A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away
JOURNALS FROM THE STAR WARS
An Alternative Star Wars Saga
VOLUME TWO
THE RISE OF DARTH VADER
Book One
Shadows of Whills
Chapter 1: Grand Master Sifo-Dyas is cornered by ancient enemies of the Jedi Order
Chapter 2: Dash Rendar takes on a simple job, and the Jedi senses a phantom menace in the Force
Chapter 3: Bothan senator Borsk Fey'lya is recruited to join a far reaching conspiracy
Chapter 4: The young slave, Anakin, dreams of adventure
Chapter 5: Darth Sidious sets his plans in motion
Chapter 6: The bothans plot against Sidious, and the Corporate Alliance senses massive profits
Chapter 7: Amidala rejects an offer from the Federation and Naboo is placed under blockade
Chapter 8: Dash tries to escape Naboo, and Amidala is convinced to trust diplomacy
Chapter 9: Windu shares a vision, and Obi-Wan retrieves a youngling from Lothal
Chapter 10: The Jedi can not find Sifo-Dyas, and Rahm Kota is sent to Kessel
Chapter 11: The bothans learn of a Hutt plot, and Valorum asks for help from the Jedi
Chapter 12: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan travel to Naboo, and Dooku is ordered to kill them
Chapter 13: Xizor and Borsk Fey'lya plots war on Bothawui, and Rahm Kota arrives at Kessel
Chapter 14: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrives at Naboo and the Federation invades the planet
Chapter 15; Battle rages on Naboo
Chapter 16; The battle for Naboo continues, and Satele Shan arrives at Corellia
Chapter 17; Alanda Barro settles in on Yggdral, and Satele comes across a YT-class freighter
Chapter 18; Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan run into a native on Naboo
Chapter 19; Queen Amidala sends her sister on a fateful mission
Chapter 20; Palpatine sits down with the senator of Alderaan, and Naboo is forced to surrender
Chapter 21; The two Jedi reach the gungan city of Ness, and Senator Organa gets tangled in Palpatines web
Chapter 22; The High Council track the movements of Sifo-Dyas, and Rahm Kota and Declan Skywalker arrives at Dagobah
Chapter 23; Amidala confronts Baron Gelda, and Lady Sola is forced to fight the enemy
Chapter 24; Organa sits down with the Hutts, and Kota takes Declan to a cave
Chapter 25; Borsk Fey'lyas trusted advisor visits Takodana, and Kota contacts Yoda
Chapter 26; Satele arrives at Ord Mantell, and Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan reach Theed
Chapter 27; Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan rescue Amidala from captivity
Chapter 28; The jedi, along with the queen and her bodyguards, escape from Naboo
Chapter 29; Aboard the queens sloop the decision is made to go to Taooine, and Declan shares another vision
Chapter 30; Organa seeks the support of the Aquatic League, and there is trouble on Yggdral
Chapter 31; On Tatooine, Qui-Gon runs into Anakin
Chapter 32; Grievous searches for Lady Sola, and Qui-Gon tries to bargain with Anakins owner
Chapter 33: Qui-Gon reaches out to Anakin, and Obi-Wan encounters a girl that will change his life
Chapter 34: Qui-Gon and Shmi discuss Anakins potential, and Obi-Wan is conflicted
Chapter 35: Political plots unfold on Coruscant and Palpatine oversees his plans, while Qui-Gon strikes a deal with Watto
Chapter 36: Amidala and Qui-Gon enter an arguement that will have an impact on them all
Chapter 37: Yoda confronts the Trade Federation, and Lady Sola instigates rebellion on Naboo
Chapter 38: Xizor arranges a meeting with the conspirators, and Lady Sola runs into Dash Rendar
Chapter 39: Cad Bane spots a bounty, Dooku talks to the Commerce Guild, and Rendar joins the Naboo rebellion
Chapter 40: Palpatine sits down with Mon Mothma, and Obi-Wan runs into Beru again while Anakin races
Chapter 41: Darth Maul catches up with Amidala and the others on Tatooine
Chapter 42: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan discuss the mysterious assassin, Darth Sidious finds out about Anakin, and Satele travels to Nar Shadaa
CATO NEIMOIDIA
The city of Zarra was one of the largest archway-cities ever built, hanging from massive arches of duranium that spanned across an immense canyon, and because of this design, neimoidian cities were often called bridge-cities. Towers and citadells extended down from the archways like skyscrapers of other cities, connected by bridges, walkways, catwalks and monorails at every level. Along the topmost curve of the archways, several landingplatforms were located, recieving transports, cargo-haulers and freighters among a forest of antennas, radar-dishes, communication-relays and control-spires.
