Recovering the Armory Pt 1--PM for Info and to Join

[Akio Diachi]

Weapons. These things make not a warrior. These things make not a strong servant of the Force. Though they do help in aid in serving it.

The Chiss thought on these things as he walked across the barren sands of Tatoowine. He had been sent here because of a vision during meditation. Here, on the planet there was something he was sent to recover. Something he needed to find. It was in the Sand dunes, he knew it, he had seen it. But now he had to find it.

It had not been easy getting here. He had borrowed a ride on a tramp freighter in return for menial service since he lacked monetary means to repay such a ride. From there he hopped on another ride on a similar freighter, and a third before finally reaching here. The entire process had taken four times longer than it would have otherwise, but he had made it.

Then the Journey to the Dune Sea itself had been a challenge, as he followed the Force's guidance. Slowly gliding along under its guidance, the Chiss crossed one dune after another. The sun overhead beat down upon him, making his sweat come down in heavy drops. The Chiss pulled his dark hair back in a top knot. That brought some relief, but his sweat still came down in heavy drops, soaking his thin, bright orange robes.

Grasping his Amulet, the Chiss called on the Force to help him bear the heat as he tried not to wilt. Onward, he pressed forward. He was a strong fighter, but the heat was growing dangerous, pressing Akio to his limits. The Force indeed was searching him, testing him today, making the Blue Wanderer stronger.

 

[Akio Diachi]

His feet walked across the burning sand. Years of walking on hot coals had deadened his feet to the pain and the heat. The Chiss had a lot of time to think, alone and silent, the wind did not even move. He needed something to take his mind of the heat, he needed something to remember, to hold on to and stave off the impending shock.

His past. It was little more than a blur. Many people had asked him his past lately, wanting to know where he was going and where he had come from. Truthfully, the Chiss could not remember. It was a blur. His earliest memory was awaking in the hold of a tramp freighter. It had been dark. The captain had kicked him awake, a weapon ready. The Chiss could not say where he was from. Or what he was doing there, despite the anger and interrogation of the man.

When the human had pointed his weapon at Akio, something within him reacted. The Chiss disarmed without realizing it within the flash and had him unconscious. He could have killed the man. Truthfully, he almost did.

The Chiss fled, fled for his life away from the freighter into a strange city. A kindly old man had taken him in from there, nursing a head wound on Akio. You have amensia. It will come back to you, the man, who had been a poor doctor promised. He allowed Akio to stay with him for some time as the Chiss tried to remember who he was or where he came from. His name came, nightmares were soon filled with things he tried to recall but could not. He would awaken screaming in soaked sheets of sweat.

Akio crested another dune, lost in thought and memories.

The Doctor helped Akio recover meditation, the Chiss did. Fragments of memories began to come back; dojos, training, fighting. The doctor told him that he was probably a Force user, raised by mystics. Akio clung to it.

Truthfully, he did not know where he came from. Or who he was. It was a loss, it was all-- a...loss......

 

[Akio Diachi]

"I think he's dead."

"There's no way he would have survived, I scored him good."

'You wanna bet spinal chord damage took him out."

"Feth, I saw his finger twitch, he's not dead!"

"That's just rigermortis setting in."

Two of the guards stood over his body discussing it. Akio felt pain pulsing over him, but that was not why they were still alive. He knew death was coming, he was going to die, there was no hope of escaping now. He was fine with that. A death to protect Dryzl is a good death indeed. Justice would be served as well to the worst murderer I know. Then it hit him she's not leaving without me.

"His arm it twitched-he's not dead!"

Akio's leg swept both of them off their feet. He hurrled his knife, in mid air it lodged itself in one's trachea. His leg came down on the other's skull, it splattered across the floor. One of the guards at the door raised his comm unit, screaming, "We have a hostile, hostile! Requesting back up. Evac, evac, e--"

A flying spinning back-kick silenced the young, panicking human. Akio drew the man's dagger and began sprinting down the corridor as fast as his legs would carry him. Akio ducked behind a blastdoor as it closed. The explosion roared, deafening the Chiss. The door was ripped from its hinges, sending both of them bouncing. He grunted with each fall, finally landing on a pile of rubble. He unsteadily rose to his hands and knees. Blood ran down from his bleeding mouth, several cuts, burns, and lacerations pocked his skin. A ragged peice of metal shrapnel had lodged itself in Akio's thigh. He grit his teeth an removed it with a roar. A new weapon.

