The Force of One

By: The Goddess of Mush and Stuff







Chapter 3: The Force's Enemy





The dark, damp room was empty and hollow. Nothing but darkness surrounded him, and brushed past his skin as if trying to grab hold of him but having no success in doing so. He shivered and reached for his lightsaber, but found it gone and the Darkness seemed to become a whole creature.

Red Glowing eyes stared at him with a hungry, feral look as he crept towards him. He took an involuntary step backwards but found a brick wall at his back and the creature was chuckling. He didn't know where he was, what was going on or what this creature was. His lightsaber gone, he tried to call on the Force, if this thing was Darkness surely you could fight it with Light.

He found his grasp on the Force fleeting and nearly extinct. It was as if the Light Side of the Force had been eradicated here, and no longer existed. He looked up into the red eyes and awaited the death he felt coming.

The creature screamed suddenly, it's eyes closing and just becoming part of the darkened cloud. It's head raised up in a howl of pain and soon the red eyes were focused else where. It wasn't as dark any longer in the room. There, on the other side of the room. He focused and saw a person standing there, glowing in the dark room like a beacon.

Female. It was a female, he could see her. Her eyes stared up, unafraid, at the red eyes of the monster and her red-hair floated around her head as if a wind was blowing through the chambers even though there was not. Red- hair?

Obi-wan woke up violently, feeling as if he were thrown away by a tremendous force. He found himself not in the dark chambers of his dream, but in the room he and his Master had upon the ship the Jedi had borrowed to go after Xanatos.

He ran a shaky hand through his short, spiky hair, releasing the fear and confusion that the dream left in it's wake into the Force. It still plagued him though. He knew only one person with that shade of red hair, and he had seen her there. But she fairly glowed in the darkness where as he couldn't grasp the Force no matter how hard he had tried. He shivered remembering the feel of deep penetrating cold and how he shivered where as she didn't even seem to notice. Was the Darkness Xanatos?

"Obi-wan?"

He looked up to find his Master standing in the doorway dividing their rooms. He figured as much, he probably had dropped his shields during the whole thing, searching for his Master to help him fight the dark creature. He sighed and looked up. "Yes Master?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes Master. Just a disturbing dream that's all." He sighed slinging his feet over the side of the bed, and sitting looking down at his feet. "Sorry to wake you."

"I was already awake Padawan." Qui-gon smiled softly. "Mace informed me that Xanatos seems to be taking a little detour."

"Detour?" Obi-wan looked up briefly and then began pulling on his boots.

"He's changed course and from what we can tell he's heading for a place called Diriala."

"Never heard of it before." Obi-wan confessed pulling on his tunic. He was used to these fast dressing portions of missions so as soon as he heard Detour and Xanatos he was awake and ready.

"No one really has. It's an abandoned Planet from the reports. Fairly livable but no one resides there. Hasn't been occupied for several centuries." Qui-gon sighed. "No one knows why the people that did live there left."

"Why would Xanatos take them there, Master?" Obi-wan asked standing in front of his Master. "It doesn't make sense, he can't hide there."

"I don't know Obi-wan, but I have a feeling we're about to find out."

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Bant watched as Telly slept, or meditated she wasn't sure what Telly was doing, in the co-pilot's seat beside Xanatos. All this time they had been talking about some sort of Force Channel and how both she, Xanatos and some girl that died eleven years ago were Channels. Apparently the girl still helped Telly from time to time in the form of a Force Ghost and now they were speaking or doing something.

Bant had been confused ever since she woke up from the drug induced sleep and it wasn't getting any better. First off Xanatos was not acting like the Xanatos of the past and he was being nice, he smiled, he talked civilly towards Telly. Telly herself wasn't acting the same, she talked period and was much more outgoing suddenly.

Secondly, Xanatos had told Telly that they had been heading for Mon Calamari. All though they were going the long way, sticking to the Outer Rim to maybe throw off the sure to be pursuing Jedi, that's where they were headed. Now the navi-computer was on course to a planet called Diriala and Telly had suggested maybe that's where they were supposed to be heading instead. To Bant's surprise, after long minutes of silence, Xanatos agreed and left the ship to it's own devices.

What was going on? She couldn't make heads or tails of anything or anyone right now and it was a bit concerning. She expected harsh treatment and boasting from Xanatos. Several threats on their lives to, in front of Comm displays as Xanatos made his call to Qui-gon or either of their Masters. Nothing. He let Telly threaten him, then acted as if she were a friend. Nothing more.

Telly was she assumed would be frightened by this change of pace, and the new Dark Jedi in their mists. She would be silently watching him, never once speaking out or doing anything to anger him and just be along for the ride. But she wasn't. She was speaking to him, telling him things, and was confidently right up beside him as if that's where she belonged.

Bant felt different because she sat silently in the back of the ship, watching the unfolding mystery as if she were suddenly in Telly's position. She would take her chance now, to get at Xanatos but she had, in her own way, promised Telly she wouldn't and she couldn't back out of that. It didn't make it any less confusing though.

She wondered absently just how close the Jedi were to finding them or even knowing what had happened to them. Bant was sure Obi-wan and Qui-gon had figured it out quickly but had they been able to follow Xanatos closely enough to know where they were?

"You know you could think to yourself just a little quieter." Telly smiled back at her. "You're very disturbing."

"You're and Empath not a Mind Reader."

