Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Naturally such an act of charity would be foreign to the Ex Sith. Kae'Leigh understood why he was apprehensive to taking her crystal. One, it would be a source of Light and good constantly around him that he could not hope to avoid. But second, after she'd just told him how significant that gem was to her she was offering it away? Was she mad? Clearly she was. But Kae'Leigh knew this was the right thing to do. He needed it more than she did right now. And in her heart, she knew it was the right thing to do. In no way would it change her pledge to her future daughter; that hope was still very much in her heart.

But when he finally took the crystal he'd feel the connection right away. The Light was a blessing. It really was. This gem held more Light in it than Kae'Leigh did it seemed. It was raw and pure goodness. If that was the right word. How such a gem was found on Ilum was a mystery. Maybe through Kae'Leigh's efforts she'd purified it even further? Only the Force would know. But as Hask held that crystal he'd feel at peace. A wave of calm and purpose would hit him. It was the purpose that Kae'Leigh used to devote herself to the Jedi way; it would be the same purpose that would drive Hask to search out his heart.

Maybe it was that sense of hope that made him have a change of heart and decide to offer her a gift as well. He pulled out his second saber, holding the weapon for her to take. Hask would ask her to take the blade, as he had no words to give her instead. The crystal -he added- had been found on Ilum much like her own. And unlike some crystals which were synthesized by the Sith, this one was pure. Kae'Leigh didn't really know what all that meant honestly, but the thought he was giving her a weapon to fight for her daughter was something special indeed.

Taking the saber in her hand was a new vow to herself, to Hask, and to her daughter. While the design was Sith-made, she didn't really need to use it as her main blade. She had come to Jedha to find crystals, and she would still do that (now with the added addition of another one for her main saber). This blade she would use only in emergencies, but had ideas to craft it into her pole-arm saber she'd been tossing around in her head. Using Hask's crystal in the weapon would give it a new strength to fight with and a stronger connection to the Force. It would be weird using a red beam, but maybe she'd find one here to match it.

Hask was then about to walk off when he instead turned and brought her into a hug. She was surprised at first, but wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly to her. He whispered a thanks to her, and she'd hum happily to the sound. "You are welcome, Hask Jen. Let my Light be a beacon for you to find your way."

He pulled back then and started to turn around once more and with a smile asked if they should keep moving. She nodded and returned her empty saber to her belt. His was...a little heavier. It still fit to her belt just fine but it added a weird weight to that side of her hips that she would have to get used to if she was going to lug it around in battle. She caught up to him shortly and dared herself to take his good hand while they walked. The ceiling of stars led them further down until the lights got brighter and the crystals larger in size. Not but a few minutes later and they'd come to their first real gem sticking out of the ground.

The green crystal looked like a tiny flower growing out of the dirt, but both Force users new it was something else. Kae'Leigh crouched next to it and gave Hask a smile before plucking it from the earth. "This one was almost begging to be found. I think that means it wants to come with us, no? Firen will love this."

Putting the gem in one of her pouches she bit her lip in excitement and then turned back to the way they were going. More and more gems could be seen along the path and not but a dozen yards further would they see an opening to a larger cavern that was chock full of them. They would quite literally be able to take their pick of gems. As the Jedi walked into it she gasped in awe. The beauty was astounding. Blue crystals met with green ones and lined the walls and ceilings with a light unlike anything she'd ever seen. Even on Ilum she hadn't gotten a change to see a real cache. This was....perfect.

 

[Hask Jen]

Her left hand closed around his right and in return he gave hers a light squeeze. Hask looked all around them, the crystals were getting bigger. They were close. Hask was getting more anxious, but between the kyber crystal over his heart and Kaylee's hand in his own he was much more at ease. Eventually they found a crystal sticking out of the ground. Kaylee reached for it, sounding quite happy about giving it to someone named 'Firen'. She put it away and walked further down the cave. "If I may ask, who is this 'Firen? Your Padawan?" he asked her. This was an opportunity to learn about the Jedi order.

The cave opened up not much farther into a massive clearing. Every inch was lined with kyber crystals of various shapes and sizes. Hask took a few steps forward, completely shocked at the beauty of it all. It was like staring up and seeing the rest of the galaxy. It was breathtakingly beautiful. All manner of doubt and fear disappeared before this majestic sight. Never in his life had he seen anything like this. But it wouldn't remain this way.

