Legends of Darkover

Chapter 19 

-oOo-

The sense of awareness trickled in slowly.  He couldn't seem to move, a thought faintly distressing, though he wasn't sure why.  It was strange the way his consciousness began to take a steady walk upwards, awareness brightening, a little more motion becoming possible.  He felt a warm flow of the Force into him, pressing into his chest and heart, the energy pumping him up like a balloon filling with air.  Sounds came to him, too.  People were weeping nearby.

“I need to heal your ribs,” said a familiar voice.

“We have little time, Domna.”  That was Qui-gon. 

“You may not need to use your right arm if you can fight left-handed,” the voice replied, “but you must be able to breathe properly.  Your pursuit may be strenuous.”

Obi-wan opened his eyes, and a robed girl with blonde hair  was staring down at him.  A matrix crystal was blazing before his eyes.  “Do not move,” she said.  “The crystal is giving you strength.  You almost died.  The black cloud nearly ate you.”

“I think it did,” Obi-wan replied weakly.  He'd never felt this drained before.  It was different  from the collapse he'd experienced after using Force Speed.  He'd been exhausted then, but his connection with the Force had been solid.  This time, the Force was only a whisper inside his head, barely heard.  “Qui-gon?” he asked, unable to keep the anxiety from his voice. 

“You will recover slowly, Padawan.  Unfortunately, you must consider yourself as one without the Force for a while.  When you attacked the Dark Side, you destroyed some of its mass, but you sacrificed much of your own connection to the Force in the process.  The bond between the Force and yourself needs time to heal.  Use your natural strength and speed, but do not try to match yourself against the Sith again.   For now, do your work as if you have no defenses other than what you were born with, and the weapons of your lightsaber and blaster.”

“Can we go?” said Regis in a voice of distress. His face was wet with tears, speckled with cuts and tiny punctures. 

“One moment,” said Catriona, “I need to see to you after Master Jinn's ribs.”



“These are nothing!  They have Danilo!” 

“We'll get him,” Obi-wan assured him, and tried to stand, hoping he wouldn't make a mockery of his words by falling over.  The mysterious girl in front of him was giving him physical energy via the matrix, he realized.  It worked faster than Jedi healing.  He was already feeling much better, and he was able to rise to his feet.  The girl startled back, wary.  “Obi-wan Kenobi,” he said, introducing himself.  “I thank you for your help.”

“Marisa Lindir,” she replied.  “I'm the monitor for Hali Tower.  I have skill at restoring the exhausted, which is often called upon in our work.  Fortunately, I was also able to revive Catriona, as I would rather she heal your friend instead of myself.  Broken bones are not my specialty.” 

“Qui-gon?  Is he--

“A broken forearm,” interrupted Qui-gon briskly, “and two broken ribs.”

“Three,” corrected Catriona.  “I just found another.”

Qui-gon shut his eyes, and Obi-wan stared, not used to seeing his master having to consciously summon patience. 

“Your bones are as hard-knit as I could make them in such a short time,  but they need more healing,” said Catriona.  “The arm bone will hold for lifting light weights, but not combat.  The cracks in your ribs may separate with vigorous use.  I've put pain blocks on you so you need not use your own laran for that.” 

“Thank you,” said Qui-gon. 

Obi-wan swallowed.  His master was injured?  “What happened?”

“Your enemies fled,” Marisa said.  Her gaze went mournfully towards the tower, and Obi-wan was aware of the weeping again.  A little crowd of women stood around a figure lying on the steps.  They were passing bands beneath it.  When finished, all the women lifted together, and the dead body of Domna Ysabet Aillard was carried inside the tower to be prepared for burial.  “Domna Ysabet destroyed the dark cloud.”

“Did—did she know it would mean her death?” Obi-wan asked Marisa awkwardly.  “It was a brave thing to do.”

“She took risks every day,” Marisa replied in a leaden tone.  “A leronis risks her life every time she takes up the energon rings.  Cowards never do that work.”

“Our sorrows for your loss, vai dom'yn,” Regis said to the two women.  “I will see that the Hasturs give the leronis a proper eulogy when we come back.  But we must go immediately.  We are at war.  Alert the other towers and ask for their assistance.  They must know our world has been invaded.”

“One second.”  Catriona held a hand in front of Regis' face, and, like metal filings flying to a magnet, jerked out the shrapnel with her laran.  Regis yowled.

“Better to do it all at once,” she replied, sealing the wounds shut.  “Again, the injuries are loose knit.  I need more time for better work.  Go rescue Danilo.  We will join you with our laran as soon as I can get the circle organized.  You may have aid sooner from the other towers, however.” 