"Right now I'm both." Telly said moving to the back, where Bant sat. "I can hear you, and believe me this has to happen. Don't worry the others are just a day or so behind us so they'll be able to take you back to the Temple."

"They can take both of us back to the Temple." Bant protested, making sure to stare directly in Telly's eyes.

Telly looked to the floor then back up. "Listen Bant. I'm special and the Jedi wouldn't know what to do with me if I went back. Xanatos."

"Xanatos will use you for everything your worth." Bant interrupted, whispering angrily. "I can't believe you trust him, let alone like him as a friend!"

"Listen to me.he was like that cause he was lost, it was no more his fault than the Council's and yes Qui-gon's a bit. Like I said, we're both special and they didn't know what to do with us." Telly forced back on her. "If I stay, I'll just end up like him, there is no doubt."

"You could never be like him."

"Trust me Bant, with that much .. I would guess you say Power, built up inside of you for that long and you can't figure out what it is, how to use it, or what it's for you begin to lose what part of yourself is the good, and you become the part of you that would find a way to figure it out, no matter the cost." Telly sighed. "I still don't understand completely but I'm told I will soon."

"By him? You can't trust him.Telly."

Telly glared at her then stood. "No not by him." She snorted. "by the one thing we are taught to follow all our lives yet no one listens to." With that she turned back to the cockpit and sat back down in the seat she had occupied few moments before.

Xanatos watched her carefully noting the frustration creasing her forehead. He smiled a bit, he could feel it to, she was frustrated but he expected as much. Bant, nor any of the Jedi, would understand what she was telling them. "Don't take it hard kid, I got myself that reputation and there's nothing going to change it."

"They'll see." Telly whispered. "Believe me they'll see."

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Diriala was a bleak, abandoned Planet in the far reaches of the Outer Rim. Long since abandoned by those who once lived there because a darkness had taken root in their homes. It had flushed them out, turned them into slaves, or out right killed them in their sleep. No one could figure out what or who this creature was but it was killing so many that they left.

The darkness spread out in this abandoned place, killing plant life, creatures and drying up water spots making sure nothing more came to its place of residence. For now, it could start it's true plan. Revenge

Diriala was the home, once home, of Jedi. Long, long ago in the days of Sects and Powerful beings who knew and used their power for what they needed to. There had only been light here once, and now it was covered in death and darkness.

One lone temple stood in tact, after generations of care and gentle corrections by those who had no idea what the place had been used for. The crumbling stone was near white in color and had markings of an ancient society carved and etched upon them. Inside there were areas that once were rooms for living, and one large room with stone sitting areas. Thirteen in count.

Inside now were only empty chambers and a howling wind, coming from cracks and broken stone. Here the ancient evil had taken root, defeating the light guardians protecting their sacred place and finding great pride in taking over the place that had once been his killer's domain.

He had been killed on this planet, he and his brother. His brother was out creating their pets, their ancient slaves. He also set up pockets of Force Storms, that would knock out anything or anyone coming through them. And with what they could gather they set up sentries, old Dark Warriors dead and bent on revenge to keep an eye out for the Awaited guests.

They were Darkness in all aspects of the word. They were shadows in the night and had sinister plans for the dear world of Diriala. They had been glorious in their days and they planned on recovering their glory. But there was a problem, one small problem.

The Light was gathering around a certain point in space and that could only mean one thing.

Channels.

But they were young, untrained at best. The Jedi has lost the ways of their ancestors and thus the ability to create a problem for them. So they only minimally prepared for the arrival of these young Light-siders and awaited a revenge so sweet they would savor it for all time.

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The ship landed, silently in a span of barren land. The gray-black of the clouds seemed to have been soaked up by the dirt and it reflected the bleakness of the place. Skeletons of trees and animals laid out across the dirt, left where they were killed to rot and waste away. It was this scene that sent shivers up the normally stoic and unfeeling Xanatos DuCruet's spine.

"Damn, and I thought there was no place worse than Tatooine." He muttered walking down the ramp, a Mon Calamari and Red-headed girl following after him. "So, any idea why we've been lead here Tel?" he turned back eyeing the red-headed girl.

"Other than the obvious feeling of wrong here? No I don't know why we're here. Not yet anyway." Telly said coming up beside him, taking in everything she could. "I've only learned what to do, not what I'm supposed to do with it."

"Would it hurt to give us a more detailed warning every now and then, would it?" Xanatos huffed. "So.any idea where we're at least heading?"

"We're supposed to find the Tower." Telly shrugged as she began walking in a direction. "It's this way I think. There's more darkness this way then there is the other ways."

"Right into the lion's den huh?" Xanatos laughed following Telly's lead.

Bant was on edge but she began to follow as well. It was better to be with them than alone on the ship where Force-knew-what would come after her. This place was weird and filled with a feeling of hatred.as if the Dark Side lived here.

Telly led on, looking around her for the White like stones of the Tower. She could see it in her mind, Sadie was readily showing her from others memory of what it looked like. She knew it wasn't going to look anything like it did at first but she had an idea at least.

Really all she had to do was follow the source of the Darkness. It was like a beacon to her, as she followed the lines of the Force. It was strange to be on a place where only her and her friends Living Force energies were the only Living Force Presence on the planet. This place was dead, totally dead.

