The Ebon Hawk neared the Sith world Korriban. During the long flight, the crew members had been engaged in various tasks. Carth had the tedious assignment of pilot. Mission, Zaalbar and the droids helped keep up with maintenance. Canderous spent his time in the garage, tweaking Kono's swoop bike and upgrading, fixing, and maintaining his arsenal of weaponry. While the other two Jedi meditated, Kono took some time to talk with the Mandalorian.
"Have you ever killed a Jedi, Canderous?" He inquired.
The muscle-bound warrior nodded his graying head. "Yeah, a couple times. Back in the day."
"During the war?"
"Yeah, of course. In the Battle of Iziz."
"How did things play out for you?"
"Well, we had conquered Onderon early on in the war. We knew we would face stiff resistance from guerrilla units and eventually siege by the Republic, so we dug in as soon as we could. The garrison at Iziz was one of the largest single Mandalorian units deployed. We occupied that city for months waiting in anticipation of when the Republic would finally come to lever us out. And when that day came, we were well prepared for them," Canderous reminisced.
"The siege of Onderon was the biggest military operation in Republic space since the days of the old Sith empire. For those of you who survived, that must have been a glorious battle," Kono commented.
"Indeed it was. Unlike the massacre at Malachor V, it was a true battle, not simply two fleets of ships being ripped apart. We were facing the best of the Republic; the toughest fighters ever to come from the soft world of democracy. But in retrospect, they were nothing compared to what the Jedi threw at us. It seemed almost as if the Jedi Order was created for us to fight. Those Jedi Knights were the perfect opponent. They never backed down, never gave quarter, and never gave up. We might push them back only to have them return with renewed vigor in an hour or two."
Kono had heard stories of Jedi during the war. It had been a chaotic time. "A lot of Jedi went into that war and never came back. You obviously were able to deal with them," he ascertained.
Canderous nodded. "We figured out a system, a defense of sorts, against the kinds of attacks they liked to throw at us. We divided our individual units into swordsmen and crack shots. Jedi or not, it takes a lot to stand up to a Mandalorian sword master. Added to that, Mandalorian crack shots are the best of the best. With that combination we could engage a group of as much as four or five Jedi and have reasonable chances of ending up on top. I was in one of those Jedi defense units. I gunned down three in that siege. Later, when the planet fell to the Republic, I stowed aboard a Republic medical shuttle and hijacked a transport to take me back to the Mandalorian fleet."
"Do you think you could kill me if you had to?"
Canderous was surprised by the question. Kono didn't just ask things like that on a whim. That told him their conversation had been serious from the start.
"No, Kono, I've never seen anything like what you've become. A true warrior knows his limits. There is no possible way I could kill you unless I was given an unfair advantage. And if that were the case there would be no honor or glory in it," the Mandalorian said to the Jedi.
"Is that why you followed me? Because you thought I might become a greater warrior than you?" Kono asked.
"Yes. That and I knew that whoever your enemies are, they are worthy adversaries of a Mandalorian."
"I'm honored, Canderous. We'll be touching down at Korriban in a few hours. I expect to have to kill more than a few Dark Jedi while we're there. So I need you in top form."
Canderous gave Kono a Mandalorian salute. "I'll be ready, Kono. Count on that."
The whine of the hyperdrive disengaging announced the Ebon Hawk's arrival at Korriban. The surface of the pale brown planet glared in the light of the system's star like a baleful eye. Korriban's lone colony, Dreshdae, was perched on a ridge of mountains overlooking sacred Sith burial grounds., Sitting laterally several miles to the side of the colony was the Sith Academy of Korriban, blocking the only entrance into the valley below where the tombs were. A grid of heavy anti-aircraft turrets was embedded in the ridge to discourage unauthorized air traffic into and over the valley.
Carth worked the controls uneasily as he brought the Hawk in for a landing at Dreshdae's diminutive spaceport. Kono stood next to Carth's pilot seat, observing their descent towards the colony.
