"Focus, my child. Your mind is not on the present. Do it again." The blue-skinned being sighed and turned his training saber back on before twirling it in readiness. With the heavily studied and mastered movements of Form IV and Form VI, he attacked the training dummy with a dozen quick and precise strikes. The dummy's outer shell smoked from under the strain of forceful hits. Aciel brought his main-hand back and used the Force to violently push the training dummy into the wall, causing both the wall and the dummy to crack from the strength of his power.
The Jedi walked over to study the damage; as soon as he touched the training equipment with his orange hand, it shattered and fell to the floor in a dozen pieces. Some of the stone wall broke off as well, making a picturesque scene of an accident. For something that was created to be incredibly hard to destroy, it surprised him that this child was able to just break it apart.
The Kel-Dor Jedi Master sighed and shook his head, "We'll stop for today. You're clearly preoccupied about something…" The nine year old Chiss male deactivated the training saber and set it on one of the sparring room's weapon racks. He ran a hand through his long dark blue hair as his bright red eyes that lacked pupils glowed in the shadows.
"You've been having visions again," Aciel's master said more as a statement than a question. "Yes, Master Till'in." The Chiss sighed and called his personal lightsaber to his hand from across the room, drawing the old Kel-Dor's attention to the weapon. He didn't realize the young boy was already permitted to build his personal weapon. "I see you've finally made your own lightsaber…I thought you would need a few more years to do that."
Aciel shook his head and used the Force to have it float two feet in front of the master's face. "I had a dream on what it would look like. The Force guides me; I merely follow its will. Plus Grandmaster Shan agreed that I should instantly obey." The Kel-Dor nodded and took his student's lightsaber in his right hand. He studied the hilt and weighed it in his orange palms. It was rather heavy, and long enough for the Jedi Master to hold it in both hands with three or four and a half inches out of his grip on either side. A long orange crystal glowed, giving off a dim light as it rotated an inch or so from below the emitter. The master ignited the lightsaber, casting a bright orange glow around the room.
"This is interesting; I've only seen two or three orange blades before. It's been quite a few years since I've seen a design similar to this too…It's a lot like your mother's, isn't it?" The Chiss nodded quietly again. His mind instantly pictured the frozen wastelands of Csilla where his family lived for millennia. Only a couple of outsiders have ever entered the Chiss Ascendancy's territory before; so for a Kel-Dor, much less a Jedi Master, to arrive on the home world was extraordinarily peculiar and dangerous. The Chiss were extremely wary of outsiders; it was considered highly improper and an act of war for a stranger to intrude upon the Ascendancy's borders.
A secretive and reclusive people, the inhabitants of Csilla rarely traveled out of their system except when the Sith Empire requested resources or personnel. Even then, only a handful of Chiss personally assisted the Imperial forces on Hoth and Dromund Kaas.
Once Aciel's father persuaded the Ascendancy that Till'in wasn't a spy or terrorist, the Kolarus family permitted the Jedi to stay. Eventually, the truth came out that Aciel's mother was actually trained as a Jedi before she requested to be sent back to the Chiss home world. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant had been obliterated by the newly-returned Sith Empire so what was left of the Council agreed. They sent her away for the next thirty years during which she would marry and have a son.
While few Chiss became Sith or agents for Imperial Intelligence, even fewer became Jedi. Practically none actually. Aciel's mother, Acena of the house of Kol'Arus, was one of the most powerful Jedi in the Order; she even surpassed the Grandmaster Satele Shan several times in battle. A prodigy would come every generation, and that was what she was. Now, Aciel completely surpassed his mother at age nine when she fully developed her skills at age forty-five. Many human Jedi had to quietly discipline themselves for envying them both. After all, the Chiss species were clearly superior to their human counterparts.
Master Till'in handed Aciel's lightsaber back and watched him clip it to his belt. The two walked through the Tython enclave's corridors toward the meditation gardens. They sat on the benches and relaxed in the silence of nature. It was very peaceful on Tython…once the Flesh Raiders were pacified and Kalikori village was safe; the new Jedi Temple was a beautiful example of archeology. Aciel closed his eyes and sensed the Force permeate the entire area; he sensed the hundreds of beings walking around the temple, talking, training, and meditating.
His senses fell onto the various members in the Jedi Council chambers. Satele Shan, Syo Bakarn, Jaric Kaedon, Tol Braga, Bela Kiwiiks, Orgus Din, Yuon Par. The Force surrounded them clearly, allowing Aciel to see how powerful they really were. The Force was so strong with him that he could even see what they were saying…they were talking about him. Why would they be discussing him during a Council meeting? Did he do something wrong?
His master's voice interrupted his concentration, "So what have your visions being telling you, Aciel?" The Chiss straightened his back and crossed his legs. "I don't know. It's confusing. I always see a cloaked figure…I think it's a Sith. A desert. A silver ship. A massive planet-city with thousands of species. Death…disaster…despair. And finally…nothing. Just empty blackness."
Master Till'in shivered when he felt Aciel's visions through the Force. Their bond was strong since the Kel-Dor was one of the few masters to actually try and get to know young Aciel. Till'in was close to Aciel's mother since they both trained at the Kamparas Jedi Training Facility.
Even so, he didn't know how a nine year old boy could remain so stoic and emotionless after such dreadful nightmares. He inwardly felt a sense of sadness and worry. For a child to bury his emotions so deeply…
"Master, your worry is unnecessary almost as much as it is incredibly loud." Aciel remained still with his eyes closed. "Your concern radiates off of you like Ashla sends off the brightness of the Light." The old Jedi chuckled and ruffled the boy's blue hair, mussing it up much to the Chiss' ever so slight chagrin. It took him several years to even get used to being touched by anyone but a fellow Chiss. "I had forgotten how attuned the Force makes you toward other's."
