The journey to the City was slow going, what with Lupercus' added weight. Even with the flow of the darkside strengthening her, Tevarii was finding it tiring to be carrying her master through the trees. Yet before they had moved too far from the scene, she had managed to keep the precense of mind to retrieve his fallen sabers and clip them to her belt. He would be quite displeased with her if she had left them behind.

She grinned wickedly. Not that his displeasure would necessarily be a bad thing. He always thought up the best punishments...

Tevarii glanced to the side, taking in Lupercus' deathly pale face. How he was still alive was beyond her. His blood spilled from open wounds, soaking her robes and the crimson armored body suit she wore beneath. Even as injured as he was, she could still sense the desires of his heart.

He wanted to see Theed burning.

Slow going indeed. It took some time before even the highest buildings of the city were in view. They still had a ways to go, but if they were undisturbed, Lupercus would perhaps see the city crumble before his body could no longer resist the call of death.

He put pressure on the wounds as much as he could, his leg beyond reach. He dimly sensed the return of his second sabre, which drew a smile to his face. As she staggered under his weight he felt her body sag momentarily, before picking up the pace again. They had come far when they reached the outskirts.

"A doctor, i need a doctor."

His whispered tones flew into Tevariis ear, who grinned and complied, running relatively swiftly before stopping outside what he vaguely recognised as a doctors surgery.

"Go hurry... I need guaze and any drugs he's got. Theed must be... burned...."

His voice remained insistant as it trailed off, Tevarii running inside.

The Jedi's saber floated a few inches into the air before landing on the log she was sitting on.

Amalia did not even bother to glance at the weapon again after that, she would have disposed of the object if she could of, but it was all that she had for means of defense.

Not that she particularly cared to defend herself....

It seemed so much easier to give in and let go, than to live and deal with what would come later on.

The Darkside had tightly clutched its self onto Amalia, now it was just waiting for the perfect moment to awaken itself within her.

...but who knew when that would be.


It was not as if the signs weren't there....


How quickly she stood up from the log, her fists clenching, her eyes strongly suggested impatience.


She spoke between clenched teeth, anger reaching its way through her words. So slow the words came out, demanding to be satisfied.

"Go...away.....leave me be!"

Her breathing rapid, the pace of her heart quickening, sweat dripping down her forehead.

Via the force, in an act of frustration, Amalia ripped her lightsaber off of the log, sending it flying off to wherever.


Booming laughter filled the air as her lightsaber came to clatter to the ground somewhere off in the distance.

Zeta was near....

"Stop making speeches, Diete." Gash muttered. "And enough with your baiting and sweeping statements. If by 'empty husk' you mean that you have become all bravado and drama, I am beginning to be inclined to agree with you."

Gash matched the distance that Diete had stepped forward, closing the space between them yet more. "Would you care to be honest about what you're doing here, my old friend, or would you prefer to continue expounding on the values of my killing you?"

"I come all this way, and this is how I am greeted by my own brother?"

Diete faked shock and hurt feelings.

"Why, maybe I should just turn around and go. Forget helping you in your little quest here all together. Forget forging an alliance with you to destroy the Sith Menace."

Diete stalked forward again until he stood, face to face, and within arm's length of Jiren.

"Come, brother, let us band together once more and destroy these Sith. You want them gone because they attack the Jedi homes. I want them gone because they do not stand behind me. Together, we can both get what we want."

He circled slowly.

"You do want that, don't you brother? I mean, you have always thirsted to kill the Sith outright. You want to destroy us, every last one, because we remind you of what you once were. What you could be again if you are not.. careful.

Believe it or not you and I are more alike than different. You have demons, I have demons. You search for answers, as do I. You were once Sith, I was once Jedi. All these things.. we are connected you and I. Our destiny lies upon a single path. You have known this for a long time, as have I."

The man known as Diete began to circle once again then stopped, his face pale.. his eyes wide.. his emotions pouring from him like a mountain spring.

Fear and astonishment. The feelings were almost thick enough to be palpable.

Tevarii left Lupercus leaning against the outside of the building, as she checked out the door. It was locked - no real surprise there, but with a wave of her hand she tore the door from its frame, sending it flying across the street. She stepped inside, and with a quick look around was pleased to find that it was indeed a doctor's office.

Coming out into the street once more, she lifted her master to his feet and helped him inside. Once inside on of the examination rooms she helped him up onto the table and went back to the hall to find the supplies he needed.

There was, at the end of the hall, a door marked as a supply closet, but there was more than just supplies inside when she opened it.

" It looks like we get to play after all!" The nurse scrambled away from her as Tevarii reached for her. Long fingers grabbed onto the nurse's hair and the woman screamed as she was pulled to her feet. " How fortunate, we were getting bored."

With her other hand, Tevarii picked up a medical kit from one of the shelves and dragged the kicking and screaming woman back to the examination room where Lupercus waited. She could see the confused look in his eyes when she entered and a devilish smile crossed Tevarii's dark lips.

" If you will not be needing her, perhaps you will permit us a little sport while you see to your injurries?" Tevarii pulled the woman to her feet and stood behind her, her arm draping over the terrified woman's shoulder. Tevarii's tongue snaked out, licking the nape of the nurse's neck and up to the jawline. Tevarii looked back at Lupercus. " She tastes like fear..."

"You are all lies and deception, Diete. All lies, deception, and deceit. What happened to the honor? The grand honor of the Sith? It's not gone. You just don't want to remember it -- you're lying to yourself. Why?" Gash shook his head.

"You -- " He stopped. The sudden wave of emotion from his brother... his eyes darted about --

"Oh... God."