His free hand fumbled with the comm. The need to know this is not over. Dryzl needs to know I am still alive. He leaned back against a crumbled wall, smearing the blood from his mouth across his face and forearm, "This is death unit. I will not stop until I peal the flesh off your bones and feed it to the carion as you beg for mercy. The blood of innocents are on your hands. You. Will. Die."

Rising unsteadily, Akio began limping towards the target. The good assassin does not quit.


Akio jolted up, his body straining as he panted for air. His red eyes were wide from terror as he tried to catch his breath. He pressed his fingers to his forehead and tried to gather the bits of the dream as the slowly slipped form his fingers against his protests. No, no, please, no I want to remember, please!

But as it had come, it was as if it was to be left there, in his sleep. Akio grit his teeth, genuine sorrow washing over him. He knew he had been remembering in his sleep, but he couldn't remember what he had seen. He never could.

Sleep. He hadn't remembered falling asleep or making camp.

The Chiss looked around, he was in some sort of a metal room, a tube ran from his arm to a bag of water that was suspended over him (( an IV)). He examined it strangely in wonder as he began to look around. He appeared to be in some sort of a medical facility, laying on a sparse, uncomfortable cot. He felt woozy, dizzy, as if the Chiss had passed out from heat stroke. In hindsight, it made sense.

Akio laid back down gingerly, and allowed his body to slip into a trance as it healed. The amulet attached to his chest began to glow softly as the Force hummed around him.

 

[Akio Diachi]

When Akio awoke at last from his trance he found himself staring up into the face of a teenage purple twe'lik. Her face lit up in a smile as his red eyes blinked, coming into focus.

"Hello," she said at last, "you were asleep quite a while there buddy."

Akio gingerly sat up, his body felt much better than it had the first time he had awoken. How long ago was that; an hour? Four? A day? It didn't matter. Within the Force, there was no need to focus on time.

"You had better take it easy there, buddy," she warned Akio, "you were out pretty hard. We didn't know if you were gonna make it."

The Chiss smiled, "All things are possible with the Living Force. I thank you for your help, what might your name be?"

"I'm Raven," she said cheerfully, "What's your name?"

Akio gave a slight bow, paying homage to the Force within her, "Namaste, Raven. I am Akio Diachi."

"You talk funny," she giggled. "How you feeling?"

"Quite well thank you. I must thank you for your hospitality."

"Oh, its alright," she said with a shrug. "Dad found you--"

"Come on, Raven, don't be keeping the man up forever, he has been through a lot lately, I am sure," said a fatherly voice.

A half a second later the owner came in. He was well built, though in his thirties or fourties, with graying edges at his hair. His body, though it showed signs of age, was still in good condition, his tan tee shirt that hung on his body testified it. Raven gave a pout as she began to sulk off, "Fine, dad...."

"No she is alright," Akio said raising his hand, 'I find her company rather refreshing."

"Yay!" Raven cheered, and her father gave a chuckle.

The man offered his hand with a grin, "Name's Dak."

Akio gave a slight bow, "Namaste, Dak, my name is Akio Diachi."

Dak gave a sheepish chuckle as he withdrew his hand, "Oh, uh, right, Names-today, to you too and uh, that stuff." he cleared his throat, 'how you feeling? You were in pretty bad shape when we found you.'

'I am rather well,' Akio said patiently for the second time in a row. 'And you?'

"I'm ok, if you feel up to it, we can let you have breakfast with me, Raven, and the missus," Dak offered.

Akio slid off the bed, his IV must have been removed during his trance, 'I would be honored, Dak.'

