Sevren and Asa “What’s up?” Asa asked. “Does it have something to do with Shado?” “In a way.” Sevren replied glumly. “It was strange to face something that I once was.” He couldn’t quite understand it, but a apart of him felt ashamed of Shado and the damage the Sith had done. His feelings could not deny the guilt inside, gnawing at his bones like leeches. Carefully, Asa walked over to Sevren and sat down beside him. "I don't believe you were that pale," Asa remarked in an attempt to keep the mood somewhat informal. "But I get your point. Forgive me for asking but did you...did you ever kill a Jedi?" Asa polled Sevren with his eyes, he thought he had a decent chance of getting an answer. "I mean, if you did, you also just saved one, so I guess that would make up for it," he added with a smile. “No, I never killed a Jedi. But I have done things… far worse than that.” He looked down to the ground in his disgrace, angry at himself for allowing his emotions to dictate him. "Worse?" Asa repeated. He couldn't imagine much worse, after all, what could be worse than death? Besides, weren't the Sith hellbent on eradicating the Jedi? What could Sevren have done for the Sith that exceeded that priority? "I find that hard to believe," said Asa. “Really?” Sevren spat. “I have murdered strangers and friends alike… torn them from life like a savage.” His voice became hoarse as he spoke letting his sadness reign within, destroying the proud man he tried to hide behind. “I have killed mothers and fathers… I… I…” Looking down once more he let the anguish release in him with a hearty sob. “… I… I have murdered children… their small little faces… haunting me at every waking moment. I see them… all of them.” His bloodshot eyes trailed the area, looking in every direction. His gaze darted around the dojo erratically, as if the entire room was filled. In the end it was too much to bear and he sobbed back into his hands, murmuring over and over, “I see them all… I see them…” Asa's mind buzzed in disbelief, like a nest of angry wasps. What Sevren said couldn't be true, how could anyone like that ever be let into the order? He tried to hide his shock, but he realized he didn't need to. Sevren had broken down completely, sobbing tirelessly in his own hands. "Does Master Root know? Does the council know?" Asa asked carefully. “Of course the council knows.” Sevren looked up, still in shock of his breakdown. “They are always watching.” He had somehow allowed himself to trust Asa up to now, but he could sense the Jedi’s anger towards him growing. Had the boy really been that naïve about what the Sith were? The power of the dark side destroyed all, including those who used it. “I’m not sure I want you here anymore… I… I need some time alone.” He said. Asa didn't reply. He simply got up on his feet, murmured a goodbye and left without ever looking back. Disillusioned, he walked through the corridors towards his bunk. How could the Jedi council let murderers like Sevren into the order? Above all, Asa felt betrayed, he and Kaile had never been fully trusted by the council, yet this ex-sith who had killed mercilessly, was better than them? He hadn't seen any of Sevren's actions ever being questioned, something which couldn't be said for himself. He opened the door to his bunk and locked it behind him. Tired, he plopped down on his bed, letting his mind wander over the Sevren's revelation until, at last, he dozed off into a dream.
Nearly six hours had passed since Master Root went to take a nap. Suddenly, the ship's computer blipped and Ben, who startled awake from where he was napping int he co-pilot's chair, pressed the flashing button. "Alain? Master Root? Are you there?" President Leia's head appeared on the big monitor, but she did not look well. Her chestnut hair was let down and it looked wild and her face was cut from her chin to her left ear. When she saw Ben, her eyes narrowed and her expression darkened. "Ben Kenobi Skywalker, what are you doing on that ship!?" the Galactic President practically growled. Her voice boomed over the stereo system, trembling with anger. "I'm sorry, but what's wrong with your face?" Ben stammered, his head shrinking between his shoulders. "My what? Oh, that." Leia tried to smooth back her hair, but it puffed back up. "I was attacked by bounty hunters, a second time. They got close, too, but the quick actions of Han, your dad, slowed them down enough for me to gather my wits and finish them off. They disguised themselves as a band of players at the charity ball I was attending." She spoke nonchalantly, as if she was commenting on the weather. "But don't think you're getting away with anything, little mister! As soon as I'm done speaking with your uncle, I will give Alain instructions not to let you off the ship for the remainder of the mission. Now, has Alain discovered anything about my brother, Luke? Or maybe even who is sending these guttersnipes after me?" Before Ben could reply, Han Solo's face appeared on the screen. His hair was more gray than black and he had to squint to see who was on the screen. He was movie-star handsome, with his square chin, warm brown eyes and charming smile. "Ben? Ya little scallywag, you! How'd you