I'm Home [Flashback]

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut lunged at the third creature. He jammed his lightsaber through it, smirking at it as it whimpered and died. He pulled up, cutting it in half. He turned around, and a Tuk'ata lunged at him, cutting his arm. He looked up and cut clean through it, at the middle. Another and another attacked him, cutting him and making him bleed. He fell to his knees.

He looked up and something snapped inside him. Anger and pain overcame his sanity. He ran at the pack, his power and agility were boosted, but at the cost of his sanity. "Let's go." He moved faster, lunging at the other Tuk'ata.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

The beasts fed off his anger, the more he attacked the pack the more vicious they became. Each monster bouncing in an out some on four legs, some on two each slashing at Skaut. Soran knew this, he wanted this, the young Sith needed to know this rage...his rage, his passion. Once he knew it he would finally be able to answer who he was...if he survived.

Soran played with a handful of sand as he sat outside the downed ship that acted as the battle arena, he contemplated if he wanted to head home after this or if he should find something fun to do.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut had unknowingly discovered his power. Force Rage. At the expense of his sanity, his attacks were more powerful. He kept slashing at the Tuk'ata, cutting them down. He kept going ang going, some wounds even bled. He stopped as he reached the Alpha of the pack. The Alpha lunged at him, but as soon as it got close, he jammed his lightsaber through it's throat. He pulled it out. "And stay down." He whispered and looked at his wounds. Bloody and bruised, he walked to the metal entryway where Soran crushed it closed.

Skaut jammed his lightsaber into the metal, forming a doorway.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Soran could smell the blood coming from the metal tomb. The violent movement had stopped, Soran continued to wait quietly. Meditating, feeling the Darkness flow around him pulsing out of the wreck. It was time for the lesson to begin, Soran gave the same smile from Felucia, he kept his eyes closed and waited for the new door to appear.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut finished the door and kicked it down. The metal came down with a thud, making the sand beneath it take its shape in a hole. He deactivated his lightsaber. The Rage had worn off, and Skaut regained his normal composure. He set the lightsaber onto his belt. "Just tell me there's not more to this 'lesson' of yours, is there?" He asked in his sarcastic and now tired tone.

He grabbed the canteen he had on his belt and took a drink, feeling relief that it was not blood going down his throat. He spit out blood and set the canteen back onto his belf, sighing in relief from the water.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Standing and turning in one motion, Soran's eyes open they are dark red...full of malice. "Who are you?", he looked through the young man, power washed over Skaut in waves this was but a piece of the power that he possessed. One hand stretching out, Skaut felt his body rise against its will every burning muscle from his battle being crushed, his bones straining against the power of the Dark Side. "Who are you?", Soran spoke calmly the evil in his face did not match his voice, if he could have taken the time to look around Skaut would have noticed that the sandstorm that surrounded them was held at bay in a bubble of pure power and Darkness. There was no escape, the question must be answered or it would mean his life.

 

[Steel Wraith]

"I am Sith." He said in unsusually calm tone of voice, at this point, every mission, task, and test involved something to add a twist. "I am Skaut Heralok, and I am Sith." This, he hoped, was the answer. Skaut's eyes had changed from the ice blue they once were, to a more steel gray. "And you are Soran Rosche, my observer. In case you forgot." Skaut looked down at Soran, staring right into the red eyes of the man down below him. He observed the sandstorm. "And we're on Koraban. You just sealed me in a wreck with a pack of Tuk'ata." Skaut was sweating for two reasons. One: the heat, and two: Soran holding Skaut above the ground made him feel like he was on fire. He could feel the pure Darkness around the two.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

He squeezed, a loud pop echoed through the wreck behind Skaut, it was a shoulder coming out of socket. "Try harder.", this was the real test, this was the will of the Dark Side. Soran never reached for his lightsaber nor was he ever not in control of his power, he looked truly evil as the dark circles under his eyes grew worse and worse.

"You were not brought out here to pick up a new play thing child! Now tell me who you are", Skaut felt the other shoulder going to go soon too and possibly a rib as well.

 

[Steel Wraith]

"Gah!" Was the only sound he could make as the pop was heard. "I am Sith! I bend the Force to my will! I am Skaut, and I end my enemies." He felt the other shoulder and rib start to go. "The Tuk'ata were nothing! Merely beasts in a savage wasteland! The more they died, the more I enjoyed death! I am the Bender of the Dark, the Assassin of Rage!" This is what he could think of, and hopefully the answer that Soran was looking for.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

