Darkest Dawn
He stood half concealed in shadows, hesitant to approach the tall man marching purposefully up to the huge entrance, his already greying black mane now streaked with tendrils of white. He had aged during the past year, visibly so, and it was, in a way, quite shocking for the watcher to see his decline so clearly. Noone knew how old he was, he just seemed to have been around all the time, and the watcher remembered that there was talk of a connection between this man and the Dark Lord Exar Kun. Which was plain impossible. Exar Kun had died over two thousand years ago. And even though the watcher was well aware of the fact that his former master was wiser than anyone else alive he also realized that his glory days were over. Still, the man's movements were graceful and economic and his pale green eyes had lost none of their cold fire. Striding up to the soldier standing in front of the fortress' entrance though the tall newcomer was stopped short.
"Ah, Lord Kell. You are back. I hear that the mission was a total failure."
Back-handing the bulky warrior Roj Kell put his face very close to the other's: "The mission was successful, Reisor, so shut up."
"Sure, sure. I take it then that the others did not survive?"
The Sith simply snorted and shot a frown at the young man who was standing not far away and was watching the two of them closely.
"What is he doing here?" Kell snapped.
"Patiently awaiting your return."
Detaching himself from the wall the man came over to join them, his head held high and his eyes clear and unafraid.
"The Dark Lord wishes to speak to you," he continued just as calmly as he had begun.
"I know."
Striding off in the direction of the fortress' High Chamber Roj Kell ignored the man following on his heels and entered the gloomy room swiftly, only to scoff at the tiny windows way up the giant walls that let no more than a drizzle of daylight into the tomb-like room. How he hated this place. He did not break stride as two guards stepped forward to keep him at a respectful distance from the throne sitting at the far end of the chamber. Pushing them aside brutally he walked up to the man glowering at him from underneath dark brows.
"Roj Kell, an honor that you should grace us with your presence again."
"Spare me. What do you want?"
"Old man, we have discussed your proposition at length."
"Since none of your councillors are present I can well imagine how these discussions went. You are a fool, Kaan. I knew that from the beginning." Turning around again Roj Kell was fuming.
"Wait," the Dark Lord called after him, prompting the ancient Sith to look over his shoulder disinterestedly.
"What is it now?"
"I do not want you to cross me again. You will leave."
"And I would advise you to not stand in my way, my lord."
"The same goes for you. I hear that your companions died. At whose hands?"
"Mine. Only mine. And if you dare to open your mouth to me again you will share their fate."
Whirling around once more Roj Kell strode out of the chamber, itching to get his hands on whoever made the slightest mistake or showed only the tiniest disrespect. But everyone wisely kept out of his sight. The young man was still following him, silent as a shadow and just as unnerving. Kell ignored him at first, but before they reached his quarters he stepped in front of the other Sith, blocking his way, his pale eyes burning in barely concealed anger.
"Now, either tell me what you want or else be off."
"With all respect, Lord Kell, your behavior is intolerable."
"My behavior? On the contrary. It is Kaan who is acting like a complete idiot. What he is planning now will end in disaster. Heed my words, Lord Bane. This will be the end of the Sith."
"I do not think so-"
"You do not think so! Marvellous. I need not remind you that over the past thousand years nothing has changed. Nothing! We are still fighting! A shameless waste of time. And now he wants to add another battle to the countless thousands that have come before. I am sick of this, Bane. I am thoroughly sick of it."
"Then you are really leaving?"
"I have no choice. It is either that or else I will do the Jedi's work for them."
"Lord Kell, I for one value your input, as you know very well. And there are others who would follow you if only you would stop this foolish crusade. You could lead us."
"I am no leader, Bane. I have ceased to be one a very long time ago."
The younger man gave him a long, hard look, seemingly dissatisfied with his answer. But in the end he bowed his head in aquiesance. "Then I wish you a safe journey, wherever it may take you."
"Thank you. One last thing, Bane. Try to stay alive. You know how much I hate the waste of good ressources."
"Do not worry. I will make sure that there will be none of that anymore."
"I will be looking forward to that. And now you should leave. As it is Kaan will be hard enough on you for having been my apprentice. Take care."
"You too, Lord Kell."
