Closing In

[Kit]

The surface of Eriadu buzzed with activity, to the extent that it was easily visible even from high orbit. Having dropped out of hyperspace a few minutes ago, Augustus watched the surface of the planet as the small ship he and his former padawan occupied made it's way down to the surface to land.

He had chosen Eriadu because it was far removed from the core, but still a well populated planet, being one of the economic and political centres of the outlying portion of the galactic south under Alliance control. He hoped to find some rumour, some trace of Beric here, and start to put his recent sins behind him.

As the ship drew ever closer to a port, Augustus forced his mind off of the past and onto his current situation. He intended this planet to be less trouble than the last few; as each had, in their own way, thrown a spanner into the works of his plan. Being smaller, and less busy than any of his other stops so far, Augustus planned for Eriadu to be a new beginning to his new beginning.

He sighed.

After a while, he turned to look at Nero, wondering just why the boy had been so eager, so quick to follow him; a disgraced member of the council, one who had turned his back on the order completely. He shrugged the thought off; as it only courted unpleasant memories and worthless speculation.

He didn't speak until the craft landed, and they rode in blissful silence for a few moments more. Once the craft set down, he rose from his seat, and stalked toward the ramp off of the ship. He strode from the ship, and finally broke his silence.

"So, Eriadu. Have you ever been here before?"

 

[Dmitri]

Nero had been pleased to have the opportunity to travel alongside Augustus Primus Leonus. After all, it had been a pair of Jedi, Augustus and another Jedi named Elkaid, who had rescued the boy from Lacrima those years ago. Augustus was his idol, and he would not let anyone harm him. He had been distraught by Daisuke Fuyu's coup against Beric leading to Augustus leaving, so it was only apt Nero help Augustus find the man who had been humiliated by Fuyu.

Exiting the ship, Augustus asked a question. Nero replied, "If I did, I don't remember it." His head lowered a little, along with a little of his bravado. The experiments of Project Saligia had scarred his life permanently. All because of Geist Weiss' project Nero was apt in a power that was of the Dark Side. His memories of his past prior to Saligia were gone, and even since then his memories weren't all that reliable.

 

[Will]

A small ship, coasting silently on solar wind, fell through the atmosphere, emitting so little power that it could have been mistaken as an asteroid.

Within, Beric manipulated controls expertly, pulling in sails and activating repulsors as the ship began re-entry. He closed his eyes as a dull rumble rolled about the ship, steadily growing into a roar.

He picked up a component, turning it in his hands. The scrubber. He'd been short changed. Never again. It had broken within two days. The only planet close enough was Eriadu. A crossroads between the outer rim and the populous mid rim.

The roar died down as the ship burst through the atmosphere, angling towards a shabby landing bay in a bad part of town. With an almighty 'thunk', the ship landed. Already, he could hear his vessel creaking, the metal expanding as it warmed from the vacuum of space. The landing ramp clattered down, and a shabby man in grey, shapeless robes shuffled down, hood drawn, leaning on a staff taller than himself, seams running around the dull metal it continuously. The ramp whined as it struggled back up into place, sealing the ship back up.

Beric moved out from the quiet of the landing bay into the bustle of the dockyard. He dropped some credits into the dockmaster's hand, and got instructions about a reputable parts dealer. He thanked the harsh woman, voice quivering as he said that she looked like his grand daughter. She sneered, but said nothing.

With a tap marking his every other step, Beric shuffled through the streets.

 

[Kit]

Augustus said nothing in response to the boy, he had quickly forgotten the boys troubled past in favour of his own, more recent troubles. So, rather than dredge up further memories, he let the matter die, and began walking.

He wasn't looking for anything in particular, and did his best to go unnoticed, blending into the crowd where he could, and moving at a pace fast enough to be quick, but slow enough to avoid being noticeable, when he could not.

Being less concerned with force-sensitive detection this far from the galactic core, he opened himself to the force, and allowed the energy to enhance his senses and feed him information that his physical form could not otherwise detect.

He wasn't surprised when he couldn't feel Beric. Not only were the chances of him being here practically non-existent, but Beric had always been adept with the force, and was more than capable of hiding his presence, a talent Augustus had never learned.

So, he was to rely on his wits, as ever. He looked over at Nero, and pondered the best course of action. To split up and search, or remain together? He would mull the issue over a little longer, and keep walking. Eventually, something would come up.

It always did.

