Chapter 30
Brothers
As soon as he entered the hangar he sensed something was off…instantly regretting coming to Coruscant. The heart of the Jedi who were hunting him, but the only place he could ever find answers or closure – the Vorynx den he mused…he was a stray male looking to prey on this packs red-haired female…that could only in in death…most likely his own.
He settled the Vorynx down on the pad, almost as soon as he had the hangars blast door closed behind him. He regretted leaving Sel and Maeson on the orbital platform above the City planet…but he couldn’t’ risk all of their lives, no matter their protestations…if the Jedi finally succeeded in killing him as they had tried to twice…they were to wreak as much destruction upon them as possible.
Something in the aether whispered to him that this was a momentous time, the threads of connection between lives were converging. What that meant…who could say.
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He reached the Spaceport in 14 minutes, stopping off at the temple on the way to throw on his armour, he would not underestimate this foe.
Mop Lim, turned to regard him as he approached the hangar bay’s locked down doors. The Ryn Sentinel was flanked by two Coruscant Security Force officers, no doubt the reason there were so many regular CSF goons posted about the space port. Five other Sentinels in Jedi Assault Armour were dotted around the corridor in defensive stances.
“Knight Valens,” Lim genuflected, “the Grand Master informed us you would be joining us,” there was no love lost between him and the Sentinels, they knew how Kimar used him for ‘special missions’, in a sense they were jealous, as Valens star rose in Kimar’s eyes theirs had fallen.
“Commander Tsi has secured and evacuated civilians in the surrounding levels, we have the hangar bay locked down and ion cannons ready to disable any ship that tries to leave or enter.”
“Have you made contact with whoever is in there yet?”
Lim’s beak like nose wrinkled,
“The Grand master advised us to await for your arrival before proceeding” his voice dripped annoyance.
“Then I won’t delay you any further, you may proceed as you see fit Sentinel Lim,” he allowed.
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He could feel them out there…tense…anxious…expecting of a fight.
And here in the ship Jarys could feel himself becoming angry…annoyed…trapped. Clearly the attempt to clean the ships ident-code hadn’t worked, or they had another method of tracking him…it didn’t matter he supposed, it was done.
It was better this way, he had run from the Jedi twice – no more, face to face he would sort this out once and for all. He suited up, if they wanted a fight, he was more than happy to give it to them.
They couldn’t kill him, he was already dead. He had died with his people, when Cilina was torn away by the slavers, his brother crushed by a collapsing building, his grandfather destroying himself in a failed attempt to stop the genocide.
Whatever shadow of life he had with the Sons was over. To fight, to live as one already dead was the essence of a thousand warrior codes he had heard of, its commonality across species and cultures spoke to its truth.
It was already decided that he had died, the only thing left unknown was the where and at whose hand.
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He had to survive this, to that end he would have the Sentinels do the work, wear the Sith down, then come in take his memories and finish him off.
Once Milaea finished her trial it would be time to tell her the truth, to summon Kiraea and the others to meet her, to reunite the tattered remains of their people into a family once more…
Family…he wondered if Jarys was still alive…years ago he had found a holovid of a warrior called the Beast of the Arena, a gladiator who had massacred the arenas audience with aetheric lighting, the face was unmistakably that of his brother…
Unfortunately it was 10 years after the event that he first saw the video, all traces of him vanished long since, and Valens focus had to be on what he did have, Kiraea and the girls at home, and Milaea here on Coruscant.
They shuffled through the maintenance corridors into the hangar, he was between an equine Thakwaash and flap faced Sullustan Sentinel while Lim had point.
Finally exiting out of the gritty metal side door into the main hangar, a Mandolorian Assault transport not unlike the Andis sat amongst the thin fogs from the gas exchangers.
As the Sentinels fanned out he kept behind them, and noted on the side of the ship a painting…a vorynx breaking its chains...
Not a Vornskr of Myrkyr…but an actual Vorynx, the product of generations of Aethan scientific enhancement of the base vornskr species.
Only an Aethan would know this animal.
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He paused at the ramp and listened as the Jedi formed a defensive arc around the front of the hangar,
“Exit with your hands or equivalent appendages upon your cranium, leaving any weapons on your ship,” One of them called out to him using humanoid anatomically neutral terminology.
“What do you want with Me!” he yelled back genuinely interested in why they had attacked him, first on Cygrat, then on Santooine.
There was a pause, the aether was tense and brittle, liable to snap at any moment.
“You are wanted in connection with an investigation into the assault of a Jedi Master Neirai and Padawan Milaea on Cygrat, and the murder of Jedi Knights Feori, Hissan, Beldan and Corana, and Masters Hk’Tn and Gurrlum on Santooine.”
MilAEA…aea was a traditional feminine suffix meaning “belonging to” or “being a part of” the Aether…Mil of the Aether…Mil was not a prefix familiar to him…but the use of an “IL” sound was consistent with the mountain village families names – ShILea…CILina…
The implications of this being the name of the Jedi girl he was looking for…He shook it off he had more pressing matters for now.
“Please exit your ship as instructed and submit peacefully.”
