Form IV: A Dangerous Dance.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Once upon a time Wei Wu Wei could never get to sleep in a spacecraft. Whether a fighter, a freighter, a frigate, or family cruise liner, sleep never came to him while he was sitting up.

Now, Wei could fall asleep the minute the canopy sealed on the antique starfighter he borrowed for Force-ghost Obi-Wan. R4's querying beep echoed in the cockpit's small chamber, stirring Wei from a dream. His mouth felt dry. Wei smacked his lips and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before addressing the astromech.

"What's going on? Where are we now? Did we lose those Imperials?"

R4 whistled, giving the text on the fighter's tiny datascreen some flavor.

Imperials apparently not following. Doesn't mean they've been left behind. We are orbiting Naboo. Getting ready to land on the outskirts of Theed.

"Wait, Theed? That's the capital city! An old ship like this is bound to stand out."

I checked the comm channels a little while ago. The natives are enjoying a "History of the Old Republic Day." We will blend in, despite the attention.

Wei nodded. "Festivals are good. Cheap food, cheap beer, and plenty of crowds to get lost in."

R4 blasted Wei's ears with an angry chirp. No beer.

"What? Why?"

No beer.

"Sez you. Fine, let's just land. What are we doing here, anyway?"

Random jump. I want to see if the Imperials are still tracking us.

"Good enough. Ok, let's go."

The starfighter broke into the Nubian atmosphere, circled around the festival area, then gently touched down amongst a series of old republic ships. Wei recognized a few of them from the Clone Wars: a drop ship, a tank, and one of the broken down Trade Federation Battle Droid carriers.

"Takes me back. R4, as always, stay where you are. Be ready to fire up the engines. I'm getting some food and a drink--NOT A BEER!--and I will be back in a little while. Get me by my comm if something comes up."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei hopped out of the starfighter and directly into the multitudes of people. Humans and Gungans made up the bulk of the festival-goers, but Wei also saw a few species not native to Naboo in the crowd.

Wei pulled a credit chip from his pocket, then bought himself a few bits of food, each on a stick. A steak skewer, a corn dog, and then a deep fried candy bar made up his collection of assorted treats.

Once he was certain he was out of range of R4's optic scanners, Wei purchased a beer. He sat at a nearby picnic table to eat and drink. The beer was bad, but to Wei it was good. Without his lightsaber's humming to keep his addiction at bay, the former Jedi found himself getting involuntary shakes. The beer steadied his hands. It made him feel good to have the alcohol in his system.

Wei considered getting another, but then thought better of it. One beer would do.

No beers would do better.

Wei huffed at the voice in his head. "Again with the no beers thing!" He said to himself.

That's when the voice became clearer and louder. It clouds your judgement and forces attachment on you. It dulls your senses to the here and now. It is only a distraction: nothing more.

Wei didn't recognize the voice, but he did recognize that voices in his head generally meant Force ghosts. "Who are you, and what am I to learn?" Wei asked the air.

I am Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Naboo, as I'm sure you know, is where I met my end in the events leading up to the Clone Wars. Go to the Palace and head into the reactor chambers below the palace. It won't be hard to do. They are offering tours today during the festival. But you can break away from the group as they turn to leave. Further in, there's room enough to teach you.

Wei got up from the table, tossed his trash in a bin, and found the tour group Qui-Gon indicated. Wei trailed behind the goggling tourists, content in the buzz he acquired from his dishonest beer. The group paused in front of the red barriers leading into the room where Qui-Gon and the mysterious Sith met their fates.

The tour group turned around, but Wei stayed behind. The barriers lowered, allowing Wei to dash beyond them and out of sight of future tour groups.

"Ok, I'm here. Now what?"

Brandish your lightsaber, and we will teach you a different fighting style from what you have learned so far. Ataru, or the Aggression Form, is the fourth lightsaber form developed in the long history of Jedi and Sith. It's referred to as the Way of the Hawk-bat, and is very deadly against a single opponent. Utilizing Force-Augmented speed and strength, Ataru allows its practitioner acrobatic strikes that can assail an opponent from several directions almost all at once. Ataru is generally not for prolonged combat, and can present difficulties in battles involving multiple opponents and lightsabers. It takes a great deal of skill and endurance to overcome these drawbacks. The Jedi Master cleared his throat. We shall begin with drills involving su ma, which refers to the three axes of rotation used in Ataru. We will drill jung su ma; which is spinning, ton su ma; which refers to somersaults, and finally en su ma; which covers cartwheels.

Wei held his stomach and pulled a face. "And here I just ate."

And had a beer, which will not make these drills any easier. But we have no time to lose. Now to practice! We will start with spinning. Spinning makes use of the vertical axis running through your body. It is important that you know how to spin to add acceleration and power to your attacks without throwing yourself off balance or swinging too hard and leaving yourself open. Most spins and turns will be between a quarter circle and half circle. Activate your lightsaber, then make a circuit around the room. Spin a half circle, alternating the spin to the left and right as you make your attacks. Begin!

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei began a slow circuit around the rim of the round room. He noted the placement of his feet as well as the sloshing in his belly. Once in a while Qui-Gon would encourage him to use more speed or put more effort into his movements. Wei did his best to accommodate, but between the beer and bad food, things were not working out well.

If it helps, plant your front foot at the point where you want the movement to stop, and allow the attack to follow through from your waist and arms.

Wei tried it, and found that it did in fact help. Two laps later, Wei was discovering keeping his lunch in its place was not as easy as he hoped.