 

[Dmitri]

Augustus didn't reply, and Nero was thankful for it. He wasn't who he once was, and that was all thanks to Project Saligia. Even now he still didn't feel like he or anyone else for that matter knew the real him.

Nero kept a close brisk next to Augustus. Slightly behind, but close enough to be to the left. The aging master opened himself up to the Force, and Nero felt himself a little envious. Nero couldn't extend himself throughout the Force. Or rather, to be technical, he couldn't without consequences. Project Saligia had transformed his natural empathetic ability into a mutation of Force Insanity. He had seen the effects it had laid when Sith crusader had Nero open himself to the Force aboard Lacrima. That was what had led to that bloody tragedy that Augustus and Elkaid had rescued him from. Thus, he was forced to keep his presence secure. Though, in a certain line of thinking, it could be seen has helpful. Due to that, Nero had almost effortlessly mastered hiding his presence in the Force. In all his years as Jedi and Sith, barely anyone had witnessed his true presence.

Augustus glanced at Nero, ponder written in his expression.

"Something wrong?" inquired Nero.

 

[Will]

Beric hobbled around the small shop, the wealth of parts boggling his mind. Most stolen, probably. No matter, he needed a proper part.

He rested his hands on one, opening himself to the force for a moment, less than a second. Enough to see the weaknesses in the mechanism. That wouldn't work. HE moved on.

The shopkeep cast an odd glance at the dirty old man walking around, touching parts, muttering, and moving on.

Beric moved on from another broken part, before something caught his eye. It was an odd device, like a vambrace, but made only of a pair of rods running along the forearm with lateral half hoops and a handle for a clenched fist.

''Excuse me young man, what's this?'' It looked like an ancient shield, without the shield part.

''An old personal shield generator. Creates an energy screen from the emitter, quite powerful. Mainly for show, though, as you can get shields that cover the whole body nowadays.''

Old and forgotten for the new. Not unlike himself. He smiled.

''I'll take it. And that scrubber, behind you.''

He paid for the parts, strapping the generator under his robe, tightening the straps and adjusting the rods to match the length and width of his forearm. The part was stored in a metal case, strap slung over his shoulder.

As he left the shop, someone ran into him at full pelt. He checked his pockets, realised nothing was stolen, and helped up the breathless young man. ''Why so fast, young one?'' He asked, voice quavering.

''Fire! A hab block in the South district! The top half can't get out! Fire service won't come because no one could afford to pay them!'' Beric cursed. He could save them. He might reveal himself to anyone on the planet, though...

No. Others before himself. He stood up straight, towering over the young man. ''I shall see to it.'' He crouched, and pushed, letting the force flow through him, fuelling the jump. He almost flew, the jump was so long. Over the tenements of the great unwashed. Already, he could see the burning building, smoke coiling like an angry, black serpent. He landed in front of the building, shattering the pavement around him, startling the voyeurs that gathered around disaster.

He closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind. The people within had left a couple of floors between them and the rapidly climbing inferno. A simple fix, then. He reached out with a hand, summoning the force to his will. The will of a Grandmaster.

His brow furrowed as he began to press down with the force, the smoke and flames seeming to hit an invisible ceiling. Slowly, he pushed down his hand, the physical action helping him focus his mental shaping of the force flowing through him like a torrent. The flames were smothered, their oxygen being cut off as Beric forced them down and inward, his hand forming a fist. Eventually, the flames began to die down, trapped by Beric's will.

Even the embers began to cool as Beric finished. He rose, looking about himself. People stared at him. Survivors poked their head out from their windows, eyes fixed on the tall man with the ragged mane of hair and dirty beard. He nodded slightly, and began to push his way through the crowd. He had to move, get away. People would be looking. If the alliance found him, or worse, the Jedi...

Who knew what he would have to do?

 

[Kit]

Augustus began to speak, but was cut off by a combination of noises and sensations. The first, and most obvious was a scream, followed by yelling, cursing and wailing. Though the loudest and most prominent by far, he it wasn't the only stimulus. He thought he felt something, weak, faint, barely there... Enough that he could have been imagining it. So, he turned his attention toward the noise that was beginning to be drowned out by something else. The roar of fire, and a vast drifting plume of smoke.

Not long ago, he would have charged towards it, intent on saving lives and doing the will of the force. Now, he didn't feel that same compulsion. His goal was far removed from simple do-gooding. He was beginning to turn away when he felt it. A surge of force usage, then nothing. His suspicions rose, the familiarity of the force signature giving him pause.

