Aaron left, and Nana began to wander around the room. She'd expected something a little fancier, but this wasn't bad. Only one bed, though. Good thing she and Katterat were so small.

She stretched, slumping down onto the bed with a relaxed sigh. She stuck a hand into one of her many inside-pockets and popped a piece of candy into her mouth. Nana had been a little worried when she'd gone back to the Jedi with her "borrowed" sweets still in her pocket, but he hadn't said anything. She smiled - he might've seemed strict, but maybe he was actually really nice.

Then it just kinda hit her that she hadn't told him their names. How could she forget that? Living with Rat for so long had really done a number on her social skills...


Katterat headed in the direction Nana and the Jedi had disappeared to. He didn't like being separated for too long, and he wanted a word with that Jedi.

The young man was coming towards him, alone. What happened to Nana?

Katterat stopped, looking up at the Jedi. "Hey," he barked, "Just where is this thing going? What is it you have to do?"

It had been nearly a week since Adam had enetered that Force forsaken hole of a room in the lower slums of Coruscant. It had been Master Frav's wish that he perform his last trials in that wretched place, had been his wish for him to build his lightsaber there. Adam shuddered at the memories of the place, of the pain he had endured, of the things he had discovered about himself.

The cuts on his back from the lashings he had endured burned as sweat dripped into the wounds. It had been three days thus far, and Master Frav had denied Adam food, water, or sleep. All the time, he was expected to keep all the parts of his lightsaber afloat with the Force, and if the thing was dropped, Frav would disassemble the peices and make Adam start over from the beginning. The lashings never ceased.

The lashings never ceased, not until the final peice was placed on the saber. Master Frave hd said it was Adam's Trial of Flesh, necessary if he wished to become a Jedi Knight.

On the fourth morning, Adam lapsed into a kind of trance. He saw things, visions. He saw himself standing in darkness, clothed in shadow. His eyes were like a demon's. Behind him loomed an even darker shadow, but he could not quite make out who it was. It seemed to be several people. Then, he saw him stab himself with a red lightsaber. The vision ended when Adam saw his father's eyes. Frav had told him that was his Trial of Spirit. The only thing left was to complete the lightsaber.

Frav seemed to have compiled a vast amount of devices and crystals over the years. Master Frav had even come across an extremely rare Kaiburr crystal specifically for his padawan. Adam bound each peace to another as they called out to him in the Force. The finished product was a magnificent peice of work. The hilt was pressure sensitive, coming on when Adam took it to his hand and going off when it left, but also a locking mechanism to keep it on or off. The hilt itself was made from electrum, a material almost as rare as the crystal. The weapon seemed to flow through Adam when he took it into his hands and the lashings stopped at last.

Sweating, Adam stumbled out of the small room, just narrowly being caught and steadied by Master Frav.

"You have done well yet again my apprentice. You are now worthy to be a knight. Rest. Your training in the seven forms is to begin in a week's time." said he.

Rabbit watched her son's shuttle leave and silently wished him luck. The warmaster's eyes burned into her head.

"Would you like a blessing for your child?" asked the warmaster.

C'Tzr growled a warning.

The warmaster shook his head. "One day, Sith, I will teach you your place." The Vong turned back to Rabbit. "Well?"

As soon as the bounty hunter shrugged yes, a pair of rings flew from the warmaster's wrists and wrapped around Ozean's arms and legs. Slowly Rabbit's daughter was lifted into the arm as her limbs were stretched.

"No!" said Rabbit as she reached for her lightsaber.

C'Tzr focused his mind gently but firmly pushing and pulling her body.

Rabbit couldn't move. She cursed at the Sith.

"He will kill you. If he doesn't, Vincere will," spoke the Sith into her mind.

"He's killing her," said Rabbit still struggling against the Sith's mind.

"The Vong venerate suffering and blood. He is blessing Meer through your daughter's blood, pain and death."

Ozrean's arms and legs were stretched to their limit but the back bands kept teasing them outward.

C'Tzr willed Rabbit's eyes shut as Ozrean's final screams and a wet splash ended the blessing.

The warmaster slowly walked over to Rabbit. C'Tzr stood between them.

"Step aside Sith. Your witchery has no hold on me."

Ozrean's blood, Rabbit's sorrow and hatred stirred up the psychic gargoyles that haunted the Styx. They howled for the Vong's pain and humiliation. A single face twisted and shifted until it became the Old Man's. With a brief flash of blue, the Sith ghost settled over C'Tzr's features.

The Old Man pulled up each of Ozearn's bones and snapped them forming ragged edges. They flew at the warmaster some pinning his body against a far wall, while others popped off metal armor, ripped away piercings, or ruined complex wiring systems connected to the his body. With a roar, C'Tzr forced the metal wall to pull inward pushing the warmaster off the bones. The warmaster dropped into a pool of his own blood.

"Consider yourself blessed as well," said the Sith as he released his mental hold on Rabbit.

As the feeling began to return to Rabbit's arms and legs, C'Tzr spoke into her mind. "The warmaster has lost face. The Vong pride themselves on being immune to the force and being able to take pain. He passed out and I never touched him. Let his own kind deal with him ...... or I will take your head myself."

Both the Sith and the Vong Overload approached the warmaster. Silently, the Overload motioned for the warmaster's body to be taken aboard the ship.

"Now, " said C'Tzr, "I will begin blessing the planet below."

The sensation of something evil clouded the world. I opened my eyes, slowly looking around the small room of Jedi Council members. Frav was missing from his position, as usual, but the rest remained. I frowned, feeling pain, lose, and fear.

"Grand Master?" Koon said from besides me.

I closed my eyes and searched. Searched for answers. Searched for clearings. Searched for help.

Only pain, only fear.

I opened my eyes. For the first time in weeks, I stood up. Everyone in the council shuffled in their seats apprehensively. Within their minds, I could sense their fears, and they were just as mine. Each of them were already to their feet as I stood to full height. They knew what I could feel.

"They are here," I said silently. "Evacuate the planet."

Each of them moved quick, their eyes stricken with fear. I stood still, speaking as they all moved to leave. I couldn't move my body, the pain above the planet was holding me still.

"The Yuuzhan Vong are here."

The last in the room was Koon. He was waiting for me. I looked up to him, tears in my eyes.

"How long, Grand Master?" His voice was unsure, and strained.

"Death is here."

C'Tzr watched as the fifty transport ships began to take their positions over the planet. Scans would show no life and there wasn't. Just a single, reprogrammed droid. The Sith nodded and the ships all took off for the planet's surface.

Minutes later, they all crashed striking their targets and making their overloaded reactors go critical. The explosions and flashes of white death were quick. The silence that followed was finally broken by a deep rumbling as large slabs of rock began to shift beneath the planet's surface. Lava rose. Volcanoes sprewed ash and poisonous gas into the air. Within six hours dark clouds of deadly dush began to block out the sun.

C'Tzr stared at the planet. "Signal the Vong ship,"

"The message Master?" asked a trooper.

The Sith smiled. "Darkness."

As I moved around the ship, I ran back into my Ewok friend. I realized quickly, he wasn't really my friend. He had the biggest attitude towards me. I sighed at his unjust attitude.

Katterat stopped, looking up at the me. "Hey," he barked, "Just where is this thing going? What is it you have to do?"

I looked about the ship, even though I knew we were alone. I sighed and looked at him, bending to his height. He was timid, but he stood at his height. I looked at him before looking away from his eyes.

"Okay," I said silently, "I am on a mission to apprehend data from the New Order of the Confederacy of Independent Master Starship. The data has information on it that is vital to the defeat of the Sith. I am to sneak in, grab the data, and return to Coruscant with it all."

He didn't know what to say. I grinned, keeping it as small as possible.

"You think you can do that?" he finally said.

I smiled, lifting up a thumbs up. "That's why I'm here."

I stood up and pointed the Ewok down the hall towards his friend's room. "She's down there. Last room on the right."

He nodded and walked off. My information was floating around in his head. My grin disappeared. I knew the pain I was about to endure. I just needed to survive. I turned around and walked into the room that held my droids.

