Description
The Fallen Knight
Chapter I (Part 2)
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As Kira and her submersible rose from the waters inside what was once the Republic embassy's aquatic hanger, Kira noticed the room was already occupied with both Vaylin's Knights and what she thought to be a garrison of the metallic soldiers referred to as sky troopers. Bringing her vehicle to a halt, Kira saw the door to the embassy open, as her opponent from the outpost, from the fight on the ocean floor, emerge through the doorway as the knights stood to attention, Vaylin was already waiting for Kira, her bright yellow eyes gazed onto Kira. Vaylin had found her prey once more, though this time, she wasn't playing around, this time, there would be no time for toying with her victim.
As Kira got out of the submersible, two knights restrained her arms, while a third knight removed Kira's lightsaber from her belt, holding it out for Vaylin to grab through the force.
"I like the color," Vaylin said, "It'll match your bones once I flay you alive."
"Are words all you've got, I expected more from the so called military leader of the Eternal Empire?"
Vaylin sighed, Kira's words were irritating her. Igniting Kira's lightsaber, Vaylin held it to Kira's throat while the two knights were restraining Kira, held her tightly, not allowing her to back away from the white blade inches from Kira's face.
"I don't need words, not while I have them," Vaylin screamed into Kira's eyes, while pointing at a group of dead Selkath behind the sky troopers.
"You're Republic went behind the back of the Eternal Empire, did you really expect to get away with mining kolto without our consent?"
"You're wrong! You attacked a science outpost, the people there were studying the local-"
"Oww, a Jedi who lies," Vaylin smirked while chuckling, "I like you, we're going to get along just fine," Vaylin said, deactivating Kira's lightsaber.
"If the people there were studying the fish, then explain why we found large quantities of kolto, ready to be shipped to a Republic warship that was hiding in the clouds."
Kira said nothing, Vaylin had discovered the deception, the Republic was indeed mining kolto directly from the ocean floor. Their plan, they thought would slip past the eyes and ears of the Eternal Empire, a plan that had cost the Republic it's much needed medical supplies, a failure that now awaited a response from the Eternal Empire.
Journeying through the streets of Atho City, Vaylin exposed Kira to the consequences of operating behind the Eternal Empire's back. Atho City was a flame, homes, cantinas, shops, had all been destroyed. Those who survived the bombardment from the Eternal Fleet, now found themselves being herded onto shuttles, either to be processed as slave labour, while others were being hand picked from the crowds to await a worse fate.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Vaylin said, "There's nothing like a sunrise while your enemies are burning around you."
"These people had nothing to do with the base, why are you punishing them?!"
Vaylin looked at the injured Selkath grinning as they watched her, Kira and her knights as they walked past them into the precinct.
"The Selkath choose their fate when they ignored their own rules in favour of your friends."
Looking around the precinct, there was nothing, everything that once stood here had been destroyed by the ships above, which were now hovering motionlessly above the flaming city.
"A pity we had to kill all your friends," Vaylin said, "Now only you know who amount the Selkath Council authorized the construction of that base."
"You'll have to kill me; I'm not telling you anything!" Kira yelled as she glared into Vaylin's cold eyes.
Vaylin, while partially stunned by Kira's aggression towards her, let out a sadistic grin towards her Jedi prisoner.
"Oh, well, fortunately for you I can only kill you once, yet there are so many methods of execution out there, perhaps you'll help me decide later," Vaylin said as a group of Selkath was being lined up by sky troopers in front of them.
Vaylin ignited her lightsaber and pointed it towards the first Selkath in the group, the yellow glow from her blade reflected off the eyes of the cowering Selkath.
"I want the name of the Selkath judges who are allied with your cell!" Vaylin said, looking back and forth to Kira and the cowering Selkath.
Kira stared at the Selkath, if she gave Vaylin the names of the Selkath who supported the Republic, it would mean their immediate execution and further punishment on the Selkath people. However it didn't matter, Kira's pause had sealed the fate of Vaylin's victim. While Kira had spent a moment to consider Vaylin's offer, Vaylin had stabbed the Selkath through the chest with her lightsaber; his body fell to the floor as Vaylin peered her eyes onto the second Selkath.
"Have you ever seen the effects lightning can have on a body?" Vaylin asked Kira. "The poor little fishes just can't take much of it before they explode.
Vaylin took another look at Kira; still, she resisted to answer.
"Very well," Vaylin said as she sent shock after shock through the second Selkaths body. "Too late for this one."
