Cruelty of Love: Violent Mistake (Sejah)

[imported_Terran Starek]

It was time to go.

Much had happened. Too much, he thought. He'd had a sharp falling out (http://216.73.105.30/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=29157) with Xazor, and the emotion had struck him harder than it ever had. Things had come to pass, and with them, rationality and reason had left his mind. Having talked (http://216.73.105.30/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30313) with Master Navaria Tarkin, relenquishing his attachments to the Order, it was finally time to go. He couldn't explain it. It was a nagging pain--something inside of him that would not heal. It was a shadow on his conscience, a sharp thorn in his side. He was cynical, sarcastic, and full of blame. It was not like him.

It was the Dark Side.

He'd made a final trip to his room--one he had shared with Dios Kane so long ago--grabbing his leather satchel and a brown duffle bag. He packed his possesions--very little, considering his time here--and slung both packs across his body. He drew his cloak tightly around him, hiding his face. He didn't want attention drawn to him. He knew that the aura around him was saturated with energy that would act as a beacon to those in tune to emotion. It was best that he hid his appearance and made quick work of an exit.

He passed several rooms--friends. Padawans, Knights, Masters, people he really cared about. Sejah, Marcus, Navaria, Sarr. Even Xazor. . .Dasquian. People he had real relationships with. People he loved.

Love, something inside him scoffed. You don't believe in love anymore. He sighed, fearing that it was true. It was time to move on. He needed a break, and a pilgrimage to Gias seemed his best bet. He was leaving, and nothing--not even Marcus--could stop him.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah skipped up the staris from the GJO's underground garage, tossing his car keys in the air and catching them deftly. A large smile was plastered all over his face, as it always was after a cruise in his Flagline. His pace lively as he jaunted across the courtyard toward the main tower. He got the car up faster than he ever had before, and he was pumped.

Spotting terran only fueled his good attitude. "Hey, Terran!" he called out to his friend. "You've got to see my car, pal! C'mon,!"

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran's ears nearly perked as he heard the voice of his friend. Someone he trusted. He didn't want to do this, and he cursed at the Force underneath his breath. Why, out of all the moments in the day, did he have to cross Sejah at this one?

"Hey Sejah," he replied, not making eye contact. If it wasn't enough that he had his bags on his back and his cloak over his face, he acted even more strange. "Sorry, I'm. . .I'm kinda in a hurry here. I'm late for. . .something. I gotta run, really."

A pathetic excuse for a getaway, he cringed.

[Sejah Haversh]

"Woah there, pallie," Sejah said, stopping in front of him. "Come on, it'll take all of three or four minutes, and I promise you'll like it."

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran's hand threw Sejah's off his shoulder, his eyes shooting up to cut Sejah's off with a sharp, cold look.

"Look, it's not a good time." He stopped, his face stone. "I need to be on my way." Terran looked down to the ground, realizing the brash move and how stupid it was to do so. Pride held him there, offering no apology.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah was nonplussed. Terran had never shut hum out like that before, and the mongoose wanted to know why he had now.

Not moving out of his way, Sejah said, "So, you've got something so important going on that you can't afford to give me even a few minutes. Why, you going to miss a flight or something? Looks like you;re movin'out, Terran. What's goin' on?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

He stopped, sighing, turning to face the mongoose. He couldn't just lie to him--it wasn't that easy. Sejah knew him too well. It wasn't going to be that easy. He let his bags down to his feet as he spoke.

"Things are changing, Sejah." He spoke in a distant voice, a tone Sejah had never heard out of him. "I need a break. I need to get outta here for a while." He turned again, this time pulling his bags back up onto his shoulders. "Some time alone. . .I don't know when I'll be back. . ." They both knew what he meant.

He wasn't thinking of coming back.

[Sejah Haversh]

In an unexpected show of spine, Sejah bent down and picked up Terran's larger bag, slinging it over his own shoulder.

"If you're leaving, I'll give you a lift, then," he stated, not as much of an offer as it was a hard truth.

[imported_Terran Starek]

He nearly squinted, suprised at what he had said.

"What?" He watched as Sejah picked up one of the bags, hoisting it over his shoulder. Without a single hesitation, the Mongoose began to escort him down to the garage. "No, I. . ." He couldn't find the words as he stumbled over them. He followed behind the other as they made their way down, trying to figure out his next response.

"Look, I'm serious--I need to do this alone. You know?" They got to the mouth of the garage as he spoke. "I can't--I can't," he couldn't think of what to say. It was harder when Sejah was acting like this. Harder when someone cared.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah knew something was wrong, and Terran didn't want to talk to him, but Sejah couldn't afford to lose a friend, not now.

Approaching his car, the big black beauty that it was, Sejah inserted the key into the trunk lock and lifted the hatch, stowing Terran's bag inside. Looking back to hsis friend, the Nehantite said, "Come on, toss that in, too. I've got plenty of trunk space, even with the amps and subs in here."

[imported_Terran Starek]

"No." He said it firmly and with more volume than before. He took his bag away--out of the trunk--and slung it across his body. "I told you, I can't do this right now. I need to get outta here, and no one's going with me." He turned away.

"Get it?" He was getting a bit emotional. It was sickening--sickening how easy he'd been to tears lately. He wiped his eyes, keeping the moisture out.

[Sejah Haversh]

Something was very wrong, and Sejah was going to find out what it was. Closing the trunk and pocketing his keys, the mongoose strode out powerfully after Terran and grabbed his shoulder hard, spinning him around.

