CHAPTER 18

   The Dark Master sat, deep in meditation, flanked by two of his personal guards. The time was at hand, he could feel it. His traitorous messenger, Palpatine, and his misguided allies were on the move, tracking the course of the Transcendence in an attempt to escape their current situation. The Master felt a profound sense of satisfaction, knowing that soon - very soon - the course of destiny would be altered and the Dark Side would once more take its rightful place on the Other Side. But it would be a destiny that he would ordain, not necessarily the one Palpatine had in mind.

   The sound of rapid footfalls roused the Master from his meditation. Lumiya approached, kneeled in front of him. The Master smiled, knowing the reason for her appearance.

"Rise, my faithful servant."

Lumiya did so, and adopted her usual military stance, the hint of a knowing grin betraying her pleasure in the news she was about to report.

   "It was as you suspected, my Master. The Jedi have reinforced the borders, leaving only the Council and a handful of others in the central area. Palpatine ignored your warning and is moving rapidly toward the Transcendence location."

"Is the Legion on course?"

She nodded. "Yes, Master. As you ordered."

   "Very good," The Master states, rising. He reached out his hand as though to beckon someone to him. A moment later a tall, dark clad figure moved from the shadows, walking with a slow, almost regal stride. A lightsabre, designed in the ancient styles, hung at his belt and Lumiya knew this man was not someone to be trifled with.  Darth Tyranus approached his Master and bowed stiffly from the neck, then regarded Lumiya with a slight nod.

   "All is going well," the Master began, "so I believe the time has come for us to put our own plan into action." He turned and walked quickly towards the door, his personal guards immediately falling into place behind him. Lumiya and the tall Sith Lord followed along silently, preparing themselves for what was to come.

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   "It's time," Nomi stated as she approached Luke, who was now standing outside the Hall of Wisdom with Anakin and Qui-Gon. Nomi noticed that all three men wore similar expressions. She could see conviction, coupled with concern and a more than usual amount of tension.

"How are things looking?" Qui-Gon asked her.

Nomi shook her head "As far as anyone can tell, the situation appears to be unchanged. No further movement from the Dark Ones on the Southern border has been reported. Our defenders are in position, ready to counter any attack. The Warders have spaced themselves evenly around the entire area, but none of them has been able to detect any dark side threats." She looked at Anakin. "Do you sense anything?"

   Anakin closed his eyes, reached out, tentatively probing the Dark Side, trying to find any changes. All he found were the same fleeting warnings he had been picking up all day. Anakin felt immensely frustrated. The Force was trying to tell him something, he knew it. But what?  He wondered briefly if his concern for Luke was indeed blinding him from his duties, as the Council had warned.

Anakin opened his eyes, and frowned. "No. I'm sensing no change at all. But like I said once before - just because I am not sensing anything does not mean something is not happening. The Dark Ones are masters of deceit, and many of them can shield their thoughts to an almost impenetrable degree."

   Anakin thought back to Palpatine - how he had been able to fool everyone, even the greatest of Jedi Masters, for years, weaving his evil plans in plain view. And as powerful as Palpatine was, Anakin knew there were others in the Dark Realm who were just as adept, if not more so, in the ways of Darkness. It was quite possible that Anakin and the other Warders were only sensing what the Dark Ones wanted them to sense. The thought was chilling.

There was something in Anakin's presence, a flicker in his emotions that caught Luke's attention.

What is it, father? He Sent

It's nothing, Luke, Anakin replied silently. I'm just concerned for your safety.

   Luke felt the truth in those words, but knew there was more to it than that. Much more. Luke trusted his Father to do what was best, however, so he let the matter drop. For now.

   "We'd better be going," Nomi prompted, already turning toward the previously designated area. The others followed her lead, striding determinedly alongside her. She turned to Luke. "The Council needs to speak with you when we arrive. They want this to go as quickly as possible, to minimize the time the boundaries will be susceptible."

Luke only nodded, his mind focused on the task at hand and the journey he was about to undertake.


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"How much longer?"

Exar Kun scowled at Maul, who was pacing the area like a predator waiting for prey.

"I told you already. I don't know."

"You're certain this is the location?" Maul asked, his eyes scanning the area doubtfully.

   "Yes, I'm certain," Kun stated, his voice rising with irritation. "I traced the Transcendence to this point. All we need to do now is wait until Ulic creates the rift, then we strike."

