The twisting path to knighthood

[ninjabot]

Xell stepped into his room, removing his worn robes from his back and tossing them to the chair next to his bed. A day's worth of lifesaving and badguy whipping left him... anxious. He hadn't even broken a sweat with the 20 Dark Jedi masters he slew, even with his lightsaber left behind for maintenance. Since it was a slow day he was left with energy to burn.

"Man... if only Sherasti were there. I know how it must feel to have a Padawan so powerful and skilled that the Order decides he doesn't need your support... but I wish she could've seen me in action!"

Xell closed his eyes and could envision his master smiling at him, one of her fangs protruding. He saw her in combat... then he saw her simply relaxing in a forest in autum; taking in the natural environs around her as she often enjoyed to do. The sun shined it's golden rays on her crimson body... her body that seemed to be bursting from her robes this time. Even more awkwardly, she seemed to be moving in slow motion, simply rubbing her hands and legs around in the soft grass and... moaning.

Xell shook the thought from his head and spoke in a rhaspy, serious tone. "I... can't. I can't think of her that way anymore. She would never give up her vow for me. And I couldn't ask her to..."

Xell sighed and looked out of his window thoughtfully; eyes narrowed and lips pursed. You know, like that funny haired kid does in those teenage monster films? Do girls really like that stuff? I mean, how feminine is that kid? Whatever.

Xell turned at the sound of footsteps to see a figure approaching his doorway. Sherasti stepped forward, letting her robes drop away from her body. Every curve she had was illuminated in the soft moonlight, a silvery sheen added to her rust-colored skin. The lines of her body seemed as though they were etched out of marble by a sculptor. A sculptor with too much time on his hands and a very interesting imagination.

She was clad in nothing at all but starlight and moonlight.

Closer and closer she came, a seductive smile on her face as she bared her fangs.

"I can sense what you want Xell, let me give it to you..."

She pressed up against the human, the warmth of her body passing into his. The Togruta pulled him close, leaning in for a kiss.


Xell turned to see the Togrutan Goddess enter his room and bare her self to him. His eyes widened to take in the whole of her form. "Sherasti, you..."

Xell's master pressed against his muscular body, her form dwarfed compared to his Adonis-like body.

"I can sense what you want Xell... let me give it to you."

The color of her montrals were changing colors. Apparently Sherasti was so taken by the masculine ball of chocolate sex that was Xell that she was in Togrutan she-devil mode. It didn't take telepathy to realize that whatever was about to go down would go down violently. The look in her eyes struck fear deep down into the depths of Xell's junk.

He would appeal to the vixen's animalistic nature however. "Give it to me? That's so... we can't! We're Jedi!" As he spoke his hands rose up to her hips. His hands had betrayed him. As did other parts.

“We’re not Jedi tonight… Just a man and his woman,” she purred as she grew closer and closer to his face. Their lips locked and the two kissed passionately.

The Togruta pulled away from the kiss and lifted off Xell’s shirt, pressing against him again, her face rubbing against his. She nibbled his ear gently, and then started to travel downward along his neck.

She was gentle with her fangs, but assertive at the same time. She pushed the human backward and clung to him closely, rubbing his muscles with her hand as she continued to whisper sweet nothings into his ear.

“You’re such a real man Xell, I want to be with you always.”

"...a-always?" stammered Xell. His hands began to roam, which coaxed more dulcet moans from his mistress.

“Ooooh, you’re handsome Xell…”

Rin... I... I think I love you!

“Xell… Xell? Are you awake Xell?”

"Mm... more fang baby... make it hurt..." said Xell aloud with a cheshire grin on his face. His eyes opened to see Sherasti standing above him. His eyes widened to the point one would expect them to pop out. Apparently he was asleep. How much of his dream had Sherasti heard?

Oh no! What if she was watching my dreams via telepathy!?

"H-hey there m-m-master..."

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti stared down at her newly-awake Padawan and couldn't help but feel she'd interrupted something. Frankly, she wasn't sure she wanted to know though.

She'd made the decision to wake him up personally upon their arrival at the coordinates provided by Xell's previous master, Orren. It was an obscure planetoid in the Rishi Maze, habitable. Even with a large shipwreck on it, which Orren had selected as the location for Xell's Trial of Skill.

The Togruta Consular still wasn't pleased that Orren was dictating this trial. She had the rough details of his plan in a datapad. A simulated opponent, a droid programmed to the other Jedi's combat specifications at the center of the wreck, and a lengthy series of obstacles between a simple landing pad and the interior of the wreck. A daunting challenge for Xell. And something that wouldn't be easy for Sherasti either. She wasn't about to let Xell blindly walk into something that might or might nor be lethal. She'd be a dutiful master and scout it out first, then contact him when she was certain it was safe. And if it wasn't...

Then he'd probably hold it against her if she turned the shuttle around.

"Wake up Xell, we're here. I didn't want to intrude, but I thought you might want some breakfast."

