Let the executions begin…

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus coughed slightly. She had possibly overacted in the auction mission. To the point where she might have actually made a Padawan cry. Not her finest moment. But then being a Jedi Shadow meant pretending to do some dubious things sometimes.

Corvus gazed at the clientele as she followed Kana around the bar area. Hmmm…classy. It seemed money could not buy you class. Just about anything else but not that.

‘Darth Ater huh? I can live with that.’ Corvus thought of the first Sith that came to mind – Darth Vitamin, or whatever her name was, and decided to adopt that persona. Trying and no doubt failing to look evil and sultry, she did her best pout before nodding in accord with Kana’s words.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

The man stared them down. “You sithies and your freaking cheap thrills. I’ll see what I can do.”

The gran disappeared into a backroom. The door was left open and the gran in charge could clearly be seen from behind his desk. At first he seemed uninterested but at the utterance of a single word his head turns to look at Kana and Corvus both. A wicked smile grows on his lips and the betting man returned.

“The boss would like to see you.” His thumb raised to point over his shoulder. “Now.”

The two jedi made way for the office. The door closed behind them and the crime lord’s wicked smile kept going strong.

“So. You want to fight in the ring you say?” His hand reached up to arrogantly stroke away at his chin. “Why is that? What would two ‘sith’ such as you have to offer for entertainment value?”

Something felt odd about this gran. Something felt twisted, but why?

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus hoped Kana would take the lead but as the silence lengthened she realised she should say something. This gran was...different - but she didn't have time to consider what it was. At least not now.

"We're Sith, that's got to be worth something?" Corvus sat on the corner of his desk. "And we're young. None of those old haggered looking Sith. We'd bring the younger clientele in, and you always need new blood right? And there's two of us, so double the fun?"

She glanced at Kana. She was running out of reasons...

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

“What my friend here is trying to say is that with our added beauty there will be more to see than just two combatants in a big pit looking for a painful death. She is saying that sex sells and that we’d be willing to boost your sales for free, should you wish.”

The man grinned tsked as he shook his head. “You two must take me for a fool. Guards, if you’d be so kind.”

Before either jedi had the opportunity to react they could feel the blunt end of a club strike at the back of their heads. With a simultaneous thud they hit the floor and the guards slowly dragged them away.

An unspecified amount of time passed before either of them woke up again. The roars of a crowd beckoned and yet they were both inside a cage moving out onto the field. The criminal overlord they had talked to was seated in a VIP area and next to him was [member="Corvus Raaf"]’s R2-unit.

Kana was still unconscious.

“The price of jedi are through the roof at the moment. Dead and alive.” A booming voice announced to the crowds. “So what do you say about delivering a dead jedi to the Sith? Let me here you roar!”

A roar erupted throughout the arena. This didn’t look good, but to the duo’s surprise they’d find Corvus’ hilt tossed in there with them. The guards had tried to activate it but never managed. Figuring it was broken they tossed it in there as a final insult to the stupid jedi.

Oh how little they knew.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

On the plus side they weren’t dead. Yet. As positives go it was a short list and not very…well positive. Corvus didn’t even want to start thinking of the negatives. They would be dead before she’d finished compiling them.

One moment they were trying to sell the idea of being combatants in the death pit and the next they were combatants in the death pit - just with a terrible headache.

Corvus’ vision was improving. She could now make out Archie - things were looking up. Except he was way up in the VIP area. She looked at Kana - she looked how Corvus felt. She reached across and checked her pulse. She was at least alive. She managed a weak smile. Then she heard the commentator. OK, so the trick hadn’t worked but they were where they needed to be.

As Corvus scanned the area for a second time, she spotted her saber. Somewhat surprised she clipped it to her bet and put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. Not quite sure what to do, Corvus simply called the Force to her and - closing her eyes - pushed it into her friend.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana’s eyes slowly opened. Things were blurry, lights were bright and her head hurt. Either she had a horrible hangover or something equally horrible had happened. The thundering applause and cheers would indicate quite that a lot of it was the latter and not the former.

A single whispered curse would part her lips. A tradition from before the order.

“Faaaark.” Her hands dragged across her face before instinctively reaching out to smash the alarm clock to pieces. Not that anything was to be found. All that she would be punching would be Corvus’ thigh.

“Oh sh-” Her expletive was cut short by the crowds’ buzzers. “-t, I’m sorry!”

Her eyes groggily checked the arena.

“Where are we?!”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was sure that Kana had regained consciousness. Add another tick to the positives. They were still heavily outnumbered.

“Ouch! That hurt!” Kana had definitely resumed consciousness. “Save it for the arena, OK?” Her voice softened. “We’ve been knocked out and we’re about to be the main attraction. We have my saber and Archie is nearby, so we can probably get yours. Let’s not try anything until we have to. You need as much time to recover as we can stall for.”

“You remember that famous scene in history where Obi-Wan and Anakin and Padme fight those terrible creatures? Well we’re about to recreate it. Hopefully with the same outcome for the good guys.”

