Prologue
Bastila Skywalker stood amidst the swirling crowds that characterised a Coruscanti market. She had always been taught to observe every minute detail as it was a vital ability when it came to missions.
But today was not a mission.
No, today was a chance to witness her own backyard instead of planets thousands of lightyears away. A chance to use the detail awareness to soak up interesting, yet completely uselss information for herself instead of the Jedi Order.
Grinning mischieviously, Bastila gazed at the colourfully feathered avians before her, quizzing the shopkeeper for all he was worth about the birds. Bastila returned to her Master, relating all the facts that the shopkeeper had imparted to her.
Ania Nors smiled. Obiwan had been right. The girl needed desperately to get out of the temple and the pressures of Jedi study.
Bastila turned her head her eyes locking onto something else in the distance, and her dark eyes lit in wonder.
Ania laughed at the look in her Padawan's eyes. "What is it, young one?"
"There" Bastila pointed, without taking her eyes off of the creature that gripped her attention. "Across the market. What in the three moons is that?" Bastila finally wrenched her eyes from the creature to look her Togruta master in the eyes. "Can I go ahead, Master Ania? I won't be long. And I'll call you on the comlink when I get there." Bastila watched the indecision shift in her Master's eyes to acceptence.
"Alright Bastila. But be careful." Ania wanted to accompany her but knew that at fifteen, Bastila needed independece if she was ever going to become a successful Jedi Knight. Besides, the stall was only at the other end of the market. Ania watched the slender girl, or rather, young woman, run swiftly and effortlessly through the compressed crowds, her wavy black-brown hair streaming behind her. She smiled. Although Ania was Bastila's third master (the first two having been killed in action), since arriving on Coruscant eight years before, she was Ania's first Padawan.
She only hoped she would be able to do right by her.
The buzz on Ania's comlink pulled her out of her reverie. She flicked the talk button. "Bastila?"
"Yes, master, it's me. I'm just in the shop now. This gnorran is really odd!"
"Alright, child, just don't be long."
"Don't worry Master, I wont." Ania switched off her comlink, replacing it to the folds of her Jedi robe, and proceeded to examine sparkling trinkets at one of the vendors. Ania sometimes wished Jedi were allowed to have possessions such as these. She sighed, straightening from her perusal. And suddenly an inexplicable feeling of fear washed over her.
Bastila studied the various interesting animals within the store. "We have more specimens out back." the shopkeeper informed her, gesturing towards a door at the back of the dimly lit store. Bastila's eyes lit. "May I see them?"
"Sure, go ahead little Jedi." She strode out to the back of the store, and indeed there were at least twenty different species of animal. Bastila stopped at each of them and imparted soothing words to the more restless of them, and they immediatley began to calm down.
"Lovely, aren't they?" came a female voice. Still bent to the animals level, Bastila smiled without turning around.
"Yes, they are." she replied. She felt the woman's presence come closer. Bastila looked up. The stranger was dressed in commoner's garb with a heavy hood covering her head. A common enough sight. But there was something about this person that made Bastila frown. Her warning bells sounded too late though, as the figure stretched out a hand at the speed of light and grabbed Bastila's throat. At the same time, Bastila felt her insides start to burn as though on fire as the stranger injected a needle into her stomach. She uttered a gasp, trying to remember Jedi techniques that would save her from this seemingly impending fate. But her mind was blank but for the exruciating pain in her gut. She stayed conscience just long enough to feel Ania's surprise and fear resonate through the Force.
Chapter One
Ania hurried through the halls of the Jedi temple at an alarming pace, earning her odd looks from her fellow Knights. But she couldn't care less. She felt ready to let the tears of frustration and self beration escape from her stinging eyes, but years of Jedi emotion training would not let her. She had to inform the council of what had occurred. The moment the dark feeling had come upon her, Ania had rushed to the store her Padawan had entered. She searched, and when the shopkeeper couldn't give her anything more than a shrug, she had scanned the streets of Coruscant, searching desperately for a trace of her young apprentice. She felt ready to scream with worry. After a hour and nothing to indicate where Bastila had gone, Ania had raced back to the Jedi Temple. And now she moved with such determined purpose, no one stopped her to ask her trouble until she reached the doors of the Council. The temple worker informed her that the council were in the middle of a discussion, but should be finished soon. Ania paced in front of the doors. She looked at her wrist chrono and glared at it as if daring time to go any slower. All Jedi lessons of patience were thrown to the wind in her worry.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, the giant doors to the council chambers opened. Ania took a deep breath, trying her hardest to calm her turbulent emotions before presenting herself to the masters. She smoothed her cloak and entered the circular room with feigned serenity and bowed before the council.
Windu was the first to speak. "I sense you are troubled Ania. Tell us what is hindering you."
Ania breathed in deeply, then addressed the Jedi Masters. "It's my fault." she lowered her head, composing herself before saying more.
The members of the council waited patiently, all sensing the turmoil within her. After a minute, the Togruta lifted her head and continued with her tale. "I took Bastila to the market today. She badly needed to get out of the temple. I allowed her to go into a distant store alone, thinking I was helping her by giving her her independence." Her voice broke. "I was wrong, Masters."
"Calm yourself, you must." came Yoda's understanding voice, already sensing what had happened.
"Go on." Mace Windu urged gently.
"I felt a darkness. A presence. I tried my best to find her, any trace of her. She's been kidnapped, I know it Masters! She would never just run off like that. It's just not in her to cause so much worry knowningly." Ania searched the faces around her and read in them concern and sadness. Bastila had touched all their hearts, and all had a fondness for the child.
"Please, Masters, I have come here to ask for your permission to begin searching for her."
Windu and Yoda looked at each other. "By now, Bastila could've already been taken off-planet."
"All the more reason for me to start looking now. Please. I can't let her down."
Yoda looked thoughtful, not that Yoda ever didn't look thoughtful. "Discuss this matter in private, we will. Until we summon you again, wait for us you must."
Ania swallowed. "Yes, Masters." she took a bow and left the chambers.
"Obiwan?" Ania Nors spoke to the bearded man leaning over a Jedi holocron, studying it intently. Obiwan Kenobi looked up, his smile of greeting morphing into a concerned frown at the look on his colleague's alien face.
"Please, Ania, sit." the man gestured to a seat opposite him. "What's the matter?"
Ania sighed, and related the same story to Obiwan that she had told the council, watching the frown on his gentle features deepen in concern.
"I have come to you with this out of respect for your Padawan. He ought to know what's happened to his sister."
Obiwan wasn't relishing the thought of revealing this information the Anakin. He doubted he would take it rationally.
Ania spoke again."Oh, Obiwan, I don't know what to do. The council has agreed to my request to go on my own and find out what happened to her, but now that my request has been granted, I don't know quite what to do with it. I don't know where to even begin looking for her." Obiwan looked upon the Togruta with compassion. She was still very young, and Bastila had only been her Padawan for two years and she was very inexperienced. He also felt a pang of sadness. He loved little Bastila as he loved Anakin. They were the closest thing to a family he had. He reached out and placed his hand over both her's that were knotted on the table. "I will see what I can do. Maybe the Council will allow Anakin and I to accompany you. I know that Anakin would come without any hesitation."
