The Return of the Vanished

[Kian Karr]

Kian listened, his arms folding across his lap, as Roshki spoke of the first time she used the force and of the aftermath of it. Kian's heart went out to her as he listened to her tail. Kian had grown up in a culture that was not only tolerant, but respected their force users. Kel Dor were not a vast species, but they were touched by the force at a greater rate than many other species. Then there was the drug use. Kian wasn't an idiot. He'd noticed the signs of something wrong....something different in Roshki, but he hadn't realized the degree of it. He had kept his distance, teaching her and monitoring her progress, hoping that in time she would come to him or work through it on her own. Now she had finally opened up to Kian and he was grateful for it.

"I'm sorry that you experienced all that." Kian said shaking his head sadly. "Not all cultures are as supportive or trusting of those who are force sensitive. Some are condemned as sorcerers or witches, while others are simply treated with mistrust."

"However, you did the right thing." Kian said stretching out and patting her reassuringly on her shoulder. Kian wasn't much for touching, or for displays of emotion, but he wanted to convey that he was on her side and that he was there for her. "Your instinct was to stop something bad from happening, it was to defend an innocent, which only solidifies my belief that you have the inner qualities of a Jedi."

Kian leaned back and ran his hand over his antiox mask for a moment, thinking on what to say next. He didn't want to be too forceful, but he also couldn't ignore the revelation that she was addicted to a drug.

"As for the AV use." Kian said after a moment of contemplation, "that needs to stop." Kian said, his voice not showing anger, but thick with resolve.

"Your AV use, you must realize, is limiting you. I've seen the effects in our last training session....you could barely handle skills you've done before with little difficulty." Kian said laying out the facts, "Besides, it clouds your judgement, and a Jedi with compromised judgement is a dangerous thing."

"Are you ready to stop?"

[member="Roshki Belawiiks"]​

 

[Roshki Belawiiks]

[member="Kian Karr"]

I relaxed slightly, stunned by Karr's words. But then, I should have known he'd pity me, not despise me -- just look at how he responded to my attempts at pushing his buttons. However, I couldn't help but tense again when he placed a hand on my shoulder. I wasn't very touchy-feely, but it reminded me....it reminded me of that little youngling, long ago, who'd given me a hug out of the blue.

My mouth began to open in an involuntary retort, but it just as quickly shut when the Jedi moved on to the topic of my habit. I wasn't surprised when he told me I needed to quit. Rather, it made me want to laugh. He made it sound like he was asking me to stop taking the shuttle somewhere or to stop wearing a cloak.

Little did he know it wasn't that easy.

I wanted to start off with once again denying my ability to become a Jedi, maybe even bring up that shuttle ticket he'd mentioned, long ago, but something stopped me. Maybe his faith was starting to permeate my already broken wall. Who knew.

Instead, I addressed his question, my attitude grim. "Double Kay, quitting AV is not the same as no longer chewing on your fingernails or keeping your mouth closed instead of open. It's a lot harder than that. Besides, if we stay in this cave for much longer I won't have a choice--"

Suddenly, I doubled over, gripping my abdomen and writhing in pain. Of course. Of. Karking. Course. Stage Two was here whether I wanted it to be or not.

​I curled up into a little ball on the floor, baring my teeth. My skin felt like it was burning, and my innards felt like they were being pulverized. Fingers digging into my stomach, I clenched my teeth and took deep breaths, not that it would do any good. I didn't even want to think about what my Master was thinking about this spectacle right now. But hey, when this was all over he'd get his wish.

Provided I didn't die first.

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian watched as his apprentice doubled over, clearing in intense pain. He would have thought she were injured had it not been for the realization that she was an addict, and the fact that she made a reference to withdraw. Kian leaned forward, trying to hold her still as she withered about in pain. Kian felt for the girl. Not only had she just gone through the terrible experience of killing another and confessed one of her darkest secrets to her master, but now she was reaping the painful reward of her affliction.

"You're going to be ok." Kian said soothingly. "You will get through this Roshki and we will get you clean." The Kel Dor meant every word of it. He planned on getting her the best help he could. She showed far too much promise and Kian cared for his apprentice too much to not do so.

"And we'll do it together!" Kian said, making it clear that he was not going to abandon her. That he would be with her through it all. Kian rose to his feet and leaned to hoist the girl up over his shoulder. With one arm it would be difficult. As Kian leaned down though, he heard the clanking of stones and the sound of scratching upon rock behind him. Spinning around, Kian's eyes went wide as he saw the Voxyn crossing the bridge from the other side. It wasn't rushing at them in full run, but it was sprinting toward them and closing the distance quickly.