She offered him a tray containing a plate of food. A light offering, one that would provide sustenance without weighing him down. Just because her own dietary preference was mostly meat didn't mean she was ignorant of a proper human diet.

The Togruta had already eaten a thimiar before she woke up Xell. Her own diet had been a closely guarded secret.

[ninjabot]

Xell whiped the sleep from his eyes and let out a yawn. He seemed to be in the clear. "Right... I'm ready! I can't wait!" said the enthusiastic youth. He punched his palm to psych himself up and leapt from the bed onto the metalic floor, his feet feeling an instant cold rush. He didn't let it stop him. He rushed to his breakfast in the other room and sat at the table.

Xell smelled the food and his grin grew even wider. "Wow. Nice Thanks master! We humans say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so a good breakfast gives you the energy needed to take on the day." Xell picked up his fork and began digging in. He stopped eating, his mouth full of food and... he swished the dish around on his tongue. Sherasti knew OF human cuisine, but she obviously didn't have a taste for it. Or maybe this was another type of training to help him not become detatched. Bland clothing. Bland food.

Xell glanced over his shoulder at his master and forced a smile. He began eating the rest of his meal. The bread and meat wasn't bad, but the rest seemed... off. Crunchy eggs? Humans don't eat the shells... and what was this... hair?

"Mmm... great. So how's this gonna go?" asked Xell as he forced the rest of the dish down his throat with a grimace.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"We're going to land the ship at a small landing pad someone built, then you will wait here while I check the path to the wreck. If I'm satisfied its safe enough, I will signal you through a comm link and you can start off on the Trial."

Sherasti felt something stuck in her throat as she was talking. "Excuse me." She turned away coughed rather loudly, sending a small patch of fur flying into her hand. Her digestive system was certainly strong enough to handle a little fur, but it had a tendency to stick in the throat. She should have had water with breakfast to wash it down properly.

The Togruta moved past Xell and dropped the fur into the waste receptacle. She also hoped the chewed thimiar corpse at the bottom of the container was obscured enough under the carton of eggs she'd used. She had to admit, eggs were pretty tasty. And a convenient object to eat, all wrapped up in an edible serving.

She wiped her hand on a napkin and sat back across from Xell. "I don't expect any problems, but it won't hurt to be aware."

[ninjabot]

Xell washed down the the eggshells in his throat and coughed before nodding to Sherasti. "Well... I know you're only doing it because you want to keep me safe. I appreciate it. Really, *cough* I do *cough*"

Xell whiped his hand on a hand towel to the left of his plate before picking up his lightsaber. "I want you to know that I won't rush things. Still, I can't help but feel excited you know? Like, this is the first step on the road to knighthood!"

Xell smiled as he thought back to the telepathic training session he and Sherasti had. She saw the marble statue, the women and children chanting Xell's name. He was about to take the first step toward realizing his dream. He couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency; of excitement.

Still, the Padawan needed to put his excitement aside and focus on the gravity of the situation. While he had no idea how terrible the obstacles (or the pending duel) will be, he did know that the trials were dangerous. So much so that he was not allowed to take it alone. He would have to have all his skills at the ready. His senses sharp, his powers prepared.

Of his physical aptitude his speed was his greatest advantage. That would likely aid him in the obstacle course. Still, it was the duel that made him quake with fear. It had been months since he had seen Master Orren fight in earnest, but he still remembered that he fought with a fury that would lead anyone to believe he had a tinge of darkness in his heart.

And if Sherasti was too much for him even with her defensive stature, then this droid would be simply frightening. "Let's get things underway." said Xell with a more serious, understanding look than the one he had earlier. The new expression helped to prove he had now come to terms with how serious things were actually about to get.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

"All right. I'll have the droid begin the landing sequence now. Then I'll gather together what I need and start to check things out. And while I do that..." she looked at the mess in the dining area and the living area. It had gotten a little out of hand. "Maybe you should sit and get some fresh air while you wait. I need to clean up my mess in the kitchen..."

She eyed the remnants of cooking and realized again why she didn't like it. Not only was it not really needed, it was also messy. And hard. But she didn't seem bad at it. Xell had eaten his meal pretty quickly after all. Maybe she'd have to make breakfast again sometime...

Sh shelved the thought for the moment and went back to the matter at hand.

The Togruta disappeared for a minute, then came back and sat in one of the chairs as the ship started its landing cycle. It was quick, with the droid performing its piloting duties quite well, and the ship was down in a few minutes.

Sherasti rose from her seat, verifying that her lightsaber and her comm link were on her belt. Then she gave a quick nod to Xell and stepped off the ramp and onto the planetoid.

Her first impression was that it was hot. And her second impression was that it was windy. Bits of grit stung her cheeks as they were carried along by the wind. Nothing green was in site, and various rock formations were the only things visible apart from the crashed ship.