sneak on the Whisper without Alain sensing you?" He was smiling from ear to ear, as if he was proud of his son's accomplishments. Then Han noticed his wife's icy glare. "What? Did I say something wrong?" he said in his most clueless voice. In the background, a large Wookie with gray-tipped fur lumbered into view, eating breakfast cereal out of a silver bowl. He warbled when he saw Ben's face and, consequently, spat out a mouthful of soggy brown clumps. "Hey, Chewie!" Ben replied ecstatically, waving back. "Chewbacca! What did I tell you about eating with your mouth open?" Leia snapped, picking cereal out of her already messy hair. Then she turned back to her husband. "You shouldn't encourage Ben's antics, Han! I tell you this all the time, we need to be a united front..." Ben's parents commenced having a comical argument that they had had many times before when Ben did something uncouth and his dad complimented him. Han Solo used to be a notorious rogue that flew around the galaxy in the Millenium Falcon committing all kidns of crimes, which was probably where Ben got it from, but Leia didn't want to raise a ne'er-do-well. While Ben was waiting for them to finish, suddenly the screen went black and his mom and dad were gone. At the same time, a glacial chill went through the ship, but it had nothing to do with the actual temperature. The chill was coming from the from Force. Everyone on board could sense it, like their blood had turned to ice-melt. There was the sound of a door banging open, and then Alain Root ran down the hall in nothing but a muslin long-sleeved shirt and his brown leggings. "What the HELL is that?!", the Master Jedi exclaimed. "I th-think it's th-that, Uncle Alain," Ben answered, his teeth chattering. He raised his hand and pointed shakily out the window. Directly in front of them was a huge inky-black circle where there were no stares, but the Jedi could sense that it was the source of their discomfort. The cargo ship they were following flew straight into the dark void and disappeared, as if it was swallowed into a black abyss. Alain Root stood next to Ben, who grabbed his hand like a scared child, which was exactly how he felt. "Wh-what is that?" Master Root gulped and licked his lip, which had suddenly gone dry. "It's a shadow, Ben." Alain squeezed the Padawan's hand, as much to comfort him as to comfort himself. "It's the shadow of the Dark Side..." End of Chapter One
Chapter Two: The Wrath of the Sith Lords It took Alain Root a moment to regain his composure. None of them had ever felt such a massive concentration of Dark power; it was unheard of. Alain let go of Ben's hand and slumped in the pilot's chair. He had rearranged his face into an expression of unshakeable determination. That was the same face that had convinced soldiers and Jedi alike to follow Alain's lead in battle, the face of a natural born leader. "There is a planet there, I can sense the lives on it, but I can't see it," Alain finally said, his voice soft and gravelly. "It is an illusion created by Sith sorcery. I don't know if we can penetrate it, or if it will resist us because we are not Sith. All I can say for certain is that there are many, many Sith down there..." "But...I thought only two Sith ever existed at once? A master and an apprentice?" Ben said, confused. "And doesn't the student typically kill the master when he learns all his masters secrets?" That was what Ben had been taught by Alain himself. The only exception was Darth Vader, or Anakin Skywalker, Ben's grandfather. It was said that Anakin had the potential to be the most powerful Force-user in history, but after he was burned, he lost his ambition and became content with being Lord Sidious's right hand, never to raise up and become his own master. But now Alain was saying that there were multitudes of Sith co-existing on a planet that was shrouded in darkness. "Apparently, they have changed their ways." Alain steepled his fingers under his chin and closed his eyes. "My worst suspicions are now confirmed. We thought the Sith were destroyed, but somehow they were thriving under our noses this entire time. A part of me knew from the beginning, when my Luke went missing. The Sith can hide themselves, or someone else, so completely that not a trace of them can be found. That was how Emperor Sidious infiltrated the Senate and became Chancellor without the Jedi even noticing. He was so powerful, he dampened the Jedi's ability to see the future, thus enabling him to catch them by surprise when the Clones turned on them. It would seem that history is repeating itself, on a larger scale. Lord Shado was only a taste of what is to come, I'm afraid." "So...what do we do?" Ben asked, his voice cracking from nerves. Alain Root remained quiet and Ben's innocent question hung in the air. What were they going to do?
Taura Maymier Taura hissed, every fur on her body standing up on end as she felt a wave of Dark power flood over her. "What was that?" Head swinging around, the Tauntaun rushed over to a window, then promptly looked sick as she spied the darkness they were fast approaching. "Oh no . . ." "Guys, we may need to use that teamwork we've discussed a lot sooner than i expected."
