Chapter 17
Drake took off his jacket and dropped to the ground and unclipped his saber from his belt, holding it inactive in his right hand. Bandon slipped his over cloak from his frame and it pooled to the ground. Bandon was wearing a black version of Dark Jedi master's armour and he took his double-bladed lightsaber from his belt as the two circled the landing pad their eyes never leaving each other.
The party watched from the cockpit as the two paced. Bastila, Juhani and Jolee could feel the mixture of power emanating from them: Bandon's dark and bloodthirsty; Drake's light and stormy. The air was literally thick and heavy with the incredible amount force energy that howled around the two opponents as they continued to size each other up.
"At last my search is at last over…" Bandon drawled arrogance seeping into every single word "I was beginning to fear someone else had killed you and deprived me of the pleasure…" the Darth looked over Drake with dismissing glance but felt something oddly familiar within the Jedi as well as incredible potential and an untapped dark power but he dismissed it.
"You may have been able to defeat the pathetic bounty hunter my master sent after you… but you are no match for me! I have studied at the foot of the Dark Lord himself" Drake scoffed as they continued to circle each other, like two wild animals battling over territory or leadership of a pack.
"Malak's apprentice huh?" Drake replied dryly "Can't say I'm impressed" his words had the desired affect, Bandon's anger flared and the Sith snarled his eyes gaining a hint of yellow in their depths.
"Your words meaning nothing to me!" he spat "unless you wish to beg for your life" Drake remained silent "No? Then I will try to make this both quick and painful" Bandon held out his saber hilt horizontally in one hand and activated the first blood red blade and then the second one snarled to life as he allowed his challenge to be known.
Drake twirled his hilt in his hand, and the sky-blue blade of energy hissed out off the hilt and he spun his saber backwards around his hand and then settled in the classic opening stance of Shien, his blade angled above and behind his head.
For a few seconds they just stood staring at each other. The wind had kicked up and now whistled and whipped around them as they waited for the other to make the first move. The only sound other than the wind was the humming of the two combatant's lightsabers as they growled in the air, eager for battle. After the tension grew a sufficient amount the battle was joined.
Bandon began twirling his blades in front of him and spun on the spot. Drake leapt over him, bringing his blade down onto one of the Siths blades. Drake landed and slid his blade down to deflect a blow at his legs and battered away a strike at his right side. Bandon almost immediately was on the attack and bombarded Drake with a series of blows. Drake was able to defend himself expertly as his blade creating blue arcs in the air as the Jedi parried and blocked Bandon's blows in various places.
As on Tatooine Drake was on the defensive, but this time it was by his choice. Drake was testing Bandon's abilities and skill, keeping himself from attacking, while probing the Darths Juyo fighting style for any weaknesses. Ducking a blow he brought his blade horizontally above his head to block a first attack. Keeping the blade in the same position, he moved his saber down and then back up to deflect two more strikes. Drake moved away keeping his blade vertically by his side as Bandon spun his blades in cyclone of red flame.
I need to lure him away from the ship and into a open area Drake moved back spinning his blade around his hand, and knocked away a stab at his midsection as Bandon moved onto the attack again. Deflecting a downward slash and then having one of his own blocked, the young Jedi flipped backwards to avoid a sweep at legs.
Landing in front of the gate leading to the walkway, Drake raised his hand seizing control of a large log of a tree branch. He looked towards Bandon and hurled it at him. Bandon grinned maliciously and carved the wood into quarters with his lightsaber. Bandon raised his own hand and blue-force lighting crackled and erupted from his hand. It caught Drake in the chest and with a yell sent him crashing through the gate and onto the walkway.
Drake slammed into the ground his body smouldering and his lightsaber clattering down the walkway. Using the momentum of the fall he rolled onto his feet and staggered back a little before regaining his balance. Bandon came through the gateway and smirked as Drake retreated a little more into the larger section of the walkway where he'd encountered the patrol he threw into the shadowlands. Bandon followed and paced in front of the young Jedi who turned and watched the Darth's movements as he Bandon smugly paced up and down in front the Jedi, holding his now inactive saberstaff in his hand.
