Falleen

[Leena Kil]

The nondescript shuttle shuddered slightly as it regained real space high above the planet Falleen. That was not what alerted Leena to their arrival though. No, the long ride here had been spent reading dossiers, meditating, and training with @Basi. When the ship regained real space, Leena felt it almost immediately, a crushing wave of darkness, of pain, sacrifice, fear, and anguish. They radiated from the entire world. It was almost suffocating.
 

Leena waived off the probe as she sunk into her seat grabbing her chest. The drill was over. Basi could take off the vision-obscuring helmet and stow the training saber. It would need hidden well before they landed. Leena exhaled deeply and waved her apprentice over. “Can you feel it Basi? The dark side is strong here.” Closing her eyes, Leena inhaled, allowing the goodness of her fellow travelers, the faint light of the world below that squeezed between the cracks, to flood her soul and in a moment banish the darkness away; driving it back. Extending her hand, Leena pushed it not just away from her, out of her soul, but shed light on all of them within the hold, @Sandy Sarna, @Keenava Dira, Basi, all of them.

 

Offering her characteristic smile to her apprentice she offered, “keep the light alive within. Before we land, take your crystal, let it draw full of the light. Even in the darkness, it will serve as a reminder, an anchor point of light in the shadow.” Leena looked at the others. Their pilot was beginning to follow procedure. Even now, the order that overshadowed the sins of the Sith remained strong here. It would take some time, probably an inspection depending on how destitute these holdouts were after the fall of their empire, their overlords, but they’d still land within the hour.

 

”Have you ever been here before?” Leena asked Keeneva as she looked the former Sith over, regaled in new gear. “Nice boots,” she mumbled with a wink and some recognition. “A friend of mine had a pair just like that.” Looking up at Sandy, she queried, “Sooooo the last dark side nest I visited we collapsed into the ground after the guardian trees tried to kill us. Definitely getting a sense of deja vu about that planet. Has anyone ever been to Byss?” She asked reminiscing about her most recent fiasco of adventure alongside @Zeris Mons and @Tilt07 . Bringing herself back to the moment she looked at Sandy, “You’re probably better at these sort of things than I am. What first?”

 

Outside, the landing gear of the ship creaked as they touched down in their assigned parking spot, Docking Bay 47A2.

 

Pulling her hood up, Leena smiled at the others. “Gotta look serious. People don’t smile in a place like this.”

[Leena Kil]

Eying the folded note, Leena gave an appreciative nod to @Keenava Dira before tucking it away. If it was what she thought, this was not the time or place to read it and dwell on the past. Finding @Basi ready to go, she patted him on the shoulder, “Well, Dexter,” it was the first name she could think of, “time to head out. Remember my name is,” she paused for a second before spouting the first remotely Mon Cal name she could think of, “Jesmin.”

 

Stepping out into the misty rain, it immediately started to cling to her heavy robe. What a miserable place. The dark side seemed to permeate the very air. Without constant focus, Leena felt it lapping at the edges of her mind. She shot a sidelong glance at her apprentice. She’d need to keep an eye on him to be sure. This was not something she would normally want to send initiated apprentices into. Heck. She’d prefer not to be here either. Hopefully soon enough they could purge the world of this taint. 
 

Nodding silently at @Sandy Sarna’s comment they trudged onward. Leena was careful to not make eye contact. She felt like a foreigner here. Probably looked it too; not many fish-folk made it to this part of the galaxy, especially not under Sith rule. She could feel the pain, the oppression. It radiated from everywhere. 
 

As they moved, the rainfall seemed to only steadily increase, driving all but those with no place to go or absolute need from the street. It would probably do them well to not stick out any further than their eclectic group already may. Pointing at the dingiest cantina in sight a few blocks down, Leena picked up the pace until they pushed pst the worn door. Inside was only slightly better than out by the lack of liquid falling from the sky. It was replaced by the near-insta-intoxicating auras of alcohol that seemed to have seeped into the very structure alongside the darkness. It was rundown and the weather outside seemed to have driven more than a few folks indoors. Staff would be busy enough tending to the sudden onslaught. “See if they have some rooms we can rent for a few days Dex,” she jerked a thumb towards the bar, “I’m going to wander a bit.”
 