Regis nodded and took off for the Forbidden City. 

“Ready, Padawan?” said Qui-gon. 

“As much as I can be.”  The two men gave their thanks to the women, and hurried after Regis.

-oOo-

“Are we really going to let him run straight into danger?” Obi-wan asked, trying to keep his voice low enough to be out of Regis' hearing.  Regis was leading them, bounding ahead.  They had run almost two miles along the road, just in sight of Lake Hali, then turned southeast to start up the slope towards the plateau on which the city lay.  Pieces of ancient stone wall lay scattered about them in a fan-like pattern.    

“No.  Both of you are going to stay out.”

“What!?” 

“You're without the Force,” Qui-gon said in even tones. 

“Master, I don't even know how you're running with broken ribs.  Able-bodied trumps having no Force powers.”

“You need to protect the planetary shield.  If they find it--and the Sith will know what to look for—it will mean disaster.  That's the job I'm giving to you and Regis.”

“But that will mean one injured Jedi against two Sith lords,” Obi-wan panted.

“One Sith lord.  Inculcare will need time to recover from my Force Severing.  He'll be too weak to fight me for a while.”

“Conceded,” replied Obi-wan grumpily.  He'd had too many of these conversations while running alongside his master.  “Nonetheless--”

“Regis cannot protect the shield by himself if a Sith appears.  Dom Regis!” Qui-gon called ahead.  They had climbed the slope, and were picking their way towards a gap in the remains of the city's walls.  “Let me go first.  Here, don this radiation belt.  My padawan and I have them as part of our equipment, but you don't.”

“I honor your sacrifice,” Regis replied, “but you need it as well.”

“We don't plan on being here long,” Qui-gon replied firmly.

Hastur stopped arguing and took the belt, fitting it rapidly around his waist while Obi-wan scanned the ruins for the Sith.

“Master Jinn, this is very important.  Where did you have your vision?”

“My what?” said Qui-gon.

“Your vision.  The one you told me about.  Where was it?  Where was the blue pavement you were standing on?  I think it's important.”  Regis was breathing harder than they were, his hair wild from the run, but this sudden odd diversion from his paxman's plight made both master and apprentice stare at each other.  “It may help us,” Regis added. 

“All right.  Follow,” said Qui-gon.  Obi-wan could tell his master was not happy with this decision, but Regis knew this world and its history better than they did.  “What do you expect to find?”

“A weapon,” said Regis. 

-oOo-

Tyranus had crisscrossed the Force-hidden, cloaked ship over the city, scanning everything down to the size of a cricket, but had not found the blasted Temple.  Once revived, the wretched boy hadn't known either.  Not even a lash from a neuronic whip had improved his information.  Tyranus signaled the droid to halt after the blow.  He couldn't afford to kill his captive—neuronic whips had a tendency to do that--and he doubted any Darkovan knew much about this radiation-poisoned wreck of a city.   

“My lord?” said Captain Norbaoth.  “The sensors have located the High Inquisitor.  He's running east through the city.”

Tyranus was annoyed.  That purposeful motion could mean only one thing.  Once again, his too-competent rival had figured everything out.  Tyranus didn't want Inculcare reaching the Temple first, but he had no choice if he wanted to learn where the God-begotten place was located.  “Follow him, but don't get too close.”

Tyranus hovered over the sensors.  Inculcare was headed towards an octagonal platform.

“A hollow region lies beneath that platform,” Tyranus mused.  He paused, wishing one of those feckless geologists was still alive to interpret the data for him.  “At least three large chambers are down there, connected by passageways that run in the general direction of Lake Hali.  Modified caves?  Wait, a second series of caves seems to lie below the first, but this scanner—damn!”

The scanner died, announcing a Fail Error.  Tyranus slammed it with his fist, but this method of correction, though satisfying, failed to work.

“My lord,” Norbaoth prompted.

The High Inquisitor passed through an opening in the platform's side—and vanished. 

“Land,” Tyranus ordered Norbaoth.

-oOo-

-Down here,- the voice said.

Inculcare did not look around as a chip of light brightened the ancient stairwell for him.  One flight down, then a turn and another brought him to the bottom.  There, he paused at a doorway.  It was blocked by a scintillating black wall of energy. 

-The veil is closed.-

-I see,- replied Inculcare impatiently.  The voice had led him this far, so what was the problem now?

-There is one thing I require of you.  You must kill my enemy.-

-You have one?- Inculcare replied, keeping his surprise well-hidden.  The Dark Power was so great it seemed impossible anything could resist it.

