The Republic is at war. Ever since the Battle of Ord Mantell three years ago, the Army of the Republic has discovered other world occupied by the forces of Malastare's allies, including the Order of the Sith Lords.

Jedi Master Solin Malice has been growing concerned about his former friend, Vulcan Gunner, the founder of the Sith, ever since their last meeting on Ord Mantell.

Hoping to redeem his old friend and restore peace and justice to the galaxy, Solin is preparing to travel to Korriban, where he has discovered the location of a Dark Jedi Academy...

Solin pressed the button to be admitted into Keira's quarters. Standing just inside the doorway was A6-R4, Keira's light blue astro droid that matched Keria's lightsaber and her Jedi robes. A6 whistled excitedly at Solin as he walked into the room.

"It's good to see you, too, A6," Solin said. "I wish I had brought T2 with me so you two could catch up. It's been too long since you both have had a chance to outdo one another on your skills and abilities."

A6 whistled an indignant reply, causing Solin to laugh. "All right, that will just be between you and me," he said as he reached the center of Keira's quarters, where his former apprentice was monitoring her own apprentice, Ngema Resor, in an exercise with her lightsaber. Ngema deactivated her lightsaber when she saw Solin walk into the room. Keira turned and smiled when she saw Solin.

"Well, isn't this a nice surprise?" said Keira as she stood up and hurried over to Solin and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm sorry to come unannounced," Solin replied as they broke apart and he hugged Ngema. "I just had to come and tell you the news in person."

"What did the Council say?"

"Well, they certainly don't like the idea of a Jedi traveling alone to a planet where there is a Dark Jedi Academy, but they know why I have to go to Korriban. They authorized me to go, so I'm going to leave as soon as possible."

"Oh, Solin!" Keira exclaimed, sounding concerned. "You've got to be careful!"

"I always am, Keira, you know that."

"Yes, but you're also reckless."

Solin snorted. "Who me? Never!"

"I'm serious! You've got to be extremely careful when you're in that Dark Jedi Academy. It's going to be hard enough with a bunch of Sith apprentices surrounding you, it's going to be worse if Vulcan is there."

"He has to be," Solin insisted. "It's the only planet with an academy of its kind that the Republic has discovered. I'm sure he is going to be there, waiting for me. I think he knows I'm coming. I can feel his presence in the Force and I'm sure he can feel mine."

"Well, what are you going to do if he somehow manages to capture you?" Ngema asked. "You won't exactly be able to contact us while in custody!"

"I've already thought about that: I've programmed T2 to flee Korriban in my Starfighter if he hasn't heard from me after a certain amount of time. He'll return here and tell you that he's lost contact."

"Wow, you have thought of everything," Keira said. "I'm impressed."

"Now, Keira, they wouldn't have made me a Jedi Master if I hadn't thought of everything during my missions, now would they?"

Keira smirked at him. "If you say so," she said, causing Solin to hesitate for a moment. "What is it?"

"Oh, that phrase 'If you say so,' Vulcan used to say it all the time when he was a Jedi."

"Well, he's not the only one who gets to say that," Keira said with a chuckle. "You be careful when you confront him, Solin. I mean it."

"I will be, Keira. I promise."

"May the Force be with you, old friend," Keira said.

"May the Force be with you, Keira and Ngema."

Solin screamed in agony as the Force Lightning hit his body, sending shockwaves through him and causing a pain he had never experienced. Nacluv laughed loudly as he tortured Solin.

"Dear, Solin, you have much resolve," Nacluv said after this particularly nasty attack. "I can sense the Dark Side in you, old friend. You long to use it."

"I'll never fall prey to the Dark Side, Vulcan!" Solin retorted, attempting to control his anger. "You'll have to kill me if you want to be successful!"

"Kill you? Oh, no, no, no. This is merely a taste of the Dark Side to whet your appetite. When you embrace the Dark Side, Solin, it will be willingly."

"Never!"

Nacluv simply laughed and blasted another wave of Force Lightning at Solin, whose screams started again. The intensity of the lighting was greater than ever and it slowly weakened Solin's will; he could feel the anger rising in him, threatening to take over his existence. It was as if a virus was spreading through his body so quickly that it would overwhelm him before he could fight back.

After what seemed an eternity, Solin finally gave in to his anger. It was consuming him completely to the point where he could no longer fight it. Instead, he embraced his anger and used it to shoot lighting out of his own hands, successfully breaking the chains and freeing himself. He fell to his knees in pain, but Nacluv finally relented on attacking him.

"Good," Nacluv mused, standing over Solin, looking triumphant. "You have embraced the power of the Dark Side, Solin. I am pleased to see you using your abilities for yourself, instead of for the foolish Jedi way. And you were able to use your powers to free yourself, something none of my esteemed apprentices have done."

At that, Nacluv glanced around at all of the apprentices who surrounded them. He had ordered them into this chamber to witness the fall of one of the greatest Jedi in the Order.

"Because of that and because of our history, Solin, you will become my apprentice and serve as my second-in-command of the Order of the Sith Lords."

Sighing briefly, Solin looked up at Nacluv; his eyes had turned yellow, a sign that the Dark Side had consumed him completely.

"Thank you, my Master," Solin said in a flat tone.

"Rise," Nacluv commanded. Solin obeyed. "Now then, my apprentices, you will answer to Solin here as my new second in command!"

"Like hell I will!" snarled Tosan Inte, whose title had just been stripped. "He is not worthy of being your second-in-command, my Lord! I have proved myself!"

Nacluv laughed. "Perhaps Solin can prove he has earned his place as my right hand."

"He'll only to that if he can defeat me in combat!" Tosan shouted, igniting his lightsaber.

"My pleasure!" Solin retorted, igniting his green blade and leaping toward Tosan, who had just enough time to block his attack.

The two Sith apprentices entered what would be a deadly duel if they had not been evenly matched. Though Tosan had long trained for combat against Jedi, he had not fought a fellow apprentice in some time and found himself slightly overwhelmed by Solin's brutality. Solin, for his part, found using his anger to assist in his abilities was much easier than simply using the Force to assist him.

After several moments of dueling, Solin and Tosan entered a lock. They were held together for several seconds before Solin broke the hold and sliced at Tosan's head, smashing the mask he always wore to hide his face. Solin then kicked Tosan to the ground, sending his foe's lightsaber away. He pointed his lightsaber down at Tosan and got a look at his face for the first time. Solin started to laugh as he realized who Tosan truly was and wondered how he did not already know it. He then raised his lightsaber to deliver the killing blow.

"Enough!" Nacluv shouted. Solin stopped moving at Nacluv's command. "That will do, Solin, but do not kill Tosan. You have proven yourself worthy as my apprentice, but Tosan still has his uses, as I'm sure you can see now that his mask is destroyed and you know his identity."

Solin smirked at Tosan before turning off his lightsaber and walking over to Nacluv. Tosan scrambled to his feet, wordlessly retrieved his lightsaber and took his place with his fellow apprentices.

"As I'm sure you all have seen, any of you would be foolish to try and fight Solin for his position," Nacluv said. "Though the time will come that one of you is worthy enough to confront him. That is the way of the Sith: the strongest always prevail. For now, though, Solin will assist Lord Tobos with training our new recruits at this Academy. You will all answer to him and show him the same respect and lust for power you should myself and Lord Tobos. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Lord Nacluv!" the apprentices yelled in unison.