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio was led into another room that served as an eating facility. He had seen one of these before, apparently he was on a ship. His heart wilted a small amount. He didn't want to have to find his way back to Tatoowine, sometimes the Force could be so challenging.

In the eating facility, cooking was a woman. She was a few years younger than Dak, though well-built as well, and human. She turned as they entered the room and gave a cheerful smile, "Hi-ya, how's it going?"

"Honey, this is Akio, Akio this is my wife Velda," Dak said as he moved to stand near the woman.

Akio gave a slight bow, "Namaste, Velda."

"Well thank you sweetheart, but I already had mine," Velda said setting a pot of food down on the table, "now y'all come get your food now, ya hear?"

Akio moved to sit in a chair, at Raven's request, across from her. The food was distributed, eggs, some sort of meat, and upon another serving vessel there was some sort of hash. The Chiss, being a vegan, took a moderate helping of this. The family had a prayer to a deity Akio did not know, he meanwhile lowered his head in respect. When the prayer was done, they all began to eat. The hash was quite good, Akio found. He soon discovered he was hungrier than he thought.

Dak laughed, "Don't be a stranger, help yourself to more, there is pleanty."

Akio did, taking another plateful of hash.

"Why don't you like the eggs and sausage here, sweetie?" Velda asked.

"I am a vegan, I have sworn to eat nothing that comes from an animal," he replied.

"Oh, I am so sorry, dear, if y'all want I can cook you up something else."

Akio shook his head with a pleasant smile, "This is fine, thank you."

"What were you doing in the desert?" Raven blurted out.

"Raven," Dak said in a reproachful voice, "Mind your manners."

"Sorry..."

"I was looking for something," Akio answered at last.

"What were you looking for, honey?" Velda asked, grabbing another plate of food.

"I was looking for a temple," he said, "A temple that is lost in the dunes."

"If I may, your going to need more than yourself for that, these dunes are shifting, and I think we could help," Dak said with a winning smile, "We are scavengers. Treasure hunters, if you will. What do you say after breakfast we work something up?"

Akio nodded, 'Yes, please.'

 

[Akio Diachi]

Dak pulled Akio into a side room. There were filling cabinets full of papers, holocharts, various artifacts laying around, maps, starcharts, trinkets, and odd bits of history here and there. Akio looked around for a moment in amazement as Dak grabbed a map and unrolled it on a table in the center of the room.

"This here is the Dune Sea," Dak explained motioning to the filmsi. He grabbed a small marker chip and placed it on the western point, "This is us," he looked around, as if to search for someone else that could be listening in before leaning in, "We're looking for a lost temple. Its been burried here in the sands for a long time. Since there aren't many temples around here, I guess we are talking about the same one. So how about we work together and split what we find evenly. Fair?"

"I only want one thing from this temple, the rest is yours and your families," Akio agreed.

"Sounds fair enough to me," Dak agreed, "So, where is this temple? What information do you have for us on it?"

"Not much, I am afraid," Akio confessed, "I saw it in a Vision while I was meditating and have come to acquire what I need."

Dak blinked, his eyes growing bigger, "Wait, your one of them Forcies, ain't ya?"

"I am a servant of the Living Force."

"Yeah that explains a lot, why your so strange."

Akio was caught off guard by the statement, he blinked away the confusion before smiling pleasantly, "I suppose."

"Could you meditate and find out where it is?"

"It does not work quite like that," Akio confessed. "I follow the Force where it directs me, it rarely gives me more than what I need at the time. I am not yet strong enough to direct it."

Dak gave a pained look and a deep sigh, "Well, it was worth a shot, I suppose."

"I am sorry, I will do my best," Akio promised, "I can direct you to what I know, following the Force. It will lead us there."

Dak gave a smile and a shrug, "Why not? Its so crazy it just might work."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio followed Dak to the cockpit of their old ship. It had seen better days, but it was clean and they had done their best to take care of it. It could even have been their home, Akio realized. Dak began warming the engines up and gave a forced smile. The Chiss could tell what that meant; Dak was worried this wouldn't work. That it would all be a scam or a sham or worse--they would end up getting injured, putting his wife and daughter at risk.

