Public The Thorn in The Petals

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak has spent what felt like a life time in Darkness. His namesake, his ship, and his Mistress all were Shadow. Now to be back, to return from death and have to make Ashla, The Light his Mistress. The Former Sith groaned. Ashla was a chaste and coy lady. He had never wanted to chase her, and now like in an arranged marriage, he had to share this life with her.

Anak decided that if he was to unlearn what he had learned he would need to seek out Jedi. What a revolting prospect, to make monks and tree huggers his mentors. It made Anak gag, and yet this was the bargain. The Reborn One headed to the nearest Jedi Enclave.

He arrived there seeing a sparkling gold tree, its leaves luminous.

“Disgusting..”

A Twi’lek with topaz blue skin in brown robes aporoached, his hands cuffed as he came to Anak.

“Welcome. You must be Anak. I am Po Nurr.”

The Jedi Master ushered his hand to lead Anak on.

“You have a unique aura..”

Anak nodded.

“You could say that..”

Po turned his head,

“I understand you wish to learn to be a Jedi Guardian.”

Anak nodded.

“It seems the most sensible path Master.”

The Twi’lek Jedi stopped.

“I understand that the conditions of you coming here are sealed, that the Council wishes for none of the other students to know what you were, where you come from..”

Anak fixed his blue eyes on the Jedi.

“I am most appreciative of The Council’s discretion.”

Po nodded.

“I must confess that while I submit to their decision that you be trained. I have misgivings. Your connection to.. well you know its name, makes me worry for the others.”

Anak crossed his arms.

“I cannot go into detail, but I am bound to never touch it again..”

Po raised a eye brow,

“An oath?”

Anak lowered his eyes,

“Something like that.. lets just say if I violate the terms of my defection, you need no worry, The Force has ready for me a punishment long and lasting.”

Po smiled.

“Very well, let me show you to the qaurters.”

The Twi’lek Master lead Anak to a cubed shaped building. Inside was a Wookiee, a Gal with red hair, and a Rodian. All of which in their own way greeted Anak. The Wookiee growled happily and hugged Anak, lifting him up in the air, suffocating him.

“That is Tuffa, he likes hugs.”

Pointing to the Redhead with a raised eyebrow,

“This is Serra Mal,”

and pointing to the Rodian said,

“That is Ras Dun.”

The Jedi Master then turned ro leave.

“Enjoy settling in.”

Tuffa let Anak down.

“Hi! So good to meet you!”

Anak nodded.

Ras approached offering his green hand.

“Greetings..”

Anak shook his hand. Serra just stared with a piercing gaze. Anak approached her. She rose up in white robes.

“I know what you are.. I can smell it. You think brown robes and a bath can wash away the stench of sulfur?”

She walked past him bumping his shoulder.

Ras spoke up as he placed his hand on his neck,

“She is always like that..”

Tuffa sat on his bed and pointed to the cot next to him, m

“Take the one next to mine!”

Ras mumbled,

“Bad idea, he snores.”

Serra went out and stopped Po.

“What are you doing?! He is a Darksider!”

Po raised his finger and said, “shhhhhhh!”

Serra was angry.

“He should be arrested! He should rot in a cell as he awaits a tribunal!”

Po took Serra bu the arm.

“He has harmed none of the Order. No charges can be filed for someone who hasn’t killed a Jedi.”

Serra let out her angst,
“What about Zinayn he spoke of a curly haired emo type that looks just like him!”

Master Nurr sighed.

“Serra.. give him a chance. It is the Jedi Way.”

Serra scoffed.

“Fine.. but if he so much as hurts Tuffa in training, I will end him!”

Pon Nurr smiled.

“Your protective nature is admirable Serra, but Tuffa can take care of himself.”

Back at the Do, Anak sat on bed running his hand theough his curly hair. This was torture, everyone was so sweet.. except the Redhead who returned slamming the door and sitting on her bed with holocron of blue oscillating in her hand.

