Private Arrival into the Present

[Garric Wrennar]

Garric felt he had gotten used to life in the new galaxy he found himself in. It was different to how it was during the Old Republic days, but being in the New Jedi Order gave him all the familiarity he needed. He remembered what had happened to him upon being freed from carbonite only a short time ago. It was certainly the type of memory one would never forget, especially when it is your introduction to the time you once called the future.

=============================================

A short time ago, on a planet he didn't know the name of:

At first, everything was dark and quiet. It had been for what felt like forever, yet only a short time to. It was a strange feeling, he had to admit. However, then he felt he could move bit by bit until he was free of whatever he had been held in. His vision was dark, a side-effect of whatever he was trapped in he presumed, he would never hear the end of it from his old apprentices if he returned with bad sight, it would confirm their teasing of his age. He took a moment to feel the environment around him. There wasn't much, just a few small animals, presumably what triggered whatever he was held in to free him.

However, he felt a stronger presence somewhere nearby. He felt for his saber and scabbard nearby before finding them and holstering them between his belt. He stood up before making his way, albeit slightly unsteady, towards the presence he felt. He would hope for the best, but remained on guard (even though he was still getting used to moving again) in case the one he sensed was less than friendly.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

For Pel Grennin, Garric Wrennar was a sort of old friend - at least from the Inquisitor's point of view. He was a curiosity, an artifact, one of the few indulgences that Pel had allowed himself. After all, having a frozen Jedi was quite the conversation starter. He'd hung on Pel's wall for nearly ten years after having obtaining him at an auction after the death of a Hutt with considerable debts to pay off. Pel had many patrons, comrades, and rivals within the various Imperial factions Pel had served over the years, and most of them were either Sith, former Sith, or otherwise surrounded by darkness.

After a while, Pel found that the old Jedi may have had some practical applications. Pel was, after all, fascinated with Force Bonds, sympathetic reactions, and the applications of pain and sharing of suffering. After using Garric as a decoration, the Inquisitor known as Dessico found that Garric was one of his most valuable assets. For some of Pel's experiments, there were procedures and surgeries that only he could perform, and his patients could only endure if there was someone sharing that pain, in order to survive the experience.

For those, Pel was sure that any Jedi would be happy to suffer to help another being.

For others, though, Pel was happy to make monsters. Pel justified these experiments, believing that the enhanced soldiers or converted creatures would be used to fight much greater dangers, such as the Sith Order or the Brotherhood of the Maw.

He justified this, too, believing that a Jedi would be happy to battle such evil.

Whatever Pel believed to justify his actions, he had spent twenty years using Garric as a conduit, channeling darkness and suffering into the frozen Jedi, and then pulling that darkness from him like a battery whenever Pel himself was unable to muster it. After all, he had no reason to believe the Jedi would ever be conscious enough to feel it.

Carbonite storage was used for sleeper storage exactly because all of the energy required to operate it was spent at the beginning, and nothing was required to keep a being in storage. That was the whole point - a being could be kept nearly indefinitely like that, and spontaneous thawing was essentially impossible. But in the scramble to rescue his lab and subjects when he fled Lianna during the collapse of the Empire of the Lost, he had used a standard Carbonite storage frame to move Garric.

It had meant to be temporary. The Jedi would have been removed from the frame, and put in a new place of honor in the lab. The power systems hadn't been calibrated yet after the move. The computer system had not been synchronized with all of the systems yet. There was nobody truly at fault. The security measures Pel would normally have put into place hadn't been set up. Perhaps it was the Jedi's own will, taking advantage of the chaos, that had triggered the frame's thawing protocols. Perhaps it was just a glitch in the many conflicting systems. Perhaps something had been damaged.

Whatever had happened, it was not Pel himself who Garric was stumbling towards.

"Oh no," Bawrad, Pel's oldest son and apprentice, gasped at the sight of the stumbling Garric. He was a teenager - powerful and disciplined, but untested and with incomplete training. Bawrad activated his Lightsaber, pointing it at the released Jedi, "Listen to me, Jedi. It is best if you give me your Lightsaber now, and don't think of using the Force."

