Chapter Fourteen

The masters all felt at once that their small recruiting mission had gone terribly awry. Yoda demanded, frail as he was to be taken to Yavin IV along with Master Windu. Anakin crossed his arms and said in hushed tones to Obi Wan, "I knew it was a trap."

Obi Wan sent a harsh look Anakin's way.
Yoda grunted from his tiny chair, feeling a rampant onset of guilt "More will I learn on Yavin. Find out who is killing Jedi I will."
Obi Wan asked, "What if they are still on the planet when you arrive."
Yoda groaned as he moved from his chair, "A great swordsman I once was, but no longer. Master Windu, depend on your skills I will if encounter this for we do."
Mace nodded quickly, anxious to get into the air and see if anything could be salvaged by the time they got to Yavin. Force preserve them if they were already too late.
Anakin looked at Obi Wan and held his gaze for a moment, things were very serious, very grave indeed. Not only was someone hunting and killing Jedi now they were being lured out to be murdered.

Anakin shook his head, "I cannot believe we didn't see this coming."

Obi Wan replied, "We're not omnipotent. We're human."

Anakin responded, "No, we're Jedi. We should know better."

His former master argued, "Anakin, there was no way we could have known."

"Those boys trusted us and we pushed them to their deaths."

Obi Wan pointed out, "They may not be dead."

Anakin sighed, "No you're right. None of us are...not yet. Why do I feel like if this dark presence has it's way. We all will be?"

Luke could feel the heat of his anger rushing through his veins strengthening him, it was intoxicating, this power was like nothing he'd was completely seductive, the rush unparallelled. It was if a part of him had been sleeping and had suddenly raised it's furious head and breathed fire, it was pure rage.

He left the Jedi lying broken in their own blood, and said to the irksome companion he knew was lurking close by, "Let's go."

Shira stumbled to catch up with him, 'Are we going back to Byss?"
Luke said flatly, "We are reporting back to our master."
She ran her hand pointedly up his arm, "Maybe we could stay for a bit."
He turned on her and snatched her hand up viciously and spun her wrist in a way to break it and stopped just before it snapped.
She yelled out in fury, "Stop! Let me go! Stop!"
He threw it cruelly away from him and continued to stalk back to their ship.

She rubbed it absentmindedly, and followed. She was afraid of what dark power had just risen, not certain if even her master could contain it.

What had they all done?

A new day indeed, a new power. A new Sith rising.

Anakin and Obi Wan both walking back to Mara's apartment gasped simultaneously.

Mara opened her bedroom door and asked her hand cradling her stomach, "What is that?"

They all could feel a new power rising, dark and incendiary. Anakin turned to his former master and said, "Obi Wan, I think we're in a lot of trouble."

Mara flinched as a sharp pain ripped through her abdomen. "Ouch!" she cried out gripping her stomach. L'wren was the only one with Mara and leapt to her side at once asking with marked concern and excitement, "Mistress?"

Mara shook her head grimacing, "No L'wren I'm not in labor but something is distressing him. Ouch! Come on little one cut me some slack here."

Padme's eyes alit with fear, "I'm calling the temple."

Mara shook her head, "No it's not important just pregnancy stuff."

L'wren said firmly, "To bed Mara. This very moment."

Mara nodded and left without argument which signaled to everyone present that this was very serious. L'wren entered the comm frequency for the Jedi healers at the temple and handed it to Padme. Just as Anakin and Obi Wan came through the door. Padme put the comm down and said relieved, "I am glad to see you sweetheart. Mara's just experienced some odd things through the force. As I understood, the little one did as well."

Obi Wan asked, "Where is she?"

L'wren answered, "I told her to rest. She hasn't been sleeping enough, could that be causing this?"

Anakin shook his head, "No we experienced it too. We just heard from the council that the two Jedi we sent on a recruiting mission were savagely attacked, from what we can tell through the force it's very serious."

L'wren shook her head and covered her mouth

Padme replied, "Anakin...what does this mean?"

Anakin answered, "That someone is hunting and murdering Jedi. We're not safe anymore. We need to be ready to leave at a moments notice."