The party had watched the battle from the cockpit and were astounded at the amount of skill and power displayed by Drake and Bandon. They had never seen anything quite like it for a very long time and even though Drake was undoubtedly the most powerful Jedi within the party if not the Jedi order, they hadn't expected that kind of power from him.
As the party sat in the cockpit Bastila turned and ran from the cockpit. Carth realising her intentions quickly ran after her as Jolee shouted after her.
"Bastila wait!"
Catching up to her in the main hold, Carth caught her and held her back. Bastila struggled against him with all of her might, her strength quite incredible for her petite frame.
"Let me go Carth!" she demanded as he tried to pull her back.
"Bastila! I know what you're plan to do, and it's crazy!" Carth growled as she continued to writhe in his grasp. "You'd only get in Drake's way and you know it!" Bastila wrenched her arms free.
"I can't stand by and do nothing!" she retorted as she moved to ramp in order to lower it. Jolee and Juhani had caught up and Bindo placed himself in front of her. "Stand aside Jolee" Bastila ordered.
"No…" Bastila blinked as Jolee replied quite calmly.
"I will not tell you again…move aside!" her voice was rising in frustration.
"Bastila what would happen if you got yourself hurt?" Bastila was taken aback by Jolee's question "Drake would never forgive himself and he'd try with all his power to keep you safe…that's why he'd rather fight that Sith by himself" Jolee stated as the rest of the party moved in as well.
"Jolee…what if he dies?" Bastila asked desperate to move past and help her beloved.
"Bastila…" Jolee smiled softly despite the serious situation "you love him don't you?" Bastila stammered as the entire party gazed in shock at Jolee's question.
"I…." Bastila paused and then Drake's words of following her heart echoed in her mind "Yes…yes I do" the party almost fell over in comical style, Canderous was caught so off guard he stared wide-eyed at the women he'd dubbed "the ice queen".
Bastila was probably one of the most stubborn women and the zealous Jedi in the galaxy and she'd just admitted in front of eight individuals one of whom was Jedi that she'd broken the Jedi code not to fall in love.
"Then you understand why you can't go and fight Bandon right now…" Jolee concluded, "The fact that you two are in love is both a gift and a curse…what if you got yourself killed?" Bastila became still with terror as Jolee continued.
"Drake would hate himself…he'd never forgive himself for putting you in danger against Bandon because he loves you…but that love also serves as a source of strength for you both…" Bastila frowned "Drake's desire to protect us but especially you from Bandon is part of the source of his incredible power"
"But I can help him…" Bastila replied desperately as the party recovered from their state of shock.
"Yes you can… by staying here…" Jolee answered her "No doubt you would be able to help Drake against Bandon, but you have to understand that just this once Drake wants to keep you out of harms way especially considering how dangerous Bandon is…" Bastila looked down and Bindo put his hand on her shoulder "If it were up to me: I'd be the one out there and not Drake…but he's the only one who can fight Bandon…so please for the sake of what you share with Drake…stay here…don't end it prematurely" Bastila looked up at him. Reluctantly she nodded and Jolee rubbed her back soothingly.
"So let me get this straight…" Mission exclaimed, "You and Drake are…?" Bastila moved away from the party and towards Drake's dormitory and Mission went to follow her only to be stopped by Carth
"Mission…" Carth interjected "not now…neither of them want us to bother them…let's pretend we don't know when Drake returns"
(Carth's right Mission) Zaalbar added.
"Let's give them some peace…" Jolee said, "They've earned that…and the fact they're in love allows them some privacy…" the party nodded and waited anxiously for Drake's return as Bastila curled on the bunk she now shared with Drake waiting for her beloved.
Drake stood calmly as his opponent continued to pace in front. Bandon had a smug smile on his face as he continued to leer at Drake.
"My master told me that you would be challenging…" Bandon drawled, "You are pathetic, you are not even worth my time…" Drake's eyes narrowed slightly but he kept composed as he calmly held his ground.
"Maybe not but don't think I'll make this easy for you…" Drake retorted. Bandon cackled.