Aciel gave a strained smile to lighten the mood, "It is both a blessing and a curse, Master." He sighed and returned his face to his normal stoic, expressionless look; it was difficult to fake emotions he didn't feel. His mother had trained him since he was an infant to cut off his feelings. It was very helpful in sparring and studies in the Force, but when it came to socializing and making friends…well, Aciel was far below average. However, it did help him take a rather different view than the Jedi Code and its stringent beliefs. Soon, to the Jedi Council he became known as the Shadow between the Force…a Padawan beyond Light and Dark.
Master Till'in sighed and crossed his arms; the sleeves of his dark brown robe flowed down and reached his knees. "I know you are incredibly strong in the Force, Aciel. After all, you are the son of Acena'kol'Arus. But I think you need to try and make some friends. Being a Jedi doesn't mean you can't create bonds with your fellow padawans. You are young and full of life. Why not spend time with others?"
Aciel slumped his shoulders and watched a small bird perch on the beautifully trimmed bushes. "It would cut into my meditation and lightsaber practice. I also am trying to master a new Force ability. Plus, everyone else likes that horrible hot weather. It's awful."
The Kel-Dor chuckled again and nodded in understanding, "I know what you mean. Ever since we left Csilla, I feel like everything is at least 40 degrees warmer." Aciel sighed, "Now imagine if you lived on Csilla for six years…" One of the Jedi Watchmen walked up to the sitting duo before bowing, "Master Till'in, the Council has summoned you and Padawan Aciel to their chambers immediately."
"What do they want to talk about?" The Chiss boy studied the six foot human Jedi in front of him. "It is not my place to say, Padawan." Aciel sighed and calmly waved his hand in front of him, "You want to tell me everything you heard the Council say." Master Till'in shook his head in desperation. "I thought I told you NOT to do that unless it's necessary—"
"I want to tell you everything I heard the Council say…" Till'in eyes went wide behind the black coverings. For a mere boy to overpower the Watchman's force of will was incredible; it didn't completely surprise him, however, that Aciel was able to do so. The human Jedi's face went blank as he began to explain. "Grandmaster Satele said that you might be given a mission to Hoth…the other council members will discuss further details when you arrive."
Aciel, unguarded and surprised, let a genuine smile spread on his face. This didn't go unnoticed by his master though; he figured it was because the young Kol'Arus would finally get to visit a planet like his home world. Frozen wastelands were the boy's favorite places to be. The cold weather helped him unwind. The Chiss quickly covered his smile with a neutral face before looking back up at the human. "You want to escort us to the Council Chambers…"
"I want to escort you to the Council Chambers."
"Aciel, that's enough." Till'in stood and looked down at the cross-legged boy. The Chiss sighed and stood, "Any Jedi that can fall for such a low quality Force trick deserves to have it happen to them, Master."
The Kel-Dor sighed, "That's like saying the young calves should be pushed off a mountain merely because they don't have wings." The Chiss shook his head, "That's different. If calves had wings, then they'd have to be pushed off a mountain sooner or later. A Jedi Watchman should already know enough to NOT be tricked by a child."
They followed the human Jedi back into the Temple and up the huge staircase. All around them, padawans and masters walked about or talked in hushed and reverent whispers. Aciel could see the beautiful blue glow of the massive Jedi Archive filled with knowledge from almost every known planet. It was the Kolarus's second favorite place to be, the first being his private quarters with the temperature down at 12 degrees.
The three Jedi arrived at the Council Chamber's doors. The Watchman bowed and left; his ears became red when he realized he had just been tricked by a mere child. The Kel-Dor straightened his robes and allowed his padawan time to do the same. "Ready, Aciel?"
"Yes, Master." They stepped forward and the tall, decorative doors immediately slid open. Aciel followed the old master to a large circular table with twelve seats around it in a semicircle. Only about half of the seats were occupied due to the Sith's crippling blow to the Jedi Order. Aciel's mother was also once a council member, but her departure lessened the number even further.
Till'in and Aciel gave a deep, low bow, "You summoned us, Masters?" Master Syo nodded and gave a kind smile, "Yes. We wanted to talk about Aciel's future in the Jedi Order." Bakarn and Din looked at the nine year old boy from their seats; they both had taken a great interest in Acena's only child. When he was still in the womb, Aciel moved furniture about the dwelling and even caused massive glacial shifts on Csilla's upper crust, sending the unknowing populous into fits of anxiousness and concern. It was incredibly rare for such a boy to wield the Force so powerfully and effectively before he was even born.
Aciel raised an eyebrow, "My future, Master Syo?" The young Kol'Arus always had a keen bond with the older human. While he typically disliked interacting with others, Syo Bakarn was something akin to an uncle or grandfather. The Corellian noble had spent several years teaching the Chiss on Jedi philosophy and the art of healing, and Aciel loved every minute of it. They would debate and argue for hours on end while enjoying a bottle or two of Corellian ale. The grey-haired human was hesitant on permitting Aciel to drink, but Master Orgus and Master Braga assured him that the Chiss species were practically unable to become drunk; something about the evolution and superiority of their species.
All in all, in the entire galaxy filled with millions of species and civilizations, Aciel's mother and the Jedi in this room were the only people that he cared about. If anything were to happen to them…he admitted he probably would not handle it well. Syo's voice brought the Chiss boy's attention back. "Yes, young Aciel. All good, I assure you!"
Master Orgus cleared his throat, "We have been discussing your previous trials here on Tython. The Force was truly with you when you managed to open peace-talks between the Jedi and the Flesh Raider Elders."
"We were also greatly impressed at your devotedness toward helping the Twi'leks of Kalikori Village with their farming and raising of livestock…even when your masters ordered you to be completely hands-off." Master Kiwiiks gave a faint smile at the stoic boy. He reminded the Togruta so much of his mother. The emotionless, almost robotic façade on the outside with an ever so slight hint of compassion and kindness in his pure red eyes.
