Assassin (A Star Wars Fan-Fiction) Book 4

Chapter Thirty-Three

Her white lightsaber blade clashed against Verrat's red one, sending a bright flash of light through the cargo-hold. One attack after the other, the padawan smashed her weapon against Verrat's with an inner strength she didn't know she had. Later she'd realize it was the lingering effects of the Force-blast she'd performed earlier, but in the moment she felt a fire in her soul that was nowhere near blowing out.

She was insane for doing something like this, to take on the most feared warrior in the galaxy by herself. This man, this monster, had slaughtered hundreds if not thousands for his and the Emperor's personal vendetta with just his red lightsaber. The odds were not in her favor, but she didn't care; Shen was not going to lose her master. Not today.

After a minute, the Sith began to shift from just blocking to gradually retaliating, occasionally parrying the swift jabs and jolts Shen delivered. It was obvious that he was going easy on her. Like a cat playing with a mouse, the girl knew that she was only a form of temporary entertainment to him. But as the knowledge filled her mind, it only gave her more motivation to fight harder, to keep swinging with everything she had.

If she was going to die today, dying at the hands of what she believed to be the deadliest individual in the galaxy in a desperate act of saving her master seemed like an alright-way to go. Shen was determined to keep moving to her last breath. She was determined to give this abomination a fight he'd remember. 

"You're stronger than I thought you'd be, young one," The sith rasped when their sabers were locked in a battle of stamina, pressed against each other with their faces illuminated by the deadly lights. Though she couldn't see his eyes through the black sockets of the vicious mask, Shen knew he could see hers. She knew he was taking in the image of her face as she struggled to best him in this fight of power.

It could've been the adrenaline, the acceptance of her fate, or both at the same time that prompted her cheeks to twitch into a smirk. She parted her lips to make another smart-ass remark like she'd done earlier, but was caught off-guard when Verrat suddenly pulled back. He stepped away from her, nearly stumbling over his own feet and Shendira jumped at this vulnerable opportunity.

Using the last of the remaining Force-energy she'd amassed from moments prior, the teenage girl clenched her free hand into a fist, closed her eyes, focucing hard for a split-second before thrusting it forward in a punching motion. The burst of power was weaker than before, but the blast still had the desired affect; the startled sith was thrown through the air. His back hit the opposite wall and he crumpled to his knees.

"Shendira!" Her master cried out desperately from the escape pod, already strapped in to one of the four seats. "Hurry!"

No more time was wasted after that. With her opponent down, Shendira sprinted for the escape pod and jumped inside before slamming her hand against the green button on the wall, sealing the door behind her. As the metal capsule slid shut, the vessel shot away from the wreckage of their ship and Shen found herself on the floor, breathing heavily from the effort she'd put into what she thought would be her last battle.

Forehead dripping with sweat, she leaned her back against the cold wall, her lightsaber hilt heavy in her hands as her master began to lecture her on how stupid it was to take on Verrat alone. But as the lecture turned into words of pride and he put a supportive hand on her shoulder, it left her wondering why exactly Verrat had faltered. Why in that moment? What had caught him off guard?

What had he seen?

***

It was her.

After years of waiting, years of contemplating and planning, of dreaming and begging the dark side for it to be so, she was there.

He could sense her almost as soon as their rebel ship docked against the imperial freighter, like a faint whisper on the wind. It was a familiar sensation in a way he hadn't understood at first, but immediately came to terms with the moment his eyes found Rahm Kota attempting to board his ship. Verrat knew Rahm and he knew what Rahm had taken from him all those years ago. The minute that jedi came into the picture, there was no denying that one of his daughters were near.

The Force had finally answered his callings and brought to him one of the only things he wanted most- his child.

He'd gotten Rahm out of the way quick enough, but the dark lord had never considered that his offspring would be much of a threat to him. After all, they were only fifteen. He hadn't been extraordinary in the eyes of the jedi when it came to his abilities; he'd assumed they would be normal. But he'd been wrong, so very wrong.

Verrat had been so focused on cutting that door open that he hadn't thought of what could truly be on the other side. When he felt the surge in Force-energy growing in the area, he figured the sheet of metal was just thicker than he thought and that he was summoning more power than his own body was telling him.

But then there was the blast that nearly shattered his body against the wall. The door he'd tried to cut pinned him into the hard surface opposite of the scene like a bug being swatted. He hadn't been ready for it, how could he have been? The sith never expected that on the other side of that barrier was a Force-bomb with enough power to melt the skin from flesh.

And then he saw her.

Once free from the wall, Verrat had gotten to his feet and, for the first time in fifteen years, saw one of his daughters.

He'd mentally prepared himself for this meeting. The man knew there was a chance they'd look like her, like the love of his wife who brought them into the world. And he knew where his loyalties lied- with the Emperor. If he wavered even for a second, if he let this moment get under his skin and weaken him, there would be consequences. Verrat needed to stay monotonous. He needed to stay as expressionless as the mask on his face. 

As her head turned and he saw her face, he felt his heart ache like it had years ago. It ripped at his chest like a hungry animal, craving his pain and suffering, as if it needed his torment to survive. But a second later he was back to his soul-less self. He had to be soul-less.

The following fight was one of promise. He took this chance to witness her skills in action. Each swing of her blade was strong and smooth, vicious with intent. Her footwork was impeccable, managing to turn this duel into a dance; when he stepped forward with an attack, she stepped back with a dodge or block followed by a swift parry. Though the girl was drunk with power and desperation to protect her master, there was substantial amount of potential in her moves.  

What he shouldn't have done was gotten cocky. Despite telling himself he had his emotions under control, deep down he knew all it took was one trigger. All it took was one little thing to completely throw him off. To momentarily cripple him. But he did it anyway, he pushed his blade against hers so close that he could really take in her facial features. And when she smirked...

He was back on Alderaan for the first time with Qui-Gon, standing in the doorway of Denali's hospital room.

Why are you staring at me like that?

Verrat choked on his sorrow and stumbled backwards like a toddler learning how to walk. He'd let his guard down and the next thing he knew, he was hurtling through the air til his body smacked against the other side of the cargo bay.

"Shendira!"

He knew that name, even as he sat there on floor in pain, he had that name etched in his heart with her sisters and her mother as well. He'd met Shendira, his oldest, and it was the closest thing to hope he'd felt in years.

"Lord Verrat," He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, watching the spot where the escape pod had once been, but it wasn't long before the reinforcements showed up. "We've scanned the perimeter, there are no more rebels on board." The storm-trooper informed him as he got to his feet. "Our scanners have also locked on to the fleeing escape pod's coordinates. Should we follow them?"

"No," The dark lord commanded firmly, then brushed the dust and debris from his black robes before turning on his heel. "We will meet them again soon enough," He told him, walking past the trooper before disappearing back onto the freighter.

All he'd needed was one look, one glance, and he'd gotten what he'd asked for.

Now all that was left to do was wait.