Ras approached,,

“She is moody, its not you.”

Anak slicked his hair back.

“No, its understandable. I am.. was a Son of Darkness.”

Tuffa’s eyes became bug saucers as he ate noodles.

“Ooooh.. you know the dark side?!”

Ras piped in, “what’s it like?”

Serra steamed,

“Its heresy! You tell them about it and I’ll thwomp you whatever Master Nurr says!”

Anak rolled his eyes.

“The Darkness is.. well, it is not like The Light.”

Serra rose up unclipping her saber, not igniting it.

Tuffa drooled,

“Go on!”

Ras, “yeah..”

Anak saw Serra crossing the room to attack.

“The Darkness gives strength.. unlike anything I’ve ever seen..”

Serra raised the hilt to smite Anak in the head, her teeth clinched.

Anak carried on, “but it comes at great cost..”

Serra paused.

“The dark side is like fire, it warms you at first, then consumes you like a house set ablaze by a spark. It is suffering..”

Serra lowered the saber hilt.

Ras piper in, “do you miss it?”

Anak looked at the Rodian.

“Yes.. the rush.. the pain.. the lust.. all of it.”

Tuffa slurped up a noodle.

Serra eyed him,

“Then why did you leave it? Your Mistress?”

Anak felt a shiver down his spine and the image of a Bladed Crown Being. He looked up at Serra.

“I made a bargain. I cannot ever use the dark side again.”

Serra squinted,

“Or what? You’ll burst into flame?”

Serra did not trust him, his words sounded like sweet lies to lower their defenses.

Anak looked into her eyes with sharpness,

“Let’s just say I am costrained and leave it at that.”

Serra returned to her bed and sat so her legs were bent. She returned to the holocron.

Tuffa and Ras decided to give Anak some space as he laidcon his bed, his mind drifted to thoughts of Alice and his Sith friends, he thought of Arkryion Malachar , who he considered a brother. What would he say if he saw him now?

 

[Darth Sarla]

TAG: Anak Darkstar

Lady Sarlaac had followed the trail. He thought he could hide among Jedi. All those broken promises, to think she had descended into Chaos for him! Now she would come and destroy his world, his shiny affair with The Light. Sarlaac would force him to use the dark side again, and kill some Jedi. Anak had scorned the wrong woman and now he would pay desrly..

Sarla’s Infiltrator class ship descended upon the planet, The Enclave stood out amongst all the rock. She engaged the cloak and landed on the outskirts. The ramo of obsidian metal landed and stepping down the long walkway on to the earty her leather armor swaying, her chest jigglinf, her face painter in anger. She took a wiff, the air was full of a unpleasant mixture of incense, sandalwood burning at various rocks, and shrines. Sarla had grown accustom to sulfur, and brimstone.

Coming to a tree, she snapped her curvee hilts from her grey belt and ignired the two crimson blades, with fluid motion she cut in shape of a criss cross tearing down the tree and setting its wood on fire, making a trail of black smoke, she was calling…

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn had been taking a break from his adventures in a small temple on a...well he didn't really know where he was. But he did know he sensed a familiar presence. The Gray Jedi strode through the minimalistic halls with purpose, with Padawans and Knights alike stepping aside so he could pass. When he arrived at Serra's dorm, the presence grew stronger.

Anak Darkstar . The man he had met a while back. The Sith. But he was not alarmed. A Sith would not have merely waltzed into a Jedi Enclave without being confronted. Perhaps Anak had decided to turn to the light?

Zinayn entered without knocking. Nobody was there. He stepped further into the room, and found another door nestled into a strangely concealing alcove. He opened the door. There sitting on a bed was Darkstar.

"Ah...I never thought I'd see you again, Anak. Have you decided to reject your ways?" the Chiss asked, bringing down his hood to reveal blue-black hair, and slick blue skin.

