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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1884125" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 74: Strange Forces at WorkDark stood outside of the complex, watching the horizon for any sign of her Akan. He was taking his time. He should have returned by now. She knew he hadn’t failed...then it was likely he was simply trying to prove something. Idiot. Obviously, he knew that she still had use for him and wouldn’t get rid of him, allowing a certain level of defiance. This did not, however, account for the fact that this creature they were serving may not take it so lightly. And if her pet got himself killed like that, she’d be stuck. Dark growled to herself, kicking at Jen’s body which was laying in the sand at her feet.    Truthfully, Dark had not reported the woman’s capture yet. In fact, she’d been standing outside(and in one of the blind spots for the scanners) since arriving ten minutes earlier. She’d simply dropped Jen’s body onto the sand and waited. He was taking more than just his sweet time. She growled again, and took a short look back towards the entrance to the complex. No guards still. And she couldn’t feel that wandering menace either. Silence. Emptiness. A strange thing near this place. He was up to something...    But that wouldn’t matter if her pet got them both killed. More trouble than he was worth. She reached out through the remnant of the link between them and said. [If I have to come out there and get you, you’re going to regret it.]    She didn’t get a response. No surprise. He’d likely at least speed up. But there was something else. A distant feeling...two of them. Dark soon identified them as the two Lights. That presented a problem. If she could feel them through the link like that, then it was likely they could hear her. Which meant...    Outwardly, Dark cursed and kicked at Jen’s unconscious body again. A moment later, she detected an amused feeling through the link. This was quickly followed by her Akan’s voice. [Not very smart. Now they know where you are. You shouldn’t be so arrogant all the time.]    That idiot! Accusing her of arrogance while giving away his own position in the process! He was inviting trouble! Dark paused a moment in her thoughts. He was inviting trouble...literally. She’d made a mistake in assuming that the link was simply dead, but he’d figured it out. He couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to chastise her and make the same mistake. So there was a reason behind it...yes. But what? Think...feel. There. A trap? Yes...he was feeling vindictive at having to run from himself. Amusing.    Amusing, but stupid. He’d lost once and that meant he could screw up again. Dark growled to herself for the third time and picked up Jen. Tossing the unconscious human over her shoulder, Dark took to the sky and shot off towards her Akan. After she helped him not get himself killed she was going to bring him as close to death as was possible. He was playing games when they shouldn’t be played.* * * *    “So you’re telling me you’re standing right over there?” Voort asked, sounding a little sarcastic though he was being completely serious. More trying to analyze the situation than anything. They were laying down behind a dune, with Akan peeking over the top to look at an object they’d seen flying across the sky. It had stopped, and then dropped down. They had done the same. With a short argument, Akan had pointed out that his Alraxian eyes were better, meaning he should be the one to have a look.    He crawled back down the dune and looked to Voort with a nod, “Yes. Sort of. I already explained that. But yes, I’m over there. So is Shad...um...Light. I think he knows I’m here.”    “And then why is he just standing there?” asked Voort as he thought about stepping up to have a look for himself. Soon...but not yet.    Akan was thinking. He opened his mouth and attempted to explain something, “Well. If it was me...and it is. Then...I’d be angry for having gotten my tail whipped by myself. And I’d probably not be thinking straight, so I’d be putting priorities all wrong,” he paused a moment to make sure Voort was keeping up. Akan wasn’t even completely understanding all of what he was saying anymore, “I bet I’m standing there waiting for me to come out so I can get some revenge.”    Voort raised an eyebrow, “Not very Jedi like.”    “But very me like,” Akan commented. That got a slow nod from Voort. Smiling, Akan looked back to the top of the dune, “But we’ve got an advantage here.”    “Me,” responded Voort, idly waving the blaster pistol that he was now carrying.    Akan nodded, “Exactly. Or at least, I hope. Hopefully I’m too blinded by annoyance to try seeing if I’m alone or not.”    “You could just say ‘he’ instead of all those I’s, Akan,” Voort said, finally pointing out something that had been bothering the both of them for the last twenty minutes. At that, Akan grinned and shrugged. Without another word, Akan stood up and started over the dune. Voort carefully made his way over to the left side of the dune before finding a spot where he could watch carefully from. A spot where he’d also be able to attack from if necessary.    Casually, Akan walked over the dune towards his other. He had a smile on his face, though that was sharply contrasted by the scowl on the winged Akan’s face. That Alraxian really needed to learn to control his emotions more. His Dark allowed Akan to get within about ten paces before he spoke up, “What took you so long?”    Akan just smiled and shrugged, “Oh, you know how I am. Always late. Too cautious...annoying.”    His Dark simply glared. Then, Akan heard something. It was from where the link should have been. He...heard a voice. Distant and not very clear. But it was a voice. And it was familiar. Akan’s eyes widened when he realized he could hear Dark’s voice through the link. A moment later, he heard his own Dark’s response. Akan was just about to make a sarcastic and rude comment when his Dark rushed forward.    