Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
I, Arakhne Sreiy'r, Jedi Guardian of the Republic, will tell my story so that those who understand the Jedi in the future will not believe us to all be the same. For we each have a story, a past, a personal purpose, and a reason for joining the Jedi Order. I will tell my story so that those same people will also understand me so that my legacy will not forever be lost. I will not always be alive as I am now to redeem myself.
I was born in 3,664 BBY, in the middle of the Great Galactic War, to aristocratic beginnings on the planet Onderon, in the capital Iziz. I never knew my mother – a Force-Sensitive, possibly even a Jedi, from what I understand. She died in childbirth with me, the younger of two children. My father was a Republic pilot, and worked mainly for Onderon planetary security. After my mother died, he never ceased to blame me for her death, and thus my relationship with my father is overshadowed by ill feelings and regret.
My older brother, Xeksor, was six years old when I was born, but unlike my father, never blamed me for our mother's death. He was my only childhood companion; I never socialized with the other children in the city. We were all each other had, but our childhood was happy that way.
My brother and I were strong in the Force because of our mother, but me a little more. So when I was five and Xeksor eleven, we were sent to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, where we became younglings engaged in the basic instruction and manipulation of the Force. I never saw my father again. My brother and I maintained our close relationship throughout this training, although we did grow apart, as he was older and went through the easier training more quickly.
Our deep connections with the Force were praised, and we soon became favorites among the Jedi Masters. Yet I noticed that as I grew up, I saw my brother less and less. I heard tales of how he was doing, however – he was thriving and was a perfect student. I was extremely proud of him, and thrived in my own studies partly because of my pride to be a Srei'yr and a sister of someone so wonderful.
The year I turned eleven, the Sacking of Coruscant took place, and most of my beloved Jedi friends were killed at the Jedi Temple. I never would have survived if I had not gone to the Republic Fleet with a Jedi Master that specialized in training Jedi Guardians, a Cathar named Master Silan Kasshh. I was doing very well at my training and he wanted to get me started as a Guardian earlier than usual.
When I heard of the Sacking I cried bitterly, and Silan's face was filled with shock and despair. For hours we sat near a cantina, comforting each other. I was sure my brother was dead, but to my joy, he was fine – he had gone into space as well, and his Master let him arrive on Fleet to see me because I didn't believe that he had lived. I rushed into his arms with relief. I'll never forget that moment.
The war ended, and a fragile peace began as the Jedi settled on Tython. I began to hear tales that the Sith were secretly planning to destroy the Jedi, taking the peace to their advantage, and I was always scared for my life and for the life of the Order. However, Xeksor continued to stay strong and help me through the dark times that lured over us. Although the Treaty of Coruscant had saved the Republic, the Sith had taken a decisive and ultimate win for the destructive and terrible war.
When I was thirteen, I began to lose contact with Xeksor. He went to missions in the Outer Rim, I would not hear from him for a year or more. But I would ask around about him, and I only heard good things, which kept my spirits high. I yearned for the day that he would seek me out and we would reunite.
The year I turned fourteen, a new Padawan arrived at the Temple, three years older than me. I only met her once, when my Master, Ersitha, had to go to the Council about matters concerning a rebellion on Voss. Outside of the Council Chambers I awaited my Master's return, and the new Padawan was there for an appointment, escorted by a Jedi I'd seen before but never could remember his name. He nodded to me respectfully and asked who was talking to the Council. I told him it was my Master, and I suddenly got a cold chill. I looked at the Padawan, who the Jedi introduced as Ulida Dur'izen, a seventeen-year-old beauty with blond hair and dark eyes. She was too old to be a new Padawan – she must have had training.
Ersitha left the Council Chambers, and I went to Voss with her for diplomatic purposes. I was there for three months, and when I arrived back at Tython, disturbing rumors were spreading about Xeksor falling to the Dark Side. I didn't believe it, of course, and started searching for him. But he was always gone on missions and was never on Tython for very long. I tried contacting via mail, but the Jedi Masters started reprimanding me for doing it because of the Sith having power over much of the mail system. Tracing my letters could put me in doom.
So all I could do was wait, and finish my training.
A disturbing event took place the day before I turned fifteen. I was on Tython, outside in the cool air, training with my peers, when I got thirsty and asked the instructor for a drink of water. I hurried into the Jedi Temple because I didn't want to miss too much of my training. In the lounge, I grabbed my water and was sipping it when I overheard a conversation I'll never forget.
The Grand Master and another member of the Council, a Nautolan, were talking quietly, but loud enough for me to hear, just nearby me.