Bawrad kept his back to the door as he reached for the alarm on the wall, keeping his red Lightsaber trained on the Jedi.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

"Easy there, young man, there's no need for any sort of hostility. Perhaps, instead, you could explain why it feels like I've had every negative comment imaginable thrust into my head, before it was ripped out again? No, that may be something you don't have the answer to. How about something else?"

Despite still staggering on his feet and his vision still barely active, he raised his right hand and pulled the red lightsaber straight from the young man's hands into his own. He then deactivated it and kept it at his side, before raising his left hand and using the force to push the young man against the wall.

"How about where I am and how long I have been in some sort of stasis?"

His words were calm and careful, like when a grandparent is scolding you (not that he's ever admit to being at the age to be like that). Despite how he came off, Garric's brain was working at lightspeed. He had woken up and was hit with a massive wave of negativity: anger, fear, hate, pain. Pain was the most significant. Even if he was pushing through it, and it was more of a lingering pain than an active one, he could feel it making his whole body buzz. For now, he needed to know where he was and who else was here. He could feel the young man was powerful for his age, but someone stronger, and more dangerous, was nearby as well.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Bawrad was used to being around Force Users more powerful than himself; many were more powerful than his father. But this was the first time he'd crossed one, albeit without meaning to, and been the focus of their scorn. He'd expected to be defeated and even toyed with, but to have his Lightsaber ripped from his hand and pinned against the wall so effortlessly was a different experience entirely. This kind of defeat, real defeat like this, not some terrifying exercise his father had put him through, taught him one thing in that moment: What it really like to be overpowered.

He did not care for it.

Bawrad reached out with the Force and began pelting Garric Wrennar with lab equipment, not giving any thought to the value of the objects, while trying to reach for the alarm with his right hand, fighting against being pinned against the wall. He had little doubt that his father could sense his distress, but with the alarm triggered, there would be certain automated protocols that would be activated which would help him contain the situation. His hand landed just short of the alarm, and his counterattack did little more than irritate the Jedi. Bawrad had little choice but to delay.

"You're on a planet ruled by a Sith Lord. It has been a very long time for you. Your best bet is to put me down before you do something you will regret," Bawrad said. The truth was he wasn't sure if Lord Rasnuhl was a Sith, though he knew that he'd been trained by them, just as his father had. But just like his father, that didn't mean he was one. The Jedi didn't need to know that, though.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

So, he's been out of it for a while now? That would explain why the galaxy felt so different from how he remembered, though he was still unsure how many years it had been, but that was irrelevant for the time. For now, he simply needed to find a way out of this facility, and off this planet. Garric was mostly ignoring the young man's attempt at a counter attack, most objects simply weren't traveling fast enough to really be a bother, while other's he stopped from hitting him entirely. He could feel other presences in the facility, with one standing out the most.

He drew his focus on the young man he held against the wall and noticed him attempting to reach for, what seemed to be, an alarm of some kind. Garric could feel himself recover, possibly quicker than a normal individual will, but still not quick enough for him to be sure he could handle what was in the facility. Being unnoticed would be key, for the time being at least. He pulled the young man away from the alarm and onto another wall. He picked up pieces of debris and sent them at the young man. He wasn't injured, but he was pinned, and that would suffice.

"It's probably not the most comfortable, but I'm sure you won't be there for long. Good day, young man."

Garric began to make his way towards an exit, still stumbling, but less so than before. He tossed the young man's lightsaber to the side and buried it under debris as he placed his left hand on his scabbard, preparing to draw it at any time, should he need to.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Bawrad hit the wall, and held up his hands to protect his head as Garric Wrennar buried him with the contents of the lab. He couldn't help but reprimand himself for not going all out. He'd had the whole lab at his disposal, and he'd thrown junk at him, instead of the tables and the cabinets and the fridges. Bawrad could have even tried to collapse the lab to stop the Jedi. What would have been worse?

Not hitting the alarm now you fool! he realized. He pushed with the Force, freeing his hand and giving him an eye on the alarm across the room. He threw debris as hard as he could at the button.


Guards would now scramble. The facility spaceport would lock down. Security would likely even contact whatever Imperial base that was nearby and either loyal enough or paid well enough to still do their jobs and try and intercept anything trying to flee the lab.

