Knights of the Old Republic: Dark Forces, Chapter Four

Author's Note: Thanks to those that reviewed my last story, reviews are always welcome! This chapter doesn't flow very well, in my opinion, but try to stick with it. I've got far more exciting stuff in store!

KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC

DARK FORCES

CHAPTER FOUR

Brianna crept along the corridor to the starboard quarters, walking as quietly as she could. Though she had stated her plan to others confidently, she felt her stomach plunge with every step she took toward the room. She had come to rely on the Exile more than she had realized. He had supported her for so long and had given her so much; she felt scared that he may now be slipping. And, in the back of her mind, she was scared of him; of what he could do. She had seen flashes of his darkness during their journey; his anger on Nar Shaddaa had been terrible to behold. The plight of the refugees had obviously had an effect on him, as shown by his almost single-handed slaughter of the Serocco gang. He had not even tried to reason with them. And Visas had told her of his battle with the Sith Lord over Telos; she had said he was prepared to sacrifice her. Never before had the Exile expressed a desire to sacrifice the Sith; always he had treated her as an equal, as a companion. The same way he treats me, Brianna thought unhappily. She stopped just before the entrance and took a deep, shuddering breath before stepping into the room.

The Handmaiden's first thought was that he was fine. Though his back was turned to her, he was standing and uttering none of the gibberish Bao-dur had described. But when he turned to stare at her, she realized something was not right. His appearance had changed, ever so slightly. His skin had paled, his cheeks had become more hollowed, his hair a little darker. Yet it was his eyes that betrayed the change. No longer light hazel, the iris was almost black and the whites were bloody.

"Brianna" he said in surprise, his voice hoarse. "What do you want?"

Brianna was briefly taken aback by his abruptness but went on. "I was concerned."

"I'm fine." He said shortly, turning his back on her again to stare at the lifeless Kriea. "Now leave me be."

"You are not fine" Brianna said anxiously, stepping forward and laying a gloved hand on his shoulder. "You have been in isolation since we left Malachor. What you have gone through I-I cannot imagine. How you must be feeling. "

'I don't feel anything, Brianna' The Exile said emotionlessly, not taking his gaze from Kreia's body.

'That is not true, Exile' Brianna said passionately, a sharp contrast to the Exile's unemotional voice. 'I have watched you on our journey, grown close to you even. I have watched you do battle, faced trials that you never thought you would face. I have seen you nearly die. And through all of that, you have never stopped caring.'

'Perhaps" he muttered "but no longer.'

'Then what will you do?'

The Exile continued to stare ahead for the longest time, as if he intended to ignore the Handmaiden's question. Finally he said 'I will return to my exile. I have at least earned that.'

'You would abandon the galaxy?' Brianna said, her voice changing quickly from disbelief to anger. 'You would abandon what you once swore to protect?'

'As a Jedi, I would have protected it.' The Exile said 'Even in my exile, I still sought to uphold the ways of the Jedi. But things are different now. I've had enough, seen enough. I don't care anymore.'

'But if what Kreia said was true, then...'

'Of course what Kreia said was true.' The Exile muttered. 'Everything Kreia taught me was truth. All of it, though I tired to deny it.'

"B-but what of the Jedi" Brianna interjected, as the Exile trailed off. She did not know what he was talking about, indeed he didn't even seem to be in the same room. He was... distant.

"The galaxy has no need of Jedi. The Jedi hypocrisy and arrogance has only brought destruction. It is a strange fate that we should do the damage we had hoped to stop. Perhaps it is better that their are no more of the old Jedi."

'What of us?' Brianna said sharply 'Bao-dur, Atton, Mira and I? What are we if not Jedi?'

"You are not Jedi." The Exile said "You are far more able than any Jedi. You do not rely on the force in battle, as the Jedi do. And you have lived a life outside the Jedi Order. You have seen the galaxy, and you are not removed from its pain and suffering... like the Jedi have. You've have not grown superior to it."

The Exile got to his feet, and approached Brianna, gently laying his hands on her shoulders. He smiled calmly at her, though there was no warmth in the smile. It was a mocking thing, and the self-loathing was evident. "You are my last gift to the galaxy. I have created the basis of a new Jedi Order, one that will not loose sight of what it has to do. It will not take long for others to join you. And I am confidant that a few of the younger Jedi survived the war. They will emerge from hiding soon."

"And that is my last act as a 'protector' of the galaxy." The Exile said sardonically, almost spitting out the word 'protector'. He moved to leave the room, but Brianna stepped in front of him.

