Star Wars Reckoning

The Vigilance Beacon touched down upon the planet of Vjun next to the Viper's Star that was already present there.

The Viper's Star Captain was stood waiting with her arms folded. A human and twi'lek Jedi master made their way down to the planets surface. "Well you two sure took your sweet time getting here, do you have any idea how long I have been standing here waiting?"

Renita said. "Well not all of us have the privilege of illegal ship modifications..." Barracudas replied. 

Renita smirked "No need to get your Lekkus in a twist."

Lin'drala coughed to interrupt before the other two carried on. "Can we focus please, now sister you are certain she is here?"

Renita nodded at Lin. "I'm telling you sis the last time I spoke with her she said she was heading to the Vjun system, something about a disturbance in the force... you know Jedi speak."

Barracudas pondered for a moment. "Knight Mileetra has not reported back to the council in over a week,  still this is not out of the ordinary for her." She closed her eyes and reached out with the force. "Still there is certainly something on this planet, I sense something, something... Sinister." 

Lin nods. "I sense it too..."

Renita shrugs. "Errrmmm right, well you two aren't the only ones sensing something, while I was waiting for you I set my ships sensors to scan for power outgoings or any local comm chatter. As it happens there is a small set of structures to the east of here, they have Imperial outpost written all over them but there has been no communications on any detectable channels at all."

Lin smiles. "Well then it seems our path is clear, come let us discover these structures with our own eyes."

The three of them headed off to the east to locate the Imperial outpost. 

As they drew near the structures became clear, an outpost built into the side of a rock face. There was a bridge across an acid lake which appeared to be the only way of access. 

However as they drew closer still, it quickly became clear that all was not well. 

Barracudas spoke softly as they laid eyes upon dead Imperial troopers scattered upon the bridge and the base entrance. 

"No... What gave you that idea? The corpses all over the place have anything to do with that?" Renita said in a sarcastic tone.

Lin knelt down examining one of the dead Imperials, she noticed something odd then turned back to the other two. 

Lin stands up and goes to check another of the dead Imperials. 

Renita pulls out one of her blaster pistols and fires it into the dead soldiers head. "Aside from the fact they are dead, I would say that is pretty physical." 

Both of the Jedi shake their heads. Lin stands up she turns to the base entrance "Any answers we intend to find will no doubt await us inside, come but both of you be on your guard."

The group made their way inside of the Imperial base, though the image inside was the same as the outside. Imperial bodies all over the place laid bare and lifeless. 

After several minutes they made their way to a door that was closed. The Imperial Base commander lay still near it however, unlike the others his neck had been broken. 

Barracudas checked the man. "It seems the life was choked out of him before they finally gave him an instant death."

Lin brings her hand to her mouth for a moment. "The darkness is strong here, I fear a very powerful Sith is responsible for this."

Barracudas stands back up while Renita accessed the doors console. She pressed a few buttons and the door opened giving the three of them access to the chamber that lay beyond. 

As they made their way inside they could see a figure knelt down in meditation at the center of the room. There was a red holocron resonating fiercely with the energy of the dark side. 

They drew closer and soon it became all too clear as to who it was. 

"Mileetra...?" Lin said. Though she did not respond. 

Suddenly at the other side of the room another hooded figure emerged. 

The Jedi suddenly felt an all too familiar presence. 

"Im...Impossible." Barracudas said.

The figure stepped forward and pulled down her hood. None other than Master Zemalia stood before them. "Why... Why should it be impossible?" She said as a cold smile came across her face.

Lin'drala ignited her lightsaber and pointed it at Zemalia. "The spirit of my old master came to me, she merged with the force. I know not what trickery this is, but you cannot be her. "

An evil chuckle suddenly echoed through the chamber. 

Lin'drala's grip on her own lightsaber strengthened as Barracudas ignited both of hers as well.

Barracudas felt all the emotions she felt all those years ago flood back to her. The Banshees the cave collapse. The Twisted Zemalia she destroyed. 

Zemalia walked and stood next to Mileetra she placed her hand on her shoulder while she was still in meditation.

The Jedi were confused by her words. "Speak sense!" Barracudas demanded.

Zemalia locked eyes with the Twi'lek. "Are my words not clear? Perhaps you fail to listen... Know that there was once a Zemalia Xraya, A Jedi who let her curiosity get the better of her. In sending her to Korriban the council sealed her fate. Zemalia found my holocron. She let me in and I drowned her out. Her will became my own. So the woman you truly think I am is well... and truly dead."

Lin looked down at the floor in disbelief of hearing her masters true fate. She slowly looked back up at her. "Then who are you?"

A smile came upon Zemalia's face. "Now that is a good question, perhaps you will learn quickly. Know that I have lived many lives and that any other name I would give to you means nothing to me. But know this, there must always be a Darth Traya. One who holds the knowledge of betrayal. Who has been betrayed and will betray in turn."

"Darth Traya... I know who you are!" Barracudas said.

Traya sharply responded.