That was a good warm up for jung su ma. Now it's time for the ton su ma. Somersaults in Ataru are useful for jumping over an opponent's head, rolling to the side to strike at an exposed area, or from time to time closing the distance between you and an opponent.

Wei held his saber out and started with a few low somersaults. Rolling from his left shoulder to right hip, then right shoulder to left hip, he made a few small trips more or less along a straight line.

"Ug, I'm dizzy."

Relax your mind. When you are centered in the Force, you will find that it is like you are in the eye of a storm: though your lightsaber blazes about you like hurricane winds, you will always be certain of your direction. Now, make those somersaults higher! Ghost Qui-Gon pointed at a lamp a foot or two over Wei's head. Jump that high, then turn the somersault. Keep your blade overhead while you are curled up, then bring it down on your opponent's head as you descend. Alternatively, if you spin during the somersault, you can use it to reorient yourself behind the opponent's back. Qui-Gon floated just above the floor. Try it here. Jump over me, and land facing my back.

Wei shook his head--which actually turned out not to help at all--and attempted the somersault. He turned in the air just fine, but botched the landing, causing his legs to buckle under him.

"Ug, this is hard."

Are you a caveman, that you say 'Ug' so much? With dedicated practice, you will acclimate to the demands Ataru places on your body. Continue the drill, then practice the attack we discussed.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei somersaulted back and forth over his spectral teacher. He found that focusing on the top of Qui-Gon's head offered him something of a stationary point. From there Wei could feel as though his head were a fulcrum around which his body turned. As for the somersaulting attack, Wei discovered that if he began the somersault so that he rotated at the apex of the jump, it offered a similar experience. Perhaps he'd make it after all.

Very good. That somersault can be extended over several meters for an explosive opening attack. A solid Force Leap with a good running start can generate an incredibly strong overhead strike.

Qui-Gon put a hand on his hip, and scratched at his beard. Wei was put off that ghosts would still carry mannerisms from when they were flesh and blood.

Well, then. All that's left is drill en su ma, and we will have covered the basics. Cartwheels in Ataru are not like cartwheels on the playground. The axis you rotate around is the same for both, naturally. A cartwheel can be used to retreat, dodge to the side, or as part of some other turn to create an angle of attack your opponent won't be expecting. In reality, only when all three su ma flow and blend gracefully will you have truly mastered Ataru.

Wei nodded. "I appreciate your instruction. I meant to learn Ataru long ago, but I never got the opportunity."

Qui-Gon inclined his head towards Wei and smiled. It was my pleasure. But before you go, there is something that has caused me concern lately.

Wei raised an eyebrow and waited for the deceased Jedi Master to continue.

The Dark Side of the Force has been growing strong here in Theed. It has been hard to trace, but I have detected the beginnings of a Sith cult amongst the populace. I am not sure how many Sith are on the planet, but if there are Sith propagating a cult, it can only mean they are trying to use the populace to fuel their own dark powers. It is important that this cult not be allowed to continue.

Wei waggled his lightsaber. "Force Cripple. I can barely push a rubber ball across a room. Mind tricks and things of that nature are right out. How am I supposed to flush out this cult leader?"

Qui-Gon smirked. Isn't it obvious? Now go. Another tour will be arriving here soon. You can leave with them the same as you got here.

Wei nodded, then peeked own the long hallway for the moment the tour arrived. As the group turned its backs on the opening and closing red gates, Wei sprinted through them and tailed along at the back of the group.

Back out in the open air of the festival, Wei scratched at the back of his head, as though it would bring ideas to the surface of his mind. "It is a festival. If I can hide in plain sight as the owner of an antique vessel, maybe the Sith can too?"

[Alexia Sturkov]

"Pontifex. The festival has begun."

Blue eyes opened, peering out into the dimly lit hall. Before her stood a dozen humans, all dressed in various festival going regalia. Each one a worried face looking for her approval. Like a god among men, she looked down upon them from her throne within the hall of the Korgan Monastery. The usurped hall was the new home of her cult. The previous cult on Corellia was abandoned and left to propagate itself while she took several of the firmest believers and brought them here to plant another seed of corruption. It was almost too easy. Naboo already had a strong pantheon of gods and enlightened saints. What was one more religion to these people?

"The History of the Old Republic was that it was conquered by the Sith. We will see that history repeated." She spoke, her voice echoing through the hall. Each of her disciples bowed their heads when she spoke, each trembling a little in the excitement of hearing her speak. They were zealots. Banthas to be lead to the slaughter should she choose to. The power she held over them was intoxicating. Soon she would have more disciples. The festival was ripe with impressionable young people looking for an edgier religion than that offered by worshiping the sun, seasons, and saints. Her telepathic powers were enough to influence their interest.

"Go my disciples. Add to our numbers."

"Yes Pontifex."

After they had all left, Alexia moved from her throne to the living quarters section of the monastery. Her own room was in the very back, and forbidden to everyone else. The Korgan monks lived a life of simplicity and had old fashioned door that did not open on their own. However, they were also only unlockable from the inside, and she kept her door locked at all time. And no key. The force was her tool, reaching through the door to open the lock with her mind, allowing her entrance. Her room was a splendid thing, filled to match her ever growing ego.

Her clothing was removed and a traditional Korgan robe was fetched from her armoire, but before she put it on she moved in front of the full length mirror that dominated one corner of the small room. Where she had once saw beauty and power, she saw a body falling apart. The skin on the sides of her mouth had cracked and discolored. Broken blood vessel coloring her skin purple. The underside of her eyes were dark and the rest of her body was starting to show signs of the darkside corruption. More broken blood vessels on her hands, knees, and along her ribs.

