Form VII: Defense against Darkness.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei set the fighter down on Ord Mantell. The Mid-rim backwater had been home to scrappers, farmers, and military personnel for most of its history. The former Jedi chose the planet for two very distinct reasons. First, the Empire claimed to have no vested interest in the planet. Second, Wei knew it was a total lie--the Empire was interested in controlling everyone. What it meant was he would have time to get the information he needed to make the next step of his journey without having to worry about tight security, elite soldiers, or that stinking Inquisition.

Granted, Iscandar said she wasn't going to chase him anymore, but Wei did not trust her. "Ug." The Inquisitor's words on Dantooine still stuck in his mind like burrs. What had started as an attempt to help the trouble woman turn away from the Inquisitoriate turned out to only solidify her mistaken concept of fate and destiny, and sent her off to her death on Coruscant. Imperial Centre. It frustrated him. Made him angry.

But now, as he was nearing the end of this mission, he was ready to just get it over with. He was sick to death of not knowing. Sick to death of obstacles, pursuers, and the Empire. He was ready to see what was at the end of the trail that started with the death of Chariss and his father. Wei looked at the Imperial base from his place on the ridge a click or two out, trying to decide if he should try to sneak in like he used to during the Clone Wars, or if he should just take what he had learned in recent months, kick in the door, and just let them know he was coming.

You know, I would have expected you to have been cured of all these dark thoughts by now.

Wei glanced up to see Jedi Master Kit Fisto hovering above him once again. "I suppose not," Wei said.

Remember the Jedi Code.

"This isn't something I can just put down. I'll be meditating for months! That Inquisitor is going to end her life because she feels like self-inflicted slavery is noble! I have got to go!"

We thought you might be of that mindset. So, we have something you need to learn.

The former Jedi eased back down from his surveillance position.
"We?"

The other Force Ghosts from before materialized before him.

You need to learn a new technique. One mastered by only a few. This technique can make you strong. Qui-Gon explained. But if you fail to master this lesson, you will fall farther than you ever thought possible.

Anakin nodded in agreement. There is inherent danger in teaching you this. You're emotions are running high, and your intent pushes you towards the Dark Side. Giving in to your desires to rush off to Coruscant to fight the Empire can do more than end your life--it can make you into the very people you're trying to destroy. Trust me.

"So what is this technique?"
The corners of Cin Drallig's mouth turned downward into a sour frown. No doubt you remember hearing of Vapaad?

"Master Windu invented that technique with the help of Sora Bulq." Wei turned away. "I remember hearing the news that Master Bulq fell to the Dark Side. They said it was Vapaad that made that possible."

Yes. Bulq fell. So did Depa Billaba, Windu's apprentice. Windu was the only one who seemed to be able to use his own darkness while keeping himself shielded from its effects.

Wei looked up at his teachers. "So, what? I'm going to learn from Master Windu now?"

Actually, Fisto said with his signature grin, we thought you might be better off learning from someone else.

Wei's face wrinkled in confusion for a moment before he heard the voice.

Hey, Padawan.

"Master Vos?"

Yeah. Hear you've been having a hard time lately.

"Something like that."

I think I can help you with that.

"They said I needed to learn Vapaad. But only Master Windu knew that technique."

That's what they say. I tried to learn it myself, but Windu said it was too dangerous. But then, when did I ever listen to that guy? Come on, you and me need to have a heart-to-heart.​

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei sat against a rocky outcropping. Master Vos situated himself such that he seemed to be resting in a similar position.

Do you remember the missions I gave you during the Clone Wars? he asked.

"Mostly against droid warehouses, starship factories, or missions against Separatist leaders to force Dooku's hand and investigate the mysterious Jedi."

Vos nodded. Remember that time we finally got his attention?

**************************

Wei paced through the Trade Federation stronghold unnoticed by patrolling droids. The Nemoidians of the Federation were skinflints about money in every aspect of their lives, save for their own opulent pleasures. The standard cheap, poorly made droids stood at regular intervals along every hallway. Four of the top line models would be positioned outside Gunray's chambers.

Wei dressed in the maintenance uniform of a local contractor--one that had been bought out two months before. Wei and the clones under his command spent most of those two months selling off every contract, notifying the clientele, and rigging the office, warehouses, and company vehicles to blow when Gunray sent agents to investigate.

His demolitions expert, Baradium, had loved it. "Wish I could see those fireworks!" He told his squad.

Now the Clones were poised around the compound. Tracks waited in the company vehicle outside the gate, his face hidden behind a set of welding goggles. The rest of the squad would divert the droids, giving Wei and his master opportunity to turn their full attention on Dooku.

Wei turned down the hallway that led to the viceroy. Making a show of revealing the toolbox to the elite guard droids, Wei pointed to his badge and simply stated, "Pest Control."

"Roger Roger."

Who knew Gunray was phobic about sajoi?

*******************

"It was enough for me to see the Separatists lose face, materials, and money."

Vos's reply sounded sad. "For me, it wasn't."

[Wei Wu Wei]

***************
Wei felt the explosive round rock the building. There were no alarms: the droids were alerted instantaneously through their network. The Padawan watched the standard droids turn and march mindlessly towards the action. Only the four elites remained. He opened the toolbox, and reached for the lightsaber that was there. The saber activated in his hand. The Force flooded into him, giving his flying leap the power it would need to propel him to the end of the hall.