There, standing beside his brother, Gash Jiren, was another figure from his past. From his ancient past. His Jedi Master.

The small green figure, though able to be seen through, struck Diete's heart to the core. He had betrayed Yoda so long ago and turned to the will of Palpatine and the Darkside. His master said nothing, merely.. looked at him.

That was more than enough.

Diete began to back up, his face still chizzled stone of horror, hatred, shock, and disillusionment all in one. He almost found himself tripping over his own feet as he backpeddled.

"No, this can't be.. this is.. impossible! You are dead! I felt you die! I know you are dead and gone!"

He finally found himself sprawled across the ground as his right foot struck a stone and spilled him backwards.

Lupercus smiled thiny, arching his head back and sniffing deeply.

"First, she has to strap me up with guaze, and give me any drugs possible."

His eyes feel to the petrified nurse, glowing slightly as she didn't immediately move.

"NOW!"

The rage in his voice was evident, and she jumped slightly, Tevarii letting her go reluctantly. A few minutes passed as she dressed the wounds, revulsion in her voice as she spoke.

"These wounds are too great, you shouldn't even be concious..."

Lupercus lay still, his hands moving to take a lit deathstick from his mouth, cupping it in his bloody hand.

"Get on with it, and bring me those drugs."

She worked faster now, injecting, covering, binding and generally doing everything possible to get him up and out of her workplace. As she finished Lupercus smiled, spinning up and behind her with a haste belying his damage, one hand sliding to her waist, the other behind her neck. He sniffed slightly, leaning in to lick her neck.

"She tastes like fear too...

I don't think she wants us here."

She squelled slightly as he licked her, unable to pull away. Then he let her go, the nurse automatically running to the corner to cower.

"I'm not going to kill you..."

He turned, tossing the half smoked death stick into the surgery. He smiled as he saw a metal wheel chair and slipped into it, rolling out the front door.

Too bad he didn't say anything about Tevarii not killing her.

"My dear Amalia, how good it is to see you again..."

The Jedi had her back toward Zeta, not allowing the Zabrak to see her face.

"..I have come to...put you out of your misery."

The Sith Lord walked closer, stopping just mere inches away from her.

Oh how he would have enjoyed killing her right then and there, but his amusement had got the better of him, and he wanted to play.

"How are you feeling, my dear?"

He laughed, recalling back to memory the image he had seen of her hours before.

"That Jedi thought he was doing you a favor, but you and I both know better, don't we, Amalia?"

Still the woman said nothing, obviously not one for conversation.

"I feel your pain..."

He enjoyed seeing her suffer so.

"Where are all the keepers of peace and justice now???"

The Zabrak nodded his head slightly, already coming up with his own conclusions.

"Ah yes, that's right, they're all fighting this great war that's come about. How pathetic, yet amusing all at the same time. Pitty, really, those Jedi having to die, I could have used them, it's a shame really. Now I'll never know if any of them had darkside potential or not..."

The Zabrak went quiet suddenly, irritated with Amalia's silence. Moments later it showed in his voice.

"So you refuse to talk, it matters not! I know all I need to know. You may hide from your Jedi friends, but I...I Amalia, will always find you!"


Without a moments hesitation, the Sith Lord removed his lightsaber from his belt. Holding the weapon within both of his hands he stepped toward Amalia.

The saber found its way toward the Jedi's throat.

She had not flinched, not one inch of a movement.

"..You know how to ruin one's fun, Amalia..."

He pressed the saber's blade harder against the Jedi's throat, causing her to gag in response.

"Well, well, well, finally we get a response out of you."

Amalia glared in his direction, her voice none too pleased.

"What are you waiting for, Zeta??? Some sort of invitation???"

The response only made him snarl.

"Yes, well, can't do this too quickly now. I realize how eager you are to die, but these things do take time..."

His hands did not move, she standing unmoving.

"...You have all the power in the world, right at your fingertips Amalia, and you wish to throw it all away??"

He laughed, going quiet as he studied her. His force presence invested hers for a moment as he entered her mind for a quick glimse..

"Mmm, interesting. Yes, that is quite something, isn't it? Do not worry, Amalia, I will make all of it go away soon, very soon..."

Taking his lightsaber, Zeta took the end of the weapon and pressed it firmly down upon Amalia's right shoulder.

She winced lightly, but said nothing.

"Sit!"

She did not bother to argue, she did not bother to lash out.

She obeyed, willingly.

"...Sit and wait..."

Moments seemed to pass, for what seemed like ages, Zeta paced, looking to Amalia every now and then.

"You know how this works Amalia, a life for a life...."

"...I'm sure it would please you to know that Skywalker still lives. However, you my dear, will now take his place among the dead."

He would make sure that Leia Organa Solo payed for her actions.

Her apprentice would die.

So it was without warning that it happened.

The Zabrak entered the Jedi's mind, to only keep a look upon her "progress"

He recited words from the ancient Sith's of old, soon it would be all over.

After he had spoken, his deed looking as if it had not been of any effort at all, he waited. The Jedi cried out after a moment, her eyes rolling to the back of her head, her body went limp.

Her head hit the log as her body went down.

"Oh my, wish you had felt that while you were still alive...."

He laughed, amused with himself.

He waited a few moments before approaching her, giving a moment to check her status through the force.

It was as he reached her that he bent down to crouch near her lifeless body, taking her right wrist in his left hand, he checked her pulse.

Nothing, not a single beat, not one breath.

"It is I who has done you the favor, Amalia. Sleep well, my dear," he said, laughing as he stood up.

Leaving Amalia to rest where her dead body lay, Zeta clipped his lightsaber back onto his belt and entered the forest to wait...