Ania looked up at him sharply, her eyes glittering with hope. Obiwan smiled. "I'll consult the Council before breaking the news to my Padawan."
"Abducted?" Anakin Skywalker's blue eyes shifted between anger and worry. "I knew something wasn't right!" Obiwan stood calmly, hands clasped in front of him, watching his Padawan pace the room anxiously. "But, you say the council has agreed to let us go find her?" Anakin finally said, spinning around to face his master.
"Yes. I suppose they know that you, more than anyone will be able to locate her." Obiwan confirmed. Anakin nodded solemnly and collapsed into a seat raking a hand back through his short ash-blonde hair. He looked up at his master. "When do we start?"
"Today."
Sith Academy-Korriban
Bastila groaned as she felt herself ascend from the darkness of oblivion and immediatley wanted to return to it as a wave of nausea swept over her. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down and figure out where she was. She tried to move her hands and groaned at the uselessness of the action. Her hands were clamped down by some cold manacles, as were her feet. She knew that without having to move them. She heard a harsh laugh, and then a familiar voice. The woman! The one who did this to her!
"It would seem, Master Tyrannus, that our little Skywalker rat is awakening." Skywalker? How did this woman know who she was?
Bastila opened her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the dimly lit room. They told me they were taking me to Kashyyyk. But this can't be it! "Where am I?" she asked meekly.
"Far away from your Jedi friends... and your brother." The woman said it like a curse. Bastila's fear began to gnaw at her. The woman before her wore a black intimidating robe with a high collar. She had a bald, tatooed head, and chalk white skin. She winked evily with her one cybernetic eye. Bastila didn't think she had ever seen anything so beautiful and equally terrifying.
"Now, come Asajj, we don't want to frighten the child too much." Asajj? Bastila thought, searching her memory, then gasped. Asajj Ventress? She had heard Obiwan speak of her.
The owner of the deep educated male voice laughed and stepped into her line of sight. The man was tall with white hair, dark eyes, and a commanding presence. Bastila shrank back as far as she could. The man bent over her. "Do you know who I am, little one?" When she didn't answer, he grinned, which didn't make her feel anymore at ease. She squinted, then cried out in recognition and turned her head away. Dooku. Qui-Gon's former master. Dooku smiled and straightened, clearly pleased at the fear he cause in the girl.
Ventress laughed. "Should we tell her where she now resides, Master?" Bastila opened her eyes and looked at the frightening woman in question. "You are in the most ancient Sith Academy. On Korriban." The planet's name didn't ring any bells with Bastila, but she felt the dark power behind the name, and knew that she was on a planet of great evil.
She summoned her voice. "Why did you bring me here?"
It was Dooku who answered her. "The Skywalker children are well renowned for their affinity to the Force. An affinity that could prove incredibly usefull." And suddenly, realisation hit Bastila like a swarm of mynoks. They wanted to turn her to the dark side. To use her power against all that was just and good.
"No." she whispered. Then more loudly "No!"
The woman named Ventress smiled with malicious delight. "Shall I persuade her, my lord?"
Dooku looked at Bastila thoughtfully. "No. I will deal with this one."
"Very well, Master." Ventress conceded, but Bastila could tell she was disappointed. The tatooed figure moved gracefully out of the dark room, shutting the heavy stone door behind her.
The man came close and looked down on Bastila again. "Now, little one. Will you concede to your training? Will you embrace the power of the dark side and it's various techniques?"
Bastila wanted to cry out for her brother. For Ania, Obiwan, anyone who might hear her. But she refused to allow herself that embarrassment. Dooku read what was in her eyes. "I thought as much." his eyes hardened. "Young Skywalker, you have left me no choice."
"There is always a choice." she responded softly. She might've saved her breath for all the attention he paid her. He moved to a control console on the other end of the room.
Without turning around he said. "One more chance, Bastila."
"No."
Tyranus inputted a code into the console and hit execute. He first heard the girl gasp in surprise, and then her agonized screams tore through the chamber as the forks of lightning racked her small body.
Peace is a lie; there is only passion
Through passion I gain strength
Through strength I gain power
Through power I gain victory
Through victory my chains are broken
--Sith Code
Lorccan Juda sat on the hard, cold stone floor, repairing a kink in his lightsaber. He heard the girl's screams and tried to blot them from his mind. She needed to learn, as he had learnt. He looked up and frowned as the screaming didn't cease.
Stupid girl. All she had to say was that she would accept Dooku as her master, and everything would be fine.
But of course she wouldn't. She was a Jedi. A Jedi with their typical stubborn will and pathetic morality. Dooku may have tortured him when he disobeyed but he was strong. He was powerful. So he knew he should be grateful to have such a teacher to teach him the dark arts. Not that Lorccan knew or remembered anything else. Just the cold bitterness and hard pride beaten into him.
But the Jedi?
Oh, now the Jedi were too confident in their phantom abilities, in their "peace-for-all" attitude. Peace was an illusion. A huge big stinking joke of an illusion. When was there ever peace?
Lorccan finished fixing his lightsaber and replaced the crystal. They fought for something that could never exist. Better to fight for something that did exist.
Power.
Lorccan stood and brushed the dust from himself, placing his lightsaber in his belt. He heard the giant door to the torture chamber open as the screaming finally stopped. Instead it was replaced by a quiet sobbing, once again stifled as the door closed again. Dooku's footsteps echoed along the stone empty corridor.
Lorccan met his master in the corridor. "Ah, Lorccan." Dooku smiled. "I take it you heard our little prisoner's protests?"
"Yes, my lord. She has a strong will."
"I will that will prove quite futile." Dooku replied in his deep resonant voice.
"How long before the other Skywalker comes do you think, my lord?" Lorccan asked.
Tyrannus nodded again. "I would'nt doubt that he's already begun searching. It wont be long before he's here. Of, course, we'll have to deal with Kenobi, but Ventress has been awaiting that privilege for some time."
Lorccan nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, Master, why didn't you just capture Skywalker in the first place instead of first taking his sister?"
"Ah, excellent question, my young apprentice. Two reasons. One, Anakin is older, stronger and more attuned to the Force than even she, meaning it would be far more difficult to capture him. Also, the two are known to have a powerful Force bond. By confusing her about where she's going, where she is, and what she's doing, we in turn confuse her brother. Anakin Skywalker is an impatient, easily angered boy. It wont be long before his frustration gets the better of him. But by then we would've turned Bastila, with him not far behind."
Lorccan grinned and nodded his head. "Very cunning, my lord." Someday the haughty Jedi would be brought to their knees by this group of people they never even knew existed. He smirked.
"Now, come apprentice, I think a dueling lesson is long over-due."