Sliding between several wet patrons, Leena squeezed deeper into the rundown den of iniquity. A pair of none-too-thrilled scantily clad dancers did their best to plaster smiles on their pained faces as they gyrated to some unfamiliar techno-tune at one end of the hall. Leena shook her head sadly, turning away from the sight. Rectifying such a situation now might compromise the entire thing. As she turned, Leena caught the tail end of a voice that sounded rather familiar. A conversation on piracy and looking for work. Glancing up, a gleam of recognition flickered in Leena’s eye as she did her best to suppress a smile. Shuffling over, the Mon Cal interrupted, her voice slower than usual, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible.

 

“Then it might be time for something more . . . rewarding,” Leena interjected herself between the barmaid, @Wookiee Jedi, and his companion. From within her robes, Leena produced a single small glimmering stone, an unidentified but expertly hewn gem to the uninformed, a Jedi healing crystal to those in the know. Even here in the darkness of a dingy cantina on Falleen it almost seemed to sparkle with an unnatural aura. “We’re looking for some muscle. Wookiees’d do well. Plenty more of that, if you live through it.” Leena raised a discerning eyebrow playfully at Kirlocca. She knew the former Jedi Master. Hopefully he would recognize the healer too. She’d seen enough battlefield post ops in the galaxy.

 

[Leena Kil]

Leena tried not to wince against the firm grip of the powerful Wookie. It would not look good for a potential pirating employer. If they were going to be going adventuring for jewels, she needed to be tough enough to get the job done; or at least appear so. Withdrawing her hand, she slipped the jewel back out of sight within her cloak. She nodded slowly in agreement to Kirlocca’s query. Such a thing as the master’s toll begged explanation.  
 

Still, the air was heavy and the idea of a table for the group, the one offered by the sultry waitress seemed a possibility. Leena was prepared to accept the offer when she felt a sharp pain flash through the force as Keeneva pinched herself. She winged momentarily as the lain arced across her mind. It was enough to slap Leena’s mind out of the fog.
 

“I think we’ll pass on the table,”
 

she smiled to the waitress.
 

“Our crew won’t be needing it anyways. A bottle of green champagne though, something from the back stores, would be most appreciated. Something to celebrate this new alliance.”

 

Leena looked off trying to catch Keenava’s eye, she wondered where her apprentice, @Basi, had gotten off to. She hoped he had not fallen under the sway of the locals. Falleen pheromones were potent stuff.  Locking eyes with the Twi’lek, Leena let her eyes wander the room raising a questioning eyebrow. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Leena Kil

[Leena Kil]

Leena smiled warmly at the waitress as she accepted the drink, sliding a pilfered Sith credit chit, the kind still accepted on such a world, to the Falleen. 

“Keep the change.”

 

She smiled, probably warmer than she needed to. The bar was getting crowded; possibly a side effect of the regular workday ending and people

looking for a small window of escape from the world around them, even if they refused to acknowledge the hopelessness of their situation.

 

Turning towards Kirlocca, Leena’s eyes passed over @Basi, shrugging her shoulder forward indicating him to join them.

 

“Getting a little crowded in here.”

 

She mused,

 

”Lets adjourn back to our ship. All to many friendly faces about this joint.”

 

Leena raised the whole bottle toward the @Wookiee Jedi. 
 

“Better to enjoy this in private with fewer . . . Imperial . . . eyes,”

 

She shot a sidelong glance to the gaggle of commandos that had made themselves at home about the bar. She didn’t know who they were, but at a place like this, nine times out of ten they’d be unfriendly. Bounty hunters at best. Sith enforcers more likely.

 

Donning her hood again, Leena slid out into the lightly falling night rain, set to make it back to their transport. Her mind drifted to the letter from a long lost associate and the memories of the catastrophe that  had heralded a Sith invasion of Mon Cal, the world of her people. She was getting a déjà vu feeing about the whole thing. It was strong enough she could not help but steal a glance upwards for looming warships through the night covered clouds.

 

[Leena Kil]

Leena shuffled through the crowd, catching sight of @Keenava Dira as she brushed by. Sensing @Basi nearby, Leena moved with purpose back towards the spaceport, avoiding eye contact with the mulling crowds. The oppression was almost palpable in the air, but the glimmer of light that Leena and company carried with them cut through the darkness like a knife.