"Hey, TC. Hey, R-7," I smiled at them, though they both new my tone too well to believe me.

"What's wrong, Master?" TC finally asked.

I sat next to him, folding my arms and laying my head into them on the desk that TC was on top of. I sighed.

"I just have to survive."

The second wave of transport ships circled Coruscant. Again there would be no life signs detected. Each ship carried a single droid pilot and was stacked with rotting and diseased corpses. As one, the ships launched themselves at ever major body of water on the planet. This time, the reactors didn't go critical but merely released their shields to expose radiation to the water.

Eruptions has destroyed most of the water pruification plants. The dust dried out many citizen's throats driving them to drink the tainted water. C'Tzr closed his eyes and felt all the deaths washing over him and smiled. "Signal the Vong. Tell them I have brought death."

C'Tzr turned toward his senior officer. "Organize ships to drop water rations in every major city. One ration for every two people. Let them riot and kill each other for the water. Once this has been done, signal the Vong and tell them I have brought them blood."

The screams, pain, fear, and anger from Coruscant pulsed inside the Sith's head. He fed the psychic energy to the gargoyles that rode the currents of the force within his own ship. As they built in power, C'Tzr channeled them into a single, demonic voice screaming the planet's fate directly into Vincere's mind.

Katterat stopped at the door to Nana's room.

What was that? What the hell was that? Freaking Jedi mind tricks or...dammit!

He turned and stormed after the Jedi. The son-of-a-gun nearly made him forget what he was going to say. Damn him!

Katterat saw him disappear into a room and barged in without knocking. He was sitting at a desk with his head down and his arms crossed.

"Hey," the young Ewok barked, causing the man to look up. Katterat stopped. The Jedi looked different now. He had that look in his eyes, same look Nana got whenever she was caught with her hands in someone's pocket. That fearful, disappointed look that said 'this isn't going to work'.

The Jedi blinked, and the look was gone. He was the cool, collected hero of justice again. Katterat bit his lip - it was more scary than annoying this time.

"Listen," said Katterat, "I don't know much about this whole Sith-Jedi thing, but...what you're doing, it's dangerous. So don't go and get yourself killed."

He turned and headed to Nana's room without waiting for a response, letting his metal pipe drag across the floor.

Even with his pistol, Rat knew he wouldn't stand a chance against a Sith. And Nana, he didn't even want to think about it. They needed that Jedi, at least for the time being.

Nana was sprawled out over the bed when he entered the room, sucking on a piece of candy. She sat up when he entered, smiling, and patted the spot beside her.

"Check it out," she chirped, "We got a bed."

Katterat smiled, hopping up beside her. Compared to the stack of bug-infested blankets they used back home, this thing was comfortable as hell.

Nana passed him the sack of candy. "What are these things, anyway?"

Katterat peeked into the bag. They were clear, golden things - perfectly round and a little on the small side. He popped one into his mouth, and it tasted sweet and minty.

He shrugged, setting the bag between them and laying down on his back. Nana did the same.

"Hey," she said, "Didja see the girl driving this thing? She's pretty, huh?"

Katterat shook his head - he'd been too busy death-glaring Jedi to notice.

"Well," said Nana, "She's really pretty. I wonder what her name is."

"Maybe she's whats-his-name's wife," said Rat.

Shxt.

It was silent than ever before. I nursed my wounds silently, playing with the harmony of silence. I felt my hair swish against the wind and then glanced out of the window. No droids, no Jedis, no Siths and no husband. It seemed like paradise.

There was some commotion in the hallway, possibly some children. I believed in Aaron LeBlanc's friendly and affable nature, and possibly he had a few children of his own anyway. I then chuckled, walking out of the room. I wondered what's the mother like, because these kids are quite loud.

There was a different vibe all of the sudden. Her hands trembled, and he became a little numb. She was feeling the Force. Her husband was near.

"Last warning, my dear - last warning."

I heard my husband's words inside my head. I don't know where they came from. They were echoing, echoing so terribly I could feel my body parts spreading, and then returning. I felt so much pressure on my head for no good reason. Finally, I decided to puke and ran to the restroom, disillusioned.

I walked out, shivering like I had been trampled over. I strode to the pilot room, where I found Aaron LeBlanc with his droid. Droid.

I immediately backed away, but I had to say what I had to.

"Sir," I began, my voice slurry, "The attack is near. It's..."

I was swooning all over again. I felt my body beating like a heart, every single muscle convulsing like a frantic mule. I feel to my knees, and finally said out unconsciously:

"It's now."

The ship radar turned red with alarm. Well, I wasn't wrong after all.

"It's now."

I jumped to my feet, rushing passed her. I wasn't expecting this to be now, and I really didn't want to have this much fuse. Ever since I had taken this mission, things had been going from bad to worse. It only took me a few moments to storm into the cockpit area, where Amaya was cursing at herself.

"Another friend of yours, Jedi-boy?"

I sighed, walking beside her to look at the screen. It was one shuttle, unmarked with a Sith, Yuuzhan Vong, or NOCIS symble. I didn't see any other markings that would give it away. It was moving faster than Amaya could turn to see, due to the direction it was moving.

"Are there turrets anywhere on the ship?

She pointed backwards towards a small room. "Duh."

I nodded and moved for it. As I walked Amaya spoke up. "We'll be going into hyperspace soon. Just keep him off our tail long enough for the engines to get rolling."

Behind my, my Jedi friend moved for it, moving down the ladder towards the first turret and me going up to the second. As I entered the room, I noticed a laser gun with massive handles. It looked like it would sway easily automatically, and was already prepped and ready to go, probably the design.

"Great."

I sat down and motioned it to find our follower. I accidentally shot off one of the lasers, the red beam zipping through empty space.

"Oops." I said. It had been too long since I had shot something. I moved around to find him then.

A crash came through the wall.

A group of Yuuzhan Vong were coming to get Veronica Dos, as Momo's intelligent guess was. Then, he realized that they weren't here to kidnap the Chief of State- it was not Yuuzhan Vong nature, after all. They were here to kill her, Momo and Master Nami.

Master Nami's teal lightsaber glowed brightly to match her flaming anger.

"Protect the Chief of State at all costs!" Master Nami shouted. "Go!"

Master Nami charged into the crowd of monsters, destroying them mercilessly. Momo had never seen Master Nami so angry. Snapping out of his trance, he spoke to Veronica Dos.

"Stay by me, ma'am-"

Momo was surprised to see that Veronica Dos was being held hostage by the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong. He was holding a lightsaber to her throat.

"Come any closer, boy," The Supreme Overlord said. "And you can say good bye to your precious leader."

He was moving back out of the Chief of State's door very slowly, as Nami Ichigo could only watch in silence.

But Momo's rage was powerful. More powerful than his masters.

He lifted his hand, slowly, and did the unthinkable for any Jedi.

The Supreme Overlord started to be choked. He started to slowly lose blood in his head as Momo clenched his fist, making his palms bleed. The Supreme Overlord let go of the Chief of State, and he slowly began to fall to the floor. However, as he began to meet his demise, he was laughing.

"You've done it, Padawan," the Supreme Overlord wheezed. "You've unlocked the Dark Side of the Force inside of you."

Momo's shock knew no bounds. The Dark Side of the Force? Is that what he was controlling? But how could he believe a Sith?

"Shut up!" Momo screamed. "Shut up and die!"

At that moment, Momo used his other hand to open, and he tortured the Supreme Overlord. The Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong's bones, muscles and tendons constricted and became irregular. Master Nami could only watch in horror as her young Padawan was torturing the overlord. Killing painlessly was one thing, but torturing was another. As Momo saw the Supreme Overlord die, he only tightened his force grip on his throat, and the muscles in his body.

When he died, Momo knew what he did, and he realized that the Supreme Overlord was right.

Momo had used the Dark Side of the Force.

Momo's hands slowly fell as his legs gave out. When he realized what he did, he buried his hands in his face, and cried.