As the door closed between them Bane felt a pang of guilt and regret flash through his heart. But he squshed thsoe feelings immediately. It was not as if this was unexpected. Roj Kell had never stuck to the rules and he had not given a damn about authority. He was totally immersed in his own philosophy and some of it had brushed off on Bane himself. But the young Sith held his special views on his master's teachings, some of them too dangerous to discuss even with Kell. Oh no. This had to remain secret to the very end. Turning around he strode back down the hallway and made his way through the fortress to seek the quiet and peace of his own quarters. He had been busy while Roj Kell had been away on his mission, and now was the time to move his plan further.
Dropping down on a cushion next to the small table by the window Bane closed his eyes slowly. His offer had been serious, but he had already expected Kell to refuse. And unknowingly the old Sith had sealed his own fate with this refusal. Bane knew his former mentor well enough to realize that he would never agree to his plans. Ever. But then, the young Lord would not dare to tell Kell that he could not see an end to the fighting without getting rid of their enemies once and for all. A new beginning was needed, one that Roj Kell would not approve of. Telling him of his plan would only get one of them killed, possibly both, and Bane had already decided that he would survive. And the Sith would live on with him.
Roj Kell was right in one thing though: the Dark Lord was a fool. Kaan had decided to strike at the Jedi once more and preparations for the battle ahead were keeping everyone occupied and busy. Luckily for Bane, who had all the liberty and privacy he needed for his own endeavor. Noone had asked where he had been those two months ago, while Roj Kell had been away, and not only because he was considered too young to take responsibility. Kaan was shunning him deliberately, testimony to the hostile feelings connecting the Dark Lord to Kell. Maybe the young Sith should hate his master for being the cause of all this discrimination, but on the contrary, Bane was grateful for the stigma that allowed him to remain virtually invisible to the others. Of course it also meant that he had no real friends and allies, despite what he had just told Roj Kell.
True, there were others who believed this whole affair a most foolish endeavor, but they would neither follow Bane nor Kell. He did not need them though. Over the years in service of the old Sith he had learned a few things about strategy and tactics, and about dealing with unwilling allies and willing enemies. Roj Kell was, apart from being hopelessly idealistic, a very adept strategist. His shrewd plans always worked out, against all odds, and sometimes their results made themselves known only after decades. He was patient, very much so, and cold to the point of not caring for anyone, not even himself. What he did care for though was the survival of the Sith.
And in this they had a common goal. But where Kell wanted the Sith to be something more than a bickering bunch of egomaniacs Bane had realized that they could never become a true power without a very radical change. Alone noone could accomplish this, that was, not if one stood alone against the rest of the Sith. He had seen his master fail at that time after time and it was frustrating to see that Kell was still not giving up or was even inclined to try another way. But Bane thought differently. And he had put a plan in motion that would allow him to single-handedly change the course the fate of the Sith was taking right now. First though, he had to make sure that noone stood in his way, not even Roj Kell. Especially not Roj Kell. If the old Sith ever caught scent of that plan he would try to prevent it. And Bane would regret very much having to kill him. Well, maybe not that much. Opening his eyes again he smiled into the gloom, confident that he had done the right thing. And if not, noone would ever know but himself.
Standing at the window Roj Kell was looking out into the open longingly, knowing that he would have to say farewell to yet another part of his life. It had been like this over the past two thousand years, a neverending journey that had taken him a few hundred times across this galaxy and even beyond. But somehow he felt that this time it was special. He would not come back here, that he was sure of. There had been something once to fill the emptiness, but that was so long ago that he could barely remember what it was. He had been standing like this then too, the morning sun a mere newborn in the brightness of yet another day, but so very old at the same time. The day was always old, just like the night. And he had aged too. He could feel that his mind was slowly losing its edge. It had become harder for him to concentrate and there was too much to take into account, too many memories that made it difficult to find the fitting tactics. Life went on. And Roj Kell knew what that meant: It was time for him to fade into the background and leave matters to the next generation. He smiled a bit at the irony of it all. Bane was good, a worthy heir, but there was one problem. The young Sith would be all on his own in this.
"Lord Kell?"
He turned around slowly to face the two guards standing in the doorway coolly.
