Requiem: Unjustifiable Deeds

[Jace Darklighter]

The Jedi Knight gazed into innocent eyes, incapable of any hostility or malfeasance. The baby boy didn't bother to cry, it simply stared into an empty oblivion. It was beyond emotion, for it stared death in its face. The weeping mother spoke quickly in her dialect, wiping tears from her eyes and placing diseased hands on her child's forehead. She was dying too; they all were. The crowd moved closer, begging the Jedi to help them with shouts of frightened alarm and melancholy.

Jace surveyed his surroundings with a stern eye, feeling his stomach turn as he watched the living slowly vanquish to nonexistence. Their homes, towns and cities were all in rubble. Havoc was expansively abroad, brought upon by those corrupt forces who endorsed darkness. It was a bitter defeat for those who were innocent. The Jedi Knight had arrived too late, only to hear the cries of the dead. This society of people, like so many others, was left forsaken due to their neglect of military supplies and armies. They were a peaceful group, and as such, had no need for any means of defense. Exploring the stars in a spacecraft was a mere dream for them; such means of technology had not been introduced to this civilization.

That made no difference to the thieves who plagued this world with destruction, taking what they needed and ridding their earth of all their nutrients, priceless metals and ores. Jace knew all too well who did this. Reports as these oppressed the mainframe data processors of the Greater Jedi Order almost to an overload. The empires of hate, fear, and aggression were rising.

He had to help these people. But it was too late, the child was already dead in his arms. And so was this world. The mental strain was too great, the Force bubble created a limited amount of protection in only a close range. Radiation rained down on the planet in ash and there were so many others who could not cram into Jace's sphere of aid. The Jedi watched them slowly die, right in front of him. The mother of the child who died fell to the earth, crying and shaking uncontrollably. It was a nightmare - a reoccurring nightmare that was too frequent to deal with. The mother only whispered one reply to Jace in her native language. With the Force as his guide, he was able to translate. She had said, "Why couldn't you have saved my baby..."

* * * * *
A single X-Wing accelerated into the atmosphere and prepared its landing sequence. Jace grabbed his helmet and sharply twisted it off from his head. He leapt out from his ship and landed onto the battleground's surface. The Jedi's hand gripped his lightsaber with an iron grasp, jerking it from his belt and igniting it to bear forth its glowing emerald blade, sputtering and ending with a snap-hiss. He raised his weapon up high, speaking to all those who were close enough to hear and into a comlink, on a frequency that he knew all would be listening to across the galaxies.

"I have seen enough! Prepare for your annihilation, Sith! Your reign of devastation has gone on too long. Now, as a Jedi, I command you to come and face me! No longer will the Jedi's hand be stayed. You've had your chance to change and mend your ways, but you refused. Now you will face dire consequences. Justice will not be met until your blood has been spilt to the earth, unless you give up your sinister ways and swear an pledge of peace."

The Jedi Knight's voice lowered to an undertone of disgust. "Admit your crime, if you dare…"

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth stood quietly over the body of a midle aged man, watching as he let out his last breath. No, he wasn't a Sith at heart, but all his time spent studying among them had indeed given him a less than hospitable temper. It was just as well that most thought him to in fact, be a Sith, for it only made his job of masquerading all that much easier.

"Your interferance here will not be tolerated."

Leaving the bleeding body behind, Jeseth casually walked over to Jace's X-Wing, placing a hand on it's long pointed foward snout, and resting another on his own saber.

"I think it's time you packed your things and headed home."

Thunder struck above them, the skys rapidly growing darker and gray. Rain was coming soon.

[Jace Darklighter]

Lightning clamored from the skies and roared in opposition to the once peaceful nature of the weather; now growing steadily worse by the quick transition of the elements. The Jedi glared at Jeseth, unable to subdue his virulent scowl of repugnance. "Dark Jedi scum." Jace lifted his weapon, directing the tip of the blade towards Jeseth's vicinity. "Have you come to offer your life for this purge against the virtuous?"

The Jedi Knight advanced towards the Dark Jedi, regulating his lightsaber to a firm control. "Last chance. Proclaim an oath of peace or fall by my hand."