Caeleck's stomach wasn't as strong as Taura's. She felt the Dark Force wash over her like a thick tar, sticky and smothering. Her vision became so tainted in red that even her own aura had dimmed. She could feel the malice and the hate radiating from the Dark Force in pulses, washing over the Whisper and causing severe unease on it's inhabitants. Fear was a prevalent feeling on the ship, tinging the already red aura's with black spots. Caeleck threw up all the shields she could and it dimmed the effect on her, bu only just. Caeleck felt the bile rise up in her throat and choked as she tried to keep it down. She fled the cockpit and ran towards the privy, hardly noticing the people she bumped into o the way. She entered the privy, not even bothering to close the door, and promptly threw up in the toilet. This wasn't here when I passed through before, she thought worriedly. Or does it only affect people coming from this side? Her thoughts were interrupted by another cramp from her stomach, causing her to dry heave over the toilet. "Ugh," she groaned, leaning her head against the bowl. I'll just have to make sure not to eat to much then. Just light stuff. She closed her sight, welcoming the darkness for the first time in her life. So much Dark Force....What the hell has happened here? she thought about the people on the cargo ship, Only something as evil as human sacrifice could possibly have this much Dark Force to create that barrier. Oh no... Miraluka's can't shed tears, but Caeleck's shoulders shook with sobs.
Asa Green Asa's eyes fluttered open. He was cold with sweat, or so he thought. He patted the linnen but they were as dry as an old bone, the coldness seemed to come from inside him. Horrified, he casted his blankets aside and clutched one hand to his bare stomach, were the ice had thickened the most. Within minutes he got himself dressed, he was just pulling a shirt over his head as he stepped into the cockpit. "There is a planet there, I can sense the lives on it, but I can't see it," Asa stepped forward to look outside. The vast emptiness of space was as disorienting as ever, up and down had no meaning in the endless void. There were only specks of light of maybe-long-gone stars whoms light only reached his eyes know. Thinking about the universe always made him feel fuzzy on the inside, but not this time. Asa listened with great interest to the wild claims Master Root was making. For once, he believed the old Jedi without question, he could feel it himself too. He stared after Caeleck who headed for the toilet and began throwing up. Suprised, he turned back to the darker-than-black pit that loomed over them. Now that the initial shock had settled, Asa wasn't that unsettled by the cold. "Come on, it isn't that bad. Just a little breezy on the inside," he said with a shrug. His expression hardened, "if there are as many Sith as you fear, then we don't stand a chance. No matter our tactics, we're doomed to fail. Unless of course we..." Asa bit his lip, "never mind."
Sevren and the Miraluka “Are you feeling alright?” Sevren poked his head around the bathroom door to spot the Miraluka worshiping the porcelain god. He had only spied her by chance, drifting through the ship almost in a quiet trance. He dared not dream that night, or sleep for that matter, so aimless walks through the ship had calmed him so. She heaved over the toilet once more, unable to respond. Sevren could not quite understand why she had taken ill now. Had it been the food? Or perhaps she was prone to space sickness? No, they didn’t really fit what was happening. His feelings had been unnerved somewhat by an unknown presence, yet surely it wasn't enough to make her ill? He decided to put it to the back of his mind; instead he sat down beside her and gently massaged her back as she threw more chunks into the bowl. “Can I get you anything? You seem awfully pale.”
Taura stumbled to where Sevren and Caeleck knelt. "We're nearing a planet of Sith. can't you feel anything, Sevren?" she asked, trying to not sound accusing. She was actually more envious of him at the moment because he didn't seem affected at all by the darkness enveloping their minds. Biting her lower lip as she saw Caeleck hurl again, an idea occurred to her. "Caeleck, may i trick your mind into thinking that your body feels okay? Or that it can't sense the force? It will only be temporary, but it might help you feel better." she suggested, kneeling beside the Miraluka. Thens he glanced at Sevren through the corner of her eye. "We were discussing how to better fight as a team. You and I would be the lead attackers in situations, just so you know." she said, trying to give Sevren the heads-up on what they had been discussing.