Step one complete. Now let's act like you've been trained by an Inquisitor. GET. UP.

Bawrad pulled in a swell of power and pushed forward, breaking through the pile and getting back onto his feet. He sensed his Lightsaber nearby, under yet more debris. His first thought was to start digging for it, but he realized:

No. Don't go digging for it. The Lightsaber obeys you. It will come to me because I am powerful enough to command it.

He had to clear his mind of niceties, of doing things carefully. This was an emergency, and he had all the power he needed to handle it. Bawrad held out his hand and summoned his Lightsaber. He parted the debris with the Force, and the weapon snapped to his hand. Now armed, he ran into the hall, his mind rushing with the possibilities of letting the Dark Side rush through him. He would defeat this Jedi, make up for his mistakes, and he would have proven his capabilities and power. He would show his father that he didn't just know the lessons, he understood them now. This was a test.

It was his test. He would be ready.

He ran in pursuit of the loose Jedi, lit Lightsaber in hand. He would not lose it again, he would not be overpowered again. He understood why you used the Darkness, why you cleared your mind of everything but the mission, and he would show his father -

He came up behind the Jedi. He was facing the staircase that went up to the next level.

At the top of the staircase was Pel, facing the Jedi, his own Lightsaber lit.

"Bawrad. Let me handle this," Pel commanded, taking a few steps down the stairs.

"We'll take him together, father!" Bawrad offered.

"No, I-"

"Let me prove myself, father!" he demanded.

"You would prove yourself a fool, Bawrad," Pel snapped. Bawrad clutched his Lightsaber in both hands, a surge of rage boiling up within him.

"You don't TRUST me!" Bawrad growled.

"No. Because you're thinking of earning my approval, instead of the Jedi standing in front of us about to escape. YOU are the master of your rage, Bawrad. CONTROL yourself, and you will have proven everything you need to, for today," Pel instructed.

Bawrad looked from his father, to the Jedi, and then to the Lightsaber in his hands. His heart was beating in his throat. His mind had jumped to the worst conclusion about his father. He'd overlooked what was important.

He had lost control.

No.

Bawrad hadn't done anything he couldn't undo yet. He had not lost control. His father had helped, even.

He had failed by needing his father's help to control himself. He needed to remember that on his own.

"You're right. He would have defeated me. I was not commanding my rage. The darkness come from within. It is mine to command," Bawrad recited, closing his eyes. At his end of the hall, he began to pace, keeping his eyes on the Jedi.

Pel pointed his Lightsaber at Garric, "You cannot be permitted to leave. Certainly not on your own. For own safety, Jedi, surrender. We can discuss this, but you must give me your Lightsaber."

 

[Garric Wrennar]

"I'm afraid I will have to deny your request. See, from how your son made it out, I've been here for a while and since I've only just been freed from carbonite, I don't think you were the best host."

Garric could feel himself waking up more and more the longer this dragged on. The boy behind him would be of little issue, even as he was now. The one in front of him however, the boy's father, he's another matter entirely. Garric wasn't someone who immediately jumped to violence, he did prefer diplomacy first. But when you've been held captive by an individual and they now have a lightsaber pointed to you and wanting you to drop your own, he wasn't inclined to agree.

"I would have no issue in discussing this situation, good sir, but I will have to insist on keeping my blade with me. Not only that, but it may be a help if you weren't in such a manner that I could assume a threat."

Garric's vision started to slowly return, like the rest of his senses. His sight was the last to catch up and was still blurry, but he could see the figure in front of him: a Duros, from what he could make out.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel kept his Lightsaber trained on the Jedi, "Perhaps not. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Inquisitor Dessico, of the Imperial Sector Authority. You are loose in my lab, and I cannot be having a Jedi running around. I understand your situation. My colleagues in the Empire will not be as sympathetic. This really is your best chance to get through this unscathed. All our security forces are on high alert, and the planet will be patrolled. It is better for you to surrender now; I will fight to keep you contained. I'd rather not destroy you, or be forced to..."

The Duros smirked at Garric Wrennar as a thought occurred to him, "Or to put you back the way I found you. If you're having difficulties now with what you've gone through, you really don't want to find out what I have planned next."