One broad slash brought the droids down before they could bring their blaster rifles to bear. The element of surprise won yet again. Now, if all went according to plan, Gunray would be on the other side of the door, and Count Dooku would be along to ambush Wei.

The Force Cripple cut into the door, carving a large arc in thee burnished metal until the red-hot slag threatened to drip onto the carpet and start a fire. He cut channels in the door-quick cuts for the molten metal to seep into. Wei made one more cut down the middle of the door. It crumpled inward, weakened where the heat from his blade.

He stepped through.

"Hello, Jedi," came a cultured voice.

"Count Dooku!"

Wei looked around. Where was Gunray? And where was Master Vos?

"As we speak my agent is striking down your Clone support troops." Dooku looked down his nose at Wei. "Honestly, I don't know how you do it. Masking yourself so well. But I can see you're weak. Don't tell me your Master has sent a Padawan to do a Master's job."

Wei heard a beep in his ear--his commlink was signaling that Master Vos was ready to strike.

"I've seen your holos, Master Count," he replied. "I've been studying you."

"Well, then, you have studied your doom!"

Now, the hard part. The Padawan pointed the tip of his blade at the Sith's nose and braced himself. Dooku's first attack came lightning fast. A stab directly aimed directly at Wei's heart. The Force nudged him to one side even as his training moved the crimson blade out of line. Wei was calm, but something gnawed at him. Where was his teacher?

****************

"Funny, I had forgotten all about this," Wei said. "Apparently Dooku did, too. He didn't recognize me at all."

"It would have been beneath him to notice you." Vos replied.

"Where were you, anyway?" the former Jedi asked his former master.

[Wei Wu Wei]

I was...trying to get ready, Vos answered. I had been fighting against the Dark Side--scared I was going to fall. Being so close to it for so long, pretending to be a part of Dooku's guard, it got to me. Every heinous act, every crooked scheme, the plotting, the assassinations all made me hate that wrinkled old man. I wanted him dead. Add in the risk of blowing my cover, getting you--or both of us--killed...it weighed on me. So I was putting on my mask and trying to settle into that Vapaad mindset. To sheathe myself in Light, but allow myself to get just enough of that Darkness that I could connect to Dooku's and turn it against him.

"Did you succeed?"

Quinlan Vos' face tightened into a wry smile. Not entirely. You remember what happened.

**********************Master Vos burst in through the large windows at the back of the room. Wei would later marvel at why some people thought a room with windows was safe because it was above ground level. At the moment, all he could do was use every Form I tactic he knew to try to keep up with the form meant to counter Form I--Makashi.

Wei's teacher flung his arm wide, using the Force to catapult the Viceroy's ornate desk across the room at the Sith Lord. Dooku turned to see what had happened and ducked low when he realized what had happened. The Padawan jumped--just in time! The desk skidded with a grating sound to set a being's teeth on edge until it slammed into the broken doors.

Dooku stood, locking blades with Wei in order to give him room to maneuver. Vos closed the distance, saber stabbing wildly. Dooku brushed Wei aside with a flick of his wrist, then turned towards the real threat. Wei crashed into the overturned desk and tried not to let himself get upset at his limitations. He knew he was coming into this outmatched: He was just here to be a nuisance and hopefully get the Count off his rhythm.

Meanwhile, Wei's master seemed to fight without any rhythm at all. It was harrying Dooku,and it showed. Something felt wrong, though. There was a lot of Darkness in that room. Sure, Dooku was there, but it was more than Dooku. Wei stood. He watched, trying to show patience and let the Force guide his blade. Truth was, Wei could only stand still and watch his master's barely controlled technique devolve into something that made him think of Gamorreans stupidly bashing in someone's skull for looking at them the wrong way.

*****************

Really?

Wei shrugged. "He held up his lightsaber while you battered at it with the same overhead chop for three minutes," he explained. "Then you guys burst out into the hallway and you chased him all the way to the hangar bay, when he escaped." Wei paused. "I was terrified."

Yeah. I lost control about the time he flung you into the desk. Very glad you and I didn't spend much time in person. You wouldn't have come out right.

"I forgave you."

Good to know.

"How did you die?"

Long story. For now, we have a technique to perfect. The Force Ghost floated up from the ground. Come on. We need to get started.

Wei followed his master's ghost. "Ok, what happens first?"

[Wei Wu Wei]

First, we need to talk about Vapaad itself. Before Windu and Bulq made it Vapaad, it was Juyo. Unpredictable, brutal, deadly. You know how we call Ataru the Aggression Form? Well, Juyo makes Ataru look like the Way of the Ewok, not the Way of the Hawk-bat. We call Juyo the Way of the Vornskyr, The Ferocity Form, because it's just that--ferocious. Juyo doesn't happen right without the Dark Side. So for a Jedi to use it, they'd have to embrace everything a Jedi is taught to dispose of: anger, ruthlessness, a desire to hurt and kill others. I got to say, Padawan, for being someone who spent his entire career in combat, I don't know that you ever were invested in seeing the destruction of your opponent.

Wei scratched at his head. "I suppose since I spent so much time fighting droids, I never gave it much thought. They were just metal. My concern was always defending others."