Robed and properly disguised as a Monk of Saint Korg, Alexia stole out into the evening light. The festival was now well under way and the revelers were having too good of a time. She pulled her hood over her head, hiding her red hair and face. The bulky robe did an adequate job of masking her gender as well. Korg was known as many things, but also as a sexist who did not allow women into the monastery. Every so often a passerby would recognize the habit and inquire after the long silent monastery. Alexia would attempt her best man voice and inform them it was doing quite well.

Finally she reached the center of the festival. Already she had spotted several of her disciples. A few had also donned robes and each was attempting top recruit new members. The leaders of other religions and monasteries would be here as well, and they were to be avoided. She could not afford a confrontation.

Something was off. She could feel it in the force. It felt like a splinter trapped in her mind that she could not scratch. It irritated and annoyed her, but she could not identify just what it was. She would just have to keep her eyes out for whatever it was.

[Palara Iscandar]

He had to speak loudly, she noticed, to be heard over the festivities around them. She personally enjoyed the light-hearted affair, as subdued as it was due to Imperial interference.

"...Madame," the Imperial officer bit out, obviously unused to deference to a non-human. But her credentials were air-tight and vacuum-proof. It was odd enough to have an Inspector from Imperial Intelligence drop by Naboo, which had been largely quiet underneath the jackboot of the Empire, despite a continuing insurgency in the swamps and marshes of the planet. That she was an alien as well, of a kind which was normally the enslaved, was enough "What brings you to Naboo?"

"I am Inspecting, of course," Inquisitor Iscandar said smoothly, under the guise of Agent Inspector Iscandar of Imperial Intelligence. Behind her, the Inquisitorial Trooper Sergeant, ISK-375 (his name was Carron), shifted, unused to being somewhere without his armor on, and swiped an errant piece of confetti from the air in front of his face. "Pray it is not you I am 'ere for."

The officer bowed and returned her identification chips quickly, and saluted.

"Yes ma'am," he said, having heard stories of what happened to people whom Intelligence had taken in for questioning. "Welcome to Naboo, ma'am."

Iscandar left the man behind, and gestured for the Sergeant to come forward.

"'E is 'ere, I can sense it," she said firmly to him. "Radio back to ze ship and 'ave the computer identification programmes search 'im out on security 'olos."

"Inquis..." Carron stopped at her half-lidded gaze. "Inspector."

He stepped back and accessed the commlink he'd been given for this mission, and Inquisitor Iscandar closed her eyes, trying in vain to sense where her prey was hiding. But there was a darkness behind the usual darkness of occupied worlds, and she could not find him.

Something else was going on.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei's lightsaber slid into his sleeve as he left the palace. Returning to the festival proper, Wei wasn't sure how to go about finding this Sith Cult. Without the hum of his saber to connect him to the Force, Wei couldn't sense anything other than what his eyes, ears, and nose could tell him.

"It's not like I can just walk up to people and say, "What do you know about being a Sith?"

Wei blew out an exasperated sigh. Maybe he'd get another fried candy bar. That's when he heard it. "Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain power. Through power I gain victory, and through victory my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free."

Who had said that? Wei looked around for someone whispering near him. "Was that the Sith Code?" Wei asked just loud enough that perhaps the speaker could hear him. "I think I've heard of that."

It was an old trick he used to pull during the Clone Wars. Being Force crippled had a distinct advantage of allowing him to pass very well as a normal person. Wei had busted several Separatist propoganda schemes affecting an honest, moldable persona in the past. Maybe it would pay off this time as well.

[Alexia Sturkov]

The festival was just beginning to hit it's full swing as more revelers poured into the city square. The entire place was a flood of pavilions of bright and gaudy colors. Game booths and food vendors lined the edges while the center was reserved for performance art such as large groups of acrobats and fire jugglers. It was quite a spectacle, but to her it was not for any of those reasons. It was all the people that attracted her. So much life, so many potential disciples. It was intoxicating to walk through the crowd, unseen. People paid her no mind. She was just a Korgan monk to them. Easily forgotten in the mass of people. It was the best sensation. Being invisible in the open.

As she moved through the crowd occasionally she would let her hands move outward, touching those she passed, feeling them both physically and through the force, spreading her corruption among them as each one she managed to mentally contact, even if just for the briefest moment, she placed a seed of discontent. The feeling that something just was not quite right. Most would ignore the sensation, but others would go away feeling like they were missing something. A rare few would go so far as to find something to feel that void. Anything. When they did the Cult of the Dark Ascension would be waiting for them with open arms and hidden knives.

"Greetings monk. How goes the order of Korg?"

The voice stopped her dead. Turning, she looked at the unknown male that approached her, drink in hand, and looking like he had already had a few. He was very tall, forcing Alexia to look up into his face. The look of surprise on his face revealed that he had identified her gender, and he question it. "We have discovered new meaning to Korg's teachings and women are now allowed within the monastery. I have found Korg's way to be most enlightening. We have changed a great many things..." She spoke softly, her words just barely heard over the sound of the festival. Her eyes locked into his, her mind swirling around within his as she bore into his mind, finding that part that governed information processing and tweaked it, making him that much more susceptible to what she said.

"Korg has revealed a new mantra. Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion, I gain power. Through power I gain victory, and through victory my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free." She said, moving closer to the man, until she was pressing her body right up against his. Head lifted, her lips played right into his ear as her hands moved over his body, gently caressing his chest. His eyes had a almost glazed look to him. Simpleton. Could not even see through the fog she was projecting into his mind. As she went in to steal away this new disciple, a new voice called out from the crowd.