The complex was vast, but Pel's operations here were recent. Not everything was complete. And Pel's focus, right now, was on Garric's escape. But the Dark Doctor had not considered the implications of his work, having used the Jedi in his experiments. Just as the energies that Pel had formed bonds with his patients, Garric had been part of many of the experiments and surgeries he had performed. There were creatures here who owed their lives, in part, to Garric - either saved from death, or been twisted into the beings that they were now. More than that, there were people here who had been Pel's patients. Some were recent, and in recovery. Others worked with Pel permanently so he could monitor their situation. And a few were in long term palliative care, either unable to recover from modifications or surgery, or were simply old.

One old Stormtrooper in particular was here, too. Surrounded by family. His bond with Pel was strong, easy for Garric to sense, as this Stormtrooper owed his life to the Jedi, as well. He had undergone many surgeries he would have died of if it weren't for Pel using Garric to keep him alive. But now the Stormtrooper was old, and further drugs and surgeries would only extend his life a little longer.

Pel's focus was here, right now, but as Garric's mind continued to clear, the breadth of what the Duros inquisitor had done to the Jedi over the years was starting to become clear - and so, too, were the opportunities for Garric to act. Beasts, patients, and men alike, even if they were not in the room, were at Garric's disposal. What would the Jedi do next? Pel's mind was already made up - he was entering a masterful Makashi stance. If Garric did not surrender, the Inquisitor would strike to keep control of the situation.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

Garric could feel it. It was strange, like a feeling of deja vu. He could feel the effects of the carbonite fading and as he felt himself wake up, he also felt... connected to the galaxy, only in ways he wasn't before. Not as in he sees things differently, but he felt presences he didn't know, yet was familiar with. This was beyond his usual connection with others, this was deeper. A connection one would build up with another throughout their life, yet this felt almost instinctual. As though it was built up before being thrust to him.

He would have to figure things out later, for now he had to deal with the Duros. At the very least, get past him and leave. He would have considered doing things an easier way, until 'Dessico' had to threaten to stick him in carbonite again. He was mostly awake now, his senses sharper than when he woke up.

He drew the hilt of his saber from his scabbard, and held it to his side as he stood in a Makashi-like stance of his own. He left hand remains holding his scabbard as his crouched slightly. He activated his lightsaber, it's yellow bladed illumating his side. Despite how long he was out of it, he seemed to show no signs of a decrease in skill.

However, even as he prepared himself for a duel, he could feel his senses connect with more individuals, with those that are closer feeling stronger. It was a lighter, yet still similar, feeling to that initial bond he felt. His eyes widened. That was it, a bond in the force. But, he couldn't have made them, which meant the man in front of him did something. He was doing something with him while he was in stasis that somehow caused him to develop deep bonds with individuals he had never met.

"No, thank you. I don't fancy being, what I'd assume, a conduit for experiments anymore. That was what you were doing with me, right?"

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel made a Makashi salute to Garric Wrennar as the Jedi activated his Lightsaber, "Then I'm afraid this is going to be the end of you, my old friend."

The Duros opened with a thrust, jumping at Garric and propelled with the Force from his higher position up on the stairs, tucking his legs up after pushing off the ground and landing in a proper fencing stance once he landed, all in one fluid motion. He kept his body between Garric and the stairs, trying not to let the Jedi get by him on the stairs. There was a surety and brutality to his movements, one that the veteran Jedi would recognize as a distinctly Sith sort of style. He had not introduced himself as a Sith, however, and the boy had seemed hesitant to use the term. Whatever this Duros was, he must have a peculiar relationship to the Cult.

Just as Garric had formed these strange bonds with Pel's patients, they, too, had a bond with Pel, and through them, this pair could sense one another. But Pel's attention was too focused, where Garric's mind was open. The Duros's emotions were conflicted; he had built a sort of attachment to the Jedi over the years, in the same way one would be attached to a favorite painting, or perhaps an old, reliable hammer. He wasn't angry with the Jedi, but resigned himself to having to kill him as a matter of pragmatism.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

Upon seeing the Makashi salute, Garric braced in preparation for the coming attack. His captor leapt towards him with an opening thrust. He was quick and efficient, he was keeping himself between Garric and the exit. Even so, he moved as a Sith would, brutal and absolute, he knew it all too well. Sith were common last he checked, and he'd encountered more than his fair few. He felt the Duros, he was... conflicted? Maybe not. Resigned may be more appropriate, as though he was losing something that meant a great deal to him, in some way or another.

