Duel The Master’s Shadow: Inheritance Of Ash [Darth Malum]

[Balun Dashiell]

The Master's Shadow: Inheritance Of Ash.
Inventory: Jedi Robes & Lightsaber.
Tags: Darth Malum of House Marr .
Starfighter: S-91x Pegasus + Chip (Astromech).

The S-91x Pegasus Starfighter descended gracefully down through the clouds of Naboo as Balun Dashiell manned the controls of the single-person cockpit, his heading taking something of a scenic route as he piloted the craft en route towards Shiraya's Sanctuary, the primary Jedi Enclave established in the heart of the High Republic. Nestled comfortably within the droid compartment to the rear of the cockpit's canopy, his BB-Model Astromech Droid, who went by the name of 'Chip', assisted in the craft's secondary system functions.

Today was supposed to be like any other day...

Balun Dashiell was often racing between Jhaessa Prime and Naboo, and then back to Joiol, where his family, and most significantly, his son, Kellan Dashiell, still at the young age of three, remained at home in the care of a loving and stable family. The situation with Balun being so busy and moving about the Galaxy so often was, unfortunately, not ideal. A regular reflection that would frequently lead to him dwelling on whether or not he was spending enough time with his Son, questioning his role as a parent...-And yet at the same time, much of his focus was on creating an unbreakable financial foundation for Kellan's future.

Kellan Dashiell had no shortage of loving role models in his life, beyond the prominent mention of Balun himself. Judah Dashiell had become something of a protective Grandfather who, despite Balun not often being willing to ask for help, knew that Judah would drop everything for the two of them. Then there was Kellan's uncle, Makai Dashiell , his wife, Myra Arceneau Dashiell , and their daughter, Pheobe, with whom Kellan was essentially best friends. Joined at the hip when together.

To someone on the outside of the family, one would never assume the terrible history that tore Balun's heart in two and created a legacy for his son that is most disturbing. The fact that Balun rarely spoke about, even with his own family, the nature of Kellan's other half. His Sith Spawn half, his inheritance from his mother and a legacy that Balun had spent countless sleepless nights battling with himself over the feeling that said legacy would one day come into shape for Kellan; thus, so too would the lie that Balun had told his Son, that the Sith Darth Falentra had killed his Mother.

How could he have known that, after so many years since that time on Maldra IV, today would see Balun face to face with him of all people.

On Naboo of all places...

As the Pegasus Starfighter descended further down, closer to ground level for Balun to enjoy the beauty of Naboo, something gnawed at the edge of his mind. A feeling. It was distant, but it was there, as if elusive, but Balun knew something felt somehow wrong. "Chip, run a broad-range scan on your auxiliary sensors, please", Balun spoke through the mic of his headset as his eyes glanced down to the central terminal, noting that nothing was coming up on his fighter's sensor scans.

They were too far out from Theed City, Balun had purposely avoided the City so that he could remind himself of the planet's natural splendour. The droid soon came back with a series of binary chirps and clicks, questioning his sentient friend's tone of caution; "No, I don't know, man. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I got a feeling...-A hunch". Balun frowned to himself, a sense of familiarity coming over him, almost as if he was experiencing deja vu; "Perhaps it was nothing. Forget it," he decided, his right hand pushing forward on the throttle once more.

Despite his decision, his words sounded hollow, and Balun couldn't help but spare a glance out the canopy of his Fighter. Whatever the feeling was, he couldn't place it but he was sure that it was something he had sensed before. The sheer sense of caution that had come over him in that moment, instinctively getting his back up like that. It wasn't something good, whatever he had sensed.

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

It was meant to be a routine infilitration - he had done a thousand of them before; of course, they were mostly against the Galactic Alliance, the Mandalorian Protectors, and the so-called Empire of the Lost, but whatever name, whatever distinction this High Republic drew between itself and all the other enemies of the Sith.

The shadow seeped into its crevices all the same.

Reaching Naboo had been easy enough, even if the fortified nature of the Blackwall and the joint Sith-Republic border had to be avoided; Malum having taken the path eastward, along the farthest reaches of the Outer Rim, avoiding the Velgrath fleets, along with the Republican forces reportedly operating in the area, swinging through the Mara Corridor, and arriving at Naboo.

