Rumors and Ruin
That dream, it felt so real. He could feel Viktor’s long silky hair graze his face, as he was staring down over him. The same primal desire flickering behind those haunted amber eyes. So very distant. Yet so full of life. Gods it hurt. It hurt SO MUCH. Just the thought of letting go of the pillow he was clinging to on his cot felt like literal torture. Despite sleeping for over 8 hours, he felt so incredibly EXHAUSTED. Great, just great. To top it all off, he was having vivid VERY ROMANTICALLY charged dreams of his more than likely dead friend. AND NOW his DREAMS are telling him that their contact felt so real he damn near thought that older version of VIKTOR was real… There is no way. No way he’s alive. With no contact? At all? Not even to him?... A loud pained whine escaped his lips, as he gripped the pillow tighter, trying to crush his frustrations along with it. Perhaps this time without feathers raining all over his room. AGAIN. The others got suspicious after the last… 3 times. He didn’t need them breathing down his neck any more than they have been…
After another agonizing 15 minutes past, Jayce finally released his death grip on his mangled pillow, and glanced at the digital clock on his wall. A second passed, before reality hit. BLAST- THE BIG MEETING WITH THE JEDI COUNCIL- HE WAS LATE!!! HE OVERSLEPT! For a single second, he seriously debated saying ‘Fuck it’ rolling over and going right back to bed. But he knew better. Testing the Jedi’s already razor thin patience was not a good idea, especially how tense things have been. He was going to get a big enough ass kicking for sleeping in, and missing that big ‘mandatory meeting’ all jedi, BY JANNA even padawans were supposed to attend. Gods, he hoped they were not doing a head count. If not, he MAY be able to get off Scott free. Not likely. All of Piltover and all the Jedi’s allies and bases are and incredibly high alert, and had every right to be. There was a dark shadow looming over the horizons, and it quite literally only was spoken in screams of anguish and fear. SITH.
Without any real drive, Jayce slowly rolled over, now facing away from the wall his cot was pushed up against. Grey metal barren walls. Like a massive giant cage… As Viktor had called the Jedi living quarters. As adults, the Jedi were separated with their own rooms as prevention for any intermingling… And now that Jayce was no longer a padawan, he earned his own room! A literal, very plain, boring, metal box of a room. Because he hadn’t had enough money to AFFORD a real Piltover Jedi room that was much fancier and felt like an actual BEDROOM. This… was just insulting. A cot, a pillow a blanket and 4 barren bleak cold walls. Wow. THE PERKS OF BEING A JEDI WERE, AMAZING, he thought sarcastically. The thought made his stomach churn, as he slowly swung his legs over the edge of his cot and stretched lazily. He was late as is, he felt no desire to rush getting his ass publicly humiliated on top of it. He’d take his sweet ass time. There was no hurry.
After a large yawn, he slowly stood and treaded lightly over to the small makeshift box full of clean clothes. All stacked on a large metal storage crate he used as a table. Along with his smithing tools, his pride and joy. A soft twinge in his heart made him grimace. All his earnings, and anything he made went to his special project, safe so very far from the Jedi, the Sith. Safely nestled deep on a long forgotten deserted moon that acted like it’s own planet due to the surprising ability it had to support a wide variety of plant life and fauna. So far from any judgement or suspicion. And being HIS HARD-EARNED MONEY AND HIS LITERAL PROFESSION OUTSIDE OF THE JEDI, there was not a DAMN thing they could do about it. Was it worth the sacrifice of being selfish and affording a very nice ritzy over lavish suite for himself within the highest ranking Piltover officials?
With his whole heart, yes. There would be no hesitation to his answer and he’d willingly sacrifice every single scrap of his earnings to ensure that project reached it’s completion. It became the only thing keeping him going all those long lonely years… those bitter 20 years. Wasted time. But he at least attempted to put those years towards something he’d be proud of… something Viktor dreamed of. Down to every minor detail. Thankfully, he was not only a Jedi, but he spent his free time running a forge on the planet of Mandalore. Where he sharpened his skills as a blacksmith under the best possible teachers. And much to their surprise, he THRIVED as a blacksmith even besting his teachers on several occasions. And he learned many varieties of different fighting techniques from them, many of which came in handy AND saved his damn ass MORE TIMES than his JEDI TRAININGS did. Hand-to-hand combat, how to use a WIDE VARIETY of blasters, pistols, and even sniper blaster guns and metal hand held weapons. Actual USEFUL THINGS… Not to mention these meetings were… exceedingly dangerous.
Though he had to be VERY tight lipped on that, if the Jedi found out he was secretly working with the Mandalorians, there was NO DOUBT he’d be arrested. And if they knew he was learning their smithing and fighting techniques... Gods, how badly that would end. Not to mention, his teachers would be hunted down and killed… It was a mutual pact. Lessons and secrecy on both ends. And routes to avoid via starships to avoid bloodshed between the Jedi and Mandalorians. Neither one could afford getting caught. Nor could Jayce afford to lose the best teacher he’s had… Benzo. A longtime friend of Vander… Though he kept his mouth shut about assisting Jayce, even FROM VANDER himself. As much as it hurt both to do so, it was for the best. The grudge between the Jedi and the Bounty Hunters under Vander’s reign only grown worse over the years. AND… BENZO WAS VANDER’S RIGHT HAND…
And yet, he seemed to take pity on the Jedi padawan that was seeking skills on smithing and seemed to know WHY Vander was so angry and spiteful of the Jedi. And the pain in that young padawan’s eyes speaking of the loss of Viktor. That was the one thing that saved his life that day… And he was extremely grateful for it… Benzo had helped him build the dream Viktor wanted… The one he’d never get to share with him… The one he’d never see, all the blood sweat and many tears he spent making it. Bit by bit, year by year… And now after 20 plus years he was so close to completing it. And it felt… wrong. Empty. Like the whole point of it wasn’t worth it… How hard it was to go back to work on it, knowing he’d be the only one to enjoy it… Made him feel like he was physically ripping open his own chest and tearing his still beating heart out with his bare hands. But despite his own pains and grievances on the subject, it didn’t matter. It wasn’t just HIS DREAM; it was the dream he was MEANT to spend with VIKTOR. And how pointless it felt without him there…
The idea of getting dressed was a lot less of a taxing chore when his mind was running through his memories and emotions of the past. Gods, how many times he debated leaving the Jedi altogether and living with Vander and Benzo… All the while helping them, he’d keep searching for Viktor… Yet Vander had virtually vanished just like Viktor did. Just like his chances of running, gone without a trace. But deep down, he knew what a dire mistake that would be… Something in the Force told him, for NOW, his place was to remain there. Lately, since those dreams, the Force seemed to nag and tug at his heart and soul, like it was leading him down a path he couldn’t see. But somehow, he knew it was important. Like it was telling him to trust it, and things would fall into place. How or why… he was not sure. But something in his gut knew it was best to do as it asked. Because it felt… familiar. VERY FAMILIAR.
