; like the Force within her was trying to fill the void the Emperor had left so long ago. What if I could fill it? She thought. If she could reach far enough then perhaps she could be the conduit to bring life back to this place. She closed her eyes and reached, casting her mind looking for the familiar flow that was everywhere but here, she reached until she felt her consciousness growing thin and stretched. She could sense the flow now, still so far away, but she knew she might…

 

Lord Scourge scowled as he looked at the abomination that surrounded him. He watched the Jedi kneel, probably feeling the horror more profoundly because of her strong connection to the light. He had just begun to wonder what she was doing when she fell over. He ran, picking her up and sprinting back to the ship. The weight of the planet slowed him and made the slight form of the Jedi a heavy burden. He boarded the ship throwing Remi onto a seat and frantically punched the controls. The ship took off leaving the planet behind as fast as he could make it. He turned to his companion her skin was transparent, she appeared gaunt, as if she had allowed the Force to run out of her. She stirred as the Force replenished her energy. Lord Scourge grabbed her by the collar of her tunic snarling in her face, “What were you thinking!”

 

“I thought,” she faltered. “I thought I could save it.”

 

“Save it!” He yelled shaking her to emphasize his words. “There. Is. Nothing. To. Save. You would throw your life away for nothing. You cannot change what the Emperor has wrought no matter how hard you wish. I brought you here so you can understand what you are up against but you are a child! Would you bear the pain and weakness of being blind to the Force? Did you not feel the void on that planet? Why would you allow that?”

 

She stared at him her eyes wide, bright with unshed tears. “Some things are worth the pain.” She said softly.

 

He realized what she was saying; this was not about Nathema, this was about him. She would leave the Jedi Order for him. Her eyes begged him to give her hope. Hope that he could feel something for her, that there could be something between them besides their duty to destroy the Emperor. It was impossible, he would never feel, he would never love, and he could not allow her to throw away everything on a hopeless dream. He released her pushing her back into her seat.

 

“Tell me,” he said mocking her. “What was your plan? Once you allow the Council to strip you of your worth, what would you do? Would you follow me? Become my dog?” He sneered. “Do you think you have any value to me without your power?” His lip curled with contempt. He punched the coordinates for Tython into the panel and they jumped to hyperspace. “Without the Force you are nothing to me.” He said and they did not speak again.

 

 

Explanation of Nathema

 

 

In my editing frenzy I cut out the entire explanation of Nathema that I had written. eh ehe hehe. SO this is a summary from the Book Revan, Scourge also alludes to it in the story.

 

At the end of the Hyperspace war when all the Sith were getting their butts handed to them and were running for their lives. The Emperor (though he was not the Emp back then) called the remaining Sith lords to a planet to perform a ritual that would tap the "true power of the dark side". This of course was a trick. What the ritual really did was drain all the life, force, energy everything from everything and everyone on the planet including the planet itself. All that power was transferred to the Emperor which is why he's still alive more than 1000 years later.

 

The planet is force dead though the buildings and such are intact. The books description reminded me of the planet in the movie Serenity. Only without corpses. Color, sound, everything is duller on Nathema, I thought it was a nice parallel to Scourge himself.

 

Anyway if you played KOTOR 1 and 2 then you probably would hate the book Revan. I liked it but then again I'm a Scourge fangirl :)

 

 

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Part 15. Forceless

 

 

Remi sat calmly and reached for the Force, it flowed then it swirled. She touched it, letting it flow through her, letting it swirl around her, she thanked it silently for helping her, and then she pushed it away until she could no longer sense it. She stood leaving her rooms to stand before the Council one last time.

 

“Remi Syeriy, today you leave the Jedi Order. We ask that you undergo the ritual that will block your connection to the Force.” Master Kavil said, it could have been her imagination but he sounded pleased. “Do we have your consent?”

 

“Yes, masters.” She said her chin held high.

 

“Very well,” Master Kavil gestured to another Master.

 

He was small and frail looking. He walked up to her and placed a cool dry hand on her head almost apologetically. “Master Kavil? She does not seem to be Force Sensitive.”

 

“I see,” Master Kavil waved him away. “Perhaps with your raw emotional state you blocked yourself from the Force. We have provided you an account with enough credits to start your new life in the Republic. Do you have plans?”

