INTO THE TUNNELS - MILESTONE (2 OF 4)

STAR WARS - INTERLUDE ELEVEN - MILESTONE (PART 2 OF 4)
"Into the Tunnels," written by Chris Stevens and edited by Mark L. Stinson


On a planet far, far away,
Not so long ago,
The rebel force has located the Dark Side's
source of Dark Knights:
The hidden slave planet of Milos,
home of the Hindar Clan...

THE GOAL:
Find where they've taken the children...Find the Hindar Clan's secret Headquarters...

THE PLAN:
Seek out Marna Jade and try to read her mind about the Hindar Clans where-a-bouts and try to convert her. If possible discover from her where the Force-talented children of Milos have been taken!

THE STORY:
Quinn raised his voice, "Marna Jade had her chance back on the Avenger...she fought us and stalled us long enough to gain information for the Dark Side! You will not be able to convert her!"

"I don't know why I feel the way I do about this...but we've got to give her another chance...she was a Milos slave like me...I can show her the true path...."

"Vette, you are young...you are yet very inexperienced, and for those reasons I understand your weakness in this matter, but you are letting your emotions rule...and it will be your downfall...I swear to you, this does not bode well." Quinn broke eye contact with Vette, and turned away from him. "Not well at all."

"Quinn, do you know what kind of asset for our side Marna would be. If we convert her, she could help us convert her twin sister...and other slaves taken from Milos years ago. They are the key Quinn, I know it...the Force tells me...."

Quinn interrupts, "The Force?!? Are you sure it is the Force that tells you these things? No, I am warning you, for your own good...for the good of our cause, put these things out of your mind. She will cut you down long before you are able to sway her. You are confusing your heart's guidance for the guidence the Force would offer."

Vette puts his hand on Quinn's shoulder. "Please, I know I am young...but trust me on this. If we can just read her mind...we will know where the Hindar Clan's Headquarters is located...Just help me find her...while I make my attempts to convert her, you can read her mind. This is a win-win situation. I can handle Marna if she does attempt to strike me down."

There is a long pause in the conversation, and both Jedi seem to be searching the silence for an answer. Quinn is the first to break the silence. "I feel the path is clear, now. We will seek out Marna Jade...and I will try to read her mind. The Force tells me that Marna Jade is the key to destroying the Hindar Clan, but the Force also tells me that down this path we have chosen...your life will end."

Vette understood the risks. He knew from the beginning that his service to the Force would probably include the sacrifice of his life itself. But, Vette was equally convinced that he could convert Marna Jade. He had concentrated and meditated on the matter for days and weeks, and had been subject to intense visions. In some of them, Marna Jade was forever a minion of the Dark Side, and in others, she was in Vette's arms...

"If only I can show her the true path. I know she is not completely evil. I can feel it. She is so beatiful. She will not kill me...she will not kill a fellow slave. She simply has not seen what I have seen. She was not given the opportunities I was given. I will show her the way...I must try to convert her!" But Vette kept these thoughts to himself.

While Quinn agreed to help Vette seek out Marna, he had serious reservations about Vette's 'attraction' to her. He couldn't help but think, "Vette is obviously confused about Marna. This is most troubling, I have seen others become victim to this path."

Using the Force, the Jedi made their way into the underground tunnels somewhere deep beneath the Harvesting Rooms...

Quinn: "I feel a dark presence!"
Bwizzzzrrrwww-----
A Dark Shade is in the Jedi's midst. How did it got so close?
Vette: "Where?"
A low growl comes from the Shade's throat.
Quinn: "Vette, move!"

With Jedi reflexes, Vette just managed to jump, back-flipping over the Shade. He had not sensed, nor seen, the Shade right beside him. The shade spun, his outstretched hands striking out at Vette...and he feels a sharp burning pain in his abdomen that shoots up his spine and makes him clench his jaw tight. Vette goes down on his knees, holding his torn side, blood flowing freely over his waist and down his right leg onto the floor.

As Vette jumped, Quinn brought a death blow down upon the neck of the Shade. A death blow to any mortal being! The Shade, however, made a gutteral noise and the Roldunian's light saber appeared to come to a halt, having cut a very shallow flesh wound. The Shade outstretched a hand, and Quinn is knocked backward several meters, but manages to stay on his feet. The Shade laughs. "What young little Jedi we have here." The voice cut through both Jedi. Vette's reached up to his nose and drew away his hand...why was his nose bleeding?

Vette tried to think through the pain. "That Shade had anticipated my flip...anticipated everything we have done so. We are thinking...broadcasting our moves to him...."

"Quinn, don't think...just ACT...this thing can read our minds!"

However, Quinn was too wrapped up in the battle to take notice of his partner's advice. He made a run at the Shade, travelling up the side walls, flipping, stepping once off the ceiling, and coming down the opposite wall. He feinted with his saber to the left, but brought it down hard and across to the right. Quinn's saber slashed the air. Without actually moving his feet, and only leaning to the left six inches, the Shade avoided Quinn's attack. The Shades hand caught Quinn in the center of his chest, stopping him dead, and slamming him to the floor at his feet. "You are utterly transparent...."


That voice! Blood trickled from Quinn's ears and he suddenly felt nauseous. The Shade stooped slowly over, his black hand outstretched. With great effort, Vette used the Force to slide Quinn along the floor and out of the reach of the Shade.

