Chapter 29
(Inner Rim, Zaric Sector, Korev VII.)
Korev was a simple Inner Rim world. With it being the capital of an entire sector, it was well defended, and well imperialized. Zaric's Moff, Linis was a quiet and rather unnoticed Moff. Something he could rather care less about. The sector was rather well maintained. With not much rebel activity reported, it made the sector more appealing in ways. Yet in all its appealing simplicity, the start of a far grander and darker plan was to be hatched there!
It started when Moff Linis did not make any public appearances or enacted any laws in several days. Traffic to the Governor's office and estate had not been recognized, and soon the imperial hierarchy took notice. This was why a stormtrooper battalion had been sent to investigate.
What they had found shocked and astounded them. As they made their way into the governing building, it was obviously barren of life. Quiet and dark the building immediately set off warning signs in the troopers minds. They in number formed up in defensive stances, and proceeded slowly into the building.
Taking notice of toppled over and destroyed hardware and miscellaneous things.
But it soon became apparent to the troopers that something far more sinister had happened there.
It had come in the form of seeing dozens if not hundreds of dead fellow troopers! Spread throughout the inner halls and rooms. They had been massacred! Limbs severed, heads gone, deep charred gashes had been made into the trooper's armor's easily. It was needless to say the attack upon the building was brought upon them by a skilled and powerful enemy and weapon! As the troops proceeded further they soon came across the governors office.
Upon entering it the troopers found the room in serious disarray and disrepair from obvious attack scars and gashes in the rooms walls, floor, and furniture. It was the body of Linis that caused the biggest shock to the troopers.
For the Imperial Moff was de-limbed, beheaded, and mutilated near beyond recognition!
The quiet unnoticed, unimportant Moff Linis was dead. Along with approximately three hundred and sixty storm troopers, along with defenses and vehicles! A feat that astounded and deeply angered the troopers. Whom seethed at finding a site of their mutilated and dead brothers, in such numbers.
The news angered dozens of fellow Moffs and even the Emperor himself. It was hard to believe for many, that so many imperials were killed along with a Moff without any knowledge of the attack noticed. Or that any imperial in general even knew of the slaughter. The fact that it was officially ruled a light saber that carried out the slaughter further enraged the Moffs and hierarchy. News spread throughout the empire and the galaxy of a "loose Jedi menace." As the Emperor officially stated.
All security footage from the building was gone as was all traces of any information to the attack.
Imperial Intelligence sealed the record of the attack, and never officially stated anything to the imperial public. Even the Moffs were kept in the dark to most of the intelligence gathered on the attack.
This didn't bode well with the Moffs at all.
All the while, as they bickered back and forth, and the Empire frenzied to search for Linis'es killer.
A lone assassin had easily escaped Korev VII. He felt accomplishment and like he had done a great service in killing the petty Moff.
Starkiller sat in the copilot seat of his ship, reveling in his success in silence. Paying no notice to the assassin, the pilot the seat over glanced over to his silent passenger.
"Do we have a next location?" The slightly older man queried to Starkiller, who simply said. "The Doldur sector, Mid Rim." The pilot nodded and prepped the ship to launch to hyperspace. It was a quiet victory for Starkiller.
As for the galaxy it was the first ripple in the political water that is the Empire.
One target down, only two more to go. I will not fail master!
Starkiller thought as the "Rouge Shadow" entered into hyperspace.
(Dantooine, Two hours after engagement with Jedi.)
Exar stepped with strides that to any watching looked to be of power and confidence. Flanked on both sides by two large and muscled Massassi, with spears, and battle helmets. The dark lord commanded power just simply by the way he moved. This was apparent to all around him. After all he was a dark lord of the sith. A fact he reveled in.
Exar stepped completely off the lambda class shuttle ramp. Coming to stand upon the tan colored grass of his old homeworld. In fact a home he rather he didn't have to return to.
Ah Dantooine. So many memories, most bad. Although, it would seem that I came out far better then this world. The irony in it all is quite frankly, funny.
He thought with a smirk, as he could clearly see the billowing towers of smoke rising into the skies of the what was a serene planetoid. Turning the world that to many was a haven, into what looked to be a shadow of war and death itself. Even before the dark lords feet, were the very signs of battle. Blaster scorched marks, and thrown weapons. The dead that were strew about the fields were the greatest clues to the battle. Littered in small patches of corpses and blood. The fields were stained in blood, a stain Kun was proud beyond measure about. It made the dark lord unable to stop the perpetual smirk that plastered on his face. It sent a rush and shiver up his spine, the pure rush of death and destruction of the fools who lay among the soil of Dantooine. The dark side was like a disease surrounding him, and the battle scarred planet around him. Though the light would push the dark away, Kun was pleased nonetheless. For he had in his mind took vengeance upon his old home and refuge. A home that in reality was nothing to him anymore.