 

Remi fingered the data chip that held Ardun Kothe’s contact information. “Yes, Master.”

 

 

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Part 16. Getting out of Dromund Kaas

 

 

 

Scourge and Kira deflected blaster bolts back at their pursuers. Doc ran ahead to make sure they did not run into more Imperials. They had a string of bad luck, from a slave uprising to a broken patrol vehicle. All of these conspired to slow them down but in the end, they had the confirmation they needed.

 

The group coming after them was relatively small, they started with ten and only two Imperial troopers remained. Unfortunately, they knew the area better than the trio did and the rough forest terrain slowed them down considerably. Scourge threw his lightsaber taking down the last soldier. It would only be a matter of time before serious backup arrived. They heard the buzz of a speeder, from twenty meters away a figure in black jumped at Kira. She dove to the side tumbling down a slope away from the lightsaber that narrowly missed her.

 

“Kira!” Doc yelled as he headed back to the fallen Jedi. She rolled to her feet in time to parry the next attack from the Sith. He too had a double bladed lightsaber and he fought both Scourge and Kira in a flurry of spinning attacks.

 

“Go Doc, you have to get to the pickup!” No matter what happened, someone needed to get the information back to the Republic. Doc turned sprinting to where the ship waited.

 

Remi caught sight of Doc. The perimeter camera displaying his unmistakable form on her helmet display. Her relief was short lived, he ran as if he was on fire, and she did not see Kira or Scourge following. He entered the small clearing.

 

“Grey!” he yelled as he ran. “You can’t go yet, Kira and Scourge are still back there.” He shouted as he neared.

 

“Where are they? How many are coming?” She asked as he ran up to the gangplank.

 

“I don’t know, last I saw backup was arriving, at least one Sith.” Doc grabbed her shoulders all of his usual mask gone, his face showing only fear and desperation. “Please help them.”

 

Remi pushed Doc up the ramp, “Warm up the engines get the hyperdrive ready. If they’ve called in backup we’ll have to get out of here fast. ” Remi activated her jetpack speeding off in the direction Doc had come.

 

She flew over the jungle terrain, her helmet displayed the infra-red signatures of the battle up ahead. She saw a lone Sith fighting Kira and Scourge, he had the high ground fighting from rocky shelf. She also saw heat signatures of an entire platoon coming over the next ridge, the Sith was only buying time. No time to fight. The Sith jumped in the air sending a flurry of jabs with his saber at Scourge, at the same time he kicked Kira squarely in the jaw with his heavy boot. She fell, knocked unconscious. The Sith reversed his attack intending to strike at Kira. Remi aimed herself directly at him. This is going to hurt. She collided with the Sith focusing on pinning his saber arm. They flew together, her jetpack pushing them a dozen meters away from the unconscious Jedi. Only then did she reverse direction kicking the surprised Sith Lord in the face. She activated her rocket boots propelling her backwards. The Sith screamed, his face on fire, he slashed at her but she was already too far away. She pulled out her blasters and fired a series of shots to keep in on the defensive. She ignited her flamethrower creating a temporary wall of flames.

 

“Go! Get her back to the ship.” Remi shouted at Scourge laying down cover, setting more trees, and foliage on fire. He scooped up the Jedi and started running. Remi ran after them but having exhausted her jetpack and rocket boots she could not keep up with Scourge’s Force assisted sprint. She reached the edge of the clearing, she could see Scourge had already reached the gangplank. She turned to look for the Sith Lord just in time to watch him land on her. His face horribly burned, only one of his eyes remained. He had lost his lightsaber but he seemed more interested in choking her with his bare hands. He had tackled her into a small ravine, Scourge and Doc could not see them from the ship. By the time they noticed her, it would be too late.

 

She batted at the Sith’s face, he smiled with twisted pleasure as he prolonged her death. She closed her eyes and reached for the Force, she wondered if it would still be there. It flowed; she let the light flow through her. It gave her strength; she broke the Sith Lord’s grasp. It swirled; she inhaled the smoky darkness. It gave her power; she sent the Sith Lord flying. She motioned with her hand snapping his neck. She lurched to her feet to see more than two dozen rifles pointing at her; the platoon had caught up. She raised her hand and calmly triggered the perimeter explosives. The blast killed most of the platoon instantly sending the rest along with Remi flying toward the ship.

