CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Zarin Kal awoke with a start, panting heavily.
It took a moment for his vision to clear. When it finally did, he found himself face to face with an albino-skinned male, black tattoos adorning his face. Yellow eyes narrowed into slits as the Nagai stared at Zarin.
"You're awake."
"You're perceptive," Zarin retorted, glowering at the man.
The Nagai said nothing as he undid the restraints around Zarin's wrists, releasing him from the interrogation chair he had been resting on. As he rubbed his wrists, Zarin looked around the room he was in, immediately finding that he was not alone. Tethered to similar torture devices were Natia Dorn and Lord Kallus, both motionless.
Returning his attention to the Nagai Sith, Zarin bared his teeth. "I swear to you, if you've--"
"They're not dead, in case you're wondering," the Nagai said coldly. "Merely unconscious. You must know that pain is a vital step to becoming a Marked One."
"I will never become one of you."
"You will. You've already started down that path." Out of nowhere, the Sith produced a lightsaber hilt and handed it to Zarin. The Kiffar Jedi stared at the weapon for a moment before tentatively taking it. The Sith then turned on his heel and started to head for the door.
"Come. You are needed on the bridge."
Zarin scowled. "I take it I have no choice."
"Correct. Hurry along now."
Seeing no other option, Zarin walked after the Nagai, holding the lightsaber tightly in his hand....
* * *
"This is beneath me."
Darth Glovoc stood on the bridge of the Awaud, watching the battle unfold beyond the Mandalorian battleship's viewport. Standing behind him were a few of his fellow Sith, as well as a great deal of Mandalorians. A people whom he had waged war against thousands of years ago and slew many of... and he would do so again if given the urge.
Standing closest to the ancient Sith, a Mandalorian by the name of Bron Vuhar tilted his head towards Glovoc. The Sith could feel his gaze through the visor of his red helmet.
"What is beneath you?" the commando asked bitterly.
Glovoc gestured widely at the bridge. "All of this. Being forced to work alongside Mandalorians, sworn enemies of mine."
Vuhar growled audibly under his breath. "The feeling is mutual, if it's any consolation."
"Hardly." Glovoc fell silent for a moment as he continued to watch starfighters dogfight out in space. When he spoke again, his voice adopted a more devious tone.
"You know, I slayed many members of the Vuhar clan during the Mandalorian Wars."
Vuhar said nothing, although Glovoc could feel the boiling rage exude from the Mandalorian. This was enough for the Sith to press forward.
"Tell me, have you heard of the Trylos Massacre?"
Vuhar's shoulders tensed but he remained silent. The smallest of smiles found a way onto Glovoc's face.
"It was the third year of the Mandalorian Wars, in the midst of the enemy's push to take Duro. I was but a mere Jedi Knight then when Revan sent myself and two others to defend the planet from the Mandalorians. The leader of the opposing force was a man known as Arcos Vuhar.
"The Vuhars, as I understand it, were some of Mandalore's most fiercest warriors. So it only made sense that he sent so many of them to take such a vital planet. Fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters... it was like one massive family banquet.
"I lost a great deal of men to them on that day, as well as my fellow Jedi. One of them happened to be my sister." Glovoc let out a wistful sigh. "So, naturally, I returned the favor. I wanted to make Arcos suffer the way I had. I wanted him to feel the same pain I did. So I killed every last Mandalorian on the planet.
"It was the very first time I had ever embraced the dark side. And believe me, their deaths were the most pleasuring sensation I had ever felt."
Heated breathing could be heard coming from Vuhar's helmet. He pivoted towards Glovoc, his body trembling with anger....
...Then the door to the bridge opened. In strode the Nagai Sith known as Lokai, followed closely by a Kiffar Jedi whom the Sith had captured on Ossus. Glovoc turned to face them, his eyes narrowing.
"What is he doing here?" the ancient Sith asked.