His Lochris was hidden away in the woods, as he made his way to Theed, and from there, confident he had not been tracked by some rogue patrol that had noticed the incursion of a singular Sith fighter between the gaps of cover in the Mara Corridor, confident enough that none in this so-called Shiraya Order nor the Grand Army of the High Republic had found him.

Hooded over the streets of Theed, he had watched the people, hidden from sight both unseen and seen, watched, and absorbed all there was to see.

There was nothing of much importance or note to be found, not that he expected it. It was not the first time he had been to Naboo, though never out amongst its streets, amongst its people, his memories of the world were decidedly mixed, bittersweet. Of loves had... of loves lost.

Still of this beauty.

It would be a pity to see it in flames.

He would have to make certain, when the invasion of Naboo eventually came, it would be himself at the vanguard, he could spare them the true agony that his people were capable of inflicting... still, to achieve that.

Malum turned his head towards the horizon, the mountains visible even here. He could feel from even here, the pull of the light. Its chains, ever wishing to enclose itself around his hands, its shackles around his neck... he may have had to level the Gallo Mountains entirely to rid the world of the touch of Ashla... or as they referred to it.

Shiraya.

A pity, but it may in the end save this world.

He left Theed soon after, venturing up the mountain, avoiding patrols, avoiding attention. He would note the weaknesses, note the strengths, take what he could... and once he had accomplished it once.

Accomplishing it again would be much easier.

Alas, even as he bypassed the barest security measures, the Jedi of this new order, far too certain that their newest temple would be hidden from Sith eyes, he had not gotten far, before through the clouds above. He felt a familiar presence.

One which he had only met once, but had certainly left an impression, reminding him... of memories of a failed apprentice.

Well, it was not everyday that he held the opportunity to close a loose end, not everyday, that a renewed opportunity to attempt again where he had failed presented itself...

Even as the barest guilt filled his heart.

He watched as the Jedi made landfall, watched as he seemed to stare right at him... but in reality, right through him.

Oh, he would enjoy this.

Balun Dashiell
Mentioned: Lady Falentra

 

[Balun Dashiell]

The Master's Shadow: Inheritance Of Ash
Inventory: Jedi Robes & Lightsaber
Tags: Darth Malum of House Marr
Starfighter: S-91x Pegasus + Chip (Astromech)

Theed, the Capital City of Naboo, was a symbol of culture, civilised society and beautifully refined architecture. What had started as the Royal Naboo Republic today stood as The High Republic. Theed City housed the heart of the political seat, the High Assembly, where the Royal Families and Senators would often meet and deliberate on the affairs of the people, trade and strategic relationships with neighbouring or opposing bodies of government.

Before Balun's introduction to the Royal Naboo Republic, he and Nouqai Veil had visited Naboo for a weekend getaway. They had been younger back then, and Balun, at the time, had felt that Naboo had been overrated, made popular by its historic involvement in the galaxy's broader political affairs. Yet, these days, he had come to grow quite attached to the world. Perhaps it was in part due to the memories of that weekend shared so long ago that added to the weight of sentimentality for Naboo.

The first time he met his Master, Ala Quin , she gave him a tour of Theed, imparting a greater awareness of who and what was worth knowing back then. It had only been a year since the disappearance of Kellan Dashiell 's mother, but the distraction had been crucial at the time. The person whom Balun had once loved and cared for most in the Galaxy, the only friend he had known since a young age, till his eighteenth year of life, had surrendered herself to the dark side with full commitment, casting aside her past and all those who were part of it.

For Balun, this was heartbreaking. This was a turning point in his life where something in him had been forced to change, and the day that Falentra had finally revealed herself once again and attempted to take their son had been the day that Balun had understood that Nouqai Veil was well and truly dead. She had forced a confrontation, and Balun had nearly killed her, only to pry himself away and out of some sense of mourning for the love they had once shared, sparing her life, knowing that it may come back to haunt him years down the line. Every day since had been spent with a weather eye on the horizon, watching for signs of her return. Signs of imminent danger to his son's well-being.