After a quick glance in the mirror, Jayce turned and paused before he opened the creaky old steel framed door. The attire he wore was… rather BORING. Plain brown cloak, musty looking wrappings on his arms and wrists, a off white borderline tan short sleeved shirt with missing sleeves, and dreary light brown pants. Plain basic brown boots that 99% of the jedi wore. Boring. VERY, BORING. Even the SITH WOULD BE BORED staring at the ‘clothes’ he was given. More like shitty cheap ass hand me downs. Like the kind he heard the children of the Piltover Council complain about. Pppft. At least THEIR ATTIRE didn’t look like Tatooine vomited on you. Ugh. Maybe he needed to use his next paycheck for BETTER CLOTHES… One wouldn’t hurt… Or perhaps some parts for the… WORHTLESS DOOR TO HIS ROOM.
Speak of the devil… A dismissive snort whistled through his nose, as he debated kicking the JANNA FORSAKEN THING right off the hinges. For a “Planet of Mechanical Advancements” his metal framed broom closet of a room didn’t even have functional doors. What the actual hell? With a long slow grunt, he slowly shouldered the door open, making sure to use the Force to flick the key off the wall, before quickly slipping the small rope around his neck and tucking his “broom closet” key into the front of his drab looking brown cloak. With a hard YANK, he shut the door behind him, hearing the door lock on it’s own. He was UNFORTUNATE enough to learn that just SHUTTING the door makes the shitty lock jostle free and lock you out. Worked GREAT for keeping people out. Including himself.
And the first time he had to bust it open with brute force. NOT ONLY did he have the enforcers called on him for breaking and entering, he got issued a NOISE COMPLAINT on top of it. HOW STUPID. No peace even in the shitty metal BROOM CLOSET OF A HOME?! Two fines on top of one single incident. The enforcers dropped the charges when he thankfully caught his landlord coming to investigate the commotion. Thank JANNA his landlord told the enforcers that the door on the “cheapest” place he could sell had a nasty habit of locking occupants out, and this was pretty normal. And the very subtle hint of “HE’S NEW HERE.” WONDERFUL. Clearly, unless you’re rich, you had a number, not a name. If he wasn’t a Jedi, he would’ve used the Force to fling them into river about 6 miles from where he was standing. The one he liked to visit just to listen to the rippling waters under a shady tree to ease his fraying nerves. Today was gonna be one of those days, he could just tell.
After giving his worthless hunk of junk of a door a swift kick, he turned and headed off into the main city. It was a sizable walk to the Jedi Temple from his cheap crappy closet. About 30 minutes. 30 minutes he did not have to waste. Thinking for a moment, Jayce glanced around for any… FASTER ROUTES. Unconventional, but he was NOT ABOVE scaling walls and running on roofs to get somewhere faster. Work smarter, not harder, he thought to himself before grinning. Perfect. Getting a bit of a running start and hopping onto a crate, before quickly scaling a large brick wall. The disturbance caused several by standers to gasp and jerk away, watching a young troublesome scoundrel running along walls, scaling buildings and racing along rooftops. The thrill of it made his heart beat, a large grin of genuine delight split his face. Gods he LOVED doing this sorta thing. EXILERATING, THRILLING! Made him feel ALIVE! It wasn’t long as he was moving as such a brisk pace, hopping from roof to roof, wall to wall and conveniently using unsuspecting patron’s carts as dismounts for his jumps or landings he made it to the Jedi Temple within 10 minutes. And he barely broke a sweat!
And… They knew who he was. The trouble maker. The young prodigy of Grand Master Heimerdinger. With lots of angry yelling in many various foreign tongues either cussing him out or threatening to report these shameful antics to the Jedi Council or the enforcers. With a loud scoff, he rolled his golden eyes and turned to make his way to the main temple entrance, when he was greeted with the very displeased look of NOT ONLY GRAND MASTER HEIMERDINGER, but THE COMMANDING GENERAL of all the Enforcers, Commander Greyson. And the head authority of Piltover’s security and… prison systems. OH. BLAST… A faint cough made it’s way out of his throat as he dusted himself off and adjusted his robes, acting as casual as he possibly could. A small “AHEM” from Heimerdinger made him snap to attention before addressing them both.
