A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
It is a time of peace for the Republic. The Jedi Order, still in its early days, serves the Republic as the guardians of peace and justice.
Vulcan Gunner is a promising Jedi Initiate. His best friend, Solin Malice, has already been selected as an apprentice, while Vulcan awaits his future with the Jedi Order.
Hoping to impress the leaders of the Order, Vulcan has taken to studying the great mysteries of the Force. But his studies could tempt him to the Dark Side of the Force….
"Breathe. Just breathe." Vulcan told himself as he tried to focus on the lightsaber duel. Solin had just managed to take a swipe at his arm and made contact with it. The pain was still surging through Vulcan's arm, but he shrugged it off, concentrating on his next move.
Off to the side, Solin's master Sabe Organa stood watching his apprentice's moves carefully. When he had taken Solin under his wing, the Jedi Council informed him that although Solin was skilled both in the Force and with lightsaber training, he tended to favor the lightsaber just a little bit more.
"You and he will balance each other out," Sabe's former master, Elocin Trahkrik, had told him shortly after Sabe was informed the Council had approved his request to train Solin. Sabe smiled at the thought, agreeing with Elocin's wisdom, and seeing for himself that his apprentice did favor lightsaber combat.
Vulcan took a deep breath as he saw Solin lunge toward him, the green lightsaber blade aiming for his leg. He moved his own blue lightsaber to block Solin's attack, and the two lightsabers clashed. Before Vulcan could react, though, Solin had drawn his lightsaber back and down again, this time hitting Vulcan's other arm. Vulcan grunted in pain as Solin started to back away from him.
With a rush of anger, Vulcan made to hit Solin in the arm. Before he could do anything more than leap forward, Vulcan felt a rush in the Force as his lightsaber flew out of his hand, deactivating as it hit the ground.
"What the?" Vulcan said, looking around for the source of his disarming.
"Do you know why I did that, Vulcan?" Sabe asked calmly as he walked toward the two young initiates. Sabe's white hair gave the impression of an older man, but all Jedi knew better: Sabe simply preferred his hair that way. He also wore unique yellow robes, which were the same as his lightsaber.
"I think I know why, Master Sabe," said Vulcan, feeling his anger dissipate.
"Tell me, young one."
"Because I tried to strike Solin in anger."
Sabe did not smile at Vulcan as he nodded at him. "You're quite right, Vulcan. You mustn't let your anger cloud your judgment. A Jedi must always use their lightsaber to defend themselves and others, never to attack. If you hurt someone because you were angry, you'll leave yourself open to corruption by the Dark Side of the Force. Do you understand, Vulcan?"
"Yes, Master Organa," Vulcan replied, trying not to sound too annoyed with the lecture. It wasn't the first time he had received one like that. Other Jedi masters and Knights in the Jedi Temple had warned him against lashing out in anger. They all feared his possible turn to the Dark Side.
Vulcan turned to Solin.
"I'm sorry, Solin. I didn't mean to try to attack you like that."
"It's all right, Vulcan," said Solin kindly, smiling at his best friend. The two were inseparable; it was almost as if they were brothers. "I understand. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing."
"Be that as it may, Solin," Sabe interjected in a warning tone, "even the slightest action such as that can lead one down to the path of the Dark Side. Let that be a lesson for both of you. Now then, it is getting late, so I suggest you two return to the dormitories and get some rest."
"Yes, Master," Solin said, bowing to Sabe and following him away from the training room they were in. Before reaching the exit, Solin turned to face Vulcan.
"You OK?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
"Sorry, yeah," Vulcan said, sounding distracted. It looked to Solin as if Vulcan had come out of a temporary trance. Vulcan hurried to catch up with Solin as he spoke, "I just was thinking about what Master Organa said."
"And?" Solin prompted as the two of them left the training room and the door shut behind them.
"I get it. I can't just let my emotions get the better of me. I always feel like I'm a different person whenever that happens."
"In a good way or a bad way?" Solin asked.
"I'm not sure," Vulcan replied. "But I think it's more of a bad way. It's like the anger takes over me and controls all of my actions. I don't like it."
"Well, maybe that will change when you are assigned to a Jedi Master," Solin suggested. Like he always did, he tried to look at Vulcan's predicament in a positive manner.
Vulcan smiled sadly at his best friend. "I certainly hope so," he said. "I can't imagine ever falling to the Dark Side, but I guess we're all vulnerable to it."