"Hey, I don't care if you don't want to talk, I want to show you my dang car! Now get back here and let me take you for a spin!" He shouted into Terran's face. He didn't like being so forceful, but Terran was not acting rationally, and Sejah intended to find out what his intentions were; even if it meant becoming a jerk himself.

[imported_Terran Starek]

"I SAID NO AND THAT'S THAT!" Terran returned the agression forcefully, one hand throwing Sejah's hand off of him and pushing the Mongoose back a few steps. Terran's eyes narrowed and his breathing picked up as something clicked inside of him. THe agression was uncalled for, and he found his emotion unchecked. It was exposive inside of him, irrational, taking over.

Anger.

"Now," he said, a little more calm, but with the same fire in his eyes. "I'm not gonna ask you again." Terran pointed a finger out towards Sejah, his demeanor drastically changed to that which he had never possesed before. "Leave me be."

[Sejah Haversh]

Rubbing his chest where Terran had struck him, Sejah stared coldly at his friend. "So you're just running away then? You're just running away from whatever it is that's bothering you?" He spat.

"It won't help, Terran, it never does. Put those bags down and we'll talk, I'll buy you lunch, come on. I'm your friend and you know it. Now are you going to tell me what's up or are you too chicken?"

[imported_Terran Starek]

As if responding to the other's command, Terran dropped his bags. He took a few angry steps towards Sejah, planting himself directly in front of the other's face, his cloak shadowing his face but not concealing it.

"You don't know anything about running away." He spoke with venom in his voice. "What's bothering me? What's bothering me right now is the fact that you're so ignorant to the truth." Finally, the something inside of him, the something struggling for power the past few days, took over.

"All this," he stepped away, waving his arms around. "It's sithspit, Sejah. It's lies. It's nothing more than common trickery." He scoffed. "I thought you'd be smart enough to understand. I guess I was wrong." His eyes were piercing and painful, hiding so much beneath their tough visage.

"I'm sick of this hero spit, got it?" He stepped back squarely in front of the mongoose. "Friendship is a lie. You're all a lie."

[Sejah Haversh]

With animal speed, Sejah delivered a crushing knee to Terran's nuts, then grabbed his shoulders as the man doubles over, forcing him to the floor.

"I don't know anything about ruinning away?!" Sejah snarled, his voice echoing throught eh concrete garage. "You don't know me at all, do you? I ran away, I left everything, don't lecture me on running away, you git! And you you insult me one more time and I'll kick your jaw in."

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran, better by the other, groaned with pain as he tried to roll his body. Sooner than he could think, he had felt the sharp crunch of Sejah's knee into his groin as he grabbed for his crotch. Spit left his mouth and mixed with the dirty concrete as Sejah spoke.

The pain melted away into the fire that was his rage.

"You sonofa--" he uttered, coming up abruptly from his position on the floor. "AAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" He growled, grabbing tightly around Sejah's waist, tackling him against one of the concrete support pillars. Both bodies jolted as his momentum carried the Jedi against the other. A cloud of dust eruppted from the concrete beam as it shook. Both dropped to the floor in a heap, Terran trying to pin his opponent.

"JUST TRY IT!" He challenged the mongoose, his teeth gnashing as he struggled for power.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah smashed into the pillar hard, unprepared for the sudden onslaught, and the strength that Terran exhibited. Falling to the ground, the mongoose found himself fighting for any advantage he could get. He found it when Terran tried to pin him, placing his arm on Sejah's shoulder. All the mongoose had to do was lean his head to the side and bite down hard on his friend's wrist, his sharp teeth finding blood. With Terran distracted, Sejah yanked his arm free and elbowed him across the face, trying to escape his hold.

Though he had been involved in many a grudge match, few opponents had seemed as strong as Terran was. It was almost uncanny.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran shouted, pulling back in pain as blood began to form in two distinct bite marks making up a jaw on his left wrist. Just as he was able to do so, the elbow reached his face, jarring his head and kocking his concentration loose. Terran let go, falling over as Sejah rolled from beneath his grasp. He rolled out of his cumbersome robe. Turning his gaze back upon Sejah, his eyes burned with rage.

"This. . .is it. . ." He tried to huff between breaths. Coming to his feet, he squared up with the other. Pulling of his outer tunic, he exposed a thin layer of undershirt that he wore beneath his robes. He raised his forearms--his left forearm streaked with crimson--in a defensive manner. Hand-to-hand combat was his next course of action. He took a quick step inward, bringing his fist forward in a rough jab. Rocking Sejah's jaw, the mongoose's head dipped backward. Another jab landed on the other side of his face before his opponent could react, and Terran quickly threw his momentum around, spinning his body in a fierce roundhouse kick, aimed at Sejah's chin--the same spot he'd been softening up.

[Sejah Haversh]

The blows rocked Sejah's head as Terran landed them. Dizzily, the mongoose summoned up all his concentration and raised both arms to guard his head, unsure of what direction the next attack would come from.

The kick hit with full force, but Sejah was able to absorb most of it through his arm, even though it down knock him sideways, and almost to the floor again. Sejah was a bit more ready for Terran's next kick, sweeping it away before sucker-punching Terran in the gut, then doubling a backstep to get some room between the two of them.

"What the devil is wrong with you, Terran?" he barked, wiping a trickle of blood from his muzzle. "I've never seen you this angry."

[imported_Terran Starek]

Devil, indeed, something seemed to hiss inside of him. Terran crouched low, holding his stomach from the punch, trying to regain his breath and regroup. His eyes met with Sejah's again. They weren't Terran Starek's eyes. They weren't the eyes of the kind Jedi that cared about his friends. They were transformed into something dark, something terrible.