Padme stared at the door of Mara's bedroom, and Anakin answered her unasked question, "I know the risk Angel. But if she fell into the wrong hands so would the baby. One of the first children born to two Jedi on record. It could be disastrous."

L'wren nodded, "You are right Master Skywalker. I'll get some things together for her just in case we need to leave in a hurry."

Obi Wan looked at the rest of them, "How did it come to this?"

Anakin scoffed, "Remember constant vigilance Obi Wan? Well, we seemed to have overlooked something."

Luke and Shira entered the compound quickly, she still wouldn't speak to him and that served him just fine.

They reported directly to their master in the throne room, and knelt at his feet. He asked, "I trust you were successful?"
Luke responded, "Yes Master."
Palpatine smiled, "I knew that you would not fail my apprentice. As you kneel Lord Skywalker, rise Darth Oblivion."

Shira nearly chuckled at the name...quite apt.

Skywalker rose beside her and said, "Thank you Master. I am anxious to serve you and the Sith."
Palpatine smiled, "Very soon young one. Come, walk with me and allow me to hear your tale of great success. You are dismissed hand"

Shira rose and walked away without looking back. Palpatine could tell she had continued to fail in her assignment, and he would deal with her later.

As Luke retold the story for his master, Palpatine would casually interject...
"A stroke of genius using the ancient power of the sith to mask yourself, and fuel your power."
"The arrogance of the Jedi."
"I'm certain they received the shock of their pitiful lives."

When Luke was finished, Palpatine concluded, "You have done well Darth Oblivion, soon we will be ready to storm Coruscant and defeat the maniacal Jedi and bring peace and order."

Luke nodded, there was another matter he wished to discuss with his master but was uncertain on how to approach it.
Of course, Palpatine sensed it, "You have another tale to tell me?"
Luke nodded, "Yes master. It's Shira Brie, I wish for you to command her to leave me alone."
Palpatine asked reproachingly, "Why would I do such a thing? Shira is a young woman, needs the company of others her own age."
Luke threatened "Because she will end up dead if she continues these endless futile, desperate attempts at seducing me."
Palpatine fumed, "You will not harm my assassin Darth Oblivion. I am amazed you have not taken my advice. I have provided you with a woman to meet your needs and still your fight them. You must hearken to me, that you will be a more efficient Sith if your mind were not allayed with other things. I have provided you will a willing outlet. A mere tool, which you refuse. This does not have to be true love apprentice, merely your physical needs being met."

Luke looked at his master and shook his head, "I cannot suppress my disgust for her."
Palpatine lightly chastised, "You are allowing your emotions to control you Darth Oblivion. Rise above them, heed my advice. You would be a more efficient tool if all of your desires were satisfied."

Luke weighed the objections in his mind. True he was distracted by his urges, but his thoughts always strayed to a certain woman, always shrouded deeply in shadow. The longing he felt for her wasn't merely lustful, but warm, passionate and loving. Full of the emotion he was supposed to be commanding. It was a weakness he would not allow his master to see.

Perhaps the sith lord was right. Maybe if he did submit to Shira's proposition, that it would help him quell those emotions and focus on his work. Why not give in? What could it hurt?

Palpatine could feel Luke starting to come around to his way of thinking. It would be one more tool that he would use to destroy the young man. After he destroyed his family, Palpatine would reveal that Luke was unfaithful to his wife, and impregnated another woman and Palpatine would have his Sith dynasty fueled by the very people who sought to oppose him.

He wanted to laugh and shout to the sky, 'Can you see your precious son now Anakin? Your good husband Mara Jade? No matter...you will soon'

Instead he said nothing but stared at Luke with pride, he would be his most destructive weapon, to the point where he would even destroy himself, and he didn't even suspect it.

Anakin paced the front room of the apartment. Things were looking very grim for all of the Jedi. He was eagerly waiting for news from the Masters on Yavin. Everyone was scrambling and making preparations for their removal from the planet should things become more serious.

