A Jedi's Mercy

[Nik Vecto]

I wrote this a long time ago, now.... Nik's story still has a few kinks in it, but this is his definite past. Enjoy!

A Jedi's Mercy


“Hmm…. He has been here….”<br> The Jedi Master Nik Vecto held his fingers up to his nose, sniffing the damp earth that he had collected. It had a sick smell to it, like that of the deathsticks so popular in older days. He glanced at its color, slightly redder than the other soil, as if stained with blood. Several patches of this soil continued on, deeper into the forest Nik had discovered, in small repeating patches, like footprints. “The trail of Murdus”, Nik muttered, with a ghost of a smile on his face. “It will not be long, now.”<br> He continued walking. He had been tracking Darth Murdus, a Sith apprentice cast aside by the emperor after Darth Vader came to power, for nearly sixty-four years now, to answer for the murder of six Jedi Masters on the planet of Badgen. One might
ask, “How could one man destroy six Jedi, all by himself?” “Because,” as Nik would answer, “he used tactics that were…. Less-than fair.”
Of course, it’s no wonder that Nik could give such an opinion, himself being a Padawan leaner on the planet at the time. Following the traditions of his people regarding the early years of Jedi training, the Jedi Council had stationed a small group of Jedi Masters on the planet to train the Badgenese Padawans. Nik’s Master had been a Correllian jaguar named Borvin Kelf, who led the Padawans to safety shortly after Murdus’ first attack with a thermal bomb, which killed the two Masters who were alerted to his presence.
Nik was ushered into a nearby cave with the other Padawans, and Master Kelf went back to help the remaining three Masters. More explosions, more screams, and the sound of a ship landing echoed through the cave walls. Nik could only sense that Master Kelf was still alive. Then, at the cave entrance, a voice could be heard. “I will never let you take the Padawans, Sith. I will die before….Ahhh!”<br> Murdus had thrown a thermal detonator. With a great “BOOM” Master Kelf was thrown inside the cave at the Padawan’s feet, badly burned and barely alive. “So, my little ones,” Murdus said, his voice dripping with evil. “You see the power of the Dark Side? None can resist it, not even your pathetic Masters….” He gestured at Master Kelf.
“Come…. Embrace your defeat…. It will not hurt…. MUCH!” He cackled with a voice like ice, activating a crimson lightsaber. Nik went to the front of the crowd. “No”, he shouted, “I won’t let you!” Nik drew a small lightsaber from his belt, and switched on his own sapphire-blue blade. Murdus Chuckled. “Oh, dear boy…. I’m afraid you will.” He swung downward on Nik, crossing the blue blade with the red. He stumbled, and Murdus used a Force Push to throw Nik into the cave wall. He yelped, and then cried to the other Padawans. “Go, get to the ships…. Now!” The Padawans began to draw their lightsabers, but Nik shouted again. “Go! I’ll take care of him!” “Oh, you will, boy?”, Murdus said, as the Padawans retreated down the cave. “I don’t believe so.”<br> Nik reacted first this time. He aimed a thrust at Murdus, who blocked the attack, and sent a slash at Nik’s side. Nik parried the blow and Force-Pushed Murdus near the entrance, who grunted as he fell. He got up, pure anger on his face, and attacked Nik with a Force Grip. Nik clutched at this throat, gasping for air. “Yes…. It will all be over soon, boy.” An evil smile crept across his face. “Your fellow weaklings are next….”<br> Something arose in Nik that had never been there before, like an extension of his very will. The force-Grip weakened. Murdus’ smug expression faded as he clenched his hand into a fist. Nik began running at Murdus, his lightsaber outstretched.
Murdus jumped out of the way, but not quickly enough…. It was as if time had slowed down, but Nik could still move normally…. Nik slashed his lightsaber down ward, and had cleanly cut off the last two fingers of Murdus’ right hand. “Ahhh!”, he shrieked, clutching his hand. Nik thought it was over, but Murdus swung down hard, with his lightsaber in his left had. Nik raised his arm to block and jumped backward, but too soon. The red blade sliced the emitter assembly off of Nik’s lightsaber and brushed the surface of his face, leaving an arrow-shaped cut down his right eyebrow and cheek. “Aieee!” Nik fell to the ground, dropping his ruined lightsaber to clutch his face. Murdus dropped his also, for at the place where Nik made his slice had cut off the Light saber’s power cells.
For a moment they glared at each other, breathing heavily. Suddenly, outside the cave, the roar of ship engines announced that the other Padawans had made their getaway. Murdus growled in anger, and glared at Nik again. He clutched at his belt, looking for a thermal detonator, but he discovered that he had no more. “Keep that as a reminder, boy,” he shouted, pointing at Nik’s scar, “as a reminder of the danger that you are facing. The Dark Side will triumph, and the Jedi will be no more!” He ran up to the cave entrance and, with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
“Nik,” a weak voice said. “Nik….” It was Master Kelf. “Master?”, Nik replied, crawling over to where his master lay. “Nik…. You saved the Padawans…. You stood your ground. I am proud of you….” Nik began crying. “I….I learned it all from you, Master.” Nik was tearing, the tears stinging his fresh scar. Master Kelf opened his mouth to speak, but erupted into a series of coughs. “We do not have time. Nik, go…. Go to Couruscant. Tell the Council…. What has happened.” “Yes, Master,” Nik replied. Master Kelf looked upwards. “My time is over…. Nik…. May the Force…. Be…. With…. You….” “And with you, Master.” Master Kelf began to smile, but then exhaled, his body fading away and becoming One with the Force. Nik began to sob, burying his face in his Master’s empty robes.
To be continued....