“Master. Commander Greyson. What… an unexpected surprise….” Jayce said, trying to keep the faint quiver from showing the TERROR he was feeling. Just a guess… but those EXTREMELY DISPLEASED LOOKS meant, not ONLY did they notice his ass NOT ATTENDING that grand Jedi Council meeting, but obviously his shenanigans within the city FINALLY caught up with him. Druk… The deep scowl making Heimerdinger’s mustache shift was a very bad sign. Ball sockets…
“Jayce Talis, my office, IMMEDIATELY.” He ordered, his electric blue eyes filled with an anger and impatience he hadn’t seen from Heimerdinger before. Commander Greyson regarded him with a look, before turning and following the angry yellow yordle. The nearby Jedi milling around the front entrance along with curious city dwellers all turned to stare. Mainly at him, and the concerning sight of Greyson with Heimerdinger. The two only met when there potentially was a threat that was too large for either to handle alone. And it was NEVER a good sign. A faint twinge of relief for his own ass made itself at home in his stomach, as he slowly followed after them. It was quickly driven off by an unsettled sensation at how quiet the walk was to Heimerdinger’s office. Perhaps…. He wasn’t out of the woods after all… A faint groan escaped his lips, as the walk felt 200 times longer than he remembered it to be. Perhaps… he’d be hitting that local pub on the corner INSTEAD if the river later tonight….
***
When the grand lavish doors to Grand Master Heimerdinger’s office closed, Commander Greyson strode to the sleek elegant chair placed directly to the side right of Heimerdinger’s desk and seated herself, quicky removing her enforcer cap off her head before placing it on her lap with a practiced grace. For several charged seconds, Jayce glanced around the office before Heimerdinger walked up the ramp on the right side of his massive desk. A brand new black marbled stone top which was replaced with the one Vander smashed with his bare fist, years ago... The thought made Jayce shudder, feeling a large knot trying to cut off all oxygen to his lungs. Thankfully, a curt “Jayce. Stop dawdling and sit, NOW.” From Heimerdinger had him moving far before his brain could react. Right before he took a seat, he hesitated before clearing his throat and slowly pulling the chair back enough to give him more space. Seeming to catch on being a smart ass was not a wise path to take. Cautiously, he kept his gaze down on his hands intertwined in his lap, rather than say something offensively stupid. A curt nod from Heimerdinger to Greyson made her clear her throat, a thick almost deep smokers rasp of a voice met his ears. Gravelly, yet somehow holding an heir of poise to her rather off-putting voice.
“Talis, I cannot express enough how… IMPORTANT the meeting you had missed was…” Greyson started, a flicker of annoyance washing over her older wizened features. Her short choppy brown hair and deep ashy brown eyes shifted as she regarded him as a disobedient child, rather than an adult. That caused him to puff out his chest a bit, a flicker of annoyance just barely showing itself defiantly through his body language. Clearly, she noticed it, but wisely ignored it and pressed on. He wasted enough of her time already it seemed.
“WHAT we were hoping all the Jedi would be in attendance for was the new rules going into effect immediately. No more venturing off to unknown planets alone. Anytime someone comes or goes from Piltover, they MUST be checked and cleared through the enforcer checkpoints. The same is happening in the Jedi territories and space stations. There has been a sizable increase in security, along with proper investigations of any ships and cargo coming or going. And the other Jedi secured planets are undergoing even STRICTER RULES THAN THESE ONES being implemented here in Piltover. The reason this affects you more than OTHERS is because we’ve taken notice of your uncharted and untracked milage on your starship, Jayce. Where have you been going? This looks awfully suspicious especially with the recent attacks, from the Sith. Which, you CONVIENTLY were NOT in Piltover at the time… Can you please tell us where you’ve been going, Jayce?” She asks, her gaze probing him for any deception.
The INDIGNANT look he gave in return made Heimerdinger flinch, his left ear twitching. A snarl curled across Jayce’s features, as he slowly stood from his chair, hatred brimming in his eyes.
“You two, ACTUALLY THINK I WOULD STOOP to working with the SITH? WHAT, for a few extra coins? Or wait, is this because of my LONG OUTSPOKEN outbursts of the horrible mistreatment of the ONE PERSON the Jedi failed to help?! Is this RETALIATION? You truly think… I would do that…?” Jayce asked, his voice shaking faintly at the last words. His shoulders visibly slumped, as he glanced over his shoulder at Heimerdinger, who he turned his back to. “Well, isn’t that fitting then? Blame another innocent man, why don’t you? You sure condemned Viktor to that fate, what 20 years ago, 3 days from now? Or have YOU OF ALL PEOPLE FORGOTTEN, MASTER?” Jayce hissed, hackles on full display. The room went silent, as the words slowly made the killer blows to the heart. There was the faintest quiver in Heimerdinger’s voice, along with a faint gleam of a dampness forming around his eyes as he slowly replied. Carefully.
“Two days, 6 hours, and 45 seconds, to be exact… But no. I have not forgotten. And I have not forgiven myself. Rest assured Jayce… EVERY SINGLE JEDI’S ACTIONS are being questioned. There was… a massive attack on the southern ports due to some mysterious cargo of a purple like powder that created a massive explosion when one of the crates dropped. The sources not ONLY were traced back to ZAUN, but there is rumor it is of Sith origin. Not to mention… This mystery… DRUG has started to appear all over the Sith dominated planets, and now pirates are peddling it with their typical spice, among other things. We are not close enough to pinning down HOW these crates got HERE. But there is a … STRONG LEAD that it was… A jedi’s doing. Which is deeply concerning. This drug not only is dangerous, it is spreading faster than we can contain it. Not… to mention these new drugs have been… associated to Silco directly. So, Jayce, please just tell us where you’ve been going…” Heimerdinger asked, a sudden flicker of gray showing hidden within his white yellow fur.
Age seemed to finally be touching him at long last. Jayce could feel Greyson’s piercing gaze follow every single movement. Or how he was painfully aware how her hand hovered just shy of her gun sitting on her right hip. A long sigh escaped him, as he slumped back into the chair, rubbing his hands over his face. Well, he could at least give a HALF TRUTH. JUST not ALL OF THE TRUTH. Being filled with short range blaster holes didn’t really fit into his schedule. Not today, thanks. Tomorrow he was completely free.
