Brighthome
(Vader POV)
The healing doesn't work well... I need positive emotions to do this, which I have practically zero of. I think about Padmé, but all that does is make me angry, fill me with rage, and sadden me. However, I notice that it seems to work very little. I don't stop here and move on to focus on my healing. And indeed, it works, I don't know how, but maybe the memories I have of Padmé are enough? I continue, and eventually, I finish with my 'healing'. The blaster wound is now fully healed. It wasn't anything dangerous, and the armour took almost 99% of the blast. I will have to get used to this soon. I will primarily use Force healing to heal my lungs. There can be no problems with my breathing during a fight. I need everything to work perfectly, without any flaws.
I use Force Revitalise to rejuvenate my tired muscles with Force energy. I feel I'm getting better at this. Now that I'm finished, I go around the base of these thieves and take anything that I might use for later. However, apart from credits, there is nothing. So I board my ship and have a look around. It's a good ship and will serve me well. After checking on things, I fire up the engine and leave Gattering.
[Picture]
I need to find a Jedi now. The best way to find a Jedi who has survived Order 66 is to search for one who had either left the order before their purge or had taken the Barash vow. There are other ways, of course. Using the Force to track Jedi should be possible, if they aren't actively coating themselves. This early after Order 66, though, all of them are doing that. So the best and quickest way to find such a Jedi is to go to the Jedi outpost in the Mid Rim, Brighthome. Therefore, that's where I go now.
.
Flying through hyperspace, I finally reach Brighthome after three days. But it seems I am not welcome here.
[Unidentified vessel ... this is restricted space.] The voice says over the coms. There are four ARC-170s piloted by clone troopers that are flying towards my position.
[Your presence is unauthorised. Change course immediately or you will be fired upon.] the voice says.
{I have the docking codes for this station, Lord Vader. I can transmit them on your order.} My droid co-pilot tells me. I, however, don't answer him and think about this for a moment. This situation allows me to fight. To fight and grow more proficient in the use of the Force. So I don't answer and listen to the coms.
[There will be no second warning.] The pilot says.
{Lord Vader?}
I am still not answering either of them. I want to wait and see what happens. I want them to attack me or ... maybe I want to attack them. Yes, that makes more sense. I have developed a strong drive to grow, and this challenge is something I want to experience. A way to release my ever-growing anger.
{I am detecting that the arc fighters have engaged weapons tracking systems. Master, with your permission, I can transmit our authorisation code and end this situation immediately,} my co-pilot droid says, but I decline his offer.
"No. Activate weapons systems.", I say and get into fight mode. I have always been skilled in a jet fighter. And these troopers don't understand what they're in for. I fire tens of blasts at them and fly between two of their ships and destroy them instantly.
*BOOOM* *BOOOM*
They start to fire at me as well, but I have no trouble dodging all of the blasts. It feels like I was made for this. It is second nature to do this, and there is no hesitation at all in my movements. I get back into the rhythm I always had, but try to push further than before, to make up for my current state.
{With your permission, Lord Vader. I can activate the rear cannons and fire on our pursuers.}
"There is no need. I know where they are. I can sense them better, the longer this goes on. I can sense their fear, their pain ... their end."
I shoot through the blaster fire, turn the ship around, and have them in front of me. Without any hesitation, I fire at them and destroy the last two ARC-170s in a fiery explosion. Then, I steer the ship towards the hangar, deactivate the station's security protocols and begin to dock. Time to get a hands-on experience with individuals who know what they're doing.
.
I exit the ship and arrive at the sealed doors. They believe that these pathetic doors will hold me? They thought wrong. I use the Force and grab those heavy doors. Slowly and with precision, I begin to crush them more and more. But then, I ignore all that and fuel my actions with my emotions.
*KRRNK*
*SMASSSH*
I break the door off its hinges and throw it forward at the Clone Troopers. The troopers begin attacking me.
"Take him down!"
*PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW* *PEW*
I move my hand to the side and push two troopers to the wall. With my other hand, I block blaster fire. I use Force push as much as I can and try to dodge, but that doesn't work very well. I can feel that I am overwhelmed, as these are clone troopers and are far better trained than the thieves from Gattering. Moving my body at the same time takes a lot of energy and concentration.
I swipe blasts away, but get hit in my shoulder and then another one in my thigh. I ignore it. Using Force telekinesis, I grab a metal box and hide behind it for a moment to breathe and analyse the damage. There is quite a bit of it done to the armour, and my shoulder is also affected.
"Keep the pressure on! Concentrate your fire! We've got him!" the troopers shout and increase their firing speed. They slowly advance and try to surround me. But I don't let that happen; I force-push the metal box towards a group of them, knocking them down and reducing their numbers, killing them. My bubbling emotions want to be let out, so I do just that.
Seeing a Lightsaber behind the troops, and for a moment, thinking about grabbing it and using it here. But I discard that. I am here to push myself and to go through pain and death in order to grow. This is not Jedi training; I am not here to make it easy for myself.
I put both of my hands out in front of me and focused on creating a barrier that shields me from the fire. However, the shield is too thin, and three blasts manage to penetrate, hitting me and causing further damage to my suit and body. I don't stop doing that, though. I continue to focus on creating a Force shield, and after just over a minute, I finally manage to create something of a Force barrier. But I need more, more training, more power.