Satele pressed a few buttons on the table, bringing up a hologram of the galaxy. "We have decided to include you, Aciel, in a mission to the ice-world of Hoth. Some SIS agents have sent a few reports that Darth Malevolence and Darth Nox of the Dark Council have unearthed an ancient Rakatan device of considerable power. What it does is not entirely known, but when a member of the Dark Council is involved, it cannot be good."
A murmur of agreement spread about the room. Jaric Kaedon pressed another button on the panel, bringing up a holographic image of strategic placements. He stood and pointed at the flickering blue images, "There will be three squads of Republic troopers with a Jedi leading each squad. Each will take different routes to the point of attack, catching the Imperial scum off guard."
Aciel winced a fraction, but quickly covered it. It was no secret that the Chiss and the Ascendancy were the Empire's only official allies, thus making the Aciel's people part of the Imperial scum the human Jedi spoke of. Master Yuon caught the boy's miniscule reaction, however, before glaring at her fellow Jedi. "Jaric, please watch what you say." The man gave a questioning look; his eyes widened when Yuon inclined her head slightly toward the young Chiss boy.
"I…er, I mean the Imperials and Sith."
Aciel cleared his throat and plastered a fake smile on his face, "You were quite right, Master Kaedon, when you called them that. Any creature that denies the basic rights of the sentient individual is nothing more than scum." The room became silent. Each master realized that Aciel had sensed just what they were saying without even speaking a word. Master Syo chuckled and leaned back in his council seat, "Well put, young Aciel. Master Kaedon, please continue."
The short haired brunet nodded and pointed at the hologram again. "The Jedi taskforce will rendezvous with the troopers at one of the Republic bases. Master Braga will lead Hawk Squad to the south. Master Bakarn will take Wampa Squad to the west; the third team, Rancor Squad, will enter to the north. All three squads will converge on Sector 008 and intercept the two Dark Lords most likely before they make contact with their Imperial escorts."
Tol Braga decided to interject, "Which brings us to your part in this, young Aciel. In this mission, we would naturally send no one less than a Jedi Master…" The Grandmaster stood, signaling the rest of the Council to stand as well, "Do you accept, Aciel'Kol'Arus, the position of Master of the Jedi Order?" The room went silent again as all the masters held their breath in anticipation. They waited…and waited…
Aciel's red eyes were only slightly wider than usual. He held his emotional reaction in extreme check with great difficulty. "Masters…you…are you certain? I am only nine years old; what have I done to earn such an honor?" Master Kiwiiks smiled, "As one of Syo's greatest pupils once said, 'Youth is a matter of perspective. A Jedi is trained from an early age to do what he think he cannot.'"
Yuon nodded, "You have more than proved yourself; time and time again you followed the will of the Force when most people wouldn't. This is further proven by your devotion to the Order's Archives and studying the Force." An hour passed as all of the Jedi masters gave distinct examples of the Chiss boy's devotion to the Jedi Order and the Republic. His mastery of the lightsaber and the Force was legendary, and making him a Jedi master would clearly benefit the decimated Order.
After a few quiet moments of intense thinking, Aciel sighed and nodded, "I accept this honor with great humility." Syo smiled down at the boy, "Then kneel, and your master will bear witness." The Chiss knelt on the stone floor and looked down. Grandmaster Satele began, "We are one voice, one Order, bound together by the Force."
Master Kaedon spoke next, "Through his actions, this young Jedi has proved worthy before our Order and the Force itself!" Master Bakarn held his fatherly smile toward the boy. It was a miracle such a child existed, and he was proud it was his adopted nephew. "We grant you, Aciel'Kol'Arus, the rank of Jedi Master. Protect and guide the Republic as the Force guides you."
"Rise. And may the Force be with you." Aciel stood and gave a small smile. If only his mother could see him now…Master Braga clasped his hands in front of him, "It is my greatest pleasure to welcome you as a fellow master, young Aciel."
The Chiss bowed; his face took on his typical stoic form. "Thank you, Masters. You will not regret this…when do we depart on this mission?" The Kel-Dor Council member walked around the table, "We will be leaving in three hours. We need to get to Hoth as quickly as possible; pack your equipment and come to the shuttle bay when the time comes. And Master Kol'Arus…may the Force be with you."
THREE HOURS LATER
Aciel slid on a white outer robe that had deep blue writing along the hems. He took a moment to glance in the mirror to make sure everything looked correct. He sighed and hung his head; he had a bad feeling ever since he finished packing. Was the Force trying to tell him something? Or was it just the anxiety of facing two extremely powerful Sith lords? Aciel had fought and defeated a few Sith before, but a Dark Council member like Darth Nox would be an incredibly difficult opponent. A beep rang out, signaling someone wanted to come into his room.
"Enter."
The door slid open and his old master stepped in; Aciel gave a deep bow in respect. "Master Till'in, what can I do for you?" The orange skinned Jedi shivered as he walked further in, "I see you still keep it a little cooler than normal."
"I apologize, Master. It is unusual for me to receive visitors." Aciel walked to a small panel on the wall and increased the temperature 70 degrees, making it 82. He never understood how people could tolerate the heat so well. The Kel-Dor sat on the backless, circular seat and crossed his arms. "I appreciate it. I just wanted to check on you. I felt your uneasiness from across the temple…are you alright?" Aciel sat on the other chair across from Till'in and crossed his arms as well. Master Till'in had long since figured out that crossing the arms was a common habit for the Chiss boy when he was concerned.
Aciel crossed his legs as well in a meditative position before sighing, "There is a disturbance…it's unnatural. Elusive. Dangerous. And I cannot tell if it has something to do with me or this mission, but there is something…personal about it."
The two spent a few minutes in silence. The old master had a close bond with the boy, and he could feel the concern radiate from the newly appointed master. It was incredibly rare for the usually emotionless child to be worried; emotional control was never a problem for him. "If you feel this disturbance so acutely, perhaps you should remain here. It is unwise to enter a confrontation when you are so conflicted, especially for you. The Force is incredibly strong with you; you cannot become unbalanced." The Chiss' red eyes flickered to his master's black eye coverings. "That is not necessary. I will continue on this mission. I follow the will of the Force, and if it guides me to Hoth…so be it."