The Blue Wanderer gave him a reassuring nod, "The Force will guide us. Always."

Dak opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it. "Right. Where to first."

Akio felt for a moment, feeling out the Living Force, asking it for direction before point to the forward and right, "That way."

The ship lifted off with a shuttering jolt and on its way it went. Over the sands, over the dunes at speeds Akio couldn't have reached even running. He followed the Force, drawing on it strongly to guide him like a compass. The amulet around his neck glowed even brighter as Akio released himself deeply into it.

"Left now," he said pointing.

"Got it," Dak agreed.

"What's going on, sugar?" Velda asked as she walked in behind them.

"Akio is helping us find the temple," Dak said with an attempt at optimism.

"Harder left," Akio directed.

"Got it," Dak muttered.

Velda's face darkened. They were a small family with little that they themselves had. They needed to not lose it all listening to some Chiss crackpot. Akio could feel the feelings through the Force as he directed them.

"Stop," Akio ordered, "Here, this is it."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio ventured out to dunes, Dak, Raven, and Velda following closely behind. The Chiss slowly weaved his way along, feeling with his soul the Force's guidance like a summoning Rod. He crested one dune, going down it to the peak of another. With every second Dak and Velda's looks of suspicion and worry darkened.

Then he felt it, his foot pressed against one of the largest dunes and a wave of electric-like energy rushed through his body as the Force confirmed it.

"Here. This is it," Akio said turning to his new friends. "It is under the dune."

"Even with our evacuator it will take weeks to move all that sand," Dak said frowning.

Velda wrapped her hand in his, they exchanged looks, worry was clear in their eyes. And uncertainty.

"The Force shall make a way," Akio vowed.

"Come on, mom, dad, have faith in the guy," Raven scolded.

Akio lowered his head, asking the Force what to do, calling on it, requesting it to aid him with its powers. His mind slipped into a meditation, his amulet began to glow brighter and brighter in the sun. Several minutes passed, the others watched on sweating and losing more hope as time went on, had they picked up a loon?

Raven turned her back and took a step to walk back towards the ship, her head lowered in shame, how had she allowed herself to be duped like this?

Suddenly Akio lurched into motion. His hands pulled back as he recoiled into a low horse stance. A gust of wind with a spray of sand pulled back towards him, as it threatened to wash over him, the Chiss thrust both of his palms out in a double-punch, it went flying back, picking up more sand. Twisting on his heel, the Chiss tossed the sand away with his mind, sending it sprawling over another dune. Twisting back, he moved another layer. Building in strength, he swat with his right hand, sending a shower of sand away, he turned, back-fisting as another layer flew away. He shoved both arms wide, pushing away even more sand. The Chiss pulled both of his arms close, slamming both of his hands together. A loud Slap echoed through the dunes, his blow sent a shockwave forward, gusting what was left of the dune away.

Akio opened his eyes at last, panting and exhausted. His body felt weak, like it would give out, willpower alone kept him up.

Before him stood the lost ruined temple.

 

[Akio Diachi]

It was blocky, made from solid sand stones, the building itself was little more than a rectangle with a pyramid-like top. It was not large for a temple, measuring only a thousand square yards, built on a perfect square. Akio could feel a gentle hum and pull, as the Force guided him in, behind him Dak, Raven, and Valda followed cautiously.

The light streamed in barely to the building, a few small windows line the walls at even geometric intervals, letting in both heat and the light. The stone floor was carved with a complex multi-pointed star, with hundreds of points going out. Several shapes lined the ground that a spacer would have recognized as a star-chart with constellations. But what drew Akio was the alter in the center. It was solid stone, rising from the center with ornate carvings all over it in languages he did not know. There was something about it that was strangely pulling, strangely grabbing, as if--

"Is this it?" Raven asked, her voice echoing off the walls, disappointment clear, "Where is the gold? Where are the jewels? Where are the--"

"Raven," her father corrected her, despite his own voice and heart feeling the same, "he did his best."