Then, a vast wave of power, slowly crushing something. His eyes widened in surprise for a fraction of a second, before he began running. With the force flowing through him, he sped through the crowd, bulldozing through those in his way.

He knew what he had felt. Whose power that had been.

His hunt appeared to be drawing to a close.

 

[Dmitri]

Augustus sensed something. Nero could tell. He too soon sensed the fire as well. Carnage and pandemonium had a stench that attracted attention easily. He glanced in the direction where smoke huffed from a burning building. Nero's eyes were memorized on the flames. Flames were a part of life. The rebirth. Extinguishing the old and in with the new. A trial by fire. Fire was the sigil of the Force. It could provide warmth and light, but could also burn and destroy. After all, there is no good or evil sides of the Force, only aspects of the Force that promote different reactions from people. It was why Nero didn't understand the reasoning behind the Will of the Force, which was basically an omnipresent deity of pantheism. No, the Force was chaotic like a flame, imbalanced and balanced at the same time. Helping and ruining. Salvation and Destruction.

Nero snapped out of his daze, the derailed train of thought. He noticed Augustus had left him behind and was charging full throttle towards the flames. Like a fly to a light.

And like a worshiper, Nero ran after Augustus. "Wait for me!"

 

[Will]

Beric moved quicker and quicker. He could feel a presence closing in on him... no, 2.

He knew both. He didn't want to face either. Not now. Not like this. Not as some disgraced wretch. He could not face his friend in that way. He wouldn't be able to escape, either. Augustus had him. It would only be a matter of time now, most likely in days.

His movement became more frantic, his pushes more severe. Eventually, he gave in to the power of the force, leaping high into the sky, seeking to put just that little bit more distance between himself and Augustus. To get to his ship.

He came crashing down in the docking bay area, making a sprint for his vessel. He scurried up the ramp, the metal portal slamming shut behind him. He stopped in the central room, looking at the far wall. The trappings of a previous life hung there. Armour, a weapon. Dignity.

''Augustus..''

He stood tall. It was time to re unite himself with his past. To the one man he had to make amends to for their mistakes.

 

[Kit]

Augustus had yet to see Beric, and was chasing him purely on the bursts from his force signature, when suddenly, without any warning, it flared, and grew faint. He had clearly used a blast of the force to surge ahead, trying to lose Augustus. The once-Battlemaster scowled. Beric knew he was far stronger in the force than Augustus, and this was the perfect way to lose him.

Pouring every ounce of strength he could muster, both physically and in the force, Augustus surged forwards himself, desperately trying to close the force signature down.

He arrived in a spaceport, having lost the signature completely a short while before. Not the one he had arrived in himself, but not too distant from it. He scowled again, and cursed. The force was playing with him, and he didn't appreciate it.

He stood, motionless, where he could see most of the ships in the dock. His hand rested upon Mountain under his robes. Beric would not leave this place without facing him, even if he had to destroy every ship here to ensure it.

 

[Dmitri]

Nero chased after Augustus. Just as they had received a lead, the lead had vanished. Well, such technicality was incorrect. Beric was hiding. The lead still existed. He had been found, and could be tracked down from Eriadu. Beric was a cornered beast, backed into a wall. He could struggle, but he would be found.

Augustus arrived at the spaceport, with Nero following, out of breath. After taking a couple seconds to catch his breath, Nero wheezed, "Recognize any of them?" He pointed at a technician. "We can inquire information on the ships from him, and deduce which is the Grandmaster's."

 

[Kit]

"None. Beric always used to travel in style. I don't see anything here he would have owned back then. I imagine he's changed ship. Downsized."

The former Jedi Master turned his head towards the individual Nero had pointed out.

"Perhaps. I imagine Beric would have boarded in a rush. He can't have missed that. Ask him, I will maintain this vigil. I can't let him escape."

 

[Dmitri]

Nero rushed over to the technician. The technician was a little skeptical about why he should even answer the boy's question. However, a little Force tap persuaded the man to reveal which ship had been recently boarded. Nero retreated back to Augustus after using the Force to instill the idea that the technician should leave the area.

"The guy said an old man boarded that ship," Nero said, pointing to one of the ships.

 

[Kit]

Augustus nodded slowly, and raised a hand, palm outstretched, pointed directly at the ship. He had never been too gifted when it came to the force. He lacked technique, and the strength of a lot of what had once been his contemporaries. That is not to say that he was not strong, he simply lacked finesse.

