Crimson and Sable

[erickson]

Marga, busy at the controls of the stolen spacecraft, spared no thought for the ancient body slowly cooling on the floor behind her. Nor did the girl's death disturb her youthful countenance. She only wondered how soon the Padawan's Master would be after her.

She worked the controls confidently. Four hundred years had taught her much about human starship controls and their design. And this was a Jedi ship, product of hundreds of years of refinement.

Visually, she did not look dangerous. Innocent blue eyes gazed out of a fair face. Blond hair was cut short, except for the Padawan braid. A lightsaber swung at her belt, blue-bladed and finally crafted, probably a gift of the Padawan's master.

She idly wondered if he had been foolish enough to send the girl after her, or if the child had chased her on her own.

After all, it wasn't every day that a Padawan could take down a Sith Lady. Especially one who was traveling unarmed. And surely a Dark Healer deserved to die......

So she must have told herself, thought Marga, as she put the ship into Jump. Which proved that the Jedi Council still concealed, still censored, information about their one grave mistake.

Marga's soft, youthful face contorted in a snarl as she considered the Council's words. "You are not suitable for a Knight, Marga. You are an Abomination worse than anything created by the Sith. We will spare your life, but you will be transported to a deserted planet, there to live out your days."

She had escaped their 'mercy', killing the Jedi transporting her, and had been on the Jedi's hit list ever since.

For four hundred years...................

[Quinn]

What she didn't know was that for the past one hundred years of her life, one hunter was stalking her, as a predator stalks it's prey. He had the fortune to once get a lock on her soul, so that no matter how many times she changed bodies, he always knew which way she was going.

His ship had shadowed her for some time, the extended YT-2000 flying on autopilot, the custom built AI handling the flying while Cassius meditated on finding Marga. Lately she had been getting harder and harder to find. But now, he had a definite lock on her position, and was waiting for her with his gravwell up, ready to yank her from hyperspace.

His eyes snapped open as he caught a glimpse of the future.

"Gotcha..." he whispered.

[Quinn]

The small ship screamed as it was abruptly yanked out of hyperspace. Marga, caught by surprise, barely had time to grab for a hold before the ship was tumbling. Smoke was coming from the rear compartment, and the indicators on the pilot's board did not look good for the hyperdrive.

Cassius stood, pulling off his formal, comfortable robes which he used for meditation, and walked to the cockpit to see if he had caught his prey. His expression was neutral, but inside, a predator growled it's approval.

Marga spared no time for cursing when she spotted the other ship. Pirates sometimes infested the Corellian Trade Spine, and it appeared that she'd been caught by one. In which case, her Jedi appearance might or might not serve her well. She smiled, a less-innocent grin. If pirates, they were definitely acceptable to be preyed on.

The YT-2000 slowly floated over to her craft, latched on with a tractor beam, and pressed it's airlock against hers. Cassius though, was at the airlock already. He wore simple clothing, but held a lightsaber in his hand, a blaster in the other. He waited for the airlock to go green.

She had disposed of the body earlier. Now she waited, blaster on her hip, lightsaber on in hand,, prepared to deflect, on the ancient Diplomat's style.

The door hissed open, and Cassius, his flaming red hair stood there in his own ship, several meters separating the two. He ignited his lightsaber with a SNAP-HISS and spoke in a low voice. "Hello Marga. It's been awhile."

She stared back at him, shocked. "Who are you?" she said, recovering her poise, eyeing the lightsaber as her own blue blade ignited

"The one who was sent after you Marga." he said softly, slowly walking forward. "And unlike the fools in the Council, I believe that there is a chance of redemption for you." His yellow blade cast an interesting figure before her, turning his hair to almost gold.

Abandoning her pretense of being the innocent Padawan, Marga stared at him coldly. "Your Council did not brief you thoroughly, then. You are within my range, Jedi. And there is no shield, no process that will prevent what will happen. Not even I can prevent it." She shook her head, brown-blond waves flying as she continued. "I pity you, but I will live, and you will die." Her lightsaber dipped low, the classic Fool's Guard.