"There is no anger, Sejah," He spoke mockingly, coming to his full height. "There is only the FORCE!" He almost shouted as he charged him, fist outstretched. With a poweful burst of energy and stamina, he called upon the energy field, summoning the power of the Force to his fist. Unleashing it, his palm jutted towards his opponent, a powerful, painful burst of the air around Sejah jarring his chest, lifting him from off the ground and throwing him towards a large, rolling toolbox.

[Sejah Haversh]

Theown backward, Sejah twisted in the air, his back blasting into the top edge of the toolbox, bowling it over and scattering the contents of the drawers everywhere as he thumped to the ground. It was fortunate that he had not hit the top edge directly, for it could have broken his back. Instead, it was a painful blow that kept him grounded for quite some time, barely able to twitch.

Terran wasn't himself, that much Sejah was sure of. But he also had no desire to really injure him. At the moment, though, the mongoose was in little shape to hurt anything. Still, Terran needed to be stopped, and held so someone could talk sense into him. Sejah's paw groped for anything he could find, and it finally came across a static wrench. Tucking it out of sight, Sejah groaned and slowly rose to his feet.

His friend was still there, probably out of some sick fascination to see just how badly he had hurt Sejah. Setting his jaw, the mongoose stumbled a step forward and utter a deep-throated growl. "I'm not letting you out of here, Terran. Not like this." As he spoke, the mongoose came closer, though obviously still in pain. When he got colose, he shook his head and opened his mouth as if to speak again, but instead he whipped his paw out, hurling the wrench as a distraction while he put on a burst of speed, catching Terran around the waist and throwing him to the floor.

[imported_Terran Starek]

The Jedi saw the wrench coming--just barely--before it nearly made contact with his shoulder. Throwing his back in reverse, he dodged the weapon deftly, the whizzing sound nearly as defeaning as the clank of the wrench on one of the metal tool benches. Without time to react, he felt the arms of the mongoose around him as he was tackled to the floor.

Rolling onto his stomach, he squinted his eyes, regaining focus. Before him--on the overturned tool bench--lay a medium length cylinder of piping. Instantly, he reached for weapon, bringing it into his hand and coming to his feet.

"Fine!" He waved it at Sejah who was opposite him, a few steps away. "If you're not gonna let me go, then I'm gonna have to go through you! Arm yourself!" Terran didn't give him much of a chance to react before he continued. Charging with new anger--and a hint of blood on his forehead from the drop to the ground, Terran swung the pipe down towards Sejah's shoulder in an attempt to cause pain.

[Sejah Haversh]

Still recovering frok the thorw into the toolbox, Sejah couldn't react fast ehough to do anything about the pipe. It hit him square in the shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain, and roll to the side. All he could do was kick out, knocking one of Terran's legs from under him in an attempt to scramble away.

Once out of immediate range, the mongoose looked for the nearest weapon he could find, forgetting the lightsaber on his belt. For some reason, a rediculously large wrench lay on the floor. Sejah couldn't gather what kind of machine would need a bolt as big as what the wrench could handle, but he did know that it would be heavy, and hefty enough to reply to Terran's pipe. The same pipe that caught him in the side with a smash just as he grabbed the wrench.

Stumbling aside and wheezing for breath, Sejah drew up as much focus as he could and lashed out with the wrench, not wishing to kill Terran, but at least to put him down for the moment.

[imported_Terran Starek]

*CRUNCH*

The heavy wrench smashed into the back of his knee, crumpling his leg underneath him. He dropped to a knee, the momentum and weight of the wrench carrying Sejah down further than perhaps the Mongoose would have liked. Perfect position to counter-attack, Terran thought. He gripped the pipe in both hands, gaining leverage on it, and then shoved it back and upward at Sejah's chin, landing a crushing jab to the mongoose's head. He leaned in with the thrust, following with an elbow to the nose, shocking the other's face. Drawing the pipe back behind him and over his head for a downward strike on Sejah's head, he prepared to deliver the blow--a quick paw came into his stomach, a preventative strike--as he tipped backward.

Coming to his stomach, he spit up a bit of saliva and blood. Sejah had to be swimming after the shots to his head, and Terran came to a crouch, covering his stomach and holding the pipe out to his side.

"Had enough, you fool?" Terran spit the words sharply. He coughed with the loss of wind.

[Sejah Haversh]

"I'm only getting started," Sejah grumbled, his head ringing. A warm trickle of blood ran down his right forehead, sweeping down both sides of his eyebrow. Terran was playing rough, and Sejah was doign nothing less himself.

A nearly feral growl in his breathing, Sejah's pink eyes had turned red, a flagrant didplay of anger among his species. It didn't matter that he was angry, for it was not his anger that was feuling his desire to fight, it was compassion for a friend he simply wanted to beat the living daylights out of at the moment.

Charging forward, Sejah swung out with his large wrench, only to have it connect with Terran's pipe with a loud, vibrating clang that numbed both their hands. A few more blows rang out against each other until Sejah ducked a swing and shoved Terran back into the wall with a Force-aided push.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Terran's back made a thud as it was slammed against the hard, reinforced concrete wall. He had no time to regain his wind before ducking a strong slash from the wrench that Sejah weilded. The wrench brushed hard against the wall, the friction spewing sparks and ripping a dark streak on the otherwise white wall. Manuvering away from the weapon, he slashed back with the pipe, the attack blocked by Sejah yet again.