Submit…his mind filled with memories of being taken by the slavers…whipped, electrocuted…struggling to escape…beaten into submission. He would never – NEVER – be placed in a cage again no one would take his freedom ever again.
So many of his comrades…his brothers in arms…amongst the Sons had fallen beside him with pride on their faces to have died free…died fighting their oppressors and those who sought to place them back in chains.
If they wanted him dead, so be it, he could accept that. A cage - never.
“Leave me alone…and I’ll leave you alone,” he offered them a way out even as he scanned them in the aether, reading their species, their emotions…there were six…no…seven…one was behind the other a subtle presence…not trying to hide but not trying to stand out either…that must be their true leader – the one who watched not the one who talked.
“I repeat, come out with your appendages on your cranium, unarmed. You are under arrest by my authority under the Jedi Powers Act Section 3. There is no need for a violent escalation,”
He stepped off the ramp and onto the oil stained duracrete floor, walking with deliberate heavy steps around to face them. They were all wearing armour that had a bronze tinge, their faces obscured beneath helmets suited to their species. He darted two blasters and four grenades out of the ship behind him and gently slid them around the far edge of the hangar while their eyes were on him. With another level of consciousness he kept his mind pressed on the Vorynx hidden anti-infantry cannon that would pop down from the hull and unleash a barrage in an instant.
With slow steady movements, keeping his left hand raised, he unclipped his belt which held his tremor sword and blaster, the Jedi didn’t have any weapons out, but he could feel them twitching to use the light swords in the aether. His weapons clattered to the floor and he raised his right hand beside his left and placed them on the back of his helmet.
Jedi glanced amongst themselves…based on what he knew of their code, they would not attack someone who had nominally surrendered, he took a few steps forward then knelt down. They were uncomfortable he was still armoured, but there was a sense of relief in the aether as his knees hit the grotty pitted floor.
The two closest edged forward, the others kept to his flanks and closed the distance, the odd one at the back who wore a darker armour than the others remained unmoved…that was the one he had to worry about.
The aether boiled with tension once more as the nearest one produced stun cuffs and began to circle round him.
He gave the cuffs a quick glance…recalling the shock collar he was forced to wear between bouts in the arena…
Never again.
As the Jedi passed his left side, with all the speed the aether could grant him he sprung up, his fingers crooked into a claw strengthened by the aether pierced through the face plate and dug deep into the skin, muscle and bone behind it, ripping it free leaving a gaping mess of red flesh and yellowed bone behind.
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If there had been any doubt after seeing the Vorynx, it was gone now.
The supposed Sith of Cygrat was an Aethan...more specifically…it was Jarys.
As Jarys ripped his hand free from Lims wreckage of a face, he summoned his tremor sword and unleashed blaster bolts from the side of the room while Valens remained unmoved.
It all made sense to him. Only an Aethan Guardian could’ve survived a fight with Milaea when she was protecting Sofa, only an Aethan Guardian could destroy Gurrlum and cripple Soryu in the same fight…
Only an Aethan Guardian, faced with six Jedi Sentinels, could manage to rip the face off of one…and now plunge his sword into the chest of another while their sabre was only half lit and the others distracted by four explosions that rocked the cavernous hangar and set the fire alarm spewing suppressive foams, the doors only remained closed due to the security override.
The other Sentinel’s immediately closed, blades alight, aetheric blasts shattering the blasters Jarys had placed to distract them. Overwhelmed already he lit his lightning shield to force the Sentinels to keep their distance. The aether was alive with pushes, pulls, smashes and grabs, lights in the side of hangar walls exploded apart, fuel tubes and old crates were flung around in the tumult.
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Four onto one…there were ways he could even the odds…but the fifth…the one in dark armour that just stood and watched…was no doubt waiting for him to try something to sweep in and finish him.
He pivoted to the side, a green blade searing a thin scar on his helmet, his sword pushing down against a silver blade as he tried to get some distance, to break them up…His lighting shield sent arcs against the Jedi’s armour, but apart from a few blackened scorch marks it was too concentrated to make a difference.
They were too co-ordinated…he had the element of surprise on Santooine and a sniper to back him up…here they knew what to expect.
Though imbued with a Kortosis weave, with every clash against the energy blades – silver – green – amber – blue – green – amber –green – silver – it was chipped down more and more, it could not take his kind of punishment.
The aether kept him slightly faster and stronger than each of his opponents, but sheer numbers were starting to tell…he managed to score an elbow to the side of an overly tall head, but it cost him getting struck in the shin by a low kick as he raised his sword to parry an overhead blow.
And that damn fifth one just kept watching on…This hangar was the place…and that one…
That would be the one who finally killed him.
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He doubted Jarys had picked up any training in Lightsabre forms, yet he still managed to keep the Sentinels at bay, his genetically enhanced cognition allowing him to pick up and learn moves as he fought. Nonetheless the storm of four Sentinels with six glowing blades was too much, Jarys twisted and thrust but was already taking glancing hits, in response he tried to press on the Sentinels minds, but mental attacks had never been his strong suit.