Hold on to that feeling. It's going to be the only thing that saves you later on. Thing is, for everyone who has mastered Vapaad, they have struggled against the Dark Side. Not every Jedi is a Master Yoda. We have a flaw, some Darkness in us that keep under control. Vapaad lets us bring out that Darkness in a controlled manner. We connect it to the Darkness our opponents direct towards us, and we throw it back to them. I think of it as a superconducting loop that uses your power and your opponent's power to amplify the strength of your attacks. If you're not able to maintain control, and keep yourself in the Light, the pressure from your opponent's energy will make you fall.

"So how am I going to practice this?"

I'm going to be your opponent. Since this is only a matter of mindset, it will be fine. We're going to form a superconducting loop of Darkness, and shield ourselves from it with Light.​

[Wei Wu Wei]

The former Jedi's eyebrow rose with curiosity. "We can do that?"

Vos nodded. Remember, Darkness comes for us when we allow our emotions to dictate our actions. We get frightened, and we react to our fear. We get angry about something and lash out, rather than calming ourselves before we engage the problem. When we want something desperately, and allow that desperation to spur us on towards a potentially dangerous outcome. For me, during the Clone Wars, it was determination to find the second Sith. What is yours?

Wei frowned as he thought about it. "The Empire murdered my father, my wife, and my unborn son. I want to destroy the Empire for that."

Feel the pain of that loss. Let it fill your mind.

Wei did, as he had done for years. His mind turned to drink.

No! Vos barked. Turn that anger outward! You think you can stop the Empire by poisoning yourself with Corellian whiskey? If that's your plan, then fall on your lightsaber instead! You can save yourself, and the Empire, a whole lot of time and tears!

Wei barked back. "Shut up! What do you know about it? Chariss meant everything to me!"

Well, aren't you doing a swell job honoring her memory? Real glad the can't see you now. Damn, Padawan! I almost wish Windu was training you.

The Force Cripple turned on his lightsaber and pointed the blade at his Master. He could feel something like fire blossom out towards Quin. The Kiffar's Jedi Master's essence changed. A sudden darkness directed itself at Wei.

Defend yourself! Why do you care about destroying the Empire? They killed the woman you love! They destroyed your second home! WHY ARE YOU AFTER THEM?

"I want to stop them! They're destroying even more lives now! I cannot let it lie!"

So are you looking balance? Peace? Justice?

"All of it!"

Hang on to that, Padawan. Sheathe yourself in that desire to peace. Maintain that passion, that anger, and direct your intent. Your motivation will keep you sane. Now, hold to this for as long as you dare. If I sense you slipping, be sure I will knock you down.​

[Wei Wu Wei]

For several long minutes, Wei stood locked eye to eye with Vos. He could feel the apparition's dark intent pouring out towards him. He received it, but rather than let it soak into him, he allowed the Ghost's intent to mix with his own, which he returned to its owner. Every so often, when he could feel himself begin to lose focus in hot crimson feeling, the former Jedi would place his hands at his navel, draw them up, and push them palms out towards his old Master, as though trying to physically draw the darkness out of himself and push it back. The motion gave him clarity, and set the edge of his focus into a hard line once again.

As time passed, Wei began to integrate his lightsaber into the technique. The blade swept up the darkness in scooping parries which ended in whip-like strikes. As he adapted to the sensation of the rushing darkness flowing through the channel of Light he created for it, the technique became faster, more turbulent as it mirrored the crashing waves of Force energy caught between the two Force users.

You begin to mold the energy into at technique: good, Padawan. At this rate, we may just save you from yourself after all.

At that, Vos relented. Feeling the power ebb away from him, Wei lowered his lightsaber and allowed himself to relax. He hadn't realized how much effort he had been putting into maintaining the loop: his brow sheened with sweat, and his breathing came in ragged, shallow gasps. His heart beat against his ribs as though it wanted to break them.

"That..." he gasped, "that is too much! How can I maintain that?"

Well, Wei, Vos began, if you go into that military installation you will soon find out.​

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei returned to his lookout position and stared across the way to the base. "I don't understand."

He received no answer. Wei looked over his shoulder. Master Vos was not there. Troubled by his master's ominous words and sudden disappearance, the former Jedi wondered what he was going to do next. He needed information. But what could they possibly be doing in there that would cause him so much trouble.

*****************

A few days later, Wei brought his skimmer to the gates of the installation. His filthy uniform bore two patches: one that said Manly Mantellian Rodent Removers.

"No wonder the company went belly-up," he muttered.

A stormtrooper approached the cab of his skimmer. "State your business."

"Pest Control," Wei said. "Name's Corso." He shifted in the seat to display the other patch sewn into the uniform.

"Identification," the stormtrooper demanded, holding a hand out to receive Wei's personal ID.

"I just showed you!" Wei replied, jabbing a grubby finger at the patch. "Says right here, I'm Corso! I wouldn't go wearing Viidu's clothes. No sir, last time I didn't pay attention to that, I had a rash." He shifted to better indicate his hindquarters. "Right here." The former Jedi's face was a mask of good-natured seriousness.