"What has happened to you, Vulcan?" Solin demanded. His best friend was the only clear thing he could see. Everything else was blurred. Solin was fully-grown, wearing green Jedi robes that were identical to the lightsaber he carried in his hands.
The next thing Vulcan heard was his own laughter. But it wasn't his laugh. It was cold, emotionless, unlike him at all. He also saw a red lightsaber ignite; he must've been holding it, but he couldn't feel it. The cold laugh continued to ring through his ears as Vulcan felt himself lurch forward to attack Solin…
Vulcan opened his eyes and sat up in bed, breathing heavily. His body was covered in sweat. He took several seconds to steady his breathing before he looked around, realizing it had all been a dream. He threw the blankets off of him and turned to sit on the edge of his bed, his feet touching the cold ground. Vulcan put his hands around his head, which was pounding from the adrenaline of the nightmare.
Once he had finally calmed down, Vulcan reached for his robe and threw it on hastily. His hands were shaking, but his breathing had finally slowed. He hurried out of his quarters and rushed across the hall, where Solin's astromech droid, T2-R3, stood silently. As soon as Vulcan reached the door, T2 powered up and starting whistling questions at him.
"I gotta talk to him," Vulcan said urgently. "Can you let me in?"
T2 beeped a positive reply and turned to open the door. Vulcan followed T2 into Solin's quarters, ignoring the droid's questions as he walked. Once inside Solin's bedroom, Vulcan turned to the droid.
"Can you leave us alone for a bit, T2?"
The droid whistled an indignant response before rolling away as Solin sat up in his bed.
"What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?" he asked in a tired voice.
"I needed to see you," Vulcan replied, the worrying feeling he had creeping back into his mind. "I had this horrible dream."
"What happened?"
"I don't really know what it was. Everything in the dream was out of focus except for you. You were standing in front of me as a Jedi Knight and you had your lightsaber drawn. You asked me what had happened to me."
Solin gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Vulcan said, shrugging. "Like I said, most of it was hard to make out, but it was clear you were confronting me about something bad."
"What happened next?"
"I didn't say anything, but I heard this awful laugh. It sounded evil. Your mouth wasn't moving so I guess it was coming from me even though I didn't feel like I was doing or saying anything. The next thing I know, I see a red lightsaber in front of me ignite and then it was like I was leaping toward you to attack you. That's when I woke up."
Solin considered Vulcan for several seconds before he spoke.
"It was only a dream, Vulcan."
"What if it was the Force giving me a vision of the future?" Vulcan asked, taking Solin by surprise. "What if the Force is trying to tell me I'm going to turn to the Dark Side?"
"But you haven't turned to the Dark Side of the Force. You just have some trouble working on controlling your emotions and not letting your anger get the better of you. I don't think it was a vision of the future."
"But what if it was? It felt so real, Solin. I'm terrified of it becoming true."
Solin put a hand on Vulcan's shoulder as he spoke. "Hey, hey, it's OK. I know it seemed real, but that doesn't mean that it was. Listen, why don't you speak with Master Organa about it? A Jedi Master might be able to make more sense out of a dream than you can."
Vulcan nodded.
"That's a good idea. He'd be able to figure out if I was experiencing a Force vision or not. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow."
Vulcan followed N2-T7 into Master Organa's quarters. The room was much larger than the ones given to padawans; Vulcan noted it would be worth becoming a fully-fledged Jedi Knight simply for the benefit of having a living quarters as nice as this one.
"Excuse me, Master Organa," N2 said as he and Vulcan entered Sabe's office. The Jedi Master sat at his desk, examining a hologram, which disappeared as he looked up. "Young Vulcan Gunner would like a private word with you."
"Yes, Solin did say something about that. Thank you, N2," Sabe said. "That will be all for now."
"Would you or Apprentice Gunner care for some refreshments?"
"Blue milk will do."
"Right away, Master Organa," N2 replied, turning and leaving the room as Sabe motioned for Vulcan to sit down.
"Solin tells me you had a rather bad nightmare last night," Sabe said without preamble. Vulcan nodded at him. "Tell me about it."
Sabe listened as Vulcan recounted the dream. He let Vulcan speak continuously, never interrupting the young apprentice. As Vulcan talked, N2 set down two cups of blue milk for them on the desk. Sabe didn't let any of his thoughts about Vulcan's discussion of the dream show on his face; he didn't Vulcan to have any ideas about what he thought until he had heard the full extent of the dream.
Finally when Vulcan had explained everything, including his worries, Sabe spoke.