He kicked forward--a strong kick aimed at Sejah's gut. But the mongoose caught his foot with a hand, defensively. Balancing himself out, Terran threw his hand in the way, sending a quick Force jolt towards his opponent, pushing the two apart. His balance lost, Terran fell against a pillar towards one corner of the room.

Using an unatural show of strength, he chucked the pipe end over end towards the mongoose, leaning against the pillar to catch his breath.

[Sejah Haversh]

Sejah lost his wrench as he flew back from the shove, sliding across the concrete floor on his back, scattering tools as he went. Looking up, he saw an opportunity, and he took it.

With all the energy he could muster, the mongoose focused on the pillar next to Terran and tried very hard to do what always happened when he used telekenesis.

The pillar exploded, sending chunks of duracrete everywhere, and fogging the garage with a thick could of dust. As he got up, sejah felt a sudden rumble, and the cieling above him split with a large, jagged crack, buckling above the shattered pillar. He couldn't see Terran, but somehow knew he was still alive. Coughing on the dust, Sejah wiped blood from his eye and called out, "Give it up, Terran! I'm not going to let you do this to yourself!"

As he called, he could feel his side scream in agony, and Sejah began to wonder if his friend had broken a rib or two with one of his pipe shots.

[imported_Terran Starek]

For a moment, his ears screamed.

He could see the ripples in the air as every molecule around him combusted, exploding the pillar behind him in a defeaning blast. The garage had grown silent in the second before the blast, and in that second, Terran's eyes had grown kind and quiet. But as they pillar burst, the pain and adrenaline drew him back into his rage.

A wall of dust fogged his vision, the cloud crippling his breath and his sight. But he could hear the ceiling creak and he could feel the Force around him. It told him to move--it told him to dive. With a less than agile roll--considering his current battle condition--he managed to dodge the incoming pile of concrete.

The dust settled as he heard Sejah's voice. His pride shadowed his wisdom as he ignored his friend's plea.

"It's too late. You started this." Self-justification took over. "It's time to stop the kid's games, Sejah."

SNAP-HISS

"It's time to end this like Jedi!" His face was illuminated by the bright green blade thought the dusty haze of the garage now. He stood--nearly three meters from Sejah. His saber, Halcyon, once a bringer of peace now glared at his opponent. Sejah. His friend. Someone he trusted and cared about. The second thoughts came and went in his anger.

[Sejah Haversh]

His breathing uneven, Sejah reached for his own saber. The blue blade glowed to life in the dusty white air around them. He couldn't make out Terran's full shape, but he could see his saber, and his form, and that was enough for him.

"It's not on practice mode, Terran, but I don't want to kill you," came from the murky sihlouette that was Sejah. "I beg you, don't do this. You know I'm better than you at this."

As he spoke, Sejah held his saber at the ready, just in case Terran should attack instead of surrendering. He hurt, and hurt badly, but he could not let that distract him. Not with so much at stake.

[imported_Terran Starek]

"YOU'RE NOT BETTER AT ME IN ANYTHING!" The illumination of Sejah's blue blade was all he needed. Coupled with the dark outline of his opponent's figure, Terran found his target and lashed forward with a growl Sejah had yet to hear from his lips. The two blades crashed in a terrible blast of light, the energy blades hissing and barking with the friction of each blade pressing against one and other. Sejah held his ground despite his injury.

Terran felt no pain in his rage.

Quickly, he regrouped, bringing his saber in low and towards Sejah's waist. The mongoose blocked it with supreme agility and control. But, he did not attack. Terran's anger grew.

"Stop mocking me and FIGHT!" Terran dipped back, calling a hunk of concrete to his invisible grasp. Launching it towards Sejah, he hoped the attack would pull Sejah's attention away, as he came in hard behind the flying piece of debris with his saber outstretched in a stab.

[Sejah Haversh]

Throwing his paw out, Sejah let loose a chaotic block that bew the chunk much like eh had the entire pillar. Small, sharp fragments stung is face, and his body through his light civilian clothing, and the unpredictable Force wave was enough to turn Terran's blade away enough so that he couold parrt it to the side, then follow back in with a slash aimed at Terran's arm.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Stunned from the fireworks of the blocks exploding, Terran turned away from the connection. His saber at his side, something tickled his senses as he quickly sidestepped to his left, the air around his arm growing hot as Sejah's saber whiffed him.

With a quick motion, he spun his body, bringing his own blade down upon Sejah's backside--deflected again as Sejah swung the saber behind him to block. It was a painful truth--Sejah was a much better fencer than Terran. Despite his anger, despite his rage, he was having trouble matching his opponent.

"Aarrrggghhhhh!" He screamed in frustration, charging Sejah with the saber held high, ready to slash. His rage gave him speed and power.

[Sejah Haversh]

Despite his injuries, and the undesireable fighting conditions, Sejah's fencing prowess still shone clear as day in the garage.

Lifting his saber up, he batted Terran's aside, then checked it around with ease, not letting it even come close enough to be a danger. "Stop it," he growled, then deflected another attack. "Stop it now, Terran. You're not like this, you're not this bold."

Wheeling around, Sejah drew his saber aside, then lashed out a strike that at least tore Terran's pantleg open, though he couldn't see if it did any further damage.

[imported_Terran Starek]

"You don't know who I am!" He hissed a reply, his eyes growing wet with tears as he felt the pain of frustration take over. He was denied again when Sejah's blade connected. The saber tore through his pants and dug into his leg, searing his flesh. Terran let out a scream of pain as he gripped across his body to place a hand on the wound.