Just as expected, the voices of the spaceport's traffic controllers came over the comm in moments. "This is Dreshdae Control to unidentified incoming craft. Your arrival is unscheduled. Please state your intentions and identify yourself."
Carth looked expectantly to Kono.
Kono open the comm channel and responded. "This is the Ebon Hawk, requesting a berth and a refuel."
"Ebon Hawk, your arrival is unscheduled. Please proceed to Landing Pad 8 and await further instructions. Dreshdae Control out."
"Nice bunch," Carth commented.
"Just bring us in, Carth. I'll worry about the port security," Kono said, turning to leave the cockpit.
He was going to have to make a big entrance; something that couldn't be ignored. Something sinister. A plan began forming in his head.
The Twi'lek dock officer watched as the freighter approached for a landing at Pad 8. It looked familiar, as if he should recognize it from somewhere. Not that anything about it was particularly remarkable, it just an ordinary freighter. But it tweaked at his memory in an odd way. It was the sort of thing you remembered because you were told to forget you saw it.
With a hiss of hydraulics and stabilizers, the ship settled onto the landing pad. The cargo ramp creaked open, revealing the darkened interior.
Within seconds he heard movement, and a moment later a rust-colored biped droid carrying a heavy repeater rifle stalked down the ramp. Dozens of servos buzzing quietly, the droid aimed the weapon about the landing pad threateningly, scanning the area for threats.
The dock officer coughed, trying to catch the droid's attention against his better judgment. The droid's head swiveled at the sudden exhalation.
"Statement: You will disable the blaster turrets trained on this freighter at once," the droid directed at the dock officer in a vaguely threatening voice.
"I have to follow protocol. Your ship was unexpected, and therefore subject to search. If you refuse or attempt to leave the port your ship will be disabled. By force, if necessary," the dock officer attempted to explain to the droid. At that moment someone else prowled down the cargo ramp.
It was a Cathar woman in flaming red Jedi robes with an impatient glare on her face. She lifted her hand towards a laser turret that stood at the perimeter of the landing pad. All of a sudden, blue lightning arced from her fingertips and devastated the device.
She turned to the startled dock officer. "The Master does care about your 'protocols'. Disable the laser turrets at once." Her accented voice carried a heavy tone of warning.
"I--I'll need to talk to--to your master first," the dock officer stammered, his nerve wavering at the display of the Cathar's Force powers. She turned her nose at him and said simply, "He comes."
The Twi'lek saw, then, a hooded figure slowly descending the ramp. He was dressed in black robes, his face hooded, and he moved with a quiet composure that radiated menace. When he turned his head to the dock officer he revealed a black-painted face with streaks of red around the eyes. His brown eyes themselves seemed as if they could burn a hole in a person's soul.
The dock officer felt his throat constricting, felt himself being lifted off the ground by an invisible force. He thrashed and choked in the grip of the black-robed man's power. When he heard the man speak, it was with a voice more sinister than any he had ever heard. "Turn off those laser turrets you have aimed at my ship," he dropped the Twi'lek to the ground, "or you will suffer horribly for hours until you die."
At his next breath, the dock officer instantly called for the turrets to be disabled, and the black-robed man brushed him aside as if he were nothing.
The Twi'lek struggled to his feet to watch him make for the colony, Cathar and battle droid in tow. A heavily armed Mandalorian swaggered down the cargo ramp, casting a wicked grin the officer's way as he ran to catch up with his companions.
Kono drew back his black hood. Things at the landing pad had gone smoother than he expected, it had taken very little to impress on the dock officer that he and his crew were not to be trifled with.
"Was that really necessary, Kono?" Juhani asked. She had voiced doubts about the necessity of making such a scene at their arrival at Dreshdae.
"Juhani, we have to get the attention of the Sith here. The only thing they appreciate is power, so we're showing them that we are powerful. I thought you played your part exceptionally well."
"I admit I am a little disturbed by carrying the appearance of a Dark Jedi. It just feels... wrong, somehow. As if resembling something can subtly turn you into that which you emulate. I do not wish to become once again a Dark Jedi."