"We are here to escort you to your ship."
"Of course."
Taking up his duffle bag he followed them slowly with measured steps. Noone was there to see him off, not that he was surprised. But somehow the eerie silence was like a bad omen to him. He strode up the landing ramp of the unnamed transport briskly, suddenly feeling his restlessness return. Time to leave. Take-off was performed with age-old routine and once he was in hyperspace Roj Kell decided to meditate on the future and what it would bring for him.
Hurrying down through the dull corridors of the giant warship Saber Dawn Hagen Dycos
was barely able to calm himself. He was awfully excited over this assignment, and no wonder. After all, this was to be the first combat mission the Council had allowed his master to take him on. They had left Coruscant some ten days ago and he had been cooped up aboard the Dawn ever since. And Master Kattewa was not someone who would allow an apprentice to go exploring while there were still lessons to teach. So the trip was spent with the same boring lectures as in the Jedi Temple, making Hagen more than eager to finally be out and doing something. But he needed to keep this euphoric feelings from his master. Which would not be easy. Kattewa was a Hortek, a species that was naturally adept at telepathy, telepathy in a different sense than a Jedi mind trick. And he kept a sharp eye on his young Padawan.
"Hagen!" Skidding to a halt the boy half turned toward the giant alien suddenly looming out of the door to his quarters. "You are late."
"Sorry, Master," Hagen answered, blushing slightly.
He was fourteen and a skinny young man with almost white blonde hair and startling green eyes, as brilliant as emeralds lit with an inner fire. Master Kattewa had told him once that he was glowing all over with life and color, and Hagen himself had found it often that people trusted him more easily than others, were spellbound by his vibrant presence and quick movements. Master Kattewa said that he should be careful about that. Of course the young apprentice knew what the Hortek was referring to: the Dark Side. But he was not afraid of that. Hagen believed with all his heart that doing good would reflect back on the Jedi and would earn them the respect of the people. One had to start small and be content with accomplishing the seemingly unimportant things that made people happy. Just that. He did not crave fame or anything like that. He just wanted to help. Sometimes Master Kattewa was despairing over his innocence, but he had told Hagen once that he should stay that way too and never lose that idealistic outlook on life. And that was why Hagen was not afraid of being reprimanded for his eagerness and excitement either.
"You will be sorry, boy, no doubt about that!" the Hortek snarled. "Come. The battle-master wants to see us before we go off board."
He followed his master slowly to the battle room where the captain and the strategists were already waiting for them. It was a mixed assembly of various species and sexes, and for once Hagen was glad to fit in somewhere. Kattewa must have felt his relief, for he ruffled his hair affectionately, embarrassaing the youth no end without seeming to notice it. But the Jedi Master seldom did anything without intent.
"Master Kattewa, your mission is clear. We will give you five days to prevent the inevitable. Is that timeframe acceptable?"
"Totally. If I might add, it would be best if we were left with some back-up."
Battle-master Lockba, a Mon Calamari female, swiveled her huge eyes at the viewport to throw a pensive look at the fleet amassed outside. Then she shook his head gravely and sighed.
"Impossible, Master Kattewa. We will need all of our troops. That is why you were ordered here, after all. You have to keep them off our backs, distract them. That is your mission, and I cannot spare anyone else."
"Thank you for your confidence."
"Another thing: your Padawan is very young and inexperienced, maybe you would want to leave him behind where it is safer."
Hagen shot a pleading glance up at the Hortek's alien face. His master shook his head vehemently before he answered. "No way, Commander Lockba. I took him with me on purpose. He is here to learn. And he will learn a lot."
"Yes, that is for sure. Take care. And may the Force be with you. One last thing though. If capture is at all possible I want you to try and secure the last of their kind."
"Poetic justice, Commander?"
"No. These orders come directly from the Council."
"Then why was I not informed?"
"Because this mission is top secret. I am the only one who knows what we are going to do here. You have to trust me. Can you do that?"
"I guess I have no choice."