-Hastur.-

It was then that Inculcare decided that the voice, though powerful, might be a little mad. 

-Marius Hastur is dead,- he replied.

-Not—quite.-

-I believe you killed him.  Do you remember producing the explosion that destroyed this city?-

-Yes, my powers were great.  Yes, I killed that man.  But Hastur is not dead.- 

Inculcare felt the urge to bang his forehead against a wall.  The voice was becoming problematic.  He needed his Force powers back as soon as possible, and winning over the dark voice was the quickest way he knew.

-You must swear to kill him, or I will not give you any power.-

-Let me have my way and I promise to vaporize every city on this planet,- Inculcare replied.   -The weapon is aimed.  No one, not even Hastur, should be able to survive.-  He was unsure whether the voice could understand what a superlaser was.  Then again, if the voice belonged to the person he thought it did, maybe it would. 

-I see.-  The voice seemed to muse.  -Your plan should work.  Very well, I will open the veil to you.  Enter.- 

The scintillation winked out, and a long and narrow corridor was revealed, lit by chips of light.

Inculcare strode forwards.

-oOo-

Qui-gon took the lead as they climbed down from the wall.  The city looked different in the sunlight, the ruins tinted red by the bloody sun.  The space for many blocks around was as smooth as polished glass. 

“Still intact, Master.”

“What?” Regis exclaimed.  “Are you referring to something I can't see?”

“My padawan means the planetary shield.”  They drew closer to the only standing structure.  The shield's metal legs supported a petal-shaped disk, and the disk moved slowly in rotation, spouting a constant crackle of energy towards the sky. 

Obi-wan gave a brief description of the shield to the troubled Regis, while Qui-gon tried to locate the Sith.  His body was fighting him, trying to settle into a healing trance, and he had to fight the urge to drop into its comforting quiet.  A tight band was wrapped around his chest, stopping him from breathing too deeply, and his broken forearm throbbed.  Unfortunately, he could not detect either Sith lord.  Nor was there any sign of Tyranus' ship. 

As they hurried on, a few stumps of buildings began to appear.  Burn marks were still visible on the remnants  of walls.  Little droplets of metal, like hard rain, speckled the pavement.  Nearby lay larger metallic pools, stiff as if poured out of a mould.

One grey pool was glowing as they passed.  It hissed and bubbled wetly. 

“Master,” Obi-wan warned.

“It's all right, I'm using a Force shield,” replied Qui-gon.  Regis gave him a concerned look. 

They passed a few more of the pools, Qui-gon wondering how he'd missed them the first time.  They made hot, angry noises.  “Pass them wide,” he told the others.

“Have you found the Sith?” Obi-wan asked.

“Not yet.” 

Regis was too intent to see the startled expression on Obi-wan's face.  The apprentice gave his master a questioning look, but Qui-gon refused to meet it.  “Here,” he said to Regis. 

They were standing over the blue patch.  Even in daylight the faint glow was visible.  Regis held out a shaking hand, and sucked in his breath at something he detected with laran.

“What is it?”  Obi-wan asked.

“We'll find out.  Your blaster?” 

Obi-wan handed it over.  Regis lowered the power and took aim.  One shot shattered the old pavement and sent it spraying outwards.  Qui-gon and Obi-wan quickly scanned the ruins for any trace of the Sith—they might have noticed the energy release on their sensors. 

Again and again Regis shot, plowing deeper with every blast.  “There!”  he cried.  He wrapped his fist in a handkerchief, hovered briefly with his hand out again, then caught up a glowing blue stone from the loosened rubble. 

He was holding a matrix. 

-oOo-

Danilo sat on the deck between the two troopers, grimacing.  His hands were cuffed behind him.  He'd taken the lash on his right shoulder, and the pain was like nothing he'd ever experienced.  The whip had cut right through his travel leathers, and the shock of it refused to die.  The pain sang on, the nerves burning like they were on fire, and his whole shoulder was cramped up in spasm.

“Up,” Tyranus ordered.

The troopers dragged him to his feet, Danilo sucking in his breath at the rough manhandling of his injury.  He was too distracted to pay attention as the troopers escorted him out of the ship and down a ramp.  Only the shattered ruins woke him to another danger.  “Do you have a spare radiation belt?” he asked Tyranus. 

The Sith lord snorted.  “You don't need one.  You will lead and go where ordered.  My droid is carrying the neuronic whip, and if you halt against orders, you will be struck again.”