The stormtrooper shook his head, a motion exaggerated to near humor by the helmet he was wearing. The other guard on duty seemed to go more rigid than normal: clearly he was trying his best not to laugh at his fellow. Wei kept his face patient. His Jedi training was helping, but his sense of unease had been building. Five days wasn't enough time to develop this ruse as well as needed, but was too much time for him personally. He needed to be on Coruscant--now.

"I need to see your official Imperial ID to allow you access into the building." The trooper said.

"Aw, fellas, you know it's me. It says so--"

"Yes, on your shirt." The trooper's speaker crackled a little as it transmitted the sound of a long, drawn out sigh.

******************

Days before, Wei and R4 had been working furiously. The small town a few miles away from the installation hadn't been doing as well as it would have liked. A small community with little growth, Several buildings bore faded signs of business ventures long put to rest by their luckless owners. Wei had enjoyed some luck at the cantina: The small town waitress welcomed him warmly, assumed he was new to the Base, and left him alone in a corner with a free drink as a "Welcome to Ord Mantell."

Officers and enlisted alike came and went throughout the day. Wei for once ignored the alcohol in front of him. Instead, he watched the military. It was clear they had no interest in the locals. The soldiers were rude, condescending, and never passed up an opportunity to mock Mantellian accents. The people of the town bore it out well--hospitality was apparently the last thing to die in their community. After a few hours of listening, Wei figured he could be the Mantellian laborer Imperials would expect him to be.

Wei snuck his fighter into an abandoned garage in the night. It had taken him some time, but he had managed the focus to lift the garage door silently using the Force, while R4 backed the fighter into the garage on repulsors only. The fighter was pretty loud, but there were no complaints, and no one investigated.

While R4 reset the company's records, Wei made friends with the local children. Kids of all ages played together outside, and were not at all shy about talking to strangers.

"What's the kind of bug or rodent that your moms and dads hate more than anything?"

One little boy spoke up immediately. "We had a whole flock of Flutterplumes in the barn last year! All hung up in the rafters and made a mess of everything! We had a big ol' barbeque one day and when you threw a scrap into the air, they'd come out of the barn quick as lightning and snatch it up before it hit the ground!"

The others nodded.

"Well," Wei said, "did they ever go away?"

The boy nodded. "Daddy had to burn the whole barn down!"

"He did?!" Wei asked excitedly. "Well, where do they usually go?"

The children all pointed at once to a set of low, rocky cliffs. "Why do you want to know, Mister?"

Wei held up a finger to his lips. "Just you wait and see."

That night, R4 buzzed the foothills with the starfighter, stirring the flutterplumes from their nests and driving them towards the base. Days later, Wei got his call for a contractor.

*********************************

"Yes sir," Wei said, fishing around in his pockets as though looking for it. "Well, did I leave it at home? Or in the other truck?"

He climbed out of the truck and reached for his back pockets. As he stepped out, a whole pile of crumpled food wrappers fell out, all bearing half eating breakfast biscuits.

"Sorry, I'll clean it up," Wei started to stoop down to pick up one, when suddenly over the wall of the compound, eight flutterplumes screeched and dove towards the food. The former Jedi clambered back into the cab of the skimmer, but the trooper was knocked completely off his feet by the scavengers as they snatched up the leftovers and flew back to their perches just inside the base.

"Woo wee!" Wei crowed. "Y'all got a mess in there! Plenty of target practice, I bet! And good eating!"

The stormtrooper got to his feet. "Yes, it's a mess. No, they're not target practice! Killing one just brings more. Apparently they eat each other!" Clearly frustrated, the trooper waved Wei on. "Just set up sonic devices so they'll finally go home!"

Wei nodded, and tipped his cap towards the trooper. "I'll do 'er. Them flutterplumes will be gone by sundown!"

He would be gone by sundown too, if all went according to plan.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The troopers were frazzled enough to let him in without identification, but not so much that they didn't scan him before he was able to enter the fort. Wei held his hands over his head and stood with feet shoulder width apart. A quick wave of a detecting wand later, and he was set. The Force Cripple parked in a neat rectangle near the gate labelled "Authorized Contractors," lowered the ramp for the back of the skimmer, and walked inside the enclosed bed. four sonic emitters rested on a small repulsorsled, waiting to be set up. A toolbox sat in a corner.

Wei activated the sled, grabbed the toolkit, then steered the sled down the ramp and towards one corner of the compound.

****************************

An hour later, the emitters were set. "When I turn these on, it's going to make an awful loud noise, then settle out into a clear pure tone. The first noise will scare off the flutterplumes, the second noise is actually tuned to a frequency that causes the flutterplumes some discomfort," Wei lied to the officer who came to check his progress.

"Then why not simply play the second noise? Won't they try to escape the discomfort?"

"Nah. They'll just track down the source and break it. These critters get mighty aggressive. But if you make it sound like there's a bigger critter come to eat 'em, they'll turn tail quicker than you can say 'savrip.' And you can say 'savrip' on account of that's the noise that's going to play when we fire these puppies up. If the flutterplumes think this area isn't safe, they won't come back. Then they won't come around again, cause of the second noise (on account of they're already out of range of it anyway)."

The officer rolled his eyes. "Very well. You may begin at any time."

