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Author	Topic: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 5/23 6:47pm Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
	Chapter 14 I sat the others down in the main compartment of our ship so I could explain their jobs in the upcoming strike. I felt my command over them was extremely provisional, so I tried to be as delicate as possible with my authority. “From what Master Kavar has told me, there are three strongholds that we must destroy. They are where the sith weapons are being kept. They will be launching an assault in four days, so we must destroy them before that happens. Each one is powered by a single fusion reactor that is heavily shielded from air attack. “To destroy all of them, I must infiltrate the bases and retrieve their shield frequency. That would allow us to penetrate the defenses and destroy each reactor with a single proton torpedo. “We cannot be discovered until we have the last shield frequency. If we are, the bases will go on full alert and infiltration would be impossible. It might even cause them to launch their assault early. If we can destroy all three bases, it might end a war before it begins. “Juhani is skilled with force stealth. It will be her job to take out the guards around the bases without alerting security.” I faced her. “You must also maintain a clear path for me so I can return to the ship. We must go in and get without being detected. “Nevski, you are going to have to modify the proton torpedoes so they can penetrate the shields. You will also have to evade their sensors while landing and taking off.” I stood up in front of them again. “Stealth cannot be compromised for any reason for the first two bases. Once I’ve transmitted the third frequency, you will start the bombing run immediately.” “You mean strike before you’ve even gotten out?” Nevski asked. “If that’s what it takes to destroy all three targets before they unleash hell, then yes.” They looked at me with unpleasant surprise. “I intend to be out of there before you hit the third base. We would just have to meet up afterwards.” Nevski stood up. “If I were to fire upon these bases, I would be killing thousands of people. Has the Council even considered that we’d be committing mass slaughter?” I sat down. “As a matter of fact: they have. By killing thousands, our actions could save millions.” He shook his head. “For a greater good?” “If you wish to think of it like that.” He turned away from me. “Nevski...” I gently pulled him back. “...this is to stop a war from happening. If we don’t do this... if you don’t destroy those bases, they will launch their assault in four days. When that happens, the other side will be wiped out. Those weapons must be destroyed to keep it from happening. Can I trust you to do your job?” He sighed and then nodded. “Yeah. I know what has to be done. I should do some simulations before we get there.” “Dismissed.” He walked out of the compartment and onto the flight deck. After the door closed behind him, I sat down and sighed in exhaustion. Juhani stared at me for a long moment. “What?” “Why did the Council choose you to lead a mission where millions of lives are at stake? Why did Master Atris say that it could only be you?” “Kurillians are immune to the jedi mind trick. In order to get information, the infiltrator must be able to drain life energy.” I stood up and crossed my arms. “I have a rare gift that allows me to absorb not only a person’s life energy, but knowledge as well. I was the best choice.” “How do you feel about it?” I picked up the pad. “Master Kavar seems to have figured everything out, himself. There are not going to be any hard choices to make. All things considered, this is little more than a blue-milk run. He might give this to a first year padewan!” I threw the pad across the room and dropped into my seat. She looked as if I were going to go mad with rage. When I didn’t, she stepped in front of me. ”The Council would not put so much at stake unless they trust the one they put in command. Millions of lives will depend on the decisions you make. You shouldn’t take this lightly.” As one of Trevelyan’s friends, I wondered how I was regarded by Juhani. “Do you trust me?” She hesitated to answer. “It’s all right... I wouldn’t trust me either.” “Whether I trust you or not is irrelevant. You are in command and I will follow your orders.” “I’ll not yet you down. If not for the mission, then for Trevelyan.“ I went to pick up the pad I had thrown and retired to the crew quarters. We had two days to reach Kuril, so I’d have plenty of time to go over Kavar’s battle plans. ----- We arrived in orbit around Kuril with about four hours before our first target is under the cover of darkness. Juhani and I were going through our gear and testing everything we would carry. We both would have interface goggles for locating mines and night vision. Although we were capable of using the force to navigate through the dark, I wanted to ensure we had every advantage we could get. We both would wear black body armor that gave us some protection, but wouldn’t restrict our movement or force abilities. I would bear a defel stealth generator around my waist to evade both sensors and eyes. The field works both ways, so I would be shrouded in darkness while using the belt. Only within the base would I have to rely on the force to ‘see.’ It only had an hour’s supply of power, so I could not afford to use it any more than I must. I also would carry a security breaker on my left wrist. This unit would be my means of going from one sealed area to the next. On the other arm was an Echani personal shield. The odds of it doing me any good were slim. If I got past security, then no problem... if I were caught, sith weapons would beat it down in seconds. Juhani did not require much more than her lightsabers, but I insisted that she be equipped with a stealth belt and an echani shield generator. Since she would not be infiltrating the bases, she would travel light. Nevski would remain with the ship for the duration of the mission. Although capable, he was not required for anything more than taking off and landing without being detected. His presence would only increase the risk of being discovered. By the time both of us were equipped, I was greatly concerned that I may be leading all of us to our deaths. So much depends upon me. Then I pushed the thought aside... I can’t be second-guessing myself now. I had to show courage, not fear. Fear was contagious. ---- About twenty minutes from our first target, I went to see how Nevski was doing on the flight deck. “How are we looking?” “We’ve got a problem... the sensor systems are not what Kavar anticipated in the battle plan. The ship’s energy signature is too high for us to get within ten kilometers. They must have obtained type 14 sensors from the sith. We can’t get through undetected.” “Is there anything that could be done?” “We either have to land eight kilometers further from the landing sights than we intended, or reduce power to thrusters even further. At that point, we wouldn’t have enough thrust to stay airborne, let alone takeoff again.” “We can’t land that far away... how much lighter do we need to be?” I asked. “We are nearly twelve tons too heavy for the thrusters to keep us airborne and undetected. I’ve already dumped as much fuel as we could afford to lose, but there’s not much else we could jettison.” He turned back to receive my next order. I didn’t like being in this position. I wasn’t the expert pilot here; I could fly, but not like Nevski. Just when I was out of options, Juhani spoke up. “Could we use our force power to compensate for the excess weight? Would that work?” “I’ve never tried it before, but I don’t see any reason why not.” He stated. “How much could each of you levitate?” I asked. “I’ve been able to lift about six tons.” Juhani replied. “I would have to focus all my effort on piloting the ship with an unaccounted for source of lift. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to help you. We would also have to have more than twelve tons to take off again. And you both would have to maintain it for almost two minutes. I don’t think it could be done.” Nevski declared. I sighed almost in despair. “I’ve been able to lift almost fifteen... and I had to focus all the anger I could muster to achieve that.” I paused for a moment to think. There was no other option; we had to do it. “Nevski... take the ship in and cut whatever you must when we are ten kilometers from the landing sight. Juhani, prepare to focus your thoughts on levitating the ship when the thrusters are reduced. I’ll do the same.” “Shouldn’t we test our abilities before we actually make a landing?” Juhani suggested. “I’m going to have to tap the dark side for this! I can’t afford to do this any more than I have to.“ “We are 150 kilometers away and will reach ten in eight minutes, 59 seconds. You should strap yourselves in.” Nevski said. “Are you sure we can do this?” Juhani asked. “We have no choice. We must make an attempt!” I declared. ---- Nevski shouted “Reducing thrusters in four, three, two, one, mark!” I focused all my mind on the anger and hate for the last vile act that Omeesh committed against me. My friend, Nenya, was a victim because of an act I committed. I should have been the one punished, but he thought it more amusing if the others were the ones to suffer for my acts. He had turned everyone I ever loved against me and it still wasn’t satisfying enough for him. I despised everything about him and wanted him dead! All that ever mattered anymore was hurting him for every beating he ever gave... every friend he murdered... My thoughts were interrupted by Juhani’s yelling. “We’re down! It’s over! Yuthura!” I was gasping for breath when I came to. I was exhausted by the effort it took to hold the ship. “Nevski... how did we do?” “You both elevated the ship with almost 25 tons of lift. We had more than enough to land safely. You also did well at keeping us balanced.” I sighed in exhaustion and leaned my head back. “Good. At least we know we can do it.” “You look terrible. Maybe you should rest...” Juhani suggested. “We don’t have the time.” I got out of my seat. “Nevski, start working on those proton torpedoes. Have them ready to program at a moment’s notice. Juhani, let’s get going.”