"But—"
Another beep sounded at the door. Aciel stood and smoothed his robes, "Enter." This time Syo Bakarn and Tol Braga entered. The Kol'Arus's room was getting a bit crowded. Not only was it a relatively small space, the Chiss did not like begin around more than one or two people. Aciel bowed once more, "Welcome, Masters. What can I do for you?" The Council members exchanged glances before sitting on the boy's bed. Master Braga cleared his throat, "We have received a transmission from the Wraith's Mantle…"
"My mother's ship?" The two masters nodded silently. "May I ask what the message said?" Syo sighed and motioned for Aciel to stand in front of him. "From what we could hear, Acena's ship was taking extensive damage from an Imperial dreadnaught…the Defiant." Aciel's gaze darkened as he pieced the information together. "Lord Malevolence's ship…I thought he was supposed to be on Hoth." Master Bakarn nodded with his eyebrows furrowed. "He is. The transmission cut off when Master Acena was seen taken captive. So we must assume that the dreadnaught either took the chance of attacking a Republic ship for no reason or…"
"…or they were under orders." Aciel finished the man's sentence. It was a logical move for the Dark Lord. "Our security has been compromised. If Lord Malevolence did indeed send his ship under orders, then he most likely knew he and Darth Nox would be meeting a Jedi force of some kind…he could use Master Kol'Arus as leverage." Master Till'in reached out with the Force to comfort his student, but he only found peace and contentment. With his eyes still on Aciel, he addressed the Council members. "What do you suggest we do? If the Sith are expecting us, we should reassess the situation and—"
"No."
The three adults looked at the blue skinned boy with curiosity and concern. Syo leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "What do you mean 'no'?" Aciel stood and paced his room slowly. "We must not change our plans only because a Jedi was caught, regardless who it is. This is far bigger than a single individual. Besides…we could use her to our advantage."
"Advantage? I know you are a Jedi, Aciel, but this IS your mother we are talking about. You shouldn't treat her as only a card of pazaak." Aciel turned to face his questioner, "With all due respect, Master Braga, this is not the time to reflect on sentimentality or bonds. To keep an objective viewpoint and solve this problem, we must look at this as an equation. My mother is just another variable; the end result must still remain the same. We must stop the Sith from using the artifact."
Aciel resumed pacing with his hands clasped behind his back; the three other masters leaned forward as they strained to hear his mutterings.
"Yes…yes, she will be an advantage. Darth Malevolence will use her as bait to get us to focus on her rescue. Most likely he will torture her so the Force will scream at us. He must believe the Jedi are too soft-hearted to ignore one of their own…we can use that. His ignorance will blind him to the fact we will ignore her all together and choose to focus on the Rakatan artifact. This will divide not only their attention but also their forces. Darth Malevolence will no doubt take at least half of their assigned troops to confront us when we make our 'valiant rescue'."
Syo shared another glance with Braga. Aciel could clearly see the situation and created countermeasures…even though his own mother would suffer and perhaps die. Was he willing to go so far as to let her be killed? They turned back to the child and saw him looking in the mirror; his eyes were narrowed and focused. "Do you feel it, Masters?" The three looked at each other and shook their heads. "No…we do not feel anything. What do you feel, Aciel?"
The boy sighed and closed his eyes, "They've already begun torturing her. I can feel her pain…she's closing off her mind…" Master Bakarn stood and made his way over to his nephew, "I'm sorry, son. We'll get her out of there as quickly as we can."
"You need not apologize, Master Syo. Like me, my mother follows the will of the Force. If it is her time to become one with it, she will gladly accept. But at least we know she is still alive; her usefulness is obviously not over yet…it's time to leave, Masters." The group nodded silently and departed Aciel's room, leaving him alone. He reset his room's temperature to 12 degrees before looking back into the mirror. He touched his chin; he could see his mother in his face. He closed his eyes and reached out to the woman. 'Mother…forgive me.'
'I and the Force are with you always, Aciel…remember me.' Aciel gave the faintest smile before cutting off the telepathic bond. He grabbed his lightsaber from the wooden stand on his dresser and clipped it on his belt. After checking everything once more, he made his way to the shuttle bay.
The flight to Hoth was quiet. The only noise came from the engines and the small slaps of cards being played by Masters Bakarn and Braga. Even though they were two of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, they still knew how to have some diversion from the dangers they would be facing in a few hours. Aciel meditated silently in the darkness of the cargo hold; he was trying to perform the difficult and unusual art of Battle Meditation. After another hour, the intercom fizzled on.
"Master Jedi, we are preparing to land. We will arrive at the base in four minutes." The Jedi quietly thanked the pilot and copilot as they pulled on their outer robes. They balanced themselves when the ship shifted from landing on the base's shuttle bay. Aciel followed the two elder masters out and disembarked from the ship. The tall, battle-worn Base Commander walked over and saluted, "Welcome to Aurek Base, Master Jedi…and padawan. I am Base Commander Talon; at your service." Syo and Tol glanced at each other before chuckling. Aciel gave a small smile and chuckled as well, "Thank you, Commander. It is nice to finally be on a planet with such a wonderful environment."
The Commander raised an eyebrow at the child's familiarity, "Give it time and you'll come to hate. Now then, I thought there were supposed to be THREE masters. No one said anything about a Jedi child…" Braga rested his orange hand on Aciel's shoulder, "There are three. Aciel'Kol'Arus is the youngest master of our Order. He will be taking over Rancor squad." The human soldier's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "Your trusting an entire squad of the Republic's finest to the hands of a child?!" Aciel waited silently until the man was finished ranting. The commander was huffing from using so much hot air; the Chiss gave a sigh and crossed his arms. "Are you finished? We have a mission to get underway."