"Was that the Sith Code? I think I've heard of that."

Hissing under her breath, Alexia moved behind the now comatose victim and peeked around his bulky body into the crowd until she spotted the man who had spoken, and to her he seemed no different than the rest. Who was this man that he knew the code? It was archaic and old, and she never identified it as the 'sith code', so he as no disciple of hers or anyone they had influenced in the past. That meant trouble. He would have to be removed.

Checking her hood to make sure it still hid most of her face, she moved around her original victim, whom seemed to wake up from his stupor the moment she removed her hands from him, and she moved toward the speaker in the crowd instead. "I do not believe I have heard it called that before, stranger." She spoke out as she stalk toward the man, her body moving from hip to hip in what would have been a most appealing manner if she was not wearing such an ugly robe. "Korg has many teachings. He was a wise man, but I do not recall this sith you speak of." As she moved closer her hands came together, forming a bridge between the sleeves of the robe and allowing her access to her the lightsabre strapped to her forearm. "Are you familiar with the teachings of Korg?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei raised an eyebrow. He should have been more concerned that he had revealed too much: of course he shouldn't have mentioned the Sith right from the start. It was just that curiosity and disbelief eclipsed almost anything else.

"I'm not familiar with Korg at all," he said. Nothing left to do but tell the truth. "But I have an interest in this sort of thing, and what you said definitely sounded like the Code of the Sith. Unless Korg has Sith ties?"

Wei did his best to modulate his voice to convey more of an innocent interrogative tone, rather than one of scorn or accusation. Wei had always thought the Sith Code as a false promise. People who were covetous of their power seemed to spend their whole lives looking over their shoulders for enemies. With paranoia as a bedmate, they spent their whole lives living to hang on to the power they had, lest it be stolen by someone else in the same ill manner they acquired it. They weren't really free at all. Wei, of course, did not say any of this out loud.

Without the Force to warn him of danger, Wei mirrored her stance, placing his own hands in his rather large sleeves. His hand closed around the hilt of the lightsaber he kept clipped to his arm.

"I understand there are several diverse belief systems in Naboo. They intermingle. Ideas are exchanged. Teachings get passed from generation to generation like traveling whispers. Things get folded in that weren't part of the original set of creeds."

If Wei had to, he'd shred his sleeve to keep himself alive. If this woman was the Sith, or if the Sith was nearby, he was in danger until a lightsaber activated.

"Perhaps you and your fellow monks should do investigate Galactic History a little more closely. I realize the Empire has a strict control on what "Galactic History" is nowadays, but I'm fairly certain that even in the planet's local archives, you will find Korg's teachings most likely did not include that creed."

Wei smiled. "Sith slink in shadows like slimy snakes," he said. "It could be you don't even realize what's happened. They like to pull strings."

[Palara Iscandar]

"Inspector," Carron's voice broke through her thoughts, and the few onlookers gawking at her; Naboo was overwhelmingly human, despite its past as a very tolerant place. "We've found him."

He held up his commlink, and she was treated to an image, hazy but still clearly showing the man she knew as Wei moving quickly and blending in with a large group of people.

"Where was zis taken? And when?"

"One hour and five minutes ago, and sometime earlier (she raised a brow at this; Stormtroopers were not known for being vague about anything) he entered with a tour group into the Naboo palace, and broke off into the lower levels." Sergeant Carron turned off the hologram when Inquisitor Iscandar stopped looking. "After that the cameras lose him in the festival."

Iscandar nodded, her attention only slightly on her squad leader.

"We should walk," she said suddenly. Carron frowned.

"Walk, Inspector?"

"Yes," she answered. "...This way. There is something off in this direction."

Carron hesitated before following his commander into the crowds. Inquisitors were not supposed to be questioned, no matter how nonsensical they could be.

[Alexia Sturkov]

Who was this man. This man, who had her torn between so many emotional extremes that it forced her to freeze in place. Intrigue caused her to want to play this game with him, to let slip words and play tongues until either of them was satisfied enough with the exchange to part ways. Equally she felt rage. Incredible rage. He was toying with her. He knew things but would not outright say them. Instead he fluttered around using his words like wings to swoop back and forth. Never quite saying anything concrete, just observations without cause or reason. Together the two extremes canceled each other out, making her feel quite numb. She would rather one or the other and was prepared to deal with the repercussions of either. The latter would be more her style. She would dearly love to cut this man in half, but that would ruin this duel of words.

"Saint Korg was a former monk of the Jira Monastery. He reached full enlightenment and found the way of Saint Jira to be not the full truth and he started his own monastery. Saint Korg teaches self empowerment." She preached, moving closer to the man, ever so tempted to reach out and touch him. Her telepathy was so much stronger when she was in physical contact, but she resisted. That was going too fast. She needed to real him in, or rather get him to real her in. At least she was speaking the truth for the first time tonight. Korg did teach self empowerment, but not quite the sith variety. So easy to twist.

"Korg was a icon of steadfastness. His stoic determination made him one of the greatest Saints of all Naboo history, and he lived less than a hundred years ago. I am truly blessed to be as enlightened as he was. Korg refused to ever give up. Through power I gain victory. He used his position to promote personal freedoms and to encourage his followers to break free of their own oppressive nature. Through victory my chains are broken. Korg has set us all free."

She smiled. It was meant to be a pleasant thing but it caused the scars at the corner of her mouth to wrinkle up more and draw all the more attention to them. Reaching up, she pulled her hood back to reveal her red hair laced with black ribbon and her blue eyes; along with the deep shadows under her eyes. Thankfully most of the damage was hidden under her hair.