Caeleck was touched by the concern Taura and Sevren was showing her, but it also made her uncomfortable to be so besotted by kindness. Through sheer force of will, she managed to halt the vomiting and place more shields around her mind. She was still pale and trembling, but at least she could function again. "I'm fine," she told them, "The Dark Force is overwhelming, but it usually doesn't affect me like this. It wasn't like this when I passed through it before, something changed and it caught me by surprise," she got up, flushed the toilet, then rinsed her mouth in the sink. "Taura I appreciate the gesture but Miraluka minds are different then most, Mind trick doesn't work. Born immunity I guess," Caeleck turned to both of them and smiled. "I thank you for your concern," she gave them a small bow,"But we have other things to deal with." Caeleck walked out the bathroom. She went and stood by Asa and whispered quietly to him so only he could hear her, "My shields won't hold here. I'd like to train from you as soon as possible," Caeleck turned to Master Root and spoke louder. "Master Root, this wasn't here when I passed through from Alpheridies. It's fresh and I believe I now know why the Sith were taking those people from Cloud City. This...thing...radiates death."
Sevren and Taura Caeleck left the bathroom in a rush, still pale and sickly. So Sevren decided to slouch by the wall and close his eyes for a little while, giving his temple a massaging rub with his fingers. Taura had also been concerned with Caeleck’s illness, but somehow the conversation had once again turned to his previous Sith nature. “We’re nearing a planet of Sith. Can’t you feel anything, Sevren?” She asked. “Yes, I sense it and it is strong. But to have become it once has left me with a numb feeling…” He inspected his hand, turning it back and forth, playing with his fingers. “…it’s almost like I’m dead inside.” Sevren smiled ironically, unsure of what it all meant. He felt so disconnected from the Force right now, abandoned by it and left to the mercy of the Sith. With a planet full of them, it was no wonder his visions were getting worse.
"My shields won't hold here. I'd like to train from you as soon as possible," "Then let's begin now," Asa replied. He guided Caeleck to a more isolated corner of the cockpit and sat down in one of the seats. "The key is focus," he said whilst eyeing Caeleck. "If you can concentrate on one thing, and one thing only at will, then nothing can invade your mind." The cockpit wasn't an ideal place to train mind shields, but it would have to do. As far as Asa knew, they could be heading towards some serious trouble, so it was best to be on standby whilst he instructed Caeleck. "Alright," she said quietly, dreading to be overheard by Master Root. She hoped that with the current crisis no one would notice to much. Caeleck tried to focus on her pulse, letting her mind drift and ignore everything else. Then she found she was focusing on Asa's breathing instead and quickly shifted her attention to her own breathing. That failed as well as she found herself focusing on Asa's hands. Finally she just gave up and just focused on Asa, seeing as that seemed the only way she could keep her thoughts from wandering. She listened to his breathing, soon matching her's to his. Her thoughts begun to drift away, one by one, until only his face remained. She gave him a curt nod to tell him she was focused. Asa took her hint and attempted to invade her mind. The idea was simple, you simply guessed what your target was thinking or you tried to pinpoint anomly thoughts, quick and nearly ingraspable fluctuations in the mind. Asa encountered a void at first, but he soon discovered the fringes of Caeleck's mind. It was like an electrified wall, impenetrable unless you knew the circuitery behind it all. He took a few obvious guesses, perhaps she was thinking about the ship, or the Sith, maybe she was focusing on the ground or some object in the cockpit. When all those guesses failed, Asa probed deeper and tried to understand the nature of Caeleck's thoughts. Then, he realized who she was thinking about and shattered the barriers of her mind. In the split second that he lingered in her thoughts, he saw himself through her eyes. Then he withdrew. Asa casted a meaningful look at Caeleck. "It works, but only because I am here now. It's better to focus on inanimate things, it's even better to switch your focus, it might cause a temporary weakness, but it makes it all the harder to invade the mind." He paused for a moment, then whispered, "why me?" Caeleck tried to hide her rapidly spreading blush that bloomed across her face and ears. She realized it was a lost cause when she felt her ears and the back of neck begin to burn. She decided to hopefully draw his attention away with something else, "Because your the only thing that isn't covered in that sickening red," she told him quietly, smugly. She had noted how he had invaded her mind and thought she had an idea on how to thwart him next time. Instead of thinking of Asa as a whole, she could think on different things about Asa at different times. Hopefully that had enough variance to keep him out. "Shall we try again?" she asked him timidly. "It's not that sickening, not to me at least," he said. "It's just a different facet of the same thing..." He cut of his sentence, his eyes turned to soft focus and it appeared he had to drag himself from some faraway place before the light returned to his