Maul grunted and continued pacing. Palpatine's plan seemed fool-proof. He had taken into consideration every possibility.

Almost every possibility, Maul thought to himself with satisfaction.

   Palpatine, for his part, seemed almost serene, as he sat in quiet meditation, leaning against a large, twisted tree. He could feel the Jedi assembling on the Light Side, knew the time was close when the boundaries between Light and Dark would collapse, giving him the opportunity he had been awaiting for over 20 years. 20 years of forced servitude and humiliation would soon be at an end. He smiled to himself. Everything was going as planned.

   A flash of emotion from Maul stirred Palpatine from his contemplation. The former Emperor turned to see his old apprentice staring off into the darkness, eyes transfixed on something unseen. Kun noticed Maul's sudden change in behavior, and stood, following his stare but seeing and sensing nothing.

"What do you...?" Kun began, but the Maul cut him off with an abrupt wave of his hand. Kun turned to Palpatine, who also stood, suspicion evident in his expression.

A moment later, Maul relaxed and turn to find his allies looking at him expectantly.

"Someone is out there," Maul stated with certainty. "I sense it."

"Strange that I do not," Palpatine responded, his eyes becoming slits. There was something in Maul's voice, something he was unaccustomed to hearing, something that sounded remarkably light….a taunt? Palpatine's chin rose a fraction.

"I sense nothing, either," Kun stated.

"We're being watched, I'm certain of it," Maul insisted, turning back to stare into the blackness.

Kun waved his hand in an dismissive gesture, and returned to a sitting position on the hard ground. "You're imagining things, Maul."

   "Am I...?" Maul stated softly, understanding Kun's reaction. Palpatine was, by far, the strongest of the three Dark Allies, and Kun had many years of experience over Maul. It seemed unlikely that Maul would be able to sense something when the other two did not. But experience and power, though both were coveted traits, could easily be countered by other traits. Foresight, willingness to learn and evolve, unwavering loyalty to the Dark Side. Darth Maul possessed all these attributes. All these and more. He knew Kun was planning a move against him, knew that he was considered a useful - but expendable - commodity by Palpatine. But that would change soon enough. Maul smiled to himself, knowing that he would soon receive the respect he deserved. He was no longer just a tool, a weapon at Palpatine's disposal. He had grown in his time here, and he understood the Dark Side in a way his old Master never would. Palpatine was too arrogant, too sure of his own abilities. He felt no desire to expand his knowledge, to improve his connection to the Dark Side. Exar Kun was much the same, driven only by a desire for vengeance and power. This gave Darth Maul the advantage, an advantage he would soon press.

Without warning, Exar Kun suddenly jumped to his feet, his every muscle tense, his eyes flashing with excitement. He turned to Palpatine.

"It's starting."

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The Dark Master opened his eyes, turned to Lumiya and Tyranus.

"It's begun."

   Lumiya nodded, and spoke into the small communication device she kept attached to her belt that allowed her to stay in contact with the Commanders of the Legions.

"Take up position," she ordered. "Prepare to attack on my command."


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   Ulic Qel-Droma was in a state of complete concentration. Eyes closed, arms outstretched, his breathing deep, slow and regular, every fiber of his being focused on this one, solitary task - to open a pathway between planes of the Force. It was a difficult task, requiring extreme power combined with a delicate touch. Slowly, Ulic felt the area around him begin to shift, and he knew the Transcendence Portal was starting to form. Ulic was pleased to find that it was less difficult this time, but it was still draining. He felt the Force pulsing through him, felt both light and dark side energies combining as the boundaries between all realms began to wane.

   Standing by, observing everything from atop a grassy rise, was the Jedi Council, the Master Keepers and Historians, all witnesses to this momentous event. What Ulic was doing was a serious breach of the Jedi Code, but one that was unfortunately necessary to right the wrong done in bringing Luke to this realm. The Historians were taking copious notes of the events to be entered into the Jedi Archives, and for meticulous review later by the Council. The Jedi knew that all things, even things against the Code, needed to be studied. In this case, the knowledge would be used to prevent such an event from happening again.

