[Flashback] Pain in Memory

[Black Noise]

Causarius had heard of a Sithspawn once, she lost her memory through the process. The idea made her laugh. If only she had lost her memories, perhaps she would be better off. But no, she remembered. It had been told to her once that those born blind are better off than those who lose their sight, as they don't know what they're missing. Causarius understood the logic in that, shortly after she killed the man, as she was like the blind sentient who had lost his sight.

She knew what she was missing.

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Ten Years Ago

Coruscant was in flames, Tython and Empress Teta were under attack. The Jedi were fleeing the mass exodus as a battle within the space above raged. A futile battle, to be sure, as the Sith's Forces far outnumbered that of the Alliance. However, victory was not in the forefront of the minds of the men who fought dogfights and capital ship broadsides. Delay the Sith, that was their plan. Allow the Jedi to escape, that was the goal.

Jedi were powerful, to be sure, and it was often said that good always prevailed over evil. If the Jedi could escape, they could rally and surely route the Sith. Or so was the thought. Emlyn Daudi was one Jedi who did not uphold the image of strength and unity, rather, she could easily be represented of the Jedi's benevolence to the lesser fortunate. Being that Em was the lesser.

Em wasn't a bad Jedi, rather, she followed the three Pillars of the Jedi religiously and did all that she could to assist. Her efforts had even been recognized to the point where she was allowed to become an assistance fosterer of younglings last years at her own young age of 18. But assistant seemed to be the highest rank she'd ever achieve, as no amount of hard work could fix the fact that, despite all she did in attempt to overcome it, Em was slow. Not in the sense that she was mentally younger than her true age, but in the sense that her mind had difficultly thinking through anything she did.

She stood inside the last hanger with working vessels, all others having no more spacefaring vessels or having been destroyed by bombardment. This one possessed a shuttle capable of helping her, and her companions, a few lost younglings and other younger Jedi who had gone off in search of larger groups to follow and assist, leave the planet without being taken out by the first Sith fighter to bypass the Alliance line of fire to attack them. However, the hanger's doors were blocked by an even larger shuttle that had caught a turbolaster blast from orbit and exploded violently.

It laid directly in the way, and would need to be moved. The problem, however, lied not in the Jedi's combined ability to move the vessel, but in where they would move it. The hanger doors, while blocked, could not be opened, and the hanger held not enough room to move the vessel far enough out of the way to open the doors and let their own shuttle out.

Therein laid their dilemma, and Em had not a clue how to solve it. Therefore, she posed the question aloud with a short stuttering.
"How d-do we move it?"

 

[Just Matt Now]

The Sundance Maiden had soared through space, cutting in and out of hyperspace lanes as if speeding down a clear highway. The ship drove so well, even then as we were fleeing from a certain doom that overlooked the fading horizon. We left Coruscant and never looked back, the moments glaring down at us from who we had lost and who we werent even sure were still alive. Many which included friends and those who even felt close enough to be family. MY mind raced through the faces of Jedi who boarded, the vivid images of fire and sulfur plummeting form the sky, and this was all after the bombardment. Coruscant itself seemed like it was actually exploding, but the Imperium didnt have that kind of firepower...did they?

The images were seared into my brain, though I could not dwell on them now, no my worries hadnt stopped even though those on board had felt the easy relief that they were safe.

No, I came back for a reason. And if Coruscant had fallen, then Empress Teta and Tython were gone as well. I couldnt stay to help and fight, but this is more important. Without an escape, all their lives would be lost.

I informed Larik of my concerns, and he understood them as well. Finally, someone to share these burdens. As Shorty and I piloted the ship, we changed course for Tython, our best bet to pick up more survivors or stragglers.

---

Tython looked ravaged, though not like Coruscant. Imperial ships were seen scouring the wreckage of the and in orbit all around the giant city-planet. We barely escaped off their radars let alone at all. Though Tython was a much less of a concern for the Empire. While still key, their defenses were not set on keeping those away or even inside the planet, but focused on resilience.

I geared the ship where I always knew when I visited this jungle planet, to one specific hangar. Though the closer I grew, the more I could see, the more I could diagnose the damage that was done to the Temple. In flames, it was clearly the first thing the Empire attacked. And with it's main hangar door covered in debris of another ship, even it's blast doors unable to open.