Their eyes met for a long moment and Hagen almost forgot to breathe at what he could see in that steady gaze. Suddenly Master Kattewa stepped forward and lay a hand on the Mon Calamari's shoulder. Leaning forward he seemed to whisper something in her ear that made the commander stand up straighter. Lockba nodded at the Hortek, inclining her huge head slowly, as if a heavy burden had just been lifted from her shoulders. Turning away Kattewa waved his Padawan on. And Hagen was very quick to scurry out after him, not daring to even think about what he might have told the battle-leader.
"Hagen."
"Yes, Master?"
"Get our belongings and meet me at the forward hangar. Hurry."
"Yes, Master Kattewa," the boy breathed and scrambled off, almost glad for being out of the Hortek's sight. This way he could ponder the exciting news in quiet for a while. This would be grand, he just knew. They would be able to do something good, something that would benefit the Jedi and all of the beings in the galaxy. At least that was what Master Kattewa had told him. Actually Hagen had not the slightest idea why they were here, right in the middle of nowhere. But it had to be important. Everyone said so. And he was glad to be part of it.
Roj Kell drew back the hyperspace lever smoothly and felt his mind sharpen in anticipation. Nothing though could have prepared him for the sight greeting him next. Space was crowded with ships of all sizes, freighters, yachts and troop carriers. Most majestic though were the giant warships cruising on the opposite side of the huge space station quietly spinning around its axis in the middle of it all. But Roj Kell was left no time to recover from his shock. Almost immediately six fighters came careening toward him, and his comm was blinking urgently with an incoming call. He hesitated before answering, calculating his chances for escape. A look at the ship's scanners though told him that he had none. The whole vicinity was crawling with warships and they held a jealous watch over any of the newcomers, as he could easily see. Hitting the switch he bit back a sigh.
"Unidentified shuttle, this is Red Blue Flight. You have entered a secure military area and we must ask you to follow our instructions closely. Is that understood?"
"Understood."
"Good. You have two choices now. Either we will escort you over to one of the marked off areas or else you can land at the station."
"I need fuel, so I'd prefer landing."
"Very well. Please see to it that your weapons system is disabled and follow us in."
"What is all this about? As far as I know Thando Station is a neutral and independently run company."
"You understand that we cannot answer any of your questions. The regulations on Thando Station are as followed: you will land and leave your ship to be searched. You will identify and registrate yourself at customs and you will follow the instructions of the ground personnel. If you want to leave again you will file a request with port regulations. Any resistance will be met with maximum force. Is that clear?"
"Clear, Red Blue Flight."
"Good. Then off we are."
Roj Kell had a very bad feeling about this as he guided his ship deftly through the dense traffic after his escort. They had taken him inside their formation and he knew that he was caught. Especially considering the fact that the station was fairly humming with the Force. There were Jedi here, and a lot of them too. A whole lot. Pressing his lips together tightly he frowned at the station looming ahead. He did not like the feel of this at all. This whole affair reeked of a very nasty trap. Landing the ship on its assigned place he felt the holding clamps lock around the landing struts, sealing his fate. He picked up his duffle-bag and slung it over his shoulder easily. Then he made a not so short stop-over in the galley before he finally opened the entry hatch. Outside five soldiers were already impatiently waiting for him.
"Over here," one of them snapped and Kell complied. He was led toward the customs area where a few other newcomers where already waiting in line. Apparently not many people wanted to visit the occupied station, but unfortunately Kell needed fuel to get out of here at all. When it was his turn he stepped through the scanner without any problems and smiled at the customs agent, an android. Too bad. There was no way he could bend this one's circuits to his will. He would have to play this differently then, if need be.
"Your name."
"Roj Kell."
"Your I.D."
He swiped the chip card through the assigned reader.
"Your business."
"I just need some fuel."
"Acceptable. Weapons check negative. You may pass."
He walked away unconcernedly, keeping his mind tightly shielded. And it did not take him long to find the office of port regulations. Striding into the brightly lit room Kell immediately identified the officer on duty and addressed him as politely as he could.
"My ship needs a refill. I want to leave as soon as possible."
"Then I guess you will leave in five days. If you are lucky."
"What?"
"Government has reserved all fuel for their ships. You've seen the fleet haven't you?"
"Of course. And they pay well?"
"Sorry, bribery won't work. Too many controls. I don't want trouble, you understand?"
"Very well. You will set my ship on top of the list. In five days I will be the first to get my tanks filled, understood?"
