The turbolift doors parted open to a wall of red lightsabers that awaited them, ready to clamp down on the Jedi. Fane used the Force to push the Sith away; Shadie sent an onslaught of lightning towards them; Knarf stomped his good foot on the ground, before performing a barrel roll, using the Force to shake the ground, further bringing Sith to the floor. He came up in a low crouch and slashed at several legs. It didn’t bring him joy to do so; every time he thought he felt a stinging pain in his leg right where it had been severed. He slashed about, killing several Sith.
Shadie sent more lightning, and it danced across multiple blades. One of the Sith hit Knarf’s beskar armoured head. The armour protected him from the hit, but the lightning on it shot through his body and he trembled from the shock. Fane pushed the Sith away from him. Shadie stopped the lightning.
‘Sorry!’ she said.
Knarf looked up at her. His helmet hid his smile of reassurance, but he knew Shadie could feel it. Knarf rolled again and jumped high into the air, landing on one of the Sith. He used the Force to push him towards another. Their blades melted into each other.
‘Heh! I just killed two Sith with one…’ he searched for the word. He saw Fane smile slightly. ‘We’re making progress,’ he told him. Fane nodded.
Fane drove his aqua blade into a Sith, and Knarf used a similar tactic, pushing another Sith towards the protruding blade, and then another. Fane pulled out his lightsaber from the three Sith, who fell dead on the floor.
Shadie thus far had had her lightsaber ignited as a single blade; she extended the other half, killing a Sith in the process. She twirled her lightsaber about, and with a flurry, brought down the last of the Sith warriors.
The three of them stood, looking at the dead Sith before them.
‘Does Relsor not care at all about his followers?’ said Fane.
‘Followers of Kromus, my eye,’ said Shadie. ‘Kromus may have been a monster, but he was a calculated one. He selected a few who would be willing to sacrifice themselves for him, but he knew the importance of numbers. You remember how when we assaulted his flagship the Sith retreated? Their mission had been to isolate Knarf with the holocron, and then to ensure we reached Kromus. They retreated every time they either achieved their goal or saw they would not survive.’
‘Same thing happened with Gourd’s Sith,’ said Fane. ‘When they assaulted Coruscant, they retreated there as well.’
‘I can’t believe that Relsor would be so trivial with his uncle’s Sith,’ said Knarf. ‘Somehow I don’t see Relsor allowing his Sith to die so easily. These are clearly acolytes and trainees, but still, it doesn’t make sense.’
Someone coughed somewhere. Knarf’s eyes shot to a corner in the room. There was a Sith moving, trying to get up. He pointed towards him. Shadie walked to him and used the Force to lift him, without choking him.
‘Speak to me, Sith, and tell me, who is the lord you serve?’
‘I serve the one and only Emperor,’ replied the Sith.
‘Who is your Emperor?’
‘We do not know his name.’ The Sith acolyte winced in pain. ‘Nor does the Dark Council.’
Shadie scowled confused. ‘Dark Council?’
‘I serve the Sith Empire,’ the injured Sith told them.
‘Then what are you doing here?’ asked Knarf.
‘The alliance with the True Sith.’
‘Do you realise,’ said Fane, ‘that Relsor is using you and doesn’t care if you die? Are all these Sith whom we killed here from the Empire too?’
The Sith nodded. There was something oddly familiar about him, but Knarf couldn’t quite place where he could have possibly seen this Sith before.
‘I am sorry,’ said Shadie, setting the Sith back down. ‘I have few enemies in the Sith Empire. They leave me alone and I leave them alone. I have no desire to kill the Empire’s Sith. My enemy is Relsor and his followers.’ Shadie shook her head. Knarf knew she preferred to keep her opponents alive if and when she could. ‘You are injured.’ She passed a hand over his wounds. ‘They are not fatal. You will survive.’
‘Why, one would think you were going to let me live.’ The Sith grinned, hopeful.
‘I am. But in return you must do something for me.’
The Sith studied her for a moment. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘Find a way to contact the Dark Council and tell your masters that Darth Shadie, who is now Jedi Master Eidahs, has no qualms with the Empire as of yet, and as long as they stay away from the Republic and from Mandalore, we will not pursue battle with them. However, if the Empire is now part of the True Sith, then we will have a problem and I will be forced to retaliate.’
The Sith nodded. ‘Consider it a deal.’ And with that he hobbled away.
‘I’m confused,’ said Fane.
Shadie looked at him. ‘If there is dissent between the Sith Empire and the True Sith, then the alliance will crack. Relsor will not care for the Empire’s resources as long as they provide for him. We get the Empire to walk away from their alliance and Relsor is not as strong and powerful as he thinks he is.’
Knarf smiled. That was his Lady all right, thinking strategically towards the future.
Shadie looked ahead and pointed. ‘That way,’ she said.