"Shorty hop on the cannons, let'ss ssee if we can clear ssome of this debris!!"

 

[Skanah]

OOC: It's vury late here, if I screwed something up lemme know :CDumb


Frey didn't take much convincing. Tora's absolute conviction that she needed to help Tython after so narrowly escaping Coruscant was unshakable to say the least, and he knew better than to argue with it.
"I'll pull us in as close as possible, but the landing zone is pretty hot." Frey's voice perfectly calm, showing his perfect concentration. "You'll have to jump though, too close and this ship will be nothing but a hulk of burning durasteel."

"I know. I can do it." Tora's tried to hide he nervousness, the temptation to stay with Frey and be safe for a while longer rather than jumping headlong into the war again overwhelms her. Despite this lapse of determination she sticks to her goal.

The hanger bay door slides open, the deafening roar of wind accompanied by the strong rush of air causes her to instinctively stumble backwards. Tora feels arms catch her immediately, keeping her from being thrown to the floor. "DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING WITHOUT SAYING GOOD BYE DO YOU?" She twist around to see Frey's now familiar grin, his voice barely audible over the noise being generated by the door.

"NO, I DON'T SUPPOSE I COULD DO THAT COULD I."

"I RIGGED THE AUTO PILOT TO PRACTICALLY FREE FALL US, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY TALK QUICKLY."

"YOU REALLY ARE CRAZY AREN'T YOU. JUST ONE SIMPLE THING." Tora reaches out through the force, speaking directly too him. Just don't get you're self killed, okay?

Hey, don't worry about me.

Despite his words, Tora knows whatever that Frey is planning next will be overtly dangerous, even though she hasn't quite figured out what it is yet.

He holds her away, both hands on her shoulders. "ARE YOU GOING TO STAND HERE ALL DAY?"

Tora shakes her head refocusing on the task ahead. Turning around she walks slowly to the edge of the cargo bay. Just don't die. And jumps.


------------------------------------------
Some time later.


Tora wipes the sweat from her forehead, deactivating her Lightsaber. After an extensive ground fight she has cut a path through, well everything, into the temple. The very fact that she hadn't run into a Sith that she was unable to handle was reality breaking kind of luck already, and she didn't plan to push that any longer. Head for the hangers. There has to be a ride out somewhere.

There's always a hitch though, nothing ever goes completely to plan. This time that hitch happens to be a large shuttle, something that was slightly more difficult to handle than most problems. Cursing herself for coming to this doomed planet in the first place, Tora begins looking for a means to blow the ship into oblivion. There has to be some ordinance around here somewhere. In her frustration she begins thinking out loud. "We just need enough room to fit one of these ships through, nothing more-nothing less."

It's precisely this time that she becomes very aware that what she is searching for is already on its way here. "Actually, scratch that. It would be a very good idea right now to RUN!" Tora quickly sprints and slides behind some rather large equipment, realizing that any moment said shuttle will be ripped apart by incoming cannon rounds. And that has the potential EXTREMELY unhealthy to hang around for.

 

[Black Noise]

Flame erupted from the doors as the cannons tore through both ship and door in a blaze of undeniable glory. Emlyn, moments before at the other Jedi's warning, had ushered her small group of younglings and young padawans behind the still intact shuttle where they were well protected from the blast. Smoke and flame filled the room, forcing Em to focus through the Force to see if the blast had helped or hindered their cause.

The cannon fire from the other ship had blown much of the ship blocking the way out of the hanger. The rest sat in smoking heaps out of the way, the accuracy required for such a precise shot, in E's opinion, could be only come from a Jedi. Grinning, she ran out to the door and gave the vessel a quick, thankful wave before disappearing back inside to help the younglings and young padawans into the last shuttle still intact. She knew that, through the smoke, the wave wouldn't have been able to be seen, but a Jedi didn't need to see with their eyes.

The loading of the younglings and padawans took only a few minutes, but just as the last entered the shuttle, their problems suddenly increased exponentially.

