Those Fooled, One Isn't (Page 22)

~~~(POV: Adren Saydra)~~~

~~~(Location: Outside Public Room, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 17 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

The groaning behind me is cut off by the door shutting. Taylor won't be pursuing me with an injury like that. All I need to worry about is the rest of the Jedi here. And I sense them; they're on the move.

However, they proved to be more clever than I gave them credit for.

[Surrender.]

The mechanical voice from one of the dozens of droids outside the door confronts me. All around me, in the vast hallway, are combat droids. Not using living beings connected to The Force was smart; I didn't anticipate that.

I was expecting Jedi arrogance, and I've been made a fool of.

"Lesson learned."

They're not underestimating me. The death of Hendi has given them a precedent to take measures beyond what I was expecting. My blunder in believing I know precisely what they'll do won't be something I repeat.

At my response, all the droids around me lift their weapons. Entering combat stances that were programmed into their memory banks.

BRRRAAAAAAAAOOOOMMMM!!!!

VVVRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAKKKK!!!!

I jump off the ground and bring The Force within myself. Concentrating all my power and unleashing it outwards in an explosion in all directions. Red lightning dances through the droids as they're sent flying down the hall.

Other impact the walls and ceiling. Falling apart and receiving extreme damage. Some are stuck in the place they impacted. I land on the ground and hold out my right hand.

My saber hilt flies into my palm, and I stand up. The blade ignites as I look in the direction I sense them. Down the long hallway, two Jedi round the corner. I don't know who they are, but I can feel that the one on the left is stronger than her male counterpart.

They pull out their sabers in response. They both have blue sabers. A part of me wants to stay and see how strong I am compared to Jedi Council members. Fighting two at once may not be an opportunity I get again.

However, I turn and look over my shoulder. Down the hall behind me is a woman. She has a green saber, just looking at her. I can see she's Taylor's Mother, Krayla Azure.

"In the name of the Galactic Republic, surrender. If you refuse, we'll use force to subdue you."

The woman standing next to the man behind me speaks. Krayla only stares back at me as I stare at her down the hall.

"Don't be a fool, Darksider. You're facing three High-Council members and the Grandmaster of the Order."

The male's voice sounds a little on edge. Like he's ready and eager for a fight. How hypocritical of the Jedi, but it's proof of how wrong I initially was.

And I won't be made a fool of again.

VVVVVRRRRRRRRR!

I shove my saber into the ground.

RRRRROOOOMMM!!

And I cut a circular hole that falls through with me on it. I spin and twist in the air as I discard the metal and land on a sky bridge a couple stories lower. My pact is controlled and light. Not leaving a trace that I was here.

Not wasting another second, I turn and dash down the sky bridge's roof. A ventilation shaft is my destination. I hold out my hand; I tear off the vent cover with The Force. Throwing it out into the bottomless pits of Denon.

I dive head-first into the vent and adjust my body to turn with the corners. As I crouch through the vents and move as fast as I can, the holocom on my belt starts going off.

Knowing who it is, I pull it off my belt and turn it on. Seeing D4 there, and beeping up a storm. I can't understand what he's saying since he's talking so fast.

"Slow down."

The beeps end, and after a second, he starts again.

BEEP! BEEP! BOOP! BEEP! BOOP!

They've proven once again that they can adapt to the present situation. The Jedi have two more searching through ships docked at the spaceport. The two are looking for my ship. I was hoping to make it to the ship and leave into Denon's underworld.

Now, plan B is the path I'll have to take.

"Leave and return to base."

I shut off the holocom, and place it on my belt. Traya taught me many things when I was young, but the most important was having back-ups to my back-ups. The real reason the Sith always find a way back isn't from power.

It's from always being prepared. Always having a plan.

Now that I have to change the location I'm going to, I start heading down a different ventilation system. After a few minutes, I reach the place I need to be. A foul smell hits my senses, and my fury surges.

My foot impacts the vent cover, and it lands below with a splash. I leap from the edge of the vent entrance and land in the knee-deep sewage.

Mixtures of excrement and urine flow between my legs.

The things I do for knowledge.

~~~(POV: Taylor Azure)~~~

~~~(Location: Public Room, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 17 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

"AAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!!!"

"AAAAHHHHHH!!!"

The pain surges through my crushed leg as I lift the slab of carbonite off my body. I move back and lean against the wall. Looking down at my deformed leg. It takes me a moment to steady my breathing and heart.