"Juhani, when you thought you had killed Quatra, it was out of an explosion of pent-up emotions that the Jedi teachings, no matter how hard the Masters tried, could not eradicate. You struck her down during training out of released feelings of anger and resentment, but that was not what caused you to fall to the dark side."
The Cathar gave him a confused look. "But anger is what leads to the dark side!"
"Not anger in and of itself. But misdirected and open-ended anger that does nothing but draw more anger. After you saw that you had killed your master, your anger - repressed for years - had nowhere to go. It became an open-ended anger at everything, and by that you fell. Anger, when directed at the correct things, is not only acceptable but necessary."
"The Code mandates that there must be no passion, only peace," Juhani argued.
Kono's response was measured. He laid out the core of his beliefs. "Juhani, the Jedi Code is not infallible. Neither are the Jedi. Force Sensitives must be within a certain age to be brought for training because their mind and soul have not yet fully formed yet. During that time as they grow the Jedi shape that person's personality to suit their teachings. Sensitives must be very young so emotion can be scoured from their soul. It takes away a part of them and replaces it with doctrine fabricated by mortals.
"Yet, even when training begins at such a young age, still the shadow of emotion remains. It is for this reason that the Jedi Code demands us to be emotionless. Padawans who have spent their whole lives rejecting emotion have little trouble following this dictate and it keeps them from ever discovering the true power of feelings. And thus the rule stands, keeping Jedi from their full potential.
"But we, on the other hand, who were brought to training far too late for our souls to be altered and emotion purged from our beings, cannot deny our feelings. Our feelings give us the power to continue, even when all seems lost. When directed properly, emotion is a tool more powerful than the Force. But we must always be vigilant not to misdirect them, or worse still, let them become open-ended and directed at everything. In such a case, emotion can consume you and drag you into the insane dominion of the dark side."
Juhani seemed as if she was beginning to understand. "I suppose that makes sense. It certainly explains many things."
"For an indoctrinated Jedi who has never felt emotion before, feeling them for the first time can be overwhelming. That is why so many fall to the control of the dark side. They let their new-found feelings consume them," Kono reinforced his point.
"I will think on this, Kono," she promised.
As they drew near to the buildings of Dreshdae, Kono turned to his two blaster-wielding companions; the assassin droid and the Mandalorian. "HK, Canderous, are you ready to take on the entire Sith Academy?" He asked, deadly serious but with a measure of enthusiasm in his voice.
HK-47 responded with a spirited "Ready!" and Canderous nodded his head.
"Good. Don't do so until I give the order. We're gonna need to play this the right way, just as we did at the landing pad. The difference is that the people here will be infinitely more dangerous. One false move," he gave them each a hard stare, "or false shot, and the game is over. And while it may be more fun to simply shoot everything and pick up the pieces left in the wreckage, that is not what we are here for," Kono instructed them. "Do you two understand?"
"Statement: Master, I am programmed to prioritize your orders over my own wants and desires. Reflection: Though I do hope the killing of meatbags is involved in your plan at some point," was HK-47's response.
"A good warrior knows to attack only when the time is right," Canderous assured him. "I'll follow your lead, Kono."
"Good. Juhani?" She nodded her head as if to say, "I am ready." Pleased, Kono continued. "Let's do this."
It took very little time for them to run into Sith. After stopping for some information at the Czerka office in the main concourse, they found a young Sith threatening two Twi'leks and a Rodian.
"Please, master Shaardan. Give us another chance!" Said one of the Twi'leks, a man.
"We'd kill to get into the academy!" His female companion added.
The Sith, Shaardan, was not impressed by their commitment. "You three can't even answer the simplest question about what makes one a Sith! You wouldn't last five seconds at the academy, the other students would rip you apart."
"But I have to get into that academy!" The Twi'lek woman protested.
"You are wasting my time with your foolish aspirations and my patience is at an end. Time to make an example of you," Shaardan pronounced.