The Jedi was no expert on spacecraft, but it was obviously some sort of large warship. Mandalorian maybe? It had a dagger shape that was mostly buried in the ground, and it was crowned by the shattered remnants of its bridge. And somewhere in the center of it was the place Xell had to reach. And by extension where she had to reach.

Most likely the approach was linear, otherwise a series of obstacles would be too hard to set up. And at the very least the beginning was clear. A path led from the pad down into a small canyon streaking toward the shipwreck.

The Togruta Jedi's bare feet carried her down the pathway and into the hot dust of the ground. She was confident she could avoid traps. Her unique senses gave her a great advantage. One she planned to make full use of.

---

It took her a full three hours to reach the base of the ship. She was right. It had been linear. And what she'd encountered was straight forward enough. 'Natural' obstacles like boulders and chasms had dotted the canyon, mixed with things like pit traps and the occasional tripwire. Luckily they were harmless and connected to nothing more than noisemakers.

And now she had to climb a gradually sloping cliff face to enter the ship's hangar bay. And presumably from there the way forward would be clear.

[ninjabot]

Xell watched as Sherasti left the ship to survey the area. He hated for her to leave, but loved watching her go. He would need to keep himself preoccupied as she made her rounds, but that wouldn't be too hard. The Padawan made his way to the area where he usually sits to meditate.

It was his "sweet spot" as he once told Sherasti. The soothing sight of stars outside of the window calmed him, and the spot was far enough away from Sherasti's room that he didn't repeat the same mistake from the other night.

Xell began practicing his kinetic excersises again, but as he felt that he was getting better he needed to muster the strength to excersise with much larger objects. Today he would lift the metallic bench in the room while twisting and turning it as many times as he could before the mental strain broke his concentration.

First, the screws beneath the table legs began rattling before twisting in tandem. They were already loosened thanks to previous attempts at this training excersise, all of which ended in failure. Now Xell had finally removed the screws and was capably of lifting the heavy metallic bench several feet from the ground.

"Okay... good. Now let's make him dance."
Xell tilted the heavy seat to the left causing it to shake uncontrollably, but still tilt. Beads of sweat began dripping from his brow before he dropped the large bench with a loud clanging metallic sound. He held the his palms up to his ears and gritted his teeth as the metallic noise resonated throughout the ship.

"...Okay! No more TK practice. On to lighsaber forms."

2 hours later...

Xell lay in his meditation spot and looked straight up at the cieling with a sigh. Two hours of traning and he still hadn't burned enough energy to stop feeling so excited about his upcoming trial. He closed his eyes and invisioned the dream that Sherasti saw in his mind. The marble statue, the women and children praising him... and he smiled.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti walked through the corridors of the ship. If she was superstitious it would have struck her as a 'ghost ship.' The interior was immaculate, and the lighting was operating for the most part. She presumed Orren had repaired it when setting all this up.

How he'd ever found the ship she had no idea. And certainly he'd put a vast amount of effort into it. She both admired it and found it to be slightly disturbing.

Also aggravating was that Xell would be forced to take the trial at night. The light had faded into a dull semi-darkness when she was entering the ship, and that meant it was surely dark now. For her, the night was absolutely no impairment. But for him? Luckily none of the traps were fatal.

And the ship itself was straight forward. Locked doors kept her moving in one direction, which she presumed was the correct one. The deck sloped slightly beneath her feet thanks to the angle of the wreck, but it didn't much impair her movement.

The soft footfalls of her feet meant the rustle of her robes was essentially the only sound in the derelict vessel. And even she had to admit it was eery. Orren must have opted for a period of tense wariness without traps just before the main trial.

It was a psychological trick that would have worked if she hadn't been so serenely at peace with everything. Ghost stories and eery stillness didn't concern her. The safety of the task did however.

A door was directly ahead of her, cracked open with a dim red light pouring out from it. She slid in through the crack and examined her surroundings.

It was some sort of cargo bay. Tall racks for storing goods were around the periphery of the room, but the center was all quite clear of obstacles. The only thing present was a droid shot into slag with a lightsaber clutched in its hand.

Someone had beaten her to the site. Someone armed, and with the skill required to take down a Jedi.

Her hand darted for her comm link and she thumbed it on, eager to warn Xell to lock the ship and not let anyone in. But garbled static was the only thing the comm link could produce. The transmission was being jammed, which meant...

They know I'm here.

She could sense them before she could see them, four purposeful presences moving carefully down the corridor she'd come through. The only way out. Unless she got creative.

She summoned all her control over her body and jumped. It was enough to carry her up onto the top of one of the cargo racks. There she jumped from rack to rack until she spotted her way out. A ventilation duct, which would lead to a shaft.

She sliced away the lock holding it's grate in place with her lightsaber and swung herself into it, closing it behind her as she entered. Then she stared through the grate. Between the disruption of the grate and her red skin in the dim red lighting, she was invisible.

The Togruta watched as the four figures spread out, carefully searching each bit of the cargo bay. They were Mandalorians.