"Move out of my way Brianna." The Exile said, his voice immediately taking on a threatening tone. "Right now."

"Exile please" Brianna pleaded with him. She had to make him see, yet the tone in his voice terrified her. Unconsciously, her hand slid down to her lightsaber.

The Exile noticed the movement. "Do you think you can take me?" He said with amusement. "If so, then you are gravely mistaken. I have fought you, and bested you countless times. If you force my hand you will lose, just as you have in the past."

"Can't you hear yourself?" Brianna anguished. "Please talk to me! Think about what you're giving up!"

"I have thought about it." The Exile said quietly, dangerously. "And I have made my decision. Respect it, and get out of my way."

The pair stood and stared at each other. Brianna felt her hand tremble, but stood her ground.

"She was right." The Exile muttered finally, shaking his head in anger.

"Who was right?" Brianna asked in bewilderment

"You will keep me tied down, you will never let me go." He stared at her, his eyes almost begging. "Please, Brianna... let me go."

"That is something I cannot do." Brianna whispered.

The Exile hung his head wearily and activated his lightsaber. "Wrong answer..."

******************************

"I hope she knows what she's doing" Atton said weakly, struggling to get himself into a sitting position. "He could kill her in an instant."

"Hopefully it won't come to that" Mira said gravely, applying a kolto pack to Atton's wounds. "I think it's a stupid idea, goading him into a fight the way he is, but I honestly can't think of any other way to bring him out of it. The Handmaiden seems confident that she can talk him round."

"She's playing a dangerous game" Atton commented, wincing as Mira continued to apply bandages to his wounds. "To force a person to face something that they know is real... can just result in anger and pain." He looked away from Mira, his eyes loosing focus, his mind on another time and place, when he himself had been another person. "I remember how easy it was to loose control, to just let the darkness take you, to rule you and to be free from remorse. I felt it only for a moment but... sometimes I miss that clarity."

He said nothing else, until Mira jabbed a stimulant into his arm.

"Ow!" Atton complained, rubbing his arm. He glanced at Mira, his eyes narrowing. "You did that on purpose!"

"Maybe I did." She said, grinning at Atton. "But then you probably deserved it."

"I like to think that I deserve the love of a good woman, one who preferably likes plenty of juma juice and-"

Mira held up her hand, silencing Atton mid sentence. Suddenly the unmistakable sound of lightsaber on lightsaber floated into the medical bay.

"He's going to kill her" Mira hissed, scrambling to her feet and grabbing her lightsaber from her belt.

Stay Mira

Mira whirled around, hearing the Handmaiden's voice inside her head.

"Where are you?" Mira demanded, looking around

Do not interfere. He will not hurt me. Even now he is holding back. Let me do this.

She was lying, Mira could hear it in her voice. With a cry she ran to the starboard dormitory only to find the door closed and locked. A shimmering force field surrounded it. In desperation she activated her lightsaber and clashed it against the field. The blade jerked in protest, the forcefield unmoving. Atton appeared on her right, panting slightly as he half-dragged himself to the door.

"I hope she knows what she's doing." Atton said finally.

******************************

The Handmaiden was thrown to the ground, the force of it jarring through her body. She struggled to her feet, wiping the trickle of blood from her mouth. The Exile watched her emotionlessly, his green double-bladed lightsaber held lightly in his hand.

"Why are you making me do this Brianna?" He said casually. "Do you like pain? I can't stop hurting you unless you lower the forcefield. "

"I-I won't let you leave until you see reason" Brianna coughed weakly.

A look of annoyance flickered over the Exile's face. "You are trying my patience Brianna." He mutter angrily. He took a step forward, his lightsaber held low. Brianna activated her own, the light hum of the blade oddly comforting.

The Exile continued to glare at her. Neither wanted to make the first move. Without a seconds warning, he flew at the waiting Brianna, his saber clashing with hers. He directed an overhead swing at the Handmaiden, who deflected it and then parried his immediate counter-strike. His attacks were relentless, as he swung at every part of her body with incredible force. A deft jab at her stomach, forced the Handmaiden to take a step backwards which the Exile viciously pursued. Having momentarily let his guard down in an attempt to follow up on her retreat, the Handmaiden kicked him solidly in the chest, sending him sprawling backwards. He glanced up at her, laughing, as he found his footing. The pair watched each other intently, neither wanting to attack first. Brianna attacked first, swiftly spinning toward the Exile. Without a pause he lifted his hand, using the force to push her back against the wall. He charged at her but she deftly skipped out of the way.