[Darth Turbogeek]

He was staring up in the sky, facinated. Since he had come into existance, everything was new and fresh, it fed on his curiousity. Everything he toched was a new thing learned, every day was something he faced with wonder. He had seen rain, but only the rain of Vjun, which hurt the eyes and smelled odd. His total life was presicely 10 days since the release from the cloning tank and what a time he was having. The only thing that could cloud his existance was all these odd flashes that came to his mind. It seemed like there was something hiding in him, poking and prodding. Usually he dismissedit, except when one of those odd flashes - memory Jeseth called it - came to the surface and clicked with a situation.

Nothing was coming through for the swirling things above his head, nor the incredible flashes of light and the huge booms. He would have to ask Jeseth.

A foot crunched on a dead body. Not in the slightest concerned, he looked down, seeing the red stuff.... and other stuff. Didnt look human... well sorta did. Just all these odd things coming out. Grey things. Smelt bad. He bent down and stroked it, feeling the grey things, texture. He stood, licked a finger and then spat out the horrid taste. Ewww! What was that?!?!

He looked up and was about to ask Master Jeseth, when he spied something odd..... a ..... ship? of some sort? And a person there. Jeseth seemed to be displeased. Oddly, the newcomer seemed to be a hint of light in this thing Jeseth called the Force. Master Jeseth had attempted to explain this feelings and shades he sensed, but frankly, right now there was too many new things to examine to be concerned in this strange thing he couldnt touch. But still.... just about all beings were neutral in shade. The .... what was the words.... Dark Jedi? That Jeseth introduced him to on Vjun were dark. This human was the first to be light.

Odd. He would have to ask straight away.

"Master Jeseth, human colour is odd. Why is that?"

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth turned to DT, then glanced at Jace.

"Allow you to introduce you to my apprentice, Darth Turbogeek."

The Dark Jedi walked closer to Jace, settling to a hault within another five feet of the man, then answered DT's question.

"His aura is umblemished, for he has yet to learn the true nature of the Force. Through experience and time does your aura change, and even those with such clean slates will grow to realize the truth in time - It's only a matter of much. You will begin on the propper path, and your power will grow more quickly than this supposed 'Jedi' Knight's."

Jeseth unclipped his saber, holding it parralel to himself in anticipation of some attack, his thumb over the activation switch.

[Jace Darklighter]

Jace's look of animosity faded and morphed to an expression of complete astonishment. He drew two steps back, dismayed by the startling vision. The Jedi's skin flushed and rid itself of all color, leaving his face with a whitish tint. It was impossible. Dare he believe his eyes? He squeezed his eyes shut and slowly reopened them. The extraordinary sight was still there. Jace composed himself by reciting a few Jedi philosophies, followed by a link of contact to the Force. Was this some Dark Jedi trick? He was about to find out. Placing his right hand out, he extended it into the air to act as an service to help keep the connection strong with the Force. After a few moments, Jace's arm descended to rest at his sides. It was indeed his master.

The Jedi Knight held his breath, careful not to let the vision somehow vanish. A few steps forward were taken. His master looked identical to how Jace remembered him.

"…Turbogeek?"

[Darth Turbogeek]

:; He was mildy puzzled. DT's memory was 100% perfect and in the 15 days he had been alive, he could not recall meeting this oddly light tinged person. Yet, by his reaction, he clearly knew Turbogeek. Dt placed his hands behind his back and stepped two steps to the side to examine this being. There was something about this person, somethig quite different to the Dark Jedi. Maybe this person could identify people using this Force? was this even possible? His nature overrode his caution.

"Hi. Jeseth calls me Turbogeek, but I dont quite understand what that means. It must be good because everyone seems to think it is. How come you dont learn how to be coloured dark like Jeseth?"

Turbogeek gave the other a grin, before getting distracted by a particularly vicious light flash. What was that? For some reason Turbogeek felt at home with the strange clouds and rain, plus the odd flashes. His mind seemed to reach out, wondering what it all was about.

[Jeseth Cloak]

As Jace distracted himself by approaching Tubogeek, Jeseth kicked him in the side without warning, the full impact of the Force-enhanced blow sending him tumbling violently to the ground, a sharp pain manifesting within his abdomen.

"Don't concern yourself too much with his kind, Turbogeek. He's simply mistaking you for... - I shall properly explain all of it to you once we return to Vjun."