Veronica Dos watched as Nami Ichigo walked over to her young Padawan. She was as scared as he was, but she didn't care about the whole 'no emotions for a Jedi' deal. Her Padawan was being emotionally tortured by beating himself up over something he didn't fully understand, and she wanted to help him.

Master Nami walked over to Momo and wrapped her arms around him.

"You did nothing wrong, my Padawan." She said softly. "Nothing."

Momo shouted incessant nothings at Master Nami, in which the words were:

Kill, Overlord, Torture, Dark side, Am I bad?

"You're not a Sith, Momo," She soothed. "The Force has a way with intertwining its powers. Some Sith use Light Side powers, and some Jedi use Dark side. It's the way of the world. You're not bad. You're not bad at all."

Momo slowly began to calm down after his breathing came back to normal.

Veronica Dos smiled as she noticed a side of Nami that she had never seen before.

"Now come on," Master Nami said. "We have to leave. Coruscant is going to be destroyed soon and we have to get the Chief of State out of here."

Momo snapped out of his sobbing, as he told the Chief of State to stay behind him.

As the three of them piled into the ship, Momo watched Coruscant slowly begin to fade away.

"We need to find out where the Council is," Master Nami said as her sympathetic eyes turned to Veronica Dos.

The Chief of State's home was being destroyed, and she felt as if she had betrayed her people.

"They'll be expecting Veronica Dos."

After the short, to wookiee standards, break into the space of the Mid Rim. I consoled my tortured soul to manipulate the feelings of weak, adulterated emotions. Ready to break into my tempered being and avenge my past, I headed to Kashyyyk.

Buzzers blared as my ship came into view of Kashyyyk. Things started to fade...

Memories, flashbacks of the past, of my family, of my dear Sirtfa. I lost touch with everything. Lights became a blur, the entire shuttle felt distant and irrelevant to my current situation. The air felt different, smelt different. Oddly enough, I felt home, not for long though, not long enough to become comfortable.

Heat, the flames of her cremation burned in my eyes, I could feel the animosity poisoning my veins. Watching her disappear into the smoldering flames...

The tremors throughout the craft awoke me, arriving into Kashyyyk caused the ship to undergo fierce turbulence and with no recollection of the events that got me there I safely landed. The door opened slowly; forgotten flavors in the air. The woodlands seemed familiar enough. But enough trailing off course. I began.

Revenge. The only thing on my mind.

Running, fast enough that the trees passed by at a flicker. The undergrowth seemed unbothered by my weight. The next thing I saw was the scene of a battlefield. An old Kashyyyk village lay in rubble.

No matter, as long as Nasyk is still intact

Moving along quickly, the area grew into a large gully. I knew this place, the young cubs would come here to play and wrestle. A bush near by rustled. With Ryyk blades quickly in hand I moved in. A small wookiee no older than 15 came tumbling out. By the markings on the nose and face and the necklace around his neck it seemed to be Chief Yaru's cub.

Frightened the cub asked, "Why do you have your -"

Sad, for that to be the last words of a Wookiee. Pinned to the wroshyr tree next to, what used to be us, the cub died. Before leaving, I grasped the necklace and ripped it off his stiff body.

Waiting until nightfall and when the Wookiees in the village would be suspicious of the cub's disappearance, waiting for a search party to band together and head out.

Didn't take long. A group of 6 males and a few females left out the main path. Now was the time. Into the village looking for the biggest hut to find the Chief, Yaru, for he would not lead the search party, his position held too high of importance.

Dispatching two sentry's who were bickering about their roles in the tribe. One lay on the ground. With a glance he was just another wookiee, but after he spoke I knew exactly where he fitted in. It was Jybal, one of the slowest to ever carry a blade, for him to be a guard of any sort was a disgrace. Although, he did not prove worthless. Under his breath and without much air to speak he astonished me. "Haze?" muffled by coughed blood, but enough to peak my interest. I stared into his glazed eyes. They rolled back into his head. Guess he didn't want a conversation.

Moving onward I spotted Yaru's home. I passed through the door into a small hallway, shadows loomed onto the walls. Voices could be heard,

"With this search party, we are losing our protection from attack. Remember what happened only a month ago? Only explained as "dark figures" blasted through the ---"

Another voice spoke, "Yes we all know, but he is my son!"

"Yaru." I muttered. Foot steps grew closer to my position. I took shelter behind another wall behind the main entrance. The foot steps left outside. Heading back into the hall that lead to the expired conversation, a sigh could be heard. Yaru was in the next room; seated in a chair facing away from the hall. With quick agility and a single silent stroke of my ryyk blade I had Yaru on the floor bleeding. Blade against throat I snarled,

"Remember this face?"

"I...." Yaru whimpered

"Pathetic." and with effortless force Yaru lay dead. This wasn't enough for me. A blood lust took over. I dug into his corpse, mutilating the very existence of what is called a Wookiee. Moving outside the camp, with a special gift in hand. A local sentry overlooked the walls of the encampment, for fear of being noticed and for the frenzy burning in me, I unslung my bowcaster off my back. With careful aim the sentry fell head first with a bone-snapping, skadoosh onto the ground. Placing the "gift" outside the home I left that village for it was worth nothing. The night sky gleamed with its serenity. Showing mercy to those seeking it. But tonight would not be the night the sky would shine it's dark lumination. Instead, with the push of a button the home of Nasyk's chief exploded. Flames engulfing the middle of the village. Screams, and shrieks arose. I slowed away from the hell.

Back at the village, the people howled in horror as their beloved leader's head stood on an ancient pike infront of his home. With the beads belonging to his son wrapped around the pole.

Better. I thought to myself.

A whooshing sound from above, quiet at first, but then grew. The spotlights of a hover craft came over my position.

I fled into the forest. Running through brush, I was being hunted. A sharp sting awoke in my spine. I fell forward with a loud thump and stumbled into a tree. With a crack from my skull on the bark of the tree. I lost my senses...

Zzyzx hadn't returned yet to report and I knew Aaron was moments away when I felt it. A great wave of distress washed over me as I felt the Force flow hot through my body. Something was wrong. Someone had died. I felt it was someone important.

I saw trees. Tall, thick trees that I knew only grew on one planet. Kashyyyk. It was a blur. I saw blood. I saw hate. I felt revenge.

The Chief that resided in Nasyk was one of our allies and I knew he didn't have many close friends. He always made enemies, anywhere he went. It was amazing that he had decided to side with the Empire, what with Vincere's reputation. I couldn't feel his lifeforce anymore.

"Zzyzx," I said alerting him over a small wavelength. "I need you to alert one of the droid army ships to go to Kashyyyk and pick up any suspicious characters. I feel they'll be running away from something. I'm thinking he or she killed the Chief there. A wookiee no doubt. Hurry! We have no time to waste!"

"Yes, ma'am." He said. He didn't say anymore. I trusted my Ewok. He wouldn't fail me.

I resumed pacing in the break room. It was so small that the room almost seemed to be closing in. I threw up my hands in frustration and impatience and decided to meet Aaron head on. I left the lobby and went outside.

It was warm and the sky was clear. Stars, moons, and planets dotted the night sky.

It was a perfect night.

Awaking to sounds of struggling men uttering curse words. Hands were touching my fur, lifting me off the ground. Flash of lights and engine rumbles distorted my senses. I struggled furiously grabbing for anything in arm's reach to fight with. A blunt object came in contact with my temple.

Dazed and confused I awoke. Hearing noises of soldiers talking about locations of planets and coordinates. My arms and feet were being held in shambles. I tryed to break the binds holding my fury within.

Useless I thought. Who had me captured? Who!? Was it the Republic? Couldn't be, they would have left me to my own to be trialed and punished. Then who...

The craft landed, the guards looked intimidated to open the door. One seemed to struggle with the panel, nervously pressing the buttons. The door opened.

"Ma'am," It was Zzyzx reporting back. But so soon?

"Yes, Zzyzx?" I asked.

