The Battalion slashed and slashed, tearing apart Ashlan Crusaders on the Eastern front, Xiphos and her son's butchering their ranks close by.
The Battalion had rarely witnessed a warrior as fine as Xiphos. Rarely come across one so talented in The Lightsaber. If she had still been Elaine, she would have mourned the self destruction of a woman who had once wanted to be every bit The Jedi
Starlin Rand
was becoming, only to disavow The Jedi when she found the price of remaining loyal was her own conscience.
The Battalion had been given pause at such passion, such all consuming willingness to sacrifice her happiness to do as she felt necessary. Elaine would have mourned the wasted potential, the thwarted hopes of her parents, the justice she had prevented others from seeking as she unhesitatingly pursued her crusade to prevent the major factions from destroying The Sith Empire, to try and fight them to a standstill so they would eventually be forced to throw all their efforts at the Bryn'adul instead, whether they wanted to Destroy the Sith Empire still or not.
The Battalion, however...
Her breath was caught in her throat as she watched the
utter conviction in Laertia's movements. Every Chop, every slice and slash and stab was not an attack of malice, but rather, fervant belief that she was right about the Bryn'adul being the greater threat, and nothing could convince her otherwise. Like any Sith, or Jedi for that matter, Laertia dealt in absolutes.
The Jedi had wasted her talent, ignored her potential. But the Dark Side wouldn't. It would perfect her. Make her the absolute living weapon The Sith needed. The absolute scourge the servants of The Light deserved.
Two Omnicidal Threats, and still they wanted the Sith Empire dead and gone. It was crazy. But The Battalion (and Xiphos, though she wasn't comfortable enough to admit it) thrived on Crazy.
She came under Assault by four different Crusaders, clearly trained to work together. One bore a Vibrosword and Shield, another wielded a VibroSpear, one had a Vibro-Ax, and the last a VibroMace.
The Battalion made a show of pretending to look at her nails, brandishing her light crimson blade at them.
"You may begin." She said with an obnoxious yawn.
The Sword and Shield fighter gave a scream And leapt for her first, right as the Ax-User struck as well, But the Battalion, elegantly leapt over the cleaving ax swipe and traded strikes with the sword and shield user, but it was wasn't long before her heavy yet elegant and swift blows had him desperately blocking with the shield. The Spear and Mace fighter joined in to relieve him, The Battalion receiving her first cut across the ribs from the spear, which leaked white blood out of it. She snarled in pain...then smiled as she watched her blood burn through his spear tip (Though curiously, it seemed incapable of harming Organic tissue)
The Mace and Sword fighter renewed their vicious assault and The Battalion danced and twirled casually out of their strikes, counter-attacking as relentlessly as she was attacked, The Ax User leaned back for a mighty power blow.
The Battalion concentrated and floated upward out of their strikes, deflecting bolts other soldiers fired at her back at the one with the broken spear, before dive-bombing them with Force Flight, knowing Xiphos could see her using it, and reveling in the Light Sith's observation, knowing the cold flame of lust in the deadly killer was stoked further.
The Battalion's assault was unpredictable, seemingly slashing everywhere all at once at her attackers, ruthlessly shattering their defense in seconds in a hailstorm of slashes and stabs, cutting them apart in seconds.
She stared at the dismembered parts that had once been her people.
"With
that kind of a resume, you are
never getting hired." She remarked.
Still though... slaying her own people took her back aways...made her really reflect how far she had come from where she started.
It was strange, feeling so introspective, suddenly...
Elaine walked through the wide streets of the village with her students and the Jedi Rogg following close behind.
In spite of all the Kaissereich could do, people suffered. The Plague, and the warlord problem had been a whammy this society wouldn't be recovering from any time soon.
Morris lagged behind the others, using what Elaine noted to be an exceptional talent at Telekinesis to drag all the repulsorlift carts full of medical supplies behind them. Some areas lacked even the most basic access to healthcare. Villagers by the dozens began to flock the crowd of Light Adepts, blessing and thanking them, almost near worshipping them. Morris hid both physically and spiritually just how much seeing it made his stomach turn.
"Lady Tear has arrived!" A Villager called out.
Her students soon became swarmed with requests for healing. Elaine began to distribute healing stims vials, Bacta patches, and clean blankets out to the poor. Morris silently did the same, barely reacting when some recognized him, not looking at anyone.
Elaine organized things quickly with immediate healing issues. They would stay as long as they had to. Then they would go to the next village.
Elaine felt peace as she watched those she taught call upon the Goddess to heal infection and poison. Morris silently distributed Antidote Kits and donated Civilian Rations, only giving very short, vague answers about his life as a Jedi, but most especially his family.
Elaine noticed this, how he was the only one of the people who had come to help this village who never smiled.
Elaine walked over to him.
"Is it as you remember?"
Morris looked up with that Deer-in-Headlights stare of his at her. He never had that stare for anybody but her. She was starting to notice this.
"No." He answered.
"For the better? Or the worst?"