Now, just who was this man. He already had her mind racing. Was he with the Empire? That would be the most logical explanation for his behavior. Alexia had traded all the captives of her campaign against the Korriban Sith Order to the Empire for favor. There had been a plan once to court them into some kind of mutual agreement but negotiations never materialized. However she had thought her gifts would have kept them off her tail for longer than this. Was that who he was, the Inquisition here to clean up a loose end?

Pity she would have to kill him.

[Wei Wu Wei]

"There are more roads to self-improvement than that one. If Korg was as stoic and steadfast as you say, why did he not appropriate the Jedi Code instead? There is no emotion: there is peace. There is no ignorance: there is knowledge. There is no passion: there is serenity. There is no chaos: there is harmony. There is no death: there is the Force."

Wei returned her smile. "The first step to self-improvement (to me at least) involves a certain mastery of self. To control one's emotions and quiet one's passions allows a person to see himself for who he truly is. When his strengths and faults are laid plain, then he can truly become a better man."

How odd. It sounded like he needed to start taking his own advice.

That's when he saw her: Palara in the back of the milling crowd, heading towards him.

"If you really are dedicated to self-improvement, then throw out the Sith Code and find something better. Sith use fear, anger, and hate for the sake of gaining power, not making themselves better. And if you think the acquisition of power makes a person better, then look at those who run this Empire. Now, please direct me to the leader of your cult. The Sith Influence amongst your brethren must be excised."

[Alexia Sturkov]

What a little space scout. He spoke of control and passion but he had neither. Alexia's patience was running thin. Curiosity had taken a backseat now and she was done dealing with this man. She had spent weeks preparing for such a confrontation as as this when she had first stolen the monastery. Defending her twisted version of the Korgan Order was no longer fun and it was obvious this man was not going to budge on the subject of expression through passion versus the idiotic concept of self-control. And he was determined there was a cult here. He knew far more than he should.

Her smile returned to her face as she leaned in toward the man, her grin exaggerating the scars on his face again. For a man who was so observant he had completely missed the signs of darkside corruption right in front of him. But he was just a man. Easily dispatched.

"I'm right HERE!" She screamed, her lightsabre igniting and tearing through her robe sleeve as the golden blade lashed out at the man with every intent of cutting the man in half at the waist. There was no escape for him. He would die, she would disappear into the crowd. Everything would return to the way it was and Naboo would belong to her some day.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The sound of her lightsaber hit him like a wave. His connection to the Force re-established, Wei ruined his own shirt sleeve bringing his own weapon to bear.

Wei blocked Alexia's attack. The Force must have been with him. Of course now that he could see her face, Wei finally got to know what Dark Side corruption looked like. He had only heard of how Asaaj Ventriss had looked. Despite all his time working with Master Vos, he had never seen her in person.

"Was the power worth what happened to your face?"

Wei flipped over Alexia's head, slicing at her head.

[Alexia Sturkov]

"FOOL JEDI!" She screamed as she pulled her sabre to the side and attacked again, but the Jedi was gone, flipping over her head and behind her. She had no time to turn. She dove forward instead, hitting the ground hard with her arms sprayed out to avoid falling on her own sabre. A blademaster she was not and had not even had a sabre duel since before she died.

What was a Jedi doing here, on Naboo? It was the very last thing she wanted. Worst case scenario. She had no time to rise. He would catch her before she could. Rather, she frantically waved her free hand in the air and threw it down into the ground. The channeled force lifted her up off the ground and back on to her feet again. Turning around she faced her opponent, sabre drawn in a guarded position in front of her.

"You tell me!" She hissed as she balled her hand again and threw the seemingly empty fist at the Jedi, her fingers opening and spraying wide at the end of the arc as the gathered force energy exploded from her palm and toward the jedi in a push that caused the nearby banners and streamers to flap wildly.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei didn't believe in resisting a Force Push. Instead, the former Jedi relaxed, and let Alexia's attack push him backwards. He took the fall well, rolling from his left hip to his right shoulder. His feet gained purchase, and he leaped forward. Wei sailed through the air with his lightsaber blade held overhead. He slashed forward with his arms, tucked in his limbs, and began a high-speed somersault. He closed the distance quickly, crashing towards Alexia with the force of a mortar shell.

[Alexia Sturkov]

Again, there was no way she could stop him, so the best action was to not be where she was. So instead of raising her blade to fend off the attack that she knew would shatter her defense she opted instead to used the force to push herself backwards and out of the way of danger.

Her boots slid across the cobblestone street as the momentum carried her backwards until she finally came to a stop. Her lightsabre seems like a worthless thing in this confrontation she so deactivated it and clipped it to her wrist again. The force was her weapon, and she used it to throw another force push down the street at the Jedi to pause him while she grabbed a nearby game pavilion with the force and ripped it from the ground and send the entire ensemble flying towards the Jedi.

A storm of debris.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei's eyes grew wide for a moment as the shattered pavilion careened towards him. Without any other option, Wei shielded his face with his arms and squatted down to protect his vitals.

Wei performed a somersault, rolling through the debris and taking small cuts and bruises all over his body. He emerged from the somersault to make a lunging stab at Alexia's gut.

At the edge of his mind, Wei could sense the crowd around them growing. He couldn't quite hear over the sounds of battle, but it would appear the festival-goers were 'oohing' and 'aahing' at the darksider's Force abilities and the patterns Wei's lightsaber cut through the air.

Great. The Empire would be on his back soon. Worst of all, these people were in danger and they all thought Wei's fight with Alexia was part of the festivities.

"Give up!" Wei shouted.