"Have you fallen so far?" She demanded. "Would you strike down a friend, a-"

"A what?" The Exile cut in cruley. "A lover? I've done it before. I've killed lovers, women, children" he went. Brianna could hear the bitterness in his voice, hidden beneath the hate. "Shot down refugees as they tried to flee, killed Mandalorian children as the slept in their beds. Do you really think I'd have a problem with killing you?"

Almost as if to prove his point the Exile launched a powerful combination of attacks, slashing at Brianna who desperately began to parry them away. As she lifted her saber to parry a strike, the Exile suddenly changed the angle of his blade, slicing his lightsaber across the Handmaiden's stomach. Pure instinct saved her, as she involuntarily pulled back, the blow slicing open her robe and shirt but not touching the skin. She flipped backwards, to the back of the small room so as to be out of the Exile's reach. That blow had intended to kill her. Back in control of his emotions, the Exile walked toward her lightly, his lightsaber held negligently in his right hand.

"You cannot beat me, Brianna." The Exile said casually, calmly walking toward her. "Why fight if you know you are going to lose?"

"I fight because I care about you, Exile" Brianna said anxiously. "Because if you are to fall, then this is the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do..." The Exile sneered. He took another step forward to Brianna, his saber still held casually in his hand. "The curse of the Jedi, in always trying to do 'the right thing'. Let me tell you a little secret, Brianna. There is no right way, or wrong way, light or dark. There is only power. An ant with the most noble of intentions or the most diabolical schemes is still just an ant. That is the truth of the galaxy, the truth of the force."

"Is that what you want? Power?" Brianna whispered.

The Exile's eyes lowered. "No. I have never wanted power. I was never meant to have it. Only when I was ripped of the force was I ever free."

Without warning he raised his hand, bright blue beams of electricity leaping from his fingers. Brianna raised her blade in defence, the lightning running harmlessly into her saber. The Exile let his hand fall, the deadly wave ending.

"But it seems I have the power."

"You are not yourself, Exile" The Handmaiden said firmly, putting on a brave face and shielding her emotions from the glowering man in front of her. If he thought for a second that she was truly afraid of him, she would not be able to stop him. "You are exhausted, fatigued from your battle with Kreia. Yet you have not rested or paused to think on it. You have shut it out."

"Oh really?" The Exile said, his lip curling in anger. "And when did you become such an expert on emotions, hidden away in your academy on Telos, you stupid little girl? Do not presume to think that you know me."

"Do not for a second think that you are any different to anyone else on this ship, Exile!" Brianna said harshly, glaring at the Exile. " Do not think your brand of suffering is worse than anybody else's!"

'You know nothing.' The Exile snarled. He stepped forward strongly and unleashed a flurry of attacks upon Brianna. She desperately parried them all, feeling the intense heat of the lightsaber.

"I know more than you think." She snarled back, breathing heavily. "I know the guilt that riddles you. The guilt that wakes you, screaming in the night. The blood that's on your hands."

The Exile stopped in his assault, his breathing heavy. "Shut up." He muttered.

"I know you see the face of every person you've killed. I know you hear every scream."

The Exile clenched him eyes closed as if to shut her out. His lightsaber fell from his trembling hand, the hilt clattered onto the floor. "Shut up." He repeated desperately.

"I know you want to die."

"SHUT UP!" The Exile screamed. He raised his hands desperately, lightning springing from his fingertips, catching the Handmaiden full in the chest. She felt the pain race through her body, like a fire through her veins. Her feet left the floor and she was slammed against the wall. She on the cold floor, her muscles on fire. With an effort that she thought would kill her, she rolled onto her side. Through hazy eyes she saw the Exile crumpled on the ground, his head bowed and his shoulders shaking. She slowly began to move, the pain beginning to drain from her body. She finally reached him, and gently touched his arm.

"I know that it hurts." She whispered to him. "And it should. Because you're a good man."

The Exile closed his eyes and drew a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry." He said hoarsely. "I'm sorry for everything."

"By the Force I am so sorry..."

****************************************

The starboard quarters lay quiet and dark. The Exile and Brianna had finally left. Yet in the empty room, a shadow moved in the dark, and Kriea emerged like a shred of mist from the night. She surveyed her own corpse gravely.

"That was unfortunate." She murmured quietly. "But not unexpected. It appears the Exile has more spirit that we thought. He shall have to be dealt with in a more permanent manner..."