"Now Dantooine, you are nothing but a scarred memory that I care little for. I have won!" Exar proclaimed aloud.
Turning his gaze upwards Exar saw the Massassi from the battle gathering to greet their lord. At the front of them all was commander Mattizz. Standing to the front and ahead of all his fellow Massassi. The commander clutching his bloodied spear quickly sprinted to his lord, Kun. Mattizz ran and swiftly went into a kneel before his lord.
"Greetings my lord. What is thy bidding ?" The obedient commander asked eager to please the dark lord. Whom with a smirk nodded his greeting to the warrior before him.
Exar took clear notice of the commanders bloodied state. Though it pleased him to realize the blood was not the commanders. But the mixture of perhaps dozens of kills. It never ceased to please the dark lord, to know how incredibly powerful his Massassi armies were. As well as the utter loyalty they showed to him and him alone.
I doubt these rebels ever expected such, as my Massassi. A mistake they have already begun to pay for. One that they will be unable to safeguard against. I will rain down my and the Empire's armies upon the galaxy! And these petty rebels will burn!
Kun mused further still smirking, as he addressed his kneeling Massassi commander.
"Arise commander. I have quick need of your assistance." The dark lord ordered with a slight hand gesture, telling his follower to rise. The obedient commander did as ordered.
"I understand that Zalliste is injured, commander. Have you recovered him?"
Kun queried his commander quickly.
"My lord, Zalliste was not brought before us. We could not go near him, my lord. The very air around him threatened and dared any and all of us. The force was far darker then before around him. I believe him to be enraged, far beyond the ability of me and my fellow Massassi to handle, forgive us for our inability to acquire him, my lord."
The Massassi commander pleaded bowing his head in what seemed to be shame.
Exar waved his plead off with his hand. "Never mind that commander. I know of my apprentices state of mind. I wish you to take me to him now. He requires some experienced direction from me." Exar explained to Mattizz. The Massassi commander looked up to Kun with obvious relief crossing his facial features. "Zalliste has unknowingly started down a greater path, commander. Only now here upon Dantooine did he feel the true power and rush of the dark side! Its great and filling power had invigorated him. Sadly I fear that he needs guidance to handle his newly bestowed power and gift. Unless he has my wisdom to lead him, young Zalliste will fall down a lesser path of rage, and inability to control himself. One I would rather he didn't venture down. He has great potential."
Exar expressed to Mattizz, whom nodded in return, and gestured for his lord to follow him towards the base behind him.
Glancing towards the commanders gesturing arm, Kun was surprised to see the enclave in great ruin. Not noticing it before, Exar was pleasantly surprised to see its state of near destruction. As its stoned walls were crumbling, and its surrounding were scorched and burnt. Littered by the dead of Massassi killings.
All for the best. Kun thought. This place could to be eradicated for all I care! The dark lord bitterly continued to himself, as faces of long forgotten enemies crossed his mind. My master Vodo, the loyal and sadly weak Crado, and that unruly Cathar Sylvar. Two of you got what you deserved. As for you Sylvar, you left nothing for me to worry for. A simple and unimportant little Cathar Jedi with no legacy. How idiotic of you to believe yourself a great Jedi. In the end you Crado, Vodo, all of you are nothing!
Kun with contempt thought in remembrance, of his old life on Dantooine and the people he once knew there.
As the two began their walk towards the charred and scarred base, the commander began to spoke up. Breaking the sith lords thoughts.
"While Zalliste was engaging what we believe was a Jidai, we found the leader of this base."
The commander spoke, reverting back to the sith word for Jedi.
"He is an old man. He did not resist us. That was until we slaughtered his fool allies before his very eyes! The weak fool then began to cry out and scream in terror, my lord.
It was a glorious sight to see a man cry out in terror at the sight of his friends and allies blood!" Mattizz further stated with an obvious humor in his voice. The dark lord smirked. As he imagined watching someone whom thought themselves so important, fall so low. As to cry out loudly in terror at seeing your allies slaughtered before your very eyes.
Surely the rebel leader wherever he is, is numb with anger and sadness. Good, all the easier it will be to rip his very thoughts from his head! The insolent little whelps!
Such weakness, is disgusting and idiotic. Surely they cant deny that the dark side is superior! Then again what do petty little rebel know of the force?
Exar mused, as they entered one of the many breaching holes in the bases stone walls.
Strange, the building looks far different from when I was here. Bah, what do I care? This place is nothing but a giant stone tomb! Exar waved off the random thought of his.
Within the stone halls, and corridors of the ancient enclave. Kun realized just how right he was about it being a tomb. As dead rebels littered the halls, with severed limbs and heads also lining the bloodied halls. Creating a sickening aroma of iron and blood that filled the halls in unseen fumes of death. Though it pleased Kun to find hardly any Massassi corpses among the dead.