eyes. Looking at Caeleck, he shot her a smile. "It's easy to stretch yourself too much. It's quite likely I will be able to see part of your thoughts or memories. You see, our minds are atuning. The less I reside in yours, the harder it will be for me to break in." "You sound like my Master. She would never get too close to me either because she was always attempting to train my mind. Never did get close to anyone..." Caeleck's thoughts wandered and she went quite. Asa gave her a questioning look then just shrugged, seeming to hold no further interest. But his curiosity got the better of him. Tentatively, he reached for Caeleck's mind. Sure enough, it was only barely shielded; her walls almost falling apart. He touched her mind lightly and he was able to break through with ease... ~~ "Caeleck Ranaewah! You have got to focus. Your mind will be open to anyone who just happens to touch you the way your going at it," scolded Master Taelennia. Caeleck's shoulder's shook with great sobs as she tried to focus her mind. Her tiny hands balled up with effort as she tried to think about nothing. Suddenly Master Taelennia threw a painful mind bolt against her and it shattered her feeble defenses. Caeleck cried out in pain and fell down on the ground, curling herself into a ball. Her tiny body was no bigger then a toddler, even though she was nearing seven years of age, and she looked even smaller as she layed there curled on the ground. "I can't do it Master!" she sobbed. "Yes you can!" said her master sharply, "I know you were a premature child, but you can still shield your mind if you only achieved focus!" Caeleck flinched at her words, not happy at being reminded that she was born less then a Miraluka. Her mind had not been as fully developed as other Miraluka's at birth. She was born blind and unshielded, a abnormality. "Master I...I'm trying..." Caeleck uncurled herself and sat up. Her master's face suddenly changed from stern to pitying and she knelt by the battered child's side. "I know you are. I suppose we should be grateful you have gained sight this past year I have had you. The shields will come in time," Master Taelennia stroked at Caeleck's forehead and soothed her hair. "Do you think so Master?" asked Caeleck between sobs. "Yes, I think so," said her master gently. Later that day Caeleck was playing by the river when some other children came up to her, "Hey Preemy! this is our river. There is no room for runts," said one boy. Caeleck just ignored him and continued staring into the water. "Hey! I'm talking to you Preemy!" Caeleck felt a shove from her back and she went sprawling into the river. She came up sputtering and clutching at the river's edge, the other children just laughing. "That is where you belong, Preemy! Struggling for a hold, you shouldn't be alive." the boy jeered at her. Caeleck became very angry and she Force pushed herself onto the bank of the river. She advanced on the boy with a high head, her normally light blue aura turned a deep and pulsing purple. She held out her hand and Forced pushed him away from her. "Just you wait! I have Master Taelennia helping me. I'm going to be a Jedi!" she yelled at him fiercely. "A Jedi! I will be strong!" ~~ The memory faded away and Asa found himself blinked at Caeleck. He scolded himself for having peered into her mind. I shouldn't have, he thought to himself. "I suggest you keep on training. Try to write whatever worries you down, to get it out of your head. The less interference here," he tapped his indexfinger against her temple, "the better." "Yes, so I'm told," said Caeleck bitterly. She brushed his hand away and looked at him directly, "I'll practice. We will try this again soon," she told him pointedly. Asa nodded and settled his gaze on Master Root once more. In his mind however, he wondered how much more torment Caeleck had stashed away. He considered talking about it, but now was not the time. Later, he decided.
“Yes, I sense it and it is strong. But to have become it once has left me with a numb feeling…” He inspected his hand, turning it back and forth, playing with his fingers. “…it’s almost like I’m dead inside.” Taura didn't even flinch, as she had guess as much. being trained by Sith, he would have been used to it. "Then we can use that to our advantage if we need to fight." she said, not bothering to bring up his past. She certainly didn't like to remember hers, so she avoided topics such as that.
"What are we going to do?!" Ben repeated, a hysterical note creeping into his voice. "Calm down, young one," Alain told him. He turned his chair to face everyone. "We are going to land on their planet base." He paused to let the meaning of his words sink in. "If we leave now and come back later with reinforcements, then we risk Luke Skywalker being killed, or worse. Luke went mssing just one hundred miles from our present location, that can't be a coincidence." "But we don't have the element of surprise and there's too many of them!" Ben practically screamed. Alain shook his head. "They can't detect our ship with any technology because the Whisper is made of stealth metal, that's why we aren't being attacked right now. We may still have luck on our side. I say we fly out of the radius of this planet to send a message to President Leia about our discovery, then we fly back and go in for a landing. That way, once we are leaving the planet, President Leia will be ready with reinforcements to protect us from the Sith forces. How does that sound...?"