 

Seeing their ship up ahead, Leena’s pace quickened. The ship was their bastion of safety on this world and it carried their gear, specifically, a relic of Leena’s past. That was what she sought now. Before they could reach the ship though, a child tumbled to the ground in front of them. Had the force not been guiding Leena, she would have inevitably tripped. As it were she was able to jump over the child, reacting in the blink of an eye. Quickly the Mon Cal spun, sensing the fear, the pain, that seemed to consume the child.

 

Leena knelt, cradling the girl’s head in her arm. “There there my child,” she coo’d as she looked the girl over from head to toe attempting to sense or see any injuries visible and invisible. And then she came to the child’s eyes. They were glassy and dark. The Jedi felt a chill go down her spine as if the cold glove of the dark side had passed over her. Looking up, Leena waved Keenava towards them. “Get down here. We must keep the darkness at bay.” Leena pulled on the Twi’lek’s hand to pull her down to them. “Focus on the light. Find it within yourself and drive the darkness back from her mind.” Leena looked into Keenava’s eyes. “This girl needs you.” 
 

Tearing her eyes from the two, Leena looked up at her apprentice. “Get aboard the ship. Clear a space and find a medkit.”

 

”Oh,” he called as almost an afterthought, “and there is a piece of my gear tucked away. Find it. We’re going to need it.” She spoke of the lightsaber owned by her former master stowed aboard.

[Leena Kil]

Leena felt the struggle as @Keenava Dira fought against the darkness until finally a glimmer of

light burst forth. A smile played at the edge of her lips as she focused on the fallen girl. She knew the new Jedi initiate had it in her, even if the twi’lek had doubted it herself.

 

The smile was short-lived however as Leena’s senses probed the girl’s form. This was no ordinary illness. Not that she would expect that on a world so saturated in dark side power as this; no, nothing was as it seemed here. Leena almost recoiled at the darkness that pulsated beneath the surface of this small girl’s body. She was a conduit for the darkness and little more; a victim of the ravages of the dark side.

 

Suddenly from all around them the very world seemed to pulsate and dark fog roiled into the air. The darkness within the girl seemed to manifest about them, appearing on the fringes as cries of fear and pain laced with the fog and the green shadows cast the world in eerie hues and icy shadows.

 

Leena lurched backwards on her heels, grabbing at Keenava’s arm to pull her backward. Shooting to her feet, the duo were joined by @Basi as he bounded back down from their ship to Leena’s side, pressing the silvery shaft of Leena’s old blade into her palm. With her face steeled against the advancing horde of red eyes piercing through the fog in the distance, Leena slid the hilt up her own sleeve as she grabbed Keenava’s and Basi’s hands.
 

“Together,” she whispered. “We shall not be overcome.” Leena reached deep into her soul and felt for the light that rested within her soul. She grasped onto it and let it flow like a surging spring throughout. She felt for the light of the memory that glowed within Keenava and reinforced it with the exponentially expanding light from her own soul. Leena found the light that burned like a fire in Basi and with the peace of her soul bolstered it. She expanded her senses outwards, feeling for the glimmers of light in the world around them, even in the form of the consumed girl at their feet. The glimmer of hope that was her mother, warm memories of embrace, and that too she grew and into the web of light that was beginning to invisibly weave around them. 
 

At the head of the seeming army of evil marched a single woman, a leader of unknown origins and power. Leena felt her presence, felt the darkness that swirled about her. Leena felt the waves surge in the dark priestess’ wake and bolstered the light about their trio, prepared to stand in the gap, healing life-filled energy beginning to crackle and pop as any tendrils of darkness began to interlope within their aura. 

[Leena Kil]

The misty rain that began to softly fall across the landing area was cool and refreshing, ever drop and molecule seemed to hum with the positive healing purifying energy of nature’s light. Here, amongst the tide of darkness, good still existed. Glimmers of light, like stars i. The night sky. Leena felt the radiating warmth of @Keenava Dira’s aura as it surged in the night and a smile played across the Mon Cal’s lips as the former Sith stepped forward to confront what very well could be demons of her own past.

