The Jedi Experiments - Part 8

It was time to end this game. He had observed the Jedi struggle with isolation and combat.. his Echani upbringing evaluating every habit and gesture the man had. Even if he had been Vellic's equal, his chances against the Sith would be quite low now. 'Unless.. of course.. he were hiding something.'

The door to the Jedi's cell slid open as Vellic began leaving the laboratory facility. The Jedi gazed at the door resolutely, but then was soon perplexed as it remained open and no one came inside. He glanced around quickly, looking up to the mirror-face of the observation window, then rose from the bench. His steps brought him out into an empty hallway, populated only by a table with a single object upon it - his lightsaber.

The air filled with the sound of his lightsaber igniting as he retrieved it, casting a blue light against the walls. Cautiously he crept down the corridor. He didn't like this at all. If they had wanted to kill him they could have done so long ago.. which meant this was another test. Resisting the urge to run, Absel cautiously stalked down the silence corridors of the laboratory.

It seemed he had little choice in his destination, the corridor having few doors and most of those having been sealed. He blinked in surprise as his path led him outside to gaze out into a bleak and desolate landscape; a blasted land of craters and red rock. Wind buffeted him as he gazed out at the steam vents and lava pools of a volcanic world.

The Jedi Experiments - Part 7

((Sorry this is a day late))

Harsh Aeten II winds blew the lengths of Vellic's white hair out across his face. The blistering heat was insufferable, but he hardly seemed to be phased by it as he pressed on and into the entrance to the laboratory. Few came to this place. It was a place of horrific experiments; where science and sorcery met to create monsters. Powerful Sith alchemy had once ruled this place, but now, its mistress was gone - leaving only her students to continue her twisted experiments.

Vellic marched onward, turning a corner and heading back to his observation room. The Father had his own task here. The Jedi was resilient, focused on his ideals and, as yet, seemed mostly unphased by his treatment. 'A tough one to crack..' The Echani thought to himself as he drew up to the observation room window and gazed in upon the meditating Jedi.

"He will die here.. he must know that. Yet he suppresses his emotions well. It gives him calm to resist.. calm in battle.. but calm is no substitute for passion."

The Jedi Experiments Pt. 6

Two Sith warriors entered the room with the Jedi. They were not on par with the Jedi's skill, not fully trained. Vellic did not expect them to win. Quite the opposite, he wondered how the Jedi would respond to them. It would be most...educational.

The Togruta rushed forward, arrogance drawing him to seek the opportunity to attack first. The human hung back, observing the Jedi's skills. Absel waited patiently, his expression hardening into one of displeasure. Blue eyes reflected the Togruta's intensity as the alien rushed upon him, training saber swinging. The room was filled with a harsh buzz as saber met vibrosword.

The Togruta lashed out with an impressive fury; a flurry of bows drawing the Jedi back briefly. But the skill with which the Jedi handled his weapon was too great and he drove between those strikes, nicking the Togruta's shoulder and causing him to falter back. Absel suddenly rushed forward then, a swift kick to the Togruta's chest driving him back against a wall.

The Human Sith seized his opportunity, launching himself into the melee. His weapon swung in from behind, but the Jedi ducked and moved under it. The Sith's attacks were too slow and he was quickly rewarded with a backward elbow to the face. "You needn't do this. It is pointless. Relent and I will not harm you." He said to the two Sith, but his words only fueled their anger.

The two drove forward, together this time. Their combined strikes put the Jedi on the defensive, driving him back toward the far wall. He could not hold up against their combined efforts for long. The human drove forward in a foolish thrust and the Jedi darted nimbly aside. The training saber struck the wall with a jarring impact and the Human found himself between Absel and the Togruta.

Another quick kick to the Human's gut would curl him in upon himself, before the knight projected his hand and cast both across the room with a potent blast of Force. Absel straightened, but did not advance. In the observation room, Vellic crossed his arms over his chest and signaled for guards to drag the two failures out of the room.