I place my hands on my crushed leg and begin to heal it as best I can. I scream and cry as the bones sticking out of my skin sink back in. Snaps and pops are echoing around the room. After a few seconds of agonizing pain, the wounds start to close.

Complete exhaustion overtakes me, and I remove my hands from the damaged leg. I won't be able to walk on it, but permanent damage shouldn't set in now.

HISS!!

A jolt of adrenaline runs through my body as the same hiss that scared me earlier does it again. My tired eyes turn to the door, and I see Mom.

She rushes to me, saying something. I don't hear her; everything is starting to fade. But when I think about the Darksider... Darth Rendra... I'm able to hang on for a few more seconds.

As Mom is beside me, using The Force to heal me. I look at her and try to grab her attention with a tug to her robe. She looks at me with a worried and sad look.

"It's okay... Don't speak, Taylor... Just rest..."

Her voice is shaking, and tears are threatening to fall from her eyes. I've never seen her like this before... So vulnerable... The Mom I know always stands tall... Is ready for any and all challenges...

My mind drifts to The Darksider...

To Darth Rendra...

How did he know...

How could he possibly know about Endurance...

Could it be possible...

No.

My brother is dead. Died on the transport ship.

"Mom..."

My weak, croaky voice forces her to stop what she's doing, and she stares at me. Waiting for me, despite just saying I shouldn't speak.

"His name..."

Her eyes widen slightly, and she leans forward.

"Darth Rendra... It's Darth Rendra..."

As the words of the name he gave leave my lips, the last scraps of energy I have left start to fade from me...

It's impossible...

It's not possible...

He's not alive...

He couldn't be...

Not aft-...

Darkness swallows me.

~~~(POV: Krayla Azure)~~~

~~~(Location: Public Room, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 37 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

Taylor fights the need to sleep for as long as she can, but she loses consciousness after informing me of something she believes to be important. All that's important right now is making sure she's okay.

My eyes drift to her damaged leg. She did a good job. Her healing abilities continue to improve. If she didn't move as fast as she did with this, she would've lost the leg. Now, all she needs is some time in a bacta tank, and she'll be fine.

The voices of Haden and Aleya are talking in my ear. Communicating the information that Taylor just gave me. They're doing their best to pursue the individual now known as Darth Rendra, but I have a feeling he's gone by now.

He never planned to leave using the spaceport, just as I feared when we arrived. He's somewhere in Denon's underworld by now.

In all my years of training and dedication to the Lightside of The Force. Right now, at this moment, I'm struggling more than I ever have in my entire life.

He's hurt my daughter. Threatened her life.

If Taylor didn't need me so much, I'd be hunting with Haden and Aleya. But what's more important to me is my daughter.

I lift Taylor in my arms and make my way to the door. Halfway through the room, I see the now empty and lifeless Holocron. Whatever Darth Rendra did, it's left the Holocron a husk. The information within is gone.

[Units five, seven, and eight. Move to secure the carbonite.]

Once I'm outside the room, some new droids enter. Talking about Master Lymdor. He's suffered a great deal at the hands of Darth Rendra. He won't be happy knowing he got the information he wanted.

The whole reason Master Lymdor fought and saved his padawan on Corellia was so Darth Rendra wouldn't get his hands on the star charts.

My attention falls on my daughter as she gently moves her head, and snuggles more into my arm. She's almost as big as me now.

I don't know what I'd do if I lost her too...

Darth Rendra...

I'll be meeting you again.

I promise you that.

~~~(POV: Ezark Olidare)~~~

~~~(Location: Ventilation Shaft, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 17 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

"HAHA!! I'VE GOTCHA, YOU SON OF A HUTT!!"

I watch him jump from the sewage drain and into an abandoned part of sector 72. I've been tracking him since he made his little escape. At first, I thought I lost him. But I was able to triangulate his location.

Knowing where he was and where he's presently at were two of the three parts to finding him. I knew he was in the sewage system. Now, all I needed was to find out where he was going. He failed to account that the drain he initially chose has only one destination.

Now that he's in somewhere with cameras, I can watch him. He's definitely in the underworld of Denon. There aren't many people around him I'd call sociable citizens.

All the work. All the planning. Everything.

It's all paid off.

The Masters have failed to capture him, and I doubt they know where he's at. I'm the only one here that knows where the Darksider is.