:All because a spirit couldn't let go.: Sadie's voice echoed sadly. :From what I've just been told, he's the original Tel. Well actually it's they, and they are the first real Sith ever. Channels both of em.:

:Great they've had Force knows how long to hone their gift! We've had what? Two hours?:

:Tel, it is always the light that proves stronger. Always. He may have had Centauries to practice and plan but we have more power to use and they don't have bodies either.:

:Point taken but that doesn't make it any easier.:

:No one said this would be easy.:

:Nothing ever is.:

"Sadie got anything else we can use?" Xanatos asked, walking up beside her. He saw her slow a bit and figured that she was being distracted momentarily.

"Not much, just that we're going to be up against another Force Channel, this time a Dark Side Force Channel."

"Damn." Xanatos cursed. "That's not good right?"

"It's concerning, that's all I have to say." Telly looked up at him. "We've never done this before and he has."

"We?" Xanatos stopped. "Wait a second. What am I supposed to do?"

"Sadie will tell you what to do when you need to do it." Telly said glancing a bit back at Bant, who looked even more confused. "Don't worry, you just stand there, I do all the work."

"Are you sure you can?"

"No, but has that ever stopped us before?" Telly grinned to herself, picking up the pace.

"I'll figure that's an inside Joke between you two." Xanatos laughed and hurried to match Telly's pace. Force knew what trouble they were about to come up against.

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"Well we have a new problem." Mace said moving down the ramp way of Xanatos' abandoned ship. "He and the girls are gone, probably pretty far ahead of us if they got here a day before we did."

"And on this planet finding anyone is going to be a hassle" Qui-gon answered. "No matter how barren it is."

"Here's the other thing." Mace said holding up to pairs of bindings. Unlatched and unused. "He's let them free, unless he had other bindings on the ship."

Qui-gon was getting more and more concerned as their search went on. This wasn't like Xanatos at all, none of this was like Xanatos. It was like he was being careless, reckless even in covering himself. Actually it didn't even seem like he was covering himself, and he certainly didn't seem to have his usual alternate escape route. "I don't understand any of this." He muttered.

"None of us do." Mace sighed, letting the bindings drop. "But he certainly picked the one place where he'd blend into. Can you feel the darkness here?"

Everyone nodded, it was the first thing the group of Jedi had noticed although no one had really voiced their concern about it before. Now it seemed Xanatos had brought the girls here, thinking he'd blend into the feeling of the planet. But why did it feel this way here?

"Well which way do we head?" Mace asked around him, not to sure either which way Xanatos had gone.

"This way." Qui-gon said looking down. The dirt gave way to very light footprints. "There are traces that the dirt moved here, so they're heading this way."

"Well good of a start as any, one of us needs to stay back though." Mace looked at Adi Gallia who came with him. "Just in case we run into trouble you can get a lock on us and come get us with the ship."

"Yes Master." Adi said.

Mace, Obi-wan, Tahl, and Qui-gon began to follow what little trail they had of Xanatos and the girls. Qui-gon and Mace would be able to overpower Xanatos easily enough, and the girls would be out of danger since Xanatos had for some reason left them unbound.

Mace worried however about finding them. This place was a barren waste land and the trail would fast disappear soon, the winds were shifting the dirt enough to cover most of the footprints.

They didn't need to worry though, they would be taken to their target whether they wanted to be taken there or not.

"How close do you think we are to them?" Obi-wan asked, feeling suddenly like something was watching him.

"I'm not sure Obi-wan," Qui-gon answered, but Obi-wan saw the subtle move of his hand going to his lightsaber hilt. "But something's here."

Mace already had his lightsaber in hand, looking around him trying to figure out just where the attacker was hiding. It wasn't visible, although it should be, there were no trees or plant life for it to hide behind. "Where is it?" he whispered, hoping Qui-gon had a better idea about where it was.

Before either Master could really get a feel for what was after them and where it was, hands sprung up and grabbed the booted feet of the four Jedi. Skeletal hands that barely seemed to be able to function, let alone grasp, held onto their feet as they tried to move and free themselves.

"What is this!" Mace asked Qui-gon struggling and even taking his lightsaber to the hand. The lightsaber cut off the one hand and another replaced it. "Force!"

"Oh yes you'll be crying for the Force." A voice snickered from ahead of them, and they all looked back up, stopping their struggle for a moment. A dark cloaked figure walked up from whatever shadows had been conjured.

For a moment, Qui-gon thought they had found Xanatos, but this person felt to cold, too dark to be Xanatos. The hatred wasn't directed at him or Obi- wan it was directed as something larger. He turned to Mace and shook his head. It wasn't Xanatos. This was someone else, perhaps someone in league with the other fallen Jedi.

"Oh, dear have I forgotten to introduce myself? I have quite a bad habit of doing that." The cloaked man snickered lowly, walking around the still trapped Jedi. "I am Jahan. You'll come to hate that name, believe me." He chuckled.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Mace asked, wondering just why this Jahan character was in leagues with Xanatos.

The man raised it's head, laughing. It revealed itself to be a decaying skeleton of some sort, covered by ancient robes and garments. Red glowing sockets stared at the council member with an eerie glint of amusement. "Oh now why should I tell you that? It would take all my brother's fun away."

He made a movement of his hand and the hands at their feet momentarily let go, and took hold of their arms while skeletal creatures rose out of the earth and took hold of the Jedi. Jahan turned and began walking away, motioning with his hand in a motion to follow. "You shall like my brother Than, he's positively evil."