"Yep. That's okay. Since you are willing to pay..."
"Do not worry about that."
Whirling around to leave the office Roj Kell was seething inwardly. But the anger did not last. There was nothing he could do to change the situation anyway. So he would be stuck for the next five days on a space station that was crawling with Jedi and Republic soldiers. He needed to be careful then, and first of all he needed some lodgings. It was forbidden to stay aboard a grounded ship and he did not want anyone to take notice of his presence, after all. There was just one problem: the fleet amassed around the station could only mean that the Republic was staging a massive strike against a powerful enemy. There had been no war throughout the past decades and Roj Kell was unaware of any renewed disputes inside the Republic. These troops were not here to keep the peace. And there was only one target that could warrant such an immense mobilization of firepower.
But if he tried to contact the Sith he could not be certain that the transmission would even reach its destination. The warships could jam all frequencies and catch any outgoing transmission. That was the curse of modern technology. And Roj Kell most certainly did not want to contact Kaan any other way. The Dark Lord would attack him rather than listen to what he had to say. And besides, he could hardly use the Dark Side around so many Jedi. At the very least he could try to raise Bane, but Kaan would not trust his disciple either, that was for sure. Well. Maybe he should not worry too much too soon. First he had to find out where the Republic was going to strike.
Three hours later he was still searching for someplace to stay, but apparently there was more folk stranded on Thendo Station than he had anticipated at first. And there was another nasty surprise waiting. Noone was allowed to leave without special clearance and that was almost impossible to get. So, even if he did not need fuel he would not be allowed to leave again without permission. That security was this tight only increased his suspicions. This was a trap, and he could already guess for whom it had been designed. The Republic was well aware of its enemy's capabilities and they were undoubtedly expecting scouts to venture into Thendo Station to find out about the Republic's strike plans. And he was caught in the middle of this massive web, wholly innocent, but the perfect suspect. Roj Kell would have to be very careful indeed.
Thando Station was a brightly lit maze of corridors and open plazas under the protection of massive transparisteel bubbles that allowed the visitor a spectacular view on the universe or in this case on the ships in orbit outside. He had crossed at least six of these plazas by that time and Kell was slightly annoyed at the fact that apparently he would have to pass the night awake and try the next artificial day once more to find some lodgings. By chance he stumbled across a small sign that advertised vacant rooms in one of the lower class levels. Not that he cared about that. All he needed was a bed and a fresher. He reached the small cantina just moments before security closed down the corridors for the night, sealing everyone inside and safely out of the way and out of sight. Stepping into the low-ceilinged front room Roj Kell realized immediately that his being here was no lucky turn of chance. Whoever had planned this trap was a very far-sighted and adept strategist. The other occupants of the room all fell into the general category of possible suspects, not in the sense of common criminals, but something much more sinister. Undoubtedly the other establishments that rented out rooms had been instructed to refuse them and guide them here, a deception just subtle enough to fool a tired traveller. It was, in a way, quite humiliating that Roj Kell had fallen for it too. Walking up to the counter he smiled at the Wolfman acting as receptionist.
"I need a room, if you can spare one."
"You are lucky, mister, you got yourself the last one in town, probably."
"Probably," Kell echoed and accepted the lock card.
"Pay is in advance."
"Certainly. Five days then."
"Sure. Whatever you want."
Hagen was barely able to keep himself from bouncing up and down in his seat with the excitement. But Master Kattewa had admonished him to keep a close watch over his shields and an even closer over the newcomers that entered the low room. So far though the boy had not felt that slight warning tingle in the back of his mind that would signal a danger lurking nearby. And the Hortek at his side, his face hidden inside the deep cowl of his dark cloak, had not stirred either. But what they were going to do if any real suspect appeared the young apprentice was not sure of. Suddenly Kattewa's hand tightened on his forearm, sending a jolt of alarm through the Padawan. Hagen risked a careful and decidedly casual glance at the door and froze.