Wei motioned for the officer to cover his ears before pressing the button. Thirty long seconds of savrip snarls cut through the sounds of bustle across the base. Then, a clear, pure tone played that vibrated in their ears. The Force Cripple took a big breath as the sound hit his ear drum and opened his mind to Force.

That's when he felt it. Darkness found him, plowed into him square on, sending his mind reeling. He held his head with one hand, fumbled for the toolbox with the other. The officer must have noticed the distressed expression on the former Jedi's face, because he was looking over at him with something between detached amusement and polite, but ultimately disinterested, concern.

"Realized I left my hearing protection in the skimmer," Wei shouted "Which building has the offices so I can get paid?"

The officer pointed to a building near the center of the base.

"That one?" Wei shouted, point at the one on the west side of the offices.

"That's the armory! Read, honestly!"

"That doesn't say 'honestly!' That says 'armory!' How about the other one?"

"The brig! It's the one in the very center!"

"The one in the center says 'offices!' The other one says 'brig!' I thought you knew the way around here?" Wei patted the officer on the back. "It's ok. My cousin can't read, either."

Without giving the officer a chance to respond, he walked towards the offices until he was sure no one was paying him any attention, then ducked behind a dumpster.

The Darkness came from the brig. He needed the offices to get the data. But whatever was going on in that other building was too much to ignore.

Conflicted, Wei set his jaw and sheathed his frustration in light. If Darkness was at work here, he had to investigate. It was his duty.

[Wei Wu Wei]

From the outside, the brig did not look like much. The featureless building was one of the smallest in the compound. Wei stepped inside and discovered the brig's capacity was maybe 20 people if they kept two to a cell. The only prisoner looked to be a hungover enlisted boy. His only guard, a rather pudgy officer who seemed like he spent more time doing reports than sit-ups.

The former Jedi's face registered confusion. The officer looked up and noticed his expression.

"You lost?" the officer asked.

"Looking for the commander's office?" Wei asked distractedly.

The fat man nodded. "Yes, it's the next building over, but I'm afraid he's not there."

"Uh huh." He felt it. Emanating from around this area. But where? Wei focused on the officer for a moment. "Place looks small. I thought garrison brigs were supposed to be bigger, for the POW's and stuff."

The officer rubbed the bridge of his nose. Wei swore he heard the man mutter a word like "bumpkins." Louder, the officer said, "Perhaps on the front lines, but in the middle of nowhere like this, there's no reason to have a large holding facility."

"Well yeah, but--"

"You aren't allowed here. Go wait in the main building, and I will let the commander know you're looking for him when I see him."

"When you see him?"

"I mean if I see him of course."

Clearly, it was time to drop the act. Wei lunged. The tone playing through the emitters allowed him to borrow strength from the Force. One solid punch to the officer's porcine jaw, and he was out cold. Wei lowered the containment field on one of the cells, tossed the officer into it, and locked it back.

Time was wasting. Wei sat down at the terminal and started poking around.

"Hey."

Wei looked up. The hungover soldier was looking at him through bloodshot eyes. "What?" he asked, wondering if he was going to have to knock out that soldier, too.

"I like how you handled that smug bastard. Guy hasn't passed PT in six years. Don't know why Commander keeps him on. Loves locking us up in here. Won't stop going on about wishing there was a halfway decent torture chamber to bring us in line. Man is messed up."

Wei nodded and glanced through some more directories.

"Commander came through here," the soldier offered.

"He did?"

"Yeah. Went straight down the rows, but didn't come back. Don't know why. I guess he's back there somewhere doing something."

Wei checked the security feeds. Sure enough, the Commander went straight to the back, opened a door labeled "boiler room," then stepped inside.

"Thanks. You feeling ok?"

The soldier nodded. "Yeah. Too many shots. Missed formation. But I got water, so I'm ok."

Wei nodded. "All right, then. Thanks for the tip."

The Force Cripple stood, walked purposefully to the back of the brig, then opened the door to the boiler room.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei noticed two things the minute he stepped inside. First, his skin tingled and his hair started to stand on end from all the electrical energy in the air. Second, the air was just as full of the sounds of a woman screaming in pain. A set of stairs led towards the torture victim and, Wei presumed her torturer, the Commander. He dashed down the steps, turned the tight hairpin at the bottom. The former Jedi's mouth fell open in shocked surprise.

This level looked almost identical to the one above. Same number of cells, but with two key differences. The far end from Wei, where the officer's desk was, contained only a slab with restraints, along with a small table of pain producing implements. Also, these cells were full.

"Chariss?"

Each cell held two or three women, all with raven black hair and fair skin. One had a beauty mark on her cheek that Chariss didn't have. Another's chin was more pointed. Yet a third stood an inch or two shorter than Wei's late wife. But there was no mistake. These women could easily have passed for her. Each bore bruises, wore casts and slings, or bandages. And at the far end, one of them lay strapped to the slab, suffering electrocution at the hands of a mad man in an Imperial uniform.

It was almost too much for Wei to take. The pain of his loss felt fresh as his mind fought his feelings. These women weren't her. But they looked like her. Anger exploded in Wei's chest. He's torturing my wife! He's torturing--"LET HER GO!" he bellowed.

The lightsaber ignited in the Force Cripple's hand. Before the Commander could turn, the former Jedi had already closed the distance and cut a long gash in his...clothes?