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Xanatos walked around the living quarters, old and decayed with years of disuse and abandonment. Bant sat on a small stone sitting chair, shivering with cold and maybe just a bit of fear. Telly, Force knew what they had done with her, for all he can tell she was in some other Chamber being questioned and tested. Also a small amount of abuse, which had him pacing the rooms like a caged sand panther.

This wasn't going well, halfway into their trek things grabbed them. That was the best way to describe the creatures. Skeletons dug up from the dead and resurrected for a purpose he didn't yet know. Force, compared to what that Jahan creature was like he was a saint.

They had been here a day or longer so far. The creatures escorted them to the Tower they had been searching for. Bant and he had been locked, he didn't see how but they were locked, up in what appeared to be a living quarters of sorts. It was old, very old, so was everything here. Right now everything was tinted with darkness and death but some how beneath that layer he felt a burning light trying to burn it's way back to the surface.

Finally he felt something coming and stopped in front of the doorway. He felt the light lifting of his body and knew Bant was being lifted off the ground also so they couldn't get traction to rush the people coming inside. In walked a dark cloaked figure, much like Jahan but bigger, more muscular and dominating, dragging a fairly roughed up Telly.

He threw her at Xanatos' feet and stared up at him, red glowing eyes the only thing Xanatos could see underneath the black hood. A low, dark chuckle came from him as he walked a bit closer. "What luck. Not only is the girl untrained and quite easily frightened, you my lad, are tainted with a touch of Darkness."

The accent was heavy, and the language though basic was much more polite and proper than what was spoken in the galaxy of present. He sneered at the creature and the decided against it and looked down at Telly, bruised and shaking from whatever this one had done to her.

"Come now lad, this little thing here," he gave Telly a little Force Push to simulate a kick in the stomach. "couldn't possibly be of any interest to you. I, however, could bring you power beyond your wildest hopes and expectations."

Xanatos glared up at him. "Oh really? And what does it cost? My soul?"

He laughed, a very chilling sound even to Xanatos, and shook what seemed to be his head. "My, such intelligence for one so young. Oh yes, you will have to sacrifice your body but the power you would receive though me is very much worth that sacrifice."

"Sorry, not interested." Xanatos sneered. "I rather keep myself intact."

"Such a shame. Perhaps you shall change your mind in a few days." It turned to leave the room, quietly mumbling to itself. It turned as it reached the door and the cold laugh was heard again. "Oh, and to put the young woman's mind to rest; your fellow Jedi are being escorted here by my brother Jahan at this moment. You'll soon have some company."

The stone door slammed shut and Xanatos and Bant felt to the floor. Telly sat up, rubbing her neck and wincing a bit as she touched a bruise. "For something that isn't really there, he packs a wallop."

"Are you alright?" Xanatos crouched down before her, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. "Who is that?"

"Than. He's the oldest of the Brothers from what I can tell and the stronger leader of the Channels. Xani, we're in trouble." Telly groaned.

"You're telling me this now?"

"Just to let you know that's all." Telly smiled a bit. "So they got the others now too, well this is just great. I guess we wait for them to show up and see if all of us together can think of something, otherwise we go ahead as planned."

"Wait you said we were in trouble." Bant spoke up. "Doesn't that mean you can't possibly go up against them?"

"Oh it's possible." Telly sighed. Anything's possible, it just how hard is it going to be."

"Telly think about this. The Masters will be here soon and they'll be more suited to face those two than us." Bant said a bit nervously. "We're only Padawans."

"Than and Jahan would kill them in an instant, Bant." Telly ground out. "I don't care how high and mighty Mace holds himself. This is something that only I can face, with the right kind of help that is."

"Are you sure I'm the right kind of help Telly?" Xanatos spoke up. "I am tainted as he said."

"No you're not, he just looked into your memories and saw the times you were tainted. He's trying to use you." Telly sighed, actually pushing herself over to Xanatos' side and leaned up against his shoulder. "You and Sadie together plus me and we should by all means be able to at least wound them to the point they give up."

"Sounds risky."

"Everything a Jedi does can basically be risky." Telly laughed a bit. "Some things just a tad bit more risky than others."

Silence fell between the three, Telly resting her head on Xanatos' shoulder trying not to loose her battle with sleep and fatigue. Xanatos was just letting her, which was another shock to Bant who now sat contemplating what was going to happen to them now.

"How long till the others arrive do you think?" he asked Telly quietly, knowing Sadie could tell her.

"A few hours. Be ready." Telly yawned. "Can you stay awake, I can't."

"Sure kid." Xanatos nodded letting her situate her self and he propped himself up against one of the old abandoned chairs. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, she had been pressing herself to learn things through Sadie since a day or so ago, plus dealing with their host.

He found himself staring down at the sleeping face, amazed at how close he'd actually let her get to him in just a few days. He'd gone from kidnapping her and the other girl in an act of somewhat malice and need, recognizing her as someone he knew to considering her a part of him. He remember that week in clarity now, the week he'd spent in the crèche.

Supposed to be working he really just spent the days with Telly letting the girl talk herself raw about junk and ask him about things he was doing in his classes. Quick little imp, he remembered thinking a few times about her. She was the one person he knew he could talk to without lectures or opinions coming to slap him in the face. He trusted her, and strangely enough she still trusted him after all those years.