As Kono and the others approached, Shaardan noticed him. He especially noticed the way he was dressed.
"You there! Jedi! I want to make an example of these three idiots, but I can't seem to decide on the best way to do it. It would be quickest just to simply behead them, but that would lack the fun of a good torturing. Help me out, I can't decide," Shaardan called out to him.
Kono took a look at the three pathetic souls on their hands and knees, begging to be let into the Sith Academy. He turned a spiteful glare on Shaardan.
"You know nothing of torture. You are unworthy even to challenge a starved Jawa," Kono said contemptuously. Shaardan gaped at such disrespect.
Before Shaardan could react, Kono reached out and blasted the three unfortunates with a coiled blast of Force lightning. The two Twi'leks and the Rodian screamed horribly as they were cooked alive by the blue bolts that shot from Kono's fingers. Only when the hallway filled with the stench of burned flesh did Kono withdraw the horrible lightning.
Shaardan was dumbstruck. Kono had just robbed him of his afternoon entertainment and demonstrated his immensely superior power.
"Who do you think you are?" Shaardan demanded, his face red with poorly trained anger. "Do you think you can appear out of nowhere and interfere with our business just because you're a Dark Jedi?" He sneered and put on a show of bravado. "Well, I'm far more powerful than you could ever hope to be. You'll be sorry you ever encountered me."
"Then go ahead, make me respect you. I'm standing right here," Kono goaded him.
"You aren't worth my time. If I thought you were a worthy enough opponent I'd squash you like the insect you are. Hey!" Interrupting Shaardan's juvenile taunts, Kono brought his palm up and with a simple Force push sent Shaardan tumbling to the floor.
Shaardan's face got even redder. "So you think you're funny, is that it? This isn't over, Mr. Show-off!" He yelled indignantly while picking himself up.
As Shaardan turned and ran, Kono shouted after him. "Nor would I want it to be!"
When Shaardan was out of earshot, Juhani asked, "Why did you do that, Kono?"
"Because the only thing the Sith respect is power. I told you. We have to show them ours," was Kono's response.
"I meant with those three. Why did you kill them?" She clarified. "The Council would not have approved."
"The Council is not here, Juhani. They are never here. Always they sit in their comfortable chambers and expect us to handle everything so they might look better. On the front-lines we have to use our own judgment. Did you hear those three? 'We'd kill to get into that academy'? This is Korriban, the heart of the Sith threat; everyone here is a potential enemy. Anyone who chooses to inhabit Korriban is a risk; there are no bystanders here. That is simply the way it is."
"Well, then I would like to say that I do not like any of this. But I will trust you to carry out the mission as you are able."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"So what's the plan, Kono?" Canderous asked, bringing up the rear with HK-47.
Kono explained while walked along the concourse, away from the three dead hopefuls. "We need to get into the Valley of the Dark Lords. Access by air is not an option given the sort of defenses the Sith have in place, and ground access is cut off by the Academy. Therefore, our only viable option short of full-scale invasion with forces we don't have is to get into the Sith Academy and work things from there. The only problem we'll have to deal with is getting out without raising suspicion."
"Query: Master, during the course of this mission will it be necessary to terminate more meatbags?" Asked the persistent assassin droid.
Kono chuckled. "Oh, I expect it will be."
Some time later, a group of Sith in identical uniforms approached them, wearing dour expressions. At their head was a young woman who looked to be no more than twenty-two with long blond hair. She might have been attractive but for her perpetually cross demeanor.
"You there, Jedi, just where do you think you're going?" She snapped at him, recognizing him as the leader of his group.
Kono grinned easily at her. "I go wherever I wish to go." His eyes did not smile.
"I presume you mean the academy? Sorry to spoil your fun, but the queue is full up; there's no more entry positions available. My friends and I took the last ones." At this, she crossed her arms and cast Kono a smug glance.
"I guess Shaardan tipped you off about us," Kono observed casually.
