DYAD

FORTY FIVE

I chase them through the surrounding forest for what seems to be hours. It doesn't take hours, though it's dark now, but the pain in my side is nearly so unbearable that it feels that way. I stumble on a root, and barely catch myself before I fall on my face. I grunt, standing slowly, hand pressed against my wound.

"Enough!" I growl at the retreating figures, stretching out my hand, using the Force to stop them. They hover over the ground for a moment, bleating in surprise as I bring them to me.

"Wait, please!" The first Gotal cries, shielding his face as I raise my lightsaber. "We're with the Resistance!"

In my surprise, I drop them.

"What?" I keep my lightsaber leveled at them. "What do you mean, you're Resistance?"

"The General sent us a transmission explaining everything. He asked us to come and test you." He pauses. "We apologize for shooting you." At his words, my hand drifts back to my side, which is now bleeding.

"So he betrayed me." I grit out. "Again."

"Lady Manik, I doubt it's that simple-" The second Gotal starts, and I cut him down with a single slash of my saber. The other Gotal looks at me fearfully, and I kick him so he's laying flat on the ground, and shove my saber through his chest, ripping it across his body as I step back.

"I'm tired of the betrayal." I growl to myself, kneeling on the ground with a pained grunt. I sort through the first Gotal's pockets, looking for a Resistance emblem of some kind. "Got it." I pull out a badge, gripping it in my bloodied hand. My blood. I tuck the badge into my belt, and grabbing his communicator as well. "Where were you two going?" I muse, looking in the direction they were running. Standing, I clip my saber to its place at my hip. I look around cautiously before setting off in that direction.

I don't make it far.

"I'm telling you, Poe. She should've made it here by now." Ben's voice is audible through the trees. He seems worried, but all I can think about is how he betrayed me. I use the force to leap into a tree silently. As I crouch on a thick branch, a streak of pain shoots through me and I wince. "You know what, this whole plan of yours is stupid. What if she finds out? She'll think I betrayed her again." I pull out my comm and turn it to General Hux's personal frequency.

"General Hux, come in." I whisper, watching Ben and Poe argue.

"Lady Manik?" Hux's voice quietly filters through the night air. Not loud enough to alert the two men of my presence. "Where have you been? We haven't heard from you in six d-"

"Shut up, Hux." I snap. "Listen to me. We need to launch that attack on the main Resistance base."

"What? Why?"

"The Generals are away, they're on a different base. Do you still have the coordinates I gave you when I first arrived at the Order?"

"Yes of course, but-"

"Now, General." I hiss. "I'm also sending you my own coordinates, I could use a pickup."

"Manik, don't tell me you've lost your ship. Do you know how expensive-" I turn off my comm, not needing to hear him talk any longer.

"-She'll never trust me again, Poe." Ben says, spreading his arms as if expecting a hug. I grit my teeth, jumping down in front of them, cushioning my fall with the force. The impact still sends blinding pain through my body.

"I never trusted you in the first place." I lie, igniting my saber. Ben ignites his at the same time, pushing Poe back and out of the way. "By the way, when was the last time you checked in with your main base? I heard it looks lovely when it's on fire." Ben presses his lips together.

"You had no communicator." He reaches into his pocket, pulling my communicator out. I grit my teeth. Yet another lie.

"Maybe not, but your thugs did." I hold up the device. "When I arrived at the Order after my excursion to your base, I created an elite team of ground troops and pilots. They've been on standby for months, right around the corner of your base." As if on cue, Poe's communicator beeps frantically. "Since you're both here, I gave the signal."

"Poe! We're under attack!" A voice filters through, and Poe's face hardens.

"Finn, evacuate everyone off the base."

"Not an option, love. Their first attack was the hangar." His voice is panicked.

"The padawans are there, right?" He asks Ben, who nods. "Where are the padawans, Finn?"

"Dead, these soldiers took them down like they were children" Finn says slowly, pain in his voice. "They're so much more advanced than the First Order."

I hardly dodge the blue blade as it falls down on me. Ben attacks again, and I push my lightsaber up and into his.

"Careful, Ben." I say, arms trembling under his strength. "Jedi don't act out of hate." He grunts, pulling away, but keeping his saber ignited.

"Why?" He chokes, tears rising to his eyes. I don't give him the chance to finish before using the Force to push him back. He doesn't go far, but far enough for me to press a hand to my side and recollect myself.

"Traitors deserve to be betrayed." I growl, pressing harder on my wound, which started bleeding again after my leap into the tree. As he advances towards me, I pace to the left, twirling my lightsaber in one hand as I start hitting at my side, remembering that it can help enhance my anger and therefore my power with the dark side. I wanted to go with you! I want to shout. I was willing to tell you everything you wanted to know!

"This is sweet bonding time, Ben," Poe says. "But we have bigger issues now." He points up to the sky, where several Sith TIE-Fighters enter the atmosphere. A Star destroyer is visible as it glides into orbit. Ben curses, and I smirk. The communicator on my belt buzzes, and I grab it, holding it up to my mouth.

"This is Manik." I say. "Requesting pickup at sector Y7."

"Confirmed, Lady Manik." Helia says. "I'll send a ship to you now." I glance towards Ben and Poe, both who are looking up at the sky in horror as a red-painted TIE flies down towards us, engines screaming. I leap into the air, using the Force to lift me in a flip on top of the ship. Ben glares at me, thrusting out a hand, pulling the ship towards the ground. I suck in a breath, losing my balance. I tumble off the ship, landing on my back. I groan, trying to get up, but my whole body is engulfed in blinding pain. Now Poe's above me, lifting my head and talking to me. I use the Force to push him away, and I rise to my feet. Ben is on top of the fighter, and the entry hatch is open. He's busy deflecting blaster shots from the pilot, so I leap up to his level, grabbing the back of his shirt, and pulling him off the ship. He lands similarly to how I did, but he just lies there groaning.

"Lady Manik, thank you." The pilot says, backing away from the entry hatch so I can get in. I hop inside, reattaching my lightsaber to my belt.

"Don't mention it." I grumble quietly before collapsing.