I'm the only one that wasn't made a fool of today.

~~~(POV: Grandmaster Aleya Zana)~~~

~~~(Location: Security Room, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 65 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

It's been two hours since he got away.

Master Larkor is pacing back and forth in front of the video feeds of several security cameras, but we've seen nothing to indicate where Darth Rendra is going.

He chose that room beyond just being a public area. He knew the sky bridge was there and knew the ventilation system attached to it. He never intended to use a spaceship to leave. We were failing this mission from the start.

My eyes drift to the thawing carbonite, and a small smile appears on my lips. The only thing that really matters is we've got Master Lymdor back. The star charts we gave to Darth Rendra are worth far less than a fellow Jedi's life.

But I can already feel the headache coming from the yelling and disapproval. Master Lymdor won't be happy about what we've done today, but I don't care. In the end, I was able to save another Jedi from death at the hands of Darth Rendra.

That in itself is a victory. Haden is tensely watching the cameras, and I know I don't have to really be here. I turn around and start walking for the door. Once outside, I make my way to the medical bay.

It's a place many healthy people don't want to be, including me. But people who are my friends are here. I make my way over to one of the private rooms and enter a code.

Gaining entry and walking inside. Sitting on a chair is Krayla, and she's watching her daughter in the bacta tank. The white fluid helping heal her body. Taylor did a good job. Not in just her mission but in healing herself, too.

She's worthy of the position of Knight. I was worried when we first promoted her, but how she's acted on this first mission of hers proves how great a Jedi she already is. I can only imagine how powerful she'll end up becoming.

"Any updates on where Darth Rendra's at?"

Krayla's voice pulls me from my thoughts as I stand in front of the bacta tank and watch Taylor. I turn around and see how angry Krayla is. It's the first time I've seen her in such a condition. I can sense her desire to pursue Darth Rendra.

Aside from Taylor, Krayla has one of the highest Midi-chlorian counts in the Order. Only second to Master Yoda. Taylor far surpasses us all.

So when Krayla is like this, it means more than just worrying about her. She's a very powerful individual. Who knows what she'll do now that someone she truly loves has been hurt. The connection between Krayla and Taylor is strong.

One of the reasons Master Hendi was against the idea of them training together. I wasn't, at first. But seeing this now, I can see where he was coming from.

But all this is coming from a singular source.

The existence of Darth Rendra.

There is much work to be done, and there isn't much time left before we completely lose our chance at catching him. He'll be in the wind soon, and who knows when we'll see him again.

"No updates, Krayla. He was smart about it. He had everything planned in advance. I'm sure we caught him by surprise with the droids and extra Masters looking for his ship. But other than that, everything went his way."

Krayla abruptly stands up and makes her way over to me. Standing next to me as she looks into the bacta tank.

"I want to be alone with my daughter now."

I give her a single nod and make my way to the door. Best to leave her alone. No reason to agitate her with my presence. I'm somewhat responsible for what's happened to Taylor.

I'm the one that authorized this mission, after all.

~~~(POV: Haden Larkor)~~~

~~~(Location: Security Room, Spaceport of Sector 70, Denon)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 53 Years)~~~

~~~(Date: 568 BBY)~~~

I lean back in my chair and close my eyes. Replaying the moment I first laid my eyes on him. His hood mostly obscured his face, but I caught a glimpse of him. When he created the hole with his saber and fell, his hood came off.

Beautiful blond hair and sharp, striking features. Seeing it in person made me realize what was said in Padawan Olidare's report is true. The hologram and messages relating to the Corellia encounter add further substance.

He looks exactly like the male version of Taylor. It's uncanny.

I'm heading straight for the Outer Rim when this mission is over. To Hutt space. Whatever is left of it, that is.

His hatred for the Hutts is evidence he's a former slave. I'll find out more about him there.

I'm beyond suspecting his true identity now. All I need is proof in support of my own beliefs.

His interest in Taylor was the last straw. Now, it's time I found out who Darth Rendra truly is. His name. His origins.

I know who his family is. That's all I've got at the moment.

The question is, how will they react when they find out...

Right now, if I brought it up. Both Taylor and Krayla would be in complete denial of the lost brother and son being alive. They accepted him as dead long ago.

He's a criminal of the Republic. This will cause greater pain to both of them than any injury could.

Especially Krayla...