Part 4:
Il'yedosk sat in her private quarters, contemplating her future. It would only be a matter of time now.
Power came to those took action. Talisin and Shraanac were spineless idealists. They could easily be defeated. It was up to her to take control. Il'yedosk imagined how it would feel to taste Talisin's blood and to crush that weakling's bones with her own fangs and smiled. Her victory would be sweet. And if Shraanac got in the way... she imagined the ensuing bloodbath and smiled again.
Il'yedosk hadn't liked the two Dark Jedi the moment she met them. But sometimes you had to compromise to get ahead, and that's what the Trandoshan was doing. They had met on Nar Shadaa, coming together to perform a important task that would utilize their awesome Force abilities. Only Talisin had been to Skywalker's Jedi Academy for formal training. She had told her and Shraanac it hadn't been helpful. Il'yedosk believed her.
Talisin had told her and Shraanac about the Academy's faults. So much potential power to be harnessed, only to be wasted of levitating puny rocks and mundane meditation. Talisin's ideals had clashed with her Master's. Sometimes Talisin would smile as she recalled the fear and anguish that crossed her Master's face as he realized Talisin had a great darkness within her.
Skywalker had tried all he could to bring his pupil to his side, but Talisin was beyond help. Realizing he had to leave the choice of light and darkness to herself, he let Talisin leave. And she chose the darkness. It was a most obvious choice.
But just because the other two were Dark Jedi, Il'yedosk never felt as if she had to trust or be loyal to them. Shraanac was too passive and weak, barely even a challenge. But Talisin was a dangerous warrior. She also had great ambition and her Force powers were amazing. But Talisin also never seemed comfortable with taking quick and direct action. She was more interested in thinking things through.
Il'yedosk knew she alone was fit to gain immense power. Working together was the only way to successfully compile the list.Now that the list was complete she could finish the rest of the jobs... without Talisin and Shraanac. No one could defeat her. She alone was worthy of ruling the galaxy. No one would stand in her way.
Anoth appeared in the viewport. Trocaan stared at the three-portioned planet. The planet was split into three seperate masses which rotated around each other due to the great gravitational pull. Massive bolts of lightning accompanied the rotation and would ominously light up the purple sky. Trocaan closed his eyes and focused his concentration on the planet. Somewhere down there were three Dark Jedi murderers.
Nolaa suddenly interrupted his concetration."How do we know which part to land on?"
Trocaan said nothing but once again concentrated. He drew upon the power of the Force and focused on the journey ahead of him. He felt a cold darkness shroud the upper mass of Anoth. He knew that the Force would lead him to the Dark Jedi stronghold.
"Land on the upper section of Anoth."
Endurai eased the repulsors to one third power as the Rancor descended towards their destination. When the ship landed Trocaan released the landing ramp.
Trocaan, Endurai and Nolaa stepped outside. Anoth's sky was streaked with menacing lightning. In every direction stretched bare, gray, rocky hills.
Nolaa shivered as the wind howled. Not only was it bitterly cold here but there was more than one dark presence on the planet that chilled her to the bones. The Dark Jedi base was definately off a little to the left over some hills.
"Their base is over to the left. Agree?" Trocaan asked them.
Nolaa replied yes. Endurai nodded his agreement.
Trocaan took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go confront these guys. It's time we set things right."
"Why are we here?" Il'yedosk hissed.
Shraanac growled at her. "Shut up for a second, okay? You will never know if you keep interrupting Talisin."
Il'yedosk felt her blood boil but calmed herself. She simply gave Shraanac a bitter glare.
"Quiet! Both of you! This is important." Talisin said slamming her fist on a table. The sound echoed on the walls of the control room in their stronghold. The stronghold was actually the ruins of the base that once sheltered young Anakin Solo. But it had been abandoned as the child had grown up and was now possessed by Talisin, Shraanac and Il'yedosk. It had the barest of technology and defenses, only as much as was needed. Dark Jedi didn't hide behind guns and shields. They harnessed the Force to strike down their obstacles smoothly and efficiently.
Talisin continued. "Our detectors picked up a ship landing nearby. I am sure it is those Jedi who communicated with the man Il'yedosk missed." She threw a harsh glance at Il'yedosk.
But Il'yedosk didn't notice. She was rubbing her claws together with an excited look on her face. Shraanac remained calm.
"We will have to destroy them." he replied casually, as if he were telling someone what color his lightsaber was.
"We will inihillate them! They are no match for us. We will show them the unimaginable power of the dark side. They will be slaughtered!" Il'yedosk cried with morbid anticipation.
Then Il'yedosk also realized this was a perfect opportunity. By the end of the day she could be the most powerful being in the galaxy.
Talisin nodded as she realized her partners were ready to do battle. "Good. I feel their presence close by. Let us send them to their destiny."
Trocaan, Nolaa and Endurai climbed the final hill and face the Jedi stronghold. It was a decrepit pile of ruins. In some places the buildings had been completely reduced to rubble. But some parts lay intact, such as the large cylindrical compound near on the right of the ruins. Built by the side of a cliff, the ruins were easy to miss if you weren't looking for them.
"We should be careful," Nolaa said, "there's probably going to be some security around. Hidden guns, missle turrets, modified assassin droids..."
"I'm surprised we haven't been ambushed yet." Endurai replied hesitantly.
Trocaan nodded. "I expected more protection. No one is going to land on Anoth by accident. It's in the middle of nowhere. If anyone is here, it's because their looking for these Dark Jedi. Anyone who comes here is their enemy. I guess they don't feel the same."
Endurai unclipped his lighsaber from his belt. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared."
Trocaan and Nolaa did the same and all three ignited their lightsabers. As they walked towards the ruins the hum of the lightsabers blended with the moaning wind.
Nolaa suddenly stopped. "They're here." she whispered.
Trocaan and Endurai strained to see in the growing darkness, but saw nothing. "Where?" exclaimed Trocaan.
As if to answer a massive bolt of lightning surged across the sky, lighting up the entire landscape. Emerging from the base of the cylindrical compound were three figures, their faces indistinct in the darkness. One figure began walking towards them fearlessly and the other two took flanking positions. Then they all ignited their lightsabers. Their leader had a red lightsaber, while the Trandoshan had a blue one and the other had a yellow one.
Endurai gripped his orange lightsaber while watching the oncoming figures. The leader was a young woman with short red hair and haunting green eyes. On one side was a man with short-cropped black hair and thin lips that were set in a perpetual scowl. On the other side was a female Trandoshan. She grinned savagely with a wicked glint in her eyes.
"Greetings. My name is Talisin. These are my partners Shraanac and Il'yedosk. Welcome to Anoth." the leader said calmly. "Too bad you will never get off this wretched place."
Then they attacked.