"Ma'am, Delta 1 reported saying that they caught the wookiee they think is responsible for the Chief's death."

"That's great! Send them here!"

"Uh... Ma'am. I think they already are." I looked at the ship before me. It looked like Airy's ship, I was sure of it.

I waited patiently as the ramp lowered.

It took all my concentration to fire at the ship that circled us. I could hear Amaya below me, cursing up a storm. Her ship was receiving minimal damages, but minimal was too much for her liking. Further below, I could hear the Jedi speaking to herself, pleading, hoping, wishing for something. I didn’t know what, but I knew she was frightened.

My shots hit the ship only a few times, and with absolutely no power. His shields were strong, and the shots were ineffective. I sighed plenty of times, my concentration focused as hard as I could on the ship, no matter how fast it moved. I could hear Amaya say, ‘Finally.’ It was probably a good sign.

There was another shot, hitting the front of the ship, and then another aimed for the engines of the ship. Amaya instantly threw more curses at the ship. I moved my laser gun down and shot, hitting the wind of the ship. The ship spun, and another pair of lasers hit the ship’s wing again, from the Jedi below me.

Amaya then punched it, and the ship was shot forward into hyperspace. We were now going to be much closer to the NOCIS battle station.

I climbed out of the turret and moved towards the ladder, climbing down and stepping out of the way for the Jedi below me. She had tears in her eyes, so I left her alone. In her seat was Amaya, spinning back and forth with her hands in her black hair. She was counting backwards in some language I hadn’t heard before. Maybe she was cursing again? I didn’t know.

She stood up and sighed. “Anything else you gonna do to my ship?”

I didn’t know, so I stayed quiet, not wanting to upset her. I would rather not answer than tell her a lie.

“If you need me, I’m going to be in my room, hitting myself.”

She walked by me, and turned towards her room. I looked back after her, but she didn’t turn back. I followed after her, but turned towards TC and R-7 instead. She and I were not doing so well, I feared.

I had watched as Aaron LeBlanc confidently countered the attacks. I had been here before. In such a turret, watching as Morchein fought his invaders. We were fighting for Jedis at that time. I still was. I still was.

I had managed to give no more than three successful shots, or perhaps only one because I only foresaw the damage of my last shot. I was trembling, I didn't know why. I was supposed to be strong, but the worst thoughts came to my mind. What if Falae was in the ship? Morchein had a habit of bringing him along! What if...what if there were Jedis in there too? What if...I trailed off.

After we plunged into cyberspace, I sobbed quietly. Aaron LeBlanc left me alone, too kind of him - or maybe not. I had probably just lost my life partner and my son. I had probably just lost everything that was mine, everything that belonged to me. Me.

Or maybe that's the reality of life. Nothing belongs to you. Nothing, but reality. Or maybe not even that. The thought of it made me wail, and I finally jumped out the turret, forced to conceal my tears. No one was there, not even our angry pilot, which made it seem like I was really alone.

I stumbled over the box that lay in the path - for a moment I got angry and then returned to my angst. I knew my room was occupied, another of the many things to depress me. I finally walked into the shiny bathroom, and sat down on the floor, burying my head in my legs. But I didn't cry. I just sat there, blank. I didn't want to think. It made me feel alone and angry.

Our fall out of hyperspace was a blur to me, in every aspect of the word. The speed of the attack was immense. We had accomplished nothing in our stealth moves. The NOCIS battle stations had known we were coming from the start. Amaya diligently did her best to avoid all firefights but only prevailed minimally. The ships were too fast, and they had were far more prepared for us then we were of them.

I left the young girl and Ewok to the aid of my two droids as I rushed to the cockpit to see Amaya, cursing under her breathe, as the dogfights continued. I scanned the space, looking for the leading ship. The one we needed to land on. The one that contained the data I was searching for.

My mind was still in a blur. Her presence was near. It was powerful. It was angry. I could feel her anger rushing through her. It caused me to be weak at the knees. I held on to Amaya's chair for more than just balance.

"What the hell, Jedi-boy?"

I didn't know either. We were supposed to be completely unknown to them. Someone had tipped them off.

"You said no one knew!" she screamed, flipping more levers, and turning the angle of the ship to the left.

"I don't know what happened!" I retorted. It was true. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I looked around and still saw nothing. I looked down at the planet.

"Land the ship. Far from any sites. I'll have to hick the rest of the way."

She sighed, flipping another lever.

"No! This is suicide."

I grabbed her shoulder, but she shifted me off. I grabbed it once more.

"Please," I whispered. "Land it. You can regroup down there."

"If I drop you off, I'm probably gonna want to get the hell out of here." She screamed.

"Then leave." This truly was suicide. "If you must, then go."

She sighed heavily, whispering something foreign. She wouldn't leave. I could feel it.

I looked out at space as we neared the planet's atmosphere quickly, in aims to land in the outskirts of the mountains, where no one could find us.

I was pacing. I wasn't meaning to, but I always got excited very easily. I don't know why. Maybe I was just a very social person. I never liked to be alone, unless I was mad, and even then it was nice to have someone around to beat up.

I was anxious. There was no one around to talk to and even if there was I wouldn't have anything to say. I was quiet, for the most part. I merely liked one's presence. There was Zzyzx, but he was busy in the cockpit, searching for Aaron's ship. I had better not bother him. I didn't know anyone else on the planet, so conversation with them was out.

"Ma'am, it's the wookiee we caught on Kashyyyk. He killed the chief. The truth serum we gave him made him confess. What do you want us to do with him?" Two stormtroopers had walked up to me without my knowing. They both had a large, hairy arm in theirs. He growled and the troopers flinched.

"Put him in the detention cell in the underground level." I said to the troopers. They nodded. "And as for you, Wookiee," I spat the race. "You'll learn your place in this galaxy. As a slave for us Sith!" He howled as they yanked him away. I laughed.

But as quickly as it had come, it left and was replaced by a disturbance. I felt Airy. He was close. Really close. My eyes darted across the landscape looking for any sign of him. I saw a ship coming swiftly into the atmosphere some distance away.

"Someone get me a f*cking landspeeder! Now!" I screamed, at no one inparticular. But one appeared. I think I stormtrooper ran one out to me, but I don't remember. I just remember jumping on it and taking off in the direction that Airy's ship was coming down.

Adrenaline pulsed through me.

We landed in the outskirts of the planet. I could feel my blood running through my veins. Adrenaline. I knew what I needed to do, but I was expecting this to be in space. A quicker getaway, a faster escape. On a planet, there was so much more that could happen, and not having a ship to escape in at my immediate turn was going to be a problem.

I walked into the room where the child and Ewok were. They were cleaning R-7 together. I smiled, but felt something run through me. I wasn't going to see them again. I pushed the thought out of my mind as quickly as I could. Of course I was. I had this. I knew what I was doing. As Frav said, I was the best infiltrator the Jedi Order had.

"Hi," the girl said.

I looked at her, seeing her smile. She knew what was going on, but she was avoiding it. I think my face was giving away too much for her. I smiled back.

"Hi there," I responded.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yes, I am."

"Will you be back?"

I paused. My heart wanted to be back, but my mind knew better. "I'll try my hardest. I promise."

I walked over to TC and R-7. My little droid beeped at me with such confidence, and fear, that I wasn't sure if I would be able to contain myself. If this was goodbye for only a little bit, then why did it feel like forever.

"No, R-7. I want you and TC to stay here with them. They need you more than I will right now. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"But, Master." TC said apprehensively. I looked back at him, my face forcing the biggest smile I could muster.

"I'll be back, TC. You just keep R-7 in line and safe."

"Ye...yes, Master."

I walked over to TC and put my hand on his shoulder. His legs were still in complete shambles.

"We'll get you fixed. I promise."

"Okay, Master."

I turned and walked for the door, turning back towards the group. "I'll see you all later."

The girl and TC waved. R-7 beeped. Even the Ewok gave me notice as I left.

As I walked towards the exit, I saw my Jedi friend. She looked like she was having a hard time. She looked at me, and then away. As I neared her, she lifted out a hand. I shook it.