 

Scourge waited on the gangplank looking for Grey. Doc had already started the engines and was now attending to Kira. The explosion caught them all off guard. The bounty hunter flew through the air. She hit the side of the ship and landed on the ground, her armor mostly intact had protected her from explosion and fall. Scourge dragged her up the gangplank. The droid crew took them into a fast takeoff, within moments they were in hyperspace. A ring of fire burned in the forest on Dromund Kaas.

 

 

 

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Part 17. Doc and Kira

 

 

 

It was the second day of their journey back to Tython, Kira was well enough to walk around and eat though she still had a monstrous headache. The primitive medical supplies on the ship had Doc in a very surly mood and he constantly asked if she was ok. They sat in their shared quarters, neither of them wanting to talk about what they discovered.

 

Doc pulled Kira to him, the past few days had scared him badly. “We have to find Remi.” Kira said, returning his embrace.

 

“We’ll find her. I’m sure once the word is out she’ll probably come back on her own.” He said, but he wondered if Remi was still alive.

 

“We need her back,” Kira shook with anxiety. “She’s the only one who can do this. No one else is strong enough. I’ll never be as good as she was.”

 

“Hey wait, what? You are the best Jedi I have ever met. Remi has a destiny that’s all. But you, you’ve done more with your life against worse odds than she ever had.”

 

“But all those missions I failed,” Kira said her voice breaking, she had never been good at denying her emotions.

 

“Failed?” Doc said incredulously. “The council sent you on suicide missions! That you survived at all means you’re a great Jedi. You always managed to do some good. You saved lives on those missions. That means something.”

 

“I couldn’t stop them!” She sobbed into his chest.

 

Doc held her for a moment stroking her hair. “What do the Jedi say? As long as there is life, there is hope.”

 

“Jedi don’t really say that.”

 

“Well they should, otherwise what use am I?” He said looking down at her, his expression serious.

 

Kira stared up at the man she had grown to love. She finally understood why he chose to be a doctor. He would save anyone, enemy or friend, because protecting life was important. Everything else he did was just for show. He could teach the Jedi a few things. Kira put her head on his shoulder. “Just tell me everything is going to be ok.”

 

Doc sighed, “Everything is going to be ok.” He just wished he could be more confident about that.

 

 

 

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Part 18. Scourge

 

 

 

Scourge paced the tiny corridor. The years had been interesting. A pureblood sith could not go unnoticed even in neutral territory; he was always viewed with fear and suspicion. Sometimes he would attract the attention of a young upstart Sith. Then he would have to move on, killing young upstart Sith always attracted the wrong kind of attention. He had not realized how easy it had been for him to move about in the Republic. All because the Jedi vouched for him, gently deflecting prejudice and fear. He thought about the last time he spoke to her. At the time he felt he did the right thing, he feared what would happen if the Emperor lived. As the years passed, he realized there was something else he feared, and it was the true reason he had pushed her away that day.

 

The door to Grey’s quarters opened. She ignored him, and went to the bridge. She had saved them all at great risk and expense to herself. He studied the bounty hunter, something had changed, her presence was more familiar. He extended his senses, there it was, she had touched the Force.

 

He followed her onto the bridge.

 

“We need to find someone, a former Jedi.” He began.

 

“Huh.” Remi replied. Her heart sank, there was only one thing they could have discovered on Dromund Kaas that would make them come looking for her. The Emperor lives. “Good luck with that.”

 

“Could you help us find her?” He asked thoughtfully. “You hunt people. This would be strictly catch and not kill.”

 

“I don’t do Jedi, especially not former Jedi.” She said turning to face him.

 

“I would pay anything.” His gaze went straight through her helmet catching her eyes. How does he do that?

 

“What do you want her for?” She turned away running useless checks to avoid facing him.

 

“I want to apologize.” He said his voice surprisingly soft. She stopped fiddling with the console. Her voice did not work. He considered her a moment longer then continued. “I told her that without the Force she was nothing. I was afraid that she would be powerless when she was needed. I could not let that happen. ” He paused considering his next words, “That was not the only thing I feared. I believed she was leaving the Order so that she could remain at my side. I believe that she loved me.”