Jedi Shuttle, Mid Rim, 18 standard hours from Kashyyyk System
Anakin Skywalker sat bolt upright in his bunk and groaned, raking his hands through his hair. The dream had been so vivid, so real. His sister, alone in the darkness, screaming for him. He searched and searched but couldn't find her. Her screams tormented him, but when they eventually disappeared, enveloped by the heavy darkness, he panicked even more. Shaking his head, he fell heavily back onto his bed, but knew he wouldn't go back to sleep now. He couldn't face the world of his dreams.
He had been eager to begin searching for Bastila. He, Obiwan and Ania had begun the questioning where his sister had first disappeared. Once there, Anakin had felt his sister's lingering presence, like a mental holocam, replaying her thoughts and situation to him. He had felt her surprise and fear, and after following the Force trail, he had found a lingering message. Ani...help! I think they said...were...Kashyy... The echoes of Bastila's thoughts had begun to fade after so many hours, but Anakin still understood. They were taking her to the Wookie planet. Anakin had wondered why in all the worlds anyone would want to take a Padawan prisoner on Kashyyyk, but accepted it uneasily.
Now, here they were, ten hours into travel and Anakin didn't feel any closer to his sister. In fact, he felt even further away. But they would learn what they could at Kashyyyk. Just thinking that he may never see Bastila again cut through his heart. He dared not think on that possibilty, lest he lose himself. He swore, and got to his feet, pulling a lightwieght shirt over his torso and walked through the corridor of the small ship into the cargo hold. There was the starfighter they had loaded. Anakin sat down by it roughly, reached for a toolbox, and began tinkering with it's engine. He wanted it as fast as possible. One never knew when such a feature could prove vitally useful.
Suddenly, he felt a familiar presence in the room with him. Anakin didn't look up as his master came and sat beside him, watching him working on the fighter. Anakin knew why he was here. He wanted to talk. About Bastila. But he couldn't talk about his sister. Not now, when she was in so much danger. He sensed something dark was attacking her, but couldn't be exactly sure what.
After another minute of Obiwan's seemingly endless patience, Anakin swore again, throwing the hydrospanner to the ground. He put his head in his hands.
"I dream, Obiwan. I dream of a darkness so heavy it drowns out sight and sound. All sound but for Bastila's screams. But eventually they too fade away." he shook his head in frustration. "But I don't know what it means! What will I do if something happens to her? What will I do?" When he eventually looked at his master, Obiwan saw it was with tears in his eyes. Obiwan sighed.
"I love her too, Anakin. Ania loves her. But we will find her. And," he took a deep breath. "If we don't for some reason, then we will honour her memory and remember how she was." He saw his words did not please his Padawan.
Anakin stood shakily. "But it's not fair, Master." he shook his head. "Bastila is kind and gentle. Who would want to hurt her? Why? Why have all these things happened to her? She has lost two masters already, three including Qui-Gon. And yet she hasn't once complained or whined about her lot in life! She is a far better person than I, yet all curses seem to fall upon her head!" he sat down abruptly. "It's not right. It's not just."
Obiwan smiled sadly. "I know it isn't, Anakin. But we all have our share of curses. You, included."
Anakin looked at him. "But Obiwan, I deserve my curses. I have done terrible things, I make decisions without thinking, and I know I'm not the best apprentice one could hope for." Obiwan said nothing, stunned at this confession from his Padawan. Anakin looked at Obiwan sharply. "Obiwan,"' he asked softly , "Do you ever regret promising Qui-Gon to train me?"
"No." Obiwan answered without hesitation. "There were often times when I felt myself not yet up to the task of mentoring you, and I sometimes wondered if Qui-Gon had been mad, thinking I was ready for such a burden." he looked Anakin square in the eyes. "But I'm glad for the burden." he smiled. "You have taught me a lot about myself." he put a hand firmly on Anakin's shoulder. "And you have been a good friend. You have shown great humility in your confession, which is something to be admired."
Anakin smiled, wanting to hug his brother-for-a-master like he always had as a child, but decided against it as Obiwan picked up the hydrospanner from the floor. Waving the tool in front of Anakin's face, he grinned. "Let's see if we can upgrade this hunk of junk better than the mechanics at Coruscanti spaceport."
Anakin laughed, taking the offered tool. "Shouldn't be too hard."
Sith Academy-Korriban
Bastila screamed as the agonizing bolts licked through her weary body. She couldn't take this anymore. Two days of seemingly endless tortures, and she simply couldn't stand it anymore! But she must not break. She mustn't. Dooku and Asajj seemed to take turns at her torture. They usually stopped just before she passed out from the pain. And today they were being even more relentless, giving breaks of just over five minutes before starting up again. She wanted to die. She just wanted to die and have all this pain leave her.
After hours of torture and torment, Dooku said to her again. "Are you ready now, Bastila? Are you ready to learn? One word from you, one word and all the pain will stop."
The words were tempting, so terrifyingly tempting. But Bastila hardened her resolve and shook her head.
On the third day she was asked the same question. The pain was so excruciating, Bastila's face was wet with her tears, and she could taste the saltiness of them trickle into her mouth. "Well?" Dooku questioned. "Are you ready?" Stifling one last sob, Bastila couldn't look the horrid man in the face as she meekly whispered, "Yes."
"Ah, Lorccan." Tyranus greeted Juda.
"Yes, my lord?"
Dooku smiled. "Our little friend has been broken. Release her, and take her to the empty room at the end of the corridor. She must regain some of her strength before she starts training tomorrow."
"Yes, master." Lorccan made his way over to the torture chamber. Tomorrow? He thought as he made his way down the corridor. She's just been through three days of endless torture, and he want's her to train tomorrow? He shook his head, then grinned mirthlessly. Wonder if the Jedi prepared her for that.
Lorccan found himself feeling moderately irritated by his new position as Tyranus' lackey. But he knew that until he passed the trials to prove himself a full Acolyte like the rest of the Academy's students, he knew that it was a position he would have to accept.
Entering the torture chamber, he stopped to take in the sight before him. The girl strapped to the platform was barely a year or two younger than himself, but she was so slight, he found it a wonder she had even survived at all. Her resolve must've been incredibly strong.
As he began unshackling the girl, he heard her shallow breath coming faster, more panicked. Her eyes shot open, then stared at him in fear. "Don't worry." he said. "I've been sent to take you to one of the rooms. You won't be in pain anymore." he leaned closer to her tear drenched face. "If you listen and obey, that is." she shrank back from him, but then suddenly her dark eyes seemed to accept her situation, and her body relaxed.
"Can you move?" he asked gruffly. She tried meekly to lift her arm, but it simply flopped back uselessly onto the table. He frowned. "Alright." He lifted her into his arms roughly and heard her short gasp of pain. He realised his fault and tried to be more gentle with her. As he carried her weight down the corridor, he felt her head lean into his shoulder. He looked down at her closed eyes, and suddenly feared that she had died there in his arms, but then felt her steady heartbeat and relaxed.