His answer was honest but it was not what Soran wanted to hear, he sneered at Skaut, "Foolish boy." He tossed his body to the ground with ease, walking over he stood overtop of the man, "If you will not learn on your own then you will learn by force. In two days I am going to leave this world, if you make it back to the transport you pass if not you become one of the bodies that the sand has consumed." Soran tossed his canteen to the ground beside Skaut, "See you in two days...or not.", he turned and walked away.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut was filled with hatred for Soran. He watched Soran disappear in the sandstorm. The pain in his shoulder was overwhelming. How did it hurt so much? Why? He had broken bones before, bu they didn't hurt this bad. His body felt like it was on fire. He knew where he could find Soran. Either in a bar or in a rented room, drunk and with women. He laid there for a few minutes, before finally getting up, picking up the canteen, and put his blaster in his right hand. If any more beasts came to him, it would not be a good day for the beast. He started walking after about two or three hours, taking shelter in the wreckage to get his bearings first.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Soran arrived at the transport just before dark, he sat in the ship and read some of his research on how Sith ghosts formed. He smiled knowing that Skaut thought the canteen he left was anything other than water, he liked a good drink but he was not foolish enough to drink while on this planet looking for temples or tombs. Soran felt the Darkness from the tomb creep onto the surface of the planet.

The sandstorm had died down in the waning hours of the day, it still obscured vision but was not impossible to see through like before. A familiar voice echoed across the sands to Skaut, "Who are you? Why did you choose the white torch boy?" The voice surrounded him, passed through him, pressed his injured shoulder. The questions demanded answers but the voice had no body in sight. "You will be a failure, a nothing, no one will accept you.", the voice while familiar imitated his fathers words but did not share his voice, the Sith spirit had returned.

 

[Steel Wraith]

"You lie. I have already answered your questions." He looked at the sun setting, knowing would be dark soon and the beasts would be out...looking for food. Skaut tried to push through the burning pain in his arm and muscles. "I've said it before...it was closet...and not trapped." He spoke in weak and raspy tones. He would only drink from Soran's canteen if absolutely necessary.

"You are a relic of the past...stuck in a tomb for who knows how long. Why did you follow me here?" He kept walking, but the pain in his shoulder was getting worse. "And do not try and imitate my father. I only need one of him." His voice...although like gravel...sounded tired. It sounded heavy.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"I am not trapped anywhere, you have freed me!", the voice grew strength as Skaut's worry took shape. "Allow me one final lesson before you join the ranks of dead here. You answer who you are with your name and false titles that you gave yourself, why? That is not the question that is asked of you.", the voice burned into his mind, he could feel his shoulder burning deep. "The question only says 'Who are you?', but it means who are you really?" The voice was not supportive but mocked his foolish attempts to answer the question. "Now answer the question who are you? A child that still fears his father? A fool looking for the approval of someone? Who are you?"

 

[Steel Wraith]

"I'm a man who isn't afraid of ghosts!" The pain in his shoulder bacame overwhelming again. "I am the Sith! I am the one who will rule the entire galaxy, crush the Jedi with my bare hands , and bring the Mandalorians to their knees!" His anger and passion were...more evident than ever. "I am the one who overcame a ghost story, a curse of my family. And yet I answer questions coming from a ghost story I heard about many years ago!" He saw the sun was coming down slowly. "I. Am. Sith!" And with that...the pain became too much for him to stand and he dropped to his knees. The pain was like a lightsaber into his shoulder. "And if I freed you, you should be thanking me." He got really cocky here. Hopefully he could make it to the transport without seriously injuring himself in the process.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"HAHAHA, your answer is simple. YOU ARE NOTHING!", the voice boomed into Skaut's mind and the truth stopped him where he stood. "You came to the Sith because you don't know what you are. Now you must go forward and know that you are nothing until you truly find this answer...Your father was right.", Skaut knew that the ghost was right he did not know himself.

 

[Steel Wraith]

"Maybe so." He got up and started walking toward the direction Soran walked to the transport. "And I do hope I find what I am supposed to be." He kept walking. He watched the moon come up into the sky. "Why do you follow me after I freed you? Why not go on about your own business?" He rubbed the shoulder that was broken. "Are you the one who gave me the...power that kept me alive in that wreckage?"

 

[DudeTheManatee]

"That pathetic show of power was a temper tantrum, nothing more.", the voice became weaker, "I have given you your answer now the rest is up to you boy." The sand fell around Skaut as the voice disappeared, he could see for miles. The transport was just on the horizon would only take an hour or so to walk there, but the sun had gone down.

 

[Steel Wraith]

Skaut kept walking, thinking of what the ghost said. He saw the moon in the sky, and moved faster. He grabbed his blaster and kept walking. He was almost there. He looked around, he couldn't see anything for miles. He could see the lights of the transport. "Finally." His robes were stained red with blood and sand. He put his blaster back on his belt.

 

[DudeTheManatee]

Faking sleep Soran waited, there it was he could feel Skaut coming...how long had it been? Oh well doesn't matter, he said two days and he had until morning so Soran would wait. He wondered what the feeling he had before night fell was but he put it to the side. This was the test he was to give, they told him to me cruel, savage, and sadistic. He followed the Dark Side and this was the idea it took him too, was it the best idea maybe not but Skaut must be tested. Soran knew how angry Skaut would be and he honestly did not care, it wasn't his place to care.