[Palara Iscandar]

"It looks like a re-enactment!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, it looks like they had laser swords and everything!"

Iscandar didn't need much more to know where her quarry was.

"Quickly, return to ze ship, and bring ze squad. I will attempt to pacify and capture ze Jedi."

"Yes sir."

Iscandar took off at a run, ignoring the people she was shoving aside until the fight was visible, and she stood off to the side, all but ignored by the combatants.

She stepped forward and activated her lightsaber.

"By order of 'er Majesty ze Empress, with ze authority of ze Inquisitoriate, I command you both to stand down and face arrest. I am authorized to use force if necessary to secure your capture."

[Alexia Sturkov]

"Never!" She screamed in reply as once again she threw herself backwards to avoid the Jedi's lunge and thrust. A near miss as she blew herself backwards, using the shockwave to shake him as she launched herself away. Upon landing she prepared to destroy him, her hands stretched out beside her, ready to launch another vicious storm of energy to blast him off his feet this time, but instead her attention was grabbed by the sudden commanding from the sidelines. Alexia ignored it but it was difficult when another lightsabre ripped to life.

She stopped, her hands slowly falling to her side. This was bad. Very bad. While she believed she might be able to swing something with the Inquisitor, perhaps using her good record with the Empire for a lighter sentence, she very much doubted that they would be so forgiving. It was the last thing she wanted, and now she was trapped between a rock a hard place. On one hand she could easily run and escape, but abandoning her cult would not be optimal. She could fight and try to kill the Inquisitor and the Jedi, but that would undo everything she had accomplished with the Empire.

None of the options were in her favor. She had no clue what to do. With a cruel smile on her lips she decided to let the Jedi make the first move and then go from there.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei glanced over at Palara, then Alexia. Qui-Gon did say Form IV had trouble against multiple opponents, but he didn't think he'd find out about that so soon. There was only one thing for it: keep them divided, and make sure they couldn't both attack him at the same time.

Wei cartwheeled around Alexia so she stood between Palara and himself.

With no time to waste, Wei ramped up his speed and strength, offering several brutal spinning slashes to the Darksider. Head, body, legs, body head. Predictable,but Wei had to see how well Alexia could cope.

[Palara Iscandar]

Inquisitor Iscandar was beginning to understand why many Inquisitors simply dispensed with a call to arrest and attacked out of hand; no one ever listened to it anyway!

With closed eyes and an indrawn breath, Iscandar pushed out with her left hand and released a wave of kinetic energy from her hand, what she'd heard called a "Force Push". She followed behind the wave, running and igniting her lightsaber, she hoped to pass by the embroiled combatants and only remove their hands.

Inquisitor. Squad will reach your position in five minutes.

Iscandar settled her breathing and swung down at first Alexia, and then Wei's hands. If it worked, the fight would be over.

[Alexia Sturkov]

The Imperial was forgotten as Wei maneuvered around and behind her, forcing Alexia to turn to face him. She raised her hands, preparing further telekinetic powers to deal with him once more. Or would have, but she was struck from behind by force energy that was not her's, sending her sprawling to the ground off balance and surprised. Looking up quickly, she saw the Jedi closing in and from behind she could sense the Imperial coming just as quickly.

There was no time to think. Only to act.

Pulling all the telekinetic power she could muster, she released it all violently in all directions. The force wave ripped through the air, sending nearby objects flying away from her.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei had only begun to bring his weapon into line to block Palara's attack when he found himself flying through the air. Wei got up, shook his head, brushed the dirt and dust off his shoulders and out of his hair.

The former Jedi looked about the festival, and quickly realized something: Wei was standing on the wooden roof of some decorative pagoda.

"This is starting to get really really," he paused to release a gusty breath "old."

Wei could see his fighter from here. He wanted to run. All the confusion was perfect for a good clean getaway. But he did promise Qui-Gon.

"Fine."

Wei stood above it all. He took in the entire situation and decided to face his circumstances with settled determination. There was no going home until it was all finished. He singled out Palara where she landed. Wei repeated his prior leaping mortar shell attack on the Inquisitor. Perhaps if he could take her out of the fight, he could quickly follow through and defeat Alexia.

[Palara Iscandar]

Iscandar landed adroitly, but needed a moment to right herself; it cost her, as Wei's attack nearly bowled her over, as unprepared for it as she was.

She spun out of the way of the devastating downward slash, but Wei's lightsaber continued on another deadly arc through the air toward her. She hastily mounted a defence, but the power of the attack staggered her and caused her to take several steps back, feverishly attempting to regain her equilibrium and the initiative from this frustrating situation.

"Hah!" she shouted, pushing at Wei quickly and somersaulting out of the zone of death directly in front of him, spinning and facing the unknown Adept; likely a Dark Adept, if she had to guess.

She firmed her stance and cast a quick glance back at Wei, realizing she was stuck between the Jedi and the Dark Adept; both of whom seemed to be highly trained. She was once again forced to play a waiting game until her squad of troopers arrived.

Only with this game, she was outmatched, and losing meant death.

[Alexia Sturkov]

As the storm dissipated, Alexia pulled her hands from over her head and looked out on the world. The Jedi hurtled overhead, and she tensed for the end, but instead he flew on and a look over her shoulder saw him clashing with the Imperial Agent. Seeing an opportunity, Alexia dragged herself to her feet. Initially crawling from her fallen position until she could pull herself on her feet.

By the stars, she was exhausted. Out of shape and practice, this fight had already cost her everything. Her considerable power was more than enough for those not of the force and would have suffice against just the Jedi, but fighting two at once was more than she was capable of. And she knew it now all too well. There was just one option. Retreat.