"Thank you for sharing this with me, Vulcan," he said, keeping his tone neutral. "From what you've described to me, I don't believe it was a vision of the future. Rather, it sounds like a simple bad dream."
"But it seemed so real, Master," Vulcan replied, sounding exasperated. "It was like it was actually happening right in front of me."
"Dreams can often be like that, Vulcan. They can seem real, but more often than that, they're a result of one overthinking too much when they are awake."
"Are you sure, Master? I'm still concerned."
"I would try to clear your mind before you rest, Vulcan," Sabe said. "Focus on your breathing and clear your mind of all your worries and desires. Concentrate on letting go of all of that and not only will it be easier for you to sleep, but it will be easier for you not to have dreams like this."
Vulcan considered Sabe's advice before nodding. "I will do my best, Master Organa," he said before standing up. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for your advice. I'll see myself out. Good day, Master," he added with a bow.
"Good day, Vulcan."
Sabe waited until Vulcan had disappeared from view before he let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Thinking quickly, he pulled out his comlink.
"Can I see you for a moment?" he asked.
"Of course," replied a woman's voice on the comlink.
With that, Sabe stood up, putting his comlink back into belt clip. He hurried out of his office and past N2, who was cleaning in the kitchen.
"Stay and watch my quarters, N2," he barked. "I've got to go to quick meeting."
"Yes, Master Organa," N2 replied.
Sabe left his quarters and hurried across the Temple, heading toward the meditation chambers closest to the Jedi Council hall, his mind racing. After what seemed an eternity, he opened the door to the meditation chambers to find his old master, Elocin Trahkrik, waiting for him, sitting in the center of the room. Elocin opened her eyes as Sabe walked into the room.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Master," Sabe said apologetically.
"That's quite all right, old friend," Elocin replied kindly, giving Sabe a warm smile. "It sounded urgent on the comlink. What can I do for you?"
Sabe lapsed into discussion about everything Vulcan had told him. As he explained everything, he saw the worry grow on Elocin's face. When he was finished, her face looked like he had felt.
"This is quite disturbing, indeed," Elocin said slowly.
"I've heard talk that other Masters have sensed darkness around Vulcan, especially around his quarters. Is that true?"
Elocin nodded. "Yes, and it seems to have only gotten worse over time. While he seems fine most of the time, it's as if he's slowly being corrupted by thoughts of the Dark Side."
"What does this mean? Was his dream a vision of the future?" Sabe asked, unable to hide his worry.
"Nobody can know that for sure, Sabe. It could be an actual vision of the future, or it could merely be the Force showing him what could happen should he turn to the Dark Side. All I know for sure is that we should keep a close eye on Vulcan from now on, especially with the training exercise coming up."
"I thought that, too," said Sabe. "His actions during the exercise may give us the best clue as to how he is being affected by all of these thoughts."
"I agree. This will be the ultimate factor that decides his fate. Ultimately, it will be up to Vulcan and how he handles himself."
"Your apprentice for you, Master Organa," said N2 as he and Solin walked into Sabe's office.
"Thank you, N2," Sabe replied as he looked up at Solin, who had a confused expression on his face. "Could you leave us for a moment? This won't take too long."
"Yes, Master."
Once N2 had left the room and Solin had sat down in front of his desk, Sabe spoke again.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Solin."
"Of course, Master."
"You must be wondering why I summoned you here," Sabe said. Solin nodded in response. "Well, you know the training exercise that is coming up in a few days?" Solin nodded again. "You and Vulcan will both participate in the exercise, as will most other apprentices and padawans your age. I can't tell you too much about this exercise, but I must ask you to do something while you participate in it."
"What is it, Master?" Solin asked, still looking confused.
"I need you to keep an eye on Vulcan during the exercise. Keep a look out for anything unusual and make sure he doesn't do anything too rash."
"Like what?"
"I'm not sure, Solin. I just need you to make sure he sticks to the rules during the exercise."
"Is there a reason you need me to keep an eye on him?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Solin," Sabe replied. "Let's just say it's something of a request from the Jedi Council."
"I see," Solin said.
"And there is one more thing, Solin. You will need to be discrete as you watch Vulcan. Don't let him or anyone else know you're doing it. We can't let him think he's being watched. I just need somebody to keep an eye on him and since you're his best friend, you're the right person for the job."
Solin considered his master for a few moments before he replied.
"I understand, Master. I will do whatever is required of me."
Sabe smiled and nodded. "Thank you for understanding and agreeing to this, Solin. I know it isn't easy, but if you are able to accomplish this, you will have certainly proved yourself as a loyal member of the Jedi Order, not to mention as my Padawan."