“I… I have been working on… smithing projects. I found a great teacher in the neutral planet systems and have been working on all kinds of metal works. Armor, weapons, I even redesigned my own light saber! Not to mention I have been working hard on… A special project. A promise I made…. To…. HIM. Years ago, under the tree you always saw us under…. That… That house Viktor always wanted… On a deserted moon where there is lots of plants and fauna, where the nights are so clear you can see every single star. I needed to learn how to WELD to make it happen… So. That’s what I’ve been doing. Building a long forgotten dream of a dead man. Are you going to go find it and burn it down? Destroy the last thing I have of VIKTOR? The thing I had spent 20 years making in my spare time, between studying, meditating and trying to protect people? And yet I am being ACCUSED of ASSISTING THE PEOPLE WHO literally murdered thousands of innocent lives? You all really hit new lows every DAY, you REALLY DO!” Jayce barked, his temper hitting a breaking point. Neither Heimerdinger nor Greyson spoke. Or moved. The sound of Jayce’s heavy angry breathing filled the room, making him huff angrily.
“Go on. Arrest me. Take care of another inconvenient problem the easy way. Seems to be what the JEDI and PILTOVER are GOOD AT.” Jayce added out of sheer spite. That finally got a rise out of Heimerdinger, whose eyes shot open and he slammed his open hands on the surface of his desk, rising from his seated position. The room shifted with a sudden rush of the Force, as it seemed even Heimerdinger lost his control when his temper flared.
“I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN OVER THE LOSS, AND I AM AWARE I HAD MESSED UP, JAYCE. I HATE TO INFORM YOU BUT VIKTOR IS GONE. YOU NEED TO LET GO AND MOVE ON. This game of blaming me and treating me with DISRESPECT has come to an END. I am still your master, and the GRAND MASTER of the Jedi. One of YOURS JOBS, along with MINE is to ensure the SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE. I FAILED HIM, YES, but I am trying to ensure NO MORE DIE. AND I CANNOT do that if you fight me every step of the way. If you had actually acted like an ADULT and a JEDI, perhaps you would KNOW WHY WE ARE DOING THIS. I am extremely tired and I desire to move ON from this misery.” Heimerdinger lashed out, eyes glaring in an unbridled fury. Commander Greyson gently cleared her throat, and glanced between them.
“If I may interrupt… I believe this argument is partly my fault. I apologize to you, Jayce, for coming at you like I deemed you as the direct culprit. We are having to interview each Jedi and staff within the Temple and Piltover Council. Not to mention everyone’s ship checks is making people the uneasy. The cargo checks for every ship coming and going have made the people of Piltover extremely angry. And I am sure, as your master can explain better than I can, the behind-the-scenes dealings the Jedi have been enduring… Much of this has been startling news to myself, and the direct leaders of Piltover. We are in a very dangerous position at the moment. Grand Master Heimerdinger, if you would?” Greyson said, her tone level and even. A long pause, before Heimerdinger cleared his throat and adjusted his robe. He settled himself back down into his black leather seat, his brows knitted together in a very uneasy expression.
“Jayce, what I am about to tell you, is NOT TO LEAVE this room. This is highly confidential, and I am putting my trust in you to not spread this. But there has been… whispers… rumors and general mass panics that there…. There is potentially TWO… new Sith lords coming to power. Though it is… UNLIKELY, that two Sith lords would rise simultaneously to power due to the last ones literally waging war against each other to brutal annihilation… This news is EXTREMELY WORRYING. The recent casualty count… of the last battle in space with the ships… Jayce. There was NOTHING LEFT. The attack had destroyed so much of the ships that we were only able to recover small parts of ships. But, barely 3-4 bodies were recovered from the battle. Not a single person, droid or being of ANY capacity was spared. It was an all out slaughter.” There was a long heavy sigh before Heimerdinger gently rubbed his temple, his shoulders sagging deeper. The tips of his ears drooped as he continued onwards, letting the news sink in. None of this had gotten back to the city, all those people… AND the other Jedi didn’t know yet…. When were they going to talk about this?!
“Ahem… We have… THE NAME AND description of one of the new Sith… Her name is Jinx. She is extremely dangerous, able to create her own bombs, has the ability to wield a single light saber but typically fights with a shorter and a regular saber… She is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, and rumored to be… mentally unstable. Getting a read on her and her movements and battle tactics has proven exceptionally difficult. Not to mention she has a heavy-duty mini gun capable to just devastating enforcers. She is never under any circumstances to be approached ALONE… JEDI MASTER OR NOT. Your best option is retreating…” Heimerdinger paused, before his face fell and he shook his head woefully. Jayce’s mind RAN, FLIPPED THEN took a nosedive right off the edge of rationality. This, this was a LOT TO TAKE IN-
“W-WAIT, you said there was… Two? Who’s the second one?” Jayce pressed, sitting up and leaning closer. The question made Greyson’s body go even more rigid than it was before, a faint quirk of the corners of her mouth and a very slow exhale through her nose. The way Heimerdinger practically sank into his chair made Jayce sweat. A cold lump floated around in his chest, before dropping down into the bottom of his stomach and got stuck somewhere in his small intestine along the way.
“We… we do not have a name. We know their… TITLE… And their fighting style. Utter menace. This… monster lead the attack on the fleets that took no prisoners. The Jedi and allies are doing their best to prepare their defenses against BOTH of these ruffians but… Jayce, when I SAY, I do not want you ANYWHERE near this new Sith threat, I mean it. We are treading EXTRMELY LIGHTLY around these two, but unlike Jinx, this threat is a lot colder, calculated and seems to be able to wield a light saber faster than any known Jedi Master or Sith Lord. Their skills are baffling, and this… new threat has been costing us allies right and left…” Heimerdinger says, his voice fading at the end. The way he was massaging his temple clearly was leaving a bruise and Jayce glanced between the two, face grim.