In the clearing a few dozen metres away from them was a girl on her knees, crying with her hands tied behind her back. Behind her stood a sith warrior with his hilt against her head, ready to ignite it and end her life. Haks recognised the girl. It was his co-pilot. "Aurie?" he asked softly, completely taken off guard by this sight. He heard a thud behind him and when he turned Kaylee wasn't standing there. Instead was another Pureblood. He was dressed in Marauder robes with a durasteel torso plate over it. He was just as tall as Hask. He was staring at himself...but not his present or past self. No this was an alternate self. The Pureblood's left arm was still his and instead of a red crossguard lightsabre on his hip there was a brass hilt. His old lightsabre that he gave to Rayne. Hask took a step backwards in shock. Next to the Pureblood was Kaylee's lifeless body, empty eyes staring at him.

He knew that he would be tested. He had the suspicion that this was what he would be facing...but he didn't expect Aurie to be here. Her presence felt so real, he couldn't chalk it up as a trick of the force. It was her. And likewise he couldn't sense Kaylee's presence at all. "Who are you? What did you do?" he shouted at the pureblood.

"I am you. What you could have been, anyway. If you didn't walk the coward's path."

The Pureblood's voice was Hask's voice. But it sounded...corrupted. The Dark Side was bleeding through with every word. He was powerful, almost on par with a Sith Lord. Deep down this image got to Hask. Knowing that this was what he could have been if he stayed in the order stirred a twinge of regret in his heart. "Instead you run off, make friends with the enemy. Adopt a street rat and fall in love with her. And now you befriend a Jedi of all things...twice!" he shouted at Hask. Hask flinched a little, as if his master was scolding him when he was still a child. "That 'street rat' is ten times more a person than you will ever be. You're worthless!" Hask fired back angrily, but there was fear in his voice.

Hask drew his lightsabre and held it up towards the Pureblood's chest and the Pureblood retaliated by igniting his own lightsabre. The unstable yellow blade crackled next to his stable red blade as his alternate self made the same motion to threaten Hask.

But Kaylee wouldn't be seeing any of this. She would only be seeing Hask freak out and draw his blade, pointing the tip of his blade towards her chest. To her it would seem as if he was losing his mind...

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

As they walked further into the cave Hask would ask Kae'Leigh who Firen was. She smiled as she thought about him, "Yes. He is my Padawan. My first and hopefully not last." She giggled a little and then continued. "Helping him grow has been such a blessing. And I know he's going to make a powerful Jedi one day. This crystal..." Kae'Leigh started to giggle and snort. "Oh you should see his now, Hask. He's been using my master's, grandfather's, old saber. And it's like...two sizes too big for him! He's a Kushiban. So he's like.....oh he's so tiny. Don't ever tell him I told you that!"

She continued laughing as she thought how angry he'd be at her, "But he's a wonderful soul. This crystal is so he can build his own blade. I know he's been thinking of making one for awhile now."

As they entered in further to the garden -as it were- Hask would suddenly start seeing things. But Kae'Leigh didn't recognize that yet. He called out to someone, someone who was not at all there. Kae'Leigh turned her attention to Hask who was staring straight at something in the distance. Confused, her eyes followed his line of sight but she saw nothing there. Later she'd realize that the Force was speaking to him, testing him, but for now, she was just a little lost.

"Hask?...What do you see?"

His eyes looked to her, fear protruding from them and behind that...anger. He asked her who she was and Kae'Leigh just looked around. "Hask? What are you talking about. It's me. Kae'Leigh."

Her friend would draw his lightsaber making Kae'Leigh's eyes shoot open even more. She reflexively took a step back as she grabbed her hilt. But then she remembered, she'd given away her crystal. Clumzily, she reached for the other while not taking her eyes of Hask for a second. She started trying to reason with him, to talk him down. But it wasn't until she got her words going did she realize that this was the Force's doing. The Dark side, trying to hold tightly to the connection that still remained inside the Ex-Sith.

"Hask...it's me. Kae'Leigh. You know...Jedi Knight? Friend to all? Savior of the 'verse and all that? Whatever's going on with you....you gotta snap out of it. You have to see me. See me, remember? Think of my crystal? Where did you put it? Let it give you strength. Fight this. Control your emotions. Don't let the fear overtake you."

Her hands got hold of the hilt and freed it from the clip and she raised the hilt. She ignited the red beam and jumped a little from the sound and the sheer volume of it. She'd never held a cross guard before. It was so foreign to her, especially since she had to hold it like a fencing blade. Kae'Leigh took her defensive stance which felt even more awkward holding the blade right-side up. Now, igniting that blade was probably the wrong idea altogether. But what else could she do? Hask wasn't himself right now. And she could dodge at least. Hopefully he pulled out before he ran her through with his sword.