Moving away from the other two combatants she felt she had almost made it away without notice before a shout from behind caused her to look over her shoulder to see the Imperial had re-positioned herself between Alexia and the Jedi. She was still in this confrontation, but that only meant that she would continue to back out of it. She was not going to surrender. Not this time.

With her hands raised up and ready to cast another spell, her feet backed her up one step at a time, pulling her nearer and nearer to the closest building.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei looked over Palara's shoulder and noticed Alexia trying to run away. His eyes narrowed. He couldn't leap over Palara and reach Alexia too: The first time Wei performed his locomotive jump, it had been a long one, not a high one. The second time Wei had a height advantage from the pagoda. Perhaps he had chosen the wrong target for his renewed assault.

Wei advanced on Palara, spinning and slashing at her while he sidestepped around.

When he made it around the Inquistor, he began to backflip towards the Darksider. Palara and Alexia exchanged places in his vision: The former right side-up, the latter upside-down. The former Jedi closed with Alexia after a few rotations. He moonsaulted overhead, keeping his saber held up to protect his head as he jumped over her. On the other side, he feinted with the saber and followed up with a sort of shoving kick with the hope of putting Alexia more in harm's way.

"Don't run," Wei said, sounding uncharacteristically snide. "I thought a Sith's fear was supposed to be strength, not a jelly-legged motivation to run like a rabbit."

[Alexia Sturkov]

There was a whirl overhead, and she tried to outrun whatever was moving over her, but the Jedi landed in front of her all the same. She raised her hand, ready to blast him away, but he was ready, and a kick send Alexia backwards and on to her back. Rising into a sitting position, she looked up at the Jedi. The exhaustion showing clearly on her cracked face.

"There is no victory in defeat. Even Korg teaches that much." She hissed through clenched teeth, her face conforming from a mask of exhaustion into a visage of rage. There was no time to think. Only time to do. Her lightsabre flew from her wrist again, blade igniting in midair as it sailed straight at the Jedi. But it was just a distraction, a trivial attack to stop him from finishing her off before she could lift herself up on one hand while the other pointed at his knees, blasting him right in the legs with yet another force push.

She spun on her buttocks and turned her hand at the approaching Imperial, throwing another blast at her to keep her at bay. Alexia was running out of energy. Only the darkside and her own hate for these two was continuing to power her.

[Ben Merasska]

WHY? Everytime I go to supposedly one of the most peaceful planets in the galaxy, and there's still people trying to kill each other with laser swords and blasters! I'm out. Tell the Naboo tourist board I ain't giving a good recommendation either.

DELETE PLEASE

[Palara Iscandar]

Inquisitor Iscandar wasn't caught off guard, but she had committed herself to a full sprint at Wei, and couldn't shift her moment in time; Alexia's push caught her full on and threw her into a stall.

That proved to be a momentary obstacle, as the Imperial stood and shook off the debris clinging to her. With an expression of determination, she performed her own running jump on Wei, seeing that the other was attempting to retreat.

At the apex of her leap she somersaulted and used the momentum to unleash a much strengthened downward slash onto the Jedi, and whirled around him.

She didn't have time to check her wrist chrono, nor did she have the breath to spare on contacting them to ask, but she hoped her squad arrived soon.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei shifted, knocked away the lightsaber, and allowed the force of Alexia's telekinesis to give him momentum. He cut at her. Then Palara showed up.

The Force Cripple pancaked to the ground to avoid the Inquisitor. When Palara whirled, Wei spun up onto his feet. Wei followed Palara around in face-off mode. This was endless, and something needed to give.

Then the stormtroopers showed up. Wei groaned. He was tiring out. He needed to leave. The stormtroopers would handle Alexia. He just needed to get to R4 and his starfighter.

"R4, let's go. It's time to leave."

Wei performed a gigantic backwards leap towards his escape craft.

[Alexia Sturkov]

She had nothing left to give, and could only watch the Inquisitor launch herself at the Jedi, and the Jedi leap away. She wanted to do something. Drag the Jedi down with her in the least, but she was exhausted. Her entire body was soaked from perspiration and her hair was sticking to her face. All she could do was curl her legs up underneath her and wait for the end.

[Palara Iscandar]

"Surround ze woman, bind 'er, and bring ze ship!" Inquisitor Iscandar shouted, watching Wei make his way to his ship. She took a deep breath and leapt for the starfighter, landing and wheeling her arms to keep her balance.

Taking the most stable stance she could, she brought her lightsaber down to disable ship and cut off her long-time foe's method of escape.

"Surrender!" she called above the growing wind. "Let us end zis destructive conflict!"

[Wei Wu Wei]

R4 howled when Palara's lightsaber started to scar the hull of the craft. Wei grabbed Palara by the back of her shirt and tossed her back. Wei could feel himself growing angry.

"You talk about ending destructive conflict, but you try to destroy my spaceship? If I get to choose to end a conflict, then give me a choice to make! Don't expect me to get penned in like a bantha and roll over whenever you snap your fingers! Coercion doesn't create peace! If it did, your Empire wouldn't have to fight a full-blown rebellion!"

[Alexia Sturkov]

Alexia wished she could say this was the first time she had been surrounded by Imperial troops, but that would be a lie. In a past life she had met her end in a setting similar to this. It was a bitter reality to face that situation twice. However, this time she was forced to the ground and her hands locked in stuncuffs. It was a much more agreeable outcome than being blasted into oblivion. She still fought back, but what energy she had was spent and she could barely rock herself against her captors much less put up any kind of fight.