Regardless, Garric's own movements were swift. Instead of what one would normally do, counter or dodge, Garric had his own specialty. He pulled his scabbard from his belt with his left hand and allowed for his opponent's blade to slot into it. Garric had designed it with cortosis lining. It wasn't enough to disable a lightsaber, or withstand one for long durations, but for an opening counter, he found it effective. As soon as the Duros' blade entered his scabbard, he allowed the weight to continue as he raised his leg and kicked the Duros back. It was here Garric noticed he was still less than his best. He still felt sluggish, but his blows at least had enough weight and force behind them, and his reflexes seemed enough, to match with the Duros.

He knew he couldn't get away with the same trick twice, so he now threw his scabbard to the ground behind him, it would only be a further hinderance. He then assumed the stance of Form V: Djem So as he awaited his adversary's next move.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel certainly was not expecting Garric Wrennar to sheath Pel's blade to force his blade into an unpredictable direction. It was certainly a neat trick, and while Pel was not one to normally respect novice moves like that, he appreciated how well prepared the Jedi was to use the maneuver. For him this was not novelty, this was part of his training, well ingrained into how he fought. Pel, as a Makashi specialist, placed a great deal of emphasis on discipline and focus. Novelties and tools were distractions.

As such, control of one's own blade was a well trained principal in his training, and he pulled his Lightsaber back, not allowing Garric to determine the direction of where Pel's saber went. With his arms pulled back, he was able to twist and take the kick in the arm rather than the gut. In most duels, that was likely the only time such an attack would work - unarmed strikes were usually punished by dismemberment against a Lightsaber. As Garric changed into Djem So, Pel remained steadfast in using Makashi. He saw no reason for excessive aggression that Form V demanded. He stepped forward towards Garric and thrust, high-down, and then cut across in a feint, ending in a position where he would be ready to react and strike again.

Pel had practiced his whole life against Sith, most of whom perceived Pel to be weak, in no small part because of his focus on Form II. However, he had chosen it for this precise reason; Sith were aggressive in their attacks, assuming their power in the Force and physical build would overwhelm most opponents. Pel had refined his technique to fight exactly this kind of hyper-aggression - if some Sith Warrior wanted him dead, Pel would be able to dispose of them quickly and punish them for trying to take what was not theirs. Here, he was ready to take advantage of Garric's aggressive form, forcing him onto the defensive and to fight on Pel's terms, allowing his opponent to wear themselves down with their assaults and lack of focus.

This was where Pel's form was weak, however; he was used to putting down other, more aggressive Sith. He was not used to fighting other duelists like himself. He was not inexperienced in this by any means, but it was outside what he was used to, and Garric's Djem So stance revealed it. A prolonged duel, if Garric were at his full, would favor him over time, but Garric was neither at his best nor did he have time to wear Pel down with superior technique and experience. Furthermore, Pel was drawing upon his resignation of having to kill Garric as a source of sorrow, and from this, that sort of dark focus. The Jedi would have to find some way to out-fight Pel, or unbalance him.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

"It isn't often that I encounter a Sith who utilises Makashi, they're usually more aggressive and overwhelming. You must be a smart individual, if you favour a technique based form over a more aggressive one."

He prepared himself for Pel's attacks and reacted accordingly. He knew the Duros was attempting to force him onto the defensive where Makashi would have the advantage over another lightsaber-wielding opponent, even if one was skilled in Form III, Soresu. He took a step back to avoid the initial thrust before ducking and hopping back from the slash. As soon as he landed, he immediately pushed forward, slashing his own blade across in a heavy, yet controlled strike. Djem So has a natural advantage over Makashi, like how the latter does against Soresu.