"And you are a bigger fool, if you thought I would fall for that." Cassius sounded insulted, flicked the pistol up and fired three wide stun shots, one in the center, and the others on either side.

Her last thought was a amused,'Well, this is a different way to die' before all thought vanished, and she crumpled to the floor, to all appearances a Jedi child with brownight-blond hair. The lightsaber's blade vanished, the automatic safety engaging, and the tube skittered across the floor to end up at Cassius' feet.

****************************************************************************

She woke up some time later, out of jedi robes, and clad in just underwear. She was laying in a bed, and the whole room was extremely lavish. The door however, had no knob or access panel near it, nor did it appear that there was any other way out than that door. She sighed. Not slavery again.....
Standing up, she banished the stunner headache, and headed for the fresher. Bathed, she investigated the closets and drawers, curious as to what her captor had left her in clothes.

The clothing ranged from dresses, to simple robes, to smuggler wear, and even a few sets of lingerie. But there was a note within, with a single sentence. "Whatever you're comfortable in."

She briefly considered the lengerie. But a brief look in the mirror convinced her that her figure had not regained its former lush curves, and so she settled for underwear and one of the simple robes. It was enough like what she had worn as a child that she could relax.

Finished dressing and brushing her hair out, she sat down on the bed and spoke to the air. "Whenever you're ready?" she said politely.

The door opened with a faint click, and the man who had stunned her appeared through the doorway. He closed the door behind him, and stood before Marga. "Hello Marga."

"Hello, whoever you are." she said back. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your acquaintance?" She spoke with humor in her voice.

"To tell the truth," he brought a chair to him using the Force, and sat down in it. "I was hoping for a conversation, if the lady will grant me one."

"Conversations are always acceptable," she said, sitting back on the bed cross legged. "Especially with interesting people. Your name, please?"

"Oh indeed, where are my manners?" he stood up, and bowed. "Jedi Sentinel Cassius. But you probably know me better by the title I forsook three-hundred years ago, Darth Banus."

"Banus, Banus.....I vagely recall the name. so, Darth Banus, now does a healer who kills fit in your plans of conquest?"

"As I said, I forsook that name a long time ago." Cassius returned to his seat. "I'm a Jedi now, a Sentinel, one who roots out the darkness. However, I do have a little quirk that the Council finds irritating, but they don't dare call me on it."

"And that is?" she said

"I prefer to turn those I'm sent after. Which is why I was sent after you." he leaned forward in the chair, arms resting on it's back. "They think I cannot bring you back to the light."

She looked at him straight in the eye. "They are probably right. Did your precious council totally brief you on me?" There was bitterness and anger in her voice. "It's been tried before, you know."

"I know all about you Marga." he said. "I've been stalking you for close to a hundred years now. The council think I'm dead, and so did you."

"Yeah, I thought you were dead about 120 years ago. Since then, I haven't thought about it. So AGAIN, what's your plans - truthfully. I can't be changed. They told me that, the day they turned me out. And nobody wants a healer who also kills. So I'm useless, Cassius. Useless for your plans. You might just as well kill me."

"Problem is, if I kill you, you'll just use my body as a host and I'll be sitting in the cooling shell. So no, death is not an option for you." he told her flatly. "However, I can cut you off from the Force, and that would end it right there. However, I don't believe in the easy path. Mostly because what I believe are not what others believe. And if a powerful Sith Warrior and Sith Lord can be turned back to the light, anyone can be."

"Meaning you?" she said. "It's obvious you DON'T understand my problem. I'm a Healer. A Black Healer. I can heal, but then my talent kills in reaction. Only if I've killed, can I heal. There is no cure. There is no balancing. I don't control it, it controls me. However, you are right that cutting me off from the Force would probably kill me. So if you can, DO IT." Her eyes almost glowed, and he felt a strong compulsion to obey her sweep him.