<a href=http://www.method.org/sith/mm/lightsaber1.wav>Activating</a> Ascension, Jeseth smiled playfully at the Jedi, awaiting his attack.

"Now watch carefully, my apprentice. Every experience is a valuable tool of learning..."

[Darth Turbogeek]

:: Jeseth's words didnt really strike home as Turbogeek was still too facinated by the storm in the sky. In his mind he pictured a bolt of light crashing to the ground at his feet, wind control on his fingers....

The activation of the sabre snapped his attention and he stared at the glowing blade. He had seen the device before, never really understood what it was or what it was for.... now to see it alive, to see it colour... to hear its hum... what was it?

A memory drifted by. This is a lightsabre said a female voice, strong and firm. A hand reached out, took it, looked. Felt it.

One of those fleeting mental images again, but this one actually told him something useful! A lightsabre! Now what was it for?

He squatted and stared intently, keen to find out.

[Jace Darklighter]

The Jedi grunted as he knelt, clutching his sides with an agonizing ache. With a lopsided sneer, his head lifted only to see a approaching blade. Immediately, Jace tucked his head in. Ascension pass by over his skull by mere inches. Jeseth approached, directing his saber-blade nearer to the Jedi Knight's throat. Jace hastily moved backward, pushing off from the ground with the aid of his feet and the guidance of his elbows. Nevertheless, the Dark Jedi steadily moved forward, a grim smile creeping across his face while doing so.

Jace risked a glance towards Turbogeek, but he seemed intent on studying something. Earlier, DT didn't seem to recognize him. How could that be possible? The question erased from his mind by a sudden strike from Jeseth. The Dark Jedi's blade jabbed forward at Jace's chest. With the Force as his ally, Jace quickly reached for his lightsaber, ignited it, and braced it against Jeseth's blade. The Jedi used his other hand to create a fist, knocking it forward at Jeseth's head but the Dark Jedi dodged it be rotating his head to the side.

Frustrated, Jace concentrated and delivered a Force push instead. The Jedi Knight flipped up to his feet and turned towards Turbogeek. "Master DT, what are you doing?! It's me, Jace Darklighter! Let's take this Dark Jedi down together."

With his focus solely on Turbogeek, he never noticed Jeseth's quick recovery and attack. A sharp pain brushed up against his arm, but with quick reflexes, the Jedi took a long sidestep to avoid any other injury. It was a decent sized wound, one that would probably leave a scar. Keeping his eyes locked on Jeseth, he dared not take them off of his opponent again.

[Jeseth Cloak]

The crackle of their blades continued to permeate the air, drowning out much of what Jace was attempting to yell out to DT. Jeseth spit and wiped his mouth against the sleeve of his coat, his eyes keeping intently fixed on the Jedi of the Light.

"Leave my student be."

Sliding his blue blade closer, and bringing his leg around carefully to impact into Jace's side, Jeseth did something totally unexpected; In a move almost too difficult to describe, The Dark Jedi pushed away Jace's saber momentarily, crouching down as if to execute a roundhouse kick, and used the moment to complete a crescent-like flip over Jace's head, just narrowly avoiding the hot blade of the already returning saber.

Air made way noisely for a black-gloved hand as it approached Jace's skull, but a thud sounded out as the intended target managed to block the attack. Jeseth sneered and yanked his hand away as the enemies blade once again came within only inches of his body, almost taking his hand with it. This time, though, it did connect: Smoke rose up quickly as Jeseth growled internally, pulled back a few inches and gritting his teeth. The Jedi had managed to slice through a small portion of his shoulder...

The humms were growing painfully louder as the two opponents pressed their streams of plasma together once again, Jeseth summonging forth his aggression carefully, indulging in it to feel out the possibilities of the moment. Jace seemed to be finally finding a calm balance, as well.

(ooc) Sorry if this sounds weird... No sleep in 48hours can do that to you. -_-

[Darth Turbogeek]

:: He watched, mesmeried by sweeping sabres, barely heard the person with the light tinge exclaimation and questioning him. Turbogeek plain didnt understand. He certainly had never met this person before, yet he clearly did know Turbogeek. Odd...?

He felt his fingers twitch, his mind seemed to go somewhere else. He saw the sabre's cut and weave, saw the enhanced speed and the acrobatics. Could a human really do all this? He was unaware anyone could move like Jeseth was now. How?