Danilo gritted his teeth.  The troopers pushed him forwards.  Cautiously, he stepped down the stairs.  So many feet had used these steps in ancient days that hollow scoops had been worn into them, and he had to watch his footing.  The tramping of the men behind him, and the clatter of the droid negotiating the stairs hid a faint buzzing which grew louder as he reached the bottom.  There he stopped, realizing what was making the noise.

“The way is blocked by a veil,” he said to his captors.  He had the curious sensation that the veil was alive--and watching him.

-Enter me.-

Danilo startled backwards.  “It—spoke.”

“I heard,” said Tyranus impatiently.  “What is it?  It feels of the Dark Side.”

“It's a laran barrier.”

“What is its power source?” 

“Normally, veils are generated by matrices imbedded in the walls around it.”

“Fine.  Tarwol, test its strength.”

The trooper fired a laser rifle, and the blast caused a flash and a momentary increase in the bright points of scintillation, but then the veil recovered.  In fact, it only seemed to glow even more.  Something seemed to laugh.  -You have only made me stronger.  Enter me, if you can.-

“It absorbed the energy,” said Tyranus as he examined his scanner,  “Clever engineering.  Boy, how do Darkovans open veils?”

Danilo knew he should not answer, but he doubted Tyranus could get past the barrier.  “The person who set up the matrices can do it, or anyone with access to the matrices.”  He hoped this information would cause the Sith lord to give up.

Tyranus frowned in thought.

“The matrices are on the other side, shielded by the veil itself,” said Danilo cautiously, hoping his captor would not explode with frustration. 

“I have other methods of solving problems,” Tyranus replied.  With precise aim, he sent several laser shots into the stonework that framed the veil, pounding away at the structure itself.  The shower of pulverized rock made Danilo cough and dance backwards.  Some of the roof fell in, and Danilo ducked aside to protect his head.  So did the troopers.

“Stop flinching.  It's only a local collapse.  Boy, enter the doorway.”

Danilo felt a brief hot flaring in his laran.  “You've angered something,” he said nervously.

“I've angered an entire galaxy, and am starting on a second,” Tyranus retorted.  “Quit stalling and go inside.”

The doorway was completely black, with no way to tell what lay beyond it.  It refused to light as it had done for Inculcare.

-Enter me, Syrtis,- came the voice.  The call seemed to fade away, racing madly down the passageway before him.  The inhumanity of the sound sent a chill into Danilo's bones.  “Could I have some light?” he asked weakly.

The droideka's head swiveled and clicked on a beam, and the machine brandished the neuronic whip.  Hastily, Danilo climbed over the fallen stones, feeling the narrow hallway close in.  As he crossed the threshold, a brief mental pulse struck him, almost migraine-like, and he felt his energy sag as if something had just snatched it away.

-oOo-

The stone was huge, covering Regis' entire palm.  Its lights were dim, but still glowing.  Regis  studied it with an urgent expression.  It reacted to his turbulent thoughts, amplifying and echoing them.

-Sorrow, defend.  Sorrow, defend.- 

The ancient stone was pulsing with understanding, already half in resonance with Regis.

-What have you found?-

The new voice rang in all their minds.

For a second Obi-wan thought it was the stone itself that had spoken, then Regis corrected him.  “It's Catriona.  She has found us with her circle.”  Redirecting his attention, he replied.  -I believe it's the matrix of Marius Hastur, the destroyer of Sicul Alton.-

-Regis!  You cannot use it!  You're not a trained keeper.  You've never learned how to hold the energon rings.-

-I have the Hastur gift.  Hasturs are natural keepers.-

A moment of silent fuming came through the link.  -Even a natural keeper needs training.  Regis, this stone is huge.  It looks to be higher than tenth level, possibly twelfth.  It's nearly the size of the Sharra matrix.  Do you remember what happened when the Sharra circle lost control of their stone?- 

-Quite well,- Regis replied acidly.  -Danilo and I had to flee their clutches.- 

-The city of Caer Donn BURNED,- Catriona said, exasperated.

-I can't do this city any more harm,- Regis retorted with sardonic humor.

-REGIS!  If your concentration breaks for even a second, you'll kill yourself!  You don't have the strength to operate it by yourself, and my circle has never worked with a stone this size.  No circle on Darkover has!-

-Then I will only use it as a last resort.  Please, find Danilo and tell us where he is.-

Catriona paused as if to argue further, then gave up.  -All right.  I will.  Promise me this stone will be used only as a last resort.-

“I promise,” Regis said aloud. “Now please, find Danilo.”

-Can't you?- she replied.

Regis' face whitened.  “No,” he whispered.

-oOo-