---

"Not a trace of her."

The armored men stood in a loose circle, still staring into every crevice as if a Jedi could be lurking.

"Impossible. There's no way a seven foot Togruta could hide." A second Mandalorian said flatly.

"Actually you'd be surprised. Don't forget they're predators, like us. And this one is a Jedi. That's twice as dangerous. She might not be in this room, but she's somewhere around here."

"All right Alrin. You and Torve backtrack. Check all the doors in the last section of corridor for tampering. The cameras are down and she could have sneaked off to the sides. Jori, you call up the boss and get him to transfer the plans to the cargo bay. We need to check it for any way out. And while you're at it, check to make sure the other squad are at the ship. Tell them to be careful, where there's one Jedi there's always another."

The one called Jori pressed a hand to his helmet, listening to some sort of report. "They're at the Jedi ship. Between the six of them I think they can handle one Jedi."

---

Every single word wafted up to Sherasti, her advanced hearing making it as clear as if it were right next to her. Xell was in serious trouble now. They'd stumbled into something far more dangerous than Orren's test would have been.

She started to crawl off through the shaft, looking to make distance before they discovered the existence of it on their blueprints. Time was against her.

[ninjabot]

Somewhere off in space...

Orren sat with his legs crossed, his boots set comfortably on the dash of his ship while he watched from orbit the area Xell was meant to explore for his trial. It was a recorded feed on a small holo projector on his shipThe droid was now a smoldering heap, the lightsaber it was to use against Xell was still clutched in it's lifeless metal hand. The video feed through it's eyes went dead, which was the proof that it was completely dead.

Well, this is a pleasant surprise. And here I thought I had prepared him a trial that didn't force him to live up to his potential. Make me proud, pup.

Some few million miles below, on the surface of the planet...

Xell walked back and forth at a hastened pace. He glanced at the clock yet again and let out a sigh. "Come on Sherasti. You can't be still out there looking through the trial. You're already a knight so this should be child's play for you."

It was true. Sherasti had shown agility, speed, and senses that dwarfed Xell's own, which was enough for Xell to label her as his clear superior in combat. Anything out there that was prepared specifically to Xell's specifications would be nothing to Sherasti. Unless...

Images of Orren with his saber cutting a path through droid and soldier left and right filled Xell's mind. Fire and destruction was prevalent in the image. Xell swallowed hard and began pacing even faster. Orren was alot rougher than Sherasti when it came to training excersises, that's for sure. What if his training excersise was too much for Xell by a rediculously huge level? So much so that Sherasti couldn't handle it?
Xell was becoming nautious. "Be safe Master. Please."

The force sensitive youth opened the door to the ship and peeked out. The arid desert of the Rishi maze was intimidating, but he stepped out and closed the door behind before sitting down and waiting.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti came across a junction early on in her escape, and opted to take a turn to the left. It led away from the direction she'd come. Undoubtedly they'd assume she was escaping the way she knew. And they'd be wrong, that was the brilliance of her approach.

She paused for a brief moment, before continuing down down the cramped duct. But unluckily for her the metal buckled the duct twisted to the side and broke.

The Togruta was thrown out of the duct and into an empty maintenance corridor. That wouldn't have been a problem if not for the fact that a twisted shard of metal protruded directly in the path of her fall. She tried to shift away from it, but it cut into her side.

She gasped as she hit the deck hard, her hand automatically holding the wound. The warm liquid was staining her robe now. This was going to hurt her chance of escaping and aiding Xell.

Sherasti closed her eyes and focused all her thoughts on Xell, working to project her sense onto him with one word. Run.

She winced in pain as she silently hoped her message had reached him.

[ninjabot]

Xell wringed his hands together. The anticipation was killing him. He didn't mind the heat of the desert around him burning his skin, nor the dust in his eyes hindering his vision. Master Sherasti Rin was not the type to make Xell worry. "One more hour. One more, then I'm going in."

Xell remembered times he spent with Orren on the battlefield. Just like Sherasti he opted to keep him away from danger; to make sure that the Padawan in his training lived long enough to mature into a valued knight. And that was all that there was to it. Still, when the going got tough and Orren needed aid, he accepted it. Surely Sherasti would do the same...
Xell cautiously began walking forward. The darkness around him made the decrepid path look downright ghastly, but it was that reason that made him even more frightful of Sherasti's status. And despite the desert winds cooling he still felt a coldfront hit him like a tidal wave. It felt like something grave was about to happen.

"Sherasti... if you're okay, send me some kind of sign. Anything."

Xell stood perfectly still and searched his feelings. His senses sprawled out through the force like a giant waking hawk-bat stretching it's wings full span over the horizon. "Okay then... back to the-"

Xell's thought process was broken by a shrill gasp in pain. The Padawan winced and clenched his side. For a moment he felt a sharp pain as if someone had pierce him in his side. It was just like that fateful night with Master Orren. He felt as a lightsaber was thrust into his thigh. Sherasti was hurt, he was sure of it.