And it was quickly swatted down with a sudden strength that seemed impossible to come from this kindly man. "And an FYI, just because I'm polite, does not mean I'm weak. Remember that."

She bowed her head. "Fine. Then I will ask you, as a favor........Kill me." Her words were low and muffled. "I am tired of this existence, anyhow."

"No Marga. As I said, you can be redeemed. It is possible, but you do not know it. At least not yet." she felt a hand rest on her head gently. "But if you want another chance, a chance to pay for the sins you have inflicted on others, this is it. Do you feel sorry for them? Including the Padawan who you sent to a far worse existence than death? Do you not feel regret at all?"

It was like his hand was a heavy weight on her. "Don't.....Touch!" she gasped "Don't......" and then she started crying, a hopeless, lost wail that seemed to rip itself up from her chest. Turning away from him, she rolled onto her side, curling up in a sobbing ball.

"You feel pain, do you not Marga?" he asked her. "It's nothing compared to what you inflicted upon countless others."

The hand rested on her again, this time on her side, and she felt a weight on the bed. "I see into your soul Marga. And I don't see it as evil, only damned to a worse existence than anything else I've ever encountered. Do you want that curse to be lifted and have you still live?"

"I know that, you bastard, I KNOW that. I'm a healer. and it.....CANT....Be.....Lifted! Do you know how many times I've tried to kill myself?"

"Seeing how hurt your soul is, more times than I can count Marga." he said gently. "But I have the means to lift that curse, if you're willing to find yourself worthy of it."

She sat up, reddened eyes glaring at him. "It isn't possible," she said, snarling. "Is this some new torment from the Council? Does this make you feel good, torturing me in the only way that's permanent? With HOPE?"

"I hold what the Council does not. And that is the ability to help you. And the Council wishes you to be dead. I want to prove to them that anything is possible." he said, an easy smile lighting his face, with a tinge of sorrow. "I offer you hope, and a destination for your long journey."
"Cassius. I can't afford hope. I'm dammed to the hell of eternal existence, damned to be an eternal vampire, being a parasite on other people. I can't even die for good. And I can't even heal without killing. Yes, I know what those I killed felt. I'm an EMPATH, dammit. And the Force hates me - I'm convinced of it." She looked at him, her long hopelessness clearly showing through her youthful face.

"Do you want a solution to your existence? Because it isn't death. It's either what I have to offer, or you continue your existence as you have."

"Cassius, you seem like a good person. So why are you choosing a path that will kill you?" she seemed curious now.

"Have you seen my death?"

"Yes," she said. "From the time you stepped on the ship. I am no farseer, but anyone who tries to help me always dies.......... Always........ And I get to watch, knowing that they could have lived longer if their paths and mine had never crossed."

"Then you also know that the future you see is NOT a certainty." his hand touched her cheek. "Just give me the chance to help you Marga. And if I die helping you, then I will die staying to my path, and doing what was right. Let me help you Marga. At this point, it's either yes or no."

She leaned her cheek against his hand, uneasily aware that her talent might strike him as she took comfort from his touch. "Then yes, since you are willing to take the chance. Please forgive me if I cannot say it makes me happy...."

"Right now Marga, you can do what you wish. Because now, you need a vacation. Resting knowing that no one is going to hunt you here." he said, rubbing his hand against her. "And then we'll start. It will be painful, but I think you'll like the end results. As will I."

She almost purred, feeling comforted. And then, suddenly, she found herself falling asleep as she relaxed. Her body sagged against him, dark-brown hair cascading over his hand as she relaxed. A little sigh escaped her, and she was asleep.

Cassius slowly eased Marga down onto the bed, and pulled a blanket over her. He stood, putting the chairs back in place, and walked to the door, opening it up with the Force. He looked back to Marga, who was contentedly sleeping. He smiled. "Sleep well, my Padawan learner."