* * *
They passed through a series of corridors and larger rooms. No other Sith had come to stop them since their encounter at the turbolift. Shadie could feel Fane’s anticipation. She could hardly believe, yet it didn’t surprise her, how Relsor was just chucking away the Empire’s Sith. He surely knew they would die at her hands, knew all they could do was slow her down, so he sent the Empire’s Sith, not his own. If the Empire knew this, they would know that their alliance was unfair. Add to that the fact that the Republic and the Jedi had stayed well away from the Empire, except when searching for Kromus a few years back, and she herself had not pursued war against the Empire. She knew it would be too much to hope for an alliance between the Republic and the Empire, but a temporary mutual respect could be beneficial in the war against the True Sith.
They passed through a door and came to a long and narrow corridor. This was it; this was what she remembered from what the Sphere had telepathically shared with her.
‘We’re at the right place,’ she announced.
There were several doors along the corridor, and at the very far end, she could sense, very faintly, Talyc’s Force presence. She felt Fane’s anguish for Talyc and her own stomach leapt in fear. She put a hand on Fane’s shoulder.
‘His Force presence is even fainter than before, even though we’re closer,’ said Fane.
‘He’ll be all right, I promise. I told you we’d find him. I think we have, we just need to reach him.’
They heard rapid footsteps and turned around to see Brenum and Trylia catching up to them. They were out of breath.
‘Oh, thank goodness you’re all right?’ said Trylia panting. ‘She hasn’t hurt you then?’
‘Who hasn’t hurt us?’ asked Knarf.
‘The Mirialan,’ said Brenum.
Shadie shook her head slowly. ‘Last time we saw her, she was fighting the two of you,’ she said.
‘We lost her,’ Trylia said frantically. ‘We almost had her and then, the Force, she pushed, and then ran so quickly, I couldn’t see her, she was a blur, a wind, and then nothing.’
‘We sensed her up here,’ said Brenum. ‘We thought she had caught up to you.’ Shadie shook her head.
Fane snapped his head to the room at the far end. ‘If she’s trying to reach Talyc, we have to…’
His words were cut off when a green and black blur swirled around him so quickly he barely ignited his lightsaber in time to block the Mirialan’s black blade. Sith started pouring in from different rooms and accessways. Shadie and Fane slowly backed away as Brenum and Trylia took to fighting the green Sith again.
‘Hello again,’ said Trylia. ‘Now tell me, what do you have against me? I feel your jealousy permeating through the Force.’ Trylia’s tone was calm, yet with just enough taunting.
Shadie laughed, as she slashed a few Sith away, using lightning to ensure they didn’t get too close. She and Knarf created a barrier with their lightsabers, blocking this way and that, while Fane used the Force to push them away, always slowly making their way through the crowd of Sith, trying to advance towards the room where they sensed Talyc was.
Brenum and Trylia concentrated on the Mirialan, but also took care of many Sith while they fought their assailant. Shadie looked at Fane and nodded. At the exact same moment, she sent lightning, and Fane pushed with the Force, Knarf stomped on the floor, and a whirlwind was created, causing many Sith to be pushed back behind them quite a distance. It wasn’t as effective or impressive as Trylia’s skills, but it did the trick.
However, many Sith ran back towards them. At least now, they had a clear path.
* * *
‘You go with him, I’ll hold them off,’ said Knarf. ‘They seem to have things under control over there. I can take care of the stray Sith who come running our way. It should buy you enough time.’
Shadie nodded. ‘Be safe, my love,’ she added quickly, backing away. Fane knew this ritual reassured both of them, almost as though it guaranteed their safety. It in turned reassured Fane, feeling it also guaranteed his safety when he was with them.
‘I will, you be safe too.’
‘I will.’
She and Fane ran ahead to the door at the back of the corridor where Talyc’s faint Force presence dwindled. Fane ignited his lightsaber and slashed at the door’s security system. The door swung open. He powered off his lightsaber, rushing in.
Talyc was suspended in the air in an almost invisible stasis Force-barrier, where thin wisps of purple energy flickered before disappearing again. Talyc’s body drooped; his head bobbed this way and that as he tried to move. Fane felt his stomach clench and his heart drop a notch or two down into his gut. He felt like collapsing, like he had on Mandalore when he’d seen him captured. His love for Talyc kept him strong, strong for Talyc because Talyc couldn’t be strong right now.
Fane backed up towards the wall, observing the makeshift stasis pillars that seemed to be fuelled by ever moving dark side energy.
‘Talyc,’ said Fane. ‘It won’t be long now, I’ll get you out of here.’
Talyc shook his head. ‘Nar’sheb. You won’t have me this time. Kriffing Sithspawn! I won’t fall for it, not this time. I know your game.’
Fane’s heart broke to hear how Talyc believed he was an illusion. He could sense Talyc’s fear and hope contradicting each other.
Shadie walked around one of the pillars. She sent lightning towards it. It flickered. She sent lightning towards both. Fane used the Force to attack the air around Talyc.
‘I know what needs to be done,’ said Shadie.
