Prologue

Exar Kun walked the peaceful surface of Ossus. The planet's two suns were hidden by thick, ominous clouds, and a strange darkness had fallen over the land. A torrential rain followed the clouds' arrival, and large drops struck the durasteel surface of the Jedi Temple, which loomed far off in the hazy distance. As Exar walked, he reached backward with both strong hands and pulled up the hood of his dark cloak, sheltering himself from the storm. With wary eyes, he took in his lush surroundings. Trees with trunks as thick as the arm span of a wookie towered above him, threatening to pierce the dense fog that had descended, and a dense growth of various plants and thorns continued to catch on his cloak and tear small shreds of it away. But he did not care.

The great Sith Lord had come to this world with a very special purpose in mind, and he did not plan on anyone getting in his way. The Jedi Temple on Ossus was one of many spread across the galaxy, and that meant that it housed many, possibly hundreds of Jedi Knights—Jedi Knights that Exar could turn to the dark side. Following the seduction of Exar Kun, the Sith Lord had decided that it was time to bring down the Jedi once and for all, and the Republic. Once again, the Sith would fight for dominance over the entire galaxy, but Exar knew that there would indeed be a war, a great war in which only one side could emerge as the complete and ultimate victor.

A bolt of lightning flashed overhead, briefly illuminating the landscape, and a few moments later, thunder rumbled in the distance. Exar knew that it would not be long before he reached the Jedi Temple, and he knew that he would not return to Yavin IV without many Sith converts accompanying him.

Fear.

Exar raised his head and looked around, and he saw nothing but the same scenery he had been staring at for very long time, it seemed. My eyes deceive me, he thought, closing his eyes and reaching out with the Force. It had not been his own fear that his attuned sense had detected, but another's. Now he felt it stronger than ever, pulsing and growing in the heart of another life form. This particular life form was nearby, and perhaps it was cowering behind a nearby tree or clump of brush. Exar ignored this informa-tion as he reached out even further with the Force, casting all of his efforts in the general direction of the life form. He was greatly surprised when he not only perceived the youth of the life form, but also the strong Force sensitivity contained in this small, innocent child.

"Come out, little one!" Exar called in a deep voice, gazing around at the forest once more. "I promise not to harm you if you come out willingly!"

A small crack was heard from behind one of the larger plants, but still the child did not emerge. Exar waited, knowing that patience would aid him in this particular situation. He remained standing silently as the cold rain fell from the gray sky and lightning continued to flash.

Finally, a small form emerged from the dense overgrowth. It was nothing but a young girl. Her hair was dark and wet from the rain, and her brown eyes were wide and filled with terror as she came to a stop just a few feet away from the Sith lord. Her sopping wet form truly was a pitiful sight, but Exar did not feel mercy, for he knew that pain and suffering was the way of the strong. This girl had the potential to become incredibly strong in the Force, and she had threads of hurt and misery etched across her heart. From whence this pain came, Exar was not sure, but he was sure of the fact that this child's past had changed her in ways that would make her an even stronger Sith.

"Tell me, child," Exar Kun spoke once more, "where is your family?"

"G-Gone," the girl answered in a small voice as she shivered in the cold rain.

"I see."

He did not have time for a full-fledged interrogation, and this girl did not seem one for much small talk. Exar would have to turn her swiftly if he was to move on to the Jedi Temple today. He began reaching into her mind with the cold fingers of the dark side, and he could clearly see that she felt the strong impression he left in the Force wherever he went. The child took a step back, and she closed her eyes as if attempting to block out his probing of her deepest, darkest thoughts. But she could not keep him out, and a smile twitched at the corner of the Sith Lord's mouth as he reached the heart of the girl's pain and misery.

"Ah," he spoke with satisfaction, "now I understand. You were abandoned. You have no place to go. You feel lost, and now you wonder where you destiny is to take you…"

Tears filled the little girl's eyes, and she looked away, unable to meet his piercing gaze. Now she felt even more vulnerable than before, and she had never met anyone able to read her thoughts before. What was this power that could search the darkest corners of her soul? What kind of magic could allow you to dive into the minds of others and learn their deepest, most well-hidden secrets?

An even deeper satisfaction filled the Dark Lord's gaze, for he had clearly read her thoughts once more. To her surprise, Exar Kun knelt down on one knee and forced her to look him in the eyes, which really was quite unnerving for her. He reached up and pushed back his hood, finally revealed his strong-boned face and long, black hair.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked abruptly.

The girl thought for a moment, desperately searching for any recollection of this man, but she could think of nothing. Finally, she shook her head in response.

"All the better," Exar stated coldly. "It is clear that the Jedi have not yet discovered you and polluted your mind with false teachings. Surprising that a Force sensitive could dwell so near one of their temples and remain so cleverly hidden…"

He trailed off emphatically, and she felt as if he was silently pressing for an answer to his unspoken question. After a moment of tension-filled silence, she took a deep breath and spoke again.

"I-I don't know how I do it," she told him nervously. "I just disappear—not physically of course—but they—the Jedi I mean—can just walk right by me and not even notice that I'm there. I've always done it. I-I just sink into myself and imagine myself dissolving into nothing. Then I magically

disappear."

"It is not by the power of magic that you disappear," Exar snapped harshly. "It is the power of the Force that guides you and allows you to hide your presence from others. It seems that you have already learned a very useful technique, one that I am very interested in."

"What are you saying?" the girl demanded, her voice growing stronger and her fear slowly dispersing.

Exar Kun laughed, and the girl shivered again, for it was an evil laugh that sent chills down her spine. "So quick to get to the point. Well, allow me to indulge you. I have sensed your strong presence in the Force. You have the potential to become a great Sith."

"What's a Sith?"

"A Sith is a Force sensitive who controls the full power of the Force. Some call it the dark side, but it is merely the ultimate power of the Force. If you will follow me, I can teach you how to wield this power and use it to your advantage. You can use it to utterly destroy your enemies."

This got the child's attention. Already, the Sith Lord could see a great hunger for power in her eyes, and he knew that he had her. She would forever be gripped in the clutches of the dark side. "So, will you embrace the power of the Force?"

"Yes," the girl answered, staring into his dark gaze. "I want to have the power of the Force at my command!"

"Good," Exar said, standing to his feet once more. "Then, from this moment onward, you shall be known as…" He paused, listening intently to the voices of the dark side, "Darth Sekora."

"Thank you," the girl replied. "I will follow your lead, my Master."

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