"But we don't have the element of surprise and there's too many of them!" Ben practically screamed. Asa stared through the cockpit window, lost in his private thoughts. Fighting that many Sith would be madness, he thought to himself. They had barely been able to defeat even one Sith, though Asa suspected that Lord Shado, due to his title hadn't been just any Sith. Still, they had no clue how many foes they'd find, but that they would be outnumbered seemed obvious. "I don't think we have a choice," Asa said. "Heading back now will gain us nothing, and we will lose everything. if we can manage to inform the council that we have found the Sith, then I see no reason for us not to land and investigate further. The more we find out about them, the better our chances of destroying them for once and for all." He clicked his tongue, "we should prepare ourselves though, we can't go running into them without a plan. I think someone should stay behind to guard the ship," his eyes flicked over to Ben.
"Oh, no you don't!" Ben cried. "I'm not staying anywhere! That's my relative you're going to save, I have a right to come along! No, I command you to take me with you!" Ben stomped his foot and crossed his arms over his chest, the picture of teenage rebellion, but his bottom lip quivered as if he wa son the verge of tears. "I hate to say it, but he has to come with us," Alain interjected. "His mother and father shield him from danger, but he can never be a true Jedi is he does not have the same education as we all have had in our teachings. But, before you can celebrate--" Ben stopped pumping his fists int he air and blinked "--you must vow to follow my every command. If I tell you to hide, you hide. If I tell you to run, you run. And if I tell you to leave me behind, or even Luke, you must do so. Promise me that, or you cannot come." Ben stood ram-rod straight and his eyes focused on Alain, all the jittery energy washing away from him. In that moment, he looked like a true Jedi, or at least a true Padawan. "I solemnly swear," he said in a clear, strong voice. "But Alain," he continued hesitantly. "Would you be able to leave Luke behind? If it was neccesary?" This question seemed to deeply affect Alain. His face cracked and his mouth opened and closed several times without making a sound. Finally, Root pulled himself together and cleared his throat. "You don't worry about me, I'm the Master here, aren't I?" he snapped. Ben shrugged and ran to go get his over-robe from where he had slung it over a chair.
Asa Green Enough was enough. Asa marched straight up to Master Root and, with just inches between them, stared him dead in the eye. "Education? Is that what you call this?" He spat, "We make one mistake out there, and your nephew will have his intestines charred." Ben's determination wasn't his concern, nor was there any doubt the kid was capable of handling himself, most of the time. Asa didn't like Ben that much, but he still recognized part of himself in the lad. And now, the kid was making a fatal mistake. A mistake his uncle was approving of. "I don't think you have any idea what you are putting him through. One mistake, and either you lose a relative, or he does." Asa averted his eyes to the ground, his head hanging low in defeat. Root would no doubt stand by his choice. Frustation at his own, pre-emptive conclusion bottled up inside of him. "You don't know what it's like to lose someone, nor does he." He sighed, "I sense great pain and suffering will come from this decision, Master." Fire seemed to blast through his eyes as he faced Alain. "Don't ignore me on this."
"Don't ignore me on this." “I have to agree with Asa here Master…” Sevren appeared out of nowhere, quietly seating himself in the bridge. “…it would be too bold for Ben to traverse this planet with us. Not only will there be limitless perils, but his youth makes him susceptible to the dark side.”
Asa Green Asa motioned towards Sevren as if to say, 'see? I told you so...' Perhaps there was a chance that Master Root would listen now that the ex-Sith had joined Asa in his attempt to make Root reconsider.
Master Root did not seem to hear Asa, or even Sevren. He peered closely at Asa and scratched his chin stubble, his sky-blue eyes going dark. "I don't know how i didn't notice it before, maybe I was too preoccupied with the mission, but you are not yourself young Padawan." Alain laid a heavy hand on Asa's shoulder. "Asa, I am not sure you are a good judge of anything right now, to be perfectly honest. You are full of conflicting emotions and inner turmoil, probably a result of being taught by that Master Kaile of yours, your education was most likely flawed. If anyone is vulnerable to the Dark Side and needs to stay behind, it is you. But we need everyone with us, even Ben. If you press this subject further, I will be forced to order you to stay behind while the rest of us embark on the Sith planet. That is my final word on the matter, take it or leave it." Ben had returned with his robe on and noticed the tense situation. "Uh... Is something wrong?" he muttered.