"Roshki!" Kian yelled, trying to draw the girl's attention way from her pain. "I know your hurting.....but I need you to get up!" Kian said igniting his lightsaber and walking toward the charging Voxyn, his lightsaber held out before him defensively. As a younger Jedi he'd killed a Voxyn on his own before, but, while he was a stronger Jedi now, he was not hampered by a broken arm then.....and he had the full use of the force. The creature was only a few meters away now. Kian glanced back over his shoulder, smiling somberly beneath the mask.

"RUN!" Kian yelled and turned back leaping toward the Voxyn, his yellow lightsaber slashing out and slamming into the beasts side. The Voxyn's hide wasn't penetrated, but it allowed Kian to spin around and avoid the slash of its terrible claws. "RUN NOW!" Kian shouted, closing with the creature once more.

​

[member="Roshki Belawiiks"]​

 

[Roshki Belawiiks]

[member="Kian Karr"]

Oh, the pain, the pain...everything hurt! I was burning, burning, writhing, turning, and I wanted to die. I wished I could die.

I was dying.

My eyes squeezed shut, my fingers like claws, and my teeth bared in a silent scream, I was barely aware of my surroundings. All that I was, all that I had been, and all that I would be was consumed by pain. I could dimly sense my Master bending over me, but I was oh-so-close to passing out. A faint buzz briefly filled the air, like speech -- but it was muffled, and hard to make out.

Then, the presence was gone, and I could make out a noise that was distantly familiar, but I didn't have enough concentration to identify it. I just wanted to go back to my bed, or wake up from this nightmare. Yeah, I know, I sounded whiny, but I had more than enough reason to be whiny.

I heard Karr shout again, and this time I was able to make out the words. "Run," he'd shouted. But why? Why did he want me to run? Couldn't he see I was a little bit preoccupied with dying?

Through the haze I managed to crack open one eye, and what I saw elicited a soft, pathetic moan. That damned voxyn was here! And I was lying on the ground like a useless pile of laundry, just waiting for the creature to come after me once it'd had its fill with the Kel Dor.

No! Do something! But what? Not run, obviously. There was no way I could even walk. And I had no weapons to attack with.

Or did I?

When it came to telekinesis, I was far from being the best. Hell, I bet some of those younglings were better than me. But it was better than nothing.

My eyes squeezed shut, I flopped out one arm and, amidst a wavering consciousness, sent out a Force Push towards the voxyn. It was kind of pathetic, really. Certainly not on par with any other Padawans, but it was all I could muster right now. Besides, it should've had at least enough "oomph" to distract the creature -- I hoped.

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian braced himself for impact, his blade held diagonally out in front of him in a single-handed grip. He didn't hear the fall of footsteps behind him but Kian couldn't chance glancing back to see if [member="Roshki Belawiiks"] had heeded his command. Knowing the girl, he doubted it very much. Kian had little belief in his ability to defeat the Voxyn. Not like this, not on his own and injured.....but Kian wasn't one to yield simply because the odds looked bleak.

Just as the creature lunged for Kian's throat he felt a pulse of energy and a telekinetic blast sent the creature stumbling back towards the edge of the bridge. Kian rushed forward after it and as it clung desperately to the edge with its talons, Kian drove his lightsaber down and forward, clashing into the creatures claws. The tough hide of the beast fought Kian's blade, but he leaned down with his wait and felt the blade sink past the flesh with a grunt of satisfaction.

Kian felt the voxyn slipping and then suddenly it was going, falling from its perch and over the edge into the darkness. Kian felt the relief of success wash through him.....at least until the sharp, stabbing pain in his leg pulled him to the ground. Kian's lightsaber scattered out of his hands and slid toward Roshki as he felt himself being pulled over the edge with the beast. Kian's good hand scrambled looking for a hold and he was able to dig his fingers into a crevice and stop himself from sliding fully over the edge.

Glancing down over his shoulder he saw that the barbed tail of the voxyn had sheered right through his armored boot and into his shin. Kian could feel the toxins entering his body....he could feel his energy already starting to weaken and his grip beginning to weaken. The Voxyn below thrashed about, its eyes locked on Kian, paying no heed to the darkness and the vast fall beneath it.

"Roshki!" Kian called as he felt his hand slipping....

 

[Roshki Belawiiks]

[member="Kian Karr"]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEnnZwOJ90g[/media]

My consciousness was now hovering between utter blackness and extruciating pain. That Force Push felt like it'd drained my batteries, so to speak. I was even willing to bet that, if I'd had a health bar, it would be a teensy tiny red line. That's how bad I felt.