Robed and hooded, a greenskinned Nikto made his way through the cities hanging bridges, Zarras toxic waste pouring down in great waterfalls amidst powercables and piping. The wind pulled on the fabric of the niktos robes, while speeders and shuttles transported cargo dozens of yards beneath his feet. His steps were determined and he tossed a glance over his shoulder every now and then with his dark, obsidian eyes. His worst fears had come true and he needed to get back to his ship to inform the Jedi High Council of his findings.
The Kadas'sa'Nikto, as his race of nikto were called, slowed down as he made his way onto a platform. The reptilian sensed something, a presence, a dark ripple in the fabric of the Force. A great threat. Pulling his robe to the side, he freed a device from a special holster strapped to his thigh and activated it, gripping it tightly with his clawed hands. The purple blade of pure energy errupted out of the hilt and came to life with an electric humm.
"Grand Master Sifo-Dyas!" a voice rang out, saturated with experience. "What brings you to Cato Neimoidia?" The man stepped out into view on a higher platform, hair and beard grey from age, eyes sharp with knowledge.
The niktos black eyes narrowed and its lips stiffened as he turned to face the new arrival. "Dooku."
"You are far away from Coruscant, old friend" Dooku said. "Surely, there must be a good reason for you visiting here?"
"You know the reason... old friend" the nikto named Sifo-Dyas said with scorn. "I know why you are here and what you are planning." The allegation was combined with an accusing finger aimed at the former Jedi Knight.
Dooku theatrically appear astonished at the news. "I am merely providing council to the Trade Monarch of the Trade Federation, who happen to have his headquarters here as he is also the viceroy of the neimoidian Purse Worlds."
Sifo-Dyas tightened his grip on his activated lightsaber. "Lies. I feel the hate in you, the anger."
Dooku merely smiled. "I left the Jedi Order many years ago. I no longer am as strict with the Jedi creed as I once was."
"I know what you are planning, Dooku" Sifo-Dyas announced. "And I will stop you."
"Please, old friend. Do not make us enemies."
"When you decided to turn on the Republic, you made us enemies" Sifo-Dyas said, keeping his calm as he relied on ancient mental methods of the Jedi to maintain focus. "I have sworn to protect the Republic, Dooku. I will let none destroy it. Not even you."
Dooku let out a sigh and shook his head. "If you will not see reason... then you will be destroyed."
Sifo-Dyas prepared himself for battle, but his attention was drawn to a doorway rather than the former jedi up on the balcony. Dressed in black robes and hood, the creatures face was obscured by a mask of golden bars overlayed onto black mesh. Sifo-Dyas was amazed at the rage he felt from the warrior before him, the hatred within its very core.
Dooku could not hide the pride in his voice. "May I introduce my apprentice."
Sifo-Dyas felt the creatures anger radiating with the Dark Side of the Force. The masked warrior pulled out and activated his own lightsaber, the hilt longer than average and its blade glowing fiercely red.
"Korriban?" the Grand Master of the Jedi Order uttered with a whisper, realizing the origins of the red blade.
Dooku's apprentice activated a second blade out of the opposite end of the hilt and then went to violent attack against his Jedi enemy. The two red blades of the twin-lightsaber spun, struck and stabbed, each blow masterfully parried by the purple blade of Sifo-Dyas lightsaber.