However, when it came to the core powers, those simply techniques that all Jedi learned, he was both well practised and fully competent. He even bordered on strong. Though no match for Beric with the force, he had his talents, such as they were.

Sometimes, he considered his force use to be much like Djem So. Bursts of power, strong and aggressive, but lacking much over time. This was, he decided, the ideal way for a master of the blade to be.

Without a word, or second though, Augustus flexed the muscles in his arm, a mostly symbolic gesture, and unleashed what strength he had in the force. The sound of metal under stress, a whining, high pitch scream filled the area, and was shortly followed by a ferocious cracking noise.

Augustus stumbled backwards a little, his normal excellent sense of balance thrown off by the sudden collapse of the fierce resistance to his force pull. This was swiftly followed by a pivot and sidestep, in which he swept Nero to the side as well.

This all happened just in time for the pair to watch the hatch, that also functioned as a boarding ramp, go flying past them, having been forcibly torn from it's bearing by Augustus.

He exhaled deeply, and his hand returned to Mountain. He turned his head to face Nero once more, and finally spoke.

"Shall we go and talk to the former Grandmaster then?"

 

[Will]

Steadily, Beric pulled on a bodyglove. Plates of armour fitted on top, a sculpted shell of protected metal. With a knife, he sawed at his ragged hair, leaving a messy mane. Better than the matted mess it had been before.

He got rid of his long, dirty beard, shaving close. He strapped on the shield projector, and clipped Lightbringer at his side. If he was going to face his former friend and ally, it would be as a man, not a wretch. He pulled a white sleeveless robe over the armour, clashing with the deep indigo plate.

He turned as the ship began to scream. Augustus. Master of subtlety. He strode out of the windowless room, jumping down from the gaping wound in his ship. He straightened, a being of whipcord muscle and dark plate. He stopped hiding his force signature, his power unleashed, his aura seeming to swirl about himself. His eyes were hard, his mouth a grim line as he stared at his old friend. His thumb rested on the activator for the shield.

''Augustus.''

The younger one would understand. This was an issue between Beric and Augustus. Things balanced on a knife edge.

 

[Kit]

He didn't move. He barely breathed. Both men knew that the other was one of the few capable of killing them, and Augustus had no intention of starting that fight until it was necessary. He hoped it wouldn't be.

"You run, you hide... and then you emerge in armour?"

Augustus scowled.

"What are you expecting me to do Beric?"

He shook his head, though the motion was so subtle, so small, that it would be easy to miss, if both men had not been intensely staring at one another.

 

[Will]

His hard gaze faltered for a moment, sorrow filling his eyes.

''I...I don't know any more. I've been hiding for so long.''

His face grew hard again, and he stood taller.

''After what I've done, I wouldn't be surprised if you had come to kill me. All those people... just for some petty vengeance.''

His thumb dropped off the activator for the shield.

''I cannot face society. Not until I atone for what I did. I have done some small good. Not enough. But some. If I face you, I will at least face you as a man. Not the wretch I have been for a long time.''

He paused, his eyes flicking to his feet.

''And you, Augustus. I see your hand on Mountain. What of you?''

 

[Kit]

Augustus' gaze didn't waver, and he did not flinch at Beric throwing his own words back at him. He had determined his purpose, and set his sights on atonement. One way or another, his soul would be cleansed.

"My hand goes where duty demands it. You know this."

He paused. He was well aware that at this moment, he hung above the precipice. The wrong decision, a word said in haste or anger would damn him. Beric too.

"I did not come to kill you. I did not plan on either one of us dying here. I intend to earn redemption before I die."

He wanted to offer Beric the chance to earn redemption alongside him. He wanted to embrace his friend. He wanted to forget his past. None of those were things he could do yet.

"I'm going to kill Jhon. I needed to find you first, I needed to deal with what we did."

 

[Dmitri]

Nero understood the cue from Beric and stepped to the side. His lightsaber was still attached to his belt, but his hand was nearby, ready to retrieve it if necessary. If a fight broke out, he hoped Augustus would win, but if he failed he would be avenged.

Nero noticed that his Force Insanity was starting to slip in, so he quickly warded it off, ending it.

 

[Will]

Beric frowned at the mention of his former colleague and council member.

''Cordatus? I don't hunt Jedi any more, Augustus. I've realised the error of petty vengence.''

He looked back up again.

''Nothing is achieved that way. I shall not kill another Jedi for simply existing.''

He turned pensive, realisation spreading across his face.

''What has he done?''