This time his blade was met with something solid. Sirejj caught it with his staff, his eyes still leaking wisps of green ichor. He could feel the power of the blade through his staff, and yet he sensed the unbalanced anger from his opponent. All Sith were this way. They drew their strength from something so unstable that one well placed move would topple them entirely.

"I could say the same. I'll try not to waste any more of your time." Sirejj studied the fighting style of his opponent, becoming quickly aware of the reach his weapon had and how difficult it would be to get close enough to strike a blow. He was faster than him for certain. Once the Atoans were close enough to the surface, he would attempt an escape. As much as the galaxy could stand one less Inquisitor, he didn't have time for a duel to the death.

"Where did you learn to create such a potent illusion, I wonder?" the Inquisitor mused, and behind the helmet his eyes landed on the staff. "Such an interesting choice of weapon, too...Beskar or something else?" He struck at Sirejj again, reaching out with the force as he did so. A large crystal behind the Zabrak cracked from the wall and hurtled toward him with crushing force.

"Practice makes perfect." He diverted, again scrambling out of the way of the massive crystal and ducking behind the rocks. He was almost invisible as he moved from shadow to shadow and shot out again towards the Inquisitor from an entirely different direction. He adjusted the grip on his staff so the longer end could parry a strike from the Inquisitor and the other strike a blunt force blow. That was, if he could get close enough.

The Inquisitor sidestepped to avoid his own crystal and swung around to block Sirejj's attack. The lightsaber crackled against the staff.

"What loyalty do you owe to Lady Tarkin, out of curiosity?" the man asked, drawing back to deliver a heavy slice at Sirejj's legs. He seemed thus far unbothered by the fact that he hadn't landed a single actual hit, biding his time by meeting Sirejj's strikes beat for beat and returning them when he could.

"That of mutual benefit." He leaped backwards, feeling the heat of the blade swing by. He lowered his weapon and began to circle his opponent, studying him for a possible weakness. His thoughts for a moment went to checking on the Atoans and seeing how close they were to the exit. He'd need to keep the Inquisitor distracted for a while longer.

"Ahh, yes, the age-old source of camaraderie: I scratch your back and you scratch mine." The Inquisitor appeared to favor his left leg just slightly, and while he was certainly limber he was a bit stiff in the shoulders as well. "I can't imagine she helps you nearly as much as you help her." He straightened, rolling his neck as he watched Sirejj watch him. "All of this could have been avoided if you'd joined us last year, you know. Your persecution would have ended."

The three older Atoans were nearing the exit, but Raia was heading back, staff in hand.

"Ha!" Sirejj laughed aloud. "To serve the Sith is persecution." He lunged, again attempting to block his defenses and strike a blow to his center mass with the blunt end of his staff. Why was she coming back? He could handle this.

"It's neither persecution nor freedom--" The Inquisitor cut himself off as he moved to parry, then feinted left with his saber. "--it's limbo. Active purgatory. The price of our safety is that we must then become the hunters, rather than the hunted. I think it's worth it, don't you?"

"Far from it." He retreated again, then lunged full force at the Inquisitor. Only it was not his true form that leapt forward, but another image. Sirejj followed it closely though, attacking from a different angle and slashing at his opponent with the sharpened point of his weapon.

"Refute my point then, by all means. The threat of death is preferable?" He fell for the feint and slashed at the projection only to grunt in paint and alarm as the staff connected with his side. The Inquisitor grasped the weapon with his gauntleted hand, trying to pry it away; a small tear could be seen in his tabard and shirt, and beneath that, blood.
"First blood," he mused.

Now in closer quarters, Sirejj made another effort to strike with the opposite end of his staff, wrenching it from the grasp of the Inquisitor. Closer meant he had more difficulty maneuvering the massive saber. He growled and pushed forward, attempting to strike more blows and throw him off balance.

The Inquisitor brought up his lightsaber to block again, letting Sirejj push him back. Another crystal came at him, this time from the ceiling.

Sirejj was forced to disengage to avoid being crushed. He ducked behind a boulder and looked around to get his bearings. He spotted the exit. It was time for him to make his way out. His pride tried to convince him to stay and finish the fight, but he sensed it would not be the last time he faced this Inquisitor.

He went silent, creeping from one rock to the next swiftly making his way towards the tunnels. A coward? Perhaps. But he had been sent to retrieve the Atoans, and that is what he was going to do.

"Giving up?" Amusement crept into the Inquisitor's voice again. "That's a shame; Lord Vader had sounded sure I would have my work cut out for me."

The ground shook suddenly, and the Inquisitor was sent reeling. The crystals above them both trembled.
"Seems you and I are both out of time," he said, and held out his hand again to try and sense where Sirejj was.

Raia was crouched near the mouth of the tunnel leading into the waterfall chamber, her staff clutched in hand in case Sirejj needed help.

Sirejj set his jaw and restrained himself from snapping back. He was nearly invisible as he weaved between the boulders before making a dash for the tunnels. There would come another fight.