Chapter 1
Salucami's rough terrain and extensive mountain ranges made it a hard land to live on, and contributed greatly to its lacking population. To Sodan and Natalya this fact was a mere anoyance for adults to consern themselves with. They on the other hand were determind to make the best of it.
Natalya's father, Zacur, was in the second year of what was to be the greatest acomplishment of his career as a weapons designer. Durring these two years Sodan and his master had been tasked with protecting the Sartori's. This meant that Natalya and Sodan spent a lot of time together, and while they enjoyed each others company they had the attention spans beffiting children their age. As such boredom frequently haunted their waking hours causing them to seek out increasingly questionable and dangerous forms of entertainment. Anon this came in the form of mountain climbing.
With no consept or understanding of their own mortality they had chosen to free climb the 5 kilometer mountain into which the sartori's home was built.
Now about to the top and in a confident lead, Sodan took this oportunity to soak in his suroundings. The brilliant star that served as Salucami's primary shone brilliantly over the desert landscape. It was blinding in beauty. Sodan withdrew from his admirations and looked down to see how Natalya was faring. She was catching up at a verry fast rate, but her progress didnt draw concern from Sodan. The mysterious figure closing in on her, on the other hand, had him greatly worried. He couldnt make out who it was from the blinding light, but he was certain that her pursuer was a humanoid male.
"He will kill her Sodan." Was Betl's words from his perch atop the mountain. "You must choose weater or not to save her"
"Master? Please...cant you help?"
"I cannot. This is a choice only you can make."
"How do I save her master? Shes still too far away."
"You can kill him" master Tarask informed coldly. "That is your choice; either kill this man, or allow him to kill your wife."
"Master...I...I dont understand. You said Jedi should never take the life of another."
"And yet that is the decision you must face."
From behind Betl appeared another figure, this one Sodan recognized to be Zaccur. He stood aloft and crossed his arms as he looked down on Sodan.
"Do not forget your promise to me. You will keep her safe." His tone was devoid of emotion. It peirced through Sodan as if a sword were shoved through his chest.
He looked down again. Natalya was closing the distance, unaware of the looming danger. He looked back up to the men at the top. Men he respected and admired. Men who for reasons beyond his comprehension refused to help. A third figure had joined them. This one, though small, was the most powerful jedi Sodan had ever met.
"Dangerous attachment is. You must be prepared to let go of all you cannot lose."
So much was running through Sodan's mind. He loved Natalya more then his own life, but how could he actually kill? It seemed that no matter what there was to be blood on his hands. There was great conflict within him. The advice of his elders only seemed to confound and confuse matters further. The figure was nearly to Natalya...Time was runing out!
He took a deep breath. He had only one choice. Closing his eyes he reached out with the force and grabbed Natalya from the wall of the mountain side. He then set her atop with the three men.
The figure was close now. Close enough that Sodan could see his red skin. Sodan released himself from the mountainside and droped to the figure, when they collided they fell down the mountainside together.
Broken bloody and near death both bodies reached the bottom. The figure, unlike Sodan, quickly recovered from his fall and stood over him. Now in the shadow of the mountain, Sodan saw the face of the would be attacker. Rix streched a bit and then spoke.
"Didn't you learn anything from my mistakes?" He said with the tone of a father correcting a child. "Just because someone may be dangerous doesnt mean they are."
With those final words Sodans world went black.