"Master? Sherasti is that you?

Run

With fervor Xell clenched his fists and looked deep into the darkness before him for a moment before breaking into a full sprint down the path. It was as if he didn't care at all about the danger he was putting himself into, but he knew that Sherasti was in danger, and that he would have to put his fear away aswell as his duty for the sake of hsi friend.
Xell stopped at a chasm with two stalagtites across from him. He nodded and took three steps backwards before running forward and, with the aid of the force, launched himself onto the first, then jumped to the second one, causeing it to crumble.

"Ngh... no!"

Xell jumped over to the other end of the chasm causing his chest to slam into the side of the cliff. It knocked the wind from his chest, kicking up a cloud of dust as he coughed while pulling himself up on to the ground. After making it up he began running again, using his keen obsession with detail to notice incoming obstacles.

Hold on master! I'm on my way!

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti leaned against the wall, trying to determine how severe the gash was. She let her outer robe fall from her shoulders and slowly undid her inner robe. She pulled it off of her and noticed the blood-stained patch on the cream-colored fabric.

She reached into the pockets on her belt and felt around for a specific one. In it was a small medicated patch that she slapped over the wound. And lacking a larger bandage to hold it better in place, she ripped up the tunic and wrapped it around her torso.

Without the inner robe she would undoubtedly be eye-candy for some Mandalorian in her dull yellow halter top, but it was better than bleeding to death. She'd simply cover up with the outer robe again.

The Togruta rose to her feet, wincing as her injury opened a little more. It couldn't be helped, and it would take a while for the medicine to do its job. In the meantime she simply had to be strong.

Sherasti Rin set off down the corridor slowly, trying to banish the pain. Maybe she'd be able to make it some kind of spacecraft and get it into orbit. She'd call Xell, and he'd take the ship back to meet her.

Assuming he'd gotten her message and ran away like she'd asked.

---

The squad of Mandalorians emerged empty-handed from the Jedi shuttle, none of them looking too happy behind their helmets.

"Damn. I can't believe one got away like that."

The squad leader waved dismissively. "Don't worry. This is why we set up shop here. There's no way off this rock except for our ships and this shuttle. And we wanted practice with tracking, now we've got it. I'm guessing from what we found here that the Jedi who went first was the master. Other squad will have her sweet little person all tied up in no time. This one is probably the Padawan. We'll detail two guards to wait here, then the rest of us get to do a little Jedi hunting. How's that sound boys?"

A general murmur of agreement broke the still night air, and the squad moved out, hot on Xell's trail.

[ninjabot]

The sound of Xell's robes fluttering in the wind as he picked up speed was the only thing that could be heard aside from his footsteps. The occasional leap over an obvious trap set to spring from tripping over a wire was here and there, but nothing had caught him by surprise despite the darkness. His eyesight wasn't particularly impressive beyond that of the average human. Infact his spectacles would lead one to believe otherwise. But it was his compulsive need to explore and understand his surroundings that helped him.

Even at top speed Xell could notice everything about his surroundings with little time. It was a good aspect about him. One that would likely save his life in the future. Or atleast that's what Orren told the boy throughout his training. Xell came to a skidding stop at a leaned over to take a few breaths. He saw no more footsteps before him.

"Master... can't rest. Have to keep going... !"

He had little time to rest, as his mind was dead set on saving Sherasti at any cost. He could not afford to tire. Could not afford to waste time. Xell looked around him. He had run so far and so fast that he forgot where he should go. When there was no direct path to take it was then that the Jedi truly realized that they were never lost. The Padawan closed his eyes and felt out with the force.

Come on Sherasti... show me where to go. Where are you?

Xell's senses were not as strong as his master's, but the most glaring of signals were easy to pick up upon. As the force poured from his core out in a long circular radius he felt his aura lean to the far left. The skin on the left side of his body tingled. He knew the feeling. It was malicious intent. Something out there wanted Xell.

The tingling grew almost painful as Xell ducked his head down at the last moment. A near soundless blaster bolt wizzed past his head before crashing against a bolder to his right. Whoever was firing at him wanted him alive. But for what purpose? Xell wouldn't wait to find out. He turned and ran ahead in the direction he was headed to begin with.

The occasional bolt was fired from behind and to the side of him, but he managed to avoid them all. It was not until Xell came to an area with another one of the wire traps that he leapt over that he was caught in the shoulder by one in mid jump. It was a stun bolt apparently, as Xell felt his body tense up involuntarily, ruining his landing.

Xell fell face first onto one of the traps, causing nothing to happen immediately. Soon however, he heard the sound of stone scraping together.

