<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Chunks of rock fell toward Lahout's head, and were deflected with an extension of the seventh. His eyes were closed, and his hands raised. He had no time for finesse, time was running short. With great, powerful ripping motions, Lahout bent the seventh to his will, and tore at the rock above him.


Lahout was by trade an artisan. Back on his home planet he had worked with stone, carefully carving it, polishing it, and in general, getting to know it very well. But this, this complete use of brutal power was something he had done only a few times before. <o =""></o>

And he liked it.


There!, a crack running far up into the stone. He wedged the seventh into it, and twisted, causing the stone to shatter. Falling rock was deflected before they hit Lahout, deflected onto a growing pile of rubble.


Still twenty meters to go thought the Seeker. He redoubled his efforts, but the strain was begining to wear on him.

[font=Arial]A couple more turns and I have you… The K’Satizitus thought, a broad evil grin forming on his scaly lips. You’re little game will be over…[/font]

[font=Arial]He could sense the creature using a vast amount of Force now, but that power was being directed upward. Interesting. Didn’t know you could borrow using the Force. I’ll have to remember that. Right now he found he had his own obstacle: another one of those stone doors was barring the way between him and the room the creature was in. He was tempted to use the same tactic he used last time, but opted not to when he remembered the strain it had put on this body. If it came to a battle of wills using the Force he wanted to be as strong as possible.[/font]

[font=Arial]Instead, he took the lightsaber and slashed it repeatedly against the stone, hot molten rock dripping to the ground with every swipe. When the door was thoroughly crisscrossed with cuts, he sent a blast of Force at it. The weakened structure collapsed, large pieces of stone tumbling into the room beyond.[/font]

[font=Arial]There was the creature and the first pinpricks of sunlight were peeking through the hole it was making. I have you now! He thought as he started to charge through the opening.[/font]

[font=Arial]Suddenly his borrowed body stopped responding, his saber slipping out of his hand and switching off. He fell over and for the first time in countless eons the K’Satizitus felt the grip of unconsciousness. A good-sized chunk of stone in the door way that hadn’t fallen before had chosen that time to fall, landing right on the K’Satizitus’ head.[/font]

[font=Arial]If Trazu had been able to perceive what was going on, he would have been laughing his scaly butt off.[/font]

Light was beginning to pierce the tunnel, a thin, hazy light filtered by the dust created from digging. Lahout continued to bend the seventh to his will, forcing cracks wider, deflecting stones, and enlarging the hole. Just a few more...

A burst of the seventh made Lahout turn to look to the side. The creature had appeared. Just a little more, thought the Seeker in desperation. He was in no condition for a fight now, not after the draining effort he had gone through. With one last, enormous effort he pushed straight up, and leapt.

"Unng.." he gasped, as he pulled himself up, towards the rim of the opening. His knee felt like it was sprained, he had hit it during the jump. His hands were bleeding from climbing the last five meters. Sitting there, legs still lowered into the hole, Lahout listened for the creature. After a few moments, somewhat satisfied that it had not followed him (at least not at this present moment), the Seeker pulled himself out completely.

Yet, even now there was no time for delay. Digging around in his clothing, the Lahout pulled out his ship's slave controller. Pressing a few buttons, he told it to pick him up. He needed to get off of this planet as soon as possible. And he needed to rest.

[font=Verdana]As the Mar'hute Seeker limped along away from the figure in the ground, his mind an exhausted haze, he hardly remembered the promise he had made. Over the horizon a battered freighter appeared.[/font]

He was confused.

What the ziss happened? He thought. One moment he was just about to pounce on the creature that had dared to toy with him so and the next he found himself laying flat out on the ground with the monster of all headaches.

With a faint grunt he pulled himself up to a sitting position and rubbed his head, only to feel a stab of pain when he touched the good sized lump that was there. He had forgotten what physical pain had felt like and immediately took a disliking to it.

Then he remembered the creature and he leapt to his feet, only to stagger and nearly fall to the floor once again due to a dizzy spell. It was plain to him now that he wasn’t exactly in the best of shape to face the creature. Oh what a cruel twist of fate.

Not one to give up any way he quickly found his lightsaber and run for the opening the creature had made. Ignoring the pain of his throbbing head, he couched then leaped for the opening. Even though he was using the Force to assist him he barely caught ahold of the rim: damn this short body! With a lot of will and determination, he pulled himself through the hole and onto the surface once again.

No sign. No sign at all of the creature, save for a few tracks and those ended a short distance away. The impressions of landing struts at the point where the tracks ended told him the creature had made good his escape. How convenient it was for the creature that Trazu didn’t own his own ship, thus there would be no way for him to catch the creature now. The K’Satizitus made a silent vow that if he eve saw that creature again, death will come to it for sure by his hands.

For now though he needed to heal and get used to having a body again. That meant remembering to eat and drink and the ‘unpleasentries’ that came with that. First things first, he needed to get off this planet: it was too barren and lifeless for his tastes. He remembered the small spaceport his host had arrived on, but it was a two journey day away. Damn his host’s ranger habits!

No matter, perhaps he can slaughter a few caravans on the way: he was hungry now due to the mishaps down below and the amount of energy it took to take over this body. Once he got well fed again and found his way off this planet, he can make his way to Naboo to secure a future host.

Silly female sibling of his host, she thought Trazu’s son would be safe with these ‘jedi’. He intended to prove her wrong…