She had just fallen asleep. He carried her into her assigned dorm, and placed her as gently as he could onto the crude bunk. It wasn't all that comfortable but it was worlds better than the torture table. He looked into her worn and tired face, and pushed the sweat drenched tendrils of hair back from her forehead. Looking down at her gentle features, Lorccan suddenly felt an inexplicable yearning to protect and care for her. His defences rose and he pulled his hand away and stood up, glaring at the sleeping girl, angry that he allowed any such feelings of tenderness enter his mind. Ventress would've killed herself laughing. He gave a harsh laugh himself at his own patheticness, leaving the dorm and pushing shut the heavy door behind him.
"Skywalker." Bastila felt her mind dragged from her dreamless sleep. "Skywalker!" Bastila opened her eyes to see the dark figure standing over her. He must be the young man from the day before. She tried to sit up, and winced at the stiffness in her joints, the weakness of her muscles. The boy looked at her and frowned. "Tyrannus says you are to begin your training today." he informed her as he helped her sit up.
Training? Bastila wanted to cry out in frustration, remembering the previous days, and what she had agreed to do in her weakness."I can't believe how pathetic I am." she murmered. "I gave in. I gave in to torture."
The boy snorted. "And a good thing too! One more day and I'd say you wouldn't be alive right now."
She grimaced. "Then I should've stayed one more day." The figure's greyish green eyes looked at her strangely.
"Come." he said. "The master will not be happy to be kept waiting." Bastila stood, relying on all Jedi techniques to build her strength. The boy began to lead the way out the door, but Bastila grabbed his arm. He turned is head in question, annoyed. "What is it?"
"What is your name?" she asked, after a moment's pause
He looked at her strangely again. Then he replied, "Lorccan. Lorccan Juda." Then she thought she heard him say under his breath, "Like it matters."
Bastila followed Lorccan into a large circular hall, as dimly lit as the rest of the old academy. It was clearly the centre of the building with all of the corridors leading to it. In the middle was a dueling ring and against the wall a massive locker filled with various types of ancient Sith weapons. Bastila grimaced at the sight of the evil looking devices. A few students passed by them, looking at her strangely, and she could feel their animosity towards her. She was after all, a Jedi.
Bastila and Lorccan stood in the middle of the duelling circle.
Neither said a word as Dooku entered the hall from one of the linking corridors. He smiled unkindly at Bastila.
"Ah, young Skywalker, it is good to see you able to stand. The Skywalker reputation is not unfounded." Bastila did not reply, but simply glared at the man who had betrayed the Jedi all those years ago.
Dooku stepped closer. "Today is your first day of training, apprentice." He looked at her thoughtfully. "I take it you have not yet built your own lightsaber. You have trained with training sabers, yes?"
Bastila tipped her chin. "Yes."
"Yes, Master." he smiled. "Well today you study the construction of the Sith saber. Similiar to the Jedi's, but there are subtle differences." he ceremoniously handed her a holocron."Study this, because your life depends on it. Obey my commands, and you will be fine. Defy, and...you already know."
Bastila felt ready to spit at the man as she took the holocron. But she controlled her temper and inclined her head. "Yes." she stopped and gritted her teeth. "Master."
Dooku nodded approvingly. "You are learning already. Feed your anger young one. It will serve you well. You are dismissed."
Lorccan and Bastila turned and exited back through the South corridor.
The next day, Bastila was summoned again.
"Have you completed your studies?" Dooku asked her. Bastila lifted her head, with a slightly defiant tip to her chin.
"No." she said in her soft voice, but there was a quiet power behind her words. "I wont betray the Jedi, and I wont have my first lightsaber crafted from a Sith technique." Lorccan was mildly surprised that such a small thing could have such confident defiance, but didn't allow himself a look at her face.
Dooku nodded, almost solemnly. "I thought as much. But remember what I warned you about before." he gave a sharp whistle. Bastila frowned, but noticed that Lorccan didn't even flinch. "Now," Tyranus continued ,"you will face the penalty for defiance."
Bastila couldn't help herself from looking down the east corridor as the sound of footsteps could be heard resounding into the hall.
Then she gasped.
There came Ventress, and trailing behind her in iron shackles were two weary looking Rodians. She lined the men against the wall, then walked over to the Padawan and Sith with an unsettling smirk on her pale face.
Ventress walked right up to Bastila and whipped out a vicious looking vibrosword. She handed the weapon to the openly confused girl. "Now," she said with a hiss, "kill them." Bastila's dark eyes widened.
"What?" she choked, all her defiance evaporating.
Ventress seemed to relish her answer. "Kill them, or I will."
"No." Bastila whispered. Lorccan looked at her and thought he saw the glint of a tear in one eye. When had he last seen anyone cry in such a situation? It put an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Little, Skywalker, either you kill them with one swift stroke, or I will kill them. And I swear to you, I will be far less merciful."
Bastila looked over at the two men. They looked beaten, but one looked up at her. She cried out.
"No! These men are helpless!"
Ventress smirked. "So, what is your answer?"
Kill them, or I will Ventress had said. She knew that the woman meant what she said, but could she bring herself to kill anyone so helpless? She looked at the brutal instrument, then at the two prisoners. Crying out, she dropped the vibrosword, and it fell heavily to the stone floor with a clatter. She couldn't do it. She couldn't!
"Very well." Ventress said to the troubled girl. "Juda, make sure she doesn't move. I want her to watch this."
Bastila's huge eyes looked at Lorccan in fear as he stood behind her, lest she try to escape. Ventress moved closer to the Rodians. She lifted her hand, and a storm seemed to flee her outstretched fingers. The Rodians fell to the ground and began writhing on the floor like things possessed.
"No." Bastila whispered brokenly. "No!" she struggled, wanting to flee the room, but Lorccan's strong hands held her firmly in place. She closed her eyes, but the lack of sight only intensified the screams of the agonized beings. It seemed to last forever, but when the screams finally subsided, Bastila opened her blurry eyes. Ventress strode toward her, grinning. She grabbed her chin roughly, and made her look into her eyes, in order to witness the torment she had inflicted. She laughed, then looked up at Lorccan. "Alright, Juda. I think she's got the point." With a rough shove, she let go of Bastila and sauntered out the hall.
Bastila wrenched herself from Lorccan's arms, but this time she felt no resistance. She looked up at him once in disgust, then took off at a run down the South corridor.
"Skywalker!" Lorccan called after, taking chase. Bastila ran into her dorm. Lorccan followed her and found her hunched against the wall, her head resting against the surface as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She spoke without looking at him. "I'll kill them both. Give me half a chance, and I'll kill them." She looked up at him, and the anger in her eyes was louder than if she had walked up to him and stabbed him in the gut. "Why did you keep me there? Why? Why would you listen to that witch? How can you be so cruel?"