Vulcan jerked away quickly. When he opened his eyes, he found Solin standing over his bed, his green Jedi cloak missing from his attire.
"What's the matter?" Vulcan said sleepily.
"It's almost time for the training exercise!" Solin replied, a little too enthusiastically for Vulcan's liking. Vulcan groaned in response. "Oh come on, Vulcan, you're gonna be great in this exercise! Who knows, it could be the final thing that gets you noticed by a Jedi Master."
"If you say so," said Vulcan grumpily.
"Look, it starts in about twenty minutes. You have just enough time to eat before you have to be down in the courtyard to meet with Master Organa and the other padawans."
"All right, all right, I'll see you down there."
Solin smiled and hurried out of the room. Vulcan sat up and stretched. Just as Master Organa had suggested, he had cleared his mind of all worries before he went to bed. The good part of his doing that was he had no bad dreams that he could remember; the trouble was clearing his mind made it somewhat difficult to fall asleep properly.
Vulcan got dressed quickly, grabbed his training lightsaber and ran down to the mess hall, which was empty due to the majority of the padawans his age gathering for the training exercise. He wolfed down his breakfast in a hurry and then ran down to the courtyard, where Solin was waiting with the rest of the padawans.
"I think you've set a new record for quickest get ready time," Solin teased him with a mischievous grin.
"Oh shut up," Vulcan replied just as playfully.
The chatter around them died quickly as Sabe Organa suddenly appeared in the middle of the group. All of the padawans stared at him nervously, though he did not give off an aura of suspense; rather, Vulcan thought he looked like his normal self.
"Good Morning, Padawans," Sabe said kindly. "And what an important morning it is for all of you. While some of you have already been taken on as apprentices, you all still have a great path ahead of you. This exercise will test your abilities to plan strategically, using your minds to accomplish the goal. But, first things first, you all will be divided into teams. There will be two teams of 12. Please take our your comlinks now to see which team you have been assigned."
The padawans did as instructed. Vulcan watched as his comlink showed a stream of red when he pressed the button, while Solin's showed a blue stream; they were on the opposite team.
"Now then," Sabe continued. "You have seen which team each of you has been assigned. Each team will also have a captain who will lead your team in accomplishing its goals. For the blue team, the captain is Solin. And for the red team, the captain will be Vulcan. Every member of the team will be expected to listen to their team captain and to obey their strategic plan. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Master Organa," the padawans chorused.
"Very good. Finally, you must learn of your objective. While it is simple, we have designed this exercise around testing your abilities to achieve the goal while avoiding elimination from the other team. Your objective is to head to the Old Galactic Market to purchase a muja fruit and return the fruit here to the Temple. However, only one fruit will be sold to you all.
"We have informed the market owners of your arrival and they know to only sell the one fruit. So, whichever team succeeds in buying the fruit has a better chance of winning this exercise. However, the opposing team may still try to eliminate team members after the fruit is purchased. As long as one team member remains for your team, you are still in the game until the fruit reaches the Temple, or every team member is eliminated. To eliminate an opponent, a light tap of your training lightsabers on the shoulder will eliminate them. We will receive notice here at the Temple as team members are eliminated, so if eliminated team members continue to participate, we will be aware. Does everyone understand these rules?"
The padawans all nodded, while some verbally agreed.
"Very well then," Sabe said, smiling at them again. "You have transports awaiting for you in the hanger. Eliminations of team members may not begin until your transports have reached the Old Galactic Market. That said, the transports will only take you to the market. You must return on your own in order to win. If there are no further questions, you are dismissed, Padawans, and may begin your journey. May the Force be will all of you."
On board the blue team's ship, Solin had gathered his team around a table, which projected a hologram showing the Old Galactic Market and the surrounding area. The ship's utility droid was plugged into the hologram and highlighted areas as Solin explained his plan for successfully completing the exercise.
"Kesuke and Atos will accompany me to the building next door, which oversees the market," Solin explained as the utility droid highlighted that building. "We will be able to keep a watch on everything happening below and won't make ourselves known until we're either close to getting the muja fruit, or close to elimination. Two of you will stand guard at the entrance and two more will stand guard near the muja fruit, keeping an eye out for the red team. The others will stay close as backup and hold off the reds for as long as you can. As soon as we can, Kesuke, Atos and I will regroup with whomever remains and handle the remaining reds. I'll handle buying the muja fruit when the time comes.
"Is everyone clear on what I'm looking for?"
There was a general murmur of agreement.