Lokai did not answer him. Wordlessly, he stepped to the side, joining his fellow Sith, leaving the Jedi alone to face Darth Glovoc. The Sith Lord stared in bemusement, glancing between the Kiffar and Lokai.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"You have well outlived your usefulness, Lord Glovoc," said the Twi'lek Sith Xiana. "I don't think Lord Taral will mind if we did some housecleaning, especially if it is to further advance the future of the Sith."
Glovoc scowled. "If Taral wanted me gone, he would have gotten rid of me himself."
"Perhaps he's simply been too busy to attend with such frivolous deeds," said Lokai. "But no matter. Zarin?"
The Jedi was shaking his head. "No. No, I won't do it. It's not the Jedi way."
"That's never stopped you before now, has it?" Lokai said with a smirk. "Come now, what's the murder of one Sith going to do? I imagine your fellow Jedi would even praise you for performing the deed."
Zarin cast his gaze downward, sighing heavily. "No. They wouldn't. Because it would have meant that I gave into the dark side, which I nearly did on Ossus. That... that was a sensation that I never wish to feel again."
With that, he tossed aside the lightsaber Lokai had given him, letting it roll away.
"I am a Jedi. Always will be. Nothing you Sith do can change that."
Darth Glovoc sneered as he drew his own lightsaber, igniting its scarlet blade. "So be it, Jedi."
The ancient Sith slowly strode towards Zarin, who closed his eyes in acceptance of his fate.
Those same eyes suddenly snapped back open, wide in shock.
"Natia," the Jedi murmured.
Glovoc furrowed his brow in confusion until he too sensed what the Kiffar had. He looked towards the door, as did Lokai and the other Sith, all looking somewhat troubled.
"It would appear," Lokai muttered, "that we are about to have a visitor."
Right on cue, a powerful bast of the Force tore through the door. From it emerged a red-haired woman, eyes blazing with pure, unrestrained anger.
Zarin stepped up to her, eyes deep with concern. "Natia? What are you doing? Why--"
Natia silenced him with a raise of her hand. Zipping past his hand and into her open palm was the lightsaber Zarin had abandoned. Keeping her eyes on Darth Glovoc, she ignited its scarlet blade.
Glovoc stared back at her in amusement, his lips twitching into a smirk. "Now this is just adorable. The little Jedi thinks she can take on a Lord of the Sith. How precious."
He then spread his arms out, chuckling darkly. "What are you waiting for, child? Give in to the darkness."
Without hesitation, Natia charged at the Sith, ignoring Zarin's protests. Glovoc laughed as he raised his blade, ready to cut down the girl once she came within his range.
His senses overwhelmed by the power Natia was exuding, Glovoc was not aware of the sharp blade in his side until he felt himself suddenly grow weak, unable to bring his saber down. Then, the scarlet blade of his opponent drove into his chest and he felt no more.
* * *
Vuhar bent down as he carefully pulled the dagger from Darth Glovoc's motionless body. As he wiped the blood from the blade, he looked up at the Sith Lord's murderer. Her expression was a chaotic clash between savage satisfaction and nauseated horror. Her Jedi friend bore only the latter expression while the other Sith simply stared in silence.
Rising to his feet, Vuhar turned to a Mandalorian manning the ship, who was looking between Vuhar and the deceased Glovoc. Their attention snapped fully to the former when the commando spoke.
"Tahur, concentrate all fire on the Resurgent."
Tahur looked up at him in surprise. "What? Vuhar, that's the ship Lord Taral is on."
"I know," Vuhar growled. "Now do as I say."
Tahur hesitated only for a second before complying with the command. As the Awaud oriented itself to be in firing range of the Star Destroyer, Vuhar turned to his gathered audience of Jedi and Sith, glaring at them from behind his visor.
"No longer shall the Mandalorians be pawns of the Sith. No longer shall I stand by and watch my people be thrown away like toys. Today, my kin shall be avenged.
"Today, the dar'jetii shall fall."
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