"There were a lot of Warlords before the Graysons. That's all I'll say on that." Morris answered.
"Then you know well the chaos that reigned over all the land. Only The Goddess saw us through that hardship. We'll pick up the pieces eventually. But The Ashlan Church can only do so much on its own. And there is always the danger of The Bogan to be concerned about."
"It's a constant worry in my line of work also." Morris admitted.
"Oh? I thought we were in the same line of work."
"Ultimately, yes."
She looked at him strangely.
"For a native just returned, you seem awfully non-plussed by all the changes. The progress."
"Always more progress to be had." Morris answered.
Elaine smiled. "Walk with me, Morris."
Morris was silent a moment, then he was by her side. They both began to walk to a nearby grove...
The Battalion ripped through yet another squad of Crusaders, her purple flames mixing with the dark blue of Xiphos, bringing freezing despair to the Soldiers fighting for the Light. She felt Xiphos deny the Bloodlust all around her and pitied her. As deadly as she was, she could be so much more deadly if she fed on it for strength.
Despite the focus of her self control, The Battalion couldn't help but admire Laertia Io's immense willpower and self control to deny the Darkness even in the face of all she had done, and everything she had wrought against the Jedi, Darth Xiphos (and The Battalion did refer to her as a Darth of sorts, out of sheer respect for her unwavering commitment and conviction.) still only did all these horrible things because she was convinced it was pure necessity. That's what no one understood. Xiphos didn't fight for greed or hatred (Despite feeling hatred toward the NIO in particular). She fought because she was convinced the Jedi had to be forced to stop fighting the Sith, no matter how many died in the process.
The Battalion didn't just like her, didn't just find Xiphos breathtaking...she genuinely, in a twisted way, wanted to save Xiphos. From herself.
It would be better for her. She wouldn't be trapped in her halfway state, suffering on all fronts even as she tried to keep her family together. She could have the resources she needed to crush her enemies... she just needed to stop using the Light entirely. No more clandestine aid from like minded benefactors. Full military support. But Xiphos seemed absolutely determined to take it as far as she could without the Dark Side.
How to reach such a person? The Battalion actually believed Xiphos when she said she didn't want to rule anybody. She clearly cared mainly about stopping The Bryn'adul, regardless of the cost to others.
The Battalion figured, like anything involving Xiphos, the best way to convince her was to couch it in the language of necessity. Keep reminding her of how much she had achieved just without The Dark Side...and how much more she could do with it's full backing...and how much she would come up short every time without it.
Still...she was magnificent to watch, this creature of self denial, as she carved through the ranks of the Ashlan's with grim determination.
The Battalion's defensive manuevering ended up putting her in close Proximity to Xiphos once more, and The Battalion basked in the icy presence in The Force that Xiphos exuded.
Xiphos found herself staring into the Battalion's lust filled gaze once more. This time it was Xiphos who took a step forward, unconsciously, striking down an Imperial Knight in the process.
"Tell me, Beautiful..." The Battalion hissed, slinking up to her as The Nuetralizers re adjusted their tank fire to wipe out scores of Crusader soldiers, even as a chunk of their offensive front was wiped out by return fire, still more of the mini crab droids sprang from the dirt, crawling to victims with deadly intent before exploding. One Century Tank charged, running over dozens of Crusaders though it was eventually shredded apart with heavy fire just as it destroyed a tank up close.
"What does Syd Celsius possess that I couldn't give you?"
"Shall I list it numerically, or alphabetically?" Xiphos replied coldly, even as she for some reason let the Witch get closer.
"Ah..." The Battalion grunted. "But how long would the list be? I would never have cut and run on you after Csilla like she did. She probably sensed who you joined your energy with... speaking of which...just how
do you truly feel about The Amalgam?"
"What's
that supposed to mean?" Xiphos growled, heart pounding as The Battalion was merely a few inches apart.
"Well..." The Battalion trailed with an apologetic face. "Forgive me if this sounds tactless...but why hook up with a woman so similar to The Amalgam? They even have the same fighting style. Only their perspective differs. But they
are very similar. Is that why you were attracted to Syd? Because she was the
safe version of Amy?"
The Battalion knew she had struck Electrum when Xiphos clenched her fist, outrage at the direct accusation the Battalion made at Xiphos secretly being in love with The Amalgam and using Syd as a surrogate for that.
Xiphos's hand clamped down on The Battalion's throat, neck-lifting the grinning Witch.
"Tighter, please." The Battalion hissed through a partly cut off air pipe.
"How
dare you!" Xiphos snarled, momentarily losing control of her emotions. "I should kill you!
I SHOULD KILL YOU!!!"
"If it's not true...why are you so angry?" The Battalion choked out through a windpipe threatening to be crushed. "There must be
something to what I said, if you're losing it like this."
The Battalion, even as she was choked, ironically showed the first amount of actual compassion she had given anyone in centuries, her hand reaching out to the featureless visored helm covering Xiphos's face, and stroking it gently.