"I am NOT giving a child a whole squad. He will just have to go with one of you Jedi." Syo was about to say something but Aciel raised a hand for silence. He looked deep into the commander's brown eyes, "You will permit us to continue our mission, no questions asked…"
The man's face went black as he nodded, "I will permit you to continue your mission, no questions asked…"
"You want to escort us to Hawk, Wampa, and Rancor squads immediately…"
"I…I want to escort you to Hawk, Wampa, and Rancor squads immediately…" The commander gave a quick turn and began walking away. Aciel started to follow him, but Syo held him back. "Did Master Till'in not teach you patience and understanding?" Aciel nodded, "Yes, but at our current pace we will waste approximately twenty minutes and thirteen seconds. Time is of the essence." Syo released the boy's shoulder and nodded; The Kol'Arus was very persuasive…in more ways than one. The three master hurried to catch up to the Commander Talon.
After a hurried walk throughout Aurek, they finally arrived at the troop deployment center. Three squads of seven men stood at attention with their rifles strapped on their right shoulders. Commander Talon put his hands behind his back and inspected the troops. The three masters arrived a few minutes later.
"ATTENTION!"
The highly trained soldiers stood straight with their hands at their sides. Talon stepped forward and saluted, "Your squads, Master Jedi. Ready for inspection!" The three Jedi split up to their own troops and inspected them. Using the Force, Aciel studied each trooper in Rancor Squad. His mind suddenly found something unusual in one of the soldiers toward the back. He silently walked over and crossed his arms, "What is your name, Corporal?"
"Dextrin Firr, sir." Aciel nodded and walked around him in a circle. "Please, remove your helmet." The trooper paused as he looked down, "Sir?" Aciel didn't even blink; he stared up at the head covering. "Remove your helmet, Corporal Firr." Syo and Braga walked over with the commander. "Young Aciel, is there a problem here?" The Chiss smirked, "It depends."
The trooper removed his helmet, revealing a tanned human with bright blue eyes and short blond hair. Aciel nodded his approval, "What is your home planet, Corporal?" The man cleared his throat; the young Jedi noticed he suddenly became extremely nervous, but he hid it well. "Corellia, sir." Syo looked down at his nephew in confusion. "What is the problem, Kol'Arus?" The Chiss pulled out his lightsaber, but left it off. The crystal still cast an orange glow on his white robes.
"I believe I have found our security breach. Corporal Dextrin Firr…if that IS your name, you are under arrest for espionage and sabotage of a Republic Task Force mission. Come quietly or I will have to use force." Syo and Braga also took out their lightsabers, but were pushed aside. The spy raced for exit as the troopers readied their rifles and had their sights trained on his head. Aciel did a huge Force jump over the three squads before landing on his feet, "HOLD YOUR FIRE! I WANT HIM ALIVE!" He ignited his orange lightsaber and raced after the soldier. Bakarn and Braga chuckled and placed their lightsabers back at their hips. Commander Talon just got over his shock, "Aren't you going to go after him?! What kind of Jedi are you?!"
Syo placed a hand on the man's shoulder, "Take it easy, Commander. Aciel is a Jedi Master after all, and he's apprehended much more dangerous people than your corporal." Master Braga nodded and looked at Talon, "You should know, he was the Jedi that captured and arrested Grand Moff Terres."
"Th-That child…he was the…you're joking! You ARE joking…right?" Both Jedi shook their heads with smiles, "We are not joking. Aciel managed to subdue one of the most powerful Moffs of the Imperial Navy and only suffered a single scratch." Aciel walked back into the room with the unconscious man's collar in his fist. He dropped the man to the floor and sighed, "You'd think Republic defectors would be trained better for such risks. Commander Talon, secure this man in the brig until we return. In the meantime, we should start out for Sector 008." The man nodded and called for some guards. It was only when they picked him up that they saw the traitor was missing both hands.
Each squad and its respective Jedi walked to a shuttle. Master Bakarn called them over and explained the mission in further detail. Once everything was laid out, they climbed into each shuttle and took off for their drop-points.
Aciel stepped aboard when the last soldier entered. He walked up to the cockpit and told the pilot the coordinates they needed to reach. With that finished, the Chiss walked back to the main platform amongst the fighting men. He could feel their doubts about him; he could hear their thoughts on what to do if 'the Imperial alien child' gets killed. He sighed and crossed his arms again before closing his eyes and entering a deep concentrated state. Forty minutes passed in silence. No joking. No chatter. It was extremely pleasant in the silence; the cold air permeated the shuttle and made a somewhat pleasant atmosphere for the boy.
He opened his eyes and spoke loudly, "Pilot! Put the shuttle down here!" The soldiers around the Chiss looked at each other through their helmets. "Aye, sir." The shuttle quickly landed on the icy terrain and opened its doors. Rancor Squad jumped out and looked around. Major Tellani, a Rodian in charge of the squad, walked up to the exiting Chiss. "Master Jedi, why have we stopped? The drop-point is a half mile farther." Aciel pulled up his white hood; if it wasn't for the blue skin and red eyes, he would have perfectly blended into the environment. "I sensed that the Imperials have set up anti-aircraft and patrols. We would have been shot out of the sky."
Aciel looked at the five men standing alert and ready. "We are finishing the trek on foot! Activate your thermal suits and walk single file. Understood?" He received a chorus of 'yessir!' before they quickly obeyed. Aciel had to admit these were by far the most disciplined soldiers he had to lead. They began walking the next half mile, dodging patrols and maneuvering around the various Imperial camps. In fifteen minutes they arrived at the drop-point. Aciel signaled for the major to join him up front. He pointed toward a cave's entrance and looked at the Rodian. "It seems our defector told them more than I originally anticipated…two squads covering the entrance, most likely a few more inside. I want you and your men to put away your weapons and march in formation with me."