He sat gruffly on his haunches beside her. He grabbed her chin and wrenched her face to look him square in the eyes. "If I had disobeyed, what do you think they would've done? Next time, you would've seen four helpless people awaiting their fate against that wall!" he glared at her. "And the number will double every time!" Bastila pulled her face away and covered it with her hands.
"It would've been more merciful for you to have killed them with the vibrosword! At least it would've been faster and less painful than minutes worth of electrocution!" The girls shoulders were shaking violently now. Lorccan's face softened. Seeing her so vulnerable suddenly sprung the unfamiliar inclination to put his arms around her. Instead he pushed the feeling away and glared. He stood abruptly and loomed over the quivering Padawan.
"Remember this, Skywalker," he growled ,"The Sith will break you. If you obey their commands you may let live with an ounce of your mind left." he picked up the Sith holocron Tyranus had given her and let it fall to the ground beside her.
"I suggest you start studying." With that, he turned tail and slammed the door shut behind him.
That night, Bastila tossed and turned, unable to relax for the unsettling anger in her heart. The cruel things! They deserved to die, not those helpless beings! But eventually exhaustion set in and she sank into a fitful sleep.
She dreamed. She was surrounded by darkness so heavy it felt like she was drowning in it. She heard her brother calling her name and saw glimpses of him in the distance. She called out to him, to let him know where she was, that she would come to him soon. But first she needed to stay a while longer because the darkness meant justice.
Justice for the murdered prisoners. So she stayed as Anakin came running towards her. "Bastila!" he called. "Come away from there! Don't be a fool!" The light he was bringing with him was so wonderful she forgot all anger. She tried her hardest to release her self from the black sea, but found she couldn't move. Anakin grabbed her hand, but the darkness was too strong. It sucked her down into it's depths, and her brother down with her.
Bastila woke shaking.
The next morning, Lorccan came to her with Dooku's summons. Bastila smiled up at the boy but he looked away. Frowning, she followed him into the great hall. Lorccan was surprised to hear Bastila speak first. "I have finished my studies, my lord. I believe I am ready for the construction of my lightsaber." Lorccan looked at her in thinly veiled shock.
Dooku raised an eyebrow at her. "You learn quickly, Skywalker. Do you truly believe you are ready to build your first lightsaber?" he leaned forward slightly. "Even one of Sith design?"
Bastila nodded solemnly. "Yes."
Dooku straightened. "Very well. Lorccan, take Bastila to the workstation." he looked at her again. "And I look forward to the finished product." They left him and started down the West corridor.
Lorccan couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Well. It didn't take you long to fall into servitude. Yesterday you were angry and bent on killing us, and today you look as serene as a sleeping suubatar! What happened?" he smirked slightly.
Bastila paused a moment, not sure if she could trust this boy. He was Sith wasn't he? But she detected no malice in his question.
"I had a dream. I can't explain. Not now anyway. I just don't want to fall to the dark side."
Lorccan scowled at her. "You do realise who you're talking to right? I follow the Sith, little Sky. I'm not your Yoda. I don't care if you "fall" to the dark side. Maybe it's better if you join us. Then no more battle is necessary."
Bastila shook her head. "Have they taken all fight out of you? I will listen to their teachings, I will learn your techniques, but it doesn't mean I ever have to use them."
"Oh, you will. Don't doubt that."
"They can have my obedience, but they can't take my soul." she continued and looked up at him. "Just like they haven't taken yours."
Lorccan laughed bitterly. "Oh, I beg to differ. You know nothing of the Sith or me. I have no soul. No one here does. And don't try to pretend you know better."
Bastila lowered her head, suddenly aching for this poor young man. He truly believed that he was nothing? Did he have no hope?
"How long have you been here, Lorccan?"
He glowered again. "Here? About three years. I've been trained as an Acolyte though, since I was five or six. On different planets. Travelling with Tyrannus and the rest of them." he gestured at a workbench as they entered a small room. "There's your station. May the Dark Lords inspire you."
May the Dark Lords inspire you? Bastila thought. Now, thats a new take on "May the Force be with you." She wanted to talk to him more, find out where his bitterness truly lay, but as she turned round, she just glimpsed the end of a black robe as he exited the room. She sighed, filled with compassion for him. She somehow didn't believe that he had the heart of a Sith. Since he was five or six? He probably hadn't even had chance to find out if he had a heart of anything else. She sat down at the workbench with a sigh. Lightsaber parts were spread across it's surface. She sat there, examining them, before closing her eyes, and casting her mind back to her studies. Crystal, lens, refracter, input switch...
Lorccan Juda stood over the man who had betrayed them. The man was cowering in a corner, holding his hands to his head. "Kill him." Ventress ordered. Lorccan glared at the man. In his anger, he lifted him to his feet as the victim clutched at his throat, gasping for breath, eyes wide in fear.
"You should know better," Lorccan told him with an icy voice ,"than to double cross the Sith." with that he turned his hand, snapping the man's neck. As the darkness closed in around him, he thought he heard Ventress' delighted laughter fading into the backround.
He was suddenly in a hall, much like the one on Korriban. In it were the people he had killed.
The guilty and the innocent. The young and the old. Men and women. They all looked at him with haunted eyes and he suddenly felt sick. All the memories of those murders came flooding back to him now. Like an ocean at full tide, he was drowning in the evil of his own deeds. He wanted to cry out. He suddenly felt an inexplicable fear, nearly turned his killing blade back on himself.
Something stopped him.
He screamed in frustration, as the nightmare refused to stop.
Bastila opened her eyes and cringed as another scream tore through the night. She couldn't ignore it. She got to her feet, left her room, and hurried in the direction of the noise. It came from a room a few doors down. Lorccan's room. She pushed open the heavy door and stepped lightly into the darkness. She could just make out Lorccan's shape on his bunk. The screams had subsided now, replaced by short breaths and occasional groans of pain. Bastila sat on the edge of the bunk and placed her hand lightly on his messy brown hair. She began to sing a lullaby her mother used to sing when she or Anakin was scared.
Shush, child don't fear now
By your side peace will stay
The darkness has left you,
For the saving light of day
Lorccan groaned again in waking. He opened his eyes, and looked at her, startled. He sat up and glowered at her. "What are you doing here?" he growled. "Come to kill me in the night?" he smirked. "Guess your little speech today was just a ruse."
"No, no, Lorccan!" she looked at him in concern. "You were having a nightmare. I-I heard you screaming. You sounded like you were in pain." The young man seemed taken aback by her answer.
By the Force! Bastila thought exasperated Has he never known someone to show a simple kindness?
Lorccan turned his head away. Bastila reached and switched on the glowlamp. She blushed and immediately averted her eyes as she saw he wore nothing on his torso. "Do-do you have many nightmares?" she stammered. He didn't answer or even look at her.
"What was it about? Lorccan?"
He shrugged. "They were memories." he replied. "Just...memories."
Her dark eyes filled with compassion. "They must be dreadful. Are all your memories so terrible? Oh, surely you have some pleasant memories, Lorccan! Of before you were taken for training?" He turned to her, glaring, and she could've kicked herself. She thought she might've got through his walls. But she clearly just ruined it. But she needed to know.