"He told us enough; that you are just another upstart Jedi come to Korriban who needs to be dealt with," the woman answered dryly. "You Jedi think you're better than the rest of us just because you're yourselves. Shaardan thought you needed to be taught a lesson. We agreed."
"As if my opinion of that fool Shaardan could get any lower. You guys were the best help he could muster? I'm insulted," Canderous mocked. His insolence was not lost on the Sith woman.
"You think this is funny? We'll teach you the proper respect for the Sith!" She seethed. Suddenly, she and the rest of the Sith with her drew lightsabres and made ready to attack.
"What's your name?" Kono asked the Sith woman, his hand moving for his own lightsabre.
The odd question confused her. "Lashowe. Why? Do you wish to beg for mercy properly?"
"No. I want to be able to accurately label the pile of your dismembered limbs and burned flesh when I dump it unceremoniously down the side of the mountains." Kono smirked evilly at her and nodded to Juhani. Both at the same time, Kono and Juhani ignited their lightsabres; one blue, one violet.
The Sith immediately reacted to the sudden threat, all ten of them activating their red sabres. With a cry of "For the Sith!" Lashowe was the first to leap at the two Jedi. Kono easily deflected her weak swing and shoved her back as the rest of the Sith closed in.
Kono and Juhani were surrounded by red lightsabre blades coming in from all directions. Juhani parried furiously, her red robes swishing about her feet as she gracefully blocked blows from multiple opponents. Kono, instead of taking a defensive stance as Juhani did, attacked with vigor. Every deflection off his purple blade he turned into a offensive strike back at his enemy. His lightsabre hummed and crackled as he held off six Sith single-handedly.
Seeing the Sith fully occupied with the two Jedi, Canderous and HK-47 opened fire with their blaster rifles. Kono and Juhani had been expecting their two companions to try this tactic and dodged and weaved to avoid being hit by friendly fire. The Sith, however, hadn't learned from the Mandalorians as well as they should have, and four Sith were cut down by the red bolts before they had a chance to react. The rest of the Sith were distracted by the sudden appearance of the new threat.
One of Juhani's attackers staggered in indecision for a split-second, and lost his lightsabre hand for it. At the sound of him screaming as he fell to the floor, the Sith were forced to turn their attention back to the Jedi even as Kono ran his sabre through two of his opponents.
Lashowe screamed with rage as she charged Kono. She jumped into the air and somersaulted to lend momentum to her red blade as she bore down on him. Blocking her blow pushed Kono back several paces and she pressed her attack ruthlessly. Lashowe swung her lightsabre wildly, with no apparent direction or strategy behind her attacks. Parrying her blade was challenging only because of her sheer unpredictability. This sort of attack was inventive but, as Kono observed, extremely draining on the attacker.
He sensed Lashowe's stamina waning fast and launched himself back into offensive form. The motions of Makashi came effortlessly to him, his body moved unthinkingly, automatically as he lost himself in the attack.
Lashowe's Sith training paled before Kono's mastery of the blade. He made no movement that did not contribute in some way to his sheer attacking force. Every swing of his lightsabre taxed her strength, put her fragile defense to the test. Fighting him was like fighting a vaporous cloud; he flowed around her, finding all her weak points and vanishing into thin air whenever she tried to strike back. Not even the threat of multiple assailants jarred his fluid commitment to the attack. As another Sith attempted to exploit what he saw as Kono's distractedness he was cut down with a single swipe of Kono's violet sabre.
Lashowe started to panic. She knew she was not going to be able to beat this man.
Her doubt was like a beacon to Kono, the final signal of her defeat. He pulled himself out of his battle trance and reached out with the Force. He caught her by the throat and threw her to the floor. Her lightsabre extinguished itself and clattered out of her reach. Before Lashowe drew another breath, Kono's lightsabre was at her throat.
Kono looked to Juhani, who likewise held her opponent at her mercy. He answered her questioning glance with a resolute stare. She understood; there was to be no mercy to the Sith.
"Well, well. What have we here?"
Juhani froze at the sound of the voice, and Kono looked up to face the newcomer.