"What?! These men are trained killers! We can handle any amount of soldiers they have!" Aciel offered a small smile to help the major relax. "Of that I am certain, Major Tellani. However, if there is a battle, it will alert any other enemies. Trust in the Force, Major. Trust in me." After a few seconds of studying the child, Tellani nodded and passed on the orders to his five men. Aciel took a few more minutes to watch the guards until he looked back at the Republic forces. "Let's go, men. Remember, do not draw your weapons. Remain calm and relaxed…follow me."
The seven made their way down to the mouth of the cave. Imperial soldiers drew their blasters and took aim as an Imperial colonel stepped forward. Aciel glanced back at his men in formation; not a single one showed fear nor drew their weapon. They followed his orders perfectly. "Jedi child and Republic forces, this is an Imperial Outpost. Surrender your weapons and yourselves or we will open fire." The Chiss suppressed a smile. It had been a while since he heard the typical Imperial accent. He took a step forward and bowed, "Thank you for your hospitality." He looked up at the colonel and pulled a datapad from his robe, "Darth Nox is expecting us. You will let us pass."
The colonel's face went blank, "Darth Nox is expecting you. I will let you pass." He signaled for his men to lower their weapons, but Aciel still stared into his face. "You will order your men to get into formation and remove their helmets." Once again the man repeated what the young Jedi said; the Imperial soldiers quickly obeyed, but their confusion was obvious. Aciel stepped forward to address the men, "You all want to assist us in the assassination of Darth Malevolence and Darth Nox."
"We all want to assist you in the assassination of Darth Malevolence and Darth Nox…" The Republic soldiers stared in wonder and amazement. At first they didn't really know about or want to follow the boy's orders. They silently wished they had more faith in him. The infiltration team grew by fifteen men, and they silently walked into the cave in search of the Dark Council member.
Major Tellani caught up to Aciel and cleared his throat. "Yes, Major. What can I do for you?" The Rodian kept his eyes forward in alert. "I was just curious about the datapad. If you used a mind trick or whatever it's called, then it wouldn't have been needed, right?" Aciel chuckled and nodded, "That would be true if there weren't another two or three squads studying our every move. It was more of a mutual benefit ploy. If they became suspicious, they would alert every patrol in the region. With the datapad, it looked as if we had important business to attend to."
Tellani looked down with wide eyes and open mouth. This Jedi…this boy was astounding. He maintained a calm and appropriate demeanor even when he knew they were completely surrounded. Now that he thought about it, telling Rancor squad such information would cause them to panic. Even though they fought many battles and were hardened veterans, they were still just people. They continued walking deeper into the lit cave. The chill still hung in the air, and Tellani felt like his antennae were freezing over. Aciel pulled down his white hood and sighed, "It's getting warmer. There must be thermal generator giving off heat…"
"How can you tell it's getting warmer? It's still freezing to us."
The Chiss chuckled and nodded, "I usually keep my Temple room a little lower than this. I find the cold rather relaxing…" The Rodian shook his head and shivered. He couldn't understand how anyone liked it this cold. After another minute or so of walking, the group entered a massive cavern that seemed to have a natural light source. The room glowed a bright blue and purple. Aciel signaled the new task force to spread along the walls in a semicircle. The Republic and Imperial soldiers obeyed and covered the area; their blasters ready for anything. Aciel walked to the center of the room and studied the layout. Two tunnels formed the entrances and exits. He closed his eyes and reached out with the Force, trying to find his mother or Syo and Tol. Something was blocking his connection to them.
A dark chuckle sounded from one of the shadows. Aciel calmed himself and turned to face the darksider; when he looked at the shadows, a middle-aged human male with deathly pale skin and black veins stalked out of the darkness. In his left hand was a beaten and bleeding Chiss woman who appeared to be within an inch of her life. "Aciel…" The Sith kicked the woman in her side, making her let out a deep grunt filled with pain and anguish.
"So YOU are this alien freak's son…pathetic. You reek of weakness and idiocy, just like your failure of a mother." Aciel took a deep breath, "Darth Malevolence. Release Master Kol'Arus and surrender. You are surrounded; I promise mercy if you comply." The Sith let out a deep, guttural laugh that was filled with anger and arrogance. "I can handle a Jedi youngling and some pathetic Republic worms." Aciel sighed and uncrossed his arms, letting his robe's long sleeves pass his hands. At that moment, Syo Bakarn and Tol Braga entered with three other Republic soldiers.
"Glad you could join us, Masters…where are the rest of your squads?"
Syo pulled his lightsaber out and glared at the Sith lord, "We were ambushed by a battalion of Imperial soldiers. Where is your squad? Were you ambushed as well?" Aciel shook his head, "Not exactly. I actually made a few friends along the way." All the troops stepped forward, showing the two newly-arrived masters twenty-one Imperial and Republic soldiers. They guffawed in disbelief; only Aciel could make diehard Imperials fight their Sith overlords.
"You think they can stop me?! Ha! Foolish Jedi scum, witness the destruction of your charges!" Malevolence raised his hand and all twenty-one soldiers were raised into the air, gasping and choking for breath. Bakarn and Braga charged the Sith, but were too late. Malevolence clenched his fist, crushing all of the soldier's throat and ending their lives. Aciel flinched as he felt the life leave their bodies. He sensed the Force writhe like a wounded krayt dragon. It became unbalanced at such a misuse of power. Syo ran over to one of the crumpled bodies and tried to find a pulse. Nothing. He knelt down to Major Tellani, but he was also dead. The old man sighed. It was such a waste.
Aciel felt himself slipping into grief; through the Force, every single flame being snuffed out was like a needle to the eye. He turned to face the Dark Lord as he tried to control him emotions. "Where is Darth Nox?" The Sith cackled again before shooting lightning from his hands directly at the child. Syo jumped up, "ACIEL!" The Chiss shook his head and radiated calm and peace. He held up his hands and absorbed the lightning into his palms. The Force became visual as it swirled around his hands and mixed with the darkside's lightning.