He stopped, coming to a kneeling position on the ground, nursing the injury. Sejah did not attack. He tried to regain his composure, but could not. Instead, he gasped for air. Sejah still did not attack.

"I'm. . ." He grabbed breath from the dust around him. It seemed harder and harder to breathe. "I'm not done yet!" He lunged out at the mongoose, his saber poised in a stab. Blocked easily by Sejah, Terran's body was close to his opponent. He reached out with his free hand--his left--and tried to grab hold of Sejah's, a grapple to tie them up. He had to move in close if he had any chance of winning.

[Sejah Haversh]

The move caught Sejah by surprise, and he found himself grabbed from the side, his open side. Instinctively, he brought his blade around to deliver a killing blow, but his conscience hit him at the final moment, and instead he changed it to a distracting swing. Terran caught it, and the mongoose lockeed their blades near the hilt.

In a risky move, Sejah reached out with his left paw and grabbed at Terran's saber, groping for the off button. Once he found it, he shut the blade off and twisted his friend's wrist hard while tossing his own saber aside. They were deadly weapons, and Sejah did not fancy using them in the fight any longer.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Though Terran hated to see his saber go, he wasn't about to be heartbroken about it. He had to continue the match, and it wasn't going to slow down just because he didn't have his weapon handy. Still in a grapple with Sejah, he decided to put his body into action.

Pulling Sejah closer to him, he threw his knee up into the mongoose's gut, trying to double him over. When it hit, he brought his arms up high into the air, cupping them into fists, coming down hard onto his back in a hammer-like fashion.

[Sejah Haversh]

"G-ungh!" Was all Sejah could utter as Terran belted him in the gut, and he doubled over, only to have Terran pound him on the back. Not since the Rho'istaan tournament hat he ever felt in so bad a shape, or taken such a beating. Had Terran not been a friend, odds were that sejah would not have let it go so far.

But no more.

Balling his fist, Sejah slammed it into Terran's kidney, and then lunged forward, pounding blow after blow into Terran's midriff, but he was cut short as Terran responded with a hard punch to his face, causing him to stagger backward, slipping on a loose tool, and only able to catch himself on the upended toolchest. His paw found a rubber mallet, and closed around the grip. It was a pathetic makesift weapon, but he needed a little something after ditching his lihgtsaber, which stioll remained glowing blue on the floor, the light shining through the dust-choked air.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Holding his mid section--which had just become subject to a barage of painful strikes from Sejah--Terran took a breath to recover as he sent Sejah stumbling with a powerful blow. Something inside his mind told him to duck, and doing so, he slipped under a hard swing from the mongoose. A mallet--less imposing than his saber--whiffed the air again as Terran sidestepped another attack. It wasn't that Sejah was trying to hit him--no. It was easy to tell that the other was warding him away, giving himself some space. Terran refused to accept that.

He lunged forward, jamming an elbow into Sejah's sternum. With his other hand, he reached out to grip his opponent's forearm of his weapon hand. Terran was strong, but he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to wrestle the other. He was becoming fatigued. So, he did the best thing he could think to do. Letting loose his grip, he swung his legs around towards Sejah's own, trying to sweep him to the ground. If that succeeded, it would buy him enough time to retrieve his saber, which lay unignited in a pile of tools.

[Sejah Haversh]

Even with his extensive training, and his ability to endure great pain and retain at least partial focus, Sejah found himself slipping, falling for rookie mistakes. Maybe it was an unconscious effect that winning the Rho'istaan tournament gave him, or perhaps it was his hope to not hurt terran, but he found himself losing.

He hit the floor hard, lying on his side and fighting to push himself back up to see Terran go for his saber. Pulling from a reserve deep inside of him, the mongoose cut loose a feral snarl and leapt up from the floor and snatched his own lit lightsaber, wheeling around to meet Terran's blade.

It could have been anger, or compassion, or simply an animal's desire to be the victor, the alpha male, that drove Sejah to fight harder than he had before. Every strike Terran threw at him was not only intercepted, but hammered away by powerful strokes. Sejah's eyes blazed a brilliant red, remainign locked on Terran except for when pits of dust irritated them, causing him to blink. Their blades flashed in the artificial light of the garage, and the dust in the air was finally beginnign to settle.

When the cieling cracked further, and buckled more, dumping duracrete debris to the floor randomly along its fault line, Sejah didn't even notice. Though he did not desire to harm his friend, at the moment Sejah would take him down should he feel the human to be too much of a threat.

[imported_Terran Starek]

Even in Terran's uncontrolled state of mind and his foolish pride, he could see that this fight was not going to turn in his favor. Part of him cried out for a cease-fire--the other begged to die. Right here, right now, at the hands of someone who hadn't betrayed him. It seemed fitting that a Jedi would end the life he had started anew here at the Order.

With bravery and blindness to his stupidity, he charged the mongoose in a spectacular combination of attacks. He spun his saber high--blocked. Reversed momentum, sweep low--blocked. Carry the arm through in a spinning slash--parried, his blade turned against him. Sejah was just too good, and it showed. Terran wrinkled his face as he called upon dark energy.

The shadows errupted to his call as he pushed forward yet again. Slash--blocked; Slash--defended; Stab--expertly dodged. He could not take a point! He could not gain the upper hand! Still his pushed forward, wishing for death instead of a draw. Finally, with a crushing overhead blow, the two blades met, sparks crackling as the energies fought against each other in a saber lock. Terran leaned his weight into the blade, trying to gain the agressor position. He stared Sejah in the eyes.