The Chiss began looking the altar over. There was something that was about this was different. It didn't make sense. He looked it over, across the top was a thick-lined engraving, crisscrossing, twisting in a delicate, interwoven design that seemed to have no beginning and no end. But there was a reason to it, he knew. His red eyes narrowed as he thought, brows furrowing. There was a meaning, there was a point to it.

Dak moved forward, putting his hand on Akio's shoulder comfortingly, "Its alright, you did your best. Don't feel bad."

Without warning, Akio's hand went up, his palm coming down on the stone with a crack. The blow shattered the altar, spraying the room with stone fragments and dust as it crumbled under the well-placed blow. When the dust settled, a trap door was revealed under it. The Chiss felt a moment of satisfaction at uncovering the riddle. Dak gave a low whistle, "Well, someone sure is fulla surprises...."

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio opened the wooden trap door delicately. A latter lead down into the vast dark. Velda, Raven, and Dak looked at each other.

"I will go first," Dak offered.

Akio shook his head, "I must go first."

The man nodded, "Yeah, that is probably best, but first," he reached and pulled a duffle bag off his shoulder sheepishly and retrieved a familiar Katana and a flashlight Akio recognized his blade instantly, "You may need these."

Akio took the weapon and secured it to his back with a grateful nod, before storing the light in the folds of his robes. Downward he descended. Rung after rung, deeper and deeper he went until the light was but a distant memory above. The air grew incredibly cool and moist. At last he reached the bottom, his feet were greeted by a welcome and cool pool of water. The flashlight was produced, revealing a tunnel that went ahead. An inch of still water lay on the stone floor, smooth tan stone made up the walls. He nodded, going onward. Peace hung in the air as thick as the blessed humidity.

Akio went along the path, its smooth flooring and stone walls went on for fifteen minutes until he reached a door. Metal. He pressed his hand on it and the door swung open easily, it was unlocked. He stepped forward and what he saw took his breath away.

The room was easily twice as big as the temple had been, and within it was a massive store. Chests of precious metals and jewels lined the walls, stacked as high as a man. Several racks lined the room in an orderly fashion, each decked with priceless stones and jewelry. At the back of the room was a massive solid gold statue of a mystic goddess, easily two and a half meters tall. Around here was a smaller ring of golden idols of various races and genders that must have been lesser gods, each a meter and a half tall. Another ring went outward of idols a meter tall, and around them a half a meter. Leading to the queen goddess was a path, sitting before her was a wooden box, ornate, preserved through time by the laquer that coated it.

This was what Akio came for. He took several steps forward and gingerly took it in his fingers. They pricked with the energy that this box had been giving off, calling for him, seeking him out. It was the will of the Force. He had to have this.

 

[Akio Diachi]

When Akio returned to the surface, his new friends were elated, they couldn't believe their ears until they saw for themselves what was in the cave. When the story had been confirmed there were several minutes of disbelief followed by celebration and tears. The Chiss watched on, glad to be of assistance, the box that was stored in his robes prickling with energy.

It took half an hour for a plan to be devised, and even longer to implement it. A durasteel cord was found on the ship and extended to the bottom of the cellar-like cavern. Its other end was secured to a wench. Meanwhile Akio and Dak teamed up to carry one of the massive chests to the latter. It took quite some time; the path was long, dark, and it was exceptionally heavy. But Dak was fueled by the wealth of the ages, and Akio used the Force to help augment his small muscles.

When they finally reached the latter, they attached it to the rope and had it pulled up slowly by the wench. The entire ordeal took an hour. The next box took as long to carry to the latter. By the time they had finished, Akio and Dak were too exhausted to do another. The duo clambored with what little strength they had left to the surface. The meal was exceptionally jubilant. Akio watched on, as a passerby. Their laughter was strong, despite the exhaustion from the work.

At last, the meal was finished and he retreated to the med bay, what was apparently his current makeshift room for the time being. He pulled the box that had been calling waiting as he sat in lotus position, looking it over. A moment like this required ceremony, respect, reverence, and meditation. The Chiss pulled out, becoming nearly one with the Force as he ran his fingers over the dark-wood box, enjoying its feeling and energy. He carefully removed the lid, letting it open backwards on its hinge.