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 5/24 7:15am Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
	Chapter 15 The area around this stronghold was a jungle infested with insects, but very few animals. My lekku were completely exposed to biting insects, and I had to keep myself from reacting to their stings. I was still tired from the landing, but able to keep focused on the surroundings. Juhani extended her arm to hold me back. “Mines. I’ll try to disarm them.” She reached out and shot a fan of electricity that fused the proximity sensors without detonating the explosives. “There should not be any guards patrolling this area, so we should quicken our pace.” I nodded. “I’ll go ahead of you. Tell me if you sense any patrols.” She went on for about 300 meters, disabling every mine we came across. We couldn’t proceed much faster than we could run, so I had some time to rejuvenate my force energy. As we came across a clearing, I sensed others in the area. Juhani felt them as well and lowered herself to the ground. I got beside her and whispered “Two guards ahead. I’ll take care of them.” I reached out to snag them both with force grip. Both of their necks snapped with a gruesome sound. The path ahead looked clear, but there was still another sentient being in the area. “Juhani, stay down. There is another up ahead.” I switched on my infrared sensor to search for a heat signature, but couldn’t locate his position. I had no choice but to fall back to Juhani’s position in the trees. “I sense a sniper, but can’t locate him. We may have to go around.” “That would take too much time. Let me go up ahead and I’ll find him.” She requested. “Be careful. We can’t be seen... that is our first priority.” She focused her mind and used her force stealth abilities to hide from anything with eyes; even I couldn’t see her. After she went ahead, I meditated again. I wasn’t sure if I could push my abilities to lift the ship another four times in addition to all this. I could push my force abilities to extreme levels, but each time I increase the potency of my power, I exhaust myself significantly. Using the darkside again is even more draining, but I had no choice but to use the most potent concentration of dark force energy I could so we could land the ship without being discovered. Suddenly, I felt a spark of life extinguished ahead and jumped to my feet running. Juhani became visible again and I met up with her. “We’re almost there. The shield perimeter is just ahead.” “Great job. Keep the path clear and I’ll be back as soon as possible.” She checked her clock. “We’re ten minutes behind.” “I’ll worry about that. Just keep the path clear!” I switched on my stealth generator and moved in. ---- There was a checkpoint in the shield to allow passage into and out of the facility. I couldn’t afford to wait for a guard to pass through, so I used my lock breaker to open the doorway and got through the security systems. The main entrance seemed too fortified to get through undetected, so I began searching for alternative means of infiltrating the compound. I was about almost fifteen minutes behind and haven’t even found the shield generator. Eventually, I found an air vent. Even these fools need air conditioning. With a thought, the grate was open and I was in. I had to assume this area was not riddled with sensors, so I switched off the stealth field. I was glad to see with my eyes again, so I started down the shaft and looked through each vent for some clue as to where I would find the generator. Around a juncture was a massive power conduit; the most likely place to find critical systems. I found it! The control room had to be near, so I switched my generator back on and slipped through an opening. There were guards everywhere, so I had to be especially cautious. I was in pitch black, but I could feel the life energy of everyone around. When I found the shield control room, there were too many people around to decloak, so I had to create a diversion... somehow. I didn’t have the time! I needed the shield frequency and couldn’t spare a moment, so I focused my mind and tried stunning the engineers. Three fell to the floor, but the fourth was unaffected. I had no choice but to kill him before he could hit an alarm. I reached out and snapped his neck. As he hit the floor, I knew I just erred... a dead body was a clear indication of an intruder. The only choice was to hide the corpse and hope they wouldn’t find it in time. The air vent was the best place, but I lost precious time for what I did. I touched the forehead of the chief engineer and began draining his life energy and memories. It took a few minutes, but I managed to extract his access codes. I had to decloak for an instant to enter the main computer and find what I needed. I revealed myself long enough to punch in the access code and display the frequency. I had what I came for and wasn’t caught! After a brief moment of relief, I revived the engineers and they weren’t aware that one was gone. I just hope they don’t take too long to notice his absence. ---- I crawled back through the vents and got to the perimeter checkpoint again. Juhani was waiting for me at the edge of the sensor perimeter and my stealth field went down just after I was clear. We began running toward the ship. “I know. We’re twenty five minutes behind, but I got what we needed.” “I took out another patrol while you were in. The path is clear, so we should run as fast as possible.” She suggested. After the intense sprint, we were back on the ship. The instant we closed the hatch, I yelled “Nevski, get us ready for takeoff!” “I can use my power to help us takeoff. It’s easier than landing. This should take a load off both of you.” “How much can you contribute?” “I could take off another eight tons.” “Just tell us when to levitate the ship.” I said with little enthusiasm. “Thrusters at set maximum. Ready in three, two, one, mark!” ---- I focused my mind on another moment of extreme anger. Omeesh once wanted to watch me shriek in agony, so he had me whipped by a shock lash for as long as it amused him. It was the most intense pain of my life because I was not allowed to pass out when it become too intense. The drugs I was injected with ensured that I would stay conscious for every last moment of it. He only ended it when I couldn’t scream anymore. What infuriated me most was that these kind of injustices are allowed to happen! Huts take such sick pleasure in watching my people suffer! I desired so much to kill them all! I could not allow this to happen again! ---- When I regained consciousness, I released a painful shriek and fell forward in my seat. A moment later, Juhani pulled me up and I could see great worry in her eyes. It meant so much to me that she cared about my suffering. “Yuthura... you can’t do this again. It is straining you beyond what you can handle.” I was breathing very heavily and couldn’t keep my head up. “We have no choice... If we don’t... we’ll be detected... and they’ll fortify their defenses...” She placed her fingers over my lips to keep me from stating the obvious. “It’s all right. Rest now.” Nevski came back and saw how poor I looked. “Yuthura, we must find another way to do this.” “There is not... you said it yourself... we can’t land... unless we use... our force power.” “You’re no good to us in this condition. You are the only one who can infiltrate the remaining bases.” He said. I thought of what else could be done to accomplish the mission. There had to be a way to save some time or effort. Then I came up with something that might work. “Nevski... I need you... to do something for me... When I’m retrieving the shield frequency... in the next compound... you need to find a way... to disable their sensors... without attracting attention.” “Any kind of attack would alert them to our presence...” I raised my hand. “No. After we land, you need to go in with a stealth generator and cause a sensor glitch... a diagnostic... anything that would allow us to launch normally next time.” “I should go in with you.” Juhani suggested. I shook my head. “No. Your stealth ability can’t fool electronic sensors. And you have little skill with computers... no offense.” I leaned my head back in exhaustion. “What’s our ETA?” “Eighteen minutes.” Nevski stated. “all right. I need to have my stealth belt recharged.” Nevski removed the belt from my waist and tended to it. “I just wish I could do the same for myself.” “Can’t you? Aren’t you able to drain energy from others?” Juhani asked. “Life energy. I am very much alive, but drained of force power. Draining life from others detracts from the energy I’m lacking.” “Yuthura, if you can’t do this...” I raised my arm. “Please don’t argue anymore. I’m not going to let half a world be destroyed if I could stop it. Please just let me rest.” I could not imagine that I could push myself so hard for people I didn’t know; maybe who don’t care about what I do. For some reason, I couldn’t turn away from this. I began to doubt that we would succeed, but I couldn’t let Trevelyan or myself down. I had to make this work! ---- “We’re three minutes out. I’m going to have us go in at full speed to minimize the time you must keep the ship level. We will skid to a stop, but the terrain is grassland.” Juhani was watching me nervously as we came closer to T-minus zero. “Don’t strain yourself this time. We just need to hold up 12 tons.” “Yeah... ‘just.’” I said sarcastically. “How long will it take for us to reach the landing sight after we cut thrusters?” “I’ll need about a minute and then I can land with thrusters alone.” “Can’t you take us to a higher altitude and glide for most of the way?” “No. We must keep ourselves below 250 meters to evade their long range sensors. Are you ready for this?” “Not really, but it’s not like we have any other choice. You just do your job. I’ll worry about mine.” I concluded the conversation. “We’re nearing ten kilometers. Cutting thrusters in five, four, three, two, one, mark!” ---- I lost myself to a moment I hated while I was among the sith. After I had become Uthar’s second, we often rolled around in bed with the other. Although we hated each other, it didn’t stop us from giving in to our animal instincts now and again. Although he was everything I despised, I enjoyed these... late-night sessions with him. One night, shortly before Trevelyan crossed my path, we got down to business. “The recruits we’re getting are becoming less worthy than years past.” “I’ve been teaching here for six years. They’re no different than the last class.” “They’re getting dumber, more wild, and less determined. Surely you’ve noticed?” “Yes, I have. Perhaps they are following your example?” “What?!” “I had been expecting that you’d start using other tactics than... this. I’m not a fool to think you’re doing this other than to advance your goals. If you think that I wouldn’t be expecting you to usurp me, then you don’t deserve to beat me.” He stood up and began dressing himself. “If you already know that, then why do you bother with me?” “I