Dooku kept out of the way, only moving along the balcony to get as good a view of the battle as possible. Constantly a wicked smile on his lips as his apprentice savagely lunged at the Jedi, time and time again. The furious warrior was like possessed, finally given the chance he had trained for for the greater part of his life. At last, he was allowed to do battle with a Jedi.
Sifo-Dyas was focused and at peace as he countered each attack or dodged out of the way. As his lightsaber connected with the bright red of his enemy, flashes and sparks errupted and illuminated the two combatants. The Jedi was patient, as any master would be, counter-attacking when given the chance. But his opponent was fierce, eager and skilled. Before long, Sifo-Dyas was forced out onto one of the numerous hanging bridges of the city, his enemys furious attacks relentless.
The Jedi eventually sprung his trap and made a sweeping strike that cut the bridge in half. Grabbing hold of the bridge, Sifo-Dyas swung down only to let go and leap onto a lower platform. Regaining his stance, the Jedi spotted the feroscious warrior clinging to the edge of the other half of the severed bridge. Sifo-Dyas hopes of seeing is opponent falling to his death foiled as Dookus apprentice started climbing back up the remains of the bridge. The Kadas'sa'Nikto hastily disappeared into the lower tunnels of the hanging city, pushing his way past homeless or outcast neimoidians who could not believe their eyes having witnessed the incredible battle.
Sifo-Dyas moved through the city cautiously, ever aware of the ebb and flood in the Force. While his lightsaber was deactivated for now, the hilt was ever in his grip. The Jedi retrieved a comlink from his utility-belt as he took a look over his shoulder.
"Fu, come in."
"Listening" came the reply over the link.
The worn and dented G9 Rigger freighter, known as Lady Aurora, was situated on one of the cities landingplatforms on the very highest levels of the main archway. Its pilot put on his headset as the comlink in his cock-pit came to life.
"Come to my position as soon as possible" the voice of Sifo-Dyas sounded over the white-noise. "I am under attack."
Arren Fu woke up with a jolt and began the start-up sequence of his vessel.
Grand Master Sifo-Dyas stepped out onto a catwalk that followed the curved walls of the structure that was extending down from the arch hundreds of yards above. The wind was strong, a monorail-train thundered past overhead, a flock of birds took to the skies. Sifo-Dyas was ever watchful of his surroundings as he made it further out onto the catwalk.
The lightsabers crossed paths and sparks and light errupted violently. Dooku's apprentice was not held back by the onehundred foot fall he had taken to reach his target, nor had the Grand Master of the Jedi Order been taken off his guard. The deadly duel continued, blades of energy cutting through piping, railing and leaving glowing scars in the walls.
The mysterious dark warrior was a flurry of moves, spinning and slashing, stabbing and striking. The nikto was calm and calculating, countering rage with tranquility, hatred with focus, fierocity with clarity.
Lady Aurora swept down and started hovering, gently rocking back and forth on unstable gravity-repulsors. Arren Fu could hardly believe his eyes as he watched from his cockpit the lightsaber-battle unfolding before him. The two Force-users were a blur of motion as they dodged, parried and struck. Fu tried to move in closer, hoping to somehow manage to help his employer. Focused on the viscious battle along the catwalk, and avoiding pieces of the citys structures, Fu did not notice Dooku standing on a catwalk of his own overlooking the entire situation.
But Fu's attention was soon distracted by flashing lights in his cockpit, warning him of incoming fighters. Within seconds, Lady Aurora was taking fire from two Y-wing class fighter-bombers that were sweeping in towards Fu's ship and Arren was forced to abandon Sifo-Dyas, igniting his engines and taking off to escape.