Leia sat next to Mara on the sofa. Obi Wan in the far chair running his hand endlessly over his beard.
Anakin asked his daughter, "Where are Han and Chewie?"
Leia shook her head and snapped in frustration, "Father! For the fifth time...they're working on the falcon, making sure that if we have to leave she's prepared to take us."
Anakin muttered something about the old bucket of bolts, and continued to pace. "My mind is so scattered Leia I apologize."

L'wren handed Mara a cup of water, and vitamins insisting, "All of them today mistress."
Mara send L'wren a withering look, "They're disgusting."
L'wren nodded, "Yes, they are. They're also completely necessary. You're still not well, you're not sleeping, barely eating and the lingering sickness is a concern. These will help. Take them. Mara..." she said as her mistress sent her a defiant look and added threateningly, "do not make me get forceful."

Mara nodded and threw the pills into her mouth and drowned them with the water and scowled, "Force, L'wren...this had better be worth it. You frighten me at times." she handed the glass back to her handmaiden. L'wren took it and replied, "Don't be silly. They cannot hurt you. Trust me."
Mara took a deep breath trying to hold the vitamins down, the after taste making her shudder.

Leia replied, "Father, I'm really worried about this. I mean, the implications are endless. And think about what this will do to the morale of the people. Jedi being murdered? The who and whys are going to drive us all past the brink."

Mara responded, "They're the Sith. Chaos is what they want. Then they show up with the magical 'solution' to a problem they created."

Anakin nodded, "The easy quick solution, a perfect outlet for the dark side. Quick and easy."

Padme entered the room and asked, "Mara take her vitamins?"
Mara sighed, "Gods...you're all after me."
L'wren nodded, and Anakin said, "We're talking about the Sith."
She walked over to her husband taking his hand in hers, "Is there any way to find them? To destroy them before they can wreak more havoc?"

Obi Wan sighed, "If only it were that easy."
Anakin scowled, "Not really love. We had trouble with this in the past as I recall. No one could ever locate the Sith until it was too late. There was one way, but we don't have the resources."

Leia asked, "What would that be?"
Anakin sighed, "Ideally a star map, they have force qualities and we could try to feel them out. But they were all confiscated by Palpatine in the early days of the empire. Who knows where they are now. We don't have the luxury of time trying to track one down, we all need to be ready at a moments notice."

Mara turned sharply and walked into her bedroom quickly.
Everyone in the room exchanged worried looks.
Leia asked, 'Mara? Are you all right?"
L'wren came around the sofa, "Mara?"
Anakin snapped, "Force! Is it time?"
Padme yelled, "Anakin get the bags!"
Anakin raced towards the bedroom
Obi Wan jumped up from his seat, "I'll call the temple! We'll need to get the healers there!"

Mara came back out with her hand up, "Whoa whoa! Calm down it's not THAT time! Gods..."

The group simultaneously exhaled, Mara held up a small object in her hand. "This should help right?"

Obi Wan asked taking the tiny ball from her, "Is this?"
Mara nodded, 'A star map? Yeah it is."
Anakin took it from Obi Wan and asked, "Mara, how did you get something like this?"

Mara hesitated, "Well...you know...Ex imperial assassin and all, I still have resources."

L'wren rubbed her temples and Padme chastised, "Mara! Please tell me you haven't been spending all your time making back alley transactions with black market dealers!"
L'wren added, 'Or traipsing the dark alleyways of Coruscant where force knows what could have happened to you."
Mara stammered, "Umm, well not all the time."

L'wren yelled, "Gods child! You should know better!"
Padme insisted, "Mara! Do you know the kind of filth that is out there!"
Leia interjected "Honestly Mara!"
Anakin snapped, "We're supposed to be looking out for you, and you're walking into dangers!"

Mara covered her forehead with her hand, "Look! I'm fine okay! I can take care of business when I need to. All this fussing is driving me completely insane. Old habits aren't that easy to break. I needed a Star Map, and I knew where to get one. I thought it would help me. But I had very little success reading it.

Obi Wan nodded, "Star maps are very difficult to read. Their force presence is very light. But perhaps with all of us, we can feel out the Sith."