"What happened to your family? You said that Dooku found you. Where's your homeworld?"
His eyes didn't lose their hardness, but maybe he thought that if he told her, she'd leave. "You ask far too many questions Skywalker. I was born on Seadhan. My family abandoned me." he spoke without emotion.
Bastila frowned. "Is that what you remember, or only what Dooku told you?"
Lorccan scowled. "He has no reason to lie to me."
"Doesn't he?"
Lorccan snorted angrily. "Go back to sleep, girl." Bastila looked at him long and hard. Giving up, she sighed, and switched off the glowlamp. As she exited the room, Lorccan thought he heard her voice float sweetly back to him in a foreign language. But he knew the phrase and what it meant. Sleep well, for peace will come as sure as the dawn.
Lorccan didn't go back to sleep. Instead, he lay awake, thinking about Bastila and the things she had said. He had heard the sweet song she sung to him moments before realising it was her sitting there beside him. He was unaccustomed to any kindness, and the fact that it came from one of the hated Jedi made it even more unsettling.
He had never really thought that Tyranus would lie to him about what happened to his family. Why should he? The thought troubled him. The truth was, he couldn't remember much of life outside the Sith. He remembered fleetingly of an expansive ocean and the eerie call of an aquatic animal, but that was all. He had never travelled to that memory very often, or searched for others more deeply rooted in his subconscious, for after all, what was the point? He knew what had happened. Or rather, he thought he had. Now he wasn't so sure. Blast that brown eyed Jedi! She was beginning to really mess him about.
Frustrated, he stood and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He hated uncertainty. It grated on him like a raw nerve. He sighed angrily. This wasn't really going to help with his trials tomorrow. Tyranus had finally deemed him worthy to undertake the trials that he had been brought to this planet to train for. The Valley of the Dark Lords lay just outside the academy, and Lorccan had awaited his time to enter the dangerous tombs for three years now. Now he suddenly wasn't sure if he was ready. Bastila was really confusing him. He felt strange when she looked at him. He gave an angry snort, and pushed her from his mind. He was glad Ventress was on another mission from Tyranus, for he didn't want her irritating presence in the premath of his trials. He shoved all doubts and uncertainties from his conscience, and readied his mind for the day that had been years worth of waiting.
Tomorrow, he would prove himself worthy of the rank of full Dark Acolyte.
Early in the morning, Bastila Skywalker decided to try out her new lightsaber. Temporary saber she thought to herself. This lightsaber was far heavier than her old training one, but she quickly got used to it. She held the shining, (highly complicated as she had just earlier discovered), cylinder before herself, and pressed the activation switch. A long sword of red light shot from the handle with the characteristic snap hiss of a lightsaber. Which was hardly surprising. She moved the saber around, listening to the comforting hum of the weapon as it moved through the air. The only quality of her lightsaber that unsettled her was it's crimson blade, but that could easily be changed by a different crystal once she returned to the Jedi.
The thought of the Jedi brought with it thoughts of her brother. She had thought about him and Ania and Obiwan much over the past days and wondered if they were worrying about her. She hoped Anakin was being rational for once. She knew he was prone to brashness when something he cared about was threatened. When anything was threatened for that matter.
She sighed, trying to focus her mind on the task at hand. Dooku had taught her new fighting techniques, which she almost found herself feeling grateful for. After all, even Yoda said that Dooku was one of the best fighters in the galaxy. Even though Bastila didn't relish fighting to wound, she knew that these techniques may just save her life if it ever came to that. She listened to the lessons Dooku gave her and the nineteen other students at the academy, although she gathered they probably knew most of it anyway. She comforted herself with the thought that although she learnt their techniques, she would never have to embrace their philsophies. It was always good to know the way the mind of the enemy worked. But she often found herself feeling sorry for these beings, especially Lorccan. He was so lost and confused. He never really had much choice in the matter of the direction he would take, and she saw him battling daily with himself, trying to keep himself on this trail. Bastila could sense his desperate need to remain on the only path he had ever known. Any other was unexplored territory, and a frightening prospect for someone brought up the way he had been.
There was one other among the apprentices who drew Bastila's compassion. A girl about two years older than she named Sheeba, who had a temper fiercer than Lorccan's and eyes as empty and hollow as his. The other seventeen older students seemed truly consumed by the dark side, without any remorse. This had been their choice to join the Acolytes. All the apprentices were forever at odds, goading each other and never a kind word passed between them.
Dooku entered the dueling chamber and smiled as he saw Bastila practising the new lessons he had taught her. He was very pleased with her so far, as she had embraced his teachings. Soon he would begin her training of the dark side of the Force.
"Excellent parry Skywalker." Dooku praised. Walking to her in his proud way, he brandished his own lightsaber. Turning to face him, she moved into a fighting stance. Dooku did a slow slice movement which Bastila easily caught with her saber from underneath, turning his lightsaber up and around. Dooku pushed her weapon back around, the force of the movement flinging her arm wide leaving her front exposed.
"No, Skywalker. Never underestimate the power of defensive counterattack!" he admonished. "Keep your blade arm firm but flexible. Never leave a point exposed!"
Bastila nodded, immediatley modifying her technique. They dueled for a further standard half hour, Dooku reproving Bastila for false moves and praising her when she heeded his advice. Dooku deactivated his lightsaber and said,"You are dismissed, Skywalker. I have matters to attend to."
"Uh, Master, before you go, there's something I really have been dying to know...About the Sith."
"Make it quick." Tyranus waved her on.
"Well, I've always heard, well...that the Rule of Two meant there could never be more than two Sith at any one time. How come you are training so many of us? Has the rule been abolished?"
Dooku seemed to think for a moment as if debating whether or not to tell her. "You are perceptive Bastila. I suppose it is right for you to know. You have been training in the ways of the Dark Acolytes, a sect of Force Sensitive beings. Since you and they shall never be taught the secrets but only the ways of the Sith, it is not in violation of the Code."
Bastila swallowed convulsively, but tried to put an accepting expression on her face. "Thank you for induldging my curiosity my lord."
Tyranus nodded and turned to leave. Bastila was confused. Here she was, being trained by a Sith Lord in the ways of the Dark Side, and yet she found that she had accepted his teaching, even found herself feeling grateful for them. She noticed that instead of looking on Dooku with anger and rebellion, she found herself filling with compassion. He fell to the dark side out of disillusionment and grief out of the death of his former Padawan, dear old Qui Gon Jinn. Maybe she could reach these "Dark Acolytes" ,of whom she had just learnt she was a member, and help them on their path back to the light. Tyranus had been one of the greatest Jedi, admirable in his education, manner, Force-adeptness, and dueling talent. And yet even he, having followed the Jedi faithfully for so many decades had been seduced by the dark side of the Force. It must have been terrible grief and anger to have driven him from the only path he had known. Much was the same for Ventress, whom it was rumored was trained by a Jedi stranded on her homeworld. When he had been killed, she let her anger dominate. Obiwan had often said that she was probably simply misled and dangerously disillusioned, but not entirely evil.