"Thank you for everything," she said silently.

I smiled. "I'll be back. We'll get you home afterwards, I promise."

I didn't know what she wanted, but the comfort of my sincerity helped a little for her. I let her hand go and walked past her, whispering 'goodbye' as I passed.

Finally, I was at Amaya, who was standing at the ramp that lead to the desert planet ground. I looked at her and she at me.

"Look," she started, but trailed off when I pulled her in for a hug. I don't know if that was the smartest thing to do, but I felt like it was needed.

"I'm sorry, Amaya," I whispered in her ear before letting her go. "I didn't mean to take my anger out at you. I apologize."

Even under her hard exterior, I knew she was still a girl, and the apology meant something. She didn't show it immediately, but she did finally.

"Don't worry 'bout it."

"I'll be back, okay?"

She nodded, not making eye-contact with me. I couldn't say goodbye to her. I turned for the ramp and started walking away. The warehouse I would be needed to make my way towards was about two days out. I could make it there by myself, and be completely hidden in doing so, but they would be sending out patrol for Amaya's ship. I knew she would figure out what to do. She was smart like that.

From behind me, I could hear Amaya trying to gather the words to say something, but she didn't. The ramp slowly lifted to a close as I made my way towards the NOCIS battlestations.

I stopped a long way from the ship. I could see Airy, faintly, but I could still see him. And he was saying goodbye to the people on board. Did he know that he wasn't going to return and was just instilling false hope for everybody? Or did he really, truly believe that he would succeed. I chuckled slightly.

"Zzyzx," I asked. He came over the com.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I need you to send a small stormtrooper squad to these coordinates. I can't take Airy alone and I need someone to help me bring him back. Can you do that for me, Z?"

He confirmed and I went back to observing Airy. He was walking this way. No matter. The squad would be here soon. I sat cross-legged and meditated, waiting patiently for my time to strike.

My senses were stronger than I had realized. Beyond, several meters away, I could feel her. She was waiting, patiently. Meditating to a hymm that calmed her body. A coma that would make her stronger. The connection between us made inflitration almost impossible at times.

I looked off towards different forestry that might help lead the way to the facility faster. She would sense my change in the wind faster than I can make the jump and sprint. We would clash somewhere in the forest.

I thought about my powers, hoping something might cloud her vision long enough for me to get passed her. If I could pass her, I could avoid confrontation early on, though I knew, it would happen one way or the other.

I began to run.

I began to run.

I began to run.

I began to run.

I began to run.

It was all I had left in me, and all I could muster, but I began to run.

This would keep her on her toes.

I ended the transmission with "Don't fail me." I knew they wouldn't. The Slayer and the Beast knew their jobs. I would collect with them soon enough. I turned in my chair and stood, walking around my desk and away from the room. My presense was needed with Sylvana. It was time to collect the genes.

As I turned from the door, sabers followed me. One after another, they began to fall from my wall and float as my shadow. First one, and then fifty. I would need each and every one.

"Ready my ship." I demanded from a trooper as he saluted and ran off.

I walked into the landing zone, and looked up at my small vessel. It was one of the fastest. It would get me there in a matter of hours. All I needed.

I looked back at my shadow, noticing the blades circling my shadow. Pure darkness with the brightest lights.

I looked at my apprentice and smiled. He was doing well, and was under complete control. The planet was being attacked. It was time for us to leave. He would be waiting for us.

“My young one, we should be off.”

He knew nothing of what was going on around us.

“Yes, Master Frav.”

I escorted him to a shuttle around the building, and settled in, as he settled behind me. It was time to go into our hiding until he called for us.

“Where are we going, Master?”

“Away, for now. We’ll be back though. We have our own accords to attend to thought. To make you a true Jedi Knight.”

“Yes, Master.”

Such a good child.

I could feel her confusion. It was working. Her meditation was bothered.

She was being confronted by two of me.

I smiled as I ran in my own direction, leaving her to sort through my dopplegangers. It was all that was needed. I wasn't a master at this skill, but it would leave her dealing with them long enough. I could make it now.

As I rushed through the area, I noticed droids starting to be stationed throughout. I pulled both my lightsabers, and hacked my way through them all, one of my dopplegangers at my side, doing the same. It was effective, and confusing enough. A twin-bladesman that could do all I could do.

From behind me, I could feel her turning back for me. She had finished them off by now, I was sure. I had a good headstart on her. I would win there, but I would be finished on the way back. She would have me by then.

I was only a mile off by now. My doppleganger was stopped and disappeared with a fight of droidika. I could feel my body as one again. I was the only one left, and still ahead. I would make it, I knew it. I could feel it.

But the anger that flowed from behind me was only going to catch up soon enough. She was only a mile behind.

I felt his mind change. He had felt me and I needed to act quickly. I jummped up, lightsaber in hand and blazing. With a spurt of speed a ran for him.

You know I'm faster than you, Airy. I have been ever since we were younglings. You don't stand a chance... I wasn't sure if he heard me, but it made me feel more ambitious.

I surpassed Airy's few obstacles easily. Almost too easily. Yet they had given him some extra time and a good lead ahead of me.

"Zzyzx!" I panted as I ran. He came on quickly.

"Yes, ma'am?" He replied, sounding worried at my out-of-breath tone.

"I need you to reposition the army! They need to land forty-three degrees ahead of where I told you before! And hurry!"

"Right away!" He said.

"And more stormtroopers!"

"Yes ma'am!" He replied. "And ma'am?"

I was stunned. "Yes, Z?" I asked quizically.

"Um... Be careful." And with that he clicked off. I ran faster toward Airy into the cover of the trees.

Come out, come out...Wherever you are...

She was panting. She was much quicker than I was. I almost felt the urge to curse. This wasn't going to turn out like I hoped. Something new developed in my mind. A new cloud. Darkness. I searched for her thoughts but they were clouded as well. I couldn't feel her for some reason. I wondered if it was the same for her.

I could see the facility. My heart rejoiced, but only long enough to be shattered by the sight of stormtroopers and droids. They knew I was coming!

My mind circled for answers. My hope. My mission.

How could they have?

It made me wonder about Syl. How did she know where I was coming. There were no trackers, no way of tracking us. We were so careful. How did she know?

Laser shots began to come towards me. I wouldn't have much time. This wasn't a sneaking mission anymore; this was survival.

An army verses one.

And the leading agent was my old companion.

I readied my blades, my own sweat falling from my brow and my panting becoming heavier. I was within a few meters when I jumped, letting go of my lightsabers as they circled around my body. I had jumped just high enough to land on the roof, my blades landing in my hand. I think I might have caught a few stormtroopers, but not enough to stop the chase.

I looked back. I could see Syl. She was much closer than I had thought. Still not close enough to stop me though.

As I ran, I noticed a grate in front of me. I threw my blade at the latch, it slashing into a point that opened it. I dove, grabbing my blade and landing in the facility finally. Next stop: the control room.

I was gaining on him. Easily. And my army of droids and stormtroopers were definately slowing him down. I was pleased with myself. Pleased that I could finally do something right, and pleased with the high chance of pleasing my master. I grinned and slowed my pace. He was going after an imaginary disk, but would be extremly disappointed when he didn't find it. To make it more dramatic, I figured I would time my arrival in the control room precisely, so that when he was at his peak of bewilderment, I would reveal all and have my stormtroopers take him away.

I laughed a bit to myself. He would never defeat me.

This would be fun.

I landed in the hallway, droids turning, and then being pushed into the walls behind them, crashing and falling into thousands of pieces. I knew the tactics, I knew the movements. I knew what needed to be done to make this work.

I ran forward, slowly making my way passed the armed forces. Syl had thought this through, but what was going on. Why was their such clouds. I couldn't feel Syl anymore. Had she turned away?

No...

The droids stopped, and the stormtroopers started. Real fights. I was in for it now. I sliced my way through as many as I could before ducking into a room to hide. It only would take them a moment to sweep through the room and find me. I looked around. It didn't look like an important room. An apple sat on the desk in front of me with one bite taken out of it.