"Come on, Hask! Fight this!"

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask stood solid, holding his crimson blade towards the Pureblood's chest. The Pureblood was a perfect mirror, with his unstable yellow blade hovering parallel with Hask's. It was surreal, looking at himself like this. It was getting to him, the thought of having lost the chance to be the powerful warrior that's standing in front of him almost made him regret leaving the Empire. "Why did you kill Kaylee? She was innocent." he almost growled as he spoke. The Pureblood chuckled. "Innocent? A Jedi...innocent? They're terrorists. Heretics. Your sworn enemy in the very force itself. You just go around befriending them, wanting to have a drink with them rather than tear them apart. This one had to go. She was poisoning you against what you are." The Pureblood's voice was patronizing, mocking Hask with every corrupt word he spoke.

The Pureblood nodded towards Aurie behind Hask. "Same issue with her. She's crawled so far under your skin that you're too blind to what she's doing. But I know how much she means to you, so I'll give you a choice." he had a sickening smile on his face. Hask's eyes were burning with hatred. "If you lay a finger on Aurie I'll tear you apart. You stay away from her." Hask spoke coldly, but the threat simply amused the Pureblood. "That was actually the idea! he said through a hearty laugh strong enough to send the faintest ripple through the force for Kaylee to feel. It was clear that the force was in this clearing with them, stronger than most other places in the galaxy. Its grip was too strong for Hask to hear Kaylee, her pleas and support falling on deaf ears.

Hask's angry glare turned into confusion at the Pureblood's words. "What do you mean 'That was the idea'? You want me to kill you?" his tone shifted significantly, sounding curious and mildly annoyed rather than enraged. "She clearly means a lot to you. So I'm giving you a choice. You can kill me, free yourself of the Dark Side and she goes free. Or you can let me live, stay true to your beliefs, values and all those pitiful things and she'll die. Your choice, coward." The Pureblood lowered his arms out to his sides as he spoke to Hask, taunting him and egging on him to stab himself. Hask wasn't sure what to make of this. It was a play on both his states of being. Abandon a part of his very being and risk losing Aurie regardless in an attempt to keep her alive...or sacrifice that part that he's so proud of, come to terms with the demon inside him and risk Aurie's life.

"Kill you and Aurie lives...or spare you and she dies. Very well." Hask spoke calmly. Without any warning Hask would let loose a powerful force push to send the Pureblood flying back into a wall, knocking his lightsabre out of his hand. Hask didn't waste any time. He wrapped the force around the Pureblood's throat to choke him and ram him into the wall again. He released him and unleashed a torrent of force lightning from his right hand, making the Pureblood roar in pain.

The Pureblood sat upright on his knees, staring at Hask with shocked eyes, but a smile was still on his lips. Hask was slipping back into darkness, the sith surfacing once more to protect Aurie. He pulled the Pureblood's lightsabre into his right hand and crossed them around the Pureblood's neck, ready to decapitate him. Hask tensed up to kill him, but just as he wanted to pull the hilts he froze. How could he kill something that's a part of him? It's like a Miraluka abandoning the light completely to absorb the Dark Side. It wasn't possible. The Dark Side was a part of him and he had to come to terms with this hard fact. On top of all of this, neither Hask nor Aurie would have wanted this. Killing a defenceless enemy was not who he was and the last time he did this he almost lost Aurie completely.

Hask stood there, the pain and confusion bright in his eyes and the blades not moving an inch. He didn't know what to do. The kyber crystal over his heart started heating up to repel his darkness, burning his chest and making him wince.

At least with this hesitance Kaylee still had a chance of saving herself from this mad man before it was too late. The Quickdraw pistol was on Hask's belt, open for all to see and ready to fire.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Kae'Leigh's pleas had apparently been unheard as Hask continued to argue with himself in the sight of the Dark side. He then raised his hand and shot a powerful wave of energy towards her. Kae'Leigh had been too focused trying to talk him down that she didn't consider the option of him fighting to kill. She didn't see him focusing on the Dark side and building it up so she had no time to do anything about it save for throwing up her arms and shielding herself against the blast. She hit the wall of hard rock behind her with a painful blow to her back. The saber flew from her hands, extinguishing itself as soon as her thumb left the switch.