"What... "

As he struggled to try to stand he felt a shadow grow above him. He rolled to his back to see a boulder held aloft by an elaborate rope-and-stick contraption, begin falling. He was as good as dead. Incapable of fleeing from the position Xell threw both hands up and, with a force push slowed the stone's decent. It was twice the size of the bench he attempted to float hours ago. He should be dead right now, but the force deemed it necessary to protect him. The stone was barely a foot from his fingertips. Xell needed help. He needed guidance. But more importantly he needed to be pushed. He needed to overcome his limites and place all of himself into his manipulation of the force.

Push! PUSH! Would you let a mere stone take your life? Is this your best? Who can you protect with this level of strength? Who will you save like this!? FIGHT!

Xell gritted his teeth and mustered every bit of strength he could. His muscles strained, his vains popped. And just as he felt he would pass out he managed to move the stone to the side before standing to his feet, weary and weak. He staggared, but straightened up after catching his breath. He rose his left hand up to his nose. It was bleeding. And his head... his head felt as if the boulder landed right on top of it.

"Got to... keep...AGH!"

His words were interrupted by two blaster bolts pelting him in the back. Xell fell straight on his face, eyes closed. He was spent. Too weak to move, he lay there prone, fearing the worse.

Sherasti... I've failed you...

Xell closed his eyes and drifted into a light sleep as the sound of footsteps grew louder and louder...

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

The first Mandalorian to reach Xell gave him a good kick in the ribs to make sure he was really out. When he was convinced the young Jedi was knocked out properly from the stun setting, he rolled him over and took the lightsaber from his belt and fastened it to his armor. Lastly, he pulled out a pair of cuffs and fastened them around Xell's wrists.

By the time the others were on scene the only thing left to do was drag the teenager back to the speeder they'd arrived in, then take him in to one of the holding cells.

Where they'd make the decision to either kill him now, or use him for sport. Or rather where the boss would make that decision.

---

The medicated patch had started to take effect, and the pain in Sherasti's side was no long searing. It was simply aching. And with the right state of mind she could work past that.

Footsteps were approaching, so she wedged herself tightly into a corner out of sight. And there she listened.

Essentially she could feel the sounds, and when she focused on it she could hear them from a long distance. Right now there was conversation mingling with the sounds of movement.

"They got one of the Jedi, near the shuttle. Was heading right towards us. Guess the first one's comm link was jammed quite nicely."

"You bet. Where are they going to put this Jedi, in the hold with the other prey or in the cell block?"

"You idiot, isn't it obvious where we're going to put Jedi? They'd escape from the hold too easily. Besides, we used up our last prisoners yesterday. The hold is empty now.

The voices faded away and Sherasti silently wondered how exactly she was supposed to get to the cell block and rescue the now-captured Xell. Assuming she could at all.

Madalorians were very tough enemies, even when you were in top form. And right now she wasn't. That meant stealth, surprise, and information-gathering came first.

She followed the men talking, knowing they'd lead her right into the akul's den. And there she could find a few answers.

[ninjabot]

Xell's eyes twitched beneath his eyelids before he cracked them open. He was alive still. That's right, he was shot with stun bolts. But why? What did these people want? Surely they had heard of Jedi. What they were doing was likely because he was a Padawan, not some lost civilian.
The groggy Padawan shook his head a few times before realizing that his hands were immobile; clenched by some type of metallic bonds behind the chair he sat in.

"Ngh! Grr... Master! NNGH!" Xell struggled to pull his hands from his cuffs; his numbness in his limbs finally fading away now that he'd been stopped and hang his head in defeat.
"Quit makin' so much noise will ya? Don't waste all your strength. You'll need it, heh heh!"
Xell's head slowly lifted as he focused his vision on the man staring him down on the other side of the bars. He toted one of the rifles that downed Xell earlier.

The man smiled and kicked his foot against the metal bars to make a loud ruckus before chuckling. He had hoped Xell would shrink in fear, but he stood still and watched. The man then smirked and leaned his face closer to the cage that Xell was trapped within.

"I hope your lady friend puts up more of a fight than you did, runt."

"Where is she!" demanded Xell as he attempted to leap from his seat to no avail. The stout man simply threw his head back and laughed aloud. Xell had had enough of his heckling and... calmed himself. He wanted him to lose his cool. Keep him from focusing. Or perhaps he was simply a jerk. Either way, Xell's telekinisis was far more effective when he could sit still and muster the force he needed...

...but not this time. Every time he attempted a force push his head felt like a railroad spike was being jammed through his forehead. "You... I won't let you hurt her..."
"Whoa! Paddie's got a pair on him eh? Thought you Jedi weren't allowed to sow your wild oats whenever you please. Is that it? She your girlfriend, boy?"

Xell looked away to the left before closing his eyes. His ties to the force were limited right now from his overexertion earlier. But perhaps he could reach Sherasti now that he was actually inside the building.

Sherasti... Sherasti, are you okay? Can you hear me?

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti paused in the corridor, sensing something was happening. She concentrated, and then picked up on it. It was Xell using that telepathy she'd taught him. Their connection together was strong enough that she could pick up on it, even through her pain.