"Then let's get to it. You all divide up and figure out who's going to do what and we'll go from there. May the Force be with you all."
From there, the rest of the padawans dispersed and broke off into little groups to figure out how best to carry out Solin's plan. Solin pulled Kesuke and Atos to the side, away from the prying ears of the others.
"Don't worry about confronting Vulcan," he said to them quietly. "Let me handle him."
"Why's that?" asked Kesuke.
"Yeah, I could totally take him on in a duel," added Atos.
"I know. All three of us could handle him in a lightsaber duel. But let's just say that I need to keep an eye on him and I can't do that if I'm not confronting him myself."
"Why do you need to keep an eye on him?" Atos asked.
"I'm sorry, guys, but I can't say. It's need to know only. Just let me handle him if he tries to come after us. If I know Vulcan, and I do pretty well, he'll wait until we enter the market before he comes after us himself."
"All right, you lot, here's what I'd like us to do," Vulcan said in a commanding voice to his team. "Wolfin and Yukon will stay with me outside of the market, where we can keep an eye on things, but remain hidden. The rest of you will go into the market and do your best to eliminate as many blue team members as well. When I've decided the time is right, the three of us will enter the market and purchase the fruit, while holding off the blues. Is that clear?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Excellent. I'll leave you all to it to discuss your plans for carrying it out."
Vulcan motioned for Wolfin and Yukon to follow him. He led them to a small back room, out of earshot of the rest of the red team.
"All right, I didn't want to say this in front of the others, but let me handle Solin when we arrive at the market," he said quietly. "I know he won't show himself until he sees a strategic point in the exercise or he knows his team is close to elimination, so that's why we're going to wait outside of the marketplace to wait for him."
"Why do you want to face him on his own?" asked Yukon.
"Do you have something to prove?" added Wolfin.
"Something like that," Vulcan replied dryly. "Let's just say I want to be able to prove I am worthy to be taken on as an apprentice, and by me being able to take on Solin one-on-one, I'll prove it. He is the apprentice of a member of the Jedi Council, after all."
Solin stood with Kesuke and Atos, monitoring the training exercise from above. Their fellow blue team members had done well at the beginning of the exercise, each holding their positions as the swarm of reds descending on the market place. But, the sheer number of reds teaming up seemed to overwhelm the blues. Before too long, just two members of the blue team remained, while there were four reds still in the marketplace, with no sign of Vulcan or the two other team members.
"You OK, Solin?" Kesuke asked as he saw the look of worry on Solin's face.
"A little nervous, but I'm all right," Solin replied in a determined voice. "But I do think it's time for us to go down there. Are you two with me?"
"Until the end," Atos replied, while Kesuke nodded in agreement.
"Well let's get down there and get to work!"
"This is going well, don't you think?" Vulcan asked as he, Wolfin and Yukon stood secluded in a large pile of bushes near the market, where they could peer inside and keep an eye on the progress of the exercise.
"Yes, it's good that there are only a few blues left," said Yukon.
"But what about Solin?" asked Wolfin.
"He hasn't shown himself yet," Vulcan admitted, nodding. "But it's only a matter of time. Wolfin, why don't you peer out of the bushes and see if the entrance is cleared of those blues yet?"
Wolfin nodded and pushed through the bushes to get a view of the entrance. In an instant, he was hurrying back into the bushes, looking flustered.
"What is it?" Vulcan demanded.
"Listen!" Wolfin hissed.
They heard several sets of footsteps running into the market, and three sets of lightsabers igniting.
"More blues!" Vulcan declared, his face molding into a determined expression. "Solin is with them! Let's go, boys!"
With that, the three of them pushed out of the bushes and ignited their lightsabers as they ran into the Old Galactic Market. Vulcan hesitated when he saw Solin and his two comrades making short work of the remaining reds before they rushed to the fruit section and grabbed the muja fruit. Vulcan hurried with Yukon and Wolfin to the fruit section and blocked the blue's escape route.
"Thank you for saving us the trouble of having to get that fruit ourselves," Vulcan declared, sounding victorious.
Solin grinned at him.
"I'm afraid you're too late, Vulcan," he said confidently.
"And what makes you say that?"
Solin didn't answer, but the sound of a lightsaber igniting behind Vulcan and his teammates answered for them. The two remaining blue team members had arrived, having managed to eliminate the rest of the red team. Vulcan managed to block a strike at his head, but Yukon was not as lucky and was hit on the shoulder, eliminating him.