“Wait… Losing allies? Like is this fiend just KILLING THEM?” Jayce pries, bitter hatred burning in his heart.
A long pause. Greyson spoke up this time, her voice a bit lower than her usual monotone pitch.
“Not… ALL of them. Most of them are finding what the Sith can offer verses Piltover and the Jedi much more appealing. This being’s ability to sway even the most rigid and untrusting of leaders is EXTREMELY CONCERNING. At this rate, we could lose this war IF we lose the main support of the major planets and galaxies. Currently, is suspected that this… being tends to favor certain planets. There has been a sizable increase in Sith activity off the planet Ryloth… It is uncertain why presently, but my teams and spies are investigating all details of these very concerning rising Sith leaders. Other than that, we know very little about the 2nd Sith threat. Other than their desire to keep their identity fully hidden. Mask and all. Either way, just like Jinx, no one under a Jedi Master ALONG AT LEAST one other Jedi master and squad of enforcer soldiers are to attack either one of these beings. The risks are FAR too great. We have lost so many soldiers, and generals. Commanders. No jedi masters yet but, our hunch is their ‘master’ is picking their targets very carefully, as they seem to not be advanced enough to be full fledged SITH LORDS. Meaning, the time to strike is BEFORE either of them CAN BECOME a Sith lord.”
The words slowly dug themselves deep into his mind, as Jayce’s mind reeled. That meant… either incapacitate, imprison or… Death. The idea nearly made Jayce sick to his stomach. NONE of those options sounded GOOD. But if they DIDN’T, how many would die because of their inaction…? The thought of Viktor flickered for a brief moment through his mind, along with those dreams. How vivid, how REAL… The LUST. The thought made his cheeks flush, as he shifted uncomfortably, DESPERATELY BEGGING HIS BODY NOT TO REACT CARNALLY LIKE IN HIS DREAMS. The tense shift and demeanor of Jayce did the opposite of what he wanted; made them both look DIRECTLY AT HIM. In an act of sheer desperation, Jayce cleared his throat and locked eyes with Heimerdinger, as he slowly turned to face his… “Master.”
“So…. The plan is to, WHAT, exactly? If they are so dangerous, how do you guys intend to capture or… erm… END the threat?” Jayce asks, doing his best to stamp out the dirty thoughts spinning like a porg running in wheel with jet packs. A long slow exhale drew itself across Heimerdinger’s desk as he leaned back and massaged his temple.
“For now, the Jedi Council and Ambessa’s forces are doing their best to design a plan to HOPEFULLY capture them and spare any bloodshed. The odds of that are, not optimistic, not without dangerously high casualties. Besides, these two are infuriatingly elusive. Capture may not be an option. Which is, disappointing. The estimation on both of the new lords in question is suspected to be just under 30- er 30 HUMAN YEARS of age… So, disheartening to have such brilliant talent go down such a dark path…” Heimerdinger mused sadly, ears drooping again. The copper taste in his mouth was from him biting the inside of his cheek so hard to avoid letting out a sarcastic snort as his thoughts about Viktor wafted through his mind. The way that shadowy specter was dressed… Oh Gods, that was concerning. The idea of that alone made Jayce’s face scrunch, as Heimerdinger blinked and eyed him quizzically at first. Then with a much sharper scrutiny.
“Jayce… What is troubling you…? Are you having visions…?” He asked, his voice dangerously thin. That tone nearly sent Jayce over the edge, of how BORDERLINE accusatory it was. How many years in prison would it cost him if he decked Heimerdinger across the room…? Probably 90, knowing his luck. The question made Greyson quirk an eyebrow and turn expectantly to Jayce.
“Are… these dreams signs or connections of the Force…? Are these something we should be concerned about?” She asked, glancing between the two.
“That depends-” Heimerdinger spoke up, before Jayce butted in with such a tone it made the two jump.
“NO, AND DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME. I have been having, DREAMS. That feel, REAL. Like THEY ARE REALLY THERE! T-they… aren’t bad but… T-they… The… The person…. Is always the same.” Jayce says, his voice fading as he bows his head down towards the ground, his frustration growing. The way Heimerdinger’s entire body seemed to pale and he was about to speak with dire urgency, the sound of a young padawan swiftly running in, forcing the massive heavy doors open without hesitation. Her emerald green eyes were wide with fear and brimming with panic. Sweat beaded their brow and neck, as the young padawan girl stared into their faces with a desperate pleading look. Instantly, Jayce rose to his feet, feeling something in the Force shift darkly. Painfully. Something very bad just happened-
“Masters! Master Anu- she collapsed in the library, she said she felt such a strong painful vision, of an attack on Ryloth… She mentioned the Machine Herald… was… She said their….” The tears began to flow down the young Twi’lek’s navy blue cheeks, her sorrow could no longer be contained. Heimerdinger wasted no time as he rose and rushed to the child’s side.
“Where is she, which section of the library?!” Heimerdinger asked, but there was no stopping what happened next. Not even a moment after hearing those words, Jayce had knocked the chair he was sitting in aside as he sprinted as fast possible to the library. No no no- she was all he had left of Viktor- This, Machine Herald, why would they attack the Twi’leks?! They were typically docile! They hadn’t even WANTED TO BE IN THE WAR not to mention they were huge targets for slave labor across the galaxies. Sickening. What the hell happened?! The thoughts only grew in number as did the bile in his gut. And the uncontrollable panic. All the thoughts ceased immediately as he spotted nothing but a mass of idiots. Stand around doing NOTHING BENEFICIAL IN A CRISIS. A small crowd had gathered at the library entrance, worried mutters of Jedi and bystanders alike, as Jayce shoved his way through aggressively. His patience was already dangerously threaded, and he barely had a grasp on his fury. One wrong move and he would start a full out brawl.