Extraordinary! The rebels galaxy wide will love this sight. The poor fools. They don't realize their cause will be all for naught. The worthless pawns! That's all they are, pawns! My galaxy does not need your kind, you ignorant and self righteous fools!
Kun thought with a growing feeling of anger and hate towards these rebels. Who were they to fight him or even the Empire? Exar found such rebels disgustingly annoying.
He knew he was nearing Valek, his anger would not be so unless his connection to his apprentice enhanced it.
Mattizz lead the sith lord into an opened intersection. That had a small round plot in the center, with what used to be a tree in the center.
The opening did indeed have the scars of a saber duel. Multiple burned marks where in all areas. Stones were lodged in different and unusual areas. Then there was the obvious gaping hole in the wall to Kun's right.
Exar turned to Mattizz, "Wait here commander. I will deal with my apprentice." The commander quickly bowed and took a leaning posture on his spear. Exar with his long black cloak in tow, headed to the breach, where the feelings of hate, anger, rage all emanated from. The closer he stepped to the breach, the heavier and darker the air around him seemed to get. The dark side was seething through the air from and because of Valek. With an expression of interest, Kun crossed the threshold that was the breach and into the room.
The room was dark, and gave one a sense of melancholy, that Kun was sure was there before Valek had entered. The only source of light that entered the room came from the breach the dark lord had just entered from. The dark lord was able to see though, the figure on the floor.
On both of his knees, and hunched over was the broken and beaten, Valek Zalliste. Exar could notice how disheveled the boy was. His hair that was usually in a tail, was now wildly loose around his head. Also visible was the many tears and cuts that riddled Valek's clothes and hood, as well as his body. Valek was also hunched in what looked to be great pain to the dark lord.
"You would be wise to address your master, Zalliste. Or has your defeat at the hands of a Jedi ridded you of common sense?" Kun prodded stepping closer to the quiet youth. Whom visibly tensed at the verbal prod.
"Hmm, you confuse me Valek. I thought you would be able to handle a loss by a Jedi. After all it was in my command that you take the base and kill the rebels." The dark lord reminded Valek. "It was not by my word that you engage a Jedi. Therefore if you feel that you have failed, it is your own doing, apprentice."
This reproach caused the beaten boy to slowly look up to Exar.
His brown eyes were mingled by the sith yellow that remained in patches. With hardened eyes Valek spoke to Kun. "I fail, and yet you stand here and do not punish me! It is not right! For failure it is important to remind me of my idiocy. All others before have taught me the penalty for failure. What makes you different?" The dark lord with a straight face, looked down to the boy.
"I am not a simple imperial fool, Zalliste! You would be wise to remember that. Also I feel that this experience alone has brought upon a greater lesson I couldn't have planned better myself." Exar proclaimed. "You have been taught the lesson of rage. A great and mighty power rage can permit one. But I learned long ago, that if you cannot control it rage will cause you to make bad choices. Such as blindly attacking an opponent in saber combat. You will learn that failure has consequence, far more since you will be of the sith, Valek." Despite what he was preaching to Zalliste, Exar knew the boy needed a greater smack back to reality. "Tell me Valek. Who's face did you see when you dueled this Jedi? The Jedi's, or your old masters?" Kun allowed an accomplished smirk to cross his face, as he saw Valek visibly look shocked.
The raven haired boy was far too predictable at this point to Kun. The dark lord had known that the boys repressed feelings held great and untamed power. So much hidden rage, anger, and hatred. A power I must have him tame, for future use.
Valek now remained on his knees in silence. Brooding over the fact that he was far to readable to Kun. As well as brooding over the fact that he did see the faces of his old masters. Their faces come to torture me even now. Why can I not be rid of these images? Why must in the heat of battle their faces come and torment me! To berate me, even now when they are light years away!
Valek hated knowing the masters of his past still held such power over him. How their cruelty threw him into the very raged stupor that cost him his very hand
My own hand! Lost by the blade of a dirty Jedi! Looking down to his left arm Valek cringed at the cauterized stump that greeted his sight. Yet still all he could think was that he deserved to be punished and taught his place.
"I have failed to kill one simple Jedi. How this is not worthy of punishment to you I do not know!" Valek commented aloud.
"Oh but you have only failed to yourself, boy. My orders were to take the rebel base by storm. Use the Massassi to utterly slaughter them! The order to acquire the general was fulfilled by the Massassi, and commander Mattizz." The dark lord continued his speech. "It was not I who ordered you to kill the Jedi. Merely confirm if a Jedi was in fact here. All of my orders were completed. Your self indulged order and inability to control yourself is what lead to your defeat."
The dark lord preached to the boy. Whom returned to being quiet.
"Now Valek, I have far more use for you. I cannot afford to simply throw away an apprentice. Not now at least. Besides I feel you have far more potential then most like you."