Vulcan let out a scream of frustration as he swiped at the blue team member, eliminating him from the exercise. He and Wolfin then paired up to eliminate the other remaining blue team member, before Atos joined the fray to defend his teammate.
Within moments, the teams were down to Vulcan and Wolfin for the reds, and Solin and Kesuke for the blues. Solin centered himself when he saw this before sending a powerful Force push at Vulcan, who was charging toward him. Vulcan flew back into a pile of cans, which collapsed onto him once he was on the ground. Meanwhile, Kesuke managed to hold off Wolfin long enough to eliminate him from the exercise.
"Let's go!" Solin shouted as he saw Vulcan start to stir under the pile of cans.
Solin and Kesuke ran to the counter and hurriedly purchased the fruit. They ran outside of the market and back toward the Jedi Temple, which was about a mile from their location on foot. The two apprentices did not speak to one another until they were about halfway to the Temple, when they stopped to catch their breath.
"That went pretty well, didn't it?" Kesuke said as he was breathing heavily.
"Yeah, but we gotta keep going," Solin replied as he wiped some sweat from his forehead. His breathing had already slowed down, and he appeared alert. "Vulcan probably isn't too far behind us."
"Right," said Kesuke absently as the two started to walk quickly. They had walked just a few steps when Solin suddenly stopped, a look of concern on his face. Kesuke walked a couple of feet ahead of him before he, too, stopped.
"What?" Kesuke demanded.
"I sense something," Solin said as he reached for his lightsaber. "A presence I've not felt since…"
Before Solin stopped speaking, they both heard a lightsaber ignite followed by a loud scream. Solin spun around, igniting his lightsaber and blocking Vulcan's attack just as Vulcan landed next to him.
"Vulcan, what a nice surprise," Solin said in a deadpan voice. He then pushed Vulcan away from as Kesuke ignited his lightsaber to help. "NO!" Solin shouted at him. "I'll take care of this! You get back to the Temple!"
"All right!" Kesuke yelled back, turning his lightsaber off again and taking off toward the Temple.
"He'll never make it back!" Vulcan declared. "As soon as I've eliminated you, I will go after him and my team will be declared the winner!"
"Your words mean nothing if you can't eliminate me, Vulcan."
"Enough talk!" Vulcan shrieked as he leapt forward to strike Solin, who lazily blocked the attack.
The two lightsabers swirled through the air in a blur. Both of the Jedi Initiates were dueling as if using real lightsabers. Because they had sparred together so often during training exercises, both Solin and Vulcan knew each other's favorite moves, and neither seemed able to get much of an advantage.
As they dueled, Solin sensed determination rising in Vulcan. It wasn't determination to win the training exercise, though; Vulcan wanted nothing more than to defeat Solin in the duel in order to prove himself worthy of becoming an apprentice. Vulcan's determination showed Solin the fight was much more personal than he could have anticipated.
Changing tactics, Vulcan managed to spin around and land a kick on Solin's chest. Solin fell to the ground with a grunt as Vulcan used the distraction to Force jump onto the roof of a nearby building. Breathing heavily, Solin stood up, centered himself in the Force before he leapt up after Vulcan.
"There is one lesson you certainly have yet to learn: how to beat your best friend in a duel," Solin said as he ignited his green lightsaber and walked toward Vulcan on the roof.
"I have nothing to learn from you!" Vulcan retorted angrily, igniting his own blue blade. "It's your turn to learn from me!"
With that, Vulcan rushed toward Solin and resumed their duel. This time, Solin could sense much more intensity in the attacks made by Vulcan, and could feel the anger rising in his friend. Vulcan became unrecognizable as their duel progressed, his face contorted with rage. The Dark Side of the Force was starting to consume Vulcan. It was as if Vulcan was slowly becoming a force of nature rather than a human.
Suddenly, Vulcan raised his hand before Solin could recover from being kicked away again and a short burst of lightning flew out and stunned Solin. The ray was not enough to damage Solin, but it was enough to take his mind off of the duel. Smiling slightly, Vulcan took a swipe at Solin's arm, causing a large cut, and Solin screamed in pain.
"ENOUGH!" commanded a loud voice before Solin could react.
The two Initiates halted their actions and turned to the source of the voice. They had been so focused on the duel that neither of them had noticed Master Organa jump onto the roof.
"What is going on here?" Sabe demanded as Solin and Vulcan deactivated their lightsabers and Solin started to nurse the cut on his arm.
"We're dueling to win the training exercise," Vulcan answered dismissively, surprised that Sabe would ask such a question.