Anakin sighed bringing a little table to the center of the room, "Okay, it's worth a try."
Leia laughed, 'And you know what Master Yoda would say to that."
Anakin smiled, "All right, let's do this then. It shouldn't be so hard."
Obi Wan scoffed, "Says the 'chosen one.'"
Anakin rolled his eyes and the star map spanned the entire room.

The Jedi masters stalked through it silently for several long minutes. Until they both came to the same planet.
Mara nodded, "That one was different. I couldn't get too close without feeling sick."

Anakin stared at the lightly colored planet, "That's the dark side you're feeling. It's Byss."
Obi Wan replied, "It's positively brimming with the dark side. How could we not have recognized it before?"
Padme laughed, 'What? With all of our free time?"
Obi Wan nodded, "True. Still, I am disturbed by our lack of intuition."
Mara looked at the floor, there was much about this that disturbed her. She couldn't quite put her finger on why.

A knock on the door startled them all. Anakin removed the map from it's makeshift pedestal as Obi Wan whispered, "You see! This is what I am talking about we should have sensed someone coming!"

Padme shushed him as L'wren went to answer the door. A gruff voice asked, "I'm looking for Mara Skywalker, or Anakin Skywalker."
L'wren looked back and Anakin nodded motioning for Padme, Leia and Mara to stand behind him. Mara balked at the idea but obeyed none the less, Obi Wan also moved to Anakin's side.

Anyone looking to start trouble would surely receive it.

A swarthy complected man with long dark hair walked into the room. He could see the hesitant almost alarmed stance of them all and bowed with respect introducing himself, "Master Skywalker. I am afraid we never met, I am Talon Karrde. I was the one..."
Mara interjected poking her head around Anakin's back, "You saved Luke from the pod..."
Karrde nodded, "Yes Mrs. Skywalker. My deepest condolences to you and your family. Luke was a good man."
Padme moved forward, "Of course we've heard all about you Captain Karrde. We never had the opportunity to extend our gratitude to you for the kindness you showed Luke."

Karrde replied, "It was the right thing to do. I've come to you now because I've recently come across some very disturbing information."

Anakin motioned for Karrde to sit, and they all did rapt with attention. L'wren asked gently, "Captain? Can I get you anything? Something to drink perhaps?"
Karrde sighed, "That would be very appreciated. Strongest caf you've got."
L'wren smiled, "Consider it done."
She moved out of the room and into the kitchen. Karrde explained, "It's been a rough couple of weeks. Master Skywalker I've debated long and hard about this, now as I'm certain your son told you my business isn't always of the most legal nature. I make it a point to stay off of everyone's radar Republic and Imperial, I stay out of it. I cannot this time, not after seeing what I saw in the Imperial Palace."

His face wore those the shadows of nightmares that he couldn't erase.
L'wren handed him a mug of caf and he downed it in one long scalding drink and continued, "Thank you. My crew and I were in the deep core. We do some business in bronzium with the mining corporation. Anyway, we always scout an area thoroughly as we do business there. New opportunities always present themselves, and my people came across something. They took images, I have them here with me. I'll just show them to you."

He reached inside his heavy coat and produced a holoimage and placed it on the table before them, "They were looking for umm...trade opportunities in the area."
Leia smiled, "You can say smuggling. I married an ex smuggler myself."
Karrde nodded, "I am aware Mrs. Solo. Congratulations on your marriage. I know a bit about Han Solo, he's a good man."
Leia smiled gratefully.

Anakin lifted the image from the table and stared at it for several long seconds and finally said, "Obi Wan."
His former master moved behind him to view the image for himself and said, "She was right."
Mara asked moving toward them, "Who was right?"
Anakin handed Mara the image, she gasped as she saw what it was.

A darkly swathed man, crucifying a young, albeit badly scarred girl with force lighting in a stone courtyard. The suffering visible all over her face, the man's face perfectly clear.

Anakin sighed, "You were right Mara. It's Palpatine."

Mara felt coldness grip her and took a deep shaking breath, "That girl. That's Shira Brie. She lived in the palace. What's happened to her face?...gods. What is she doing there? I thought she died when the Empire fell"
Anakin looked at Karrde who looked haunted by what he had seen, "Where was this taken?"

Karrde responded, "Byss."