"Poor girl. It's not hard to understand why. You were likely in love even before you knew the truth." The Battalion said, surprised she herself wasn't actually trying to hurt Xiphos emotionally, merely reason with, merely get through to her.
"Feelings in such close proximity, in such circumstances, can...mutate. You aren't the first to have a crush on a teacher. You won't be the last." The Battalion continued, curiously gentle in her speaking as she felt Xiphos's grip on her neck relax slightly. "Does Amy know?"
The Battalion was slammed brutally to the rotted ground of Ziost, Xiphos's Lightsaber held to her throat. The Battalion offered no resistance.
"No need to make excuses. Admit it: all of this is
partly an excuse to be around her, spend time with her, desperately trying to remind yourself of bliss. Perhaps it is not
me The Amalgam needs to seduce you."
"I hope you got a good dentist, because
I'm about to make *a few cavities!" Xiphos shouted in pure rage.
"Why don't you want to be happy, Xiphos?" The Battalion asked. "We've always been there for you...so why? Why can't you recognize who your true friends are? Why can't you truly embrace those who
want you? Because nearly everyone except your children have deserted you. They lack the will to win. We do not. You deserve better than the weaklings who proclaimed fealty and then deserted because the Jedi started playing
victim when you resisted them for their stupidity and inability to let go of old grudges."
The Battalion felt the death grip lessen slightly more.
"If you side with us, you could
always be around Amy. And with me in your arms..." The Battalion hissed lustfully, pulling the armored killing machine down to her as blaster fire rang out over all of them.
Xiphos felt rage and fear and lust, absolute lust, as she stared into The Battalion's eyes. Only the training of Themis allowed her to pull back.
"I will not turn to the Dark Side." Xiphos said quietly, snapping out of it. She pulled herself away from her, and The Battalion rose to her feat as though nothing had happened.
"And as for your little theory about me and Amy? Rediculous. I
will destroy her once the threat of the Bryn'adul is over."
"And how long could
that take? Years. She was the
first person you reached out to in the Sith Empire. And in spite of everything that had happened previously she welcomed your alliance with open arms. Welcomed
you in spite of your earlier rejection of her at Kar Shian. She gave you all you asked for. What is that, if not Love?" The Battalion asked sincerely.
Xiphos had no answer. She turned her back on The Battalion.
"Enough. The game is over, Witch."
"It's a game you like playing!" The Battalion called out before smiling and singling out another fast approaching squad of troops.
Meanwhile, A Model 1 ran up to Xiphos.
"Mom!"
Xiphos turned to the Model 1, refusing to be angry around her children.
"Yes, my son?" She asked calmly and politely, flinging her Lightsaber into the chest of an Imperial soldier about to kill a Model 2.
"
DECEASED Erskine Barran
wants to parley. Again."
"The Motherfether actually showed..." Xiphos muttered. "He's persistent, I'll give him that."
"And
consistent, most importantly." The Model 1 remarked. "Should we shoot him?"
"Nah. I've had a fethed up day so far. Why not douse the garbage fire my personal life is with a bottle of Cladhan?"
"
That's the spirit, Mom! Positive attitude!"
"I can feel the smartassery coursing through your processors."
"I thought that chit was just Programming Updates..." Her son replied.
"Very well, then. I'll be off to meet Erskine. Might as well do to get a look at his head, see if I can feth with it further." Xiphos snorted. "I'll be within the remains of that old library we set up a command post in. Hammer his forces anyway, though."
Xiphos then teleported to the Battalion.
"Back for more?" The Witch grinned.
"Do your Witches have the ritual almost prepared?"
"Of course. Soon these Ashlan wretches shall face all the ghosts their aggression created this day. You want to watch?" The Battalion offered. "I have nice,
cozy seats all picked out..."
"No." Xiphos replied
Xiphos went and teleported her way to the burned out library command post...she would be found meditating on a pyramid of burned books when Erskine arrived.
While she waited though, her son's did not rest. Squads of Model 2's took cover in the wreckage of the streets
Pietro Demici
and his warriors charged through. They began firing on his men from afar with Sith Sniper Rifles, backed by dozens of Legionnaires firing mortars and rockets. The Forces
Sephi Karneh
was embedded with began to come under fierce attacks from 25 strong columns of Model 2's firing smoke grenades, sending Tri-Droids in advance to soak up as much fire as possible before they moved in firing their laser cannons and Disruptors towards the infantry, decimating armored units with Anti-Materiel fire from afar
There was a variation to this slaughter with the blue Hearts. Model 2's could resist Vibro weapons but were not good Duelists save in terms of strength. Model 1's however, were
excellent Duelists, engaging and slaying well trained Officers on the Blue Hearts side with Electrostaves, or Vibro double blades, though they too were cut down, however, the Mz-8's fired.
They were primitive by modern standards, but still powerful, and two Cataphracts exploded through the laser fire rainstorm and rocket fire, the Model 2's raining utter hell on the Blue Hearts with a ferocity that shocked both sides...
SF-3335
Cedric Grayson
|
Dagon Kaze
| Kolson Vrask | + Others