Asa Green "Master Kaile is a great man! The only thing that is flawed is your logic," Asa said. Steam seemed to pour through his nostrils and there was a reddish heat in his eyes. For a second he imagined himself cutting of Root's hand with his lightsaber. I could do it..., he thought briefly. Then the dark thought faded. He still remembered how he had talked to Kaile, the say that he had been summoned to Root's office for the briefing on Luke. ~~ Asa walked besides Kaile. Six months after their adventure into the caves he had finally been able to restore Kaile's trust. His tutor hadn't betrayed his use of the dark side to the council but he hadn't been happy with it either. His training had intensified, it had focused on him restraining himself. Most importantly, Kaile had taught him a lesson or two in humility. It had taken Asa loads of hard work to regain his Master's trust but, it had also brought them even closer. "Master, I am not sure if I am ready for this. Alain Root doesn't seem to trust you, or me by extent and I am afraid that," he swallowed his pride, "I am afraid that I won't be able myself without your assistance." He shot a worried look at Kaile. Whatever mission Master Root had planned for him, he hoped it would be over soon. Kaile smiled at his apprentice. "Trust in the power of the force, and follow your training, and you will be fine. Alaine wouldn't have asked you if he hadn't had confidence in your abilities and control." "But what if I fail? What if I revert to my old self? I don't trust myself with the force, I can't, it's too tempting," he sighed miserably and stared deep into Kaile's eyes. "I wish you could come with me," he said softly. "How am I ever going to repay you for all the things you've done for me?" he wondered aloud. "There's no need to repay me for anything. You have been my companion and my family, that's all I can ask... Just come back safe and sound boy," Kaile spoke quietly but fervently. His cold exterior thawing for a moment. Asa smiled, then did something he had wanted to do for a long time, but had so far been unable to find the courage for. He hugged his master briefly, then pulled back. Kaile wasn't like a father to him, he had been his father for ten years now. "I will Kaile," he sighed. He was about to turn and leave when a thought pinned him to the ground. "You keep yourself out of harms way, i'll never forgive myself if something bad were to happen to you, Kaile." He bit his lip, then turned around and headed for the conference room. On the outside he looked calm and confident, but on the inside he was shaking like a twig in a summer storm. It felt like being send on a mission with an eye and an arm missing. Still, it had to be done. ~~ Coldness settled in his heart as the memory faded. Asa glanced up at Master Root, "If I am as unstable as you claim, why leave me with your ship?" He jerked himself loose from Root's heavy arm and turned his back on the old Master. He shot an icy glare at Ben. Clearly family was considered to be the deciding factor, not skill. "Well, are we going to land or what?" He snapped at no one in particular.
Taura peered around the doorway, having heard the argument but too scared to bring it up other than a meek suggestion. "Master Root.. if i may ask... could i help by spying on the Sith? If they use Tauntauns for transport, i could behave as one that simply got loose from its pen and gather information from whoever i overhear." she swallowed, looking a little ashamed of herself. She had been known to dissapear for weeks at a time whenever something really hurt her. "I've done it before..."
Caeleck didn't bother to try and speak to anyone else in the cockpit. Far as she could tell, it was just another squabble that had become so common among the inhabitants of the Whisper. Everyone was unbalanced and on edge and she didn't feel as if anything she could say would help matters. Thanks to Asa's impromptu teaching she could shield out most of the unpleasantness from the Dark force and the other's aura's as long as she kept her thoughts focused. The bad thing was she was always focused on him. We won't be able to do anything as long as we are squabbling among ourselves, she thought disdainfully. What was the point of planning a strategy where we work together if all we do is work against each other? Caeleck pulled up the hood on her robes and scowled within it's depths, making sure nobody saw. She squeezed herself further into the corner and tried to look as invisible as possible, succeeding in looking like a dark shadow in the corner. From there she listened to what everybody said, "I sense great pain and suffering will come from this decision, Master." Fire seemed to blast through his eyes as he faced Alain. "Don't ignore me on this." “…it would be too bold for Ben to traverse this planet with us. Not only will there be limitless perils, but his youth makes him susceptible to the dark side.” "I don't know how i didn't notice it before, maybe I was too preoccupied with the mission, but you are not yourself young Padawan." The only thing that is flawed is your logic," "Master Root.. if i may ask... could i help by spying on the Sith? If they use Tauntauns for transport, i could behave as one that simply got loose from its pen and gather information from whoever i overhear." Caeleck sighed deeply, Maybe it would be best that we all turned back. At least then we have a chance of staying alive.