Emerging from the door that lead out of the hanger and back to the temple, a man who could only be a Sith emerged. His presence had been undetectable until just then, likely it had been hidden from even a Master level of sensory. The Sith, a human male with cracked skin and yellow eyes, surveyed the ship outside, the shuttle, Em and Tora briefly before rearing hid head back in uproarious laughter. Reaching out, Em gasped Tora's arm and spoke.
"D-distract him, I'll s-support you.

Em stepped behind Tora and ignited her lightsaber, a pale green. The Sith, unfazed, withdrew two lightsabers and grinned, speaking to Tora as he did.
"Why are you with this stuttering buffoon? I watched you from afar, cutting down my Sith apprentices I had sent ahead. You've impressed me. Come to my side, surely you know which of us is going to win if we fight."

At that, the Dark Side could be felt surging throughout the hanger, emanating from the Sith as if he were a floodgate suddenly opened after holding back enough water to make it fit to burst. This was no acolyte, a Sith Master had arrived.

 

[Skanah]

Tora flattens herself against the ground, covering herself with the Force. As the debris from the impact settle she rolls over and sits up. The shot was well placed and looks intentional, that's good. Time to get out of here. She assist the other Jedi onto the shuttle, ready to leave this planet far behind. Even with this strong desire to leave, she can not help but feel that her time on Tython is not over yet. She steps out of the shuttle slowly, carefully scanning the hanger bay.

There. The sickeningly familiar wave of darkness washes over the hanger. More Sith. The solitary laughter, the murderous glow in his eyes. An unmatched amount of arrogance. Tora's hand instinctively goes for her lightsaber. The Jedi Padawan that she had come to know as Em speaks quietly, grabbing her arm. Tora offers a reassuring nod, fixing her gaze on the Sith.

"Why are you with this stuttering buffoon? I watched you from afar, cutting down my Sith apprentices I had sent ahead. You've impressed me. Come to my side, surely you know which of us is going to win if we fight."

"I've seen enough of you're kind to know your words are empty. Hollow. Just like the hatred that fuels them. I would rather die." Tora ignites her pale blue saber, holding it angled down at her side. Her words are calm and clear, as is her mind. The worst thing to do right now would to be caught by emotion. "But don't think I won't fight you."

For as long as she has had free reign over her own practice Tora has trained in Form III, the most defensive of all lightsaber forms, based on redirecting or blocking as the primary means of defense. That has served her well while dueling against someone who, with any other form, would easily destroy her. She hopes to fight this battle with similar results. If nothing else, she will hold him off long enough for the others to escape.

Tora takes her ready stance, moving slowly forward. Time seems to have slowed down, from a combination of the adrenaline rush of impending combat and her force augmented reactions. After a few steps the Padawan decides to take initiative for the first blow and shoves her hand forward, sending the strongest Force Push she can muster. The Sith Master shouldn't have any problem blocking this, but it should provoke him into attacking. Other wise, Tora is content to hold her ground, knowing she is safest the further away she is from his dual sabers.

 

[Just Matt Now]

As the smoke and debris settled, I inspected the new scene as closely as I could. There was not much I could see, though I could still feel. The presence of others, the light peering out of the freshly made door...there were survivors. This filled me with teary joy, as I had suspected the worst. And now, as we had recused so many from Coruscant, we could rescue more. I knew this stop hadnt been a waste. And the more I reached out with the Force, the more lightside tendrils I latched on to. I could sense that there were more, unfocused and unrefined users...Padawans and younglings! My heart swelled up with joy.

Though it was not soon after I could sense something much more...sinister. Something else was in there, in the darkness they came out and made themselves be known. The Sith had nearly destroyed this temple, and they had infiltrated it to make sure that all those inside were dead. The darkness was strong, it seemed even stronger than the last defenders of the temple had offered. There wasnt much time to act, and there was not much I could have done to help them in the cockpit of the shuttle.

"Sshorty...pilot the sship, I need to get down there!!" I said as I slid the captains chair around and used my large tail to propel me to my lightsaber hanging on the wall. The little astromech droid then zoomed by to grab the controls and make sure the ship was hovering close to the doorway.

"Open the hatch!!" I yelled before slithering to the opening and waiting for he door to open up. As the hatch opened, I grabbed onto a panel on the side before leaping out while clutching the hilt of my saberstaff in my hand. It would be moments, and a hard impact before I could assist the other Jedi.