enjoy being with a beautiful woman. I also enjoy watching you demean yourself.” After he put on his uniform he looked back at me. “It’s all you’re good for. That’s why I’ll always be the master.” ---- This time, I awoke more peacefully. I could barely focus on my surroundings or be of any use to the others. “How are you?” Juhani asked. “I’ll live. How was the landing?” Nevski turned around. “We came in pretty hard, but all major systems are still online. Are you all right?” I unfastened my seat harness and stood up. “We are still behind schedule. If we can...” “You... are staying right here. We will clear the way and you catch up. Until then...” Nevski commanded. I nodded. “Rest. I won’t argue with you on that.” Juhani placed her hand on my shoulder. “We’ll contact you when the way is clear.” ---- I was asleep for nearly an hour before I heard the comlink. “Yuthura? Are you there?” “Yeah. I’m on my way.” “Nevski is already inside.” The run through the second fortress went without incident. Nevski managed to arrange a sensor diagnostic during the time the ship would take off. Everything went right, but we were almost an hour behind and still had one more landing to pull off. Juhani was starting to feel the strain of using her powers, but she seemed to be in very good condition compared to me. I was glad to have one less takeoff to perform. The final landing would be the last time I need to stress my power to its limit. We didn’t need to concern ourselves with taking off quietly once I had the last frequency. We came in one more time. “Ready in three, two, one, mark!” ---- I put all my thoughts on the most defining moment of my life; when the strength of my anger conquered over pure evil. I have watched as all my friends died and I learned not to make new ones. Omeesh had spent years trying to break me... although I still refused to surrender to him, I knew that it was only a matter of time before I would bow down and do whatever he wanted. I have suffered so much pain... so much humiliation that it hurt just to live. One night, I was left alone with him in his bedchamber. As I cried myself to sleep, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t endure anymore. I took a knife he had been using and pressed it against my chest. Then I thought about what I intended to do; I could not surrender to that monster. Then I looked at him and thought that if he were gone, maybe the pain would stop. At this point, I have already lost everyone I ever cared for; I cannot be hurt anymore. So I moved myself in front of him and leveled the knife at his throat. This must have been why he loved hurting others... I felt so powerful. This was what it means to be in control. Then a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins as I drove the blade through with all the anger and hate of a thousand lifetimes. His eyes opened, but he couldn’t call for help. He gagged on his own blood and slowly began to die. As the life drained from him, I smiled for the first time that I could ever remember and savored every moment of his suffering. When he knew what was happening, I whispered into his ear “Never again will you hurt me.” ---- I was screaming in agony for a long time before we hit the surface. I was collapsed forward and fell into tears. I had never come to understand just how much he was still hurting me. I knew that I would never see justice for what had been done. With every fiber of my being, I hated Omeesh, but could never be free of him. He may be gone, but the memories will always endure. When we were down, Juhani held me in her arms and let me cry on her shoulder. Nevski also did what he could to comfort me. I greatly appreciated having them with me... not for the sake of the mission, but for letting me know that I was not alone. After a long period of silence, Juhani spoke very softly to Nevski. “You may have to take command now.” “Without Yuthura, we can’t retrieve the last shield frequency.” “Then one of us would have to go in.” “No. I’m still in command here. We need to hurry if we are to get what we need.” Nevski tried to speak, but I cut him off. “Don’t argue with me. It must be done. Nevski, have those torpedoes ready and prepare for the bombing run. As soon as I get the last frequency, I’ll transmit it to you. Juhani, you will return to the ship once I’m in the fortress. There’s no reason for you to remain there after that.” “You’re planning to sacrifice yourself!” Nevski exclaimed. “Once I have the last frequency, I will have several minutes before the fortress is bombed. If I don’t make it... it must be destroyed before their assault begins. Is that understood?” ---- Juhani and I were stressed for time. It was almost dawn and we had to reach the base before we lost the cover of darkness. She cloaked herself and went on ahead of me to take out every mine, sentry, and patrol that was in the way. We were lucky that we weren’t discovered, considering how recklessly we moved forward. When we reached the shield perimeter, I sent Juhani back to the ship. I engaged my stealth field, but found it almost impossible to ‘see’ around me. I had almost exhausted my force energy and had to be much more careful this time. I couldn’t reach the air vents without dropping the field, so I had to try and make it into the base through the main entrance without running into anyone. I was over an hour behind and had to move as fast as possible so I could find the shield control room. I could hear soldiers preparing themselves and their equipment for battle. That only added to the pressure while I moved through the base. When I was finally there, I dropped my stealth field and simply killed everyone in the room except the chief engineer. When I tried draining his lifeforce, I found I was too weak. He grabbed my neck and threw me against the wall. After that, I heard on a loud speaker “Intruder alert! Deck four, section forty! Repeat: Intruder...” I then threw my lightsaber and cut him down, but it was too late; everyone knew I was here. I got back on my feet and ran to the control terminal. I still needed the shield frequency, so I just inserted my lock breaker into the computer. It didn’t matter at this point since alarms were already blazing. I grabbed my comlink and contacted Nevski. “I’ve been discovered! Start the bombing run now! I’ll transmit the third frequency when I have it.” “If we don’t have the third frequency, I wouldn’t...” “Start your attack on the other bases first! When you have the last frequency, return here to finish the job! I’ll try to get out before that!” “Juhani hasn’t returned yet! What should I...” “Start the bombing run now!” Two guards armed with assault riffles came into view on my left. They started shooting and I activated my lightsaber just in time to block the shots. I deflected the bolts, but they missed their mark. They then took cover behind a corner and started firing volleys. I wasn’t able to reflect the shots back at them, so I just reached out with the force and snapped their necks. After the bodies hit the deck, I looked back at the terminal and got it. I grabbed the comlink, “Frequency is 384.671. I’m getting out!” ---- I knew the place was going to be crawling with guards quickly, so I ran through the nearby corridor. When I reached the door, soldiers had already started firing at me from behind. I tried deflecting their shots, but was hit in the leg and my armor protected me against a second blast. I managed to get the door open and crawl through before two grenades exploded in my face. When it closed, I jammed the door shut and used this precious moment to inject myself with a battle stimulant and activate my personal shield. The shot to my leg was just a flesh wound, so I just had to tough it out. When I heard the soldiers trying to get through the door, I jumped back on my feet and started running wherever I could. Four more guards tried to cut me off, but I shot them with a blast of electricity. I knew it was a mistake to waste what little force energy I could harness, but it was done. When I reached the main entrance, soldiers were already pouring through that room faster than I could kill them. I was also in the sight of someone’s riffle, which knocked me to the deck. My shield was gone, but it had done its job. I couldn’t go forward, so I had to fall back and find another way out. Soldiers started coming in from behind and cut off my only means of retreat. More blasters started blazing and I deflected as many as I could, but couldn’t keep it up. In desperation, I threw my lightsaber at them and managed to avoid being hit before I sliced them to pieces. I ran back down the hall from where I came and made a right turn, but soon found myself at a dead end. My only means of escape had also been cut off. I attempted to cut through the wall with my lightsaber, but it must have been over a meter thick. The walls were laced with fuel and power conduits, so I couldn’t cut through them without blowing myself up. There was no way out except through a dozen fully equipped soldiers. I had exhausted myself to the point of collapse and took a last stand here. A corner allowed me some cover, but it didn’t keep grenades from exploding near my position. I was deflecting blaster shots as best I could, but there were too many guns aimed at me. It was only a matter of time before I found myself in the blast radius of a plasma grenade. The fire singed my left lekku and burned my face. The sound also deafened my ears. I dropped to the floor and couldn’t summon the strength to stand. I managed to look over my left shoulder and felt a terrible pain erupt in my left chest. I had pulled myself out of the line of fire, but the damage had already been done. As I tried to inhale, I choked on my own blood. The hole in my chest left my rib cage shattered and a lung punctured. The pain was excruciating and getting worse. I knew that I couldn’t possibly escape death this time. I just laid there as the blaster bolts continued firing. Every moment seemed as long as a lifetime, but I noticed the shots began dying down. When they fell silent, I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t dead. Everything seemed like death had taken me, but I still felt the pain of life. Although I couldn’t open my eyes, I could barely hear over the ringing in my ears a woman’s voice. “Please, no!” I felt a gentle touch on my neck. “She’s alive, but dying... No! We need to stabilize her first.” “If we don’t get out of here, we’ll be overwhelmed!” came a man’s voice. “If we move her, she’ll die... and we’ll have killed her.” A moment passed. “Give me your lightsabers. I’ll hold them off as long as I can. Hurry!” I could hear her whispering to me. “Please hold on... just a few more minutes.” The pain in the left side of my chest was going away as the gentle touch of her hand relieved the hurt. “Almost... and an injection of dilaphin should be enough for now... Done!” Then pain returned when I was flung over her shoulder. “I’ve got her. Just watch my back.” When the pain became too intense, I finally passed out.