A image flash came to his mind.it showed the two combatants, with him seated on a rock as the rain poured. He sensed something was about to happen and the image slowed, then froze as a bolt of light hit the ground just a meter away from the light person's back.... and echoing blast of sound...

He looked up, expectant. Hoping the light would do as the image portrayed. There was a knowing, a certainty. He reached up palm up and sat down on a rock.... suddenly he felt all tingly....

A huge bolt of light arced, turning the clouds white. He looked at the very place where the light person was....::

The energy arced, spat. The huge lightning blast ripped down from the coulds smashing down precisely in the place the clone saw it happen, one meter from the Jedi. The air shock exploded as the area pooled the huge wave of energy.

:: Dazzled, he rolled backwards, hit by the sound wave, came to a stop whooping in excitement. Exactly like the image said!!! That was awesome!::

[Jace Darklighter]

The Jedi plummeted through the air, sliding to a stop by jerky rolls and twists until he finally settled in the dirt, face down. The lightning bolt's bellowing crack split the ground in a noxious cloud of ash, leaving a painful ringing in Jace's ears. He slowly sat up. The Jedi Knight's tunic was scorched with curls of smoke leaving a burnt aftertaste in his mouth. Across the field he could see DT, Jedi Master of the Greater Jedi Order, shouting with excitement. It was if the scene had brought enjoyment to his eyes. Wincing as he came to his feet, he quickly scanned the perimeter for Jeseth. Had the blast knocked him away too?

There was no sign of him. Picking up his lightsaber, Jace started walking towards Turbogeek. He had barely made it five meters until Jeseth came running out of a hidden thicket, saber raised high and poised to strike. Jace turned sharply at his waist, scarcely missing the horizontal slash at his stomach. His thumb mashed against the ignition activation switch, allowing the familiar green saber-blade to bloom in a fleeting moment. Ducking down low, the Jedi swiped the saber at Jeseth's legs, but the Dark Jedi suddenly reacted by a reflexive jump, leaping over the Jedi's head and landing behind him. Pivoting on his heel, Jace turned and knocked his weapon against Jeseth's lightsaber. The two blades held for a moment, before they relinquished their hold and struck again.

Jace responded with a feint to his left but then quickly circled the blade towards a high slash, evened for Jeseth's head. The Dark Jedi bent at his knees, giving the weapon time to pass harmlessly over his shoulder. Taking one giant step back, Jace snapped his lightsaber in all directions as Jeseth moved towards the offensive side, causing the Jedi to take the defensive position. The lightsabers sizzled and cracked as each blow was deflected in some way, at times locking for a few moments.

I can't keep this up. With my full concentration on Jeseth, how can I keep away from Turbogeek's assaults? If this once Jedi Master was indeed bent on destroying me, how can I fight them both? Jace analyzed. Each force user grunted as the blades locked, using their brute strength and their Force knowledge to hold one another off. The Jedi Knight bit out a question through his clenched teeth. "What have you done to Turbogeek…"

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth held Jace's blade for a few moments, allowing the hum to die away long enough for words to become audiable without the aid of the Force.

"I've done nothing to Turbogeek, except free him. He is my student, and not the same man you once knew. Now..."

The blades crashed loudly one again, sparks igniting in the air falling to the floor lifeless.

"..leave.."

Another clash of sabers, this time the blow aimed slightly lower and at the Jedi's left shoulder shoulder, Jeseth now fighting for the center, keeping his ground as Jace was forced to confine his attacks to a smaller and smaller radius as a result.

"..my.."

A rattlesnake like his sounded out as the beams collided, then slid along one another rapidly, blue and green light blending violently.

"..student.."

Jeseth's elbow connected against Jace's jaw, knocking him away from the center.

"alone!"

The Jedi swept along the floor with his saber, aiming for the Dark Jedi's ankles, but Jeseth had already brought his blade down into the ground, deflecting the blow before cartwheeling to the right of it, deflecting another in coming attack by just centimeters. Lightsabers had never been Jeseth's most favoured weapon, but he luckily knew enough to get him through most of the fights he had been in relatively unscathed. The green blade suddenly swept up, a risky and dangerous move on Jace's part, but it had caught Jeseth off guard through it's sheer speed. The Dark Jedi tried to pull back, but it was too light: The beam connected with his wrist, searing away all of the top of his hand, exposing the artificial tendons and motors within.