[Nik Vecto]

Part Two:

For nearly sixty years now, Nik had been chasing Murdus. He had never understood why, all of those years ago, Murdus had carelessly revealed himself to the Jedi at Badgen at a time when the Sith were supposedly extinct. It was, possibly, a part of his Sith training. Or, perhaps, he had sought to please his master. Either way, it did not matter. At the beginning of the Clone Wars, Murdus was cast aside no doubt because of the Emperors new fascination with the Jedi Anakin Skywalker. Sensing that his so-called “master” no longer had any use for him and would soon kill him, Murdus fled to the Outer Rim, with the master Nik Vecto hot on his trail.
It had been a game of cat-and-mouse for many years, with Nik hunting Murdus, all over the galaxy. In the midst of one of these hunts, Nik met Marcus Starkiller Rebel flight leader of the newly-formed Escort Squadron. Marcus gave Nik a place in his squadron as well as a home aboard the Rebel freighter Starkiller’s Pride, and assisted him in hunting Murdus.
However, as the Rebels diminished, Escort Squadron was called to protect a research station in the Sullust system, while Murdus was discovered heading the other direction. Nik asked for a leave of absence, and Marcus agreed.
And that had led Nik here. Where “here” was, Nik did no know, but only knew that it was the most depressing, dark, damp patch of grass that he had ever had the misfortune of being. However, Murdus was here, Nik was sure of it, for he had seen his ship. Nik disabled it and activated a motion sensor in the cockpit, as well at in his own. None would escape with ease.
Nik climbed though mud, on tress, and over hills scouring the planet for Murdus. For many people Nik’s age, this journey would have been difficult, if not impossible. As a Badgennian, however, Nik was granted long life, and could tackle long distances easily. Not so for Murdus, however. The years had taken a toll on him, as well at the corruption of the Dark Side. When Nik finally reached him, old and tired, in a clearing, he half-heartedly drew his lightsaber.
“So,” he said, that the same evil smile that he had worn all those years ago, “you have found me” “Yes, muttered Nik. “I have. You are responsible for the deaths of Six Jedi Masters, Murdus. Your time is over.” “Tell me…. Would you kill such an old man?”<br> “Even old men are responsible for the murders that they have committed.” “Well, then,” Murdus replied, his smile replaced by a sneer, “Can you kill at all, Jedi?”<br> Nik had been warned about his. If he killed Murdus, it could be said that he, Nik, was n the path to the Dark Side. However, in ancient times, the Jedi were sworn to destroy the Sith. That mandate should be in effect now. “Oh, come, Jedi” Murdus said, chuckling, “Your order is at an end, and the Sith shall rise again. We will still destroy you, scum!”<br> He ignited his lightsaber and attacked.
Nik went into a leap, the Force giving power to his legs. As he fell, he brought his lightsaber down hard on top of Murdus. Murdus rolled, however, and met Nik’s emerald blade with a loud crack of intense energy.
“No more thermal detonators, Murdus?”, Nik said with a smirk. Murdus threw Nik’s blade off of his own with a snarl, and went on the offense.
As the battle progressed, Nik observed that Murdus was much slower than the last time they had met, about twelve years before. He could barely keep up with Nik's blows, and appeared to be tiring quickly. With what seemed to be his last ounce of strength. Murdus charged, immediately countered by Force-push from Nik. He lay still for a moment, and then looked into Nik’s eyes. “Go ahead, Jedi….” He was breathing very heavily now. “You have won. Strike me down as you would an insect. Life no longer gives any fruit for me.” Murdus lowered his head, waiting for Nik to destroy him.
Here it was, the moment that Nik Vecto had been waiting for nearly his entire life, but he did not move. A thought had just struck him. Why was he here? To kill this old man who committed murder 64 years ago? He glanced at Murdus again, still puffing.
Revenge was not going to give him his Master back.
He remembered something that Master Kelf had said: “Revenge is the way of the Dark Side, Nik. It poisons the mind just as fear does. One that you care for may die someday, when that happens, do not seek fault in others, even the murder, for it will not bring that person back.” “But, Master,” Nik had replied, “why is it wrong to do the same to them as they had to you? Don’t they deserve it?”<br> “No, Nik, they do not. We cannot determine what others do or do not deserve. It is not for you to deal punishment.”<br> Nik, coming back to the present, looked at Murdus again. He did not understand his Master then…. But now it was clear. After all of this time, and all of this searching, Nik would have to let Darth Murdus go.
“It is not for me to decide whether you live or die, Murdus. You will have to make that decision yourself. Now go.” Murdus looked up in disbelief.” You can no longer hurt anyone.”<br> “We shall see, Jedi. We shall see.” He stood shakily to his feet, and walked out of the clearing.
Nik turned to go to his ship, but stopped. He looked around the clearing with a serene look, a look of one released from a heavy burden. “Farewell, Master. Thank you.”<br>
The End

[Marcus Starkiller]

I like it Nik.