Xell, you should have run.

She glanced down the corridor after the two men she'd been following. Her senses were still highly attuned to her environment, and she could detect a dozen people in the area. That meant there would be at least the same amount scattered around hunting for her. Two dozen Mandalorians versus a wounded Jedi Knight and a Padawan?

She didn't like the odds. She was feeling light-headed from the blood loss as it was.

I'll do what I can, but I'm injured. Don't wait for me.

---

Another Mandalorian joined the one guarding Xell, carrying something in his hand.

"Hey Taric. Got that neural restraint for our little Jedi friend."

He noticed Xell was awake and looked at him. "Wake up from nappy time did you? Miss your girlfriend, is that what I hear?"

He opened the grated cell door and caught Xell in some kind of martial arts grip as the jailer came towards him with the collar...

[ninjabot]

Xell, you should have run.

Xell smiled despite the danger that he was currently in. Hearing Sherasti's voice brought him peace. His headache didn't bother him as much anymore. Neither did the sting from the previous blaster bolts.

No Sherasti. I could never forgive myself knowing that I left you behind to die. You may be responsible for me, but we're partners. We look out for eachother.
Xell looked up to the guard who instantly knew something was up. The Padawan quickly forced his smile into an angry scowl before reaching out for his master again.

I'll do what I can, but I'm injured. Don't wait for me.

No, don't! Be still, I'll come to you! Don't risk hurting yourself anymore! pleaded Xell in earnest. The thought of Sherasti in pain made his heart ache, and fueled his defiance. Feeling her pain earlier made him want to tear the walls down around he and the guard. He wanted him to pay. All of them. But that was not his way anymore. It was not the Jedi way. And if he gave in to those emotions it would hurt Sherasti more than any blaster rifle.
Before he could plead more to his Master, Xell's mental link was interruped by the sound of footsteps.

Someone was approaching.

"Hey Taric. Got that neural restraint for our little Jedi friend."

Xell face-faulted. His one link to Sherasti was about to be taken. The only thing that made Xell any real threat was his lightsaber and his force abilites (which could be said about many a Padawan). His lightsaber was gone. Now? Now they threatened to take away his telekinetic and telepathic abilities. The fence opened and Xell began wriggling defiantly.
Before Xell could run out of the opened cell Taric shoved a boot into his chest and knocked him back into his chair, which fell over backwards. Both men got a hearty laugh from the display. He stood up and spat blood across the floor, staring defiantly

"Get away from me you-"

Xell was silenced by a punch to the face before he was snatched up from his seat by the herculean man that towered above him. He circled behind him and overshadowed him with his size before grabbing hold. Within seconds he got lightheaded from a rear naked choke. It was just enough to silence him and make him stand still long enough to force the collar on him. Xell would have no part of it though. Before it fastened he mustered all of his strength and countered with a headbutt. His head flew back at breakneck speed, slamming the man's nose upwards and making his eyes water uncontrollably.

"DAMN!" grunted the Mandalorian as he let go of Xell to favor his gushing nostrils. Taric reached to his communicator, but Xell had sprung into a full sprint and slammed his shoulder into his torso, causing him to stagger backwards and hit his head against the wall behind him. As he slid down to the floor Xell closed his eyes, as he didnt want to resort to such barbaric options... but he had to for Sherasti's sake. He lifted his foot high in a hard kick to the mandalorian's chin, slamming his head against the wall once again. Xell then hurried back to his feet and fled the scene.

15 long, sneaky moments later...

He was free for the time being after climbing staircases, jumping through laundry chutes, and shimmying through the occasional ventilation shaft, but with his hands still bound behind him he was a sitting duck. Too far away to run back and pick up the blaster to shoot off his bonds, Xell starting trying to think outside of the box. He made a mental note of all the signs and doorways he passed, putting his OCD to good use. Finding Sherasti was priority, and searching around behind enemy lines would not be easy, so he had to be sure of everything.

Master! I'm free! Where are you!? We gotta get outta here!

Xell had found the area of the ship where his duel was meant to take place and realized that the downed droid still was holding on to a lightsaber. Because the lightsaber was lodged into it's cold metallic hands he couldn't take it to use it to defend himself... but the droid likely had enough juice left to power up for a second or two.

It was a rush job, and Xell had to perform some serious acrobatics to get his hands infront of his body, but sure enough he managed to rearm the droid long enough to activate it's saber.

"You hear that? He's around here somewhere!"

"I heard a lightsaber! He must've just left sector E's armory!"

"But I locked it, I swear I did! How'd he get in the armory?"

Xell smiled before running the metal bonds against the dying lightsaber blade. Soon enough his hands were free.

Master? Master, did you hear that? How close are you? I'm gonna make my way to sector E. It's the armory. They say my lightsaber's locked up there.

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Master? Master, did you hear that? How close are you? I'm gonna make my way to sector E. It's the armory. They say my lightsaber's locked up there.