"Admit defeat, and maybe--" he groaned between words, keeping his hold strong. "--maybe I will tell them all how you almost out-fenced me!" It was a bold statement to make, and Terran did with an unnatural venom. It was no longer his own self. He was controlled--a pawn of a different force.

[Sejah Haversh]

With strength bolstered by compassion, Sejah held the blades in a corps-a-corps until he could feel Terran’s arm tiring. It was one thing to be the aggressor in such a move, but the defender did not have to exert so much energy and could outlast most of the time. The moment he felt Terran falter, Sejah shoved back, knocking their blades up overhead, out of immediate danger. There was no use for words, his friend wouldn’t hear them anyhow. There was only time for action.

Shutting his saber off, Sejah quickly wound up and dealt his hardest right hook ever into Terran’s jaw, bowling him over. Taking no chances, Sejah stepped back and held his thumb over his saber button, just in case he needed to light it again.

[imported_Terran Starek]

CRACK

The pain struck Terran's face almost as quickly as his body gave in to the fall. Immediately he dropped to the floor and onto his side. His hand coming up to brace his jaw. It ached with a hot lightning that he had never felt in his face before. His other hand--in the shock of the connection--had dropped his lightsaber to the floor, sending his rolling off several feet from his position.

Quickly, he scooted onto his rear, sliding back away from Sejah. The look in his eye was one of fear and defeat. It was a sad look--almost childish in nature. A tear flooded from his eyes, stemming from both pain and emotion. He tried to open his mouth to speak--

"Emmmmmmmummmmfffffffff!" Almost as loudly as he could, he screamed in his throat. The pain was immense, and in that moment it had become clear to him that his wound was very serious. His jaw had, in the least, dislodged from its resting place. He feared it broken. Wincing at the surge of pain, more tears fell. He realized how weak and pathetic he was.

Making eye contact with Sejah again, his eyes were sad and hurt. They were shameful, calling out that Sejah was right. Calling out that he was sorry, and this was over--all of this. Sejah took a few steps toward him--slow and deliberate. Friendly.

Stop it! Lave me alone! The words blasted from within him, a mental shout to push his friend away. Terran could not speak, but he could defenitely yell into the Force.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Padawan Quay'Na Rakai stepped out into the corridor from the Jedi Archives with her newest text on Animal Anatomy from Naboo. She was constantly studying any anatomy texts she could get her hands on, you just never knew when it would come in handy.

Walking down the corridor and turning to head for the turbo lifts to go back to her room, she stopped suddenly as a deep felt pain ushered through her mind. It hurt so bad that she dropped her text and groaned as she held her head in her hands.

What the...? The pain left as quickly as it had arrived, leaving Quay'Na gasping slightly.

Something was terribly wrong and she was sensing the disturbance through her animal instinct ability. Her mind was connecting with someone. But, who? And why?

With a deep breath, Quay'Na collected herself and closed her eyes, reaching out with the Force to see where this disturbance was coming from...the garage!

Quickly, picking up her text she'd dropped, she headed there immediately...

[Sejah Haversh]

What Terran had intended as a message of apology did not come out that way. Instead of speaking, he aimed a telepathig message into Sejah's head, and a very, very loud one at that.

In fact, it was less of an apology than simply shouting, "Stop it! Leave me alone!" at the top of his mental lungs.

Nehantites could not accept telepathy, or mind-reading, their brains were too animalistic, and incapable of the ordeal altogether. So when Terran screamed telepahtically, Sejah caught the full brunt of it. First it felt like he had been hit in the head with a brick. His saber fell from his paw as he staggered back a step. His pink eyes were blank, no longer focused on anything as his head began to tilt back. In his brain, synaptic nerves were shutting down, and circuits went incomplete.

When his vision balacked out, Sejah's stumble turned into a graceful, slow-motion fall to the ground. He hit the duracrete hard, not moving. Within seconds, he stopped breathing,a nd his eyes shut. It had been too much of a blast to take, and had completely shut down his brain, as well as his other bodily functions like heartbeat and breathing. Were it not for some minor brain activity, he would have been considered clinically dead. For all appearances, he looked it.

[imported_Terran Starek]

His eyes as wide as saucers, he watched every second as Sejah lost control. It was in that moment that Terran realized it. He'd been friends with Sejah for awhile now, and thus he had learned about his species quite a bit. The Nehantites didn't mesh well with telepathy. Terran's heart stopped, coming to grips with what he'd just done. He had attacked Sejah with a blow that ws harder and more dangerous than any he could physically inflict. First he looked stunned, then he looked dizzy. Now, he looked. . .he looked. . .

"Mmsemmmjjjaahh!" His voice was unclear and muffled, but the emotion in it was not. Hot tears instantly pooled at his eyes as he scurried over to where Sejah lay. He was too blinded to use any of his healing training--all the lessons that Navaria had taught him were useless in the grip of anger and pride. He reached out to feel Sejah's chest. Nothing. . .no heartbeat.

"Mmnoooooo!" He screamed, the scream errupting into a painful sob. He nearly fell over in despair, his eyes now letting loose a river upon his cheeks. His body shook and heaved with each painful sob, his hands gripping his jaw as it vibrated in pain from the crying.

He's gone, something crept up behind him, in the shadows of his mind. He's gone now. There's nothing you can do about it. You were stronger, and he opposed you. You see what happens to the weak?

"Mmnoo. . ." Terran's voice protested the one no one else heard.

Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? They aren't gonna believe that it was an accident. Not after all this--the fight, the injuries. How will your friends recieve you now? You'll be outcasted. Put on trial. Executed, even.

