Prologue

Warning: The following chapter contains scenes depicting torture and violence, which may be triggering to some readers. Reading discretion is advised.

Talyc regained consciousness and for a brief moment, he thought he was back home on Mandalore. He reached out to touch Fane, and reality set in again: he couldn’t move, he was not on Mandalore, he was in some sort of Force stasis barrier, and he felt pain all over his body from the previous day’s tortures. He tried to move, tried to free himself, knowing it was no use, but unable to fight off the need to fight.
            ‘Aargh!’
            He screamed from anger, as desperation set itself within him. He did not know how long he’d been out; he did not know how long ago he’d been captured. All he knew was pain and torment. He had failed; failed his clan, failed Mandalore, failed Fane.
            The door opened and in walked Perce, followed almost immediately by Relsor.
            ‘Good morning,’ said Perce a little too pleasantly for Talyc’s liking. He clasped his hands behind his back. ‘I heard you were awake.’ He chuckled to himself. He cocked his head. ‘Don’t be so down, today will bear more fruit, I’m sure.’
            ‘He’ll come for me, he’ll save me.’
            ‘Who’s that?’ said Perce. ‘Because the last time I checked, your Jedi lover had returned to the Jedi Order. He’s abandoned you; he doesn’t care what happens to you. Was it not because of him you were out drinking in the first place? Why has he not searched for you yet? He would have found you by now.’
            ‘You lie,’ said Talyc. ‘I know him.’
            ‘So do we,’ said Relsor.
            Talyc knew they were playing games with his mind. He had been convinced that Fane had meant to finish with him, but he also knew that Fane, regardless of his decision, would not let him die if he knew what was happening to him. He also knew his friends too well. Knarf would not let any ill come to Talyc; he was his best friend. And where Knarf went, Shadie went, and where Shadie went, Brenum and Trylia also went, and hopefully Fane too. Talyc just wanted to see his face, just ask him, just so he’d know. If there were just a way for them to know what had happened to him…
            He looked around the room.
            ‘Are you looking for this?’ asked Relsor, calling Talyc’s helmet to his hand. ‘If you had the Force, perhaps you would be able to use this, but you don’t, and therefore you can’t.’ He threw the helmet back where it had been, on a small table at the other end of the room. ‘You’re pathetic. I thought you were a Mandalorian warrior.’
            Relsor approached, lifting his hand up in the air. A bolt of lightning struck Talyc in the stomach. He coughed; he felt like he was going to be sick.
            ‘What do you want?’ said Talyc.
            ‘You know what we want,’ said Relsor. ‘Your compliance.’
            ‘For starters, you can give us the security code to unlock your datapad,’ said Perce, walking to the table and taking it. ‘I know Knarf sliced it, I recognise his pattern, even though I am unable to slice through the modification.’
            ‘Why do you need to access my datapad?’
            ‘Our reasons do not concern you, Mandalorian,’ said Perce. ‘Honestly, you’re worse than the Supreme Chancellor, and he was insufferable enough as it was.’
            Without looking up from the datapad, Perce lifted his hand in a subtle motion and Talyc felt himself choking. At the same time, Relsor put his hand on Talyc’s wounded shoulder. It had almost healed completely, but now, no thanks to these two, the pain in it felt fresh. Talyc felt a surge of pain shoot through him from his shoulder, as Relsor sent dark energy into him. Darth Gourd had done the same to Knarf. His friend had described the pain quite well, and Talyc wasn’t fool enough to think that the Chiss nephew who was more powerful than the lord who had trained him would not be able to possess the same abilities.
            Talyc tried to take it, tried to be brave, but it was all too much, all these tortures combined, and he found himself begging for them to stop.
            ‘What’s that? I didn’t hear you,’ said Perce.
            ‘Please, stop,’ Talyc barely managed.
            Perce turned to face him anew. ‘Well, then, the security codes, please. Now!’

“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.

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