And then there was the young man named Lorccan. He had never known any other path than this. He said he didn't remember his family. Sometimes she felt as if she might get through his walls, and see the real reason he acted the way he did, but every time it seemed as if she may get through to him, he would give her the look of daggers and retreat back into himself. He must be going through terrible torment to have had such nightmares. Occasionally she would glimpse a different side of him, a gentler side, and could see the person he might've been had he been a child of love and not hate. But those moments were too few and far between. Oh, how she wished she could consult Ania or Obiwan, and be comforted by their wisdom. How she wished she could laugh with her brother and have him give her one of his crushing bear hugs. They were the people she knew she could always count on, the one's she would always love.
She wondered were they were and what they were doing.
Kashyyyk
"This is ridiculous." Anakin Skywalker growled under his breath. "Six days, and so far every one of our leads has turned up nothing!"
"Anakin, I understand you're frustrated,so am I, but you need to calm down!" Obiwan Kenobi urged his Padawan. "We need to stop and think about this rationally, or it will be even longer before we find her."
Anakin closed his eyes and took a deep breath before expelling it slowly. Six days. Six days they had been here on Kashyyyk, asking around for anything suspicious, following trails that seemed to lead nowhere. But Anakin forced himself to pause and calm down. "I sense a dark presence here, Masters." he said, looking around. "I have felt it for the past two days."
"I have sensed it too. It does not bode well." Obiwan looked at Ania Nors, who nodded in agreement. He felt a wave of compassion for the Togruta. She was so worried, she had barely said anything over the past week. Obiwan understood how she felt. He had felt the same on the number of times Anakin had disappeared. It was a sense of failure and desperation.
"There is definately something more at work here. Whatever the presence is, it's good at cloaking exactly what it is. One of these leads has to give us some sort of information."
"Unless," Anakin piped up, "This whole thing is a huge farce. Master, I don't feel my sister's presence. Not here. I haven't for all this time as I've already told you both. Maybe she's not even here! Shouldn't we be trying to find leads elswhere, maybe go back to Coruscant? Maybe there's something we missed."
Obiwan looked thoughtful."You may be right. Ania?"
"I believe he might be onto something. I haven't felt her presence and neither have you. And if Anakin hasn't then it pretty much points in one direction."
"Perhaps. But I vote we stay here one more day. Just in case. Then we'll head back to Coruscant to see if we've missed anything." Obiwan raised his eyebrows at his fellow Jedi in question.
Ania let out a slow breath. "I agree."
Obiwan looked to his Padawan, who was clenching and unclenching his fists in indecision, looking out over the railing of the high wooden platform. He put a hand to his face, then looked back at the knights. "Alright. One day." Ania and Obiwan nodded, as they began to walk again along the platform that wound it's way high between the gigantic Kashyyyk wroshyr trees. Anakin bit his lip and called out to them uncertaintly.
"Yes Anakin?" Obiwan asked as he turned around to listen to him. Anakin came forward.
"I just wanted to thank you for allowing me a say in your decision. I know that you didn't have to, you, know, with me being a Padawan and all." Ania's eyes softened at the young Jedi and Obiwan grinned. He put his hand firmly on Anakin's shoulder.
"And you didn't need to thank us." he said with a wry smile. It was times like these, when Anakin's wall of often quite arrogant youthful self confidence dropped and the humble and gentle young boy he had met on Tatooine surfaced, that Obiwan really admired his Padawan's character.
Watching the master and student with a soft smile, Ania felt a pang of guilt that she had so foolishly allowed her own apprentice to come to harm. Well, they were going to find her. They would find her and bring to justice those who had her abducted.
Asajj Ventress watched the Jedi trio from above in a giant wroshyr tree, and smiled in satisfaction. They had followed all her leads, all right. And all of them came to a dead end. She could already see the boy growing more agitated and annoyed, as every bit of evidence they found, or rather, was put in front of them, turned up no answers. Tyranus was indeed right about Skywalker. Keeping him searching in vain was quickly eating away at his patience, and she sensed his self control waning. Just let her play with them a little bit longer.
So, she thought wryly, they are going to head back to Coruscant? She snorted.
Not if she had anything to say about it.
Tomb of Ancient Sith Lord, Marko Ragnos--Korriban
Lorccan Juda followed his master through the gigantic granite door and into the dark tomb of Marko Ragnos. The Sith Lord's tomb seemed to emante the dark side and Lorccan felt the power, and danger, of this great structure. Many had passed through this tomb, this trial, in order to prove themselves as Sith over the millenia, and Lorccan felt in awe of it's immense age and power.
Darth Tyranus stopped him in the entrance hall. "This is where I will wait, Apprentice. At the far end of this corridor is the burial chamber and final resting place of the great Marko Ragnos. In a seprate compartment attatched to his sarcophogus is a lightsaber. You are to retrieve it and bring it back here to me." the master commanded.
It sounded simple enough, but Lorccan knew that it would be anything but. The Valley of the Dark Lord's was a place of a great many dangers and mysteries, and he knew better than to underestimate them.
Lorccan bowed low. "Yes, my master." He straightened, took a deep breath and cautiously moved down the darkened corridor. This was it.
The tomb was cold and dark, and was filled with the stale musty smell of badly circulated air. After two minutes of walking on the hard stone floor, Lorccan's danger alert rang in his head like a bell. He whipped out his lightsaber and the red blade sang into the air with a hiss. Although he couldn't see anything ahead of him, he felt the creatures presence, sensed it's heartbeat and intent.
Lorccan took another three slow steps forward, then made a lunge and swung at the air in front of him. The Hssiss' shrill cry broke through the eerily quiet depths of the tomb as it's natural camoflouge disappeared, and Lorccan had a good look at the inside of the incredibly large animal's reptilian mouth and the rows of jagged teeth. It threw it's heavy head in his direction, attempting to tear at him. He ducked under it's head and brought his lightsaber straight up into the underside of the reptile's thickskinned throat. It shrieked in fury and used it's powerful legs to haul itself at Lorccan. He summoned the Force and pushed the animal onto it's back before it landed on him. Before it could turn itself right side up again Lorccan Force leaped into the air and placed his saber in a postion so that the blade faced downward. The lightsaber plunged to the the soft underbelly of the furious animal as Lorccan landed lightly on the ground beside it. It let out one last cry before going still.
Lorccan sheathed his lightsaber and gave a salute to the valiant creature. He opened the door that the hssiss had clearly been guarding into an interleading chamber. Lorccan frowned. The room was covered in a pool of acid. No going through that without having a number of limbs burnt off, he thought wryly. Now that would be a cruel anticlimax. But the burial chamber was through the door on the other side of the pool. He was going to have to find another way around it. He backed up, retracing his steps, and took a by-corridor to the left. Maybe he would find something in there.