 

And then the woman at the head of the encroaching horde demanded the child again. Almost in sync with the demand and the subtle threatening surge of darkness that accompanied the unnatural voice came another presence, something altogether unexpected. From above, still out of sight, obscured by the dark overcast sky was a piercing surge of light. A blade in the darkness as the distant thunder of landing craft buzzed overhead. The Imperial Knights had arrived. Leena could not help but let a smile play at her lips. An ally in the darkness was always welcome and she could already feel their presence alongside those of her Jedi entourage. She sensed their presence, could feel the purity and calm of the Jedi collective and the fierce loyalty to right of the Knights. She felt them and reached out on the force so that they could fee her. She allowed the purity of her own soul to mingle with that of the others amongst the cloud of black and to blossom those storehouses of light into founts of power that would surge into the world around them. That light would drive back the darkness and purify all that they touched. The soft rain about them hissed a tympanum of peace as the drops burst as they fell, unable to contain the expanding purity of the light side of the force as it grew exponentially within and burst forth, a tidal force of cleansing energies as Leena silently interwove her own healing magics with her companions’.

 

Stepping forward to stand beside the Twi’lek, Leena’s eyes practically glowed as she stared down the dark side leader of the horde that surrounded them. The child with them had fallen into their care, quite literally actually. That was enough. This woman before them, full of base raw emotions and dark intentions, whoever she was, would not take this child so long as Leena stood.

 

“No matter how small a light that shines in the darkness. Its rays pierce the void and the light shall not be overcome.”
 

With each step, the dark tendrils of corruption that had bled into the planet itself recoiled. Energy crackled in the air, pure and bright, as the rainfall steadily increased, each drop exploding in shimmering droplets of purifying spray that washed over one and all sapping the strength of the darkness and dissipating it, leaving nothing but soft cool mist in the air. In the midst of it, her robes soaked and water streaming off her salmon skin stood Leena, a conduit of the flowing current of the Living Force, of light and life and all things wholly natural and right. Hers was a purity of will, and that will surged forth as it nurtured and grew the candles of light that were born within each living thing, until it mingled with the will of the force itself and the two become indistinguishable from one another. The darkness would not stand before it and those touched by the healing touch of the expanding rain would be washed pure, their lives unshackled and untethered from this world of darkness to be given a choice, to choose their path in life and not have it dictated for them by the falsehoods that rippled from the darkness.

 

[Leena Kil]

Leena smiled. She did not smile because of the words of contempt the halted aggressors showed, held at ring’s edge by the torrent of light side energy that even now dampened their surge of dark side strength. She did not smile because above and around them the floodgates of the newly reinvigorated forces of good cascaded to this world to wrest it from the maw of evil. She did not even smile as she sensed the presence of these shackled minions’ master draw near. No, Leena smiled, a warmth radiating from her rain washed form because there, nearby she could see them, Kadi and an unknown Jedi acolyte adding themselves to the battle of wills that even now threatened to spill over into the physical. For such a covert task, the force had called forth an inordinate amount of the greatest Jedi the Order had to offer, and Leena was pleased to be amongst them, old friends and new.

 

And yet she could feel it. These twisted minds, warped by their master’s will and that of the darkness would not be so easily washed free. The darkness here, like a cancer, had metastasized to the very core of this world. What a blessing it was to have a naturalist here. With her aid and the will of the force, Leena knew this world would be saved. This world needed saved and to do that

 

they would have to fight. How Leena hated to fight. True there were Jedi who excelled in the martial arts, some even thrived in it, drawn closer to the goodness and purity of the force in the midst of it. It was not entirely unlike the frontline surgical setups Leena often thrived in; but still, she was not fond of the art of war in and of itself and war had found her once again.

 

Leena traded a look with Keeva and gave a knowing nod. “You’re a Jedi now. That does not mean you forget who you are or where you came from. You are a child of the light. Let it flow through you. Use what you know, combine it with who you are now.” Pulling the antique saber hilt from her robe, Leena pressed her former master’s blade into the twi’lek’s hand. She stared deep into the former Sith’s eyes, a deep aura of trust accompanying the green-bladed weapon.

 

“I will protect the child.” Leena stepped back, the child straddled between her feet. The force was abuzz with energy. It crackled in the misting rain, bursting from every drop. It flowed through Leena, amplified as it passed into the world about them. Reaching her hands out, Leena felt the flow of the force as it washed over her hands. She let it guide her hands, spinning it in her hands, a jetty of power that as easily as it gathered was released back into the world by Leena in a blinding flash of blazing white light that would blind the foes of the light. If there was to be a battle, Leena would serve her brothers and sisters and the force and this, the opening salvo would show that.