Traya moved her hand from Mileetra's shoulder.

Mileetra's eyes suddenly opened she arose to her feet. 

Mileetra turns and looks at her sisters.

Lin looked to Renita who had been silent and observant through the whole ordeal, Renita simply shook her head. 

Lin looked back to Mileetra. "It does not matter where we came from sister, we are Jedi. Even if on one side our ancestor was Sith it makes no difference, please just come back with me. You have come so far do not let it all be for nothing now."

Mileetra looked down at the ground for a moment then back at her sister. 

Barracudas spoke up against Mileetra's words. 

Mileetra brought her staff saber into hand and activated it. 

Lin's attention was drawn back to Traya. 

Traya laughed in sort of disgusted tone. "Foolish girl, all I have done is open your eyes to the truth, the illusion has been removed, should you choose to remain blind too it, then you shall die."

Traya brought a red lightsaber into one hand and a purple one in the other.

Renita suddenly opened fire with both her blaster pistols at Traya who attempted to deflect them back at her. Using her Soresu form Lin'drala was able to defend her sister from harm, she deflected the blaster fire away harmlessly upwards then leaped forward and engaged Darth Traya. 

Meanwhile Mileetra fixated on Master Barracudas and lunged at her with her staff saber. 

Barracudas defended herself from Mileetra's attacks each strike was met by one of her own lightsabers as Mileetra span her staff saber in a furious motion. She leaped around Barracudas attempting to catch her off guard. 

Lin had engaged with Traya but was quickly pushed back onto the defensive as Traya countered Lin's attack and flurried back at her with both lightsabers.

Her attack was interrupted as Renita again opened fire on Traya with her blaster pistols.

Traya quickly force pushed Lin back and deflected the blaster fire away once more. She threw one of the lightsabers at Renita who managed to roll out of the way. The lightsaber that had missed its mark came back into its masters hand as she blocked a strike from Lin with her other lightsaber.

Barracudas span her lightsabers with amazing agility, she defended against Mileetra to the perfection of a true master allowing her to counter and go on her own offensive. 

Mileetra span her staff saber defensively and leaped away as the fight raged on. 

Suddenly Lin was able to slash the hilt of Traya's purple lightsaber though she successfully defended from a 2nd strike with her red one. She summoned force lightning and blasted it and Lin'drala again forcing her back while she deflected more blaster fire from Renita away. 

Renita quickly holstered one of her pistols and brought a Thermal detonator into hand. 

She activated it and threw it at Traya.

Traya kicked Lin'drala backwards, she quickly stopped the Thermal detonator with the force and then cast it back at Renita. 

"No!" Lin also reached out with the force as quickly as she could, she managed to stop the Detonator from moving but it had already gotten close to Renita.

It exploded sending Renita flying backwards and forcing her other blaster out of her hand.

She landed on her back unconscious.

Barracudas and Mileetra continued to engage each other, the explosion had shook the room slightly but not enough to throw these two off balance. 

Their duel continued to unfold as they both successfully countered each other at every turn. 

Barracudas suddenly swept her lightsabers down low, Mileetra back flipped through the air, she cast two balls of lightning at her opponent as she came back down.

Quickly Barracudas de-activated her lightsabers and focused her power as she met the lightning balls with her own powers of tutaminis. She absorbed their energy then cast a wave of energy back at Mileetra. 

Mileetra rotated her staff saber in front of her. The energy was absorbed fully by her lightsaber crystal, lightning sparks began to flow over her staff sabers purple colour. 

Mileetra laughed. "You maybe a Jedi master now but you still do not have what it takes to destroy me. As I recall killing Jedi masters was my speciality"

Mileetra lunged at Barracudas once more. 

Traya and Lin'drala locked their sabers together. Lin's magenta blade clashing against Traya's red one. 

Suddenly Lin overwhelmed Traya in the saber lock she delieved a swift strike which severed off Traya's left hand, Lin quickly force pushed her back and Traya dropped her red lightsaber. It de-activated and fell to the ground.

"Arghhh..." Traya got up onto one knee. "I expected the force would be fierce in you, but like any poison one can use I have mastered its use."

Traya arose to her feet and closed her eyes. From behind her two purple Lightsabers ignited and then appeared in front of her suspended in mid air. Her red lightsaber from the ground re activated as well and placed itself in the middle of the two purple ones. 

Lin stayed ready in her stance. "And now Jedi I shall see you break!"

Traya hissed as she sent her floating lightsabers at Lin'drala. 

Barracudas dodged Mileetra's attack but Mileetra quickly turned and her staff sabers blades quickly clashed against Barracudas' lightsabers once again. As their sabers were locked against each other Mileetra quickly hit Barracudas in the face with a lightning spark from her lightsaber causing her to stagger backwards blinded by the flash Mileetra knocked both of her lightsabers out of her hands. 

As she went to implement the killing blow Barracudas was able to regain her focus, she moved out of the way of the strike and managed to get a grip on the hilt of the staff saber. using the motion of the strike she forced the staff saber out of Mileetra's hands and the blade flew up wards slightly burning a side of Mileetra's face in its path.