As the Lady Aurora veered and dodged to evade incoming fire, Sifo-Dyas was pushed back by blow upon blow aimed at him by the apprentice of Dooku Serenno. Sifo-Dyas struck a series of powercables hanging low over their heads, and as the cables fell down in a cloud of sparks and static electricity, they forced the mysterious warrior into a backflip in order to evade the deadly circuits. As the Jedis opponent found his footing again, he was instantly forced to duck the jedis spinning lightsaber, flying through the air in a wide arch, until it returned to Sifo-Dyas grip. Next, Dooku's savage apprentice used his twin-bladed lightsaber to strike three incoming pieces of debris out of the way; debris that Sifo-Dyas had pulled from the surrounding structures with the aid of the Force, and thrown at the masked warrior.
Arren Fu took his ship through tight turns and barrel rolls as he flew between the hanging towers of the city, closely followed by the hostile Y-wings piloted by neimoidians of the Trade Federation.
Dookus apprentice swung his weapon low, striking the flooring and threw splashes of hot molten metal at his enemy; Sifo-Dyas doing a backroll to evade the superheated drops of duranium, and parried a series of incoming strikes from his opponent the moment he came up on his feet again. Sifo-Dyas took a serious kick to the chest that forced him back several steps, but the jedi was quick to, in turn, push his enemy back by striking him using the Force.
Arren Fu left the towers of the neimoidian city behind him, and increased velocity as he flew deeper into the canyon. The Y-wings pursued, shooting with both fixed blasters and the topmounted turret, but the pilots had trouble keeping the small transport in their crosshairs. Suddenly, the Lady Aurora took incoming fire from above as another pair of Y-wings had joined the chase, using their turrets to launch salvos of deadly blasterbolts down at Arren Fu from above.
Dookus apprentice threw himself at the jedi, but each of his strikes got deflected and parried. Suddenly, he only struck air as Sifo-Dyas jumped high and backflipped, landing on a balcony several yards above. The enraged warrior lept after his target, but when he landed there was no sign of the jedi. Dooku's apprentice now slowly advanced, twin-bladed lightsaber held ready as he glanced left and right with each step, careful not to walk into an ambush.
Arren Fu dodged as many blasterbolts as he could, but slowly but surely, his shields were being weakened by the combined firepower of four Y-wings and their blastercannons.
Dooku watched from his elevated position as his eager and viscious apprentice cautiously tried to locate their enemy. Dooku realized however that he no longer was alone, and turned around as Sifo-Dyas stepped out into view from a doorway, joining Dooku on the platform.
"It is over, Dooku" the nikto said, gripping his activated lightsaber with both hands.
"Is it?" Dooku said, sarcasm thick in his words. "Tell me, why is the Grand Master of the Watcher disciplin sneaking around on Cato Neimoidia, looking for enemies of the Republic? Surely, that is the domain of the Jedi affiliated with the Ranger disciplin, is it not?"
"All jedi are sworn to seek out the enemies of peace and justice" Sifo-Dyas replied.
Dooku allowed himself to laugh and smile, then shook his head. "No one knows you are here, do they?" With that, Dooku brought out his own lightsaber and ignited its crimson blade. "You Watchers always were too paranoid for your own good. And now... It will be your undoing."
Dooku and Sifo-Dyas engaged in battle, a deadly dance of precision, intuition and mastery. Below, the younger warrior reacted to the clash of lightsabers and immediately hurried to join the fray.
Four Vulture-class fighter-droids caught up with the Y-wings chasing the Lady Aurora through the canyons and valleys. Agile and swift, they flew past the neimoidian pilots and engaged the fleeing transport. Arren Fu did his best to stay alive, but he could no longer keep his ship from avoiding the incoming volleys. The fighter-droids blasted the transport time and time again with volley after volley, until the Lady Aurora lost and engine; an engine that within seconds exploded as its fuel-cells detonated. Arren Fu lost control, struggling to keep his ship flying without any hope of succeeding as the Lady Aurora spun violently, almost tumbling through the air like a leaf on the wind, before the ship eventually struck the rockface of the canyon and was blown asunder as a result.
Dooku and Sifo-Dyas managed to lock their lightsabers together, turning it into a contest of strength rather than skill. The heat from the blades crossing burned at their skin.