His red eyes looked deep into the Sith lord's yellow ones, "Your anger and hatred have consumed you, Lord Malevolence. I sense that you are completely submerged in the darkside of the Force…I cannot allow you to continue." With that, Aciel pushed the lightning back at its source, electrifying the man and making him scream in agony. His pain just pushed him further, however, and he deflected the remainder of lightning. "That's it you alien brat! I'm going to make you suffer!"
Darth Malevolence pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it, casting a bright red light around the cavern. With the raising of his left hand, he levitated Aciel's mother off the ground and held her in front of him. Aciel took a single step forward, "Resist this path, Malevolence." A wicked grin flashed across the man's face before he vertically sliced Acena in half from top to bottom. Her scream died out as the pieces fell to the ground. Aciel's eyes narrowed while Syo and Braga were stunned silent. They looked at the woman's son and saw him take one more step forward.
"You failed, alien scum. You killed your mother because you were weak! Join me, and together we will make you stronger than any Jedi! With your power and mine, we could rule the Sith together!" Aciel, for the first time anyone has ever heard, let out a laugh. Master Syo extinguished his lightsaber and ran over, but the Chiss moved his hand, using the Force to push him away. The cavern's floor began to crack from the amount of Aciel's power. "Remember your training, Aciel! There is no emotion; there is peace!" Master Braga was sent skidding back; he hit his head on the rocks, making him black out. It was obvious that Aciel was ignoring his plea to calm down.
Aciel took another step toward the Sith. "Are you going to fight me, Jedi child?! Do you seriously think you can kill Darth Nox' favorite apprentice?! Well, come on! Unleash your hatred. Strike me down! Only then will you be strong enough to protect the ones you love!" The Chiss laughed again, causing a huge crack to travel down the cavern's wall behind Malevolence. He sensed a powerful presence behind him so he turned to face it. A tall creature with a mask covering his face stood over the crumpled bodies of Republic and Imperial soldiers. Aciel immediately recognized who it was…Darth Nox. "That's enough, Apprentice. This Jedi…this child is strong in the Force. You will not be able to kill him."
"But, Master—"
Darth Malevolence's rebuttal was cut off as he was levitated in the air; he frantically grasped his throat at an invisible hand as he tried to breath. Master Syo looked over and saw what was happening; while Aciel looked stoic and emotionless, the Force around him was disturbing. Was the boy finally losing control? After all these years, this was the first time Aciel had tapped into the Darkside. Aciel gave a small bow, "Darth Nox, you presence honors me. Surrender, and I will show you mercy. Otherwise…"
The boy cracked his neck before crushing Malevolence's throat just as he once did for the troopers. The limp body fell to the ground head first, creating a sickening thud sound throughout the cavern. Darth Nox chuckled and crossed his arms, "Well done, Jedi child. You have just taken the first step to the darkside. You will make an excellent Sith…Aciel." The Chiss frowned and shook his head, "No. I will not." With that, Aciel used the Force to pick up a dozen massive boulders and hurled them at the Dark Council member. Nox dodged the attack with ease, "Foolish child. You are no match me. I've killed enough of your kind to know that you will fail."
Master Syo ignited his lightsaber again before leaping at the Dark Lord with extreme prejudice. Nox gave a deep laugh as he pulled his own lightsaber out and countered. The two masters of Light and Darkness exchanged parries and thrusts, but the Bakarn was beaten back. The Darth kicked Syo in the chest and sent him flying back in pain. Nox performed a Force jump and was a few feet from delivering the killing blow, but it was blocked by a sudden flash of orange. The Sith looked at the bright blade in surprise. He had only seen an orange lightsaber once before…on Kashyyk.
He didn't have much time to reminisce due to the fact Aciel immediately went on the offensive. He steadied his footwork, but the Chiss child kept coming at him with a fierceness he had not experienced since Darth Thanaton. He unleashed his mind to the darkside of the Force, allowing himself to become rage and anger incarnate. A few blows began to show him as the victor as he sent Aciel flying back with a Force push. Master Braga finally awoke and saw Aciel hitting the other side of the cavern. He sensed the darkside permeate the area around the boy he saw as a nephew. He ran over to Syo Bakarn and began healing him; within a few seconds the human Jedi woke and sat up. The entire cavern was filled with flashing lights. The colors of glowing rocks were drowned out by huge waves of orange and red. The two Jedi could hear dozens of clashes from the others' lightsabers.
"Syo, we must help young Aciel. The Force around him is different now." The human Jedi nodded with worry, "Yes…I sense it too. And he's showing emotion…" The two ignited their lightsabers and joined the fray; Darth Nox roared with laughter as he fought all three Jedi masters. His form was practically flawless, and the older men were beginning to get worn out. It had been many years since they fought such a powerful Sith, and it was obvious the Dark Council member was still young and full of vigor. Aciel laughed again as he blocked and countered the older man's red lightsaber. 'This feeling…is this…excitement?!'
The other Sith he had fought were completely inferior to Darth Nox. This Sith was powerful. He was strong. He was Rage. He was Hatred. He was the darkside incarnate…and it thrilled Aciel that he had the chance to deal a crippling blow to the Empire that practically enslaved his people. The red lightsaber swept at the Jedi's feet, sending the older men off balance. Darth Nox quickly took advantage of their weakness and kicked them in their chests again. They crumpled to the ground as they tried to recover from having the wind knocked out of their lungs. Darth Nox brought his lightsaber above his head to kill them both quickly, but Aciel had different plans. He put away his lightsaber and used his right hand to hold the Sith's lightsaber back with the Force. With his left hand, he called the Force to him and sent the dark lord flying back into another wall.