"Please…you are nothing…" Bandon though for a moment "Maybe I'd get more entertainment if I were to slaughter your friends" Drake stiffened noticeably. Bandon felt Drake's anger rise and then sensed Bastila present in Drake's mind and a lustful smirk marred his face "Or I could have my way with Shan" Drake's eyes snapped to him, rage burning in their cyan depths and Bandon smirked his objective achieved.
Drake's lightsaber flew to his hand, roaring to life and Bandon quickly activated both his blades. Drake was on him in a second, his sky-blue blade crashing onto the Darth's red blades. Drake struck at Bandon's higher right and then his lower left and Bandon quickly slashed one of his blades through the air, which Drake ducked.
Coming back up, Drake angled his blade vertically down his back to catch Bandon's left blade and then brought it in front of him to catch the right blade. He then blocked an additional five strikes, before ducking again and directing his saber to batter away Bandon's blades an additional four times.
As the two separated, Bandon felt his frustration build. He hadn't expected Drake to attack with such ferocity. Spinning his blades in the air, he struck with great force at Drake's right side and then brought the other to Drake's lower left when that was blocked. Bandon snarled and then swept both blade's down in an attempt to cut out Drake's legs from beneath him.
Drake jumped up to avoid them and landed quickly taking his saber to the right catching the Darth's blade and blocked one attack aimed for his head, then a lower strike before blocking a second high one. Swinging his blade up to guard his back from an attempt to sever his spine and then did the same for his chest he used a heavy blow to knock Bandon off balance. Bandon stumbled back and Drake seized the opportunity.
In a flash of blue, Bandon's lightsaber was split in two and Bandon, moving back kicked Drake in the chest sending him to the floor. In the two seconds Drake took to hit the floor, Bandon saw his saber now had only one useful blade, the other power crystal having been destroyed by Drake's blow. Bandon snarled and threw the useless left half away and began spinning his blade around his body as he leapt at his Jedi prey.
Drake kipped up onto his feet and parried Bandon's stab and backhanded him away. Bandon spun round and Drake attacked. Drake struck right, left and right again and Bandon expertly kept his blade in position to deflect the attacks. He then slid his blade over Drake's knocking it back and then battered away an attempted stab. Both men spun their blades around their bodies and then the energy weapons cackled as the blades met in midair. The combatant's faces were mere inches apart, Bandon smirking.
"I sense much fear in you…Padawan" Bandon goaded Drake as both struggled against the other "You have hate…you have anger…but you don't use them"
In the second after he taunted Drake, the young Jedi's rage, already boiling from Bandon's earlier comment about Bastila, was unleashed.
Bandon felt himself shoved backwards with tremendous force and he spun his blade round and held it above his head as Drake glared at him.
Drake took a step forward and snarled, viscously bringing his blade down onto Bandon's. The two blades sang through the air Drake pushed Bandon back as Bandon desperately fended off Drake's attacks.
Even with his dark mastery of Juyo, Bandon was being overwhelmed by Drake's unprecedented prowess in Djem So. Bandon spun round hoping to gain an advantage but Drake swung his blade round in a heavy blow once again knocking the Sith off balance. Bandon quickly leaned back to avoid a sweep at his skull and used the force to shove Drake back.
For all the good it did, Drake wasn't pushed off his feet instead simply sliding back but remained upright. The enraged Jedi began spinning his saber through the air in front of him and then swung it up, holding the blade parallel to his shoulder, the blade aimed at Bandon's heart.
Bandon froze in shock and disbelief. That stance, he recognised it. He knew it very well in fact. It had been Revan's stance against Bastila's strike team on the bridge only a year ago. But how did this Jedi, no padawan know the fight style of the most powerful Sith Lord to date?
Drake charged him again and Bandon again went on the defensive as Drake rained blow after blow on Bandon. Bandon found that even drawing on his rage wasn't enough and leapt away, deactivating his saber before retreating back towards the landing pad Drake hot on his heels.
Carth was sitting in cockpit when he noticed the two combatants coming back "Everyone get up here! They're back!" At his words the entire crew had appeared in the cockpit as the two warriors drew near.