 

Remi snorted finding her voice, “Modest of you.”

 

He smiled his familiar feral grin, “When the emperor granted me immortality it changed me. My life became a living torment. At first, it was unbearable; the only thing that allowed me to endure it was remembering my purpose. I accepted immortality so that I would live to find the one who would defeat the Emperor. Over time, just picturing her face would help me to block the pain so that I could function as the Emperor’s Wrath. Finally, I no longer needed her, I felt nothing.” He did not admit that sometimes the pain returned. It began with a dull ache that settled in his chest the day after he brought Remi back from Nathema.

 

“To feel something, anything, could bring the pain back again. I fear that pain second only to what the Emperor will do.” He stepped closer to the bounty hunter. “But if I could see her face again, I know I could endure anything.” Another step and he stood next to her.

 

“Remi please,” he said, using her name for the first time since they had met. “Come back to me.”

 

She removed her gauntlets and put them aside. Then she unlocked her helm and pulled it off. Remi looked up at him, her yellow eyes bright with tears. He cupped her face in his hands, and brushed his lips against hers. She closed her eyes and pulled him closer, her lips parted in invitation. He tasted her tears, felt the softness of her skin, the warmth of her mouth, he experienced all the pleasures that for centuries he held only in memory, and for the moment, the pain subsided.

 

“Remi?” Doc said, with disbelief from the doorway.

 

Scourge pulled away breaking their kiss. Remi stared up at the Sith Lord she loved smiling. She waved her hand, her eyes never leaving his, and gently Force pushed the doctor into the corridor, the door slammed in his face. Scourge’s eyes glowed with approval. He leaned down to kiss her but she stopped him, her hand on his chest. “Does it hurt?” she asked softly.

 

A small smile touched his lips, “Some things are worth the pain.” He leaned in again and this time she did not stop him.

 

 

 

 

 

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Part 19. Everything's going to be ok

 

 

 

Doc walked back this his quarters. Kira waited expectantly. His expression was blank, shocked.

 

Kira stood up, “Did you talk to Grey? What happened?” She shook Doc’s shoulder a little.

 

Doc shook his head. “I think Scourge found Remi.”

 

“He did? Where is she?”

 

“On the bridge.” He started to smile thinking of exactly what he just witnessed on the bridge.

 

“How did she get on the ship? Does she know Grey?” Kira was growing more concerned. The last few days had been very stressful for Doc.

 

“Remi is Grey.” Doc said smiling. “No wonder she saved us back there. The whole I’m leaving you behind thing never fooled me for a second.” He said sounding more like his old self. He ran his hand down Kira’s arm. “I think this calls for celebration.” He leaned in to kiss her.

 

“Celebration!” Kira yelped pulling away. “I’m going to kill her.” Kira clenched her fists and headed to the bridge.

 

“Whoa there wait. No one’s killing Remi or Grey or anybody.” Doc said grabbing Kira around the waist and lifted her off her feet. Kira kicked the air for a moment. “Besides, I think they’re a little busy right now. Why don’t you wait a bit. Meditate, do your mantras, there is no anger there is only umm happiness that your friend is alive.” Kira tore herself out of Docs arms and marched up to the door of the bridge.

 

“Remi!” she yelled. “Get out here. You owe me an explanation, then I’m going to kick your a**.” She pounded on the door for a few moments then she waited with her arms crossed. The door opened and Remi and Scourge tumbled out. They were locked in an embrace heedless of their surroundings, like a pair of teenagers they made their way to Remi’s quarters in one passionate unending kiss. The door slammed shut, Kira stared at it speechless.

Doc smiled, the fear of the last few days melting away. Everything’s going to be ok.

 

***

 

Remi lay quietly on her side, her head resting on the Sith Lord’s arm. She watched him breath, his eyes were closed, she thought he was sleeping, “I never did actually apologize.” He said.

 

“Hmm.” She agreed.

 

“Not used to talking anymore, are you?” He asked. She shook her head. “But I have questions for you. That may need more than two words in response.”

 

“Ask.” She said chuckling a little.

 

“Do you know your parents?” He asked.