But hey, wallowing in self-pity was preferable. It meant I could just lay here, and not care about the world. Y'know, just kinda waste away to death. If I'd been feeling better, my utter lack of motivation would have irritated me greatly -- I mean, I was lazy, but come on. Unfortunately for my better-feeling self, though, I wasn't moving an inch. The pain wasn't as bad that way. Besides, my head felt like any movement would cause it to either topple off or float away to the heavens.

The sound of my name briefly pierced through the haze of pain on my brain, and my heavy eyelids fluttered open for a brief moment. Double Kay was the one who called me, but I couldn't see him. I also couldn't see the voxyn. I guess he killed it, then left me for dead, I concluded. But that's alright. It's not like he could do anything with me, anyway. I'm going to die soon, so I'd just be dead weight.

With those happy thoughts, I closed my eyes and was so close to drifting away, away, away from this place....

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnGaCAHhGfo&index=29&list=PLXbThoXEzeqsY_jsV9E6YC4uMh6mEFOye[/media]

"Get up." A hand grabbed my shoulder, sending lightning bolts of pain through my body. A moan escaped me, but the person persisted. "Get up. This is it. The final choice."

I opened my eye again, and came face-to-face with...Me. Again. My eye shut, and I groaned, "Oh, it's you again. Where's Ugly Me?"

"They are here, and they are not. I'm you, idiot. The real you. And, I'd like to protect my future. So do as I say and get up!"

My eye opened again, and I looked harder at the figure before me. Odd...it looked like she was telling the truth. The Me before...well, me didn't hold the air of self-righteousness that the Pretty Me had carried, but there wasn't that malicious craziness from Ugly Me. Rather, it was like she was...grey. Not bad, but not good. Hmm.

"Wait...your future?"

"Your Master is hanging off a cliff with the voxyn. If you don't get up and go right now, he will die. And then you'll die as well, or you'll become Psycho-Sith. Either way, I'm no longer in existance. Now, MOVE!"

I shut my eyes again. This was most definitely a hallucination, caused by my withdrawal. There was no way I was moving. It hurt way too much. "But I can't--"

"Enough of this; I know what you're thinking, you pathetic street rat!"

Street rat. Oh no she didn't. Oh no she didn't! She did not just call me a street rat! "How dare you--"

"Say that? Well, it's true, isn't it?! You're not getting up, you're just sitting there like a..a lump, a selfish, ratty lump! And unless you get up right now, the odds of Karr surviving are--"

"I'll prove you wrong!" With a snarl that was a combination of anger, pain, and frustration, I lifted my head. From there, my muscles trembling, and the world spinning, I slowly lifted myself up and winced at the surge of agony which exploded. It was almost enough to make me want to fall back down. But I couldn't -- even though the hallucination disappeared, her words didn't. In fact, they were on constant repeat in my head.

You pathetic street rat.

I'll show you.

My feet aching, I took one small, small step forward. The torture increased, despite my attempts to ignore it. I had to ignore it -- if I didn't, I would fail.

Enough of this.

My teeth bared, I took another small step forward. And another. And another. Soon I was taking long, wobbly steps. But I was moving closer, closer to the Kel Dor. I could see his fingers now, and I made haste as best I could. "Don't worry, Master," I croaked. "I'm coming!"

Eventually, I collapsed right in front of the Jedi, and despite my body's protests I grabbed his arm tight as I could. Meanwhile, Me appeared again, this time kneeling beside me. Looking below, I saw the voxyn holding on to the man's leg -- but I was focused solely on getting the Kel Dor up. "You need to hurry," she whispered in my ear. Why can't this hallucination go away? "The odds of you two surviving are now--"

"NEVER TELL ME THE ODDS!" I screamed, both at the apparition -- which promptly vanished, go figure -- and at Karr. "Never tell me them!" With that lovely battle cry, I pulled up.

 

[Kian Karr]

Spoiler

sorry for the wait!!

Kian wasn't sure who [member="Roshki Belawiiks"] was talking to, but he didn't care either. All he knew is his grip was fading. Just as he thought he couldn't hold on anymore, Roshki was there, pulling him up. Each few inches he moved, he felt searing pain his his calf from the barbed point of the Voxyn's tail. Just as Roshki pulled him up and over the edge so that Kian would pull himself to safety, he felt the barb slip free of his flesh and he let out a howl of pain and collapsed on the dirt and rock beside his apprentice.

She'd saved his life.

Kian could hear the snarl and growl as the beast fell into the darkness below. Kian wasn't sure how far the fall was, but he was certain it would kill the Voxyn....not even that animal could survive that fall.