Vette quickly got to his feet, and rushed the Shade...saber burning brightly. The creature spins, its black mouth twisted into a knowing smile. Vette allows his mind to go blank, and fully trusts the Force. The Shade's smile fades, and a look of worry enters its eyes. Vette's saber flashes this way and that, striking at the creatures outstreched hands as they claw at him...."Do not sacrifice yourself this way, little slave. The Dark Lord has saved a place for you...join us." Vette tasted the blood in his mouth, and noticed that even his vision was tinted red, as a small red tear trickled down his cheek.

Vette felt doubt enter his mind. "The creatures voice is so dark.... so... so... true... perhaps I am wrong...the Dark Lord has saved a place for me?"

The young Jedi was shocked back into reality as a burning light burst from the front of the creature's chest. The smell of flesh long-dead burning filled the air, and a terrible scream filled the air. Vette fell once again to his knees, and the Shade fell with him. Vette saw that behind the creature stood Quinn, his light saber humming and buzzing, as though it was celebrating the dark thing's death. "Forget about me for a second, Vette? I was afraid you would think of me, and warn the Shade."

Both Jedi had blood running from their noses and the corners of their mouths. Blood ran from one of Vette's eyes and both of Quinn's ears. "These Dark Vilar smell of the Dark Side...if they are truly of Vilardeen, they would be over 500 years old! The Force help us if many of them remain here." The dead form of the Shade bubbled and boiled on the floor, slowly dissolving before their very eyes. All that remained was the black leather suit, covered in buckles.

Vette looked at Quinn, a touch of fear in his eyes, "We were lucky...its that simple...we were lucky."

As both Jedi descended further into bowels of the compound, they heard strange sounds, and both sensed great evil. Greater evil than even the Shade they defeated. Vette took the lead, for he seemed to be sensing Marna Jade somewhere ahead of them. Suddenly Vette stopped and turned to Quinn, "We are very close." Just then the floor shifted and Vette plunged downward through a trap door.

Two Shades stepped from the darkness, and stand before Quinn. Quinn felt ready this time: Bwizzzzrrrwww!!!

(GM's NOTE: Quinn's adventure is continued in INTERLUDE TWELVE - MILESTONE (part 4 of 4)...while Vette's adventure continues below!)

Vette fell for several seconds, and prepared his body for a safe landing. He landed heavily on both feet, and one knee buckled, leaving him off-balance. The crimson glow of red-bladed light saber under-lit Vette's face, as the saber burned brightly at his throat!

Marna Jade: "Such a pretty young face, why do you want to die so soon?" Vette Vanjor: "I've been searching for you. I felt you calling me. You are in my dreams, my visions."

Vette focused his mind and attempted to pierce her thoughts, despite the fact he was millimeters from certain death. Marna was caught off-guard by Vette's bold move and seems surprised at what Vette has said to her. Vette frantically searches for information on the Hindar Clan Headquarters...if only he can find some bit of information and use the Force to let Quinn know what he has found out. Nothing! He was in her mind for a second or two, and then she closed her mind to him. "Quinn was right...this is where my service to the Force ends...I lived as the Force directed...I am not disappointed in the path the Force chose for me...."

Marna Jade: "Very foolish of you! You thought you could come hear and convert me. How dare you! The Dark Lord has given me everything I have!"

Vette Vanjor: "No! I'm not here to make you do anything. I'm here because the Force has directed me here. You were a slave child just like me. We are the same, you and me. You are special, very special. Forget 'sides' for a moment. We are each on a path that was not of our choosing. We are pawns, pawns that must fight each other. We have been given no choice. Well, I say we should make our own choices! So, please follow what your heart tells you...not some Dark Lord. Make your own choice...from your own heart...where the True Force resides."

Marna's mouth twisted and her eyes flashed with anger. She pulled her light saber away from Vette's throat, and reared back to swing with all her might. Vette easily rolled aside, drawing his own saber. "Clearly she is letting her anger get the best of her." The two ex-slaves exchanged blows, but mostly it was Marna striking to kill while Vette defended himself. Luckily for the young Jedi, this servent of the Dark Side was clouded with anger, and her attacks were wild and unplanned. As they continued fighting, slashing through pipes and walls, Vette's wound from the Shade began to ache and his muscles began cramping. Marna's powerful swings brought him to his knees once more. Vette had again miscalculated. If only he had focused on defeating Marna while he still had his strength, he could have won this battle. Instead he had hesitated, and he would soon die. Marna stopped and stepping backwards, turned off her light saber. "That was too easy, you weren't even trying to kill me. You really believe you can convert me don't you!"

Just then a door burst open and in walked two Shades with a third man in the shadow behind them. The mysterious man in the shadows spoke in a low whisper, "The Inquisitors get what we need from this one. I think crushing the rebels will be easier than I thought! And dear Marna, you will have a chance to see all the lies he has been feeding you!"

Vette focused the last ounce of his Force strength toward Marna as he is being dragged away: "I truly want to help you...we are the same, you and me." Marna turned away biting her lip. She picked up Vettes light saber, briefly examines it, and walks away with her chin on her chest....

What happens next? The conclusion to this cliffhanger is in INTERLUDE THIRTEEN - MILESTONE (part 4 of 4)!

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