AGAINST THE SHADES - MILESTONE (3 OF 4)
STAR WARS - INTERLUDE TWELVE - MILESTONE (part 3 of 4)
"Against the Shades," written by Mike Cross and edited by Mark L. Stinson
(this story is continued from the part of INTERLUDE 11 where Vette unexpectedly fell through a trap-door)
...Vette fell from view just as the source of the strange sounds revealed itself. Two Shades stepped from the darkness,
and stood before Quinn. The sudden disappearance of Vette left Quinn momentarily frozen in place. The trap door
that had taken Vette had already sprung back shut and Quinn was fairly certain that following that path would lead
him to the same ambush he was sure Vette had fallen into. Confronting two Shades alone also had little appeal to
the Jedi. His master Tchor-won had once taught him that the surest path to defeat in battle was to let your enemy
dictate its terms. Quinn wasn't about to let these minions of the Dark Lord dictate his fate. He turned and with
surprising grace, given the speed of his movements, ran back in the direction from which he had come.
The Shades followed, but as Quinn had hoped they hadn't the speed to keep up with him and he had to slow his pace
on several occasions to keep them on his trail. He had seen a room earlier that would suit his plan just fine.
He only had to lure his quarry there...using himself as the bait.
Looking back over his shoulder he saw one of the Shades take a side tunnel while the other kept up the pursuit.
The Shades obviously meant to cut him off at the chasm he and Vette had crossed earlier...perhaps intending to
force him down the side tunnel he had seen. So much the better he thought, "they clearly underestimate the
power of the Force. Have they forgotten how little of an obstacle a thirty foot chasm presents to a Jedi in his
prime".
Quinn took the chasm as another might take a long step. He never even broke stride upon landing, but he risked
a glance back, hoping that his pursuer hadn't the ability to follow him across the gap. His slim hope was revealed
as false when the creature started to slowly levitate across the hole. Well at least we're down to one, he thought.
The second Shade no doubt waiting in ambush down the side tunnel would at least take some time to realize its error.
Quinn led his pursuer another 500 feet down the rough stone hallway. Finally causing at a door to his left, he
glanced back the way he had come to make sure he was in view of the black leather-clad figure. After he was sure
the shade had seen him and had closed the gap, he entered the room and quickly made his way past the center support
beam to the far side...some forty feet away. He knelt facing the door, his light saber lying by his side. He closed
his eyes and calmed his mind, looking inward. Searching for the Beam of Clear Sight radiating outward from the
White Tower. He could sense the Seer's eyeless sight cast upon him, and Quinn knew he was ready to face this creature.
The smell announced its presence. Not a physical thing but the sensation was just the same. It was the typical
way a minion of the Dark Side announced his presence to a follower of the true path. Quinn opened his eyes catching
sight of the Shade standing in the doorway. It slowly made it's way across the room; obviously feeling it had cornered
its quarry and was closing in for the kill. "Here, in this damp crypt you will die, Jedi." Quinn felt
the nausea returning and tasted fresh blood in his mouth. He waited until the creature was even with the center
support before making any movement. Thrusting his hand forward, Quinn willed an enormous amount of his reservoir
of strength towards the beam, snapping it like a toothpick and flinging it into the Shade who staggered back from
the violence of the blow. For a second Quinn stared unbelieving at the ceiling. It should have caved in! It looked
like a strong breeze would bring the whole room crashing down, yet till the ceiling remained intact. He was again
reminded of something that his master had taught him, something about mice and men. He was coming to the conclusion
that all his masters' teachings sounded suspiciously like old wives tales. Focusing his strength once again to
the center of his being, Quinn had his eyes cast downward towards the floor where his light saber was ointed. Clearing
his mind of all thought, he would trust his instincts...guided by the Force...to bring him through. "Act,
don't think," Tchor-won had taught him..."Act, don't think," Vette had screamed to him in heir earlier
battle with a Shade. In this way he prepared himself for the battle to come, realizing he would need more than
ordinary effort if he was to prevail. The Shade shook off the blow after a scant few seconds and esumed its slow
steady pace towards the Jedi. As if he were the center of an explosion, Quinn sprang to action. Raining blows upon
the hapless creature, two and three at a time in the space of a heartbeat. The Shade recoiled from the complexity
of the attack. A virtualy net of light was woven before the Shade, such was the speed and skill of Quinn's strikes.
Unprepared for a Jedi in full controlled fury it raised it arms to ward off the blows, and was rewarded with their
loss...the light saber cutting through them like butter. In shocked amazement the Shade fell to the ground and
only barely managed to raise its head in time to catch sight of the fatal blow, which severed its black head from
its body.
Quinn crawled to the doorway. Weak and retching, the sweat poured from his forehead and red blood trickled from
the corner of his mouth. He had spent considerable strength to gain his victory. He hoped the price hadn't been
too high. He still had to find the young Jedi and deliver him from whatever folly his attraction to Marna Jade
had landed him in. Finding him would be easy. The Dark forces couldn't hope to hide his young friend from his "sight".
Vette was just too well known to Quinn for that to succeed. The question would be, did Quinn have enough energy
left for the final act?
Following his "sight" Quinn wandered through the maze of tunnels, which made up this complex. He could
smell ancient fear and sense the evil that had caused it. Certainly many children had met their end here and they
cried out to him for justice. He had to close his mind to them and concentrate on the one silent voice he recognized
as Vette's.
Coming to a stone doorway identical to the last twenty he had opened Quinn sensed a difference. Yes it was that
smell again. Sickly sweet. Marna was in there. Throwing open the door Quinn stepped through. Marna stood at the
opposite end of a long narrow room. Her light saber in hand, but not deployed. She looked almost sad and Quinn
had to admit she radiated a certain appeal. He realized that for a man like himself, who had never contemplated
the mysteries of the fairer sex, to recognize this fact her aura must be great.
She broke the silence, "So you've come for Vette? He isn't here."
"I can see that," Quinn replied.
"They've taken him. They will break him and he will reveal all your petty secrets...your rebel friends will
die."
"Is that what you want," Quinn asked?
"I no longer know exactly what I want, and I doubt that the choices are any longer mine to make."
"The choices are always our own. If the force teaches us anything, it is that. What Vette had hoped for you
was to show you the ways of the Force."
She snorted, "But you...you know that isn't possible. We both know I have no choice in the matter. The Dark
Side is powerful...I believe Vette will join US."
"You have more choices available than you know. You can lead me to Vette and together we can free him. You
can step aside and let me proceed. Or I suppose you could oppose me".
"You know what my answer must be," she replied deploying her crimson light saber.
"So be it" Quinn replied, nodding his head. Bwizzzzrrrwww! His light saber sprang to life.
"May the Force be with you," Marna said this with a sneer.
"I bask in its glory every day!"
At that moment Quinn realized he had little strength remaining for the battle to come, although these thoughts
he concealed from Marna Jade. A strange peace overcame him and a small smile crossed his face. There was a time
when he took little pleasure from battle...it was merely a neccesity...an integral part of the path he had chosen.
But he now realized there was a certain glory to facing the minions of the Dark Side in battle. Gazing into the
electric blue of his light saber as it buzzed and crackled before him, he allowed himself a moment to bask in the
full majesty of that glory....
Will Quinn defeat Marna Jade, or will he himself be killed? Will he save Vette before his young partner is twisted
to serve the Dark Side? This cliffhanger is concluded in INTERLUDE THIRTEEN - MILESTONE (part 4 of 4)! By the way,
INTERLUDE THIRTEEN is almost completed...but how long should I wait to send it? You know, to build suspense....<<<<<Mark>>>>>
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