The man standing at the entrance was fairly humming with power, not in the sense of a Jedi strong in the Force, but of someone who had seen a lot and survived even more. He was tall and lean, his haggard face all edges and angles, and his pale green eyes were what captured the boy's attention first. They were icy cold, as if nothing could surprise this one anymore. His long, greying black hair was bound together at the base of his neck to hang in a thick tail over his back next to a duffle-bag, and he wore the nondescript long robes of travellers anywhere. What was noticable about his attire though was the dull black armor covering his forearms.
The stranger spoke briefly to the Wolfman behind the counter, then accepted a key and payed the bill before leaving the common room, undoubtedly to retreat to his assigned quarters. Shortly after he had vanished the barman came over to the table the two Jedi were occupying and set down two mugs of the local brew in front of them. A tiny slip of paper was wedged underneath one of them and Kattewa read it calmly before letting it vanish somehwere in his sleeve.
Once the bill was payed Kell threw a last look at the gloomy company assembled throughout the cantina in even darker corners before he left in search for his room. Once found he locked the door behind him and gritted his teeth. Flinging the duffle-bag onto the narrow bunk he dropped his cloak next to it before he pushed a combinaton of decorative buttons on the armor covering his left forearm, causing it to click open and reveal a bloody bandage underneath. Then, taking the armor off and cradling the injured limb in his right hand, he ventured over to the fresher and drew out a stool from underneath the single table in the room as he passed. Kell sat down with a sigh and rested his left arm onto the rim of the water basin. Almost immediately hot water came gushing out of the pipe and began filling up. He checked his mental shields again, increasing them some more to keep any nosy Jedi from sensing the pain, then drew the bandage aside carefully.
There had been just one way to get his lightsaber onto the station, and it had worked out nicely. Wedged in between the bones and muscles of his forearm it could pass easily as a bone transplant, and it had passed too, or else he would not be here. The water was close to the boiling point now and Kell fought down the natural urge not to touch it before he dipped his right hand into the scalding heat to desinfect it. Pressing his lips together tightly he bit back a scream of agony and forced himself to endure the pain even longer. Finally he slid his hand into the open wound to retrieve his weapon.
He had to be very careful not to injure any tendons or vital blood vessels. But if anything went wrong it would not be too bad. After all he had been smart enough not to use his sword arm for this deception. Unfortunately he would not be able to use the Force to heal the damage though, since he did not want any Jedi to find out where he was right now. Activating the yellow blade he adjusted the length and heat of the laser carefully before he sealed the wound close with a surgeon's precision. Done. Finally Roj Kell permitted himself a sigh of relief, but almost immediately his eyes narrowed into slits of green ice. He had to warn the Sith, no matter what.
They had a whole bunch of these papers by now and Hagen was a tiny bit curious if any of the names listed there would yield a trail. An hour later the Hortek Jedi Master finally rose and left a pile of credits on the table top before nodding his thanks at the barman. Hagen followed Kattewa quickly down the corridor and into their own room. Two bunks were standing at opposite walls, with a tiny table inbetween. It was sparse, but then, they would not spend too much time here, but outside. At least that was what the young Jedi hoped for.
"Take a seat," the master told him calmly and dropped down on his bunk heavily. "I will give you the names and you will check them. Alright? Good, then let us begin."
But Hagen interrupted him immediately. "Master, I found that one newcomer the most noticable. Maybe we should start with him?"
"A very good point, Hagen. I am impressed."
Blushing slightly the boy bent over his datapad, his hands poised over the keyboard.
"The name he gave was Roj Kell. Look for files and local security check."
"No file and no anomalies," came the prompt answer. They shared a slightly disappointed look.
"Well, let's go on then."
As it turned out Roj Kell was the single one on their list who had a completely clean record. And Hagen knew what that meant.
"Impossible," was Kattewa's only comment. "Maybe we should have a closer look at this one."
The fortress was brimming with life as more and more of his brethren arrived for the council meeting, but Bane hung back a bit, knowing full well that his presence would not be very welcome. Or his advice, for that matter. Kaan strode into the High Chamber with a very arrogant air, one that had undoubtedly been a constant source of annoyance for Roj Kell. He took his seat on the throne-like chair at the far end of the chamber and nodded at the assembly once to start the meeting. First where the warlords and most accomplished warriors who laid out their suggestions for tactics in the impending operation that would be staged from Ruusan.
