All that has faded me within

Chapter 3

Now

The familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber reverberated around the darkened training hall. Two heavily armed HK droids stood attempting to acquire their target with laser precision blasters. In the time it took them to even get close to discharging their weapons, they had been severed in two. A flurry of crimson light streaked across the room, deflecting bolts from a repeating blaster mounted on one HK’s arm. But still the droids failed to so much as graze their opponent. The other HK that remained opted for melee attacks, wielding an electro staff made of pure cortosis fibre. This certainly held off the droid’s attacker, no lightsaber would cut through the staff after all.
The droid ducked and dodged as it had been programmed to do, but it never figured out that its opponent were merely toying with it. Not until it was missing both clamp like hands which were swiftly followed by its photo receptors. The droid’s counterpart too met with an unfortunate end as it had its own blaster wrenched from it’s mounting, using it against it. Amongst the sparks and smouldering metal Asajj Ventress observed ahead of time as what remained of the droids closed in around her.

“ That’s it, close in around me just like well trained Jedi…Making it all the easier….” She pivoted on one foot and in a single fluid motion spun bringing her sabers round to slice the heads cleanly from the droid’s mechanised bodies.
“…For me to take your heads!”

Disengaging her twin sabers Asajj contemplated,
“ This is becoming far too simple, I must inform Count Dooku to upgrade their programming.”

It was then the sae lieutenant she had spoken to before, barged into the room unannounced.
“ Commander! The dungeons are flooding!”

Ventress’ eyes narrowed into think slits of darkness. She did not need to ask any questions about this situation. She knew exactly how it had occurred.
“Obi Wan!”

***************
Then

Rain poured down like it was Kaminoan monsoon season on Rattatak, soaking the two Jedi to the bone as it fell into the canyon they occupied. Ventress grumbled irritably once more,
“ Have we not trained enough for today? I do not see why you insist on picking days such as this to practice master.”

Ky Narec smirked, she was a picture of frustration and misunderstanding as per usual.

“ I wish to see how you cope with this form of combat when all else around you is a distraction.” He explained coming at her with another attack that had her skidding backwards in the mud.
“ The enemy does not always pick fine days for battle you know.” He added sagely before locking blades with his apprentice.

“ Now that you know can we leave?” She asked parrying another attack.

“ When you master it, yes.” Was all he could respond. This drew an agonizing groan from his padawan.

Their being here was no coincidence, the canyon it’s self marked the boarder between the newly united people of Rattatak and the lands controlled by the war lords that resisted unification in favour of war, wealth and power. Both Narec and Ventress could thank their efforts for uniting armies, ending wars. Sadly though, still the war lords resisted. They held too much of a threat over those who had chosen peace, and peace was fragile in it’s self. The war lord’s clans had amassed an army of their own, both Jedi knew it was only a matter of time before that army would strike out against those who had turned their backs on them, who had been against them all along. And so the two Jedi had opted for a spot of recon.
This canyon was in some ways, much like no mans land. Asajj in particular could see why. The place was littered with layer upon layer of fallen rocks and dust. Dust had soon turned to mud once the rain had set in, all the two Jedi had to call home for the past day and a half, was a small makeshift shelter concealed by a circle of fallen boulders.

Their scouting mission had had to be called off due to the poor visibility. In these conditions Narec could not be certain his padawan would be able to focus. He had to be certain. Hence the lightsaber exercise had come about.

“ Focus, you are still too distracted!” Ky bit out, batting her attack away as if it were no effort at all.

Inwardly, Asajj could feel the tingle at the back of her mind that signified she was letting his words get to her again. Why did he have to test her patience so? Spinning round to face off against her master, she called upon the faint trickle of darkness that seethed with an angry energy within her. It gave her strength, it gave her focus, she would show him!

Closing her eyes, she stretched out into the force using it to defend against his attacks, all the while storing up the energy produced by her anger. When at last she realised it, the anger coursed through her like electric current through water. Blocking his downward arcing blade, she pivoted on one foot. The other foot was brought round in a sweeping motion so fast, that her master failed to see it until it was too late. So surprised was he, of what he was feeling from his padawan, that he allowed himself to drop his defences and her leg impacted with much force upon his own, kicking both his feet out from under him and causing the saber to fall from his hand.
As he fell, his apprentice vaulted into the air, twisting mid flight, before landing a booted foot each side of her master. Her blade arced down from above in a two handed grip.

“ Asajj!”