The sense of helplessness was overpowering. In the distance she could just barely make out of the blurry shapes of the Jedi and Inquisitor fighting atop a starfighter. Such a little thing had gotten her in this mess. She could have just passed by, let the Jedi go without harm, and still be able to count freedom among the privileges she controlled. Instead she was bound for an unknown fate at the hands of an organization that was not exactly prided for it's caring hands.

[Palara Iscandar]

Iscandar could feel the truth in Wei's words; she hated that. It was so maddening to feel the truth in the Inquisition and the truth in this enemy of the Inquisition both at the same time, it confused and disoriented her. She hated feeling as if she didn't know what she was existing in relation to, like a planet spinning in nothing.

She retained her physical balance quickly, and brought her lightsaber down once more, pointing it at him while the winds around them picked up.

"Any way I can, I will fulfil my mandate, Jedi," she called over the engines and wind. "Surrender!"


--------------------------------


"Come on!" one of the black armoured Inquisitorial troopers said distinguishable only by the black and red pauldron on one shoulder, gesturing to the others. Above them a large black ship hovered and landed in the now empty plaza, and a ramp opened.

"Get the prisoner into the one of the cells," the black pauldroned Trooper ordered, his helmeted visor turned toward the vanishing Inquisitor and Jedi. "We have to keep up with the Inquisitor. Load up and I'll order the pilot to bring us up alongside the fighter."

[Wei Wu Wei]

"I won't give ground to you. The more you try to dam me up, the more I will flow around you."

The former Jedi looked at R4. "Go now!"

The little droid goosed the thrusters. Wei leapt for the cockpit. As he arced towards the opening canopy, the Force Cripple turned and swung a parting cut at Palara's face.

Wei hit the top of the ship next to the cockpit. He rolled into the pilot's seat, strapped himself in, and prepared for the wobbliest atmospheric exit he had experienced in a long while. "She hit the port stabilizer, didn't she?"

Yes.

"Can we fix it?"

Yes.

"That's good."

You've been drinking.

"What? I don't--"

You've been drinking. Readings in the cockpit indicated ethyl alcohol, where there was none before. You've been drinking.

"So I had one beer."

You promised to have none.

"What?"

You made a promise not to drink. You broke your promise to me.

Wei could feel his irritation at this droid that was judging him. How would a droid understand the kind of stress Wei was going through? How could this droid understand the pain of loss Wei felt?

Suddenly, reflected in the little droid's photosensor, Wei could see his face. His angry face. Wei sat back in the seat like Alexia had Force-pushed him into it. The breath left him, and he could smell the alcohol. Cheap beer might have been nice, but now Wei could smell it on his breath and in his clothes. He could sense the aftertaste in the back of his mouth. He felt disgusting. In a way, he was.

For the first time since Wei had picked up a bottle of booze to numb his broken heart, Wei Wu Wei felt ashamed.

[Alexia Sturkov]

The hands grabbed at her again, and she pushed against them for a moment before she was lifted off the ground and dragged through the air to the waiting shuttle. She said nothing. There was nothing worth saying. She could have sworn vengeance and death upon them, but such a promise felt so empty from this position. Resisting was not going to help her in any way. Not now. At best she could hope to negotiate with them, and that was a hard position to take with a blaster hole in your chest.

They pulled her into the ship and tossed her into a cell and locked it behind her. Ha. This structure would never hold her if she had any strength left. The force could tear a hole right through this construct. They were just lucky that the Jedi had been there to wear her down. Her strength would return, in time, and then she would renegotiate this situation.

[Palara Iscandar]

She watched the Jedi fly off through the atmosphere, a look of frustration on her face. She was enjoying her meetings with Wei Wu Wei less and less as time went on.

She turned and jumped down to the ground; the Inquisitorial troopers, as if sensing her mood and the turn the conflict had taken, stopped and stood at attention as she came up to the corvette.

"Ze Jedi 'as escaped," she said shortly. "Prepare ze ship for launch. 'is ship is damaged; 'e cannot travel too far. We shall follow."

The Trooper saluted.

"We have the other adept incarcerated within the ship, Inquisitor," the Inquisitorial sergeant said. Iscandar frowned, suddenly remembering the other combatant.

She strode up the loading ramp and into the ship, stopping in front of the cell. She paused, before gesturing to the two troopers at her side. The door slid open, and they entered, with the Inquisitor a step behind.

She regarded the adept for a moment, and finally broke the silence in the cell.

"Bind 'er to ze wall," she commanded. The troopers pulled the woman back to the wall, where four shackles abruptly popped out and opened. Both her arms and legs were placed within the shackles, which sealed with a hiss of hydraulics.

"Go. Tell ze pilot we are transporting a prisoner to ze Citadel," she said, keeping her eyes on the adept, her face still studiously blank.

[Alexia Sturkov]

All thoughts of escape went straight out the airlock as the troopers doubled back in and this time secured her to the wall with shackles more solid than she was capable of breaking easily; even at full strength. They even went as far as to bind her legs, and with each closing clasp and each clicking lock her hope for freedom diminished.

All she could do was glare back at the Inquisitor.

[Palara Iscandar]

"No words?" the Twilek asked, her brows raised slightly, before her expression became impassive once more.

"Very well zen," the Inquisitor said, walking up to the door and leaving. A moment after it closed, the shackles detached from the wall, dropping Alexia to the floor, manacled limbs first. The ship shuddered slightly before the inertial dampeners compensated and smoothed out the exit from the planet, and the system, and after some time, even reality itself; all in order to reach their destination:

Imperial Centre.