Valek had to again admit to himself, though unwillingly. That he craved his master approval, that his words were his very lifeline. Valek was lost without a director, who placed him down a path. Only Kun was far more the leader he had craved, and to fail him was a self served death sentence to Zalliste.
So yes he was still silently repressing his emotions, as taught to do. Despite the fact that the rage and hate were still there. Valek allowed his masters reassuring, but also slightly berating words to sooth him.
As long as I have not failed you master. Then I can let the matter be. Despite the feelings I have to hold in on the subject.
From his dry and cracked lips, Valek let loose a breath. One that signaled him fully burying the rage, anger, and hate within himself. Allowing the teen to get a firm control over his emotions.
Glancing up again to his towering master, Valek lifted himself to a stand. "Forgive my callous, and idiotic display, master." The youth asked of the sith lord, bowing his head slightly.
The grey eyed dark lord gave a swift and simple nod in reply. "You are forgiven, Valek. We have much work that needs doing." The sith lord pointed out to the boy, who was still clutching his stumped arm.
Allowing his eyes to wander over the arm missing a hand, Exar knew he would have to get it replaced with an artificial.
"For one, we have to get you a new hand." The dark lord said in matter of fact like.
Causing Valek to look at the stump in mild anger. "Also we have a little chat scheduled with the rebel general." Kun continued with dark humor laced in his words. Causing Valek to mirror his master. As a hardly noticeable smirk came to his face.
Glancing about and around himself, Kun let loose a small hum of distaste. "All of my knowledge of this place, and yet I don't recognize this gloomy scene of a room." Exar mused aloud, while still glancing about himself. "Hmm, perhaps it was some storage room for dark artifacts. That would explain why I don't recognize it. As well as the dark emanating power in here." Kun looked around noticing the dark room was quite empty. "A pity that either salvagers, or explorers came here first. I would have liked to see what the masters were hiding in here."
Decrepit sad fools! All of what you stood for is near eradicated! Yet here four thousand years later do I, Exar Kun remain!
He thought with self pride and power. Turning he could see Valek waiting for him to make a move.
"Well, lets head out to see this rebel general. I want to see you try out the technique I taught you, apprentice."
Kun stated, slowly moving his body towards the wall breach. Seeing his apprentice follow hi movements, Kun fully turned and headed to the opening.
Watching his master leave. Valek still clutching his stumped arm only followed silently. In remembrance of the Jedi he lost much to. Her dark eyes that burned into Valek when they were face to face. Her free, long and beautifully wild raven hair.
How she mocked him and danced around him with her saber. How she could match his every blow and throw him off, with parry after parry!
Valek gritted his teeth, attempting to keep the rage at bay.
Rage, I never, not once in my life had it course so powerfully through me. It just crawled up my spine, and caused me to shake. Her face mocking me, her eyes tempting me to try and hit her! The Jedi filth! Valek seethed, as he stepped over the collapsed stones of the wall.
The light of Dantooine's star causing him to cringe away. As his eyes ached from its light.
Looking up Valek could make out the hulking figure of commander Mattizz up ahead of him and Kun.
The commander bowed and Kun waved him to stand, all while Valek continued to silently brood.
She took my saber! One of my own saber is responsible for my hands removal! It may have been hers that sliced it from my body but it is mine that aided her in defeating me.
How could I have been so incompetent? Hi heart felt as if it would beat out of his chest, as the rage welled within him. Wait Jedi. Just you wait, you will feel my saber pass through you. Then you will be cast down from your mocking heights! I will take your hand and more, Jedi! I swear this!
Valek swore to himself, there upon the broken lands of the enclave.
Exar Kun on the other hand, kept a straight face. For he could sense his young apprentices simmering hate, and deep bitterness. It plastered a small smirk on the dark lords face.
Good apprentice. Allow all of those darker emotions swell within you. With me as your master those emotions can be put to great use.
Still the dark lord remained quiet, as he approached Mattizz. With his tired and bloodied apprentice in tow, the dark lord looked upon his commander.
"Now commander. I do wish to meet with our guest rebel general. I have much to speak with him about.
The sith lord finished with a hint of humor in his voice.
This prompted the commander to bow his head with a small toothy smile forming on his face as well.
"Yes my lord. He is not far from here, if you would follow me." Mattizz informed, gesturing for Kun to follow him.
With the dark lord nodding an approval, Mattizz moved on. Followed closely by the dark lord, who was followed by the silent Valek.
Exar with confident and swift stride continued after Mattizz. All the while basking in the outflow of darkness from his apprentice.
This all turned out far better then I ever could have dreamed! All the pieces continue to fall into place. Soon all will be right, and all mine!
The dark lord mused in content silence. For to him, all was indeed going as he wanted.
All as he had planned.