Groaning, Kae'Leigh tried to catch her feet under her to find her footing when Hask continued his barbaric onslaught. His hand caught her throat in the Force and began to squeeze. She gasped loudly again until her voice was cut out. Her arms went to reach for the invisible hand at her neck when it slammed her back into the wall, hitting her back again and her head likewise. If not for the lekku trailing behind her she likely would have cracked her skull. Instead, she'd only have a few nasty bruises to nurse. Her body would then slump to the ground while Hask who was still trying to kill this enemy in his mind, tried to kill her. A cone of lightning struck the poor girl while she tried catching her breath. Writhing in pain she screamed and howled.

The blue Twi'lek had been electrocuted a few times in her life, but never like this. Every now and trhen when working with machines a wire would give her a mild zap. Nothing she couldn't work through. This though...this was something truly different. Her whole body felt like it was on fire and every nerve in her body was screaming in agony. Her body twitched and spasmed against the lightning and the wall being caught literally between a rock and a hard place. When it was finally over, she tried getting up only to see two sabers cross at her neck, pinning her against the rock.

For a second, she felt her life was at its end. But she knew it couldn't be. She knew her life would go on. Kae'Leigh had that vision of her daughter. And then she remembered. She no longer had the crystal. But Hask did. Reaching up slowly, her hand pressed against his chest where she remembered the Ex-sith had placed the gem. She focused everything she had left into the Light to break this spell he was under and help him see the truth. She pushed and pushed, expelling the darkness with her own energy as well as the light of the Kyber crystal. It would feel like a burning rock in his chest and slowly his vision would start to change. The Hask he was seeing between his blades would distort like a hologram being intercepted, showing him flashes of Kae'Leigh there instead of the pureblood. She hoped this would work.

"Come back to the Light!" she screamed and emitted the brightest Force light that she could out of her palm.

 

[Hask Jen]

Kaylee tried to expel the dark side from him, but his nature would fight back. The crystal was heating up and his vision was messing around. The arrogant Pureblood would morph into Kaylee then back again. It was throwing him off completely. What was he seeing?

He didn't have much time to think, however. Kaylee's scream would echo far off in the distance in his mind. The flash of light would erupt in his eyes, but that would not be what he was seeing.

In his tricked state the Pureblood would draw his Quickdraw with the force and before Hask could react he shot him straight in the chest, right over where the kyber crystal was burning him. His vision went white and he fell backwards, landing hard on the ground with a grunt. His crossguard lightsaber fell out of his left hand, but his old hilt remained in his right hand. His vision went from white to black as he passed out, but in his mind he was dying. His left hand clutched at where the holes in his chest supposedly were. He tried to speak, but his breath was knocked out of him. His body went limp as his eyes closed.

In his unconscious state he tensed up, twitched and moved as visions filled his mind.

Several minutes later he would start to stir. His eyes opened and he was staring at the ceiling that looked like the night sky. Was this the afterlife? The pain over his heart made sure that he knew he was still alive. He groaned and rolled over, looking around him. Aurie was missing, his alternate self was missing. Movement next to him caught his eye and he looked up. "Kaylee? You-you're...you're alive?!" he spoke weakly, looking at her with wide eyes. He sat up as quickly as he could and laid a hand on her shoulder, making sure he wasn't seeing things. "You're real right? Right?" he rambled frantically. Something dug into his right palm and he looked down.

In his hand was a crystal. It was a bright warm yellow. Not red, not blue...just in between. He looked up into her eyes with with wide eyes. A smile crept up on his face as it all made sense to him. The visions, the crystal. It all snapped into place. But his smile would fade when he noticed the bruising around her neck and the side of her head. "You're hurt. What happened...? his tone was concerned, but it faded as realization hit him. "Oh no. Did I do this to you?" he asked with wide eyes. It was a trick of the force. An illusion. If he followed through with his kill...

He sat up on his knees as he pulled her into a hug, careful not to touch her bruises. "I'm...I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you. I promise." he muttered, still in shock. Behind her back he opened his hand again, looking at the yellow kyber crystal in his hand. He wanted to share what he saw and found, but not now. Not after he just tried to kill her.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

Opening her eyes, the Twi'lek would realized she too had passed out. She was lying on the ground with her arm still outstretched. Ahead of her, Hask was laying on his back. She noticed right away his chest was moving, and she breathed a heavy sigh that he wasn't dead. Not that she had any reason to think he was. She closed her eyes again, letting her weary self rest. That ordeal was something else. But she felt somehow cleaner with the Darkness in the air gone now. While she herself wasn't tested, she might have been picking up on some of the ex-Sith's emotions.