The Selkath was dead, yet her body continued to twitch from Vaylins vicious assault.
"If you're not going to say anything, I'll kill everyone," Vaylin said, focusing her full attention back to Kira, holding out her blade, the tip, just inches away from another victim.
"Judge Selshlor" Kira muttered under her breath, Vaylin smiled placing her hand on Kira's cheek.
"Thank you," Vaylin said, wiping her thumb against a tear. "He'll get to watch his people burn!"
"What?!" Kira exclaimed. "I told you so that you would stop this senseless killing spree."
"These pathetic little fish people have proven they can't be trusted - and I'm going to have their leaders beg as they watch their city crumble around them." Vaylin turned to the two knights who had escorted her and Kira through the city.
"Take Miss Carsen here to my ship; I'll finish interrogating her later!"
Kira reached forward as if to grab Vaylin by the neck, however, was knocked unconscious from a blow to the head delivered by one of Vaylin's knights.
"That wasn't very nice," Vaylin said, looking at Kira's body hit the floor. "We'll have to do something about that attitude of yours."
Vaylin raised her head, looking at the Knight who had knocked Kira unconscious.
"Take her to my ship!" Vaylin barked, then turning her attention to the other Knight. "You come with me!"
Vaylin left with her knight, she had got what she wanted from Kira, and now it was time to for the Selkath to pay. On route to the Selkath Judges, Vaylin, and her knight stopped, looking out one of the windows to the ocean bays, hundreds lied dead on the loading bays, cargo containers had been hurled everywhere from the bombardment.
"A glorious sight, isn't it?" Vaylin said, waiting for a reply.
"Yes ma'am," responded the nervous voice of her Knight. "Hundreds dead, the Selkath didn't even try to resist." The Knight added, gaining her confidence in front of her superior.
"With this treaty violation, the Republic and Sith Empire will be expelled from Manaan, Selkath Law prohibits direct access to the ocean floor to all off-worlders."
"Unless the Selkath gave these fools special rights."
"Either way ma'am, the Eternal Empire will be the dominate benefactor from their medical supplies."
Vaylin cooed, watching as several shuttles from her fleet landed on Manaan to collect both the Republic and Sith Empire's stock of Kolto. With proof of deception from the Selkath, providing direct access to the medical supplies hidden in the oceans of their planet, Vaylin was in a position to secure any deal with the Selkath she desired.
"Ma'am, Judge Selshlor," The knight says pointing at the Selkath as he approaches her, flanked by a squadron of sky troopers.
"High Justice Vaylin, this attack on Manaan is unpro-"
"This attack would never have occurred if you hadn't of been fishy behind our backs."
"There are worlds out there suffering; it's our civic duty to provide aid to those who-"
Vaylin interrupted him again, grabbing the back of his skull and slamming him into the window.
"You want to help those in need?" Vaylin asked, "Your people need you, judge, now more than ever!"
Vaylin turned, nodding at the knight that she spoke to prior, the knight returned the nod, contacting the fleet in orbit.
"Judge Selshlor has been captured; High Justice Vaylin has given the all clear to resume the bombing of the city."
As Vaylin pressed the Selkath's face against the window, the skies once again lit up with sparkles of blue lights as the Eternal Fleet once again opened fire on the city. With the evidence Vaylin had acquired, she wanted to send a warning to the rest of the galaxy, and the Selkath, the many innocents of Atho City would pay for this one Selkath's lack of faith.
"You're people are dying because of you, judge!" Vaylin whispered to the Selkath.
"When the galaxy hears of the betrayal committed by you and your people, no one will dare do silly things behind our backs again!"
Vaylin gazed out the window, smiling as bolts of blue energy destroyed building after building.
"Aww, nothing to say? You're no fun." Vaylin said as she ignited her lightsaber through the judges back, screeching the Selkath could do nothing as his eyes glared at the yellow beam of light sticking out from the front of his chest.
"We've got what we came for; we even got a new addition to the fight arena," Vaylin said chuckling to herself, "I wonder how she'll die."
As Vaylin pondered the fate of Kira, the Knight drew out her holo-communicator, an image of a Zakuulian officer now illuminated the hallway.
"High Justice Vaylin, your prisoner, has been escorted to the cells and the fleet has destroyed forty percent of Atho City."
"Only forty?!" Vaylin yelled as her voice echoed through the streets. "You'll destroy the entire city!"
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