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.
Fane and Talyc face Awgro on Manaan (from Connections in the Force, Story 11, Star Wars Fan-Fiction by Celinka Serre)
* * *
Storimbu stood from his seat. ‘How long does it take to close the hull barriers?’
‘Several minutes,’ said Mrs. Holt.
‘Protectors, come, we must ensure no Reformed Sith enter this area. Form a barrage with me.’
Storimbu limped towards the inner barrier arch that was already in place and ready to be brought down at Mrs. Holt’s command. He ignited his lightsaber. Pink glowed on the white-silver surface of the station. The others placed themselves in a line beside him, igniting their lightsabers as well, and they stood in a defensive stance.
He heard quick footsteps.
‘Be ready!’ Storimbu focused his senses, then saw Shadie veer the corner, her friends close behind her. ‘Move, it’s Shadie.’
The Protectors moved out of the way and made their way back to the main room. Storimbu saw Mrs. Holt punch the command for the outer hull barrier to close.
* * *
Everyone ran towards the main area. They passed a large archway that Talyc hadn’t noticed before. The wall began to descend as more Reformed Sith poured in from other rooms. Shadie turned around and shot lightning, Void joining her. Knarf pounded the ground as Brenum and Trylia created wind, sending the Sith back many steps. They passed another archway, but that one was not closing.
‘Hurry!’ cried Mrs. Holt. The first one needs to shut completely before the inner barrier can close. The outer hull will likely keep the Sith out, but I fear their lightsabers will damage the integrity of–’
‘Just focus on your task!’ shouted Void, sounding annoyed.
‘That’s what I’m doing! Tsss, rude!’
‘This isn’t over!’ Talyc heard Awgro cry out as the wall closed completely.
They all ran beyond the second archway and it began to descend. Panting, Talyc came to a halt. He realised some of the Protectors of the Force were present.
‘What happened to you?’
‘Torture. You know, Relsor’s Force stasis contraption,’ said Storimbu. Talyc nodded. ‘Awgro wanted to know where you were.’
‘Well, he’s here! This your handiwork?’
‘Talyc Kandera, I serve the Force.’ Storimbu stood, then winced and sat back down. His brows furrowed. ‘I protected you, and almost died for it.’
‘Oh, sorry.’
‘You have Maranna to thank for the betrayal; she told Awgro what he wanted to know,’ the Protector explained. ‘I want you to know, I serve the Force, protect it, so I follow Shadie, and you are her clan leader.’
‘Listen, I’m sorry I thought… Thank you.’ Talyc smiled sheepishly. ‘You really took a beating for me, didn’t you?’ Talyc took Storimbu’s hand and clasped it. Storimbu nodded.
‘The ship is detaching from the rest of the station,’ Mrs. Holt announced. ‘The outer hull took a little damage, but nothing major, thankfully.’
‘Good!’ Void came to stand beside her and kept looking at what she was doing.
‘Storimbu, thanks for having my back,’ Talyc said again. ‘Shadie’s actually my cousin, you know.’ Storimbu looked intrigued. ‘We discovered family records from way back when, a Kandera married into her clan. Her clan were few and they were all killed by Darth Kromus, but, somewhere down the line, the Kandera blood still runs through her veins.’
‘Then more of a reason why my sacrifice would have been worth it, had it come to that.’
‘You don’t have to die for us, you know,’ said Shadie.
‘I must do all it takes to protect the Force,’ Storimbu said with conviction.
Talyc turned to look at Fane who was speaking with Brenum and Trylia and staring at his arm in awe. Talyc smiled. He walked up to them.
‘Listen, Fane, thanks for saving me back there.’
‘Well, apparently I have a reputation to uphold,’ replied Fane. He smiled his usual cute smile, the one that Talyc loved so much. Talyc felt a touch of sadness.
Fane winced and touched his forehead.
‘Are you all right?’ asked Trylia.
‘Moving away and up,’ announced Mrs. Holt.
‘Get this thing moving faster!’ Void commanded.
‘I’m trying! This is the first time we try this thing, I don’t want to strain it!’
Talyc turned his attention back to Fane.
‘I’m just feeling rather dizzy, that’s all.’ Fane clutched his head, suddenly moaning in pain. He swayed and fell; Talyc caught him and cushioned his fall.
‘Fane!’ many of them cried out.
Fane’s eyes closed momentarily, as he groaned and winced. There was a slight glow around him, similar to after Relsor’s defeat, but much milder. After a few minutes, the glow diminished and Fane had a calm expression on his face.
Fane blinked a few times and looked at Talyc.
‘Talyc!’ he cried. Fane wrapped his arms around Talyc and held him tightly, and Talyc knew that Fane had regained his memory.
Talyc backed away a bit, placing his hands on Fane’s face. ‘Fane, my man, welcome back.’
Fane’s lips were on Talyc’s before he could say anything else. Talyc relished in the hunger he felt from his husband, much like he had the night of their wedding. He deepened the kiss, not caring that they had an audience, before pulling away breathless.