Bandon was sprinting towards the ship, and Drake was right behind him. Using the force Drake flew over Bandon and landed directly in his path. Bandon skidded to a halt and both their sabers roared into being once again as the sunrise glowed through the trees of Kashyyyk.
"Who are you?" Bandon demanded as he moved to the left of Drake.
"My name's Drake…" his opponent replied "And I am your end Sith!" Bandon stepped back as Drake's power went through the roof, the air rippling with the unnatural amount force energy Drake was harnessing.
"You? Don't make me laugh!" Bandon replied though in reality, his heart was pounding with pure terror "I am Darth Bandon! Second only to the Darth Malak! YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!!!!!" Bandon howled as he raised his hand and force lightning again erupted from his fingers with all the anger, rage and hatred he could muster poured into it. The lightning snarled through the air towards Drake who stood calm and ready.
To the shock of the entire party and Bandon, Drake's left hand rose to catch the lightning. Bandon eyes snapped wide open. Juhani, Jolee and Bastila stared jaws slightly open as Drake's black hair bellowed backwards he handled the manifestation of dark energy in his hand with little to no effect whatsoever. Drake's eyes narrowed as he tensed and threw his arm to the side sending the force lightning away through the trees, knocking some down in the process and into the red-sky, crackling and sizzling as it went.
Bandon was trembling now, nothing short of petrified and his chest was heaving out of fatigue. For all his skill, for all his power, Drake abilities far-surpassed his own. However the arrogance and spite of the Jedi natural to all Sith continued to defiantly burn within him.
"ENOUGH!!! YOU WILL NOT MAKE A FOOL OF ME!!!!" he roared as he lunged at Drake who took his blade in both hands.
Their blades met again in a dazzling show of red and blue. The blades cracked and zapped at each other as Bandon attacked with all of his fury, Drake giving away no ground as he deflected, parried and battered away all of Bandon's attacks. Drake finally struck back and it was over.
Catching Bandon's single red blade, he pushed the blade round to his right and drove his elbow into Bandon's face, stunning him. Bandon staggered back and Drake charged. Spinning his blade in both hands, and turning so his back was to Bandon, he drove it straight through Bandon's chest. Bandon's eyes widened in pain and his mouth opened in a silent scream of anguish as the life left his body. Drake shot his right leg back and kicked Bandon with force-empowered strength off of his blade.
Bandon sailed back and the railing on the edge of the platform snapped as his body broke through and plummeted into the depths of the Kashyyyk forest never to be seen again. And so does Darth Bandon, apprentice to Darth Malak left the world of the living.
Drake took a deep breath and his saber slid back into his hilt and he re-clipped it to his belt. The morning breeze caused his hair to flutter slightly as sun continued to rise on Kashyyyk.
"Yes…" Carth said in a strained voice "Yes" then in nothing but pure relief he collapsed onto the console in front of him. Bastila had turned and ran down the corridor. Falcan leant back against the wall and sighed as the others all in their own let their relief be known.
Drake stood calmly with his eyes still closed until he heard the ramp lower. He turned as the ramp lowered and Bastila came down the ramp and ran towards him. Drake smiled as Bastila threw herself into his arms. Drake's arms wrapped around her waist and hers came up to his shoulders around his neck. For a few minutes they just stood enveloped in the others embrace. Drake's head turned to look to his right and Bastila feeling him move also looked and gasped slightly.
The sunrise had peeked over the treetops. The sky had been turned it a bright red colour and the cloud's glowed pink as the fledging rays of light shone through the trees and gaps caused by Drake deflecting Bandon's force lightning less than five minutes ago.
Drake and Bastila stood and watched the sunrise ignoring the gaze of the others from the cockpit, caught up in their own world as they turned to gaze at each other and simply gazed into the other's eyes for a few moments before their lips joined in a chaste kiss as the paradise of their love continued on.
But ahead of them lies a path of darkness, pain, hatred and...Revenge.
Right...first of all I'd like to apologize for the premature ending. I really enjoyed writing this but I lost my drive for it so this is the final chapter of this story.
However when I find the time I will start the second half to this. It may be a little darker then this story and will cover the final part of the game.
Anyway, Thanks for reading it and I hope you enjoyed.
Thanks