Darth Nox coughed deeply; he felt that a few ribs were broken and apparently the Jedi child's lightsaber had cut into his arm. He delved into the darkside so deeply that he didn't even notice the pain. The Sith couldn't remember the last time someone managed to hit him with a lightsaber, yet this mere child did just that. Nox looked around and froze when he saw Aciel jump from one side of the cavern to right in front of him. His gaze was hard and cold. It was not the look of a Jedi.
"You…will not touch them." The boy's voice was menacing and threatening. Darth Nox chuckled and brought his lightsaber back out, but Aciel was too fast. He sliced the emitter clean from the hilt, bringing an end to the renowned Sith's weapon. "Yes…use your hatred. Kill me, and claim your place in the Sith!" The dark lord could see the boy trying to suppress his emotions, and he was doing extremely well. The Force was stronger in this child than in any of the Dark Council. Syo managed to sit up and rest on his knees. He saw Aciel holding the Sith against the wall with the Force, but the energy around him…it was darkness. Could a boy actually be able to hide such emotions and feelings from the Council?
The man shook his head. No. Aciel was a Master of the Jedi Order; he would not succumb to the darkside no matter how much he felt tempted. "Aciel! Do not believe him! You are a Jedi! You are the son of Acena!" For a brief moment, the boy's eyes flickered over to his uncle. This was enough distraction for Darth Nox to break the hold and attack the child with purple Force lightning. Aciel grunted in pain, but he did not scream. He refused to show his agony. He wouldn't give the Sith the privilege of hearing what he felt. He attempted to deflect the lightning like earlier, but it was too late. The Force had momentarily left him. He silently cursed under his breath for falling to the Sith's taunts.
The lightning continued to pour from the dark lord's fingertips. Aciel noticed that there wasn't as much power as before. He stood up and slowly inched toward the Sith. His hands and legs were numb from the constant barrage on his nervous system, but he refused to kneel in pain any longer. Inch by inch he fought against the desire to release his emotions and fight the Sith lord using the darkside. His uncle was right; he was a Jedi and Acena's son. He was only five feet away when Darth Nox pushed him a hundred feet back with a massive Force push. Aciel felt his head getting lighter. This was not good; he couldn't afford to give the Sith yet another advantage. Too much was lost already. With the lightning ended, Aciel could finally breathe and rest.
'There is no emotion; there is peace…' Aciel sat on the ground and took a meditative posture. His hands remained at this knees as he began to control his breathing. The Force returned to him while he began to shut off every emotion he had. His mind focused on strategy and battle as his spirit focused on banishing the darkness from his heart. Master Braga and Master Syo ran to him and stood on either side before igniting their lightsabers. This was the last time they were going to let the Dark Lord injure him. Neither had been on a mission with the Chiss boy before so they couldn't know that he always insisted on taking the brunt of the damage instead of his team. He was used to pain and injury, yet it would hurt him more if his teammates suffered do to his selfishness. Aciel set his lightsaber in front of him and began calculating.
Darth Nox tapped into the deepest recesses of his pain and hatred. He had made his plans now, and these old men will NOT interfere. He pulled a round metallic object from his robes and sliced open his palm with a hidden blade. Drops of blood fell onto the orb, causing it to give off a white light. Aciel's eyes opened and he pointed toward the Sith, "Stop him! He's activating the Rakatan artifact!"
Syo and Tol didn't bother to wait or question him. With the skill of decades of training and strategy, the two immediately leaped into action. Nox used the Force to send a massive wave against them, but they dodged it easily. Bakarn's once kind eyes held a hidden rage. He couldn't believe he let his nephew suffer like that…and he couldn't stop this Sith from taking Acena's life. He was going to kill Nox if it was the last thing he did.
"Careful, Master Bakarn. Do not let your anger cloud your mind." Master Braga swiped at the Dark Lord's legs, but it was dodged at the last second. Darth Nox let out a deep laugh as the two masters attempted to cut him down. Blue and green flashed around the black shadow as they battled. The forty-five seconds felt like forty-five hours. Any hit and the fight would be over. Each warrior attacked and countered like the same machine. The Jedi were amazed that Aciel had managed to hold his own against such a powerful man.
The Kel-Dor Jedi swung vertically, hoping to remove the Sith's right arm along with the Rakatan artifact, but he was too slow. He was kicked in the face and sent reeling back in pain. Darth Nox smirked beneath his mask and used the Force to choke Syo. "This is the end for you, Jedi. Using this device, I will restore the Sith as the true masters of the galaxy…and the Jedi Order will be crushed for the final time." He slowly closed his hand, cutting off any chance of breathing. The Darth tossed the orb to the ground, completely activating it. A huge, white light filled the crumbling cavern.
Aciel leaped toward his friends, "NO!" With a massive surge in the Force, the Chiss held out his hands and broke the Force choke, allowing the human Jedi to fall to the floor and escape to safety. Darth Nox let out a psychotic laugh, causing the cavern to shake with the darkside of the Force, "YOU'RE TOO LATE, CHILD! YOU'RE ALL DOOMED!"
Young Kol'Arus felt the Force tell him what to do, and he had never ignored its voice before…but this…he sighed and accepted his fate. He knelt on the ground and called the artifact to him. It floated above his head as he looked at his two adopted uncles with sadness. Their faces showed an incredible amount of concern and panic. "Young Aciel! What are you doing?! Get away!"
Aciel shook his head before voiding his face of any emotion, "You need to run. Now."
"What?" Darth Nox conjured more purple lightning, but Aciel lifted his hand up and brought down the cavern's ceiling with the Force, completely separating the Jedi Masters from the Dark Council member. They could hear his enraged screaming from the other side. Aciel pushed his two friends back when they began to run at him, "Escape while you can…and my friends…may the Force be with you…"
The floating orb bathed Aciel in white; Masters Braga and Bakarn could only watch in shame and terror as their newest Jedi Master was taken. They looked at his lightened face and saw…a smile? He tossed his lightsaber to them. They heard his calm and soft voice as the light enveloped his body.
"There is no death…there is only the Force."