The commander put down the electrical prod. He turned to face Wei calmly. "A Jedi!" the commander laughed. "Come to take my collection from me?"

Wei recognized the man instantly. "You! You're that lieutenant!"

The man tapped the rank on his chest. "Ah ah! Commander! I'm that Commander! And you're the widower of the woman who nearly ruined my career." The Commander looked at his cut sleeve, charred almost from shoulder to wrist. "And here you've ruined my uniform." The man pulled the sleeve until it ripped free of its seam, then threw it carelessly to the side. The back of the man's arm was a metal shell,

"Do you like it?" the Commander asked. "Only the best cybertech from the best in Nar Shaddaa. Based on the technology of Grievous' MagnaGuards. Those lovely staffs that block lightsaber strikes found their way into the hands of criminal scientists employed by most devious Hutts. They found a way to turn the technology into shielding. Sure, Order 66 exterminated the Jedi, but the existence of that Vader fellow made me think that it wouldn't hurt to have as my own little secret."

Wei struck again at the Commander's leg.

"Sorry, but after your wife left me hamstrung, I'm afraid I decided to simply replace both my legs with metal ones. They have the same tech as the arm, I'm afraid. You'll have to try again."

"Monster!"

"You're the monster!" Shouted the woman on the slab.

The commander reached over to the table, picked up a wicked looking blade, and struck at his victim. Wei moved to intercept, but only managed to push the blade aside enough that the cut was shallow. Still, the woman cried out at the fresh wound on her cheek.

"I was going to kill her, but I forget how much cuts on the face can hurt. Thank you."

"Shut up!"

The Commander reached for something leaning against the slab. As the Imperial drew it from his hiding place, Wei could see it was a sword. The commander pressed a button on the hilt, and the length of the blade seemed to crackle with a pinkish-purple electrical field. "It's no lightsaber, but it'll do."

Wei growled, then thrust his blade straight at the Commander's heart.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The Commander turned the blade aside with apparently little effort. "I had heard with enough enhancements and adrenals, a person could match a Jedi for strength and speed. I was beginning to think I would never get to see if the rumors were true." He countered with his own thrust, which Wei bashed aside.

Connect to his darkness! Form the loop!

Wei reached out with his darkness and found his opponent's. Most of the man's ill intent was still focused on the women he held captive. Wei needed the man to re-focus. He lashed at the Imperial with a set of lateral cuts. The cyborg pushed them all away, then offered a vertical slash. Wei slid to one side, hooked his blade on the Commander's, and pulled.

That got his attention. The commander jerked aside, placing his exposed leg far out of reach of Wei's saber. He placed his full attention on the former Jedi. "She learned it from you!" He bellowed in surprise. "That damn bitch learned that technique from you!"

"I hope you've learned something since then," Wei replied. "I hope you learned how to carry yourself in a fight, and not just how to torture innocent women."

"Oh, I learned both! And I'm damn good at them, too!"

The man's darkness hit Wei full in the chest. Wei yielded a bit, rocking his weight onto his back leg as the physical analogue to mental and spiritual action. He drew on that intent, along with his own, and redirected it towards his opponent.

"You won't live to do either. I'll kill you! Whatever it takes!"

The fighters rushed each other. The distance closed, and the weapons clashed once more in a flash of light and crackling noises as the electrical field of the sword interfered with the field containing the blade of light. Darkness built up in Wei's chest like a pressurized system. He pushed against the Commander's blade with explosive force, and was satisfied to find the man moved backwards enough to chop down at his neck.

[Wei Wu Wei]

The Commander parried the chop smartly. "Just so you know," he said as he made his riposte, "I didn't order the execution of your wife."

Wei dodged the thrusting point of the blade, and made no reply except for a lateral swipe at the Commander's midsection.

"It's true. I was too late by about three weeks. Really set me off." He blocked the lightsaber, felt the tension as Wei locked the blades, and flexed his wrist in an attempt to free himself. A few seconds of watching his blade spin uselessly around Wei's, the Commander decided to try something else. "That's when I had the idea to look for others like her."

Wei kept control of the blades, still refusing to speak.

"I had Imperial Intelligence scan through images of every citizen in the records. One year later, they found a match and sent her to me. 93% match, which I'll admit was amazing. Most of these are 70% at best."

The former Jedi flicked his lightsaber forward, attempting a scolding slash on the man's wrist. Wei's opponent hopped backwards, and caught a graze on the back of his hand. It burned, but the Commander did not drop his weapon.

"Yeah," the Commander continued in his irritatingly nonchalant tone, "They brought her to me, interestingly enough, on the day I first met that bitch you married. I kept my little doppelganger for a year." He angled a cut towards Wei's leg. "The hell I put her through--"

Wei cut him off. The Force Cripple hammered the man's sword to the floor, then caught him squarely in the jaw with the hilt of the lightsaber.

"Struck a--"

Wei bashed him again.

"You are angr--"

Again.

The fourth time, the Commander caught Wei by the forearm and squeezed with cybernetically enhanced strength. Wei grit his teeth, refused to cry out his pain.