"Mno," he replied again. The Force would see him through it. They cared about him. They loved him. They knew what was in his heart and what had happened here was an accident.

Just like Xazor loved you?

"MmStop it!" At this, Terran begin to loose control again. The weeping returned, and as he examined the room with teary eyes, he could not know what to do. He wanted to sit here--take Sejah's hand, sit here, and pray to the Force for his revival. He wanted to heal his friend, to place all of his energies into sustaining and conquering the injury. But part of him said the voice was right. What with the other Jedi think? This was not the action of a Jedi. This was surely not becoming of a veteran Jedi Padawan. It shamed him to see what he had created in a torrent of foolish emotion. He began to see that one of his options stood out.

Run. It was clear in his head. No one would believe him. He would be blamed for Sejah's death--it was his fault. You must leave and never return. You must steal away and hide from the life you chose to lead in the first place!

"I didn't choose this!" His voice was still muffled by his injury, but it wasn't important that any natural ears understood what he said. He stood, his body weak and shaking from the whole ordeal. Running to his travel bag, which still sat a meter or two from the rubble, he scopped it up and slung it over his shoulder. Quickly he made for the exit of the garage, which lead to a sidestreet into Coruscant. Running down it as fast as his battered legs would take him, he needed to get to a hospital and fast. Far away from the Order. Far away from guilt. Far away from the light, he strayed.

In his haste, he left his lightsaber lying on the floor of the garage.

[imported_Kanji]

She seemed troubled, Kanji saw. He had just been in the cafeteria again, shooed out when his 'culinary' abilities were no longer required for the day's meal, and planned to head to one of the gardens and relax for a few hours. Hmm, what was her name again…? Ah yes.

“Ma’am Quay’Na? Is there ssssomething wrong?” He asked tentatively as she hurried closer, flummoxed by her sudden haste away from the lift to the upper-levels.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Her mind was a mass of jumbled thoughts and feelings as she hurried along. She barely even heard or saw Kanji, until she nearly ran him over.

And Kanji was not someone easily missed.

"Kanji," She muttered. "Can't stop...somethings wrong...in the garage." Her head had begun to hurt again, something was wrong....terribly wrong!

[imported_Marcus]

Somewhere on the grounds....

As per usual, he was cloaked and hooded, an anonyomus being in the grounds of the GJO, at this point in time meditating by a flowerbed. It was a rather peaceful and appropriate place to do this. So little peace he normally had in his life, he woudl take any break he could get.

Somewhere tho, he felt a surge of emotion. Anger. Pain.

He opened his eyes, puzzled, trying to locate the disturbance. When a Jedi Master was mediating they were deep int he Force and hence disturbances could alternatively close or a great distance away.

This one, to his surprise was close..... He narrowed his focus. The disturbance was on the grounds!

Someone else's problem then, he decided.

But he had that nagging feeling, that wasn't the case. If it wasn't his problem now, soon it will be.

Allright, better go find out what's going on.... now, where was it again?

Lower levels. while he didnt run, he felt it was prudent to however, make sure he hurried.

[imported_Kanji]

"In the garage?" Kanji turned his birth, looking down the hallway with a questionable glance. "My sssssensssse issssn't detecting anything, Ma'am.. sssshall we invesssstigate?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

"Yes, please hurry!" She called as she made a beeline towards the corridors that led to the garage.

[imported_Kanji]

"Aye!" Kanji barked, loaping after her at a slower pace. Nevertheless, after a quick minute. Both had arrived at the garage doors, He allowed Quay'Na to enter first and followed through. Grumbling slightly at the total mess of the facilities...

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na's eye widened in horror as she saw Sejah's body lying on the concrete. "Sejah!" She heard herself scream as she rushed to his side.

Immediately, her animal sensing abilities took over and she knew he was in deep trouble! He wasn't breathing and his heart had stopped.

Working quickly, she closed her eyes and let herself fall into the deep depths of the Force. Placing her hands on Sejah's chest, she focused on his heart.

Quay'Na imagined it beginning to pump again, she saw it pump ever so slowly. She poured her strength into him, she wasn't going to let him go that easily. Once she had his heart pumping, she went to his lungs.


Breathe, Sejah, breathe... She thought wildly as her mind began the process of moving air into his lungs. She pictured herself breathing for him. In, out, in, out...

It was hard, but she knew she didn't have a choice, she had to save him!

He was a good friend and she couldn't lose him. In, out, in, out...

Perspiration formed rapidly on her brow, as she opened her eyes. For the moment, she had his heart beating and he was breathing. Maybe not on his own, but she would continue to pour herself into him to keep him alive.

That's when she noticed it...a lightsaber...and it wasn't Sejah's. His was near him, but who's was that?

She felt Kanji's presence nearby, but was working so hard on Sejah, she didn't exactly know where he was and he was being very quiet.

Partially separating herself from Sejah for mere seconds, she kept him going, but was now able to speak.

"Get that lightsaber, Kanji! It's over there!" Quay'Na pointed to it.
She grabbed Sejah's quickly and latched it to her belt. "We need to get him to the Med bay quickly!"

She took her mind back fully to Sejah, concentrating like she'd never done before. Just hang in there, friend...

[imported_Kanji]

"Agreed!" Kanji replied, having already scooped up the mysterious saber and stashed it into his saber. He crouched on the other side of Sejah, watching Quay'Na work before he began to interject, "Call the healerssss, Ma'am Quay'Na! Telepathically if ye musssst!"

