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Black Star
Raindrops splattered against the ground on the black night on Naboo, making distinctive noises as the water splattered against the buildings of Theed. But it was not the rain that kept the citizens of the city indoors. It was a combination of cold, mechanical breathing and a figure that seemed to glide across the surface of the streets, sucking in every last bit of light.
Darth Vader paused in front of a glassblower's shop, studying the old guild sign. For a brief moment, he remembered being part of something ancient, being a proud Knight in the Jedi Order. No, he reminded himself. Anakin Skywalker had been a Jedi Knight. The last vestiges of Skywalker died on Mustafar. Though he had been Darth Vader before journeying to the hellish world and he detested the life support that kept him alive, Vader had truly been born in a baptism of fire. No one saw Anakin Skywalker when they looked at Vader's lifeless helmet. They only saw their worst fears.
Vader continued to stroll the streets, ignoring the feelings of warmth Anakin Skywalker had felt on Naboo. The Dark Lord would not have returned to the planet if he had not been hunting members of the Jedi Order. One particular Jedi possessed data of major importance to the Empire if they were to resume a campaign against the Hapes Consortium.
Before the collapse of the Jedi Order, Palpatine had dispatched two Jedi to infiltrate Separatist territory and retrieve information on Project Black Star. That fool Dooku had been planning to use Black Star to make entire worlds submit to his will, his political ideal. Vader understood that Black Star was a powerful weapon, but he was clueless as to its true purpose. But he also knew that the Jedi did not return to the Republic.
Not all of them were loyal like Jerec, Vader mused, even though he had nothing but distaste for the ambitious Dark Jedi. But as long as his master wanted Jerec to live, Vader would not include the man in his purge. The only Jedi he would have considered sparing was Neeja Halcyon, had he not been killed during the Clone Wars.
Vader turned into a dark alley and reached for his lightsaber. The metal cylinder fit into his gloved hands perfectly, becoming one with the Dark Lord. This was the place.
With his free hand, Vader accessed the Force and punched through a wooden door, sending splinters flying inside the apartment complex. The Dark Lord stepped into a building and saw a human Jedi with short red hair waiting for him in the lobby. The Jedi held his lightsaber in his right hand, yet he had not activated his weapon yet.
"Anakin Skywalker," the Jedi said, as if mocking the Dark Lord. "Or shall I call you Darth Vader?"
"Hadrian Lex," Vader said mechanically, preparing to recite an edict given to him by Palpatine after Jerec had willingly sided with the Empire. "By decree of the Emperor, all Jedi are enemies of the Empire. However, if you renounce your ties to the Jedi Order and swear an oath of loyalty to the Empire, I shall spare your life."
"I know what Palpatine wants, Vader," Hadrian said. "You won't get Black Star from me."
With a snap-hiss, Vader's scarlet energy blade emerged. "If your apprentice decided to escape with the files, I will hunt her down," the Dark Lord vowed.
Hadrian activated his green laser sword and assumed a standard Form III stance, opting to use defense to tire the Dark Lord.
Vader fumed, recognizing Kenobi's form. He lunged at Hadrian, his red sword fueled by the Dark Side. Hadrian parried the blow at the upper right quadrant of his body before leaning forward, breaking the contact of their blades.
"Vader, Black Star was never meant to be a weapon," Hadrian said. "Palpatine will have no use for you if he gets his hands on it."
"You lie!" Vader growled, confident his master would never betray him. The Dark Lord swung his weapon to Hadrian's lower body, observing as the Jedi parried his thrust. Vader retracted and, with a single hand, drove his blade towards the Jedi's unguarded neck.
Hadrian took a step back and swung his blade in an arc to knock Vader's weapon aside. The force of the blow forced Vader to take a step back.
Vader swung for Hadrian's legs, only to have green clash against red again. The Dark Lord had a begrudging respect for the Jedi's ability to hold his own against him, but he knew his mission came before games of swordplay. He turned his wrist, getting his sword directly underneath Hadrian's blade and pushed upwards. Hadrian was forced to retract quickly.
Vader then dove forward, plunging his scarlet blade into Hadrian's abdomen. The Jedi's green eyes widened from the shock of the blow.
The Dark Lord removed his blade and swung, cutting through Hadrian's neck. The pieces of the man fell onto the floor and Vader disengaged his blade. The sound of clashing lightsabers was long gone. All that remained was cold, mechanical breathing.
Vader walked out of the building and stretched out his senses into the Force, trying to find any trace of Hadrian's apprentice. All he sensed was a spot in the Force that was flying away from the planet. "Clever," he said. "Using ysalamiri to protect Black Star." Suddenly, his respect for Hadrian Lex skyrocketed, making Vader wish the man hadn't resisted. He could have used such a cunning warrior as his apprentice.