“MOVE! MOVE IT! IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW HER SCRAM! QUIT STARING!” Jayce snapped, as he broke his way through the crowd. Several of the people snapped, or shoved him back. But Jayce was MUCH bigger than most people and he had little trouble forcing everyone out of his way. The SMARTER ones stepped aside, fear and concern creasing their faces. Some familiar faces. The pity. The same faces they wore, 20 FUCKING YEARS AGO, AT THE FUNERAL. All it did was infuriate him, making his rationality and kindness a distant memory. All the horrible, murderous memories of the day he knew Viktor was truly gone- Those AWFUL MEMORIES… The one saving grace that spared him was when he broke free to the front of the crowd, completely deaf to the cussing and bitching of the petty watchers.
There she was- Sprawled on the ground, flat on her back. SO PALE, so clammy… The very slow but clearly wheezing rise and fall of her chest was like talons dragging over metal. The sight of such a strong independent woman he had grown up with reduced to a gasping old frail woman was earth shattering. No… more like a galaxy having all it’s suns and stars go supernova simultaneously. A second of relief made him breathe after he presumed 5 minutes of running was the small two enforcers and a medical droid hovering just at her side. Along with the medical master, Jedi Master Kodia, a Rodian who was mute but exceptionally adept at medical procedures and creating new medications. The Rodian Jedi was knelt besides her, gently clasping her hand while the droid was administering what appeared to be a pain reliver IV drip into her arm, as the enforcers kept any nosy pests from interrupting the medical team. The outburst of Jayce shoving his way very aggressively made the two enforcers grasp their weapons tightly. Both shifted their spears directly in front of him, right before he was able to approach Master Anu. A deep throaty growl slipped past Jayce’s lips as he glowered at the bigger of the two enforcers.
“No non-medical staff allowed. STAND BACK, JEDI.” One barked, voice husky and exceptionally deep. Before Jayce could make a single nasty threat, Anu opened her pale nearly white milky eyes and turned towards him. Gods, how he wanted to forget the fact she was virtually blind, and the last two years depended on him HEAVILY to assist her in maintaining the library. And the upkeep. And how she asked him… To take it over for her and Viktor when she… passed. A very tired smile appeared on her face, as she used her free hand to reach for him. Though she could barely see, her strong sense of the Force never wavered like her body had. Tears began to well up in Jayce’s eyes. No, he couldn’t lose her too- Janna please SPARE HER-
“Jayce, dear boy… You came… Please, let him stay. He is a dear friend… I beg you. Grant this old woman her last wish…” She croaked, as she wheezed painfully and her body shook from wracking wet gasps. Her lungs didn’t seem to work anymore, as she sounded like a fish struggling to breathe on land. The sight just about sent Jayce to his knees, as he quickly slid to her side, his hand clasped firmly around her free outstretched hand. It took a lot for him not to whirl around and glare at the dismissive snort from the flippant guard behind him. ‘You’ll pay for that LATER’, Jayce thought dangerously. He fully meant it too.
“Hang on, master Kodia has you… They’re the best medical Jedi we have. You’re gonna be just fine Anu… Just hang on…” Jayce ordered, his eyes freely shedding his tears. He knew she was old, but something this bad sent her over the edge. Everyone knew her time was coming. Remarkably old, for a Jedi AND a Twi’lek…. But he couldn’t lose her. Not her… The only person who kept him grounded when he nearly lost his temper. The one who acted like the stern but secretly loving mother he desperately needed… And here she was, laying on the ground, her eyes flicking gently. She was fading and FAST. There wasn’t much time. Master Kodia seemed to know it, as they worked urgently.
But they seemed to realize there was very little that COULD BE DONE. Ease the passing was the look they gave to the droid hovering by Anu’s side. It hummed gently, as it began to seep a creepy pink fluid into the IV placed in her vein. Frankly, they were LUCKY to have those enforcers standing literally right behind him so he didn’t beat the living shit out of them for NOT TRYING HARDER. Though deep down he knew they could do nothing, the grief and fear refused to let him face the reality. She was about to die, right in front of him. The last piece of his past, his pseudo mother, and the only other friend Viktor ever had. What would he have left… once she was gone…?
“Jayce, dear child. Look- look at me. Promise me. I felt it. HE IS THERE, JAYCE. FIND HIM. The Machine Herald…. He’s… It’s…... Ah… I can see him, with the Force… He’s… there in my mind’s eye… by Janna... It’s really him… I can see him, before I go… I-I thought he was… J-JAYCE… PROMSIE ME… FIND HIM, THE MACHINE HERALD… FIND… hi-….m… Bring… him… h…” Were the last words she spoke, before she stared up at nothing. One final weak sigh left her chest, as she slowly laid back onto the ground. A faint flutter of her glossy eyes, as they finally stilled, staring like she recognized a very old friend. Before her final breath, her hand gently gave Jayce’s warm hand a firm squeeze, until it loosened. And finally let go. Then there was a certain unsettling stillness. Silence. Master Kodia’s face dropped, before they closed their eyes and shook their head.
It was all too much. The tears he had fought of valiantly for YEARS since Viktor’s disappearance brimmed to the surface, that horrible injury resurfacing from it’s disturbed grave. With shaking hands, he clasped her limp semi warm hand to his face. Gently he rested it against his dampening cheek as his tears ran down over her lifeless hand. Now, he truly lost everything he had left of Viktor. And the ONLY person who kept him going. There was nothing now. Nothing left. Only one thing mattered now. One final act. Before… He didn’t to cross that path YET. Not until after he spoke to someone important first… And he did the only thing he had left to do.