"And you know what I did with her on the anniversary of that duel that put me to such miserable shame?" The Commander pulled Wei close, whispered in his ear. "I challenged that poor, desperate woman to single combat. All she had to do was face me in a duel to earn her freedom." The mechanical grip tightened. "I hamstrung that harpy just as yours did me. Covered her in painful lacerations, listened to her beg for me to kill her, and when I wouldn't, listened to her promise me anything for an end to the pain."

Wei's arm exploded in pain. The shock waves erupted across his body. He could see vividly in his mind's eye what the Commander described. He couldn't imagine that woman. He could only imagine Chariss. The pain and grief made him angry. Wei hated this Imperial bastard. Wanted him dead. Wanted revenge. He needed power to escape. Needed to be free of the grip that held his lightsaber hand at bay. The light preserving him started to crumble away from his mind and revealed all the darkness circulating through him and back at his opponent.

Wei felt the darkness, and did what he did best: he let it flow. With an open hand, Wei reached for the Commander's face. Lightning lanced from his fingertips, hungering to burn his opponent's flesh. The Commander howled in pain. Wei howled in rage.

And just above it all, Wei could hear someone else screaming. It didn't matter. The only thing that did matter was the death of the man who made sport of murdering his wife.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Wei's vision narrowed. The Commander filled his vision even as the screams filled his ears. Suddenly, the Commander's cybernetic hand spasmodically jerked open and the Force Cripple felt a severe impact coming from the side. He flew across the room and slammed into the wall. He fell in a crumpled heap, coughing and trying to get breath into his lungs.

I told you.

In his disorientation, Wei looked for the voice. His eyes fell on the Commander, whose sword rested on the metal table where his torture victim lay twitching. The commander was staring intently at his twitching hand, trying to will the the mechanical limb to obey his mental commands.

I told you.

"Who? Who?"

Your dead granny! Who do you think it is?

"M-master?"

Glad you remember me! Do you remember anything else? Like a promise I made you?

"Master, I--"

Shut up! I told you! I told you! If you fell to the Darkside as a result of this Vapaad training, I would knock you down so that you would never get up ever again! And I'm going to let that monster do it! You forgot what kept you sane! You forgot! And now I have to make sure you don't fall any farther!

"Chariss...I promsed...there wouldn't be more..."

And yet here we are! A woman tortured by an Imperial madman--with your help, too!

"No."

Yes! Look at her, Wei!

Wei's head bobbed and his vision swam. He felt an invisible weight pin him to the wall, felt his head jerk around to point his eyes in the proper direction.

LOOK AT HER!

The woman's body still twitched ever so slightly. The backs of her hands were red from the electrical burns she suffered where they contacted to the chair. The smell of burnt clothes, hair, and skin crawled up Wei's nose and down into his stomach, nauseating him.

"I didn't--"

You did!

"I didn't mean to--"

Who cares? Your actions did this, not your intention!

The former Jedi struggled against Vos' power. "I can fix it! I can control it!"

No, you cannot! You are no Jedi! Just a sour, angry drunk.

"There is no emotion! There is peace!"

Does saying that help you sleep at night? Trick you into thinking you're better than you are?

"There is no ignorance! There is knowledge!"

You aren't even aware of your own actions! Do you even known what's happening right now?

"There is no passion! There is serenity!"

Your serenity crumbled under your need to revenge yourself on this man! How will you manage on Coruscant?

"There is no chaos! There is harmony!"

Then why are you here? How does what you're doing bring harmony?

"There is no death! There is the Force!"

You'll find out soon enough, won't you?

Wei struggled in his Master's grip until he made his last reply, then finally went limp.

"I have failed everyone I lost. The memory of the Jedi is sullied through me. My family's sacrifice, wasted. I have made it all worthless in my anger and rage. If the Force must be balanced by my annihilation, then so be it. What use is it to struggle against the currents of the Force's will?" Wei took a pained breath. Shut his eyes. No more fighting. Completely empty, the former Jedi slouched against the wall, and felt the Force for what he thought would be the last time.

Wei opened his eyes to take one more look at his Master. Vos seemed sad, and contemplative. He glanced over at the woman who he hurt. The woman who bore such a striking resemblance to Chariss, whom he had loved more than his own life. She looked at him, not with anger, but with her own sadness. "I forgive you," she mouthed to him.

He looked back up at Vos, who continued to stare at him with the same expression. Vos' form rippled. The commander stepped through it, sword drawn.

"I don't know what happened, and I don't care. If it means I get to kill you, I'll take it!"

With his one good hand, he tightened his grip on the sword, and swung down at Wei's skull with all his strength.

[Wei Wu Wei]

He sensed the blade falling towards him in its deadly arc. He sensed a need to move. Quick as a flash, Wei brought his lightsaber in line to block. Wei gathered his feet under him and stood, pressing against his enemy with strength not entirely his own.

Everything was going to be ok. She forgave him. He was forgiven. Years of self-incrimination and guilt bled out of him. He knew she wasn't Chariss--wasn't actually his wife--but somehow being forgiven by that woman for what he did helped him let go of the grief and guilt of not being there to protect the woman he loved.

He wouldn't be angry at himself anymore. He could be at peace with himself. But he could still be angry at the Empire. He could still be angry at the sociopath that made a hobby of murdering Chariss in effigy.

The anger felt different this time. Not hot and explosive like before, but cold and focused. Narrowed into an icicle of determination, Wei pointed it at the Commander while using the Commander's anger to drive the icicle towards him. This time, he would use the Vapaad training the right way. He had to bring balance.