 

The force continued to flow through the Healer, energized and amplified as it touched the purity of her own soul. Leena concentrated on the light, the connections between she and every glimmer light that she could feel across the entire cityscape. She allowed the power to expand, to touch their hearts and minds and offer steadiness, encouragement and hope; to strengthen their resolve and implant the knowledge that they were on the side of right and would, in the end, win. The force would strengthen the soldiers who fought for freedom, to protect their families and world, against the oppression of darkness, quicken their responses and enhance their abilities to peak levels. With her hands held open palms upward before her, she sunk deeper into her battle meditation. She touched the city about them, empowering the forces of light.

 

The child beneath the Jedi Master was bathed in purifying energies, the child’s mind, body, and soul awash in healing and purifying energies. The darkness would not be able to stand against the light.

[Leena Kil]

The sea of light side energy crashed against the cliffs of darkness and as if a thousand years passed in a moment began to wear away the jagged edges of evil all around them. The purity of the sea never tainted as it cleansed they that stood against them in the tidal surge of the force. Leena felt Keeneva’s presence, familiar with the darkness and yet, set apart, fresh water poured into the sea, carve a hole in the jagged surrounding presence, creating a river by which the torrents of light could pierce the shadow.

 

When the first agent of darkness attempted to breach the light, his body was enveloped in the cleansing power of goodness. Any that was tainted, poisoned beyond curing, was burnt away, like cancer before the scalpel and cleansing radiation. Leena’s face fell as the realization dawned upon her. These beings, so consumed by the darkness, had pushed themselves beyond the natural fall of sin until that disgrace was all that maintained them in this mortal world when they should have passed on long ago. Theirs was a false existence, that of unnatural binding to this mortal plane, one of slavery and suffering. They would know no else and to purify them was to scour their souls needlessly into the fires of purgatory. 
 

So as the army of iniquity began to turn, their fringes fleeing toward the city proper and their unholy temple which radiated with darkness, Leena knew what must be done. She looked at her companions and was reminded of their oath as Jedi. Theirs was a purpose greater than their own preservation and if their sacrifice could save a single soul, so ought it to be. 
 

“They must not be allowed to run freely in the city or many more lives may be lost.”

 

And in that moment, Leena allowed the growing plume of light to fall, to linger on in the hearts of do gooders and and sizzle in the air as it clashed with the energies of darkness. All that remained was the healing wash of energy that Leena purged the not yet encompassing darkness from the girl that had fallen before them.

 

Looking to @Tharnanion, the Mon Cal called out, “Get her to safety!” She waved at the child beneath her feet before looking to @Kadi Silan and @Keenava Dira “Stop them.” She waved at the fleeing queen of the damned. “The city must be protected, lest our brethren Knights be overrun.”

 

Leena stepped forward, her hands weaving through the air as if parting invisible waters, weaving the force into the very air itself, drawing upon the same energies that had repulsed the army of ill intent. This time, however, Leena directed the energies beyond their small group sending a physically solid wall of glimmering light crashing down beyond the fleeing Sith spawn. A moment ago, when healing was still an answer, they had repulsed this army; now, the wall of light began to encircle them all, army of deranged Linorms and Jedi alike. This was a cancer that Leena and company would have no choice but to cut out if this soul of this city, this world, was to be saved. The ancient and proud Falleen deserved nothing less.

 

[Leena Kil]

The Mon Cal locked eyes with @Kadi Silan giving a knowing nod over the din of the howling and moaning of the encroaching spawn of darkness. What had been was no more and would need to be dealt with; but that was only a salve in the moment. It needed done, but that alone would not suffice. Whatever, whoever, corrupted these souls, consumed their very lives needed to be found and stopped. The dark side was unnatural and there was no one beyond the naturalist who bound off to find the abomination. To heal the world and it’s people, Leena would be glad to have the Jedi’s aid. For now, she was glad to have Kadi searching for the font of despair.

 

As Leena turned back to the closing horde, she more sensed than saw a shadowy form leap beyond her. Arcing through the growing cloud as it was bound about them, a snow globe of evil, Leena knew @Keenava Dira had found her way. Light and shadow, free of the clawing lust of darkness and yet hardened beyond steel ready to pierce the veil.