A thought occurred to him, what if he had stayed, what if he hadn't turned when he did, or not at all? Would Telly be his Padawan? It was a nice thought, and he smiled a bit, letting his hand reach up then stop short of touching the curly mess atop her head. He sighed let his hand drop down and he looked up.

Bant sat across from them, a few feet away staring at him. He suddenly felt very annoyed at that. "What are you looking at?" he snapped lightly, trying to keep his voice low.

Bant didn't flinch or get that angry, halfway defensive look in her eyes that she normally did. She just stared back impassively and answered. "You're not as tough as you make yourself out to be Xanatos." Bant was making a conscious decision. Telly trusted Xanatos for some unknown reason so she just had to try to trust her on this. "I don't know what's happening, I doubt I ever will, but Telly trusts you and I trust her."

"So what are you saying, your going to make some effort to trust me? Don't bother." Xanatos snarled a bit, he didn't want this little Jedi suddenly acting like a friend to him, as a speaker of the goods of turning himself in. He didn't need that right now. But a small part of him was reaching for it. He wanted someone to trust him again, the feeling was something he missed.

"I think that's what your afraid of....." Bant said rolling over on her side away from him and he ended up watching her for a bit then looks back a Telly and Bant mummers "I forgive you..."

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The tower itself was a magnificent building, standing in the midst of darkness as a white beacon, but once inside the whole picture changed. Dark halls and musty decay, hanging bones and different markers of what had happened in this place as of recent.

Mace, Qui-gon, Tahl and Obi-wan were being marched through the main hallway, surrounded by Skeleton Guards, as best as they could call them, and their Captor; Jahan, leading the way.

"Where are we going?" Mace asked from his spot in front, he was nearest to Jahan.

"Why to meet my brother. He's so wanted to meet the Jedi of this time and see how weak you've become." Jahan said, the same hint of dark humor in his voice. "And you are quite weak compared to us."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Mace said impassively. "Jedi are of the Light. Light is stronger than the Dark."

"I would not be so sure of that" Jahan snickered. "We've seen your Channel, she's quite a scared little thing. Not much of a fighter."

Mace looked back at the other confused then back up to Jahan. "Our Channel?"

"You will understand all soon!" Jahan pulled open a large wooden door, leading into a large chamber room. It faintly reminded the others of the Council Chambers on Coruscant with a bit more primitive look to it. Just what was this place?

"Than! Than I've returned without Guests!" Jahan called out into the empty space.

For a while nothing happened, but the building sense of evil did start to grow in the room. Obi-wan found himself standing closer to his Master, the feel of death and cold against his skin reminded him too much of his dream.

Soon a dark cloud rose from the middle of the floor, at that Obi-wan the inside of his cloak sleeves feeling this was where his nightmare was going to come true. Red eyes opened and stared at the Jedi, all them standing in silent awe of what they were watching.

"So these are the Jedi of this time?" the voice rumbled and echoed along the walls.

"Yes, brother!" Jahan called up to the smoke.

"Even weaker than the girl channel. Such a waste, I was so hoping for a challenge when I embarked on this journey."

"We cannot have all we wish for Brother." Jahan bowed his head.

"I suppose not." The eyes focused on the Jedi before him. "Jedi, why have you come here?"

"We were following someone who kidnapped two of out own." Qui-gon spoke up. "He came here."

"Yes, the male with the Channel. You don't understand Jedi, his and her being here is your Force defending itself against us, and now you too will be a causality of this little war."

"What war?" Mace spoke, trying to fit together the pieces of the puzzle.

"Why the war between Light and Dark, you as a Jedi know of the Dark and fight it do you not?"

"The Sith have been dead for centuries." Mace scoffed.

The laughter was loud and seemed to shake the foundation of the Tower. The red eyes closed momentarily and then reopened to stared down at Mace. "The Sith are nothing more than imposters of the Darkness. We are the true Dark Siders. We who can call it to us and use it as a tool, teacher and weapon. You shall learn all you wish soon Jedi. Jahan, take them to the others, they shall enjoy their bickering for a while."

"Yes Than." Jahan bowed.

The dark cloud disappeared into nothingness and the four Jedi were ushered away by their escorts. The winding hallways were confusing and getting worse and worse structure wise. Finally they reached a large stone door, seemingly sealed shut by some force.

Jahan stepped forward and held out his hand for a minute or two and the door swung open effortlessly. The corpses leading them shoved each Jedi into the space and Jahan stood at the doorway watching once the last one was in. "Enjoy your company, guests. When my brother decides it's time to decide who actually is the strongest I will come for you again."

And the door slammed shut as well as three bodies fell from the air.

"I wish he'd just hold us in place not float us in the air and drop us like bags." Bant moaned.

Mace, Qui-gon, Obi-wan and Tahl looked over and saw Bant, Telly and Xanatos rubbing at either ankles, heads or bottoms. They looked at each other then stood at the ready.

"Bant, Telly get over here." Obi-wan said, catching glimpse of them. "We maybe stuck in the same room with him but you're safer with us."

"Yes, and you." Mace said lowly towards Xanatos. "Stay where you are."

"Strange, it seems to me we're all prisoners here, Master Windu." Xanatos sneered a bit, keeping his hand where it rested on Telly's shoulder.

"I'm safer with Xani." Telly said confidently, standing in front of Xanatos.

The tension that filled the room escalated as did the confusion from the four Jedi. Mace just stood shocked at hearing those words come from Telly's mouth, Qui-gon couldn't believe it, nor could Obi-wan.