However, this is enough for now. I use the Force and Force Choke on all seven of the troopers who are here in front of me, at the moment. I can't do that to all of them just yet, and only three are affected by my grip at once. This enrages me. Again, something I am not strong enough for.
"AARRH"
"No Digs!"
"He's using the Force! Kill him!"
After the three are dead, I do the same to the other four, and finally, I am alone. I look around the area and then check on my suit, which has taken further damage. This was very poorly done. A terrible show of the Dark Side on my part.
I reach the station's archives and ask my co-pilot droid to search through them.
{I have used the codes you provided to access the way station's archives, Lord Vader. What information do you seek?}
"Does the archive contain a record of all Jedi assignments before the execution of Order 66?" I ask.
{Yes. A backup from the primary records at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.}
"I require data on any Jedi who took the Barash Vow prior to the purge.", I say.
{The Barash Vow. Clarify your need for this information.} the droid says and would make me raise my eyebrow if I had any.
"I do not expect to be questioned. I expect to be obeyed."
{As long as I serve you, I will do both. If I ask a question, it is because I believe the answer will enhance my service. Potential responses to your query include over fourteen thousand Jedi since the founding of the order. I can recite all available data on these Jedi. It will take several months. Or ... you could clarify. Either is acceptable to me.} the droid says, making things clear.
"Hm. Palpatine ordered me to take the Kyber Crystal for my Lightsaber from a Jedi I have defeated in combat. Because of the purge, that task has become difficult. I require a living Jedi. Finding a Barash-Taker seems the easiest route, if one exists.
Any Jedi pursuing Barash has sworn to refrain from activities related to the order. Complete disengagement from anything but the Force. It is a type of penance. While a Barash-Taker would have felt the purge, they would not have allowed themselves to respond to it, or take action of any kind," I explain in great detail.
{Which means they may not have gone into hiding after Order 66. I understand, Lord Vader. Thank you. Resuming search protoc--
Lord Vader! Explosive device detected! Take cove ... hmm?}, the droid quickly informs me of something that I already know. A grenade flies into the room, right in front of me and is just about to explode. But before that can happen, I use the Force and press it together, stopping it from exploding.
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{The explosive device did not explode.}
"Yes. I ... nngh ... I am ... aware," I say under the straining task. Holding this explosive together and applying enough pressure to prevent it from exploding is a challenging task. But I won't fail. I will stop this and have to watch out for those who have thrown the device in the first place.
"Get down on your knees. You're coming with us.", one of the two Stormtroopers says.
"Coming with us? Just shoot him, Ding!" the second one says.
"I have a better idea. We know what Jedi are capable of. They're powerful, but they have limits. There's no way he can do anything to us while he's keeping that grenade from exploding. We'll get him in restraints, and then he's ours."
"And then what?"
"And then we'll take him back to the Emperor, offer him up like a prize. Who knows what he'll give us if we bring him a Jedi traitor? No more retirement. Red helmets for sure."
.
I listen as the two troopers discuss what to do with me, and I assume that this task takes everything out of me. And while that was true a moment ago. I am already getting used to this and am ready to retaliate against them. They should have just fired and tried to kill me when they had the chance. However, that is unfortunate for them. That window is now gone.
"Troopers. You have made a mistake," I say.
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"I am not a Jedi ..." I say and Force Choke them until their necks break, "And I have no limits."
*KKRCK*
After they're dead, I concentrate on the explosive again. I can feel the strain, but I focus on not losing this fight. I don't care how small it seems, this is hard, but it will allow me to grow. Thankfully, the strain is growing smaller ever so slightly the longer this goes on.
"Have you completed your search?" I ask the droid.
{I have it, Master. Search complete.} the droid says.
"Download anything related to the Force from here, and also information on other Jedi that might be interesting down the line. I want you to give me anything you can on interesting places throughout the galaxy, such as Force nexus and the like."
{As you wish.}
After a while, the droid is finished, and we both make our way back to my ship. I keep the explosive in the room and walk away. The further away I distance myself from the explosive, the harder it is to control this. What matters now is that I leave. The pressure that has built up due to my interference will cause the entire station to explode.
But before I leave, I make my way through the temple and take a few things I might need, like all the lightsabers. Not because I will use the lightsabers, but the kyber crystals. They are an energy source and might come in handy.
"Who?"
{It is unlikely you have encountered him before. He has been on his pilgrimage since before you entered the Jedi temple.} the droid answers me.
"Who?" I ask again.
{He is unique, even for a Jedi. His name is Kirak Infil'a. It has been many years since he has been active in Jedi affairs. But the records show that even when he was, he did not take part in diplomacy, training or research. Apparently, Master Infil'a had precisely one purpose within the order. To fight.} the droid says and fills me in.
"Interesting," I say, and think about what that means. It means that I will get my next challenge and a big hurdle on my way to the top. I don't care for the Jedi anymore. If I see one, I will kill him, and this Master Kirak Infil'a should be a formidable Force user and fighter. I am looking forward to this fight.
"Where is he located according to the archives?" I ask as we finally arrive at the ship.
{The data suggests that he is located in the Mid-Rim. River Moon of Al'doleem, Master.}
"Very well, then," I say, and lose control over the explosive.
*KKRAABOOOOOM*
I start the ship and fly out of the former Jedi base towards River Moon of Al'doleem.