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 5/26 2:59pm Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
	The ringing still echoed in my ears, but I could hear the rumble of a hyperdrive and the breathing of another. I couldn’t feel my body; I was numb. As I stretched myself accross the bed, I groaned as if in pain, but I was drugged and didn’t feel anything. I heard her voice very softly over the ringing. “Careful. Your internals are barely being held together. Keep still.” I opened my eyes and saw Juhani hovering over me. I was having trouble breathing, but there was no pain. I spoke very weakly, “You... came for me.” I saw a nasty wound on her right shoulder. “You should have that treated.” “With what? We used everything we had to keep you alive.” I lifted my head off the pillow and saw Nevski beside her. “You were there as well. I told you to bomb the targets.” “They were. I programed the computer to make the bombing run automaticly. Since I didn’t need to be aboard, we decided to rescue you.” “What if something went wrong?” I asked. “It was a risk I was willing to take.” Nevski stated. “As your commanding officer, I should reprimand you for that.” I layed my head back and closed my eyes. “As a friend, I thank both of you. What’s the prognosis?” Juhani grimly stated “You took two blaster shots to your left rib cage. You have a punctured lung that will likely have to be replaced. You suffered second and third degree burns to your arms and lekku. There was also sharpenal throughout your body that I’ve been able to remove.” “Thank-you.” “Other than that, how do you feel?” She asked. “Like I was ripped apart and had my internals stuffed back in.” I chuckled and coughed up more blood. “Careful! You’re only breathing on one lung. I stablized your condition, but you’ll have to take it easy until we get you to a kolto tank.” She grabbed a towel and wipped away the blood. “When will we be back?” “We’re 18 hours away. You should rest now.” “Wait... what happened on Kuril after we left?” She looked at me very sadly. “They didn’t call off their assault. War would have erupted whether or not we were successful.” I sighed in great disappointment. “All of that for nothing.” Nevski spoke up. “No. We were able to prevent one side from being eradicated. The people of Kuril will have to settle their problems on their own. We gave them that chance.” He leaned over me. “You’re a hero. You understand?” “You’re a hero.” Juhani said. I chuckled weakly. “We were in this together. Besides, you were the ones who saved me. Remember?” “You should rest now. We’ll take care of you.” It felt so rewarding to hear myself called a hero. It made me smile to know that I made a difference to so many. This must be what Trevelyan feels that gives him such peace. ----- When I was woken up, I didn’t want to get out of bed. Juhani told me to sleep just a while ago; now she’s forcing me to get up? “We’re back now. We have to get you to a kolto tank, so get up and we’ll take you the rest of the way.” I leaned foreward and saw that I was in my underwear. It didn’t bother me that I was exposed, but I didn’t like others seeing the bandages throughout my body. “Where’s my robe?” Juhani handed it to me and even offered to dress me, but I could do it myself. The two gave me some privacy and I saw the extent of the damage. I already knew my left lung was punctured. My right leg was covered with cuts and open wounds from a fragmentation grenade. My left lekku was bandaged almost completely. I was glad that I was numb to the pain, or I might have been screeming in pain. After I got dressed, I was able to stand up and walk through the door. The two placed my arms over their shoulders and carried me down the loading ramp. When we emerged I heard great applause from everyone in the temple. They had gathered in the hanger to welcome us back... it made me smile. “They’re honoring us?” Juhani smiled at me. “It’s you, Yuthura. They honor you.” I was offered a stretcher, but I didn’t want to show weakness, so I tried walking on my own. I managed only a few steps before collapsing. They caught me before I landed on my face and Juhani said that they wouldn’t think less of me if I accepted the stretcher. I looked at the crowd and then nodded. As I was being carried through, everyone gathered around me. I heard nothing but compliments and praise. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I felt like I was no longer an outcast to them... that I have earned their trust again. “Congratulations.” “You’ve become a true jedi.” “You were great.” Kavar walked along side me. “I’m sorry you were put in that position. You were brilliant to come up with a solution to those sith sensors. Many lives were saved because of you.” “Thanks. That means a lot.” I replied. “Welcome home.” Vash said. I caught sight of Dustil Onasi. He hovered over me. “I can’t believe I once called you ‘master.’ To think you would turn to the jedi? That made me laugh.” I smiled very cheerfully. “So you came all this way to ridicule me?” “I really didn’t have anywhere else to go. The Father said you had come here and I guess I had to see it for myself.” “And...?” “How could one as wicked as you be accepted by these people?” “I shouldn’t have been... I was forced upon them. They would accept you if that’s what you want.” He shook his head and smiled at me. “If you think I’m calling you ‘master’ again, you’re wrong.” “You never did on Korriban. I would have killed you for such disrespect, had Uthar not found it amusing.” He laughed out loud. “You think I’m joking, don’t you?” He looked at me more seriously, then backed away. Master Vrook looked down at me. “You’ve not only met my expectations, but you’ve far exceeded them.” “I could think of no higher praise than that.” Zhar stated. “I don’t think any more training is required for you. We’re promoting you to the rank of jedi knight and we’ll hold a ceremony after you recover.” A jedi knight? I would not have imagined reaching that rank so soon. Only five weeks ago, I was a sith master. I wondered what Uthar would have thought of me. He never had much respect for me as a sith master, but even he would have recognized my efforts as a jedi. That seems rather ironic that he could think more of me as a jedi than a sith. Despite all their praise, I was almost desperate for Trevelyan. I wanted to see him now more than ever so I grabbed Master Zhar’s arm and pulled him towards me. “Where is Trevelyan? Is he here?” “He is currently on a mission of his own. He has been informed of your sucess and should be back in a few days.” ----- I was taken to the medical facility within the enclave. There was a surgical suite, a kolto tank room, and a patient recovery area. Unlike other facilities, the jedi mainly employ sentients as medical staff over droids. This is probably just another tradition of the order. I was carried into a private room with a single kolto tank and a medical bed. A female human nurse was left to tend to my wounds. Before I could be treated with kolto, I had to remove my cloths. I even had to take off my bra so she could remove the bandages covering my ribs. As I was laid on the bed under a bright light with my breasts exposed, it brought back many unpleasant memories of Sleheyron. The chastisement chamber was often filled with slaves stripped of their clothing so they could be beaten and humiliated for Omeesh’s amusement. This was like being in that horible room again. When she began removing the bandages from my lekku, I couldn’t stand it anymore. The lekku were the most sensitive part of a twi’lek’s body and I wouldn’t let another handle them again. I let out a force wave and threw her hard against the wall. I gasped in horror at what I had just done. “I’m sorry! I didn’t...” She was not moving. I fell onto the floor and crawled over to her... she still had a pulse, but I may have just broken her neck. I screamed “Help! Someone, help!” Two others heard my call and rushed in to see to her. “What happend?!” “I’m sorry! It was not my intent to...!” She grabbed a comlink. “We need a medical team in here now! We need to get her into surgery!” I was still half naked and in despair at the thought of having killed yet another innocent. When the team entered the room, the two nurses carried me to the kolto tank; I was still a patient after all. I was sedated despite being too weak to put up any kind of resistance and lost consiousness.