What a waste.

I looked about, seeing another vent. I scanned it carefully, but quickly, noticing it was too narrow for my build. Not good.

Bastershots from behind.

I needed to move quickly.

I turned off both blades and moved around the desk, looking out a small window. A little too small, but I could possible fit through it. I looked out, and noticed more droids. They would shoot me once I was in sight. I turned around and turned on both sabers once again. I guess head on was all I could do. I ran for the door as it opened, revealing five white suits. I jumped, slicing through the first three and colliding with the other two, knocking them back. Enough confusion to make my escape to the control room.

I walked leisurely to the facility and up the steps. But suddenly, dust was blowing about very violently. I looked up at the cause of the commotion and saw my master's ship.

"Shoot," I said aloud. "Well, I might not be able to have it be so dramatic. Don't want the boss to get mad." With that I quickened my pace into the building, arms crossed behind my back and three stormtroopers following in my wake.

Finally, I made it to the control room. It was all I could do to keep myself alive for the most part. While taking down people was usually not that hard, I wasn't expecting to have to kill anyone, and often, I try not too. I'm not a killer.

As I entered the room, I noticed the computers and equipment that circled the room. Most of the equipment lifted to the celling. I turned around and stabbed the control panel of the door with my lightsaber, the door slamming behind me and locking. That would keep them busy for a bit.

I ran to the first screen I saw and started typing keys. I knew what I was searching for, and surprisingly, was good at finding such information. It took me only a few moments to get searches going for information that I needed.

Nothing.

The file didn't exist.

I rerouted my search for different key strokes, and rebooted files that were opened recently. Nothing. Trick files. I looked through the software around the computers, but found nothing. No optical disc. Nothing.

"You're not going to find it," a voice said from the door.

I turned around, seeing Syl standing there, her eyes dark, and infuriated.

"Find what?" I asked.

She didn't need to answer. She smiled before walking in, the door slamming once again behind her.

I walked in and, to my amusement, found several bodies lying on the floor scattered throughout the halls. I smiled and I could tell the stormtroopers behind me were exchanging nervous glances at one another. I paced quickly to the control room. Airy had 'locked' the door. Not hard to open, actually. With a wave of my hand the door slid smoothly open. I stood there in the doorway for a moment, watching in ecstasy as he searched frantically for the file.

"You're not going to find it," I said looking as mad as I could when, in reality, I wanted to laugh at how inept Airy had become.

"Find what?" Airy said. I didn't need to answer. He knew. I smiled menacingly and slid the door shut as I walked further into the room, leaving the three stormtroopers outside.

She moved slowly around the room, her red saber on. She was different. Colder. She couldn’t feel me right now, I knew it. It turned us into what we truly were now: Jedi and Sith. We were no longer the friends, the family, we were on Naboo. We were both just enemies in a war neither of us could win. I was her way of success, and she was in my way of survival. We were both our own demons, our own beasts that had only one thing in mind: survival.

“A trap?” I whispered, the pain of the words cutting me deep. She didn’t answer. She remained silent, stalking closer. The room wasn’t that large, but it was big enough for both of us to maneuver in without being confined in any small space. Forty by forty by forty. Too big, and yet, too small. No room to run. No where to run.

“Master is outside. The droid army is surrounding the complex. Stormtroopers are placed everywhere.” She started spitting out different facts. “There’s no escape.”

A lot of trouble for a lone Jedi on a fake mission.

“What do you hope to accomplish in killing me?” I despised the person she was. She was no longer the girl I knew.

“My master wants you alive,” she whispered out through her teeth, “but with your attitude, I could kill you on accident.”

Her anger clouded her thoughts. I didn’t think she could kill me. I didn’t hope so. I couldn’t kill her, I knew, but if I had to….would I?

She moved quicker than I could have ever imagined, pulling out her purple lightsaber with a swift motion at her waist. I didn’t have much time. I fell to the floor, curling up in a ball. My lightsabers turned on, circling my body, clashing with her lightsabers long enough for me to stand and grab both by the hilts.

My curved lightsaber clashed with hers, and my cyan with her red. I was twisted in an awkward position as we fought, most of my body motions with my back towards her, but my defense still unbreakable.

She boated me in the back, my body going into a roll before turning and clashing with her blades again. Swing after swing, we connected. Her eyes tightened, and jaw clinched as we fought. My body stung, and my mind went wild. Our first battle had been mostly mental. We could feel each other. We could read each other’s moves. We could adapt to each other quickly. This time was different. We were disconnected. Our moves were clumsy and dangerously close to killing us both. While we were both very skilled, we knew nothing right now.

I dove to the right, taking a slight snag at my leg. I used all I could to push her, barely making contact with her body, but she caught herself on the wall, jumping back at me with her swiftness that never left from our childhood. I rolled, slicing up at her as much as possible until finally pushing off the ground into the air spinning, my lightsabers out and dangerously close to killing her. Surprisingly, I noticed that I pulled back, making sure nothing connected with her torso. I feared killing her.

I grabbed onto the top of the computer monitors and threw myself towards the furthest walls to avoid her, flipping my swords about to connect with her movements. Her anger was becoming unbearable for both of us.

I landed, my leg in the air, kicking her in the face. I flipped around with my lightsaber and caught her arm, barely. She backed up quick, redirecting her swords and gathering her footing. I did the same

“You’ve grown,” she said, whipping the blood from her face.

I didn’t respond. She couldn’t feel me, but she knew me well enough to know my type of response.

We sprinted for each other again, our swords high. She stared at me with such intensity that I could feel the knives in her eyes. She wasn’t fighting for herself anymore. She was fighting for the past. She wanted it back. I wanted it back.

We pushed off each other, after what felt like a long time. We couldn’t keep our eyes of each other. We paid no attention to the blades. They did their own work. Their own art. We were simply the ones holding them.

After a twirl that left me damaged on my thigh once again, and her one her shoulder, like the last, we were pushed five feet from each other. She stared at me, her back to the door. I stared behind her.

She then ran, both swords widened and ready to clap on my body before she was thrown to the wall to my right, her left, heavily. The sabers turning off, and her body leaving an imprint in the metal wall before it fell to the floor unconscious.

In the doorway, stood Vincere.

C'Tzr closed his eyes and let the psychic waves of the force wash over him. Thousands of fearful and angry souls scratched at the inside of his skull. Coruscant was dying. The planet and the people were ripping themselves apart.

The Sith knight smiled. "Connect me to the Jedi Council."

"Master?" said a trooper.

"Do it. They will talk."

Notice to all Members:

The first Star Wars will be ending very soon, before Monday at the latest. If you would like to get your ending in for the first installment, then please do so. It doesn't need to be excessively long, or anything, but if you haven't posted before I go to end the game, I will be writing it for you.

C'Tzr stared at the screen and waited for the Jedi's image to appear. The Sith teased the currents of the force around him feeding the faint ghost of his master. The old herbalist's face began to shimmer and glow right over C'Tzr's. "I need you now," said the Sith.

"Yes," said the old man. His voice shook C'Tzr's frame.

The Sith shook his head. "No, you will not control me. Lend me your strength and wisdom or I will send you back to the currents to scavenge for the remains of my crew's souls." A steady blue glow flickered from beneath C'Tzr's flesh hood.

"A member of the council has responded," said one of the crew.

"Is it Salvatore Koon?"

"No my Lord."

"Blanket the planet with poisoned rations. Tell the council this will continue until Koon boards my ship." C'Tzr closed his eyes and bathed his soul in the psychic waves that pulsed form the planet. There were riots, looting, frightened starving people killing just for the sake of it. Those that tried to escape were send hurtling back to the planet, their ships burning husks courtesy of the Vong.

I silently shed a few tears for Araon LeBlanc and then rubbed my eyes, praying for him. Though I had lost most of my joy in this trip, I had earned something. Something I couldn't really point at. I gave a glance towards Amaya and the children and then sat by the wall of the spaceship, thinking hard. If life were easy, it wouldn't be life. But if life were the worst thing that ever happened to me, then what? It was an answer no one ever had. I then scrubbed the ship so as to reveal a teeny reflection of myself. I grinned and then stopped crying.