Tahl was the only one that could speak. "Telly, dear, what are you talking about?"

Telly looked up at Xanatos briefly then turned back to Tahl. "You promise to listen to me?"

"Of course." Tahl nodded. She was wondering exactly what Telly would say and if it meant giving her their full attention without interruptions then she would give it. The girl was acting strangely from her normal shy, quiet demeanor. A few seconds ago she spoke firmly and defensively and now she sounded like a little girl.

Telly made no move to start talking and just stared at Tahl for a few moments. Bant she barely glanced at and then she settled on the men. Mace in particular. She looked down for a few seconds, then looked up at Tahl. "Only you." She said quietly. "They won't listen,"

"Telly it would be better if we all heard what you have to say so we can understand what you know."

"I know it would be better." Telly sighed. "But he alone," she pointed at Mace. "will be too disturbing. He will not listen to me, he'll believe what his own mind it telling him right now. Trust me Master Tahl, I'm stressed enough as it is, if he pushes the right buttons I'll turn on him."

"You wouldn't turn on anyone." Obi-wan said without waiting.

"Trust me." Telly said directly to Tahl, ignoring what Obi-wan had said.

Tahl sighed and looked over at Bant, feeling that she trusted Telly then so should she. "Alright then." She answered walking over to where Telly and Xanatos stood.

The others looked to Bant, thinking she could answer their questions but she could not. She didn't know what was happening; she couldn't even guess. All she knew was Telly would stick beside Xanatos in this, Telly was loyal to the very end to whom ever she decided to stand by.

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A few hours later, Tahl walked back over to where Qui-gon and the others had decided to sit themselves while Telly explained herself to at least Tahl. Telly and Xanatos now sat over leaned against a corner, Telly's head resting on the older man's chest, a hand resting lightly on her back. Tahl walked back over with a slightly confused but a bit more of an accepting look on her face.

She sat down with them and looked straight at Mace. "Don't go near her Mace."

"What have I done to her." Mace asked, looking over at Yaddle's Padawan.

"You haven't done anything Mace you're just awful at shielding your emotions." Tahl smiled a bit. "She's a strong Empath and since you walked in this room you've been irritating her. That and she knows no matter what you do to shield your emotions, your dislike for Xanatos is still going to get through. Qui-gon's as well."

So what else is going on? Exactly why is she and Xanatos so," Qui-gon looked back over at the two, still wondering when he was going to wake up from the dream he was having. "close?"

"That's where things get more complicated and well, she's right you wouldn't have listened to her." Tahl rubbed her neck. "She and Xanatos are both some different kind of Force Sensitive, as she put it to me. She showed me, she's right there is something different about her Force Presence, but it's just.just hard to accept that's all."

"What's different about her?" Obi-wan looked over at Telly. "I mean she's really quiet normally, not really the kind of person you'd think was different from us."

"There's a reason for that silence of her's Obi-wan, she lost a friend when she was young. The Friend was the outgoing one she was the shy one and they also shared a type of bond that allowed them to share each other's strong points. Telly could be as confident as the girl and the girl could make good use of Telly's good sense. Now the girl apparently was what She and Xanatos are." Tahl stopped to look around. "And somehow it's all about their Force signature and what they can do that we can't."

"The small little chain. Like part of his Force Signature is linked to something else." Qui-gon said lowly. He remembered the small little difference in Xanatos' Force signature from his past. He just thought it was something unique to Xanatos and didn't mean anything.

"Yes that's it." Tahl nodded. "They both have it, and apparently, as Telly says so do those two that are holding us here."

"So they are what Telly and Xanatos are?"

"Yes, with one difference." Tahl winced a bit, bracing herself for the outburst sure to come. "As hard as this will be to swallow, here Xanatos is a good guy, as is Telly."

"WHAT?" Mace and Qui-gon nearly said in unison.

Mace went on. "You can't be serious! He's. he's."

"Mace calm down. Telly explained what happened to him to me." Tahl looked back over to the girl who was now watching them from her spot.

"Oh becoming evil just happened to him." Mace scoffed, looking over to Qui- gon briefly.

"Just listen to what she told me. No wonder she said you wouldn't listen." Tahl reprimanded. "She said that those with their type of gift, left unpaired, do tend to go the way that Xanatos did. Without what she calls balance to their own side the person does loose themselves. That's why he's relatively quiet, and leaving us alone. She's there and she in fact balances him and vice versa."

Alone, Bant sat, watching Tahl, Mace and Qui-gon, trying to figure out what was going on both with Telly and Xanatos as well as with their captors. She was still a bit annoyed at Mace, he assumed Xanatos had messed with their heads and she of course knew that wasn't true. The worst he had done beside kidnapping them was drugging them.

Tahl hadn't really acknowledged her either, the Blind Master still was having a hard time accepting a Padawan though the Force had pulled the two together. Bant just didn't feel like she was a priority so she stayed away and watched the group talk. It was getting interesting though, Tahl had just said nearly all she had heard spoken in the ship on their way here.

"This is insane." Mace shook his head. "What are we supposed to do then? Does she know about what we're supposed to do?"

Tahl felt a bit of Telly's initial wariness of the Council Member become justified. "Mace quiet down, she's not claiming to know everything or know better than you. She just knows what's going on and what she knows about herself and Xanatos."

"That doesn't help us any." Mace sighed.