"That looked like more than just an attempt to eliminate each other from the exercise," said Sabe. "That looked more like a proper lightsaber duel."
"We're just making sure one of us is eliminated," said Vulcan in the same dismissive tone.
"Well, it's too late now." With that, Sabe pulled out the muja fruit. "Kesuke made it back to the Temple, which meant that the blue team won the exercise."
"But…" Vulcan said before Sabe cut him off.
"That doesn't matter," he snapped. "Explain yourselves at once! You two were having a ferocious lightsaber duel up here. Not to mention I saw you use the Force as a weapon, Vulcan, and a Dark Side power at that."
Vulcan had no answers for him and simply stared down at his feet.
"You should feel ashamed," said Sabe, sounding cross still. "Not only did you use the Force as a weapon, but you deliberately hit Solin in the arm, causing an injury."
At that, Vulcan looked up and saw blood trickling out of Solin's arm onto his cloak.
"Oh my goodness! Solin!" he exclaimed, his face whitening. "Are you all right?"
"I'll live," Solin replied dryly. "Master, I'll be all right, I-"
"Be that as it may, Solin, you're not entirely blameless in all of this," Sabe said. "You should have ended this lightsaber duel peacefully before it got out of hand as it did."
"Yes, Master," said Solin quietly. "I apologize."
"An apology may not be good enough, I'm afraid. I have never seen younglings behave as you two have today. I will take you back to the Jedi Temple and to your respective quarters. You both will appear before the Jedi Council in the coming days to answer for your actions today. Until you have done that and the Council has issued any punishments you might receive, you two are forbidden from contact with one another. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Master Organa," Solin and Vulcan mumbled together.
The doors to the Jedi Council chambers open and Solin walked in nervously. His walk into the center of the room seemed to last an eternity as he felt the eyes of the entire Council on him. He glanced around at their faces; none of them showed any hint of what he was about to hear. Finally, he reached the center of the room and faced Sabe and Master Trahkrik. He bowed lowly.
"That will do, young Solin," said Elocin in a gruff voice.
"Thank you, Master," Solin replied, straightening up again. "I understand you have come to a decision regarding punishment for myself and Vulcan."
Elocin turned to look at Sabe and nodded at him before Sabe spoke.
"While the Council is certainly in agreement that you should have done more to stop the duel between yourself and Vulcan yesterday, we agree that you will not be punished, Solin," he said.
Solin gave his master an inquisitive look.
"Yes, you did hear me correctly. You will not receive any punishment for what took place yesterday. This is in part because you were injured, but we also realize your mind was not clear when the duel was taking place, so we understand how you got carried away in the heat of the moment."
Solin considered this for a moment before he spoke. "I understand, Master. I will be more mindful in the future. But, what about Vulcan?"
Sabe glanced at Elocin, who spoke for him.
"I'm afraid the Jedi Council has made the decision to expel young Vulcan, due to his use of the Force as a weapon during the duel, which he also instigated," she said.
"What?" Solin gasped, looking around incredulously at the Council. "Vulcan was caught up in the moment, too! I know him, Masters, he would never hurt anyone if his head were in the right place. Please!"
"I'm sorry, Solin," Sabe said kindly. "But the Jedi Council is unanimous in its decision."
"And our decision is final, young one," added Master Ewan Neilson, the eldest member of the Council. "We have already spoken to Vulcan and he has accepted our punishment without question. He will gather his personal belongings and return to his home planet of Ord Mantell. Vulcan has, however, requested that you escort him to the hanger so the two of you can say your farewells. We have agreed that this request is appropriate. Vulcan will leave for the hanger soon. Your comlink will alert you when the time has come."
Solin made to argue more, but one look at Sabe told him that it would be fruitless. Sighing, he nodded and bowed.
"I will leave at once, Master. Thank you."
With that, Solin turned and left the Council chambers, not looking at any of the masters, but sensing their judgment of his reaction to Vulcan's expulsion. But Solin didn't care. Instead, he pressed away from the chambers and hurried toward his living quarters, ignoring the stares of his fellow padawans and wishing they would simply leave him alone.
Once inside his quarters, Solin rummaged around, searching for his original training lightsaber. If Vulcan was indeed leaving the Jedi Temple forever, Solin wanted to make sure he would never forget him. He had just located the lightsaber and was cleaning it off when the door to his quarters opened and T2 led Sabe into the room.
"I don't have anything to say to you right now," Solin snapped when he saw his master.