"Life was the only thing that ever happened to me."

I said it out loud and then waited for fate to question me before I could answer. That was how it should be anyway.

I didn't know why I was doing this. Aaron was my family; I should know better than to let the Sith rule me, let them dictate to me. The Dark Side was controlling my actions; I couldn't stop it. I moved in closer with my red saber on and in the offensive position.

"A trap?" Airy said, softly so that it almost seemed dramatisized.

“Master is outside. The droid army is surrounding the complex. Stormtroopers are placed everywhere. There’s no escape.” I spat. I said it, but I didn't. What was making me say this to my beloved Airy?

"What do you hope to accomplish in killing me?" He said. I heard the hurt in his voice and inside, I broke down. But the Sith side of me still raged on my outward appearance. I wanted to scream at him that I was still in here and that I loved him dearly and that I wished we could just go back to Naboo to live our lives. The Dark Side of the Force supressed it.

“My master wants you alive, but with your attitude, I could kill you on accident.” What was I saying?

Airy, I don't mean it! I hoped he could hear me.

I pulled out my violet lightsaber and attacked with lightning speed. Airy quickly dropped to the ground and curled into a ball, but his lightsabers reacted and clashed with mine. Ammusing as Airy's display of defense was, I felt sorry for him and wanted more than anything to stop attacking. The lightsaber distraction took long enough for him to stand and take both by the hilts. His cyan one that I had given him long ago clashed with the one I also found. My memories flashed quickly to that day, and, just as quickly, returned to the present situation.

I attacked quickly and without thought. I could feel we were disconnected from each other, not like our last battle. It was easy to read each other; predict our next moves so that we wouldn't kill each other, but now we were coming dangerously close. Our moves were clumsy and disorganized. We were acting out of emotion, not intelligence or skill.

He rolled away from me and pushed me. I used the momentum from him to leap onto the wall and using that to propel me to him. He spun upwards slicing at me and I could tell he was restraining himself from killing me. Perhaps it was his Jedi training?

Then Bam! another acto of violence to my nose! What was it with acts of anger and my nose? First Vincere and now Airy? I wanted to cream in frustration. It wouldn't look the same anymore...

"You've grown," Was all I could say as I wiped the blood from my nose. Agh... More blood... From my nose nonetheless.

We sprinted for each other again and were locked in a force push. The moment lingered as we connected momentarily. We weren't fighting for ourselves anymore. We were fighting for the past. I wanted it back. He wanted it back. So why couldn't it be so?

We were finally pushed from each other and connected sabers again. We couldn't keep our eyes off the other. I didn't pay attention to our blades, and neither did he. Thjey were doing their own thing. We were merely the people holding them.

We wounded each other like in the last battle, in the same places. We stood apart from each other, for a slight breather. My back to the door, preventing his escape, and his eyes intent on it. I ran for him again.

I remember being forced into the wall to my left and being rendered unconscience as a voice in my head said: Rest Sylvana. That is enough.

His hand slowly lowered to his side, his smile as thick and long. I could still feel nothing of Syl, and in his presence, I lost all thought of everything. I knew who he was. My eyes couldn't leave his. I could see anger boiling in him, his smile disappearing almost instantly at the site of my eyes.

"Of course," he said quietly. "The eyes of a prodigy must always be blue." He paced slowly, behind him blades of various hilts floating in behind him. My heart started to race. I only had the two. He had an armies worth.

"Prodigy?" I whispered, moving opposite him. I knew better than to let him near. I knew better than to be in this room.

He laughed, blades behind him starting to flicker on one by one. He talked very slowly, almost to make sure I understood. "You haven't heard? You are the prodigy. The child of the Force. The one that will slay the demonizing Sith, like Vader centuries ago."

This was a mind trick, but I was stronger than that. I knew better.

"You lie..."

"Why would I lie to you, boy? I could have had you killed years ago. This isn't the first time I have brought you into my traps. But you prove the prophecy correct every time you escape."

"There is no prophecy."

"You ignorant bastard!" he laughed, "I should believe so, since the possibilities are both in this room right now." He barely glanced away from me, but he did. I didn't move, but I knew what he had looked at.

"Sylvana and I are no prodigies."

"Sylvana is not one," he smirked. "If she had been, she could have striken you down on Coruscant. If the prophecy is used to protect the child, then you would surely be it. You are still alive."

The final lightsaber turned on. He moved faster than light itself. His blades in his hand moved the exact way the lightsabers surrounding him moved. All from the left, sweeping the right. There was no way I could block. The wall of light was taller than I was, and coming towards me far too fast to block them all. I dove backwards and too my far left, barely moving away from the sweeping blades; five or six of which caught my side and leg just barely. The burning sensation sent thousands of little painful waves through my body.

Blades immediately followed me, my lightsabers barely able to block or disable them. He only laughed.

I bent back into my ball, my lightsabers flipping about me in an unpentrable shield before I jumped up, grabbing them once again. I had disabled fourteen blades. Only another few hundred left to go.

How long would I last though? He had stopped advancing. He had used that first attack to through me off, and it had worked. I was starting to breathe harder. I was starting to miss swings.

I was going to lose at this rate.

Slowly, his blades started to retreat. This was throwing me off again. What more could he want of me? I was losing. He was winning. If this was a prophecy, I obviously wasn't it. How could I be? I was losing still.

"Boy, you will never learn, will you?"

Learn? Learn what?

"Don't," he snarled, his hand in the air, and my body being thrown into the wall behind me, then tossed forward several meters into another wall, my nose breaking against the impact.

"Ever," he flipped his wrist, my body contorting into an awkward array of twists before my arm snapped.

"Insult," he yelled, a surge of lightning slithering out of his fingertypes, lighting my body on an electrial fire.

"My," my body dropped, the pull of his strength cracking my head open slightly above my eyes.

"Power!" The detachment of his will made my body crumble and tremble. I couldn't feel anything anymore. I was barely able to hold my head up, barely able to keep my eyes open from the pain. Blood was gushing from every opening like a river that had no end. If I didn't die from his attacks, I would surely bleed out within minutes.

"You know," he said, his body moving closer to me. "You must truly be the prodigy."

I couldn't make words out. Blood seeped out of my mouth like an ooze that I wanted nothing of.

"Because you've survived once again." He bent down and stared into my eyes, his voice low and anger trembling. "I always hated blue eyes." He stared at me with his dark yellow-red eyes, the force of his stare sending shivers down my spine, shivers that only emited more pain in my body.

He lifted his fingers and placed them above my eye-socket. Lightening flipped from his fingers, the current rushing through my body, numbing me, killing me. I couldn't scream. I couldn't feel. I only burnt. I wanted it to end. I wished for death, but it wouldn't come. Finally, it stopped. I couldn't open my eyes. I couldn't move. I laid there, hoping he would slay me.

His fingers pulled apart my burnt eyelids, his laughter sending more shivers.

"Black as midnight rain. Suits a failed prodigy like yourself."

He released my eyelid, my eyes swelling and not allowing the one to close. I stared confusedly as he moved away, Sylvana standing there, tears in her eyes, and her fists tightened. How much had she seen? How long had she been awake? He flipped his wrist towards three guards, them running at me and grabbing my limbs, lifting me with ease. Their grasps made my body burn worse.

As they carried me out, I heard Sylvana speak.

"Why did you not kill him?" Her voice sounded unsure, maybe part of it because of the Sith in her, maybe part of it in shock, or maybe part of it in anger. I didn't know. I still couldn't feel her.

The last thing I heard him say before I fell into unconsiousness, or maybe died, was, "The same reason I didn't kill you that fateful day you arrived on my ship."

“The Jedi’s ship is docking Master,” said a trooper.

“Leave us,” said a hollow voice from beneath C’Tzr’s hood. “We will see him alone.”