Fane approached Talyc and stood right next to him, and a bit under him. Shadie sent lightning and drained the pillars of the dark side energy, absorbing it into herself. She moaned a bit as though in pain, but looked calm.
Talyc fell from his stasis, right into Fane’s arms. Fane cushioned his fall, as he settled into a sitting position, holding Talyc in his arms, cradling his head. He gently passed a hand on his head.
‘Talyc, I’m here. It’s me, Fane, your man.’
Talyc opened his eyes and looked at Fane. He blinked a few times. He reached a hand up to touch his face.
‘Fane?’ he managed. ‘Are you here for real?’
‘Yes,’ Fane tried to smile, blinking back tears. He leaned his forehead on Talyc’s.
‘No illusions?’
‘No illusions,’ said Fane, confirming. ‘We’re here with Lian. I’m as real as you are.’
‘You came for me,’ said Talyc, smiling.
‘Of course, I did. I’m your man.’
‘You’re not leaving me?’
Fane shook his head. ‘No. I only went and appointed myself as the Jedi delegate for Mandalore. That way, no matter where my Jedi duties take me, I can always come home to you.’
Talyc closed his eyes, and sighed; his face looked pained. ‘I’m such an idiot,’ he said.
‘Maybe,’ said Fane, ‘but you’re my idiot.’
‘Sith incoming!’ called out Knarf from afar.
‘Fane, you need to get out of here,’ said Shadie. ‘We won’t be able to hold them off for much longer.’
Fane nodded. ‘Let’s get you out of here,’ he told Talyc.
Fane used the Force to call Talyc’s weapons, helmet, and gloves to them from the table in the corner. He helped Talyc put the weapons and helmet at his belt, as Talyc put his gloves on.
They hurried out of the room. There were many Sith battling Brenum and Trylia, and several had already reached Knarf. The Mirialan was nowhere to be seen, however great streams of lightning were seen coming towards Brenum and Trylia, and that could only mean Relsor and Perce were approaching; they had finally sliced their way out of the room in which Knarf had locked them.
‘Hurry!’ said Shadie.
‘You’re not coming, Shadie?’ said Talyc.
Shadie turned her head to look at him. ‘Relsor wants to capture me. So we’re letting him capture me, and the rest of us, except you two and Lian. It’s all part of the plan, Talyc. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. You worry about yourself now.’
‘Shadie,’ said Talyc, struggling to speak, ‘the Mirialan, she captured me. She’s Sith.’
‘We know,’ she said. ‘She’s fought us.’
‘She and Relsor…’ Talyc struggled to say.
Shadie nodded. Fane also understood the warning about the Mirialan’s relationship with Relsor. It explained why she kept attacking Trylia, seeing as Relsor had a thing for her. Fane knew Shadie would use that knowledge to her advantage.
‘I’ll use that,’ said Shadie, confirming Fane’s thoughts. ‘Thank you, Talyc.’
Knarf looked over his shoulder as he fought Sith. ‘Get out of here! We’ve got this!’
Talyc smiled at Knarf. ‘Stay alive, Bes’laar,’ he said.
‘Got no choice or my Lady will kill me.’ Knarf winked before stomping the ground, and Sith fell around him, allowing him to stab them.
‘Shadie,’ said Fane. He took her hand and squeezed. ‘Good luck.’
She nodded. ‘You too.’
‘Thank you,’ said Fane. Shadie smiled. Fane spoke into his comlink. ‘Lian, can you sense my location?’
‘Yes, I can,’ came Lian’s voice.
‘There is a room with a large transparisteel viewport,’ he said, looking through the door’s own transparisteel window. ‘It looks like that’s our exit now.’
‘Got it.’
Fane and Talyc made their way into the room; Talyc had his arm draped over Fane’s shoulders. He hung on as they walked. The Krayt Dragon loomed into view.
‘Uh, you’re going to need to get a lot closer than that, Lian,’ Fane said into his comlink.
Lightsabers sizzled nearby. Shadie shut the door to the room. Fane helped Talyc don on his helmet.
‘Here, you’re going to need this.’
Fane ignited his lightsaber and drove it into the viewport. He then used the Force to shatter it, as Shadie had showed him to do. The landing ramp to the ship was already down and almost touching the viewport when the latter shattered. Fane didn’t need to use much of the Force to gauge their flight as the airflow into space pulled them towards the ship. In no time, they were up the ramp and safely inside the ship.
‘We’re in,’ said Fane, speaking into his comlink.
* * *
Shadie looked through the small viewport in the door to the room where Fane and Talyc had been moments earlier. She saw the Krayt Dragon go to hyperspace. She used the Force to push back the incoming Sith and then powered off her lightsaber. She put her hands up in the air. Knarf followed suit, as did Brenum and Trylia, once they were sure doing so wouldn’t get them killed. They were now ready to surrender, now that Talyc had been safely rescued.
“Lady of the Crypt” is written by Celinka Serre (2020).
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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