Prologue
Hosnian Prime: 6 ABY Chandrila
No one likes to think of themselves as burdened with purpose. From the galaxy, the average man wants for a good job, perfect partner, and a stable planet to call home; the average woman, he would assume, wants for the same. Luke Skywalker believed he would never know. As the last of the old Jedi Order and the first of the new, Luke felt through the Force that his role was not for the galaxy to provide for him but for him to provide for the galaxy: a new Jedi Order that could stabilise a Republic whose people were ravaged by the Dark Side for decades; A Jedi Order that could do what his father couldn't and bring balance to the Force. It was a daunting and expansive task, to be sure, and one that kept the Jedi awake into the early hours of the morning. It was on this particular morning, the one year anniversary of the Battle of Jakku, that Luke took to meditating to clear his mind.
I am one with the Force and the Force is with me. In it, there is no emotion, but there is peace. There is knowledge born of ignorance. There is no passion but there is serenity. Chaos vanishes in the oasis of harmony. Death is no more; there is Force. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me…
It was this mantra that the young jedi repeated to himself whenever he meditated. Taken from several sources on Jedi theses and meditations, Luke found this particular combination useful when trying to release his anxieties over to the Force, and it was important that he did so today. As the sole Jedi knight of the New Republic and brother to founding member Leia Organa, he would be required to drag himself to the anniversary banquet. If he were honest, if it were not for Leia and Han being there, he would have little qualms with skipping the event altogether. He doubted, though, that he could pull the "Jedi business" excuse off with Chancellor Mothma again.
BLEUP
The young man was pulled from the depths of his meditation by the sound of his door annunciator.
'Who could it be at this hour' he thought. 'Leia or Han maybe? No, they always comm ahead. Wedge? No, he's not due for leave for another 5 days. Lando? If it's him with another bottle of Savareen brandy I swear…' Luke was at a loss to who it could be. He sensed nothing dangerous on the other side of the door but nothing overtly positive either. Probably was just another politician.
"It's open" the Jedi finally called out.
With a swoosh the door opened. Through it, a humanoid figure in brown Jedi robes slowly entered, hooded head postured down so that only the coarse hazel fabric was visible. Luke was puzzled and alarmed. How had this person come by Jedi robes? What was their intent? Were they a threat. He once again reached out through the Force to glean the slightest knowledge on the hooded being. He was, unfortunately, partially successful. Instead of the nothingness he felt earlier, the ear-splitting sound of drums cascaded throughout his entire body.
Buckling to his knees, Luke's senses were nearly overloaded with the sound. It was repeating, unyielding, a cruel pattern: ONE TWO THREE FOUR, ONE TWO THREE FOUR, ONE TWO THREE FOUR, ONE TWO THREE FOUR…
Looking up at the figure, now standing directly above him, the Jedi asked pleadingly "What do you want? Who...what are you?"
The figure finally lifted his hood and looked him in the eyes. In front of him was a light-skinned human man with greying short hair and trimmed goatee. Physically, he looked around 30 standard years, but if the pain Luke was experiencing was any indication, the man had experienced far more pain than any being possibly could in thirty-odd years.
Finally, he spoke. His voice was somehow light and dark, thin but heavy. "What I want, young Luke, is something you'll soon find out. As for my name, you may call me the Master."
He barely registered the man's voice when the Jedi's remaining strength finally gave out, sending him to the floor. The last sound he heard before losing consciousness was the chilling cackling of his attacker.