“Master?”

“We said leave us!”

The docking bay doors opened with an angry hiss as Jedi Master Koon entered the Styx. He looked around in disgust and pulled out his light saber. C’Tzr just stood and waited. In his mind’s eyes, the Sith watched as a small bubble of energy flexed and shrank around the Jedi. The psychic torrents that got too close to the bubble immediately calmed. The snarling faces within vanishing silently. The gargoyles that rose from within the torrents soon fled to the safety of the Sith.

The old man’s voice echoed in C’Tzr’s head. He is too strong for you, boy.

C’Tzr never took his eyes off of the Jedi. “Lend me your strength or join the others wraiths.”

Koon’s saber stood between him and the Sith knight’s neck. No matter how C’Tzr twisted or turned the sbaer’s tip was always there.

The Sith ghost cackled. He’s too good for you. Koon’s patient. Give me control of your body.


The knight stared into the eyes of the Jedi. There was no opening to attack just death if he tried.

I don't know exactly when I came to. I know I heard my Master's voice saying something indiscernable and shouts and screams of pain and agony. Airy's shouts and screams. My eyelids flickered open and I saw Airy lying in a pool of his own blood in the floor as my Master bent down to him.

"I always hated blue eyes," More screams from Airy. My poor, helpless Airy. I stood and felt anger flood through me, like the waves of the stroms on Manaan. My hands balled into fists and I was shaking with fury. I couldn't see Airy like this. Either leave him alone or kill him. Don't torture him... No, don't torture him...

A pause and then:

""Black as midnight rain. Suits a failed prodigy like yourself." Airy? A prodigy? No... It couldn't be true... Were... Were Airy and I supposed to be the ones the prophecy spoke of? The one my Master had mentioned and I had studied on for years? No... It couldn't be us...

My Master stood and flipped his wrist for three stormtroopers to fetch Airy like a doll. He hung limply as they carried him out. His eyes lingered on me. I could feel the pain, both physical and emotional, and my heart snapped. It broke into a million tiny pieces. so many pieces, that all the stars in the galaxy could not amount to them.

I vowed revenge then. I would continue my Sith ways, that would never change. That was a part of me; a part of my soul. No, I wouldn't change my ways, but I would kill Vincere. That would be my sole purpose to my existance now. To desicrate and destroy the creature that had killed, perhaps not physically but shattered his spirit and soul, my Airy. The only person that had ever, truly, cared for me and my well-being. Vincere would fall... And I would be the cause of it. I swore it to myself.

They carried Airy away and I still stood, shaking, hands still balled into fists.

"Why did you not kill him?" I was curious. I had to know. It was torturing both of us. My Master hesitated and then answered:

"The same reason I didn't kill you that fateful day you arrived on my ship."

"And what was that reason?" I asked. I noticed my voice sounded older; more mature. He didn't answer, but merely followed the stormtroopers. I stayed waiting in the small room. It seemed to be getting smaller.

Come Sylvana, my Master's voice said inside of my racing skull. It sounded softer, calmer, and Hell, maybe it even carried a tone of caring. There is nothing left for you here. I bowed my head and I felt a tear slip down my sooted cheek. I held out my hand and brought my lightsabers to me. I didn't look up. In a flash of irrational thought I had sworn vengence against my Master, the one I thought I was beginning to love, and now, I wasn't so sure. I didn't want to think anymore. I just wanted my mind to be blank.

I needed sleep.

The Jedi and the Sith circled each other. Koon’s light saber never wavered. C’Tzr’s lightsaber was still sheathed, buried deep in his flesh. He knew the Jedi wouldn’t make the first move, so he simply waited.

He will out wait you, said the old man. The voice was no longer in the Sith’s head. The old man’s ghost was getting stronger. Just send out your light saber and it’ll be over quickly. Or, you could stop fighting me and let me control your body.

“Shut up,” said C’tzr.

“You’re conflicted,” said Koon. “Do you think you are the first Sith to realize he was been mistaken? You won’t be the last either. You haven’t even drawn your light saber. Who does that other voice belong to? Who torments you?”

“My old master. His ghost won’t leave me.” C’Tzr pulled his hood back. Over his scarred, bald head was a faint blue image. The image was of an old corpse. It turned and smiled at the Jedi. The face’s movements didn’t match the Knight’s.

“He’s mine Jedi,” said the image. “No matter what you do. Whether he lives or dies – the body will be mine. I have planned this for a long time … ever since I had a pit boss install droids in the Knight’s head. He is the perfect vessel for my essence and no one will stop that.”

“I … will,” said C’Tzr as he dropped to his knees.

“Get up you fool!” The image was straining to control the former pit fighter.

C’Tzr looked into Koon’s eyes. “Kill me … please …end … this … now.”

The Jedi smiled and raised his saber. “I will give you peace.”

I looked upon three of the Vong who were on my personal vessel. They stood in a line, each far larger than I was. Behind me was the Prodigy, binded, with lightsabers at the ready aimed at him.

"This boy?" one of them laughed. "He is no prodigy. The blood does not fit."

"Silence," I spoke. He did so. "Take him to your planet. He will be secured there. Since the Force has no effect there, I am not concerned of any powers he may try to use. Since the Vong are the only ones that know the way to the planet, I can assume correctly that he will not escape."

"And what, perhaps, are we to do with him?"

Another spoke, "Just what are we suppose to do with this child?"

I smiled. "Torture, but do not kill."

"And where are we to contact you when we have arived?"

"I am going to Coruscant right now. You will hear from me before me of you."

The table that held the Prodigy passed me into the Vong's care, the lightsabers stopping and staying with me. The Vong pulled along the table onto their own ship. Soon after, the ship lifted and flew into empty space as my ship went to Coruscant.

To the end.

Koon's raised his light saber high above his head. C'Tzr looked at the dried pool of blood at his feet. EVerything slowed.

The saber began to drop.

The old man's ghost shrieked for control of the Sith's body.

C'Tzr silenced the wraith as his light saber's energy began to pull out of his stump. The Koon's blade turned and checked the attack. C'Tzr willed the Jedi's saber back. Koon resisted. The old man's ghost soon lent it's own will. SLowly Koon's light saber pulled back. The shaft of light inched closer and closer to the Jedi's face. Quickly, C'Tzr grabbed one of the lightsabers hanging from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, the saber's shaft was released directly into Koon's body.

The Jedi master's eyes went wide with shock as his final breath escaped. His slumping body sliced in half as it fell on the saber. Koon's death scream echoed through the force along with C'Tzr's unholy laughter.

I sat quietly in my quarters, meditating. My legs were crossed and my arms hung loosely on my knees. My head drooped toward the floor. A clouded rad and black haze seemed to wind it's way through my mind. That's all I saw behind my eyelids. I was calm. I was cool. I was collected. Never before had I been so serene. I felt nearly at peace with the world. I let the Force flow through me freely. I felt it gush through every pore, felt it tingle in every nerve. I felt it pulse through my arteries and veins. It made my heart beat. But Airy kept it beating. Once I had my revenge on Vincere I wouldn't need a reason anymore. I could die, I could live. It wouldn't matter. Everything would be right again.

Yes... Everything would be right...

I sighed deeply and recited the code, the one I learned on Korriban:

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion.
Through passion, I gain strength.
Through strength, I gain power.
Through power, I gain victory.
Through victory, my chains are broken.
The Force shall free me."

A wave of pure tranquil anger washed over me, like a warm bath. Hate filled me. But I smiled still. Well, rather smirked. I waited a moment and then began the code that I had learned from the teachings of Vader and had modified:

"There is no fear, there is power.
There is no death, there is immortality.
There is no weakness, there is the Dark Side.
I am the heart of darkness.
I know no fear,
But rather I instill it in my enemies.
I am the destroyer of worlds.
I know the power of the Dark Side.
I am the fire of hate.
All the universe bows before me.
I pledge myself to darkness.
For I have found true life,
In the death of the light."

I smiled widely and sighed again.

I'll be ready for you, Master... You shall not survive...