"Mace Something tells me something is about to happen sooner or later without our having to do anything." Tahl leaned up against a wall. "Force willing it won't be as devastating as I think it will be."

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Telly sat watching the group of Jedi across the room, some mulling over information, one staring at her as if she'd grown an extra head and the other one feeling like she had been left out in the cold, alone. The only one in the room slightly happy or content where she was; was herself.

Xanatos was actually sleeping lightly beside her, his mind finally giving out to fatigue and his own demons. He was running between being the evil master-mind the people across the room saw him as and being the person she knew. He didn't know who he was right now and she knew from experience that was confusing as well as taxing.

He'd find himself again. In the end.

Turning to face the other person in the room trying to figure herself and others out, Telly watched as Bant conflicted with several emotions running through her. She was sitting off, by herself watching her Master for the most part, simmering on angry and annoyed at the master for pushing her away and not even acknowledging her.

Telly too was surprised at the lack of Tahl's attention to Bant. She'd just been kidnapped and it memory served her out of her reach for at least a week. Tahl acted as if her more important concern right now was why she had sided with Xanatos and what the two dark siders were up to.

Telly had to admit she played a small part in Bant's misery to. She had spoken to Tahl, explained herself to her, but hadn't in the least made the attempt to do so to Bant. She couldn't help that though, she knew Bant would grasp it, it was just a small amount of her fear showing. If she told Bant there was the slight chance of losing contact with her. There was the chance that Bant would just side step her thinking her alliance with Xanatos was her turning her back on the Jedi. As with the Masters, Telly didn't care what they thought.

Speaking of which Mace and Qui-gon sat speaking in hushed tones, over what Tahl had no doubt told them. Qui-gon was as about as confused and divided as Xanatos was right now. He flip-flopped from utter denial that Xanatos could return to being good and of the light and then accepting there had been a significant change. A small part of him did believe it, she knew he did somewhere.

Mace, she shuddered, Mace just was a jumbled bunch of thoughts she couldn't quite sort out. He was looking for an escape mostly, but in turn his focus was on Xanatos and any slight movement or threat from him. Of all of them, she feared him the most, what would he do to her once they returned home. Or if they got home? Would he tell Yaddle of her refusal to cooperate, and her siding with Xanatos? Would Yaddle openly dismiss her for all she had just done?

Not that it mattered much now. She had Xanatos, even if the Jedi didn't see him fit to teach her anything. In truth and had things gone well Xanatos would have been her Master, was meant to be her Master. Yaddle had taken her out of great kindness and some fondness for the girl but somehow she could see Yaddle would agree that a strong training bond was not between them.

Tahl was battling her need to comfort Bant and keeping her mind on the here and now. Telly wished she could just reach out and slap the both of them and shove them towards each other but then if she started doing things like that Mace would probably flip out or go back to believing Xanatos had complete control over her.

She finally turned her eyes on Obi-wan. He was the most confusing of them all. He just sat there, staring at her and Xanatos as if willing the understanding to just come to him. If he looked hard enough he'd see it to. Nothing about who Xanatos used to be, though it was constantly at the back of his mind, no confused separate views of Telly, nothing that betrayed his thoughts or emotions. Telly was grateful for that much, Obi- wan was the only one out of the group that was really masking himself well.

:Vision Master for sure: Sadie suddenly sprang up, to distract her from her thoughts. :The reason he's quiet is this all seems utterly too familiar to him. He's seen a portion of what could be, and just might be.:

:Why doesn't that surprise me.: Telly sighed. :He's always was looking forward never backward or now.:

:That one, what I wouldn't give to just reach out and slap HIM!: Sadie chuckled. :Nothing but a single-minded.:

:Sadie!: Telly stopped her. :Remember what I told you about Council Members!:

:What? You're already thinking about running off with Xani after this is all over.:

:Yes but I rather it be on my terms, not being openly dismissed in front of the whole order.: Telly snorted. :Show off:

:You know me too well: Sadie's voice filled with a mischievous tone. :Why not show them what you are? In a sense I should say.:

Telly sat up a bit, grabbing Xanatos' attention and he opened a sapphire blue eye to watch her. :What do you mean?:

:Well it satisfies my need to show them all up, and it fulfills your need for a bit of practice.: Sadie explained :Remember the globe I told you about?:

:Yes:

:Smaller version of it. Just to show you what it is, and give those prudes over there a shock: Sadie paused a few seconds then came back :And this time we use Xani. He needs a bit of practice to wouldn't you say?:

Telly grinned back at Xanatos and nodded. "Yep he does."

"Oh no." Xanatos groaned. "Not again."

"no no," Telly laughed. "Not getting lifted and dropped again by Than or Jahan, just a little practice run if you will." She whispered to him, leaning close so not to alert the others to what they were about to do. Obi-wan would know but he wouldn't say anything till they started doing something interesting.

"What do you mean?"

"Sadie's going to give you a crash course on what to do." Telly smiled. "You just sit there, don't worry. I'm the one going to be getting all the looks."

"What are you two planning?" Xanatos smirked.

"Just a little display for our friends over there." Telly giggled a bit and Xanatos smiled even broader.

"Oh you two are evil."

"Well duh." Telly rolled her eyes. "Now all you got to do is close your eyes and listen to Sadie, she'll tell you what to do.

"Alright." Xanatos said, closing his eyes.