“Just tell me when you’re ready to make a move. I can cope with being the main attraction but not the main course.”

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

She groaned. No way in hell was this happening was it? The buzzers and their insufferable noises. The crowds roaring wasn’t helping either. So there they were on a desert planet, dry air filling the lungs as the dust tickled in Kana’s nose. A sneeze was set loose as she sat up against the transport’s walls.

“Alright, just try not to Anakin out too much on me.” Her hand covered her forhead and dragged down her face. “I’ll Obi-Wan it and you’ll do that clever chain-ridding thing. Deal?”

Kana looked at [member="Corvus Raaf"]. “Deal. Alright, so we have a plan. You go for the saber or whatever and I will do whatever I can to not-die. It is settled.”

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus' patience was at an all-time low. Being hit on the back of the head will do that for you. So she bowed slightly to Kana and with a single motion her saber sprung to her hand and she swiped at the lock holding the cage door shut. Realising they were twenty feet in the air, she used Force Valor to leap down and after a forward roll, leaped up towards the crowds.

Archie duly obliged, hopping from one metallic leg to another as a compartment opened in his front and Kana's saber was ejected - straight into Corvus' hand. She handed on the edge of the seating area and in a single movement turned and jumped back down.

By this point the cage was being lowered and she ran across to hand Kana her saber. The low rumbling of metal on metal told them something was happening and not one but four portcullises opened to reveal an inky blackness behind each one. And then the sounds started. Each clearly contained a terrible beast and whereas Corvus' antic had silenced the massive crowd, the prospect of Jedi blood had reinvigorated those gathered and their excitement was being transferred to whatever the Jedi were going to have to face.

"Ready?"

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Kana followed close behind. Valor wasn’t her thing, nor was ‘force leaping’. The landing would be botched had she tried anything and at this point she very much did not intend to humor the crowds with another faceplant of hers. Instead she settled for watching Corvus in awe. Where had she learned how to do that? It was like watching a wild cat run amok.

The cage lowered and Kana had her saber once more. Was she ready?

“As ready as one could ever be when it comes to being mangled, eaten, maimed, crushed, bit and ripped apart by a bunch of monsters, yeah.”

She turned her saber on in preparation. Send the pain on, yeah?

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus cycled through the openings as one by one the beasts came into view. The arena announcer was clearly on something as he hyped up the crowd by introducing them in turn.

"In one we have your favourite and mine - the Rancor. Of course deadly and one of the most hideous beasts ever to be encountered, best described as a walking collection of fangs and claws, with no thought other than to kill and eat."

"In two we have an Acklay. It's definitely got its three eyes on the Jedi. And you know what they say about Acklay don't you? Don't provoke them."

"In three it has four eyes and a mouthful of teeth, it can only be a Nexu. They don't come any more ferocious than this young lady - her cubs are inside her cell."

"And finally in four it is the one...the only...Wampa. We're talking about a predator two and a half meters tall, weighing over two hundred kilograms, with razor-sharp teeth and claws. They're singularly vicious creatures at the best of times but this one doesn't like the heat. Good luck ladies!"

Corvus shrugged. They'd seen worse. Then she reflected that - in truth - they'd not seen worse. But she was with Kana and between them, anything was possible. "If you ever feel like stepping up and earning the Sword of the Jedi title, now's a good time to stake an early claim."

Figuring it was best to start with the worst and taking it from there, she immediately headed for the Wampa. His white fur stained with the blood of former victims no doubt, she circled it, ensuring she had its full attention before using Force Valor and leaping above it, twisting in the air so she faced it when she landed. With three quick slashes she cut into its back - but credit to the brute, it remained on its feet and turned to face Corvus and slashed its vicious claws straight at her neck.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Rancor, Acklay, Nexu and Wampa. It wasn’t looking good at all. The dust danced around the arena as did Corvus’ comment on claiming Sword of the Jedi. Kana never had been one for titles like that and if she was to go for it, well, hopefully it would require more than one battle such as this. She had no time to worry about it as the rancor came her way.

A force to be reckoned with to be sure. It’s growls and roars ran a chill down her spine and there was little she could do but turn her saber on. The snapping hiss of a saber come to life put her back into a more focused mindset. The green plasma beam pointed for the ground and she readied herself for what most likely could be the fight of a lifetime.

‘Nobody ever said the life of a jedi was glamorous.’ Kana called out through the force ‘Make sure to tell me if you need help.’

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus heard her friend's banter. Even in these circumstances they joked. In fact, perhaps it was because of the circumstances.

'I forgot to say, I hope it's not being broadcast, because you've been asleep and in this heat, and what with the humidity, well - let's just say don't look in a mirror.'

But Corvus was focused on the beast in front of her. A matter of seconds ago it had drawn blood as its claws caught the skin on her neck as she danced out of the way. A couple of slashes with her saber and one of its arms lay on the floor. Which was positive, except all this blood and movement had attracted the interest of the Acklay, which she could feel bearing down on her from behind and at great speed.