‘I love you so much!’ Fane whispered.
‘I love you too,’ said Talyc.
Fane looked at the others. He smiled gingerly. ‘Look, I’m sorry, Shadie, I was back…the anger…the hatred…’
‘It’s okay, Fane.’
‘Awgro said he wanted to take my life away from me, back when I was captive on his ship.’ Fane frowned. ‘He can’t do it, though. He tried to drain my life away. I couldn’t die. That’s how he knows about the Holocron. I mean he suspected, but still.’ Fane sighed. ‘He needs the others to drain me of the Force. He’s not powerful enough on his own.’
‘Well, we’re just glad you’re back to normal,’ said Shadie, beaming at Fane.
‘Not really, I still can’t use the Force. I can feel it.’ He furrowed his brows. ‘I think that’s why I didn’t turn to the dark side again. I felt the same rage I had the first time I had heard you killed Lahnius, Shadie, but I think the lack of Force prevented me from going full-on dark side on you guys.’
‘See, this is where I think you’re wrong,’ said Shadie.
‘The Holocron then?’
‘No, Fane, it was you. You are so much more powerful than you give yourself credit for. You are changed; you controlled your anger despite everything. Awgro can’t take that away from you, even if he took your memories and your ability to use the Force, you still possess that which makes you you.’
Fane smiled.
‘And it seems Lian was finally able to connect to you,’ said Brenum.
‘No,’ said Fane. ‘This wasn’t him. It was a delayed response from my healing trance.’
‘That’s annoying,’ said Trylia, ‘but at the same time reassuring that it helped in the end.’
‘Well, what do you know?’ said Knarf. ‘Better delayed than never, eh!’
‘Was Awgro the only one draining you?’ asked Shadie.
‘No, he’s not powerful enough on his own,’ said Fane. ‘There were a few others, including that Chagrian, and another Sith I sensed was powerful, his face was completely hidden with a mask.’
‘Oh, we know him,’ said Knarf. ‘He was on Relsor’s ship after the rescue mission.’
‘Full face mask, small red lights at the eyes, hood?’ asked Brenum. Fane nodded.
‘I also overheard an argument between him and Relsor and Perce,’ said Trylia, ‘when I was Relsor’s…guest.’ She shrugged. ‘I don’t know what it was about, he left quickly.’
‘I suppose we’ll have to watch out for him,’ said Brenum. ‘Something about his Force aura seems…I don’t know.’
‘But he’s not our most immediate threat,’ Shadie reminded him.
‘The Chagrian, Mar Dalkars, was a Follower of Kromus,’ said Storimbu, ‘but I’ve never seen anyone whose face was masked as you describe. He must have always been a True Sith, even since before joining the Reformed Sith.’
‘There are always more Sith to look out for, aren’t there? For us to save each other from,’ said Fane, a playful smile on his face.
‘Coming up out of the water,’ said Mrs. Holt. ‘Brace yourselves.’
The ship shook as it emerged from the ocean and Talyc could feel the gravity shift from its lighter setting from while they were in the heavy waters to a setting he recognised as that best suited for space travel. The ship lifted into the planet’s atmosphere.
‘Ships coming out of hyperspace,’ said Void. ‘Awgro’s ships.’
The submersible ship bucked and shook as the enemy ships fired at it.
‘This isn’t over,’ said Brenum.
‘Someone get to the canons and fire at those ships!’ Mrs. Holt cried in an urgent tone. She pointed at a station nearby.
‘On it!’ said Trylia. ‘This is my speciality.’ She sat down and swivelled the chair and began firing at the enemy ships immediately.
‘Shields are holding,’ said Mrs. Holt, ‘but they’re taking a lot of damage.’
The ship jolted as it was hit with a massive laser cannon.
Brenum joined Mrs. Holt and took the secondary station next to hers. The ship seemed to veer more smoothly. Talyc saw the woman mouthed a “thank you”.
Void remained at the main station. Alarms began ringing throughout the room.
‘A fleet of starships coming out of hyperspace,’ he announced.
‘More?’ exclaimed Shadie.
A large super dreadnought loomed overhead, looking imposing.
‘It’s arming to fire,’ warned Mrs. Holt. ‘Brace yourselves.’
A bright flash streaked from the dreadnought as it fired.
“Connections in the Force” is written by Celinka Serre (2023).
Disclaimer: The Characters in this Fan-Fiction are new and have original names. The story is an original written work. The story is derivative and consistent of Fan-Fiction since it borrows the franchise world of Star Wars. Certain jargon and places, or concepts mentioned, along with the SW Old Republic universe belong to Lucasfilm Ltd. and Disney. No characters or story lines from the films are used. No story lines or characters from the games or books are used. A handful of characters from the games may be referenced, but are not the main focus in this fanfic story. This fan-fiction story falls under Fair Use.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
You might also enjoy other SWTOR fanfics, Dragon Age Fan-Fiction short stories, Mass Effect Fan-Fiction, or Stardust Destinies the High Fantasy Fiction series.
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