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 6/26 11:37am Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
	Due to minimal feedback and no indication of readers, I will official end this here. If the situation should change, I may begin again. The thread will not be closed, but it won't be updated again.
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KotOR_girl Registered: Jun '07	Date Posted: 7/30 3:39am Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama) - Date Edited: 7/30 3:41am (2 edits total) Edited By: KotOR_girl
	Excellent story! Really intriguing so far. I'm anxious to know what going to hapen later, so yeah, I think you should continue writing this stuff, since you did a fine job. Anyway, where to start... I still need to read last 3 updates because my time on the net reading fanfics is limited ( ), but I wanted to leave some feedback. Yuthura Ban is an awesome woman and you write her very well. I also really like Juhani; she's nearly my favorite KotOR character and you did a good job on her as well. Other game characters are great too. And I enjoyed the 1st person style, it's amzing seeing Yuthura's thoughts and way of thinking. Revan's little struggle with his identity in the beginning is cool, and I like the name. Glad that the Council granted Yuthura's request. P.S. Great choice of lsbr crystal color! Violet rules. -----signature----- "You are people !" Zayne Carrick
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Darth-Spider-Queen Registered: Dec '06	Date Posted: 7/31 3:26am Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama) - Date Edited: 7/31 3:27am (1 edits total) Edited By: Darth-Spider-Queen
	Great story! Yuthura's great, obviously, but I like your Revan more. Very nicely writen. 6 tons levitation rocks. I'd love to see that in action. Edit: Can't spell. -----signature----- "Oh, switch off!"
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 8/9 2:52pm Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama) - Date Edited: 8/9 2:55pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Darth_Yuthura
	Thanks for the encouragement from the few who've posted. It's appreciated. A few more chapters have not be posted. I will at least give the few readers I do have what I've got. ----- It was nearly a decade ago that I had escaped from Sleheyron. It was on that miserable planetoid that I was discovered by my old master. The star had been beating down hard upon me during the day. Extreme colds throughout the nights. Although twi’leks were adept at surviving in harsh environments, I could not survive here for very long. I still carried the knife I used to cut that worm’s throat, so I could open one of the plants and drink off its water. There was no wildlife or edible vegetation, so I was going to starve to death. The water would extend my time to maybe weeks, but for what purpose? As I took shade under one of the desert plants, I already began to feel the pain of hunger nagging at my body. I don’t know why I didn’t just use the knife to end my life there. Although I didn’t want to die, I knew there was nothing to live for. As much as I wanted to end the pain... I felt... something that was driving me to fight for every last moment I had. After almost 20 days (those on the planetiod were very short), I began to hear a deep rumbling in the distance. It didn’t seem real, but I knew that I wasn’t going mad. I could feel the vibration in my flesh, the wind shifting against my skin, and the shadow that the ship cast upon the ground. When the engines died down, I saw a human leave the vessel. I’ve never seen him before, yet he seemed familiar in some way. He slowly walked across the landscape towards me and I was scared. I didn’t know if he intended to hurt me... I didn’t know anything about what to expect. I tried to stand, but I was very weak and found that my best hope was to remain hidden. Of course, this man was my best hope of survival... but why survive? I had no desire to become someone else’s property. I didn’t want to have to call another ‘master.’ He caught sight of me and slowly approached. I had no idea what he intended... would he take me with him? Would he take me for his own? Would he hurt me like Omeesh? Fear clouded my mind and I got into a fetal position as if it would do anything. When he was about 10 meters away, he stopped and gently called to me in twi’lek. “I’m Alfred Kolchak. Are you all right?” I slowly raised my head to face him. He extended his hand towards me. “It’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you.” I yelled out in Basic. “Please stay away!” He replied in basic, “I know you’re scared, but I’ve come to take you away from this place. You need not fear me.” He got to a knee. “What’s your name?” I was shaking at what I was hearing. I’ve been tricked by kindness far too many times to let myself be lured by his pleasant words, but I answered. “Yu... Yuthura.” He smiled. “I’m glad to meet you, Yuthura. Can you stand?” Suddenly, terror took over my mind and I lost all control of myself. I curled into a ball and wished so much to be... anywhere else. I had no reason to trust him, but I wanted so much to believe that he meant what he said. Suddenly, I felt his gentle touch on my back. In an instant, it was like all the fear and terror was gone. Just feeling him was like knowing who he was and it felt... wonderful. It was like everything that Omeesh was not. He softly spoke to me. “It’s all right. You are going to be all right.” He covered me with his cloak and lifted me off the ground. I didn’t know how he had the strength to pick me up, but I wasn’t afraid. There was no reason for me to think that I was going to be all right, but I felt I could trust this man... I wanted to believe what he was saying. ----- I had awoken in a soft, warm bed with him at my side. He gave me some fruit and I fed on them so greedily, that I was ashamed at how I presented myself to my new master. Although I was in and out for those first two days, I could remember the words that warmed my heart: “I won’t let anyone hurt you again.” It was a pleasant dream that soon cleared to the reality of what has happened. The pain and the numbness were gone. For a moment, I thought I was back where I started, but I saw that I was in the presence of Master Vash. Without any expression on her face, she said “Good morning.” I quickly leaned forward. “That nurse! Is she?” “No. She’s not dead.” I sighed in great relief and fell back to the bed. “Her back was broken in two places. She will suffer the consequences of your actions for the next few days. You were lucky she wasn’t paralyzed... or worse. What happened?” I didn’t look at her. “She was... handling my lekku. It was very much like being on Sleheyron again. I was naked, under a bright light, my body had been abused. When she removed the bandages from my lekku... it hurt. It was instinct for me to keep myself from being hurt again.” “Well, your instincts almost killed her.” I held my head in shame. “So what happens now?” “That depends on you.” I faced her, wanting a real answer. “What do you mean?” “You can learn to control your instincts and continue to act like a jedi, or you can let them dominate your actions and be exiled.” I buried my head in my hands. “I want to control my instincts... I try to control them... I don’t know if I ever will.” “An honest answer.” “Has Trevelyan returned? Does he know about this?” “He’ll be arriving tomorrow. And no, he hasn’t been informed.” She took a pad out of her pocket and smiled as she handed it to me. “In the meantime, you’ll have to stay here for a few days. You’ve received 42 personal messages and I’m sure you’d like to read them.” She stood up to leave. I grabbed the sleeve of her cloak. “One more thing... Master Zhar said that I was going to be promoted to jedi knight. How does this...?” She gave me a very sypathetic expression. “That’s yet to be determined. When you’re well enough, we will be debating your conduct during the mission. In the meantime, you’ve got some light reading.” She walked out of the room. Although I was concerned with my promotion, I was more eager to look at the messages I received. I found Trevelyan’s name and was excited to read from him. “Yuthura, I’ve received over a dozen messages regarding you in the last two days. If they are praising me for what you have done, then you must’ve been great. I knew you could do it! I hope you understand that as well. Juhani told me how you kept your head about you even during extreme conditions. She also told me that you put the mission before yourself... and that you would have died had she and Nevski followed your orders. You should be proud of yourself. I don’t know how I should feel about what you did, but I’m glad that you’re all right. If you don’t believe me, ask Juhani about the message I sent her. I also got a message from Master Kolchak. He really wants to see you. I don’t know why you have been avoiding him, but I wish you would put it behind you. Please do this, if not for him, then for yourself. I was informed that you were badly injured. I wish I could be there for you, but all I could do at this time is hope you have a quick and painless recovery. I’ll be back within the week, so I will see you then. May the force be with you. -Trevelyan” I lowered the pad and wondered how he would have written this if he knew about the incident afterwards. Would he have been concerned or just brush it off? I took a look at the list of messages and saw that I had five from Master Kolchak over the last two weeks. He has been trying to contact me and I just have been brushing him out of my mind. Trevelyan was right: whatever my reasons, I should put them behind me and see my old master. If it would give him some peace to see me again, I owe him at least that much. I got myself out of bed and slowly stood up. I was very weak, but at least the pain was gone. My robe, lightsaber, and boots were on a chair across the room. I pulled them toward me and changed into them. I clipped my lightsaber to my belt and slowly walked out. I was not supposed to leave, but I’ve never been one to listen to the rules. I was not dying, so I didn’t need to be in here and I wasn’t going into action any time soon. I might as well get out of their hair, or so the expression means. I had managed to sneak out without being seen, but I ran into Mission Vao and her wookie friend, Zalbar. “Yuthura? We were just coming to visit you.” I didn’t want to be held up by these two, so I honestly said “Visiting hours are over.” “Trevelyan said you’d be off your feet for about a week. He said you might like some company.” “That’s very much appreciated, but I have somewhere I need to be.” She gave me a frustrated look. “I suppose jedi don’t even get sick leave, do they?” “I’m well enough, but thank-you.” “Come on Big ‘Z.’ I suppose the Hero of Kuril is too busy for us.” “Hero of Kuril?” “Yeah. That’s what everyone’s been calling you. Don’t tell me you haven’t heard.” “Actually, I’ve been in a kolto tank for the last two days.” “Oh. Well... you’re famous now.” I laughed out loud and it hurt my new lung, but I didn’t show it. “I really do have to be somewhere. I’ll keep in touch.” ----- I walked slowly through the temple and came across three jedi whom I didn’t even know that smiled and nodded at me. One tried to start a conversation. “Are you Master Yuthura?” I chuckled a bit. “’Master Yuthura.’ Been a while since I’ve been called that.” I looked directly at the kid. “No, I’m not a master... not even a knight for that matter. Anyway, is there something you needed?” “I was wondering what you’re planning to do in the near future.” I didn’t want to be bothered by another with a pointless conversation, but I didn’t dismiss him. “You follow... I’ll listen.” He started walking beside me. “I don’t know. I haven’t planned that far ahead. Why do you ask?” “Have you considered taking a padewan?” “I don’t know. I haven’t given it much thought.” I thought about it for a moment. “One day, maybe.” “If you did, would you be willing to consider taking me?” I laughed and smiled at how I must be viewed in the eyes of others. “You want to study under the Hero of Kuril?” I kept laughing. He gave me a very serious look. “I would like to study under Yuthura Ban if she would have me.” I stopped right there and looked at the kid. I have never been asked such a thing because I didn’t expect anyone would. “Despite what you may have heard in the last few days, I would not be the best master to have. The truth is that I’m not a good example to follow. I’m flattered, but you should not put too much faith in me.” “I’ve looked over your records and I really would prefer to learn from you over any other.” I was flooded with emotions and didn’t know what to think. “Why me?” “You are the only one who has ever served the dark side and turned away from it of her own accord. No one else has ever done such a thing. How were you able to do it?” I looked away and tried to answer. “I suppose no one is beyond redemption. The truth is that I was never a very good sith. Most join to take power for themselves. I joined for... other reasons.” “Fighting slavery?” He asked. “Yes, actually.” I smiled when I heard that he must really have handpicked me from a wide range of others. As much as I may enjoy training another, I knew that I wasn’t ready for it yet. I sighed, “I’m sorry but I can’t take on a padewan... I can barely take care of myself right now. I am flattered that you would ask me, but there are other masters that would be far better than me.” I kept walking, but stopped for a moment and looked back to see disappointment on his face. “I was glad to meet you padewan...” “Ross Senegal.” I turned back and kept walking down the Main Hall of the Enclave. It was from here that I could find an elevator to the upper levels. Master Kolchak’s quarters were a few floors above mine and it was likely that I would find him there this early in the day. My heart rate was very high. The last time we spoke, I tried to kill him. What could I possibly do or say that would change that? As I prepared to confront my guilt, I became engulfed by my memories... ----- It has been three years since I escaped from Sleheyron. Despite my best efforts, the jedi have abandoned me. They were never going to help me to defeat slavery. All they wanted was for me to forget what they did to me, but I could not allow such cruelty to go unpunished. It was their duty to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves. If they wouldn’t do it, then it's up to me. I had no choice but to find another means to combat the wickedness of slavery. It seemed as though no one cared whether I lived or died. They were all glad to watch me go... all except one. “Yuthura, please don’t...” “I’ve made my decision, Alfred. I’m not going to change it.” “I know that you’ve been dealing with the sith. The Council would understand. You can end this now and come back.” “I’m doing what is right.” “You’re turning your back on everything the jedi stand for.” Alfred warned. I turned back to face him. “I didn’t turn my back on them. They have turned their backs on those they’ve sworn to protect. If the jedi won’t do anything about it, then I will.” “You suffer... I see it day by day. It was spawned on Sleheyron, but it feeds on your hate. If you go to the sith, you’re dooming yourself to and endless cycle of death and destruction. The only way to end that cycle is through peace.” I slowly shook my head. “There is no peace... not for me. I’m sorry.” I turned away from him again. “Please... don’t do this! If you go to the sith, then I would have no choice but to stop you.” I turned my head just enough for him to see the tear in my eye. “Please... just let me go.” “I don’t want you to die! For the sake of the force... don’t do this!” He grabbed me from behind and restrained me in his arms. “Please listen to me!” “Get off of me!” I shrieked in a terrible rage that swelled beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. It allowed me to break myself free of his grasp and throw him to the ground. I grabbed my lightsaber and turned to strike him down, but he engaged his just before I could deliver the final blow. For several seconds, I swung with all the force I had trying to kill him while he was on his back. His skills were enough to best my strength and throw me off balance long enough for him to get on his feet. I was so enraged that he didn’t die... I attacked him with all the anger and rage I've restrained for three years. It felt good to vent so much hate at once. I was almost glad to have an excuse to kill my own master. The one who rescued me three years ago... the one who believed in me when no one else would... my friend... my master... the only one who loved me... I had forgotten all that. All that mattered was freeing myself from him and all that he stood for. I kept attacking with so much fury and so much rage that I forgot to pace myself. Within a minute, I had exhausted my strength and could not sustain my attack any longer. I started going on the defensive as he came back with a seemingly endless flurry of attacks and lances. In desperation, I deflected his lance and spun myself to get between him and his sword of light. I didn’t expect him to drop his weapon and grab me from behind. He locked my arms so I couldn’t break free and pinned me to the ground. “For the love of god, Yuthura! Please!” His plea didn’t matter to me. All I wanted was to be free of him, so I shot a force wave and he was thrown back several meters. I came at him again, but he threw me back with the same attack and knocked me to the ground. Then he reached out and took hold of my neck with the force to cut off my breathing. It was such a strong hold, that I was pulled to my feet and soon lifted off the ground. I was surprised that he would ever do such a thing, but I was suffocating. If I could have spoken, I would have pleaded for mercy, but it eventually came anyway. I was dropped to the ground, gasping for breath. Somehow, I expected forgiveness, but as I looked into his eyes... something was gone. I never noticed it before, but he truly cared for me. It used to show every time he looked at me. That look was gone. I a very sorrowfull tone, he spoke his last words to me. “I tried to help you. I loved you more than my own life. I knew your experience from Sleheyron pained you; and I tried to relieve you of it. I tried to show you peace, but you were more interested in revenge than freeing yourself of that pain. Since you have chosen to feed your anger, I will teach you no longer. If you wish to damn yourself, then know this: Omeesh didn’t break you... you’ve destroyed yourself. “You are a detestable creature, something I despise, but I will not kill you. Go now and follow your hatred if that is what you want. Go now... and be damned.” He turned around, picked up his lightsaber, and walked away... never looking back. I was left alone in that field. The words he used perfectly carved up my soul and hurt me more than any device Omeesh used on his slaves. And when he left me, I had nothing but my hate and anger. He could have just spared both our feelings and let me go, but he wanted to make my departure as painful as he could. I will join the sith and I will show him just what I can do. From the ashes, a fire has been woken. My anger will burn across the galaxy and I will hunt down and destroy all who prey on the helpless. Let the slavers beware... for I will unleash hell upon them. ----- As I think upon that battle, I can’t escape the fact that I had indeed become a monster. All he wanted was to save me from myself, but I wouldn’t listen. I just wanted to give in to my lust for revenge as if it would make my pain go away. He just wanted to ease me of that pain. Alfred was not my master; he was like my father. He loved me as he would have his own child and I made him suffer because of it. He had every right to hate me and I don’t want him to think he meant nothing to me... I just did what I thought was right. Now that I know the truth, he at least deserved an explanation for what I did.