 

“No,” She answered furrowing her brow at the non-sequitur. “I was given to the Jedi when I was very little. I don’t remember anything about them. Why do you ask?”

 

“Your eyes are amber, an unusual color for a full human.” He answered. “I was wondering if your bloodline might be Sith.”

 

She raised herself on her elbow to look at him. “Would that please you, my lord?” she teased in a mock Dromund Kaas accent. He opened his eyes to see her impish grin.

 

“Do not mock me.” He growled, but his expression was amused. “I never considered human women when I was younger.” He traced her jawline with his index finger, her red hair and yellow eyes were a very pleasing combination to him. “You are beautiful to me.”

 

She put her head back on his arm, embarrassed, “I bet you say that to all the girls who kill the Emperor.” She thought of what lay ahead, they had not spoken about it yet. She shivered; without the Force, she always felt cold.

“Why do you not use the Force? I know that you can, I sensed it in you when we got back to the ship and later on the bridge.”

 

“I promised myself I would only use it if I had to fight him again.” She hesitated, “He’s alive.” It was a statement, not a question.

 

“Yes.” He answered anyway.

 

She sighed. “I will be strong again, I will stop him if there is a way, it’s just…” Her voice trailed off. She shivered again, this time it had nothing to do with the cold.

 

Scourge rolled over, enveloping her in the warmth of his embrace. “Not yet.” He breathed in her ear, then he caught her lips with his and there was nothing more to say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once I finally got to the Scourge romance I couldn't stop writing it. After this back to action-ish plot... for a little while. ;)

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I'm loving it! You've done a great job conveying the dynamics between the characters without detailing the entire backstory (though I wouldn't mind more flashbacks) and the direction you've taken with the plot is fascinating. I always find the ways in which other people view companion characters so interesting, your Scourge is definitely a different take from the one I've been imagining.....I prefer yours!
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Part 20. Calling in Favors

 

The tiniest of Nar Shadaa smuggler spoilers.

 

 

 

Remi lay on her side curled in a ball shivering with cold, she pulled the covers around her tighter. The noises outside the tiny rented flat never stopped, voices, traffic, laughter, screams, blasters. Nar Shadaa never slept and neither had Remi, not since she arrived. The Jedi Council had been generous with her severance. She could have afforded a much better room in a nicer part of town; she could even have afforded a decent place on Coruscant, if she had planned to rejoin society in a normal capacity. Instead, she lived in a tiny space in the Nikto sector; she would need every credit to purchase gear and supplies. Comfort was not important, but she needed to sleep, tomorrow would be dangerous. She closed her eyes and ran through a basic meditation exercise. It was difficult not to reach for the Force out of habit. Finally, she fell into a fitful sleep.

 

The Promenade Cantina was noisy like the rest of Nar Shadaa and it was starting to grate on Remi’s nerves. She was waiting for a friend, she hoped they were still friends.

 

“You look like the void, sister.” A voice said. Remi looked up to see Captain Nosc, the infamous smuggler and Boss of Bosses. Indeed, they could have been sisters. They were the same height and build, short cropped hair, similar heart shaped faces, only their eyes were very different. Remi’s an odd yellow hue while Nosc’s were a sparkling green. They were similar enough that they had traded places for the last mission. Remi had walked into a trap for her, they did not realize that Nosc would be doing the same.

 

Nosc studied the former Jedi. She was in rough shape. She had been thin when they first met but she always gave the odd impression of strength despite her size. Now it looked like a stiff breeze would knock her over. Her eyes looked tired and though she smiled, there was strain in it that had not been there before. She’s worse for wear. Nosc thought. Probably an easy con right now. For a moment, Nosc was tempted, and then she thought back to the last time she had seen Remi, jumping out of the XS-Freighter to land on a Sith Lord and killing an army of mercenaries. Nosc decided it was safer to stay on the Jedi’s good side, former or not.

 

“Thanks for meeting me.” Remi said. She was grateful that she would not have to sit at the bar alone. She never drank so the bartender kept glaring at her. He stopped immediately when he saw whom she was waiting for.

