Republic Reigns: Star Wars Fanfiction.

Chapter 3: Save Yourself

Filo POV:

The smooth Shoto lightsaber's hilt smacked my leathery orange palm. I fumbled to grip it, sweat-slicking my trembling hands. The short blade ignited with a stirring crackle once I found the nub of activation, nearly searing my tense face. I leapt back, waving the brilliant yellow beam unsteadily before me in a defensive motion. The Shuttle quaked with my heart as the ship seemed to almost tilt unnaturally on its head.

Cognus cackled loudly, her own curved crimson blade whirling in rehearsed figure-eight arcs, tracing my back steps. "Miserable! Is that how you hold a weapon, child?" She pressed her onslaught instantly, driving me backward before I could truly react. I parried desperately, each crushing blow jarring bones. Sparks sprayed as our blades collided first overhead then underhand. The pure exhilaration kept me from collapsing under the fear of death.

I searched for small openings, any lapse in her impeccable form, but she was unfathomable - an engine of destruction honed over decades! Frustration mounted as I strained against her relentless crimson strikes, two looping swings nearly separating me from the knee. My anger swelled within. I felt the small artifacts in the room begin to vibrate around me almost as if in reaction.

I riposted, landing a glancing blow on her allusive saber arm. Cognus snarled, large yellow eyes smoldering. She then unleashed a devastating series of aggressive poking strikes without a word, forcing me to one knee gasping as her blade skimmed off my much shorter shoto. My limbs trembled with exhaustion. It was like each clash sapped my already limited energy. How long could I hold out?

"You waste my time, boy." Cognus's voice dripped contempt for my wretched flesh. "Your dread makes you weak." My breath came in ragged as I struggled upright, she allowed me to stand fully before her again without slashing me back down. "I...am...not...afraid!" I spat the lie defiantly. Cognus's mouth twisted in a cruel smile at my insolence, striking my face with a quickly timed punch.

I swung my blade in a backswing as she ducked elusively. "Oh, but you are, young Filo. I can feel it gnawing at you." With a throaty cry, she hurled me violently across the chamber with the Force. My back blasted into the far wall before I crumpled to the floor, the corners of my antiox goggles cracked and now smeared with my blood. Juicy essence trickled from my head as I crawled onto all fours toward her.

The yellow lightsaber lay several feet away, my mind raced as the distance was too much to bear. I reached desperately for it despite the aching of my body, only to feel an invisible beskar grip encircle my throat.

Cognus hoisted me aloft several inches above the ground, squeezing slowly around my bursting neck as my toes barely scraped the floor. I clutched frantically at her intangible steel-like claws digging into my windpipe from across the shuttles crimson room.

Dark motes swam across my vision along with tiny green dots beginning to take over my sight. "Pity..." Cognus mused. "You might have made a fine Sith given time." Her words barely registered through the pounding in my skull, the collapsing of my windpipe taking over all thought. I thrashed weakly, but her hold was unbreakable.

Is this how my meaningless life would end? No! I refused to let this filthy Rancor kill me here. Summoning my last reserves of strength, I fully channeled my budding outrage, simmering despair, and riled fear...My parents being cast from our home world for my father's frailty. The years I spent getting my ribs kicked in by pirates as my mother cried watching. Every indignity my body was forced to endure scraping for life amongst the stars came rushing back to me.

The dark side answered my silent screaming call. Raw strength flooded my tired limbs, I broke Cognus's chokehold, slamming her sideways telekinetically. The energy felt euphoric in my veins--Is this FUEL what she was trying to show me? Was she truly merely trying to make me strong? I fell to my feet, the air humming back to my chest.