Sherasti frowned. She had no idea where sector E was. But somehow she had the feeling walking into the armory wasn't the best idea for her Padawan. He'd escaped somehow. And she had to admit she was pleasantly surprised by that. But through their connection she could tell he was too emotional for his own good.

He had to learn that a lightsaber wasn't worth his life. And he had to learn when to leave someone.

Her vision was impaired and the dizziness prevented her from moving with the speed and certainty she usual had. The injury might very well have cut into something major. Certainly the patch she'd applied wasn't helping the way it should have been. It eased pain, but the bandage was still as rust-colored as her skin.

The Togruta Knight's healing skills were woefully inadequate. She could heal minor burns, cuts, and bruises. But she couldn't help this.

She stumbled around the corner and came face-to-face with one of the Mandalorians, as she'd planned. Rather than reach for her saber, she waved her hand and said a few words to him quietly.

"You want to take me to the armory."

"I want to take you to the armory."

"You will be silent and not tell the others anything."

"I will be silent, and not tell the others anything."

Sherasti nodded, pleased at least one thing had gone her way. She followed the armored figure down the corridor, trying her best to gauge his level of obedience, the locations of other enemies, and the safety of Xell.

The Jedi knew she was only of limited use to Xell in her state. But even with her injured, he still stood more chance with a comrade at his side.

[ninjabot]

Xell held his breath as he hid behind the corner of a hallway. He waited for the sound of footsteps to become quieter to symbolize patrolling Mandalorians walking away. When he was sure they were gone he tiptoed around the corner and moved on toward a nearby doorway.

The light was on inside, and judging by the decaying paint along the wall of the hallway he had found sector E. Even greater, the door was unlocked! Xell reached out to grab hold of the handle only to stop. Up until that point Xell was capable of using his telepathy to sense people coming by. But he felt nothing behind this door. Nothing at all.

Maybe it was some sort of telepathic shielding. They already had technology to break Xell's ability to tap into the force, so something like this would not be too farfetched. But he knew that his saber was in there... among other things.

"Screw it."

Xell ripped the door open to find Taric standing there, fully armed. A heavy metal boot flew up into Xell's gut, shoving him backwards across the floor.

"I knew you'd be back here you miserable little punk!" snarled the man as he crossed his arms to pull two handguns from their holsters on either side of his hips. Xell had had enough of being kicked around.

"No you don't." warned the Padawan with a smirk as he swung out his right hand to fire a current of force energies into Taric's chest. The Mandalorian let out a guttoral yell as he flew backwards back into the armory where his back would slam against a footlocker.

Already running as the man touched down Xell attempted to run past him to search the armory for his lightsaber, but Taric stretched his legs out to grab hold of Xell's own in a scissors motion to trip him up. With them both on the ground now, Taric shoved Xell down and sat over his back before he twisted his arm in a submission hold which forced him to scream in pain. The man was larger and stronger, so breaking free was not an option. Breaking free of his own strength that is.

Xell aimed his free hand at a nearby crate of ammunition and pulled it hard toward him, making it slam into Taric's face and knock him off of his back. Breathing heavily and now holding his left arm in pain, Xell stood up and looked around. Sure enough, his lightsaber was there. But before he could rejoice he heard footsteps. He placed his hand on his lightsaber and Taric stood up, pistols in hand and trained on Xell.

"Heh... here comes the calvary, eh? You got your little sword back, but you're outnumbered. No way you're getting past me now, boy."

Xell narrowed his eyes and stared directly at his foe. "You're gonna shoot two pistols at me while I've got my lightsaber, AND we're surrounded by explosives?"

Taric scowled and put one of his pistols away before reaching down for his communicator. In the flick of a wrist Xell armed his lightsaber and swiped upward, taking off half the barrel. Unfortunately Taric had managed to press the button on his communicator first. Because Xell opted not to run him through when he had the chance, every Mando on current security duty would know where he is.

"Sector E! He's in the Amory! I've got him!"

Meanwhile, on Sherasti's captive's communicator...

"Sector E! He's in the Armory! I've got him!"

[Lemur, The Kool-Aid Guy]

Sherasti sighed. That wasn't good at all.

She couldn't run. There was no way around it. And that meant she'd never reach Xell in time to rescue him.

The best way to divert attention was to show off a bigger prize. And the bigger prize was her.

The Togruta waved her hand and force-persuaded the Mandalorian next to her again.

"The second Jedi is in sector J. Sound the alarm and go find her."

"Jedi in sector J... sound the alarm..." The man responded almost immediately after the suggestion was implanted into his mind. He yelled the false report into the wrist communicator and sprinted off on his own.

The Togruta Jedi he left behind leaned against the wall and sank to her feet again. Belatedly she realized that she had no idea how to get to the hangar on board the ship, and even if they did she was in no condition to pilot a speeder.

Use the Force Xell, let it guide you to me.