Wei sidestepped towards the Commander's malfunctioning hand and stabbed, lashed at his opponent from one side and the other. The former Jedi went full on the offensive. The Commander turned his bad side away from Wei, keeping his profile narrow. It helped for a minute or two, but the superconducting loop of the Dark Side was doing its job too well. The speed with which Wei attacked increased. Not like in practice, but still enough to outperform the Commander's cybernetics. One lightsaber appeared to be two, then two appeared to be four, then four appeared to be eight.

"Damn you, Jedi!" He howled, and made one more desperate attack.

Wei ducked low and shifted to one side, then stabbed upwards through the man's abdomen and into his head.

The Commander fell in a heap. Wei searched him quickly for the security codes he needed and pass keys to unlock the cells. Within moments, the women were free.

"Thank you!" One of them said. "We're glad you arrived."

Wei nodded. "I'm glad I could be here," he said. "But there's still more to do. Back upstairs. I have a truck that will be able to carry you all. I just need to be sure we can get to it without getting shot to pieces."

[Wei Wu Wei]

Back at the computer terminal upstairs, Wei slipped the Commander's dataspike into it. The terminal accepted the codes with a bright ping and opened the terminal's menus. The former Jedi connected his datapad and started transferring the security codes and tactical data he would need to get by the planetary defenses surrounding Coruscant. Next, he found the Commander's orders to incarcerate women that looked like Chariss and had it rescinded. Once that had been taken care of, he turned his attention to creating a large distraction for the guards.

"Were all those women down there?" the imprisoned trooper asked. "Damn, I wondered what the Commander was doing down there. Never would talk about it."

"We're not going to talk about it now, either," Wei said sharply. He needed time to calm down. Re-center. He took a big breath. Let it out. Rubbed his eyes with his palms, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Whoa, sorry." The soldier said, holding up his hands. "Didn't mean to make you mad." The soldier held his temples. "That noise is killing my head. I am so hungover." He went to lay down with his hands clasped over his ears.

Wei looked over at him. "The noise will die down in a short while. In the meantime, I need to move these women without it looking suspicious. Is there anything that can be done?"

The guy looked at him a confused expression.

"Something that might get the attention of everyone, but not lock down the installation?"

The man shrugged. "Maybe if there's a visitor, like a Grand Moff, or something. But we never get those. You're the pest control guy, right?"

Wei sighed. "Sure, if you want to think that."

The soldier rolled his eyes and shook his head, which caused him to immediately wince. "Uh! That was a bad idea!"

"I've been there," Wei told him. "But you were saying?"

"Put the women in a big crate and wheel it out. They can be like...I don't know...babies? Or eggs?"

Wei looked at the women. "Would you be ok with that? I don't know what you've been through. I don't want to cause you any distress."

One stepped over and placed a hand on Wei's shoulder. "We'll endure anything to be gone from here."

"Ok, let's get a supply crate."

[Wei Wu Wei]

It took Wei only a few minutes to forge a request for a large plasteel container. The former Jedi still had the repulsor sled, which he would use to move the women once he had the crate. The Chariss look-alikes were all standing by the door when Wei knocked. Twice, then once, then three times. They opened the door. Wei stepped into the door frame and pulled the sled up to it so the crate was flush with the doorway.

"Everyone in. Don't move, don't speak."

The women scrunched up close in the large box, then Wei sealed them in. Then, the former Jedi went over to the security terminal and pressed a few buttons. "It'll let you out of your cell in an hour," he told the hungover grunt.

All Wei got was a thumbs-up. Good enough.

He returned to the repulsor sled and pushed it towards he truck as nonchalantly as he could. Once he maneuvered the crate into the truck, he locked it all up and left, waving to the guards. "The noise has to carry on for a while," Wei said. "You want to really drive home for them that they don't want to be here!"

Hours later, everyone was out of the truck and feeling fine.

"Thank you so much!" One of the women exclaimed, and hugged him tightly.

Wei returned the hug awkwardly. It was so heart-breakingly strange. He released her, and sat down with all of them in the old building. "So, where are you all from?"

By nightfall, each woman was on her way to her own home. It took all the money Wei had left, but he hadn't any plans to use the credits, anyway. When the women asked him what he would be doing next, he only told them he would be finishing what he started. How that would go, how it would end? He wasn't sure. So he gave up the credits and made sure the women bearing Chariss' likeness made it home safely.

"R4, are you ready?" Wei asked his droid when he got back to the hideaway.

I wouldn't worry about the droid. I'm more concerned about your readiness.

"Master Vos," Wei said. "I hoped you would appear again. I wanted to ask you about what happened back at the installation.

The part where I decided not to let you die? Well, you were just so pathetic and repentant, how could I not let you go? Besides, if that woman could forgive you for your mistake, after all she went through, were you really that far gone? It doesn't matter. Just don't waste this second chance.

"I won't. Thank you, Master Vos."

Thank you, Wei. For being a good student, even after all these years.

The starfighter's engines started up. The garage door opened. It was time. Wei looked at the ghost of his master one last time, sealed the canopy, then eased the ship out of the tight space.

"Here we go. The end of the line."