Talyc stood by a large transparisteel viewport in a large circular chamber. Leaning on the rail on the wall, he stared down at his ring. It was more symbolic than anything else. He didn’t know if Fane would want to wear his all the time, but to Talyc, it fit well even in his gauntlets. He knew Knarf always wore his, though Shadie seldom wore hers. Perhaps it was the novelty of it, or maybe what it represented, that comforted Talyc.
He sighed. He put his gloves back on and looked out at the ocean. He heard a slow set of heavy steps behind him and, in the transparisteel viewport, Talyc saw the reflection of his hunter.
He grabbed hold of his vibroblade, quickly spinning around to face him.
‘Awgro! What have you done to my husband?’ Awgro’s mouth curled up into a sneer. ‘Awgro!! He doesn’t even know who I am!’
‘Do you know who you are?’
‘Is that a trick question?’
‘Perhaps.’
Awgro took a few slow steps towards Talyc. The Mandalorian gripped his weapon more firmly. Awgro raised his hand and lightning spurred from his fingertips, striking Talyc in the chest. Talyc screamed as the pain sent a shock in his body, jolting his head to the side, but he remained standing firmly on both feet.
He activated the shield and the lightning danced around him instead. Awgro grunted his displeasure. Talyc opened his mouth to speak but was choked instead. Awgro used the Force to lift him off the ground.
‘Your shield can’t protect you from all my abilities,’ said Awgro. ‘It can’t protect you for too long. I’ll have to wait it out as you prolong your suffering.’
‘I…can’t believe the Kandera blood runs through your veins,’ Talyc struggled to say. ‘You give my clan a bad rap.’
Awgro chuckled. He began draining Talyc, loosening the chokehold a bit. Talyc breathed in all the air that he could.
‘It doesn’t matter who or what you are,’ said Awgro. He dropped Talyc to the ground. Panting, Talyc fell to his hands and knees. His vibroblade clattered on the floor next to his knees. He looked up at Awgro defiantly. ‘Because soon you’ll be dead.’
Awgro ignited his lightsaber and raised it high to strike at Talyc’s head.
‘NO!’
Seemingly from nowhere, Fane came rushing in and blocked Awgro’s lightsaber, the aqua blade glowing almost the same hue as the ocean behind them.
‘Fane!’ cried Talyc. ‘He’ll kill you, don’t, you can’t deflect.’
Fane cried out in pain as Awgro sent lighting at him. Fane went flying and hit the transparisteel hard. Talyc rushed over to his side. Awgro advanced on them. Talyc reached for his vibroblade, as Fane steadied himself, pointing the lightsaber at Awgro.
‘You may have been able to defeat Relsor, Jedi, but you are nothing without the Force. You cannot destroy me without it.’
Fane hesitated and at that moment Awgro struck him before Fane could dodge completely, slashing his forearm. Fane screamed as his flesh cauterised.
‘And without the memory of your training, you do not remember how to heal.’
‘You’re wrong!’ said Talyc. He glanced at Fane; already the burn was fading and his skin was healing. ‘The Holocron’s powers still hold true. Fane is still more powerful than you, despite everything.’
Fane leapt at Awgro, slashing wildly, his stance wide and his strikes aggressive. Talyc could recognise that his husband’s fighting was unrefined, and very much not how the training they underwent together on Coruscant had been. Still, Talyc placed himself beside Fane and guided him with quick subtle indications. Together they danced around the Sith, deflecting attacks and dodging the red blade, with aqua blade and vibroblade.
‘There is only one way to end this,’ Awgro sneered. ‘I know where to strike you, Fane, and then Talyc is mine to kill.’
His blade was level and he ran towards Fane, ready to plunge the lightsaber into his heart. Instead, the Reformed Sith went flying across the room, hit by a large stream of lightning.
‘Awgro! Stop this right now!’
Lord Void’s booming voice reverberated in the room, baritone and grave. Shadie rushed over to Talyc and Fane.
‘Hurry!’ she cried, taking Talyc’s hand. Talyc took Fane’s, and together they ran out of the room.
Talyc heard more lightning crackle behind him and Void backed away from Awgro, following them.
‘You barve!’ cried Knarf, catching up. He was with Nriwe, Brenum and Trylia. ‘For all the times you’d needlessly put your helmet on, you chose now to NOT put it on?’
‘Sorry, I didn’t realise Awgro was here on Manaan!’ Talyc’s tone was sarcastic, but he let a small smile indicate his gratitude to Knarf.
Several Reformed Sith ran towards them, coming out of an adjacent room. Shadie turned and levelled her lightsaber as she ran, blocking a red blade. The Sith had a vibroknife and slashed at Shadie’s face. She let go of Talyc’s hand and brought her hand up, batting the knife away. She yelped, then turned and sent lightning at the Sith. He bounded away, as the rest of the group sprinted towards a balcony that overlooked the first floor.
Everyone jumped, the Jedi catching their Mandalorian friends and Fane with the Force to cushion their fall. Then they all hurried towards the main chamber, Void always close behind them, keeping Awgro at bay.
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