There were some things that he had not yet spoken to his Master about, and going into depth about Kellan's Mother was one of those subjects...

The time that Balun had spent walking among Sith when he and Nouqai had been dating, back when she had still been herself and Balun had been naive enough to believe she could retain her innocence while somehow finding her place with them, knowing her origin as a Sithspawn. He had always wanted for her to see her sense of belonging; that was something you wished for, for those you loved, and yet it was only ever going to backfire on him in the grander scheme of things. He should have seen it coming. Perhaps he had, and he chose to ignore it for the sake of being with her.

There were good reasons why Balun's subconscious refused the moniker of Jedi; it wasn't simply out of stubbornness or refusal to conform.

Balun walked the streets bearing the robes of the Jedi, looking every bit the image and part of the Jedi Order that had previously been known as the Order of Shiraya, under the Royal Naboo Republic. He was an Apprentice of Ala Quin , a Jedi Master who had been rather understanding and patient with him, considering she knew that he did not wish to be considered a Jedi himself. Though he acted like one, and one could argue that his moral code aligned near perfectly with their own; However, Balun was primarily driven by impulse and emotion, and one of his greatest gripes with the Jedi growing up had often been their need to fight those who did not view the galaxy in the same light, and this had pushed him away over the years.

The BB-Model Astromech gave a shrill whistle as the metal ball of a droid rolled along the cobbled stone pavement beside the young man's stride.

"I seem quiet?" He repeated the droid's query aloud, glancing down at Chip as if he had just remembered he shared the company of the droid. Balun wanted to appear convincing, as though he were surprised by the droid's statement, but he had been distracted ever since they had arrived, and he knew it well. "Sorry, pal, you're not wrong. I feel off..." Balun started to explain, though he wasn't entirely sure how to articulate the feeling that seemed to weigh down on him. "Yeah...-Kinda like back on the Ship" Balun replied shortly after Chip mentioned their arrival to Naboo and the feeling that Balun had sensed something en route towards Theed's sector; "It's difficult to explain. It's like a gut feeling that something's going to go down. The Force does that chit from time to time".

Balun Dashiell was determined to continue on however, despite the eerie feeling that seemed to loom over him. The Droid at his side continued to question him inqusitively and they moved through the street talking together as they made their way towards the High Assembly district. Balun had intended on first stopping in to see the Senator Auren Vellisar before eventually making his way to Shiraya's Sanctuary, but something stopped him dead in his tracks.

Balun stood in the middle of the open street, his gaze directly ahead, towards the direction of the district he had intended to visit; only his concentration had shifted elsewhere entirely. Nearby, he sensed that same familiar presence that had only been marginal during their entry into Naboo's atmosphere, but now...-Now this presence was close. So close that it was unmistakable.

"You..." Balun uttered the words, barely an audible whisper loose upon his lips and yet Darth Malum of House Marr would hear him all too clearly. Balun was not facing the man, and he could not see exactly how close they were to one another, but he could tell that the Sith Lord had eyes on him. Knew exactly where he was. Slowly, gradually, Balun's right hand moved ever closer to where his Lightsaber hung upon his utility belt, yet he knew the public street was privy to civilian life aplenty.

Had Darth Malum come here alone, and if not, then where were his accomplices, and what were his intentions? Balun had seen only a hint of what this man was capable of, but this man was also a great source of anger and inner turmoil for Balun, who could not help but want to lay all the blame for the way things had gone between himself and Nouqai Veil. Nouqai, the former apprentice and now Balun, was being paid a visit by the Master. He had managed to defeat Falentra, but that was a battle in every sense. Malum would be in an entirely different league by comparison.

"Speech"
'Thought'​

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum continued to watch, a spectre hidden away from sight and mind, as the not-Jedi as the shorter man before him had described himself, dismounted from his ship, taking the astromech with him, as he began the descent down from the mountain, towards Theed. Malum's focus upon the Jedi enclave shifted, as masked red eyes kept his distance, yet still followed.

Followed all the way back to Theed.