 

“Hey, we all owe ya, and you know it. I hate owing people, so let’s settle up, what do you need?” Nosc asked. She expected Remi to need work, or a place to stay, or something to settle into her new more mundane life. Remi handed her a datapad not wanting to say it aloud. An unmarked hyperspace capable ship, a suit of armor suitable for bounty hunting, weapons. Nosc let out a low whistle. “I’m not sure I owe you that much.” She thought of the few places she could locate a ship, though the other two were easy.

 

“How’s the route working out for you?” Remi asked catching her eyes. Remi had provided the crew a way to save their boss. In the process, she gave the crew the fastest hyperspace route between Nar Shadaa and Tatooine, known only to the Jedi and Republic High Command. Nosc had already made a small fortune on smuggling runs between the planets.

 

“Profitable, but not that profitable.” Nosc said firmly, pushing the datapad back to Remi. “I’ll get you the other two no problem. But the first, I only know one place to get something like that and there’s no way he’d give it to me or you.”

 

“I guess I’ll have to sell the route to someone who can help me.” Remi said. Competition would be bad, but the route was supposed to be secret.

 

“Won’t that get you in trouble?” Nosc said calling her bluff. She may no longer be a Jedi but she was no criminal either.

 

“I’ll say you sold it.” Remi answered calmly. Nosc blinked in surprise, competition and blackmail.

 

“Wow, you sure you don’t want to join my crew?” Nosc sighed thinking hard. “Ok, it’s a long shot but maybe that slug will have forgotten I killed his gundark and took his wookie.”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by kabeone
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Part 21. Calling in Favors (cont.)

 

Nar Shadaa Smuggler spoilers

 

 

 

The massive hutt grabbed a handful of thranta eyes from a plate and devoured them. Drooga the Hutt was not entertained. The last three courses had been mundane fare, the species were barely on the protected list and the entertainers had died too quickly. He had amused himself for centuries eating the rarest creatures and grand displays of ringed combat but this war was putting a damper on excess and opulence. As a result, when the two women approached the dais on his pleasure barge he did not send them away.

 

“Captain,” he greeted the Boss of Bosses. “What brings you here? You and your friend are too skinny to be dancers.” He laughed a deep slimy laugh.

 

“I’m here for my ship.” Nosc said. Years ago, she had killed bounty hunter Zank Helrott. By Nar Shadaa bounty law, his ship belonged to her now. Unfortunately, by the time she found out about it the docking fees had been excessive. She was sure Drooga had something to do with not mentioning her spoils until he could keep the ship.

 

“Unpaid docking fees,” he rumbled. “Worth more than the ship now.”

 

“I can pay, I’ll run the Tatooine route exclusively for you for a month.” Drooga pondered the offer. It was a fair exchange but Hutts were not interested in fair. His eyes fell on Nosc’s companion.

 

“You, what is your name soft thing.”

 

“Remi Syeriy.”

 

His longtime assistant Ga’ram whispered, “Former Jedi Master, rumored to have led the attack on the Emperor.” He paused for dramatic effect. “If current rumors are true, no longer Force sensitive.”

 

“Ahh, Jedi.” Hutts did not care for Jedi, they were usually responsible for freeing slaves, destroying gangs, and fighting battles that disrupted galactic trade. “I will give your Captain the ship,” he turned to Nosc, “for two months of exclusive route.” He turned back to Remi, “but you will fight for me.” The former Jedi’s expression did not change. “I know about your weakness, you only need to survive for a minute.”

 

Remi turned slowly surveying the ring she was standing in. “No way Drooga.” Nosc said angrily. “This is between you and me, leave her out of this.”

 

“Then go back to where you came from.” Drooga said, he waved his hand a tall man dressed in shiny new armor. “One minute, no blasters.” He settled back popping another eye in his mouth.

 

“Names Besh,” the armored man said circling. “My family was killed by Jedi. You won’t last thirty seconds.” He brought up his gauntlet-flamethrower. Nosc opened her mouth to object then closed it, a flamethrower was not a blaster. Remi rushed him, she was slower than normal without the Force to augment her speed and reflexes but he had aimed his flamethrower almost point-blank and he did not expect her to run towards him. She rolled into him grabbing his flamethrower arm and threw him over her shoulder. He landed ungracefully, the plates of his own armor bruising him.