Jumping up she was aware that the huge insect had bowled into the Wampa and knocked it flying. If they would only take each other out, it would make Corvus and Kana's life a lot easier.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

She looked like a witch. Kana looked like a witch and just the moment when there was a rancor coming her way as she forced her hand to make a run through her hair to smoothen it all out. Thankfully Makashi was useful like that. The beast made a sweep for her and she threw herself to the side. Her saber extinguished itself before she got up to stare it down, or rather stare it up. She was a fair bit shorter than it.

Quick thinking had her acting on impulse. A sweep in return for it’s legs proved fruitless and she had to rethink her whole strategy. Getting behind the rancor she climbed it’s back to reach it’s neck. Elongated claws came her way as a tiny brained monster tried to get her off it’s back. She twist her saber around and thrust it in the neck of the beast but seemed to do very little before getting tossed off. A roll around the arena’s dusty ground had her face covered in dirt and without her saber.

It turned itself off and fell to the ground by the very beast it had previously been impaled upon.

“Not good.” She coughed up. “So very not good.”

A quick pull had the saber returned to it’s owner. “Better… But still not good.”

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Instead of taking each other on, the beast seemed to find Corvus far more interesting. She backed away slowly, as the two initially bickered over who would get first run at her before deciding - it seemed - that they could both go together.

Corvus slashed at one of the Acklay's legs and removed it at the knee - but it certainly didn't slow it down and she felt the Wampa slash at her from behind and tear both robes and back despite her efforts to keep out of its way. She turned to face it and impaled it in the middle of its chest with her saber whilst at the same time as she Force Pushed the Acklay to give herself a little more time.

Now if this Wampa would only play fair and die - she might have a chance.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

The attack at the rancor’s leg had it stumbling, staggering and halting towards Kana but it was still not enough to do any significant slow down. A hungry beast that was intimidating by it’s own right. As much as the beast may have thought Kana a most appetizing meal she would prove it otherwise as she dodged it’s second swing and retaliated with one of her own.

“How you doing over there?” Kana called out to her friend. “This thing won’t go down.”

And it was true, one, two, three attacks had barely any effect on the thing. She backed away and shot her friend a half-worried glance through the dust. They weren’t gonna die right? Nah, they were too good for that.

"Just promise me that you won't go down and it's all good."

 

[Corvus Raaf]

For what felt like the 3,000th tine, Corvus was in a tight spot with Kana. But if they’d escaped the previous 2,999 the odds were in their favour right?

So she employed Force Valor and leaped onto the back of the Acklay and plunged her saber deep into it’s neck and then jumped back down to tackle the Wampa. She was aware that the giant insect was unsteady behind her but she was too focused on the Hoth resident to realise that as it fell, it lurched towards her and its front claws ripped the tendons in her right calf. The pain was excruciating and she momentarily lost her connection to the Force, long enough for the Wampa to bear down on her and club her with its one remaining arm.

She fell to the ground and dropped her saber. Sensing the kill, the Wampa reared up on its hind legs and she scrambled as best she could to get away from it. Finally it lurched at her and she reconnected to the Force and closed her eyes, pulling her saber to her. It reached her had as the beast jumped on her and she felt the blade enter its chest and heard the death rattle in its throat.

At this point she needed to throw it off – before it broke any ribs – but she decided to take a break for a few seconds first. 'I'm still here.' she managed before closing her eyes for a few seconds.

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

‘Good.’

Bed hair and with a rancor to protect herself from. If there was one thing Kana could be thankful for it was with all these ugly creeps and monsters around she still raised the bar of what could pass as a beauty around the arena grounds along with her friend.

As much as Kana would have liked to help her friend she couldn’t risk leading the Rancor to her. If anything she had to take care of it. The healer-to-be hunched down and looked up into the eyes of the beast and for a second she could have sworn it looked back for a bit. Her surprised idling was cut short by another smack. Once again Kana found herself knocked around the dusty floors.

A trickle down her arm would serve as indicator that she too had taken a hit. The sting of a wound, the anger of a woman. Her hand clenched and she suppressed the urge to act out on it.

With a well-timed leap she found herself atop of the beast’s massive head. She thrust her saber for what she assumed to be the brains of the beast. She yanked it around a bit, and…

Nothing. It shrieked in pain, howled in anger but it still. Wasn’t. Dead.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Slowly Corvus tried to push the beast off her but without success. Calling on the Force she lifted it a few feet in the air before flipping it over and away from her. She propped herself up onto one elbow and looked across at Kana. Her own injuries were sufficient that she couldn't leap into action to come to her friend's aid - but she was able to struggle to her feet and with saber in hand, hobble across to where her friend was - only to hear the guttural sound of a Nexu ready to pounce.

Corvus looked to her right and saw the creature, still guarding the entrance to the passage that lead to where her cubs were. It would have been nice to have learned Beast Control, she thought as she turned to face it. Surely there was a way out of this without having to fight it?

[member="Kana Truden"]