Why Malum did not strike, he did not quite know. This was his enemy, he had made that abundantly clear during their last meeting, all that time ago. Yet, as ever, Malum held a sight greater than his eyes would allow, a naivety that was an active threat to the form that he inhabited. It was not the well-spoken boy that was the threat to Malum, that was his enemy...

...No, it was the great enemy, that who stood abreast of their struggles here upon the material plain, but yet still could not help but interfere.

He continued to watch, continued to follow, continued to listen as he entered the bounds of Theed, conversing with his astromech... Malum could not help but think about his own, Motus... it had been quite sometime since he and his astromech had travelled out to the great black beyond that was the galaxy.

...Maybe, soon that could change.

Yet, at this moment, Malum could only find himself, fixed on the amusing reality before him. Balun knew he was close... his sense was most impressive in that regard, yet, even knowing he was present, unless Balun was actively lying he supposed... Balun could not tell exactly what kind of danger he was in.

A pity.

Only for Malum to pause.

As a new word, a singular word was not addressed to the droid.

Oh no.

It was addressed to him.

Malum smiled beneath the mask, as the cloak and stealth fell away, revealing himself, behind in blackened plate and steel, adorned in the face of his most great and famous ancestor, at his side, sheathed, yet threatening ever still, the beskar hilt of a blade designed for singular purpose.

Killing.

None would bear witness to them at this moment... but in the middle of a city street, who knew when that would change?

Malum tilted his head in the direction of his soon to be foe.

"Lord Dashiell..." He answered in reply, gazing upon a lightsabre held, but not ignited, "...It has certainly been too long, has it not?"

The smirk was audible in his voice.

Balun Dashiell

 

[Balun Dashiell]

The Master's Shadow: Inheritance Of Ash
Inventory: Jedi Robes & Lightsaber
Tags: Darth Malum of House Marr
Starfighter: S-91x Pegasus + Chip (Astromech)

"Lord Dashiell...It has certainly been too long, has it not?"

The instant that the Sith Lord relinquished his curtain of shadow that had blinded others to his presence and disguised him to the world surrounding them, Balun turned to follow the powerful presence of the Darkside of the Force, the familiar signature that he had sensed once before back within the old military base once known as The Nest—The old Rebel facility had since been lost in the war between the Tingle Arm Coalition and the Dark Empire's war some years ago, yet those memories had been burned within Balun's mind for they were pivotal times that marked a turning point not only in his relationship with Nouqai but also growth and development as a Force-user, albiet through much trial and tribulation.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Balun responded, speaking not audibly but conveying the words telepathically as he held eye contact with the Sith Lord, whilst others passed them by entirely ignorant of the sudden danger that walked among them. Were it not for the lives of others around them, Balun would have already drawn his weapon. Even so, it was difficult to fight the urge to do exactly that for all the emotion that came bubbling to the surface in retaliation for simply laying eyes upon Darth Malum after so long.

"If you came for Falentra, you've wasted your time", Balun continued. Through the sharing of telepathy, the words flowed with emotion as naturally as one's tone accompanied intent through verbal communication, becoming volatile and angered by the revelation of the Sith Lord's presence before him. "She barely escaped with her life the last time I saw her; I won't show you the same mercy", Balun informed Darth Malum of House Marr coldly. His words flowed with conviction, even as he acknowledged the reality that their experience and vast differences in power placed Balun at a significant disadvantage. Yet, it was his determination and passion that influenced him in the present. He spoke with feeling, no longer analysing the situation around him but seeing only the Sith Lord and sensing only Darth Malum's presence in the Force. The past still held a great deal of sway over Balun, and he was still furious and hurt for how things had turned out; Not just for himself but for his son as well.

There were all kinds of people in the streets of Theed, going about their everyday lives. Men, women and children. They walked between Balun and Malum, still with a considerable distance separating the two, as Balun stood in the centre of the road and his eyes glanced at a young family. The mother brushed past him and quickly apologised for making contact. He didn't say anything in reply, yet the interruption was an ironic reminder that there were other people's lives at risk here should this situation get out of hand.

"If you're here to tie up loose ends, I'll ask only that we move elsewhere. You don't want to fight me while my concern for the people here is holding me back".

"Speech"
'Thought'​