He gently scooped the mongoose critter in his arms, nodding once at Quay'Na before bolting for the doors, scrambling for purchase before making his way to the bay...

[Quay'Na Rakai]

OOC: Sorry, Marcus...

[Marcus Telcontar]

He gently scooped the mongoose critter in his arms, nodding once at Quay'Na before bolting for the doors, scrambling for purchase before making his way to the bay...

.... and right into a cloaked and hooded being coming into the garage. He took a look at the ... what the bloody was that lizard thing.??????? and the woman, who seemed to be concentration as hard as she could. Padawans, it seemed most likely, tho he had never seen them before.

And at the limp, injured body of Sejah in the lizard thing's arms.

"What happened here?" he asked softly, his accent becoming more pronounced. "And what are you doing with my Padawan's lightsabre?" he added, noting Terran's sabre at Kanji's belt.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji stuttered his response, trying to order his words but failing miserably. “Ssssir.. There was a run… no fight in the corri-Garage! Ugh… blasted! There was a fight in the garage, Ssssir, we found him unconscious on the floor and Quay’Na told me get that lightssssaber and I did… No more quessstionssss… Missster… uhm… needsss to get to the Med bay quickly… Ssssir!”

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na began to struggle with her connection as she quickly placed the palms of her hands to her temples. "I can't hold it much longer...." She breathed heavily as her energy flowed to keep Sejah's heart going and lungs breathing.

This was the hardest feat she'd ever attempted and it was quickly draining her.

[imported_Marcus]

He placed one hand on the female Padawan's shoulder, the power he lent maked him as a Jedi Master immediatly, forming a temporary mental connection.

"You'll have the power to make it to the medical rooms"

His other hand went behind his back. From there, he took out a enlogated sabre, with a hilt at it's centre piece.

"Go. And that sabre you picked up, take it to Master D'An after you see Haversh to the medical centre. Tell him ...."

The blade of his sabre came to life, a burning roar rather than the usual electrical hiss, the blade red and seeming to flicker.

"....the situation will be looked after"

With that, his hand came away from the female Padawan's shoulder, tho the mental link was still there, supporting her for a bit longer. Without even another backward glance at his former Padawan, he advanced into the garage, becoming fully alert and just beginning to try to piece together exactly what had gone on.

starek left the Jedi because of a falling out between him and Xazor. I dont see Haversh startign a fight that wuld lead to drawn sabres. Starek running and leaving his sabre also hints he was not calm....

Mental rewind. He had felt a surge of emotion, a tremor in the Force that drew him here. He had felt the dark side, but had though it a mistake. Now, he was reassessing that. Maybe Starek attacked Haversh in anger.

Whatever it was, Marcus was now going to hunt down his Padawan and get the truth.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji watched him go, breifly entralled by the weapon the human weilded. But his attention snapped down to the critter in his arms afterwards, "Ma'am Quay'Na... Lead?"

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na felt Marcus' mind connection, giving her the added strenght that she needed. Her own breathing calmed again and she was able to focus once more on Sejah without struggling. With a deep breath, she nodded towards Kangi as she opened her eyes. "Yes, this way!" Still connected with Sejah, she hurried to the doors through which they came when the whole nightmare started.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji humphed a reply, casting a glance back over his shoulder at the human in the garage before running after Quay'Na.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

It didn't take Quay'Na long to lead Kanji to the medical bay. They burst through the doors, "we need help!" she yelled as she startled most of the medical staff that were standing about.

Kanji was right behind her with Sejah.

The med teams were on it immediately and got an air gurney for the mongoose.

"He'll need a respirator," Quay advised as she kept her mental link on her friend. "I'm using the Force to keep him alive."

Once Sejah was carefully placed on the gurney, a med team member asked her. "What happened?"

"I don't know, just save him."
"We'll do what we can!" He said as three team members took the mongoose and quickly pushed him through the white emergency room doors. The last thing Quay'Na heard as she released her mental grip was, "respirator! Stat!"

Quay'Na stumbled and fell into a nearby chair. Her strength was extremely low.

[imported_Kanji]

Kanji sank to his haunches next to Quay'Na. Watching as the human medics bustled around the comatose mongoose, "I will pray that he revivessss ssssoon," He whispered gruffly, noting her sapped expression, "... Anything I can get for you, Ma'am Quay'Na?"

[Sejah Haversh]

From the moment Terran blasted his message, Sejah had no ability to process thought. He didn't know he was alive, or that Quay'Na had been keeping him alive, or even that Kanji had carried him up to the med bay.

An artificial rhespirator had been hastially hooked up, as well as a heart monitor. Quay'Na had at least set his heart back on track to regular beating, but he was showing little to no brainwave activity. Quite literally, Sejah was a vegetable. If not for machninery, he would be dead, but his mind wasn't even able to understand that much. Like a prize fighter who took one too many blows, he was down for the count, and would only awaken when his body was ready.

[Quay'Na Rakai]

Quay'Na's heart was heavy as she deeply sighed and shook her head. "No, Kanji, youre already doing it." She looked at him. "You're here and I could really use a friend to sit with. But, you need to go alert Master D'an and I suppose I need to alert Sejah's master." She still couldn't believe that this was happening, Sejah was her good friend and he lay in the next room fighting for his life.

[imported_Kanji]

"I am glad I could be of ssssome asssisstance then," Kanji turned to leave, "You are correct, I sssshould go and alert Massster D'An about the ssssituation with hasssste. Be well, Ma'am Quay'Na, I believe the Force will urge him to full versvesh sssoon."