The Jedi Experiments Pt. 5

The Jedi seemed combat worthy. He has dispatched the Tuk'ata, though, in the confines of the room, it had been an interesting bout. Vellic watched him from the observation room, his eyes narrowing as the Jedi sat back down on the bench provided, seeming to still himself. "Calm again.. his mind is still, this one will not break easily." The Echani smiled, however, for he did not want to break the Jedi.

He turned to his assistant. "It is time to test him in real combat... have the two students that I asked for arrived?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Excellent, bring them into the room with him." Vellic turned back to the window as his assistant left. Moments later a Togruta and a Human, vibroswords in hand, entered the cell.

The Jedi eyed them, slowly standing and holding his sword at the ready. "What is this?... I thought your master wished the leave me alive?"

The Human scoffed quietly as the Togruta responded. "Lord Duranis will see your blood, and we will give it to him."

Vellic crossed his arms over his chest. 'Show me his blood or do not return from there.' That is what he had told them..

The Jedi Experiments Pt. 4

The Jedi paused, uncertainly creasing his face for the first time. "Then why am I here?"

The Father Saarai-kaar smiled politely. "We will get to that in time.." He began to edge forward, then suddenly tossed the vibrosword to the ground at Absel's feet. "That is for you. To use as you see fit."

Absel blinked at him, his confusion increasing. "Do you intend to fight me? Or perhaps you think i'll kill myself for you?"

Vellic shrugged. "We may fight, eventually. That is ultimately up to you and destiny.. If I were you, I would not look forward to that day. But I assure you, if you face me you will be holding a lightsaber, not this sword.." The Echani turned to the door way and began walking out.

"That's it, where are you going now?" The Jedi demanded somewhat irritably. The Echani smiled as he continued out the door. "I have a present for you.." The door slid shut behind him as he headed to the observation room. "Send in the Tuk'ata." He murmured as he passed his assistant.

The Jedi Experiments Pt. 3

With a soft hydrolic hiss, the doorway to the Jedi's large room opened and admitted the Echani inside. Absel's eyes opened, blue as they gazed upon the ghostly figure in the doorway. "I had wondered when you would finally come for me." He said calmly, his stoic nature surprising Vellic after his hours of seclusion.

Still, Vellic pressed on and moved further inside. The Sith carried a vibrosword in hand as he silently approached the Jedi. "Come to execute me? Not even going to do me the dignity of telling me who you are and where I am?"

The Echani smiled slightly, his voice coming out as a smooth and gentle stream. "I am not here to kill you Jedi... I am Vellic Duranis, Sith Lord and Father Saarai-Kaar of the Jen'jidai.. and you are here, trapped on our homeworld of Aeten II. There is no escape."

The Jedi's eyebrows raised slightly as he regarded Vellic. "No execution and no escape?" He rose to his feet and crossed his arms. "I will never turn to the Darkside." Vellic canted his head to the side, an expression of bemusement on his youthful features. "I am not a creature of the darkside."

"A pleasant smile cannot hide the rot within." Absel retorted.

"No, but I am one of the Force in its entirety. The whole, true Force. And besides.." The Father began. "We do not want you."

The Jedi Experiments Pt. 2

'He just sits there. I wonder if he knows that I am here?' Vellic mused as he watched the Jedi. He seemed to be meditating, his mind and body at peace as he waited to learn of his fate. Vellic crossed his arms, impressed by the man's calm. 'This one is strong.. tranquil.. he will not be easy to crack.' A thin smile spread across his wide lips. 'Excellent..'

'He is calm and yet, he cannot hide his struggle from me.' The Echani thought as he watched the subtle shifts in his position, the small physical cues that displayed his building anxiety. 'He does well to keep calm, but the silence gets to him. As it should... Time will wear upon him.'

He turned then, marching from the observation room. 'Some dinner then..let him stew in the silence and hunger..' It was a long walk from the laboratory to the dormitory and the Father paused before leaving. His silver-eyed gazed swept along the instruments and consoles, wondering idly how many times the Mother herself had been in this very room. Vellic wasn't normally one for such experiments, that had always been Thelxepia's field of interest...