Darth Sarlaac

 

[Anak Darkstar]

The Son of.. Light, boy did that not feel right. Laying there on his bed, the trio of bunk mates had left to preform a training drill. Anak was not in a rush to learn The Jedi Way, in fact, he hoper to put it off for a few more days. Then he felt something, it was a presence had not felt since.. could it be?

His suspicion was confirmed when The Gray Jedi entered the room, and in a tone almost as a friend from a distant past asks him if he had come to reform himself.

“Rather my ways have rejected me.”

Anak stood up to properly greet Zinayn it was good to see a familar face, and one who knew him better than any Jedi. Perhaps even he could reminisce about those days on The Dark Star.

“There is so much to tell you. I am not sure you would believe half of it.”

For the first time since The Son of Light arrived he felt encouraged. He would never have guess that fateful meeting on that unknown planet, in that cave system, would lead here.

 

[Darth Sarla]

The smoke drew two Monks in brown mantels, they examined the burning tree, when Darth Sarlaac fell upon them with jer twin blood sabere, she cut one down across the chest in a criss cross motion and the other that barely ignited his blue saber she kicked with her leather heel boot, making him fall on his back and his saber hilt roll away. As The Jedi tried to retrieve it with tho Force she out her heel around it, digging into ground to keep it from flying into the air.

“I hear Jedi purge all fear.. let’s find out!”

A long serpentine tongue came out of her mouth as she leaned down to his face.

There was a scream, walking past the smoldering tree, Sarla wiped her hand across her mouth. She knew that this would draw out the ranks, forcing her ‘beloved’ to come. She had waited an eternity for revenge, and now at last she would taste its delicious fruit.

 

[Zinayn]

It was funny...Zinayn and Anak had been fighting before (the Chiss even taking an arm from his opponent), but now they seemed like best friends. It felt strange, having friends. It was something Zinayn had never felt before.

During Anak's greeting, the Chiss raised a brow. The Sith ways rejected Anak? That sounded off somehow. But still, Zinayn was glad the man was here. "Well...I have nothing but time on my hands. How about-"

He was interrupted when he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. There was smoke on the horizon (he could see it through the window). "Anak...there's smoke. I don't think that's supposed to be there. Would you care to check it out with me?" the Gray Jedi asked.

Anak Darkstar

 

[Anak Darkstar]

The Son of Light was relieved ro have someone around he had a shared history with. While The Council concealed his past, Zinayn knew it and it was refreshing to not hide who he had been.

As The Gray Jedi was about to say something, he turned to look at something. Anak saw the gnarled hand of smoke.

“That wasn’t there before.. yes, let’s investigate my friend.”

The Former Sith took up a new saber hilt, Arbiter (see pic), and ignited the larimae blue blade of a Guardian. He was not use to it, having used a bled blade of the Sith which was ever silent after bleeding, while in contrast this kyber crystal chimed and sang to him, which made him unnerved. Deactivating the blade he clipped it back to his belt.

The Son of Light stepped outside, he kept pace with Zin, for he had no idea what they would encounter at the fire.

They arrived and he saw two fallen Jedi. Anak leaned down to inspect one, checking his vitals, he was pale, as if drained. The New Paladin recognized this, he had used it before.

“Zin, is the other alive?”

 

[Darth Sarla]

Sarla watched from a nearby bush, it was Him. The One she had braved the inferno for. He wasn’t alone, the other Jedi wws a Chiss. She had no encountered one before, but she had heard the legends of a famous Chiss named Thrawn who served The Empire.

The Scorned Sith was content to watch for now. Anak looked so pathetic in those brown robes. She remembered when he was in black leather and she would caress his neck.. no, enough of that, he had betrayed her! He had chosen that queen of a mistress called The Light, and left her to her fate! She would not forgive, she would make him suffer for breaking vows!