Taking a kick to the ribs and barely blocking the follow through that would’ve skewered him, Valens realised Jarys was holding back some reserve because he knew that Valens - the anonymous Jedi who watched on so far as he knew - was a greater threat.
He thought of Sofa…her scent still tingling his nose…Jarys had hurt her…hurt her terribly…his lover his wif….no Shilea…he had to remember Shilea…had to bring her back…and Cilina with her…Cilina – Milaea – Jarys...
Jarys collapsed back onto one knee, pressed down by the swirling barrage of sabre blows, his strength was failing, combined against him it was only a matter of time, one on one they would’ve been no match for his brother…
…his brother…
If he……all his plans would have to be cast aside, there would be no quiet exit with Milaea from the Jedi Order…but the price…watching his brother who even now fought the torrent of glowing blades - as if knocking aside enough of them would make the rain cease – be cut to pieces…
…his brother….
Valens tore off his helmet and roared with all the strength his throat could take,
“ANDIS!”
His grandfather’s name on his lips he surged forward, sabre hissing into life, ending with the green blade firmly implanted into the back of the Sullustans neck, carving it out through the shoulder and into the Thakwaash upper left arm, and down through the small of its back, then up along the spine and through its equine skull.
The other Sentinels exploded shock and terror into the aether that was only matched by pure joy streaming off his brother to hear his grandfather’s name and see Valens face.
They backed away…Two Sentinels, a Gran with a double bladed green sabre and an Umbaran with dual amber bladed Tonfa grips stood against two Aethan Guardians who had spent a hundred afternoons sparring side by side against their grandfather after a hundred mornings trying to come up with combinations they could use in unison to land a hit.
For all their time apart the aether instantly flowed between them as it had then. Valens slid low and unleashed a torrent of lighting upward at the Gran, Jarys leapt over him mid-stream to come down on the Umbaran who caught his blade in a yellow white flickering scissor of blades, pushing to keep the tremor sword from reaching its head.
The Gran switched to a low guard to block Valens, who instead pivoted stretched his arm out as far as he could and sliced through the Umbarans ankle with the tip of his sabre redirecting the stream of energy to the Umbaran, blazing its flesh within the armour as the blue arcs found every little imperfection to slide inside and cook the meat.
The Gran thought this was his chance to strike Valens and spun forward, his double blade a wheel of death until Jarys, pushing off from the Umbarans faltering lock flew behind and sliced through the Grans hips, indifferently catching the spinning green blades in the aether as Valens rolled out of their path.
What was left of the last two Sentinels flopped onto the floor, the steam of blood and bile hissed from the cauterized wounds, the stench of fresh blood keen in his nose.
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Throwing off his helmet he grabbed his brother, pressing their heads together as tears of true joy fell from his eyes.
“Valens…you’re…you’re…” he could barely speak
“And you brother…and you…” Valens gently pushed him back,
“We don’t have much time…the Jedi will soon discover what happened here…I’ve infiltrated them…and Milaea…your daughter…Milaea is with them…”
His heart leapt as his suspicion was confirmed…yet regretted deeply having fought her…and even more so not having recognised her.
“It’s not your fault Jarys,” Valens placed his hand on his shoulder while fumbling for something in a pouch, both their hands were shaking with emotion.
“Take this, key to an apartment I own with a private hangar, details are stamped on it. It’s covered in Aether illusions and wards, you’ll be safe there, Kiraea will join you soon,”
“Kiraea…fiery little Kiraea is alive!” he said excitedly
“Blazing…but not so little…I’ll shut off the lock down and get Milaea from the Temple…then we can go home,”
He nodded overwhelmed by everything that was happening in one sense, trying to guess what it all meant in another, and further planning how he could help.
“Anything I can do?”
Valens paused for a moment
“Put the bodies in the ship before take-off…Keep an eye on the Temple, hopefully I won’t be long…but if they find out what happened here before I get Milaea out…”
“A thousand Jedi won’t stop me,” Jarys replied, the way he felt right now…a million couldn’t stop him…couldn’t stop them.
They clasped their arms one last time, their excitement setting their aetheric lighting trailing up each other’s arms in a sign of a warrior’s fraternity.
“Aertemisaea strengthen you brother” he said,
“And Aethenaea guide you,” Valens replied
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Outside the hangar Commander Tsi was still waiting,
“Master Jedi, is everything alright? We heard explosions but following Master Lims instructions remained outside,”
Tsi was a tall man, a head taller than Valens, but with the aether he towered over him psychologically.
“Everything is fine, the fugitive has been subdued, you will immediately remove the lock down, the other Jedi will depart in the fugitive’s ship, it will be taken to the Temple for further investigation. Everything is fine” he emphasized his words with an uncompromising mental pulse.
The Commander swayed gently with glassy eyes,
“Everything is fine,” he summoned over another officer, “You will immediately remove the lock down, the other Jedi will depart in the fugitive’s ship, it will be taken to the Temple for further investigation. Everything is fine” he said in a monotone voice
The other officer gave his commander an odd look, a sharp jab in the aether soon had him just as compliant,
“Yes Commander, everything is fine….”
Satisfied the dullards were dealt with he sprinted down the corridor…
to Milaea…
To the Future.
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