Garric, however, knew he wouldn't be able to keep up the aggression forever, the area was too small for him to adequately use Djem So (the form he was least proficient in of those he utilises). Upon delivering his blow, he suddenly shifted his stance. He took a step back and stood in the same Makashi stance Pel had done moments ago. The area makes it difficult for him to use Djem So's aggression, using Soresu would give him an inherent disadvantage. So, a duel of Makashi is what Garric determined his current best option was.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel couldn't help but smile. He didn't get the chance to talk about Lightsaber forms. The truth was he didn't often get the chance to practice his Lightsaber form at a higher level, either. Under different circumstances, he would have been eager to talk and spar with the Jedi.

"It's a shame we won't have time to talk about it," he lamented as he moved his Lightsaber in a circle to absorb and redirect the Djem So strike. Pel was used to exactly this sort of heavy assault blow. He respected Djem So for what it was, and was quite familiar with it, but his technique was all about conserving energy and redirecting such attacks.

As Garric Wrennar shifted into Makashi, Pel's grin was wiped away. He pulled his Lightsaber back a bit, trying to assess the change in technique. Of course he had studied how to fight another Makashi user, but he had put so much focus on using it to cut down enemies, even those using Djem So, he was suddenly outside his comfort zone here. Although unsure of how to strike, he did so anyway, unwilling to give up the advantage or aggression. Pel cut down towards Garric's legs, and then up, before pulling his Lightsaber back and into a defensive position again. He was used to his opponent going for an all-out assault, wearing them down and hitting them with many small cuts. Here, though, the first blood would make all the difference on how the rest of the duel would go.

Bawrad, still looking on, saw the shift in the Jedi's stance, and the true scale of the Jedi's capabilities dawned on him. This was clearly a Master of many forms, and well beyond anything he would be able to handle. His father had developed his technique for purpose, and trained in additional Lightsaber combat so he would be able to teach his children. But this Jedi had spent a lifetime learning and teaching to use the Lightsaber. Pel had learned enough to survive, for a purpose. But this Jedi embodied the art. And even that was only a small piece of who this Jedi was.

He could not help but be in awe of him - and he was suddenly no longer sure of his father's victory.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

Garric evaded the two strikes sent by his opponent, before noting how the Duros seemed almost... confused. Not in the usual way, but more so in that he seemed to be out of his comfort zone. Makes sense, even back during Garric's youth, not many Jedi utilised Makashi (at least that he met) and even fewer Sith. As such, he supposed it only be natural for an individual to be unsteady upon such a rare encounter. Garric had to admit, however, he was too. He had faced a fair few you utilised Makashi against him, but those were all when he was a younger man, it had been decades since he last fought a Makashi-using oppoent.

Even so, he stood his ground. Remaining uncertain simply increases the chance of defeat. Keep an open mind, envision yourself winning. That was Garric's thought process. Don't focus on how he may lose, focus on how he can win. He held the hilt against his chest as the blade faced the Duros. He placed his left hand on the pommel of his weapon before thrusting towards the Duros, his left hand behind it to provide more force and speed. Despite how it seemed, it was a controlled strike, not wavering from it's path nor seeming to appear unsteady.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel was forced to hold up his Lightsaber, their blades striking almost perpendicular as they collided. He underestimated the power of the strike, and felt the blow move up his arm, as if he'd just overextended it in some exercise. It was quickly apparent that, on skill alone, Pel would ultimately be outmatched here. But the Inquisitor had a well of power and darkness available to him, and he was willing to pull from it. He was not fool enough to rely on raw strength here, Makashi was a form about finesse and patience. But Pel was starting to lose his. He drew upon his power, vibrating his body and arms to begin a flurry of blows, jabs and swipes in quick succession, as many as he could manage. His intent was to strike Garric Wrennar on the body at least once, at which point the advantage would be his, and he could simply wear down the Jedi with further blows.

Pel's darkness was a deep well, full of self-doubts and second guesses. Fears and attachments. He had a rage that he kept barely contained within, less locked and more kept shut by a pile of other emotions and traits. He opened that box now, fighting with haste - and too much focus on what was in front of him, and failing to be fully mindful not just of what his enemy could do, but the strings he stepped on as he fought. Many of these, Garric, too, could feel - Pel's darkness was strung throughout this facility and beyond.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

Garric was initially put on a hard defensive as the Duros unleashed a large flurry of blows, swipes and jabs at him. Each of them were heavy, yet carried the precision of Makashi. That was the case, until Garric noticed a small slip in the attack, which allowed for an easier defence. It was then that Garric began to have an easier time defending from teh attacks, though not enough for him to have a perfectly clear counter-attack. He could then feel that strange connection return, but more so like an echo. It was as though he was feeling another, through a third party, with the 'other' being the Duros. He could feel all the negative emotions currently in the mind of his opponent, and he realised he was losing his composure because of it.