Akan was thrown to the sand below, his Dark pinning him and clawing at his chest. When one of the claws raked across Akan’s chest, he caught sight of a slight hint of pain in his Dark’s face. Interesting. Kicking his Dark off and to the side, Akan rolled away and got to his feet. He quickly remorphed the wound and said, “You know as little as I do about this. For all we know, killing me could kill you.”    “It could be worse,” his Dark said flatly, charging again. This time, Akan grabbed his Dark’s wrist and threw the winged version of himself onto his back. It could be worse. Those words. Something about them was much more important than it had seemed at first. Akan no longer found himself wanting to die...yet those words from his Dark showed the difference between them. All of his failure within this one. Not aggression like with Shadow...but failure. This Dark would not beat him. It wasn’t possible. Physically, maybe, but not mentally.     Suddenly, Akan found himself feeling sorry for his Dark. When those feelings were balanced with others, they were bearable. But alone? That was something he couldn’t imagine. And before Akan could speak up, knowing that at least saying something would help, there was a flash of movement. Coupled with this, an arm impacted with Akan’s chest, sending him sprawling across the sand. He looked up in surprise, attempting to get his breath back and saw Dark. Not his...but the Dark. She was much more dangerous, and he knew why now.    Over her shoulder, Dark growled, “Get back with both of them, NOW!”    It was strange to see Akan’s Dark cower like that. But then again, anyone would have cowered at the coldness in that voice. Even Sadrak, probably. As Akan’s Dark scrambled to pick up both Light and the body of Jen(which Akan had not seen Dark even drop), Dark took a few steps towards Akan. She looked down at him, tilting her head curiously and holding a disturbing half smile on her face. Quietly, and far too calmly, she said to him, “You know I can’t kill you...but then again, you also know that death would be a release from pain. And we can’t have that, can we?”    Akan had a quick second before Dark did to hear and see Voort. This second had given Voort just enough time to get to his feet, start running, and fire off one shot. The shot caught Dark in the back, sending her to the sand next to Akan. One last glance towards Voort showed that he was actually running toward’s Akan’s Dark. This meant that Akan had another job. Not even getting to his feet, Akan moved enough to deliver a strong kick to Dark’s jaw. A moment later, Akan was getting to his feet and drawing his lightsaber. The second he thumbed the activation switch at the blade appeared, Dark was up and had gotten a hold of his wrist.    It was no real fight over dominance of the saber. Dark was simply stronger than he was. So when she kicked Akan back and tore the weapon from his grip, Akan had been ready for it. He had been kicked back close to Voort, who was just running past towards Akan’s Dark. Voort took a quick look at the situation, and did something Akan wasn’t ready for. The former Imperial tossed his double bladed lightsaber to Akan, said nothing, and continued his run to stop Akan’s Dark, who was just picking up Light.    Akan didn’t take any time to think, he simply activated one of the orange blades just in time to deflect a vicious strike from Dark. He spun around and blocked another quick strike, this one aimed towards his lower torso. She wasn’t playing around. In fact, despite her comment on not killing him, she seemed bent on making sure he existed in more than just two bodies. Akan was finding it strange to wield the much larger hilt of Voort’s weapon, but was doing his best to not let that effect his defense. Defense. For once, he was on the defense and not trying anything else. All he had to do was by Voort time, and then get out.    But Dark would likely detect such a ruse. So Akan found an opening, and pressed his own attack. He swung the orange blade across towards Dark’s shoulder. She parried this easily, but her spin which was quickly followed by an attack showed an interesting advantage to Akan. She was slower because of the two large wings. A grin appeared on Akan’s face and he parried two more quick strikes before taking advantage of this. Attacking in a way that would seem foolish to anyone else, Akan swung the blade up and towards Dark’s side. She wasn’t there, but when she moved to spin out of the way of his strike, her wing found its way to his blade. There was a loud scream of pain, and Dark quickly dropped Akan’s lightsaber. This surprised Akan, but not as much as her next reaction. In a flash, her fist slammed into Akan’s face, and then Dark was gone.    He’d blinked and cringed from the pain...and then his eyes had opened to emptiness. Akan turned to the other sound, seeing Voort. The man had taken two more shots at Akan’s Dark, who had by now dropped both Light and Jen and was nearly running. Whatever Voort had done...wait, no. Voort had done nothing but shoot at him. Then, why?! Suddenly, in a quick blur of movement, Akan’s Dark was plucked off the sand and two dark blurs shot off towards...towards no where.    Akan watched in disbelief, then turned to Voort. The man looked back and shrugged, “That was too easy.”    Walking over to look to both Jen and Light, Akan nodded, “They were going to win.”    “But they just dropped and ran,” Voort finished, kneeling down next to Jen and wiping the sand off of her face.        Akan sighed and looked around, unsure of what to do. He bit his lower lip for a moment, then walked over to Light. She was half awake, starting to sit up, and looking dazed. Akan stepped over and helped her to her feet, then looked back to Voort, “Think we can worry about it later and just get out of this desert? I could use a rest.”</blockquote>

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