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 8/14 3:08pm Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale *Updated 8/14*
	When I was in front of his door, I struggled to knock, but he felt my presence and knew I was there. A few seconds later, the door slid open and we looked upon each other again. He has changed very little since the last time I saw him. My tattoos seemed to define a completely different person from the one that abandoned him five years ago. For a long moment, we just stared at each other. I did not know if I could say anything that could ease his pain. Maybe everything that needed to be was already said. He took a deep breath and said his piece: “When I first heard that you had returned to Dantoinne... I didn’t know what to believe.” I found that I didn’t know what to say... I just stood there for another long moment before I dared talk. “The last time we spoke, you said that you despised me... that I had destroyed myself. I returned kindness with hate.” I inhaled very nervously. “Why did you not kill me?” He turned his head to the left and hesitated to answer. “I tried... but it was too painful for me. I knew that you were not acting out of malice, but out of desperation. I didn’t like what you had done, but I understood why you did it.” I shook my head. “No. There is nothing worse than a monster who thinks she has a just cause... that’s what I had become. You had every right to detest me.” I lowered my head in guilt. “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.” I turned around and tried to withdraw from his sight. He stepped into the hallway. “Wait. Where are you going?” I turned around. “My presence must be a torment to you. I didn’t wish to force myself upon you.” “Please, don’t leave.” He got in front of me and very gently placed his hands on my shoulders. He gestured toward the door. “Please come in.” I was afraid to turn around and enter, but he had guided me towards his doorway and into his living room. I desperately wanted to leave, but I knew that I had to do this. If not for myself, then for one I had hurt so many years ago. “When I first heard that you turned away from the sith... I didn’t know what to think. I wanted so much to believe that you had truly done it, but I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just a ruse conjured by them. You were capable of such acts.” I tilted my head in guilt and answered, “Yes.” I hesitated to ask, “What do you think of me now?” He began to study my face, placed his hand on my forehead and moved his fingers along the interweaving of the tattoos. He felt the flesh along my cheek and under my neck. I didn’t know what to expect next. I was scared that I would wound him more deeply by coming back into his life than anything else. I closed my eyes and hoped that I wouldn’t hurt him. A moment later, he had me in his arms. I was not fully healed, so I let out a painful groan. “Ribs! Watch the ribs!” He quickly backed away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you... wait, they wouldn’t have discharged you from the medical ward in this condition.” I gave him my ‘innocent’ expression. He shook his head. “You still don’t listen to good advice... even when it’s in your own best interest.” “I wanted to see you.” He came up to me and gave a more gentle embrace with his arms on my shoulders and mine around his waist. We held on to each other for a long, tender moment and I started crying at how much I missed him. I didn’t want him to see me like this, but I couldn’t escape the guilt I felt for having hurt him so long ago. When we pulled away from each other, I saw that he was crying as well. It was embarrassing to see his weakness, but it truly felt good to know he missed me... that he worried about me. “Master, I’m so sorry.” He placed his hand under my neck and his forehead against mine. “I thought I lost you forever. You have no idea how much it means to see you again.” I must have had a big, dumb, grin on my face, but I was so glad to see him again. “It’s good to be back after so long. There’s so much I wanted to tell you... I don’t know where to begin.” ----- “We spoke for over an hour about a wide range of topics. I told him about many of my crimes while I was a sith. He told me about how hard it was to lose me. It pained me to hear him apologizing for failing me... it was me who failed him. I learned that he had stopped training apprentices after losing me. Instead, he taught classes at the Couriscant Academy. It was terrible to know that I had such an effect on so many others when I left. He also explained why he hasn't seen me since my return. Trevelyan believed that the best way for me to reintegrate with the jedi was to sit back and allow me to choose when I would deal with my past. It must have been hard for Alfred to watch me from a distance, not knowing if I would ever return to him. I regret that I didn't approach him sooner. I spent most of my time apologizing for my sins. I explained that I had forgotten about the slavers, but was reminded by Trevelyan. “He made me realize that all I ever wanted was peace... to be free of the pain of my memories. When he made me see that, I knew my place was not with them.” I sighed in embarrassment. “As for being free to do as I wished; I never felt more trapped on Sleheyron than I did on Korriban. I still don’t know why I never realized it.” “The darkside is hard to see. You should be proud of yourself for turning away from it. I know that you have done terrible acts, but in the end, you saw what you had become and turned away from it.” He stared at me, displaying a proud smile. “I’m glad to have you back. Are there any others who you knew from before? Did you make contact with any friends from Dantoinne?” “Few, but I don’t think they would call me ‘friend’ anymore. I’ve made some since I’ve been back. Most came through Trevelyan.” “Can I ask a question?” He said. I nodded. “Why did you trust Trevelyan when you believed he was still a sith?” “He... went to great lengths to reach out to me. When I looked at him, he reminded me of a time before I became a sith.” I smiled and chuckled. “In many ways, he reminded me of you. We soon became friends and I found him to be a great man. By the time he and I challenged Uthar, my sith master, we succeeded.” I took a deep breath and reluctantly continued. “But the code of the sith required that the strongest must rule and the weak must yield. I knew in my heart that Trevelyan was superior to me... I betrayed him.” “How did he take it?” “I think he expected it. He was more saddened than he was angry. When I was beaten, I begged him in the same way I did when we... and after sparing my life, he told me that it wasn’t too late.” My mind trailed off. “Those slaves still needed someone to fight for them. When he said that it could give me some peace, I understood what you tried to tell me so many years ago.” He smiled in anticipation. “What was it?” Tears began to stream from my eyes. “I didn’t leave the jedi because I wanted to fight slavery; I wanted to escape the pain of my memories.” I sighed. “The only way I could ever live with myself was to accept what had happened. No power would ever quench my thirst for revenge... the only way I had was to stop wanting it.” He grinned when he heard me say that. “You’ve become wiser since then. I... have wondered if you would have done so well had I properly instructed you.” “Please stop blaming yourself. It was your teachings that inevitably lead me back to the light... I simply refused to listen. It wasn’t until Trevelyan had beaten them into me that I learned. If he had an ounce of sense, he would have killed me a dozen times over.” After another laugh, he continued. “Well, I’m glad your back. Because I have something that you left behind. And I never knew what to do with it.” He got out of his chair and walked into his bedroom. I knew exactly what he was retrieving. To me, it had always been a tool with no sentimental value at all. I was almost hoping that it had remained on Dantoinne; it was built by someone else. It does not belong to me anymore. He walked back into the living room with my old lightsaber wrapped in a cloth. He set it on the table in front of me and smiled with anticipation. I maintained a very solemn expression as I uncovered the weapon and examined it. I saw the scratches on the casing and remembered some of the specific events that caused the battle scars. I activated it; deploying the yellow blade of a sentinel. The feel of the weapon was not how I remembered. I looked at my old master with the same solemn expression and he didn’t understand why I was like that. I suppose the saber didn’t reflect the person that holds it now. It was built by an angry, hate-filled child who had become a monster. I deactivated the blade of light. “It’s not mine anymore. It belonged to someone too interested in dealing out death and punishment. That is not who I want to be.” “Who you once were will always be part of who you are now. Please take it.” “I don’t want it. It was what I used to attack you with. Besides, I have already built a new saber that reflects who I have become. If you give this to me, I’ll just throw it away.” He sighed is disappointment. “Very well. I hope you change your mind. Until then, I’ll continue to hold onto it.” He wrapped it up and set it aside. Then he began thinking about something else. He faced me again, “I had once given you a necklace... I was wondering if you...” I slowly moved my hand to the collar of my robe and pulled my most valued possession into view. It was a titanium chain with a small upari crystal suspended from it. This was the only possession I was allowed to have while among the order, but it was more than I ever had while I was a slave. It meant more to me than my lightsaber. He grinned as it came into view. He held the crystal in his palm and was so happy to see it again. “I’m so glad that you kept it. I remember when I gave it to you... it meant so much for you to have this one treasure... you were satisfied to have nothing else because it was more than a slave could ever want. I feared you’d have thrown it away like you had your lightsaber.” He kept grinning, but it soon faded when he saw how saddened I appeared. “When I was with the sith, I kept it, yes... but not for the reason you think.” I held the crystal in my hand. “This chain around me neck... was a chain that I chose to wear. The necklace was meant to remind me of the chains that the jedi tried to place around my neck. I used to value it like I would a slaver’s collar. And it reminded me that the jedi were no better than the slavers I wanted to fight... only the chains they used were of a different kind.” Alfred was very hurt to hear that. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you thought of it in that way. You seemed to treasure it when I gave it to you.” I held his hands. “I don’t think that way anymore... not even a little.” I gestured to the crystal. “This reminds me of the person who saved me and tried to ease the pain of a previous life. It reminds me of the sacrifice that you went through for me. I owe it to you and Trevelyan to become the best jedi I can.” Alfred shook his head. “Don’t do this for me. This kind of commitment should only be done if it is what you want. If you simply feel that you are obligated to this path because of Revan or me, then you won’t be able to find peace.” “But a jedi’s life is sacrifice. If I were doing this because I want to end slavery, how would that keep me from peace?” “I was referring to guilt. If you were doing this because you feel guilty for betraying us, then you will have difficulty finding peace or serenity.” “I think you are wrong about that. Guilt is a powerful motivator. It was what made me turn away from the darkside. It forces one to better herself. “I can’t just forget everything that I’ve done; it wouldn’t be right. The only way I can live with myself is if I can make reparations for what I’ve done. If I don’t, then have I truly turned away from the sith?” Alfred smiled and tried to embrace me again. I said, “Ribs...” “That’s it. I’m you back to the medical facility.” “I’m alright.” I replied. “You can either go back to bed, or get back to work. This isn’t a holiday.” “Come on. I just saved a planet. Doesn’t that deserve at least some time to myself?” He gently pulled me into his arms and whispered into my ear. “It is good to have you back.” “It would be even better if I could train under your guidance again.” Alfred pulled himself away from me and put himself an arm’s length away. “Zhar is a much better instructor than I. It comforts me to know you are in his hands.” I sighed in disappointment. “I will respect your wishes, but I would follow your wisdom with much more dedication than I would Zhar’s.” “If I were retraining you, I would have to be just as harsh. I really would not like to go through all that again. Given what you’ve been through, you may grow to hate me again... I would rather that we could remain on speaking terms.” I nodded and jokingly said, “So I can hate Zhar all I want and it won’t bother you?” Alfred laughed out loud. “Try not to. I know he’s as arrogant as anyone, but he does know what he’s doing. Just pretend that you’re training under me again.” “I’ll try, but I don’t think it’ll work.” We laughed at length before I heard the door chime. “Enter.” The door slid open and Alfred welcomed his guest. “Beleyla! Please come in. Would you like a drink?” “No, but you do have something that I want.” She stared at me with a fairly sharp frown. “I’m on medical leave.” I stated. “Which involves you being in the medical ward. I’m to take you back... now.” I looked back with a ‘kinrath pup’ face. “I don’t want to be there. The medical staff doesn’t want me there. Everyone’s happy.” She gave me a very serious stare to ensure I knew who was boss. Then, Alfred said, “Don’t worry. I’ll see to it that she returns to the ward. You can tell your superior that I will take care of that.” She gave a nod. “Very well. You are responsible for her return.” As she turned to leave, Alfred said “I’m sorry about Dantoinne. I know about your master.” She gave a slight nod. She then looked at both of us and likely held hard feelings that we were together and she didn’t have her master. “Thank-you. Although I have strong reservations for her, I’m glad that she is with you again.” I tried to defend myself. “It wasn’t personal, Beleya. I just did what I thought was right...” “Save it. What I think doesn’t matter. You’ve been forgiven and I have to live with that.” She turned away to leave the room. “What was that about?” Alfred asked. “She doesn’t think I should have been forgiven for teaching the sith on Korriban. She also had problems with anger, but has always done what was necessary to restrain it. She thinks I always had things too easy among the jedi and... I don’t want to discuss it further.” He nodded. “Well you heard what she said. I’m taking you back to the ward.” “Master, please... I don’t want to lay around all day. Can’t I...” “I’m now responsible for your return. If you don’t comply, I will face the consequences.” He stated. “What’s the catch?” “No catch. You return of your own free will and stay in the ward until you’ve fully recovered.” “And you’ll be there with me?” He shook his head almost proudly. “I’ve got classes to teach. Once I’m done with them, then I’ll visit you. Until that time... catch up on your studies.” He stopped in his doorway and pointed a finger at me. “You’re in enough trouble with the medical staff as it is. Don’t make it worse.”
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Darth_Yuthura Registered: Nov '07	Date Posted: 8/14 3:32pm Subject: RE: Shrouded in Darkness: Yuthura Ban's Tale (Revan, OC's, Angst, Romance, Drama)
	I’ve never been one to keep promises. I did exactly as I was instructed and returned to the medical ward... I just didn’t decide to stay. After I hacked into a computer terminal, I changed the logs to indicate that I already spent six days there and could leave whenever I wanted. I almost marveled at my disobedience for very minor issues. I walked out of the recovery room and logged out properly. One of the nurses that sedated me noticed that I was leaving early, but she didn’t object to my departure. They must have figured that I was only hurting myself, so they cleared me. I rarely go through vast marketplaces to look at useless junk that I’ll never buy, but I rather enjoy watching commerce in action. These people aren’t beyond the need for physical possessions and revolve around the credit. Although most people are interested in wasting their money there, I was more interested in finding something worth buying. For a jedi, that is restricted to little more than basic necessities, tools, or weapons. I was still wearing Trevelyan’s black robe and I figured that I needed something... different. I wasn’t one for robes and really wanted some cloths that fit properly, so I took a little trip to a local marketing center. I needed something that would allow me to be less conspicuous while taking advantage of my twi’lek charm. They say cloths make the man... I hope that also applies to woman. I never really thought about it, but I’ve never been able to dress myself in all my life. On Sleheyron, I wore what Omeesh found aesthetically pleasing. I followed jedi tradition and wore their dull, brown robes. Then I wore that unflattering gray sith uniform. Maybe if I got myself some cloths of my choice, it would make me feel more like my own person. After searching various businesses, I found my new look: a silver and black Twi’lek garment that could be fitted with light armor plates. The entire ensemble was casual for a twi’lek, but a bit revealing for some species. The top exposed my midriff, but it would completely cover my arms and shoulders with a flame-resistant nylon fabric. I also got a new headband that could cover some of the tattoos on my forehead. It also had more decorative ribbons that laced around my lekku. On top of the ensemble was a pair of light gauntlets equipped with collapsible greaves. The boots were made of military grade light fiber armor. I also purchased a small vibrosword with a sheath that I could strap across my back. This was purely decorative, but a solid blade often can be very intimidating to opponents. I the mirror, I didn’t look much like myself. I did like how I could actually see Alfred’s necklace for once. The outfit served its purposes, but it also made me more attractive to the ‘stronger’ sex. I always had a power over men... although I would opt not to use it, I shouldn’t ignore it. Total for my new look: 590 credits... courtesy of the jedi. When I had what I needed, I took the monorail back to the enclave. Simply walking around seemed different than before... everyone who recognize my tattoos keep their distance, but there some individuals that don’t know when to stay away. I encountered one on my way back. “How can a sith walk around these parts?” “I have as much right to be here as you.” I replied. “Just as you had to right to invade the Republic? You should all be imprisoned for what you’ve done.” I turned my back on the human male. “I’m not a sith anymore.” “Because your retched empire was shattered? Just do what’s in your own interests?” “I don’t want any trouble.” “You destroyed my home... Taris and for what? You ******* selfish, planet-grabing, empire-building freaks!” He grabbed my vibroblade from its sheath and attacked me. I dodged the blow, but fell to the deck. He then tried to deliver a killing blow, but I deflected it with my right foot and the sword clashed against the wall. To end the fight, I wrapped my feet around his legs and tripped him up. The blade went flying towards the crowd, but I snagged it with the force and brought it back to my hand. Then I leveled the tip at his neck. “I’m not a sith anymore. If I were you would be dead now. I just want you to leave me alone.” “That’s all we ever wanted, but the sith murdered everyone on my planet. Why do you deserve any better?” For some reason, I felt I had to help this man. He wasn’t cruel... just isolated and alone with a great