Frankly he was too scared to open his eyes. To stare down at her deathly still body. But he forced himself to. He would never see her again, so he had to permanently etch the memory of her in his mind, before the opportunity was gone. There was a small tired smile on Master Anu’s face, as if she were finally at peace. A single trail of tears slid down her face, and her final expression was oddly… joyful. Relieved. Why would she be HAPPY to see the Machine Herald in her mind’s eye, through the Force before she died…? Like some long lost burden just before her passing was lifted. What, or why… Now he’d never know… Jayce thought he knew what true isolation felt like when he first lost Viktor… But NOW… NOW he knew. Out of the millions of beings he was surrounded by on the planet of Piltover, he had NEVER felt so utterly alone. This… This is what Viktor must’ve felt, all the time. Yet he remained so stoic and strong through most of it. Except for those rare instances he’d lower his walls, only around himself and Master Anu…
But that wasn’t what made him just stare blankly at the limp body laying still in front of him. SHE SAW HIM… THE MACHINE HERALD. IN HER MIND BEFORE SHE DIED. Somehow, he just knew she did. Something in the Force seemed to tell him. And it was driving him INSANE. All it did was fuel his desire to kill that fucker more. It had to be a threat, a challenge. Come find me, face me head on, Jedi scum. Her message was loud and clear. His one and ONLY goal. Her dying wish. FIND THE MACHINE HERALD. AND KILL HIM. That much he could do, for her… He’d make sure it was slow, and agonizing. He’d find them. And he would NOT FAIL HER, OR VIKTOR. FIND THE HERALD, the Force whispered, nipping and tugging at his mind. It began to almost chant, urging him to do something drastic.
‘FIND HIM…. THE HERALD, FIND HIM…. FIND THE HERALD…’ It whispered, so soft that it was just barely a tickle in his raging shattered heart and his dangerously fractured mind.
He WOULD find the Herald. And that Herald’s blood and death would be BY his hands and light saber. He fully intended it to be bloody, messy, and brutal. Jedi or not. The moral codes meant NOTHING to him anymore. There was nothing left to lose. Sheer uncontrollable hatred and fury burned and corrupted him from the inside out. Nothing but that one goal. Brutally and viciously murder the Herald. Haul the remains to the Sith as a warning. Though he was truly on the cusp of losing every aspect of self-control, he felt an oddly eerie sense of calm wash over his mind. No. He could not race in brashly like a feral savage beast. The Herald would win hands down. He would need some… OUTSIDE HELP. Perhaps… Mandalorian help. First order of business, a proper funeral for Master Anu. Then… go talk to Benzo… AND VANDER. There was no way Heimerdinger would let him anywhere NEAR The Herald, so he’d need someone who’d actually TRUST HIM. And he knew exactly how to get Vander to help him.
“I will find him, Master Anu…. I will find the Herald. And I will kill him…” Jayce said, just barely a faint whisper into Anu’s hand which was still in his, before he gently set it down. With a long inhale, Jayce slowly rose to his feet and turned. With nothing but single-minded determination, he went back to his shitty room, grabbing some of the few but essential items he’d need to go face the Mandalorians, and the Herald. Once he finished, he slung the small ratty bag over his shoulder and hastily made his way to the ship hangar bay. Much to his surprise, the word of Master Anu’s death hadn’t spread that far yet. And the guards barely batted an eye at him. Perfect. The alarms haven’t been raised yet. Subtle and quick. No way Heimerdinger was going to let him out of his sight after this, so he needed to flee before he could send the message to prevent his escape. Now or never. But once he leaves… he will never be able to come back… Good.
Cautiously, Jayce subtly snuck himself into the short line of Jedi who were grumbling about needing to be screened prior being able to even ENTER THE SHIP HANGAR. BALLS AND SOCKETS, HE DIDN’T THINK THEY’D ASK HIM WHERE HE WAS GOING- UH- Hastily, he quickly provided the planet name Naboo, along with his ship’s name make model and serial number. After a long pause and the guards exchanging a glance at the odd make name, they shrugged added it to the digital log with his name, title and a small tracker. It took a lot for Jayce not to twitch his eye at the tiny device. This was just… INSULTING. And absolutely ridiculous… By the time he was fully cleared and told to prepare for having to undergo SHIP AND SHIMMER INSPECTIONS on his return, he nearly spit right in the guard’s face. Wisely, he bit his tongue nodded and thanked them before grabbing “SECURE” bag and weaving his way through all kinds of ships and cargo.
That took FAR TOO long, and now he was running out of time. He couldn’t dawdle if he was going to flee without having ‘search parties’ out for him. More like man hunts. Now he was going to be the next face on the Jedi wanted posters. Armed and Dangerous; Rogue Jedi! Menacing madman hellbent for power! Gods… Now he wondered how many of the defector Jedi were truly as those unsettling wanted posters made them OUT to be… And how soon would be one of them…? The idea made him hesitate for a single moment, before shaking his head. No. No he refused, not after what they did to Viktor, how blatantly they ignored his suffering. How they turned a blind eye to his own suffering after he LOST Viktor, or Anu… And the fact her heart nor his own ever recovered from the loss. No. It was all he needed. For Viktor. For Anu. For himself… He would NOT fail.
With a grunt, he darted across the hangar, and quickly gave his ship a quick glance over. As expected, and like all others, there were at least two trackers snuck on his ship’s main body and under the left wing. Wow, their faith in their comrades was… encouraging. Good thing he wasn’t going to need to deal with it all much longer. As quietly as he could, he used the Force to crush the tracker’s one at a time, casting weary glances around the hangar as he did so. Normally a light saber would’ve been much more efficient, but that kind of attention would not only be suspicious, it would send up red flags. Nope. Force was very subtle and only detectable when used for highly strenuous tasks. Much to his surprise, no one was even paying attention to him. Most of the Enforcer soldiers and Jedi masters were too busy bitching about the dumb new rules and policies. Excellent, these shitty new changes would work in his favor. Perfect. Thanks, these new rules just helped him slip right out from under their noses.