 

Remi stomped on his gauntlet, the flamethrower broke off. The bounty hunter rolled away cursing. He got to his feet and rushed Remi, she tried to side step at the last moment but his reach was too long. His gauntlet caught her chin and sent her reeling. She recovered, seeing double for a moment.

 

“Thirty seconds!” Nosc called. Remi rubbed her chin, watching Besh circle. He did not appear to have great balance, and the newness of his armor meant he was not used to fighting in it. He rushed her again this time she rolled to the ground toward him. He was not expecting a low target but tried to stomp down on her anyway. She blocked the kick with her forearms, she felt the pain of his heavy boots connecting solidly but she was able to trip him as she continued rolling. He went down again. She backed off knowing that time was running out.

 

“Ok Drooga that was one minute.” Nosc said turning to the Hutt.

 

He nodded at her in acknowledgement. “You may have your ship.” He said turning back to the fight.

 

“You said one minute!”

 

“To get your ship,” the Hutt agreed, “I never said I’d stop the fight. All my fights are to the death, I have a reputation you know.” Nosc’s hand drifted to her blaster but several turrets popped up aiming at her. She put her hands up, defeated.

 

“Remi,” Nosc yelled, “He’s not stopping the fight! You have to kill him!”

 

“Stars.” Remi muttered, her eyes scanned for cover or weapons, the ring was almost completely bare. Almost.

 

Besh laughed knowing he had the advantage. “You see this crest?” he pointed at the emblem at the top of his helm. “It’s the Jedi symbol broken and turned. That’s what I’ll do to you and the rest of the Jedi.” Remi wondered how long he had been waiting to explain that symbol to someone. “Hey Drooga,” he called turning his attention to the Hutt. “That no blasters rule only for the first minute?” The Hutt considered the question for a moment then nodded assent; his disgusting laugh echoed across the barge. Besh pulled out his blaster and looked toward the former Jedi.

 

Remi had started running for the flamethrower the moment Besh turned away. She was counting on a combination of ego, inexperience, and clumsiness to give her a chance. She grabbed the flamethrower just as Besh took aim. She aimed back flipping the switch, hoping the device stilled worked, and was rewarded with a stream of fire that engulfed him. Blinded, he panicked and shot randomly in her direction. Remi ran around Besh renewing the flames while avoiding his shots but she realized his armor was too good; the flamethrower did not have enough fuel to kill him. She expended the last of the fuel lining herself up between Besh and their audience. The flames had started to die but Besh still could not see. He rubbed at the front of his helm trying to clear the soot and grease that blocked his view.

 

“Hey Besh, when I kill you I’m taking your helm.” She said and dove to the side. Enraged and still blind, Besh shot directly at the place she had stood. The shots hit empty air, traveling beyond the arena to the platform where Nosc and the others watched. The blaster bolts ricocheted off the dais, one narrowly missing Drooga himself. That was when the automated turrets popped up out of the floor again, sighted the shooter, and put one hundred blaster rounds into his brand new armor. Besh fell to the ground.

 

“Clumsy Jedi! I could have been killed.” Drooga grumbled.

 

“Exciting wasn’t it?” Nosc asked bowing a little to the Hutt.

 

“Yes,” Drooga agreed, “but that’s not the point! Go take your ship, get off my barge.” He waved his hand already turning to the next course of his meal.

 

As Remi and Nosc crossed the arena to exit the barge, they passed Besh’s remains. The turrets had riddled him full of holes but his helmet was still intact. She kneeled and removed it revealing Besh’s face. He was young; his blond hair damp with sweat; his blue eyes stared up unseeing. She touched his face closing his eyes, he was not innocent, but his life had not let him be.

 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. She stood still holding his helm; she tucked it under her arm.

 

Nosc watched the scene before her and shook her head. “Still a Jedi.” She muttered under her breath.

 

 

Edited by kabeone
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I'm loving it! You've done a great job conveying the dynamics between the characters without detailing the entire backstory (though I wouldn't mind more flashbacks) and the direction you've taken with the plot is fascinating. I always find the ways in which other people view companion characters so interesting, your Scourge is definitely a different take from the one I've been imagining.....I prefer yours!

 

I'm glad you like the flashbacks, I may have more flashbacks than actual story so I'm trying to fit them in where they make sense. Thanks for the kind comments!

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