Next came the more politically inclined Lords who had an interest in seeing certain planets under attack. Kaan listened to it all with a slightly bored expression on his face. But before teh Dark Lord's obvious frustration over this aimless debate could get the better of him Bane decided to make his move.
"If I may," he called out smoothly, enhancing the volume of his voice just a bit to get everyone's attention. Pushing his way through the throng he ignored the curious glances directed his way.
"Bane," Kaan hissed and spat on the floor contemptuously. "I should have known. I am warning you just this once. Do not follow your master's foolish ways. He is only alive because I honor his age and wisdom. I will not be so lenient with you."
"Correction, Lord Kaan," Bane replied coolly, a sardonic smile on his lips. "Roj Kell is alive because you would not dare go against him. But that is beside the point. None of the previous speakers have given even one thought for security. What if the Jedi learn of our plans beforehand? I suggest that we try to find out what it is they are planning themselves."
"A scout? Are you mad? If that one gets captured..."
"We are Sith. None of us would yield anything to the Jedi."
"And maybe you also want to suggest that you are the perfect man for the job? No, thank you. I would rather not trust your loyalty to us."
"That was an insult, wasn't it?" Bane asked icily.
"Damn right, Bane. Get back to where you've come from and not another word out of you. There will be no scouts!"
Retreating again the young Sith almost smiled. So, no spys, no betrayal of his own plans. The Sith would learn too late of that deception, far too late. And Roj Kell would realize that he was trapped solid in his enemies' stronghold. When he had first constructed his plan of action Bane had not been certain what to do to get the old Sith out of the way and the Jedi interested. But this was exactly what they would expect, and capturing a Sith spy would warrant an effort that would keep them occupied for a while and distract them from finding out that they had walked right into a trap. They would attack Ruusan and they would win. Possibly. He had known that Kell would make a stop-over at Thando Station and he had also known that the Jedi were drawing their troops together exactly at the same spot. After all, he had encouraged them to. And so far everything was going as he had planned. Even if Kell found out about his apprentice's betrayal he would have no chance to prevent the inevitable. Actually the old man should be proud of his student. After all, Bane would succeed where he had failed time and again. Today the Sith would leave for their staging area around Ruusan, marching to their deaths like dutiful soldiers.
The next morning saw Roj Kell up early and the minute the nightly curfew was lifted he was out of the door. How he was going to find out about the Jedi's plans he had no idea as of yet, but he would not find an answer cooped up his in lousy room. His left arm still hurt, and he needed some medication fast, a painkiller preferably and something against possible infections. Walking the corridors and plazas he followed the station directory available at almost every corner in a glowing panel that showed the current position and every shop in the vicinity. But he found out very fast that one had to register to get the kind of stuff he needed.
Republic security always seemed a step ahead of him. It was annoyingly frustrating. And he was being followed. He could sense his stalkers lingering just at the edges of his awareness like a bad after taste. They never showed themselves, but they were always present. Apparently though they did not know exactly who and what he was, or else they would have made their move by now. Why they did not simply cash him in for good measure and ask questions later he did not know. Well, he did know. His hunters had no official standing on Thando Station. Most likely they were Jedi. There was just one place where they could have gotten on his trail. The cantina. Very well. Maybe he should keep a closer eye on his fellow residents.
Hagen had managed to rise even earlier than his master, a truly impressive feat, and he badgered the Hortek Master for so long until he was allowed to roma the station on his own for a while. Right now he was admiring the goods laid out inside of a souvenir shop close to the port. There were loads of rubbish, but one item caught his immediate attention. He had seen one like it before, actually, but this one was slightly different. It was a cube covered with intricate floral patterns that Hagen was sure were relayed to whoever hade made the device. A Ho'Din, perhaps, some plant-loving creature anyway, that was for sure.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?"
Hagen whirled around at the sound of a new voice, one that filled the darkened room with a warm light and chiming bells. His jaw dropped open when he recognized the owner of that magical vocal organ. Roj Kell.
"Yes, it is," he stammered, trying to regain his confidence again. "It's a Jedi Holocron."
"I know. As it is, I am a bit of a historian myself, but, alas, no Jedi. How does it work?"
"You take it in the palm of your hand," Hagen demonstrated it carefully and shot an apologetic smile at the shop-keeper, "and then it speaks to you, sort of."