"Solin, I'm sorry," Sabe replied and Solin could hear the truth in his tone. "Believe me, I tried to fight for Vulcan, just as I promised you I would, but the Council overruled me. There was nothing I could do."
Solin took a deep sigh before he turned to Sabe, his expression softening.
"I know you did try, Master, I do. And I apologize for snapping at you. I'm just so shocked at the Council's decision."
Sabe made to say something, but seemed to think better of it. Solin, however, saw him hesitate.
"Is there something else?" Solin demanded.
"I'm afraid so," said Sabe quietly. He sighed before continuing. "I'm sorry to say that the Council wants you to sever all ties with Vulcan after you see him off to Ord Mantell."
Solin's eyes widened in shock. "Why the hell would the Council want me to do that?"
"Because the Council has been growing concerned about Vulcan for quite some time now, Solin."
"Why?"
"Several of the masters, including Master Elocin, have sensed the power of the Dark Side near Vulcan's quarters and in his presence," Sabe explained. "They've noticed it happening in small bursts and at seemingly random times. They believed he may have been experimenting with the Dark Side of the Force as a means of getting noticed by a master. The Council's suspicions seemed to be confirmed yesterday when I saw him use Force Lightning during your duel. The Council believes Vulcan is entirely susceptible to falling to the Dark Side of the Force, and we cannot have a padawan such as yourself at risk for being seduced as well now that Vulcan no longer has to abide by the Jedi Code."
Sabe sat down and rested his head on his hand on Solin's desk. He looked exhausted now that he had finally revealed everything to Solin, who paced around the room for several moments before he responded.
"I understand why the Council wants me to sever contact," he said slowly. "And I am prepared to honor that request. However, I will not tell Vulcan. I will not betray him like that."
Sabe nodded. "I think that's for the best, Solin. It's best if he doesn't know. I know how difficult this will be for you, but it will help ensure that you stay safe."
"If you say so, Master," Solin said, grinning to himself as he realized he had just said a phrase often uttered by Vulcan. Just then, his comlink buzzed. It was time. "I'll go and see him off now. I'll see you later."
Solin hurried out of his quarters and rushed to the hanger. When he was finally inside, he spotted Vulcan handing his luggage to a droid and ran over to his friend, pulling him into a hug.
"Oh, Vulcan!" he shrieked. "I'm so sorry!"
"No, no, no," Vulcan replied, shushing Solin as they broke apart. "None of this is your fault. The blame lies with me and me alone."
"I should've tried to stop you."
"I wouldn't have listened and things may have gotten uglier," Vulcan said. "But enough of the past, now is the time to focus on the future. I am hoping to make a great life for myself on Ord Mantell."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know yet, but I'm excited to see what will happen."
"Listen, before you go," Solin said, pulling his old training lightsaber off of his belt, "I wanted you to have this. It's my original training lightsaber. I don't even know if it works anymore. But I wanted you to have a small part of me wherever you went."
Vulcan smiled at Solin sadly. "Thank you so much for that," he said, close to tears. "I have something for you, too," he added, pulling out a necklace and placing it in Solin's hand. "It's from Ord Mantell. The symbol on it is meant to symbolize friendship and loyalty."
"Thank you, Vulcan," Solin said quietly as he pulled Vulcan into another hug, both of them crying slightly on each other's shoulders.
Suddenly, the droid behind Vulcan started buzzing angrily. The friends broke apart and stared at the droid, which was pointing at the ship. Vulcan nodded at the droid.
"I guess that's my cue," he said, wiping away a tear. "Listen, I'm gonna be all right. No matter what happens, just know that I'll be OK."
"I know you will, but that won't stop me worrying about you."
Vulcan chuckled. "You've always been one to worry, Solin."
"I just can't help it," Solin said, laughing.
"I know you can't," he said. "Well, my friend, I guess this is goodbye for now. I hope I can see you down the road."
"I'd like that," Solin replied, trying his best not to dissolve into sobs. "May the Force be with you, Vulcan."
"Farewell, Solin. May the Force be with you."
With that, Vulcan turned and followed the droid toward the ship's ramp. Halfway up, Vulcan paused and turned around, waving at Solin, who waved back. Vulcan then turned and followed the droid up the rest of the ramp, which closed after they were inside the ship. As soon as Vulcan disappeared, Solin put on the necklace and held onto to it.
Solin watched with tears in his eyes as the ship's engines fired up. Slowly, the ship lifted from the hanger ground and headed toward the exit.
"Goodbye, my friend," Solin said as the ship began to leave the hanger. "I'm so sorry that I failed you."