After a few moments of stalling against the flurry of blows, Garric saw his opening to counter. He held his blade straight as he allowed his opponent's to meet with it and be guided past it. He then turned his blade horizontal and sent a slash at the Duros.

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Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

As Pel pulled his arm back and went for another strike, Garric Wrennar thrust forward, through Pel's defenses as the Duros was extending his arm for another blow. It wasn't much, but what Pel had intended for the Jedi, he had received. The Lightsaber pierced into the flesh of Pel's pectoral and slashed across his chest and bicep. Pel let out a scream at the surge of pain, stepping back and clutching at his wound. He did not allow his Lightsaber to touch the ground, or even deactivate, catching it with the Force as it fell from his hand. Pel kept it brandished and aimed at the Jedi, and made another jab at Garric with it, but it was a half-hearted attempt.

"Father!" Bawrad shouted, and he attempt to charge in to join the attack, only to catch Pel's attention. The Inquisitor held out his arm, pushing back against his son to keep him away from the fight.

"No, Bawrad. This changes nothing," Pel insisted. He looked between Garric and his son. Pel fell against the wall, and deactivated his Lightsaber, "You may strike me down if you wish. This changes nothing, Jedi. You will not escape this planet."

Bawrad stood at the end of the hall, not longer fighting against his Father's push, pacing against and seething with anger at the Jedi for striking his father.

 

[Garric Wrennar]

"I thank you for the warning, but that will be my issue to solve. For now, however..."

Garric turned to face the young man, Bawrad, at the other end of the hall. He pulled his scabbard to his hand and deactivated his lightsaber before attaching his hilt and placing the scabbard in his belt once more.

"I propose, young man, that you get your father some medical attention. You both may see me as either a coward or 'too jedi' for this, but I am not one to strike down a defeated foe. You may not be defenceless, but something tells me that you won't try to prevent me from leaving anymore."

With that, Garric bowed his head to the young man behind him, and to the man who served as his opponent, before beginning to walk through the hall once more, and up the stairs. However, he stopped for a moment before calling back to the Duros.

"By the way, I wish that Stormtrooper a peaceful life for the rest of his days. I'm not quite sure what you did with me while I was frozen, but I can feel someone in the complex stronger than I would with just anybody. I feel he was close to you, so know that I wish him well."

With that Garric leaved to try and find a hanger with a ship he could use to leave this planet and figure things out. He

_______________________________________________

Pel Grennin

 

[Pel Grennin]

Bawrad was already helping his father to his feet and away from the Jedi as Garric Wrennar spoke. The boy's fear and anger were palpable, sharpened by his fading rage.

"My father will be fine. He has survived worse," Bawrad insisted. When the Jedi turned and spoke of the Stormtrooper, Pel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. For the first time since their duel began, Pel, through his pain and frustration, finally felt the connections between his patients and the Jedi. Through that, a connection between him and the Jedi, too.

"Thank you, my friend. As odd as this may sound...May the Force be with you," Pel told him, and pat his son on the shoulder to signal it was time to go. As Bawrad brought Pel to the lab, he asked,

"Are we simply letting the Jedi go?"

"I'm not calling off the alarm or whatever pursuit the planetary security forces manage, if that's what you're asking. But I doubt they'll be able to stop him. I will have to make amends to Lord Rasnuhl for this breach, I'm afraid. It's best that I didn't kill the Jedi anyway. It seems he's built quite the connection with his patients. Killing him would likely have had an effect on them. Quite fascinating, really. I'll have to study what happens next," Pel lamented.

"Always finding the lesson, aren't you, father?"

"Never stop, Bawrad. Oh, and when you're done stitching bacta packs to me, I would like my lab back in order."

Bawrad sighed, "Yes, father..."