:Welcome to learning your gift 101: Sadie laughed. :You'll get the hang of it quick don't worry. Now, focus on your own Force Signature.:

She waited patiently till Xanatos had focused on where he needed to be. Then went on. :Now, follow that small, link there till it comes to an abrupt little stop.:

:The one that nearly feels like a bond, right?:

:Yes sir:

Sadie and Telly 'watched' as he let his awareness follow the small little link to the wall. He stopped and reached out to it, instinctively and Sadie smiled to Telly :I told ya he'd catch on quick:

:I didn't doubt you:

:That's right Xani, reach out, touch it basically and ask for access.:

:Ask the wall?:

:Well yeah. The wall.: Sadie giggled, knowing that wall was really just the barrier that separated Xani from the Force when he didn't need to channel it.

Soon the wall disappeared and a sea of color momentarily made him want to flinch away but Sadie instantly told him no, it would relax soon and soon he could open his eyes. First thing he noticed was the change. He wasn't in the dreary room with four Jedi staring him down from the other side he was somewhere else.

Around him was currents of color and warmth. He wasn't really there, he just kinda floated there, transparent and out of place in the sea of color. "Dear Force."

"That's right." Another figure approached him. "The Force."

She had long blonde hair, blowing gently around her face and shoulders as she stood in front of him. Blue eyes smiled at him, as did a relatively young face. She grinned again and bowed. "Master Xanatos, a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Sadie I take it." Xanatos smiled back.

"Yep." The girl smiled. "Turn around and you can still see as if you weren't here. One little side note before I go to help Telly a bit, see that color below you, the sapphire blue?"

Xanatos looked down and nodded.

"Don't stray from it, stand on it and only it. Otherwise you lose yourself to the Force, got it?"

"Got it." Xanatos watched the girl fade away into nothingness and soon felt Telly's mind touching his. It was a strange feeling at first but then one his mind remembered. Brief was their last encounter, but not brief enough to prevent this from forming between them. It was similar to the bond between a Master and Padawan but different in it's own way.

Sadie tried not to smile at Xanatos' realization of the connection between himself and Telly. It was strange to him, just as all of it was but he'd get use to it, they'd make sure of it. She turned her attention back to Telly, as she did as she normally would with her.

:Okay now, you take the Force you feel inside and basically just push it to the surface, in this case, though your hand.:

Telly took just a small amount of the force and did as Sadie said. Soon she felt her hand getting warm and she opened her eyes, watching the flat palm she held out in front of her.

:Just a bit further:

Finally she felt the warmth pass through her skin and there was a small tiny globe of light sitting in her hand. It was warm, and felt like the Force only this time she could see it, it was tangible. Sadie showed Xanatos back to himself, noting Telly had gotten what she needed and he could come see.

Soon he was leaning up watching the globe as well. "Okay, that's it, things have just gotten weird." He muttered.

Strands of the light leapt from the globe intertwining themselves around her fingers or sometimes running up her arm. Telly was too entranced with staring at it to have heard Xanatos or noticed that Obi-wan was about to tell everyone else what they were doing.

Obi-wan stared at the small globe of light, resting neatly it seemed, in Telly's hand. She had suddenly sat up a few minutes ago, looking as if she had something to say or to do and then began speaking with Xanatos in whispers. He had been interested of course but didn't think he should tell Mace and Qui-gon. They were probably just talking anyway.

Now things were different. He reached over, not taking his eyes away from the light and tugged on Qui-gon's robe sleeve and kept tugging on it till he got a response from his Master.

"Obi-wan, what is it?" Qui-gon asked turning his head to look at his apprentice and got his questioned answered without Obi-wan having to speak a word. "Mace.."

The dark Jedi and Tahl looked up as well and focused on what Obi-wan and Qui-gon were staring at. "What in the world." Mace whispered.

Bant moved from her spot to the corner to get a better look at what Telly was holding. Traces of the earlier annoyance and hurt were still there but not as strong as before. She now was too interested to think about it. "Telly?"

"Shhh, you'll make me loose it." Telly grinned, reaching her other hand up to touch the globe. The warm light pulsed at her touch and she smiled over to Xanatos. "This is too weird."

:That shows you it is of the light, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to touch it at all.: Sadie spoke up, enjoying all the wide eyed attention they were now getting. :In truth this is a smaller version of what it really is. You start this small and just keep feeding energy into it until it's larger.:

"Wicked." Telly whispered forgetting she wasn't talking to Xanatos or anyone else in the room, she was talking to Sadie.

"What is it?" Obi-wan asked coming a few feet away from herself and Xanatos. It didn't feel like it was something bad to him, it felt just like the Force did.

"A Force Globe." Telly smiled up at him. "Never done it before."

"Then how are you doing it now?" Obi-wan asked reaching out a hand. A small strand of light moved and twirled up his finger and he jerked it back in shock. "It's warm."

"Yes it's warm. It's Light." Telly chuckled using the Force to push it up so it floated. "And I had help that's how I'm doing it now."

"The girl you spoke to me about?" Tahl asked moving up beside Obi-wan, also reaching out to examine this small light ball.

"Yes. Sadie." Telly whispered, maneuvering the ball a bit so it circled around her hand. "I think I like this."

:I would hope you would.: Sadie laughed. :It's what's going to save us:

:Soon?: Telly asked, wondering just how much longer they had to wait before the brothers got themselves in a mood to fight them.

:Soon.:



TBC.....