 

Entrusting that the Wookiee, @Tharnanion, had the child in his care, Leena brought her hands together. A thunderous clap echoed throughout the encompassing snare of solidified light side energies, its glow casting twisted shadows of the hellspawn inward. She did not stop though, moving before the thunder could even clear the air. The field would sustain itself for some time, empowered by the forces of light as they descended upon this world, their powers being fed by the sphere of light and in turn feeding the energized shield with their righteous light.

 

Leaping upward, Leena rolled backward through the air over the swinging arms of dark side shamblers as they grasped at thin air. Plunging back toward the decking, Leena was enveloped in a glowing spray of purity. Force energy crackled about her as she plunged back down at the horde amassing below. Landing like a feather at the last moment, the force whirled like a beautiful tempest about the Jedi Master. Leena’s closed fist lightly impacted the durasteel plating of the landing area and in that moment, the Living Force responded. An eruption of blinding energy leapt out in every direction, a cacophony of raw power bathed in light that billowed out with purgative energy. It’s purifying presence cleansed the cancer of darkness from all that it touched. It cut through and obliterated the shadows of the empty vessels of smoke that made up the Consumed until all that were left standing in a wide radius were the Jedi, agents of light.

[Leena Kil]

As the eternal echoes of the force reverberated into silence, slowly, Leena opened her eyes. She felt the outpouring of force energy from her body. She had been but a conduit for the energy of the cosmos, for life, and while it invigorated her, her every nerve tingling with purity, she felt the raw drain of energy such a display had carried with it. Caught up in the torrent of the never ending oceans that made up the galaxy , Leena had to strain to not allow herself to be lost in the break as eternal met the present, washing the darkness away in a riptide of purifying light.

 

From her crouched position, Leena slowly stood, stretching out her hands, arms and legs as she willed feeling back into the extremities. She surveyed the world about her. The chaos of the dark side boiled in the distance, an agitated swamp, even more lethal as it churned and was purged; a necessary event nonetheless. The Jedi would have to ensure that the people

of Falleen, their people and culture, were not destroyed in the process. Around Leena; however, there was a stillness as the ash of a thousand fallen dark side wraiths were blown on the breeze, their tormented souls free to finally journey into the great beyond, to find peace now that their nightmare was over.

 

The Mon Cal brushed a tear away from a bulbous eye, grief at the loss of life, even as the cancer of the dark side was culled. Sacrifices necessitated by the perversion of the darkness. The Jedi Master inhaled deeply, steeling herself as she remembered that these lives lost were not by their doing, but by the machinations of the disturbed and deranged, perverse acolytes of sin and evil. And yet, it was not wrong to morn the senseless losses the enemy had inflicted. Staring out at the gently wafting ash, Leena closed her eyes, bowing her head in a moment of solemn silence for the memories of those long since destroyed by the darkness, finally able to rest. As she did, the blinding barriers of light that separated the ash and the Jedi began to fade to a shimmer before dissipating on the breeze. The immediate threat of pressing evil over, the world beyond still cried out for salvation from the darkness. In the distance, like a beacon of twisted blackness, Leena could feel it; their work was not yet done.

 

As @Keenava Dira loped toward her, Leena offered up a half-hearted smile; a smile, nevertheless, that shone in her pained watery eyes. She was proud of how the newly uninitiated Jedi had handled herself. Surrounded by darkness, Leena could only imagine how easy the temptation would be to revert back to past knowledges and old habits, even in the name of rightness. “Well done,” she offered as a sign of her approval accompanied by a knowing nod, “but our work is not yet done. The darkness still holds firm to this world. Even as the light seeks to extinguish it, I fear that the shadows of darkness will take root amongst the forces of liberation and good. We must guard ourselves, watch out for others, and extinguish the unnatural flame of shadows. Reach out, feel the darkness my friend. We must go to it and stop whatever profanities they are even now pouring upon the soul of this world.” 

Leena nodded toward the city in the distance, spiraling towers even now cloaked in unnatural shadowy clouds that seemed to crackle with dark energy. Somewhere within lay the font of darkness that even now corrupted the world around them. Looming to the others she pointed, “The force will be with us and guide our steps.” And with that, they set off, back toward the city and the temple of darkness within.