Barracudas force pushed the weapon away but was then slapped in the face from a quick back hand by Mileetra.

Mileetra attempted to follow up with another punch but this time Barracudas agile twi'lek body allowed her to dodge and counter with a swift knee into Mileetra's stomach. 

As Mileetra fell to her knees, Barracudas summoned one of her lightsabers to hand and prepared to make the killing blow, but before she could make the strike Mileetra swept her legs with a low kick causing the twi'lek to fall down. Mileetra summoned Barracudas' other lightsaber to her own hand and  the two clashed lightsabers against each other on the ground.

Barracudas quickly force pushed Mileetra away along the floor and leaped back up onto her feet. Mileetra used the motion of the push to do the same. 

Lin meanwhile was defending against the floating sabers. Her defensive mastery allowed her to hold her own against the blades. 

Traya pulled her red lightsaber back into her remaining hand and then began to strike at Lin in sync with the two floating purple lightsabers. 

Lin continued her defence against the onslaught, in a true display of mastery she locked her lightsaber with one of the floating lightsabers and then forced it to the side. the blade destroyed the hilt of the other floating lightsaber rendering it useless. Lin span away backwards and turned to deliver a swift strike of her own destroying the hilt of the 2nd floating lightsaber. they both fell to the ground. 

Lin remained in her stance and pointed her lightsaber at Traya.

"Then cruelty truly must be a matter a perspective." 

"Is it?" Traya gave Lin a cold glare as a smile suddenly came across her face. Quickly she force pushed Lin'drala back and leaped over to Renita who lay unconscious on the ground.

Without a moment of hesitation Traya plunged her lightsaber into Renita's chest killing her while she was in a defenceless state.

All others in the room suddenly froze as they felt her passing through the force. 

Seeing Traya murder her younger sister a great rage suddenly emerged in Mileetra. 

She blasted Barracudas back into a wall with over whelming power and then rushed at Traya with immense speed. 

Still wielding one of Barracudas' lightsabers Mileetra drove the blade deep through Traya's chest. 

Traya suddenly plunged her own red lightsaber through Mileetra, then force pushed her back as both lightsabers de-activated and fell to the ground. 

Traya fell to her knees. In a sense of disbelief of what had just happened Lin leaps and lands next to Traya with in an instant she strikes down the body of her old master. 

Traya falls back lifeless next to the body of Renita.

Lin'drala slowly takes a breath of shock, her lightsaber de-activates and she drops it on the floor as the room suddenly falls silent. 

Barracudas rushes to her feet and runs to Lin'drala to comfort her as Lin looks at the bodies of those around her. 

Her old master and both her sisters... gone... 

Suddenly the silence was broken by a voice. "L...L..Lin... here..."

Lin'drala quickly ran over to her sister and knelt by her side. "Mileetra... I'm sorry... I am so sorry."

She grabs her sisters hand. "No... you... you were right, I could not see, what she did to Ren... Opened my eyes. I, I was lost... Our family was never weak you were always the strongest si..sister..."

Lin's eyes were filled with tears, they streamed down her face. Barracudas put her hand on her shoulder in support. 

Mileetra gently gripped at Lin's hand. "I... I miss our home, I miss when we were young, they were the... very best... of days. I just wish I could... have been the sister you wanted me to be..." Slowly her grip and her head fell back. Her life essence passed on into the force.

Lin slowly arose to her feet. "Master what should we do with the holocron?"

She turned to Barracudas then looked at the Holocron, slowly Lin walked over too it, she held out her hand above the holocron and closed her eyes. Images of the Sith lord flood into her mind.

Lin re opens her eyes. "Destroy it." 

Barracudas nods at her, she pulls her other lightsaber into hand with the force, with immense strength and speed she delivers a swift double strike upon the holocron destroying it for good.

Together with their fallen allies the two Jedi slowly made their way back to the Vigilance Beacon and Viper's star. 

"Barracudas old friend here. Take this." Lin'drala gives Barracudas her lightsaber. 

Barracudas' eyes began to fill with tears, she threw her arms around Lin'drala and hugged her to say goodbye. 

After a few moments Lin broke away from the hug. She nodded at her old friend then boarded the Viper's star with her fallen loved ones. 

Barracudas watched as the Viper's Star ascended into orbit and then vanished totally from view. 

She looked at Lin's lightsaber that she held firmly in her hand. "I shall never forget you... Lin'drala."

The Viper's star had landed on Alderaan. Lin'drala stood upon the hill over looking her old family home. 

Two new graves had been made besides that of her parents and Zemalia's body was placed on a pyre.

Lin turned her attention to Zemalia who lay on the pyre.

Lin sets the pyre a light and bows her head as the body of her old master burns away. 

As the flames burn, sunlight breaks into the light of dawn upon the horizon.

Lin watches the sky as it lightens up and a smiles come across her face.