Inside lay two layers of delicately laid black leather. The Chiss removed each, examining them. Both had straps that attached on either side behind them, in what looked looked like a buckle sheath. On their front were strapped seven matching, glistening black metal spikes. Each spike hummed softly with the feel of the Force Imbued within them. Blue soft swirls of energy rolled off them, within them, the Force Aura was almost visible with a purple-blue static glow--his trance like state granting Akio the ability to see easier past the material plane, into what lay beyond.

 

[Akio Diachi]

Akio took the first spike from its holding place with intense reverence. It felt light in his hands, ready, and aerodynamic. He tossed it in the air, gauging its weight, the spike spun, landing in his hand harmlessly. A throwing spike but it was clearly not just a throwing spike. He had trained with these in the past, using them to hone his speed, skills, and aim. He was a deadly accurate throw, able to hit what he wanted within a centimeter. That could take a life--or save it.

The Chiss stowed these within the folds of his robe and began to enter a deep trance and light sleep. He did not dare let himself slip deeper into the world of dreams for fear of what he would find. Gliding along the nether-world of the conscious, Akio passed through the night, his weary body repairing itself rapidly for the next day's work. When morning came he indulged himself by strapping the leather bracers of throwing quills to his forearms. He ventured into the galley where he ate with the family. He could almost feel like he belonged here. Almost as if he were an important being, not just a servant of the Living Force. Velda cleared the dishes away when the meal was done, Akio, Raven, and Dak set out to work.

Raven stopped Akio in the loading ramp, halfway down to the surface. She bit her purple lip a moment, looking in his Red eyes. The Chiss could tell she wanted to say something but couldn't tell quite what it was.

"Thank you," she said at last, "you have really helped my family. We have been living a long time pretty poor, always looking to find the next catch of small artifacts, just enough to keep our pantry full and pay our debts off. But now we have a real chance at a real life," she paused, her lavender eyes looking deeply into his. "Thank you."

Akio gave a slight smile, "Of course."

She leaned in quickly, planting a pecking kiss on his cheek. As her cheeks burned in a bright blush she hurried away, Akio blinked, quite stunned. He was unsure what that was, or why she did that, or what it was about. He turned and began walking down the ramp.

Dak looked at him with a wry grin on his face, "Hurry up, Akio, we ain't got all--"

His words were cut short by a loud sound. A crimson splatter in the center of his chest erupted. A slug thrower had torn through him, leaving an exit wound, blood soaked his shirt quickly. The man, stunned, looked down at his chest a moment before collapsing.

"DAD!" Raven screamed running to his side.

It was then that a savage howl echoed across the dunes for miles;

"AAAAAAAAAAAH RAWWWHAAAHWAAAAAAW!"

 

[Akio Diachi]

Tusken Raiders came swarming down the dune, charging at Raven and her dying father. Gaffi sticks, rusty machetes, and clubs were swung over their heads in the air as they closed the gap rapidly. Raven watched in terror as they cascaded down the dune like a waterfall of living death. Akio sprinted across the sand, his feet kicking up a trail behind him. One of the savages raised his blade overhead to strike down Raven, howling his bloodust to the desert. Akio leaped into the air, his fist coming down in a hammer-strike, the full force of his weight and momentum crashing on its skull fiercely. The Raider collapsed, a duo weilding a club and a gaffi stick soon following in his wake. The Chiss recoiled dodging the Gaffi stick's blow to his abdomen. He caught the club's blow on his wrist-guard, countering with a palm-strike to the chest. His attacker fell back as Akio disabled his co-fighter with a snap-kick to the knee.


"Run," Akio ordered calmly, "now."

Raven began dragging her father away, her desire to live and love making her ten times stronger than normal.