Jeseth grunted painfully, deflecting the saber from his immidiate area and extending his other hand foward just slightly, keeping it within range of his own blade should the need come to protect it. Lightening of a different kind begin to crackle and take form, it's blue light blending perfectly with the blue blade of the Dark Jedi's saber. The tendrils clung in place for a moment, arching like vipers in preparation of a strike...

[Jace Darklighter]

"Liar!"

Hypnosis must have been in order here, no other exegesis produced any other rationality to this. Although highly doubtful, the Dark Jedi must have Turbogeek under some inducement of the mind. A correlating of animating energy clung to Jeseth's hand like a pet would to its master, geared to strike. The Jedi Knight prepared his own mental status; it was the only way to find solutions to this unexplained phenomenon.

Jeseth, equipped to engage in combat, released his power in cords of caliginous energy, untamed by the nature of its director. Before the oppressing assault could meet its intended target, Jace drove into Jeseth's mind. The search began with the cortical regions. The Jedi called upon his Force proficiency to gain information, any knowledge available. The inspection drifted to the auditory associative cortex and deep temporal lobe for his short-term memory, followed by an examination of a longer lasting memory recall to his medial temporal lobe and midbrain. Suddenly, the Jedi hit a brick wall, driving a sharp ache to his own brain.

Jace slowly backed away. He gained no answers from Jeseth, only pain. Mind acculturation was apparently the Dark Jedi's strong point. Now dazed, Jeseth saw his opportunity to attack again. Releasing the dark energy from his grasp, it hurdled onto Jace's body. The Jedi fell to the floor, yelling as the power held him captive. His Jedi weapon twisted across the ground to lay several meters away. Where Jace lacked in the area of the mind, he called upon his own strength in telekinesis. The lightsaber twitched and then flew through the air into the Jedi's outstretched hand. The saber-blade came to life and acted as an armor against the irate dark energy.

The Jedi slowly got to his feet, holding the blade outward so that it collected the energy and discharged it. With his right hand against his head, it seemed to help push the ache of discomfort away. His arm moved left and right, absorbing the blasts. Frowning, the Jedi let go of his lightsaber and let it hover in the air. Jace jerked his hand to the left, moving the blade through the air, spinning and turning. Continually moving away from Jeseth's proximity of attack range, his hand gestured again at the blade, causing it to go for a rotating slash towards Jeseth's body…

[Jeseth Cloak]

The smell of burnt flesh tinged the air slightly, Jace's forearm receiving a deep and painful cauterized gash from Ascensions glowing blade. Jeseth pulled away from the Jedi, glancing down and watching smoke and blood exude from the wound across his chest. So Jace hadn't missed, after all.

Hmm.

Stepping back a few more feet, neglecting the pain in his chest, Jeseth moved close to Jace's ship, a sneering grin etched upon his features. The Jedi moved forward, Jeseth feigning critical injury the whole way. Seating himself just below the X-Wing, he looked up at the approaching opponent, Ascension angled to protect him from any further damage. Suddenly, Jace felt a hint of compassion for the seemingly dying man, almost... pity.

"Please... spare me... Just <font color=red>put down your weapon</font> and let me walk out of her alive..." The Dark Jedi seemed to strain to push forth every word, moving himself further beneath the ship.

[Jace Darklighter]

Lowering his weapon, he felt as if he was unmindful of something significant. Jace switched his saber off and looked towards the sky. He couldn't quite place his feeling of insistence that something was awry. "Life is too important to allow it to succumb to nonexistence."

The Jedi Knight kept backing away, unable to discern his mind. His thoughts kept wandering. Suddenly, his vision blurred. Jace lowered to his right knee and placed his hand against his skull. "What's going on…?" he muttered to himself.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth mind reached out with blazing speed, searching, searching, searching... around the seat of the X-Wing's cockpit, over the switches located on the arm rest, over the throttle, around the switches, and then finally reaching the ignition sequence. With a shrill cry, the X-Wing's engine's roared to life, The Dark Jedi rolling away from beneath the ship and driving his saber up into it's coolant system and slashing it across the left wing. A thick white mist shot out, quickly engulfing all those within the area, making it difficult to discern anything but the bright glowing hum of the lightsabers within.