Alain gave Taura a long look, then shook his head. "No, too risky. We don't know if they ride TaunTauns and it is highly unlikely to find your species out here, anyway. We could just be sending you in to be slaughtered. No, we will play this cool, sneak behind enemy lines and find Luke Skywalker." With that, he swept his cloak to the side and sat back down, preparing the ship to turn around. When they were far enough away from the Dark Planet, Alain broadcasted a message to both President Leia and the Jedi Council about the events that had unfolded. Without waiting for an answer, he turned the ship around once more and they flew toward the black abyss. "Brace yourselves," Alain said, clenching his hands into white-knuckled fists on the control panel. No one knew what would happen when they passed into the cold darkness, but the Master Jedi was willing to risk it. Ben had become strangely calm and sat liek a statue in his chair, eyes closed and his hand folded neatly in his lap. He was melding with the Force for inner calm before they entered whatever damned situation was ahead of them. This was what they had set out to do. This was the mission they had signed up for. Only half a mile left til they entered the black void. Alain closed his eyes at the last moment... ...And they came out in the atmosphere of a forested planet. For as far as the eye could see, they were surrounded by impenetrable woodland. On the horizon, they could see huge, craggy mountain ranges cloaked in mist. The planet was humid and the ship's sensors told them that its air was breathable by humans. The cargo ship was no where in site, but Ben's tracker told them it was directly ahead, as if they need it. Smack in the middle of the endless green forest was a huge stone temple with steps on the sides leading up to the top. It was massive and they cold see dark-robed figures walking all over it. Torches were being lit by some of the figures; the sun, which was pale blue in the sky, was beginning to set. Immediately, Alain maneuvered the ship into a dive and they landed in the nearest suitable clearing. "We will disembark now," Alain said as he stood, adjusting his utility belt. "We have to approach the temple fortress on foot, or we will be spotted. Keep your eyes and ears open. This is uncharted territory. As long as you keep your wits about you, we should be fine. The Sith are good at hiding, but Jedi are good at sleuthing. Ben, stick close to me." Without hesitation, Ben jumped to his Master's side, uncharacteristically focused and obedient. Alain looked around at his misfit team, nodded once and then pressed the button so that the ship would open. He led the way down the ramp, crouched low with oen hand on his lightsaber. They had barely made it to the ground when a voice cried out: "Who are you lot?" A dark figure wearing a cloak was standing in the darkening woods. Its face was hidden by the up-turned hood, but one thing was for sure: they had been spotted.
Taura froze as she came out of the ship, turning her ears towards the stranger. Oh dear . . . Swallowing and sure that she was going to make a mistake, but not sure what else they could do at the risk of the man sending a message to their enemies, she moved in a blur, shooting over the stranger's head and landing a few feet behind them. She stood up to her full nine-foot height, attempting a look of scorn but failing miserably at it, "Who's asking?" she rumbled, one paw on her lightsaber and the tips of her stun-guns glowing.
Asa Green Asa was anything but calm when they landed, the inferno inside of him had scathed even his mental defenses and the grimace on his face betrayed suppression. He had to restrain himself from calling out when the figure inquired who they were. With a shock he realized that his fury might've marked them out to begin with. After all, it was easy to sense the unshielded. If it would come to a fight, he needed to get as far away from the ship as possible, to lure the Sith away. Taura took the iniative and lept forward, Asa decided against following her example, his rashness had nearly cost him his life just half a day ago. For now, he watched and waited, his hand hovering over his lightsaber. Robin Montgomery Robin rubbed the bruise on his back as he stared over the endless sea of trees in front of him. Finally some free time, he thought to himself. The air near the horizon shimmered for a moment, as if something had passed through it, but he thought nothing of it. He rocked his feet over the edge of the temple. Sitting high up the temple and gazing out into the distance, having the wind tussle his hair; it calmed him. The others didn't seem to understand how pleasant it was to have a calm, cool mind, to let your worries drift away on the wind. Anger and passion, that's all they talked about, causing only a painful tensing of his nerves. He glanced down at the other Sith. Little did they know that it was his hate for them that empowered him. His rage against the very order that had saved him, granted him superior powers to the others of his age. Still, it hadn't been enough to dodge that blow during training with his master today. 'Get up', 'that's nothing, boy' and 'start trying' where the kindest words Master Tiryan had ever said to him. To think that he was only one year away from practicing with real lightsabers send a shiver down his spine. Many a limb had been lost to those trainings, even lives. But it was all part of the Sith way, to compete, to survive, to focus on your own well-being and accomplishments. Perhaps one day the Jedi would come and free him from his Sith overlords. He sighed, how likely was that? The Sith existed on the premise that the Jedi didn't know about them, and he'd been waiting for four years. Besides, if Tiryan was to be believed, the Jedi showed even less mercy than he did. He stood up, climbed down the temple and wandered through the nearby woods. Perhaps they'll come tomorrow, he thought bitterly.