"You are weak" Dooku said through his teeth. "My hate has made me powerful. Even more powerful than a grand master of the Jedi."
"Hate is not power, Dooku" Sifo-Dyas said, focusing on remaining his calm. "Hate is corruption."
The lock ended and the fight continued with Dooku slowly forcing Sifo-Dyas backwards with each strike and blow. Dookus apprentice jumped into the fray without warning, but Sifo-Dyas was too skilled a Jedi Knight to be taken off guard and managed to dodge and block all attacks aimed at him. But he was truly being tested to his limits as the two hostile warrios were relentless in their efforts in killing the jedi.
Sifo-Dyas managed to lunge Dooku through the air as the jedi master channeled the Force through the palm of his hand and into the chest of the former jedi, sending him crashing up against the railing of the platform; the former jedi almost falling to his death had he not managed to grab hold of an antenna-cluster next to the railing itself. Dooku's lightsaber flew through the air and ended up in Sifo-Dyas grip and the jedi grand master took the fight to the hateful apprentice, Sifo-Dyas now armed with two lightsabers; his own purple and Dooku's crimson. Sifo-Dyas went on the offensive, and forced the masked student of the Dark Side into a long series of parries and dodges as the jedi grand master unleashed his full repetoar of attacks with his two lightsabers, slowly forcing Dookus apprentice towards the far edge of the platform.
The masked warrior eventually kicked himself away from the platforms railing into a leap high over Sifo-Dyas head, the dark warrior twisting his body in midair, the twin-bladed lightsaber spinning in the warriors hands. The jedi, in a fluid motion, turned to inflict further attacks, but Sifo-Dyas one arm was caught in the deadly whirlwind that was the double-bladed lightsaber.
Before the nikto had time to react to his horrid wound, the eager disciple of the Dark Side of the Force landed on both his feet and had Sifo-Dyas impaled through the gut to the hilt, just as the severed arm fell to the ground. Dookus student pulled his weapon free and Sifo-Dyas, in shock and disbelief, fell to his knees next to his severed limb as smoke from his wounds filled his nostrils with the stench of charred flesh and boiled blood.
Sifo-Dyas looked up at the man standing before him. The feroscious warrior had taken a step back and made way for his master. Sifo-Dyas was breathing heavily, slowly loosing his grip on his lightsabers hilt, until he no longer had the strength to hold on to it. As he let go, Dooku shook his head.
"I truly did not want this, old friend" Dooku said, truly sounding regretful.
Sifo-Dyas could not tell if the former Jedi was sincere. "Yet... It happened..." he coughed and blood ran from his lips. "What does that... tell us... Dooku?"
Dooku seemed to throw his regretfulness to the side as his emotions turned cold and disturbing. "That name" he said, "no longer has any meaning to me." Dooku grabbed the Jedi by the throat, crushing the life out of the old master as he was elevated into the air by the power of the Dark Side of the Force. Dooku studied the Jedi Master for a brief moment, as if contemplating. Then, he spoke. "I am Darth Ahranus of the Sith."
Using the Force, Dooku tossed Sifo-Dyas to the side, sending him over the railing. The Grand Master of the Jedi Order closed his eyes and found peace, ignoring the pain, ignoring the fall, ignoring the ground racing up towards him. He focused on the Force, on peace of mind, on finding tranquility. Before the brutal end, he was at peace.
Darth Ahranus of the Sith, once known as Dooku Serenno and Jedi Knight, held a hand on the railing as he followed Sifo-Dyas deadly drop until the greenskinned nikto no longer could be seen with the naked eye.
"You did good, my young apprentice" Dooku said and turned to his desciple. "You have succesfully past your final test. You are now a true Lord of the Sith, and have earned your name and title. Henceforth, you shall be known as... Darth Maul."
Darth Ahranus apprentice knelt, right next to Sifo-Dyas severed arm, and bowed in reverence before his lord and master. "Thank you, my master."