Jace regained his senses slowly, looking up to a hear a blazing blue fire roaring toward's him from above the smoke, Jeseth's dark winged form completing a forward summersault from the X-Wing's protective shadow. Now they would be left to use other senses besides their physical sight. A crackle erupting once more, Jace bringing his weapon up in time, slowly recovering from the mental disorientation. The degree of mind control which Jeseth had inflicted had been anything but easy... The Jedi had been trained well - but trained in the art of the blind.

Another snap, sparks flying.

"Your master was right to finally find his way from the light. He must have been waiting for a second chance."

As the Jedi took in the words, not fully grasping what Jeseth might have meant, his saber was wrought from his hands, tossed off into the smoke. A quick <a href=http://www.method.org/sith/mm/lightsaber2.wav>hiss</a> indicated that it now lay dormant, and in wait. Jeseth sliced forward, hoping to the deliver a final strike, but his saber met with nothing but thick, white frost.

Blasted!

Standing amidst the 7 meter cloud of coolant, watching it's perimeter continued to expand, Jeseth reached out with his mind, feeling for the Jedi's whereabouts carefully, his mind focused on there "here" and "now."

[Jace Darklighter]

He had lost his weapon due to a neglect to keep focused. Jace cursed himself under his breath for allowing such an event to occur. A Jedi Knight must have an imperishable coalition with the Force, to deviate from that path would result in chaos. Without reliance on his sight, he listened to his senses. Jeseth was nearby. The Jedi could sense Jeseth's dark intents, his strength in the Force, even his heartbeat. It was a matter of seeking out, finding the target and then disabling him.

The Dark Jedi's weapon created a hum, and with that, it gave his position away. Bolting out of a vapor of mist, Jace's fist rammed into Jeseth's jaw. It was an unnatural move for a Jedi, still, it delivered the goal he wanted.

Wrapping his hand around Jeseth's lightsaber hilt, he tried tearing the weapon from the Dark Jedi's hold. Jeseth, however, kept his grip tight, unrelenting on allowing his weapon to fall from his hands. The two components struggled, swinging the saber-blade at odd angles, striking rocks and miscellaneous objects. The Dark Jedi twisted to the side and elbowed Jace in the gut, causing him to double over. The Jedi Knight spewed blood as a metallic hilt knocked against his face. He collapsed on the ground.

Jeseth could see Jace's face clearly now: it was an expression of suffering. It was time to finish the Jedi off. Unknown to Jeseth, Jace felt a protruding object poking at his back. The object seemed something he was accustomed to know and suddenly, he knew. Raising his saber high, Jeseth brought the blade downward at an accelerated speed. Instead of meeting flesh and blood though, it met against another lightsaber.

During the attack, the Knight was able to remove his lightsaber from beneath his back and ignite it out in front of him, gaining him liberation from death. Jace had innocents to fight for and to die now was not an option.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth's body ached and throbbed, the pain unbeknownst to him. The Dark Jedi would continue to fight until his body refused to function... and perhaps Jace already knew this. Their sabers snapped and hissed against each other, the barrier between the two threatening to break as Jeseth pressed down, sliding back the Jedi's saber - but Jace would have no choice. he couldn't pull away, unless he had some twisted desire to meet his destiny before the time came. He could see the Dark Jedi's fang's clearly, blood saturated between his teeth. The impact to Jeseth's jaw had done considerable damage...

Moving his legs upwards, Jace rammed his knees into the Dark Jedi's chest, right into the wound that he had inflicted earlier, tearing at the slightly cauterized flesh and bathing himself in Jeseth's blood in the process.

The Dark Jedi pulled away, slipping the glowing blade of his saber over the afflicted area of his torso. A hiss and smoke cauterized the wound once more as the man continued to back away into the clearing smoke, keeping his distance from the Jedi. He was quickly losing his physical orientation... but not his orientation within the Force. Jeseth hurled his saber, spinning it like a giant light-disc. The blade impacted against Jace's and cracked, then completed a second spin, slicing through part of the Jedi's shoulder before revolving back around and snapping into the Dark Jedi's hand.

. . .

He had acted to slowly, merely injuring the misguided fool... but he was running out of time as well - He had underestimated the Jedi?