After a moment of lying there she heard Hask call her name as if he were surprised. He moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, rolling her onto her back. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. "I'm alive....I'm alright." She didn't have the heart to tell him that she was still in a rather annoying amount of pain still from his lightning.

Opening his hand, the pureblood would look down and see a yellow crystal in his hand. Kae'Leigh smiled as she looked at it, chuckling a little to herself. "Hey....a crystal. Looks like that trial...actually was...worth it."

Kae'Leigh seemed out of breath, and for good reason. it hurt to breathe and talking didn't make that any easier. Hask would look her over then as he turned his gaze from the crystal and notice the bruising on her skin. He blurted out in question what had happened to her, only before realizing she had similar marks to that of his fight he'd just been in. Pulling her closer to him he wrapped his arms around her; Kae'Leigh let her head rest into his shoulder. He apologized with a deep horror of his actions, explaining he hadn't realized what he'd done.

Moving one hand up she would pat his back twice before letting her arm drop, "I forgive you, Hask. This was your trial. And...I was happy to guide you...through it."

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask mentally kicked himself for not bringing the backpack. All he had on him besides his weapons was a nutrient bar to nibble on as he walked. And not by a longshot was she hungry. She said that she forgave him but he had no words in response. "Just relax. You're hurt. We can push on later. Just get your strength back." he spoke gently.

He sat next to her, looking her over. After a few seconds he put his yellow crystal away and dug through his pocket for hers. He took it out and looked at it for a few seconds. "I don't have the words to explain to you how much this gesture meant to me, Kaylee, but I have had a revelation." he muttered. "No matter how much I want, I'll never be able to turn to the light. This crystal will never have more worth to me other than sentimental value and no way am I going to bleed it. I'm not like that." he took her hand, placed the crystal in her palm and closed it for her, placing it over her heart. "But you helped me tame demons that have been haunting me for years and years. I'll never be able to make that up to you." he spoke softly as he looked into her eyes.

"Take it, use it. Make sure that vision of yours becomes a reality." he looked at his lightsaber that was on her hip, then chuckled. "Give that one to your daughter, consider it an early present." he finished with a smile. The nutrient bar emerged and he placed it on her lap for her to eat in case she was hungry. Either way it would most likely help to restore her energy at least. He stood up, clipped his lightsaber onto his belt and looked around. They were all alone...no Aurie, no Sith, nothing. That was one trippy vision to say the least. "It felt so real, though...like she was here." he mumbled to himself.

@EmilyHuene

 

[Kae'Leigh Tameris]

It was sweet that her new friend was trying to get her to take things slow, but he clearly didn't know the Twi'lek Jedi very well. Kae'Leigh never sat back. She tried sitting up at least; her body groaned in protest. But sitting back and waiting it out was worse. She needed to push through it. While gritting her teeth she pushed herself to an upright position then adjusted herself to sit beside him. Kae'Leigh took a long sigh and then leaned into Hask's shoulder for a second. Maybe she could rest for a moment .

While she closed her eyes again, Hask would put away his yellow gem and fish out the blue one that she'd given him before this whole strange ordeal. With a heavy heart he tried to give it back to the blue skinned Jedi, fearing his darkness inside him would taint the crystal. Bleeding it, he called it. He brought the crystal over to her hand and dropped it, forcing her catch it. She really wanted to decline his offer. She gave that to him. She knew the cost. It wasn't something she regretted.

"Trust me, Hask," she would say with confidence. "As bright as this crystal is, there's no way it'll ever get... bleed was the word? It's Light is too strong."

Closing the sapphire rock in her hand she rubbed the edges with her thumb before continuing. "But I understand your fears. I'll carry it for us both. And for my daughter when she eventually comes into my life. If you ever wish to change your mind, I'll be here for you."

Kae'Leigh would then lean in and give him a friendly kiss on the cheek before struggling to stand up. She twisted her body some as she stretched then shook out her arms to get all the numb tingling to go away. With a loud yawn, she missed Hask muttering to himself. A good thing too because she would have pressed him about it. Instead, she picked up the protein bar and would upwrap it, taking a bite and breaking it off with her teeth. Not her first choice of foods, but it would do to help her get back to full strength.

"Come on, friend," the Twi'lek would say as she handed the broken bar back to him to share. " Let's go see if we can find any more crystals. I'd like to have a spare or two handy. Shiny?"

~END THREAD~ ​