At the end of the short corridor was another stone door exactly the same to the others in the tomb. He sensed immense danger behind it and steeled his will. Breathing deeply, he drew his lightsaber and opened the door. As he stepped into an enormous hall, the door shut heavily behind him. Surprised, he spun around, but there was nothing there. He felt a chill run down his spine. He cautiously turned back around then his eyes narrowed as he glimpsed two hulking creatures at the other end of the dark hall. He used the Force to enhance his vision in order to discover what manner of creature he was to battle. The two animals were incredibly large with glistening skin, bipedal with massive torsos, and thick arms that hung below their waists. On hands and feet they had long, powerful looking talons. One turned around, as if suddenly realising that they weren't alone. It's face was grotesque, large and round, with massive tusks protruding from it's mandible and rows of small but sharp teeth in it's mouth. Terentatek, Lorccan thought grimly.
The monstrosity focused on him, and gave a low, guttural cry. It's mate then also turned. Lorccan set his feet into a defensive stance, his crimson blade shimmering in front of him. The terentateki cried again in rage, rushing towards him with amazing speed for such an enormously bulky creature. The ground shook as their heavy feet hit the floor. The terentatek who had intially seen him reached him first, bringing it's arm back in fury, ready to smash him off his feet. Lorccan ducked and brought his lightsaber back round to connect with one of the giant's strong talons. It used it's claw to turn his saber back around, slashing him across the stomach as it did so. Lorccan cried in surprise and pain, but quickly recovered. He dodged and ducked again as the second terentatek reached him and raked it's claws across his back. Biting against the pain he rolled between them with lightning speed. He got to his feet a few metres behind them before they had time to register what had happened.
Lorccan summoned the Force to him. He levitated two metres into the air and curled into a ball, drawing and confining the energy within him. The ferocious beings turned, snarling their rage, and began their frontal assault again. When they were no more than three metres from him, he curled himself slightly tighter, and then, when his power was at it's peak, he released it, flinging his arms wide and throwing his head back, a movement which tore at the gash across his abdomen. The powerful Force wave that flung from him hit into the stunned creatures, flinging them in different directions and sending them smashing into walls.
Lorccan's feet touched the ground, and he used the Force to keep the fiery pain in his torso at bay. He then strode towards the first terentatek, which was still inexplicably stunned, spun his lightsaber in his hand, and sent it plunging into the creature's chest. It made an angry, guttural roar as it fought to stand again. Lorccan stabbed it again, and the life force left it.
Lorccan turned as a feral shriek peirced the stale air as the second furious hulk raced toward him. Holding his lightsaber to one side, he held up his free hand. The Force served him again, and bolts of lightning escaped his fingers, hitting the terentatek in it's charge. The creature's taloned hand turned into fists and it's head turned upward to shriek it's agony to a sky that was nonexistant in this dark place of death. The electricity ran up and down the dying animals massive body, creating what seemed to be a shield of blue fire around it. Finally, it collapsed. Lorccan flipped into the air, and brought his blade to bear down into the terentatek.
Panting, he deactivated his lightsaber and looked down at the dead creature. He felt a strange pang of remorse at having killed these animals. This had been their domain afterall. They had simply seen him as an intruder to their territory. Then he laughed at himself. If only the other apprentices could hear what he was thinking.
He pushed his sweat drenched hair back from his face then placed an arm across his bleeding abdomen. Now that his Force strength had been depleted for now, the pain returned, strong and fiery.
He turned and limped his way to the far end of the hall where there was a door with a lever in front of it. Lorccan pulled the lever and the ancient door opened with a haunting groan. In the small room were two ancient triangular pillars covered with runes. Lorccan couldn't read the letters, but thankfully, there was a single line in Basic. It read, "Pillar of Fire". He reached into a hole in the pillar and pulled out a round object that looked much like a large red grenade. He looked at it curiously before hitching it to his equipment belt.
The second pillar was very similar. This one read, "Pillar of Ice." The pillar's "grenade" was much like the other, except that it was a pale blue colour. He was sure that these would help him get across the acid. But which one?
Lorccan exited the room and hall, and made his way painfully back to the acid room. Standing at the entrance, he wondered which grenade to use. Taking them both from his belt he held them in each hand so he could assess them subjectively.
Fire and ice, he thought. Which would be more likely to get him across the pool unsacthed?
He studied the red one from the Pillar of Fire. If the names of the pillars were anything to go by, the red grenade would produce fire. Fire though, would surely just react with the acid and fill the place with a noxious gas of some sort. Lorccan didn't exactly favour the idea. That would then mean that the blue grenade would produce ice.
Lorccan tossed the ice grenade once in the air, then hurled it into the acid pool. Almost immediately, the liquid froze over. He stepped lightly over to the "pool" and tested the ice's strength. Judging it sound enough to step on, Lorccan limped across and right through to the burial chamber of Marko Ragnos.
He stopped in the chamber and bowed slightly in respect for the great and powerful Sith Lord. He had died almost five thousand years ago, and yet his legacy still remained. Which was something to aspire to. Or, at least, that's what Tyranus always said.
Lorccan shook his head, breaking himself out of his reverie. Just as Tyranus had explained, there was a compartment in the sarcophogus. Lorccan reached into it and pulled out the ancient lightsaber.
Suddenly a vision came completely unbidden into Lorccan's mind. It was so real, it was if he was watching it happen in front of him, right here in this room.
Flashes, pictures. He saw a lush green field, flanked by mountains and forests and heard laughter. Sweet, happy laughter such as he had never heard before.
Then fire seemed to burn through the image, wilting the long grass and turning the sky black. The laughter turned into horrendous screams. Once again the murdered people sprang into his sight, and Ventress and Tyranus were there, mocking him.
Lorccan put a hand shakily to his throbbing temples. Just when he thought the waking dream was over, another picture came into his mind.
It was a baby, a baby with dark hair and eyes and a beautiful smile. And he heard laughter again, different from the former, but with the same calming qualities.
Then, from the depths of his vision came a soft, gentle whisper. "Lorccan."
"Master, I have succeeded." Lorccan held out the retrieved lightsaber ceremoniously for Dooku to take. Smiling his approval, Dooku took the offered weapon.
"You have proven yourself worthy. Kneel, Lorccan Juda." Lorccan knelt on one knee, his head bowed. The movement aggravated his wound, but he tried to ignore it. Tyrannus activated the trophy lightsaber's purple blade. He brought it down to Lorccan's left shoulder, stopping just before contact, and did the same with the right. "You have now become a full Dark Jedi. Congratulations."
Lorccan stood shakily. "Now," Tyrannus continued, "As you have now completed your trials, this lightsaber shall be your reward." he handed the black cylinder to Lorccan, who nodded in reply.
Lorccan had awaited this moment for so long. So why now, at the time his work paid off, did he suddenly feel so empty and confused?
Were the visions he experienced of a past simply forgotten, or of a future never pondered?