How ironic. I guess it helped he wasn’t labeled as a traitor or a sniveling criminal, YET. Life as a rogue? Would he be able to give himself some cool EX JEDI OUTLAW NAME? Something catchy… He’d come up with one later. He had more pressing matter sot attend to first. Like getting the fuck outta there. And fast.
Slowly, once he confirmed there were no more trackers, he patted the side of his ship with a hand. One of his most prized possessions, and practically his child. War Hammer, he named her. With a careful tap to the side of the hull, the ship whined as it slowly opened the cockpit window with a soft depressurizing hiss. Clean, tidy, and was… built for two. For… in case… Viktor ever came back… The weary thought hurt his heart, as he carefully climbed into his ship. Everything was designed specifically to fit his height weight and his comfort levels. Everything, down to the smallest and most insignificant details. How many times he dreamed he was taking Viktor on rides to that home he built for them both… And the special little dates he'd dream of, the ways he’d make Viktor laugh, blush and the many kisses they’d share in that ship… PERHAPS… MORE THAN KISSES- NO NO NOT NOW- He chided his mind. Not now.
With a couple of curses under his breath and burning cheeks, he pressed a few buttons, flipped several switches and pulled a lever before the ship’s engine revved up and the dials and monitors began to glow in a faint gold and red color scheme. It hummed to life after a few seconds, when he strapped himself in. It hummed happily taking a few seconds before it fully roared to life. Much like himself, good ol’ War Hammer loved the thrill of arial combat and the need for speed. A soft smile formed on his lips, as he knew she was the fastest and best combat ship among the entire Jedi army. He’d know, he spent 12 years designing and building her by hand. After giving War Hammer a quick check to ensure everything was all good, Jayce eased it off the metal floor with a deft touch of the ship’s helm. Next problem… The Enforcer check zones. HOPEFULLY, all the information on the log from before would just, conveniently roll over into THIS CHECKPOINT...
Getting through the “security” Greyson mentioned was oddly easier than he anticipated. All they really did was give his ship a once over, gave War Hammer a quick scan for any traces of shimmer, confirmed the information he gave before, Naboo, blah blah blah... Strangely enough… The enforcers didn’t even notice (or care) the two trackers on his ship were missing. One seemed to notice it, shrugged and just gave Jayce the green light to proceed into freedom. What luck! It was like the Force was just giving him the perfect opportunity to escape. To seek his revenge. With a stiff nod to the enforcer, Jayce quickly raced out into the open vast starry night sky, before jerking the steering controls forward with a stiff thrust forward. As he drifted a safe distance away from any other ship or star, he punched the light speed button once War Hammer built up enough speed to successfully make the jump.
Though he wanted to just rush into his plans, he let her warm up her engine before he hit the Hyper Space lever. It was hard to wait though. The sensation of being forced deeper into his seat because of the force and velocity was exhilarating. Not to mention how trippy watching time and space just seemed to warp and twist around the ship tore through the fabrics of space like a red-hot blade. Jayce licked his lips with anticipation, just a few more seconds- then he pulled the lever. As he felt his body barely feel any of the sensations of the jump, he cried out in sheer delight. For once feeling like he was doing what he WANTED! Choosing freedom over conformity. A chance for a new life, one he WANTED. Not the one forced upon him. Completely planned out… The future was unknown, except for a couple of things. The Mandalorians, the Machine Herald. Those two were certain. IF THEY WOULD GO WELL, HOWEVER, was not. The Mandalorians could easily just decide he wasn’t worth the breath and kill him instantly. But he did have one trick up his sleeve.
Two actually. Benzo, and a very old special memento, one ironically Master Heimerdinger gave him. By Janna he PRAYED THIS WORKED. If not, well, he’d be facing the Herald… WITH NO BACKUP. Could happen anyhow… Neither way mattered. He was facing that bastard, one way or another. As long as the Herald DIED, he could seek out a life as a bounty hunter, with Benzo and Vander. Or fly solo. Or… The other thought made his heart ache. Or… a better option was making a small living out in that home he made. That seemed too painful… With a stern huff, he focused his mind on his plan. Mandalore, then the Herald. Those were the main goals. The rest was if he survived this hair brained scheme… IF… he wanted to survive it, that was… There was no more doubt in his mind. It all had become clear. THIS was what he was meant to do. And with a bright flash of light, he was gone. Just 5 minutes before Heimerdinger came scuttling in, demanding to know if Jayce was there. And how his face and ears dropped when he saw Jayce’s ship vanish into the vast inky black skies.
Gone. Jayce was gone. Too late. He didn’t even need to guess what Jayce was going to do. He already knew. The Herald. Grand Master Heimerdinger’s heart clenched, as he fells to his knees, feeling a deeply worrying shift in the Force. No matter what, Force or not, The Machine Herald was going to die. By Jayce’s hands. AND ONLY HIS HANDS. Or, if he was too reckless, the other way around. And if he interferes, he could lose Jayce anyhow. Now there was no choice. Quickly, Heimerdinger rose to his feet, and scurried his way back to the Jedi Council room, and barked at the closest guard to summon all the Jedi Council for an emergency meeting, and to have Greyson come to. Now, they had to capture and contain THREE THREATS. Jinx, The Herald, AND JAYCE. How did things go so very wrong….? And was there still any hope for Jayce at this point, or had he fully become ingulfed in the dark side?... Was there any chance he could save anyone? Or were all destined to die by his negligence? And would he have to end his own padawan?... By the stars, he prayed the Force would not be so cruel… But as the fates were going, it was seeming to be on the table.
“I am… Truly sorry… Jayce… Viktor…” He said softly to himself, as he made his way to the center of the Council room, as hundreds of expectant eyes rested on him as he entered the massive open space. Now, Jayce’s fate was out of his hands. May the Force and the Council be merciful… By Janna may the Force have mercy on his soul…