"He yelled at me," the Nautolan was saying, his face contorted, distressed. "He never stops yelling at me. Kept saying there was more to the Force than I was teaching him. He wanted to know everything – not just the Light Side, but everything."
"He never reported for Master Denicee today," the Grand Master scowled. "He loves the cantina. At least that's where he SAYS he goes at night. I don't believe him."
"Where else could he go?" the Nautolan asked, surprised.
"His breath never smells of drink, nor does he ever act like he is drunk," the Grand Master replied. "Xeksor Srei'yr is falling to the Dark Side, Master – that's all there is to it. We have to own up to the fact."
Curse red hair. It can be such a pain and made me angry so easily. My cheeks flared up in anger and I marched over to them. "NO," I said firmly. "My brother has NOT fallen to the Dark Side!"
"With all due respect, young Padawan," the Grand Master said between her teeth, "you are only a Padawan and have been gone for a long time. You don't know what is going on."
"I would know if he fell to the Dark Side," I cried. "He's my brother!"
"No, you would not know," the Grand Master replied coolly. "You are only a Padawan."
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it could fly to Tatooine, but I had nothing to say to that. I knew she was right. I was a nobody. Tears filled my eyes, and I turned away. She was right. I knew nothing. I was stupid.
"He's a young man – young men are wild at his age. I'm sure we all were at one point," the Nautolan said slowly, trying to make me feel better.
"Where is my brother now?" I demanded to know.
"Corellia, doing some work with the post-war effort with Master Yn'Mar and Master Bal," the Grand Master answered. "Half a dozen other Padawans are with them."
"I need to go too," I begged. "I have to see him."
They ignored me. "We'll just have to send someone to watch where he goes at night," the Grand Master said quietly. "If we knew, then we would understand."
"He's a GOOD PERSON!" I fairly screamed.
The Grand Master took me by the arm and led me out of the lounge, her cheeks as red as my hair. Everyone was staring at us.
"Arakhne," she said, "you are a long, long way from becoming a Jedi Knight if all you can think about is your brother. You have a whole GALAXY to think of, with trillions of inhabitants to protect. And if you are going to be a Jedi Guardian, then you have to put THAT first."
I was thoroughly distressed. "Saving one fallen Jedi is more important than helping those already saved," I said, believing in that statement from the bottom of my heart. "This is a JEDI we're talking about, not some mindless twit. And he happens to be my brother. We have to figure out what's wrong."
"We've been trying to do THAT for months, Arakhne," she snarled, letting go of my arm and spinning me away from her. "You're just not in tune to it. If YOU can find out what's wrong with your brother, then fine. But until you do, I'm going to protect innocent lives." Before I could protest, she slammed the lounge door in my face.
"Fine," I said, sucking in a breath and glaring at the door. "You save your innocents, and I'll save mine." I turned on my heel and rushed outside. I'd already wasted enough time – I had to get back to my training.
Around the same time that bad rumors began to circulate about Xeksor, even worse ones began circulating about Ulida Dur'izen. She was filled with the Dark Side, and it made the Jedi Masters very uneasy.
I still had only met her that once. But once the expedition from Corellia returned, I vowed to see my brother.
I rushed to Master Yn'Mar, an enormous Cathar, and begged to see Xeksor. He shrugged and answered, "He said he had business on the Fleet and went there with Padawan Ulida shortly after we got to the orbital station."
Ulida, I said, and started thinking the worst. But I didn't come to any conclusions just yet. I had to see for myself what was happening.
But time passed and I still never saw my brother. When I was sixteen, the worst rumor reached my ears – that Xeksor had taken everything he owned and left the Order, with none other than Ulida Dur'izen. It was discovered that they had had an intimate relationship that they had hid from the Jedi for years. It was also discovered that Ulida had been nothing more than an undercover Sith, working for the Emperor to destroy the Jedi secretly, just as we had feared. The Council was still in shock and could not understand how they had failed to realize it sooner, and felt failure for losing Xeksor.
For two days I didn't leave my room. Any Jedi Masters looking for me understood my sorrow and decided to let me heal in my own time. With help from Yn'Mar, a Jedi Sage, I healed and got over the news, but I still would not believe it until I had proof. "Seeing is believing" became my new motto.
I trained harder than ever, vowing to make my brother's legacy proud, even if he himself had become a Sith. I also vowed to find Ulida and destroy her for turning my brother to the Dark Side.
In the year that followed, the Jedi did not experience any Sith attacks. Whatever Ulida had been there to find out, she never found out, and the Emperor found no reason to attack Tython. Whatever reason he was looking for was hidden from him, and the Jedi continued to live in peace.