One of the Sandpeople lurched past the Akio, moving to kill the young girl. The Chiss reflexively grabbed one of his new throwing quills, tossing it with a flick of his wrist. The spike sank in, under the thin garments, drawing a mass of blood and crippling the savage. Taking advantage of Akio's distraction, one of the Tusken Raiders landed a heavy blow on his bare blue shoulder. Akio grunted, turning his attention to his new foe in time to see a blow aimed at his side. The Chiss was sent sliding across the hot sand, his side ached from the blow, but he quickly put it out of mind. The hoard was incoming, a few diverting themselves to Raven who was almost to her flying home ((space ship)). Another Tusken Raider had quickly closed the distance that the Chiss had been knocked back.

Twisting on his heel, he brought one of his legs down on the assailant's head in an ax-kick that rendered him unconscious. His hands reached into the wrist-guards, drawing a trio of quills. As he landed in a low horse stance, his wrist flicked, the first stabbing Raven's closest pursuer through the skull. His life was snuffed out in an instant. Twisting again, Akio's fist rammed into the closest savage, the quills he held in the palm of his hand pierced the bone and facial coverings easily. Turning on his heel again, the Chiss hurled his second quill into Raven's pursuer. A trio of Sand people were coming closer to Akio, weapons raised high overhead. He quickly furrowed his foot into the sand, tossing a faceful into their direction, buying him enough time to toss the third quill.

As the trio closed in, Akio's blue hand instinctively reached back, drawing his sword, the slash cutting a deep slice across all three of their bodies. He curved the blade back around, beheading one, stabbing the second, and disemboweling the third.

"Come on, hurry!" Raven shouted from her safe perch on the loading ramp.

"Go," Akio shouted, as the Tusken Raiders began to form a circle around him.

He could hear the flying home begin to rise and move away. His eyes caught on the blood that dripped off his blade, soaking the sand and the bloody carcasses that were on the sand. The Raiders around him were waiting, taunting, shouting, screaming. The Chiss could feel his vision growing blurry, changing. The world seemed to be changing to hues of red. His mind, he could feel morphing on him, turning from calm and benevolent to emotionless and merciless.

"No," he whispered, not liking the change he could feel, "no... please, Force help me," the Chiss could feel the world going dark. "Even the Force cannot help you now."

 

[Akio Diachi]

When Akio could see once more, he was panting, on his knee, leaning on his katana, struggling to stay upright and to catch his breath. He was both soaked in his own sweat and half-dried blood. His orange robes were sliced along several points, ruined from blood, and no longer retaining their golden color. His muscles ached. His lungs burned. Strands of blood and sweat soaked hair teased as his face.

Around him were the bodies of the battered, slaughtered, and eviscerated Tusken Raiders. Their mutilated forms lay twisted across the sand that soaked their crimson blood up like a sponge. Overhead the sky too was painted crimson from the setting suns. Akio surveyed his handwork, a wash of horror and surprise.

"What--have I done?" He asked between pants.

After several minutes, he recovered. The Force that gave like also took it away, he told himself. And it had to be given somehow. Their deaths had been chosen to occur at his hand, he reasoned with himself. He should feel neither guilt nor shame. Rising at last he searched the battlefield, gathering his throwing spikes, cleaning them and storing them. When had finished the sun had set. Amid his searching the Chiss found several waterskins that he claimed for his own as well.

At last he set out, following the Force as he walked across the dunes. When the suns rose he was far from there, walking on still. When the Suns set again, he had still not stopped walking. When they rose once more, he was still walking, fighting off fatigue from the seemingly endless march he was on. At last he reached a gorge, the Chiss found a cave and crawled in, collaping into sleep. When he awoke, Akio was sore and his body ached with stiffness. Willing himself to carry on, he rose and continued walking on.

As the Sun set, Akio found himself stumbling into Mos Espa. Thank the Force, he thought, still following its guidance. It was not done with him, he had somewhere else it wanted him to be.

The Chiss found his way to the space port where a tramp freighter was preparing its goods. He slipped into its cargo hold, stowing away. His head leaned against a crate as he slowly slipped into sleep..... ((End Part One. Begin Part 2))