"Thank you Roshki." Kian said taking a moment to try and center himself. His head was spinning a bit from the blood loss in his leg and the effects of the neurotoxin that the tail's barb injected into him. But Kian couldn't rest long....he knew that if they didn't make it out of the cavern soon they would both die here. Leaning up to the seated position, Kian ripped a large piece of cloth off his robes and went about the business of patching up his leg, tying it tight to stem the flow of blood.

"We need to go." Kian said rising, unsteadily to his feet. "I'll be damned if I'm going to die here....and I'm certainly not going to let you die here." Kian said smiling beneath his mask. "There is far too much potential in you for this to be the end." Kian said, meaning the words and sticking out his hand to help her to her feet. "Lets go home." Kian said, meaning Ossus. Kian wasn't sure if Roshki considered it home.....but he hoped she would come to.

 

[Roshki Belawiiks]

[member="Kian Karr"]

A faint "oomph" left my mouth as I collapsed on my rump, my Master beside me. Holy shiznits, I thought. I did it. I actually saved Karr's life! Granted, I felt like I was running on fumes, but still!

Take that, you stupid apparition!

Bite your tongue, Padawan!

My eyes widened slightly, and I hurriedly rubbed them with my hands. My dirty, grubby hands. Ah, poodoo. Not that it mattered much, though. I was too tired to care.

That is, until Double Kay used profanity. Well, alright, it was very mild compared to other folks (including yours truly), but it was just so weird hearing him say that. Letting out a tired and borderline hysterical giggle, I waggled my finger at him. "Double Kay, you shouldn't use bad words like that. It might tarnish your reputation!"

That darned potential thing again..."You're never gonna let that go, huh?" Letting out a moan of pain as I stretched, my fingers in a clawed form, I eyed the Kel Dor. "Fine, then. But you still owe me a flight." My torturous stretch done, I reached up and grabbed his hand, grunting as I stood up.

As soon as I was on my feet, the world spun 'round and I felt myself tipping forward, a woozy expression on my face that was a cross between a grimace and a dopey grin. Before I could do anything about it, I found myself hugging Karr, my nose smooshed into his robe. Tears Salty water began to leak from my eyes and once again the words tumbled out.

"Thank you, Karr. Just...thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me. I know I gave you plenty of opportunities to, and there will probably be more in the future. Thank you for not discarding me as a hopeless case, even when the other Jedi did. Thank you for having my back, and riding my case on things that I needed to get..uh...ridden on? I don't know. Kark. You know what I mean." I swallowed, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. From somewhere inside me, there was this...need. This need, to tell the Kel Dor how much I really appreciated him -- even if I didn't always show it. It could have been the fact that we'd both kinda had a near-death experience coupled with crappy events beforehand, or the fact that I probably wasn't going to have any other time with this courage, but the fact remained that I had one last thing to get off my chest.

"And...thanks, you know, for being there. Like a parent, you know? I mean, you're like a gajillion years old, but you're still a better parental figure than anyone else I've known. You're pretty cool, you know? So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, well, thank you. For everything." I let out a huff. "Especially since you never know what's gonna happen next."

The amount of emotion that was currently in the air made my eyes leak again, prompting me to wrap up my monologue else the situation would begin to resemble a cheesy holo-drama.

"By the way, you're kinda smelly. Just saying."

 

[Kian Karr]

Kian was a bit wobbly on his feet as well and when he turned to check on Roshki, he suddenly found her latched around his stomach, her arms wrapping him in a hug. For a second, Kian was taken completely by surprise and he glanced down and saw the tears on her face. For a split second, Kian had no idea how to react....and then he went with his gut and place an arm on the girls shoulders comfortingly.

"It's ok Roshki." Kian said comfortingly and listened as the girl spoke. To hear Roshki speak like this was refreshing....no saracasm, no lip....just honesty. She thanked Kian for what he'd done for her and while Kian was glad she was happy about how things had worked out in their time together as Master and Apprentice, he couldn't help but get the sense that part of why she was thanking him was because she still viewed herself as a lost cause....as someone who didn't deserve that sort of commitment. That notion bothered Kian and he knew in time they would work through it.

Then she mentioned him being like a parent for her, and Kian's eyes teared within his goggles. Roshki didn't know about his family.....virtually no one did. Kian often found himself thinking about the family he'd lost....about the sort of father he'd be. Her making that comment touched Kian in a way that Roshki couldn't possibly know.

"There is nothing you need to thank me for Roshki." Kian said patting her back. "Each student I take on teaches me as much as I teach them and you've taught me a great deal Roshki." Kian said meaning it. "I've always got your back, Roshki."

"And you don't smell so great yourself!" Kian added turning and chuckling as he lead her back toward one of the paths leading away from the cavern.

[member="Roshki Belawiiks"]​