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn nodded at the sight of Anak's new lightsaber. He had seemingly cast aside the last remnants of his time serving the dark side. At least, those remnants that were visible. Undoubtedly, there was still some hesitation and regret inside the former Sith, but Zinayn hoped that Anak would be strong enough to overcome that challenge.

When he arrived at a burning tree, he found two dead bodies. Jedi. Anak leaned down to check one of the men, and Zinayn did the same with another, a Nikto. "He's...drained."

Zinayn reached out with the Force, feeling around the area for any presence. He found something. He couldn't quite place it, but he knew it was a dark-sider.

"Anak...there's a Sith here," he warned.

Anak Darkstar Darth Sarlaac

 

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak felt it too, and he gasped,

“Zin! ( Zinayn ) Get back!”

The Jedi Convert knew that presence better than his own Shadow. It was his other half, like the beat of his left side of his heart.

“Alice..”

He suddenly felt his throat sieze and he was levitated towards the bushes. There holding suspended in the air he saw eyes like white fire peering at him.

The Son of Light knew this was not going to be pleasant.

 

[Darth Sarla]

Sarla emerged from the cover of the bush, her ruby skin sparkling beneath the light ans her eyes fixed on Anak. She placed her hand around his neck.

“Hello my love.. what no kiss? I’ll remedy that.”

Her long serpent tongue licked his cheek and grabbing his nose pulled her black lips to his. She then breaking off from digging her tongue in his throat, held him close to her breasts, her face pressed towards his.

“Did you miss me my darling? You do not look too happy to see me.”

She pulled him closer.

“You left me in hell.. then I come back and you become a Jedi?!”

She raised him up with the Force.

“Give up this ridiculous charade! Come back to the Dark and you will be rewarded in ways you cannot imagine..”

She motioned with her hands, her fingers of black leather cascading down her bosom to her leather leggings and short shorts.

TAG: Zinayn

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn jumped back just as Anak was lifted into the air. A woman exited the shrubbery. The Sith.

“Give up this ridiculous charade! Come back to the Dark and you will be rewarded in ways you cannot imagine..”

Even though he considered himself neutral, the Chiss did not like the thought of his friend falling back to the dark. "Get away from him!" Zinayn yelled, reaching out with the Force to attempt to push the woman back into the bushes (and more importantly, break her concentration so Anak would be released from her grip).

This break from adventuring wasn't turning out to be so relaxing.

Anak Darkstar Darth Sarlaac

 

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak felt the grip around his neck release, Zinayn was engaging his Ex. Now catching his breath, Anak grabbed his lightsaber and ignited the blue blade which made the sound of wind chimes, his head throbbing from the song of the Kyber crystal.

Taking the hilt up in his hand, he shouted at it, “Shut up! Shut..up!” The chimes increased as he fell on the ground, his mind cracking from a migraine. It was clear this Ex-Sith was not one with his saber.

 

[Darth Sarla]

Sarla not having noticed the other Jedi was thrown into the bush, loosing her line of grip in the Force. There held by branches, her hair full of twigs and leaves, her eyes blazing, she threw herself out of the bush and saw Anak Darkstar on ground screaming at his lightsaber, she began to laugh.

“Look at you my love! You look like a deranged animal!”

Extending her hand, she unleashed scarlet bolts that wrapped around Anak and sprung at Zinayn like cobra heads.

“As for you.. that was not every nice greeting! Do the Jedi not teach manners?!”

 

[Zinayn]

Zinayn refrained from laughing at Anak, who was yelling with frustration at his lightsaber. His amusement was stopped dead in its tracks when crimson bolts of lightning came flying at him. Without him even noticing, he brought up his lightsaber and ignited it, blocking the attack. The Chiss gritted his teeth against the powerful onslaught, digging into the dirt to resist the pushing power of the crackling energy. Unlike Anak's new lightsaber, Zinayn's crystal had a song that was soothing to him, though admittedly the sound had faded to background music for him. It would in time for Darkstar too.

“As for you.. that was not every nice greeting! Do the Jedi not teach manners?!”