"Speaks to you? But it is a machine, a recording device, am I right?" Kell seemed surprised.
"Hm-hm, in theory yes, but there is a procedure that links it to the Force and recognizes a Jedi and his rank." Squinting at the intricate design of the cube Hagen frowned. "This one is fake, of course. There are no holocrons on the open market."
"You know a lot about these things."
Hagen shrugged: "I guess there is a lot we can learn from history."
"Oh, very true, boy, very true. Don't I know you? I think I saw you in the same cantina where I have my lodgings."
"Err, yes. That is right. I remembered you too, you know?" He giggled foolishly, a bit embarrassed. Man, it was really getting warm in here.
"Ah, I see. What is you name then?"
Automatically the young Jedi put the device down and extended a hand toward the older man, who took it gingerly, then squeezed a bit harder.
"I am Hagen Dycos. And you are?" He felt actually pretty smart because he knew of course, who the man was, but did not tell. The other never took his eyes off him.
"My name is Roj Kell." Letting go of Hagen's hand he took the fake holocron from its perch carefully. "A shame that it is not real. I would have loved to see one in action, so to speak."
"I could show you," the boy blurted out, realizing his mistake when Kell frowned at him suspiciously.
"How come you have a holocron? I though they were not on the market. Oh. Wait. You are a Jedi, am I right? A learner, ah, an apprentice?"
Hagen blushed furiously, then nodded. Was Kell only pretending or was he really just curious? Returning the holocron he nodded at the young Jedi. "I have to be going. But I am certain that we shall meet again."
"Sure. We live in the same house, after all."
"Yes. A good day to you, Hagen Dycos."
"Wait!" Running after him out of the shop the boy smiled at him sheepishly. "You said you are a historian. Well, as you probably have noticed I like history a lot. Maybe you could tell me a few things?"
Roj Kell gave him a slightly incredulous look: "I should warn you to never trust a stranger, Hagen. What would your master say to that? You could find yourself in real trouble being that trusting, you know?"
"He shrugged: "Yes, of course, but I believe that trust will not be met with deceit. One has to have an open heart to perceive what troubles the weak and needy. I will be a Jedi and I want to be a good one."
"A good one, eh? Very laudable. And, does it work?"
Hagen nodded carefully and shot a meaningful glance at the man's left arm. "You are injured," he said quietly.
Kell's features went rigid. For a split-second something very ugly flashed across his pale green eyes, but was replaced immediately by a surprisingly warm fire. "You are a good boy, Hagen. In fact you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. Be careful and try not to get yourself into matters that you are far too young to deal with."
Their eyes met briefly and Hagen felt all color drain from his face as he realized that the man's friendly words had been a very subtle warning. "I should be going."
"Yes. We will meet again."
Backing away into the corridor Hagen nodded slowly, then turned around and ran. Dodging the busy appendages of passerbys he felt his heart beat in his throat and let out a small squeak when he was suddenly dragged into a narrow side entrance. Master Kattewa was looming over him like a storm cloud, the white lines across his chest pulsing with red anger. "Hagen, are you out of your mind?"
"No, Master."
"Are you sure?" Kattewa asked wrily. "Come, let's go back home."
"Master, I met him!"
"I know."
Grabbing the youth's right arm the Hortek started dragging him along. They did not talk until they were safely sealed behind their room's door and by then Hagen was edgy enough to jump at the slightest sound. Crossing his arms in front of his chest Kattewa gave him a stern look.
"Hagen, what you did was very foolish, but very brave too. I knew that, if he were the one we are seeking, he would try to contact the other 'guests' to find out which of them had set the trap. That he found you first of all is unfortunate."
"He does not know anything about the Jedi," Hagen blurted out.
"Did he say that?" Kattewa sighed deeply, then shook his head. "Do not always believe what people tell you. Trust your instincts, not your heart. Of course he would tell you that he does not know anything about us. But you told him what you are, did you not?"
"He found out himself."
"An educated guess? Highly unbelievable. Hagen, the man is dangerous. Do not trust him and do not talk to him again without my permission. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Master."
"Good. Now, tell me exactly what you two have talked about."