"Bold of you to assume that I was taught by the Jedi," Zinayn said warningly.

He would wait until the Sith drained herself from this nonstop attack, then he would strike. Meanwhile, he hoped Anak could hold out.

Darth Sarlaac Anak Darkstar

 

[Anak Darkstar]

The Son of Light felt the cobra coils, they snapped at his neck and sought to burrow into his skin. The Jedi Novice still hearing the chimes raised his saber up, one bolt bounced off the larimar blade, the other bit his neck and he felt it suckle.

A fever filled his body, a warmth, but it was not draining his life force, he then looked at Sarla, her face alluding to something, she was doing..

Anak decided to move forward with his blade, trying to give Zinayn some assistance. He hated that he had brought this drama to this world, and put a friend in danger.

“Alice! Please stop!”

 

[Darth Sarla]

Sarla felt inside Anak, her hands connected to the flow of red energy rubbing in inner organs, then his spine, descending south. She smiled, and winked at her Beloved, when her attention turned to Zinayn who with a snap hiss the Chiss was successfully repelling her bolts.

His words of protest about being a Jedi was curious. He had a strange aura, and yet his dress, manner, and weapon were Jedi.

Then Anak spoke name she had not heard in an age. The name she bore when they first met in Tsis’Kaar Fortress. The name he treasured, the name he abandoned to the flames. Stopping her streams she tore the curved hilt from her leather belt igniting two crimson blades.

“Alice is dead! There is only Darth Sarlaac!”

Leaping in a sometsaukt she swung her tein blades at Anak and Zinzayn, her blades whirling around her body as a second pair of hands, striking, biting, and sweeping at them both in the art of Jar Kai.

With each cut she grunted, as if in ecstasy, getting pleasure with every attempt at carving flesh.

 

[Zinayn]

Just as Zinayn was about to succumb to the storm of red, Anak moved forward to help him deflect the bolts. Finally, the onslaught ceased.

Followed by another. There would be no rest for Anak or Zinayn, as the woman was attacking both of them with two sabers.

The Chiss wasn’t the most skilled duelist, as he was more experienced in Force-based attacks. “I need an opening, Anak,” he yelled to the former Sith over the sounds of clashing lightsabers.

If Anak could distract the Sith for a second or so, Zinayn could unleash a devastating attack of his own.

Anak Darkstar Darth Sarlaac

 

[Anak Darkstar]

Anak felt the brutal bearing, he used simple Shii-Cho guards, the saber feeling like an eel in his hand. So this is what it felt like? He remembered how he beat Zinayn blade in that cave long ago. Now he was the recipient.

When Alice said her new namesake his heart sank. The fact she had adopted the Darth mantel meant she would be his enemy. He did not want to hirt her, and hearing Zin’s calling to get an opening, he moved his saber out of the way let her right blade strike his chest, it was not a deep cut, but he hoped his suddeh lower of defenses would cur her off guard.

Anak fell on one knee, his under robe splitting and smoke rising from the cut. It stung, as bled blades did, but more so that the woman he loved had struck him. They had come full circle, to the moment they met when she was determined to kill him.

 

[Darth Sarla]

Sarla let out a scream as she did another flurry, this time Anak dropped his saber and her blade made its mark. The shock of this made her cease in mid flurry.

“Anak? What.. my love!”

She stood there looking into his eyes, they were full of so much pain. She had forgotten his stay in Chaos, consumed by her own. She drew closer holding the saber meant for him in reverse grip, the crimson blade lining up her elbow.

“Why.. why do you always throw yourself into the hazard?!”

Her eyes welling up, she still loved him, as much as she hated him. She wanted desperately to throw down her sabers and hold him tight. But she could not, he was a Jedi and he had an ally who was well, something Jedi like. His betrayal stirred rage in her as her eyes burned white hot and she flexed her wrist to cut again.

TAG: Anak Darkstar Zinayn