   Luke, Anakin, Qui-Gon and Nomi stood huddled together, watching with fascination the events happening before them. Anakin stood slightly behind his son, one hand resting on Luke's shoulder. His senses were on full alert, knowing that if a dark attack were to occur, now would be the time for it. But something else struck him as he watched Ulic create the portal. A tingling sensation, an oddly powerful rush of energy swept through him. Without conscious thought, Anakin's eyes became transfixed on Ulic. For a fleeting moment Anakin thought could almost see the Force, see it swirling about, weaving into an intricate pattern under Ulic's control. As if in a trance, Anakin continued to stare with unblinking eyes as the Transcendence Portal began to take shape.

   Nomi also watched Ulic with great interest, a war of emotion of her beautiful face. Seeing Ulic using powers and techniques he perfected during his time with the Sith brought back a flood of memories and emotions. She had loved him once, even after she had sworn never to love again following the death of her husband. Nomi and Ulic's relationship had been a strong one, built on a foundation of friendship and respect. But when Ulic took the path into darkness, even though he renounced it in the end, their relationship had been irreparably damaged. Maybe if he would have learned from his experience things could have different. But Ulic, though he was certainly remorseful about his past actions, was still carelessly arrogant, even reckless. Nomi shook her head sadly, knowing that some people - even Jedi - would never learn from their mistakes.

   On an unspoken cue, Master Arca Jeth motioned to Luke, summoning him to get into the position that had been decided upon earlier. Luke looked at Anakin, saw him staring at Ulic with an intense, mesmerized expression, as though he were unlocking some intricate puzzle. Anakin forced himself - with effort - to pull his eyes away from the events happening before them. Father and son shared a moment of silent communication, then Luke turned to Qui-Gon and Nomi, each in turn, saying nothing but communicating a wealth of feeling through his eyes. There was no reason to say good-bye, Luke knew. These great Jedi had always been with him, and would remain so until the day came when it was finally - truly - his time to join them in this realm. Luke turned slowly and began walking away, but hadn't gotten far when Nomi ran up behind him and latched onto his arm. Surprised, Luke turned around quickly and nearly laughed when Nomi pulled him into a tight embrace. She pulled away after a moment, and smiled.

   "I can't let you leave without telling you how much your time here has meant to all of us. Especially your father. He loves you so very much, Luke. I don't think you know what your acceptance means to him."

Luke looked down, slightly embarrassed. Then he looked her directly in the eyes and grinned.

"You're right, maybe I don't know about that. But I do know how much you mean to him. And how much he means to you."

Nomi stepped back, feeling her face flush. She knew she had let her feelings for Anakin slip, but she wasn't sure that Luke had caught it. Apparently he had.

   "Tell him, Nomi," Luke continued. "I know you have an eternity here, but some things shouldn't be delayed. Trust me on this one." He grinned, thinking back on the years he and his beloved wife wasted, each stubbornly refusing to admit their love to one another.

   Nomi said nothing, just nodded, her emotions in a whirlwind. Luke's smile broadened, and he turned away, walking down the rise to stand within a few meters of Ulic.

   The Transcendence portal was starting to become clear, taking on the distinct shape of a tunnel, with colors and light swirling together to create a brilliant display. A wind began to billow from the portal, slowing becoming stronger as the tunnel became larger. The ground, the sky, everything started to lose shape and become hazy, appearing almost unsubstantial. Flashes of blackness could be seen as the natural boundaries between Light and Dark Realms started to flow together. The wind suddenly became stronger, louder, causing Jedi cloaks to billow up and the grass and trees in the area to away back and forth. When he spoke, Ulic had to nearly yell to make his voice heard.

"It's almost time, Luke! Just another minute and I'll have it stabilized. Don't worry, you won't feel anything."

   Luke nodded, remembering the instructions he had been given earlier. On Ulic's signal, he was to simply run and leap into the portal. The Force would do the rest. It seemed almost too easy, but Ulic assured him it would work, and Luke had no choice but to take his word.

   Anakin pulled his cloak around him with one hand, and fingered his lightsabre with the other. He could clearly see the boundaries staring to shift, at some points even becoming transparent. He kept his eyes moving, trying to look everywhere at once. That sensation of warning he had been getting all day was growing stronger, more intense, but he didn't know if it was a real threat or just a reaction to the current situation. But he was taking no chances. He stretched out with his mind, calling upon the Force to a degree usually not required. A sudden burst of alarm ripped through his body, and out of the corner of his eye he saw what appeared to be human forms, not far away, just inside the Dark realm. He squinted, moved a few steps closer, making sure his eyes were not deceiving him. It was difficult to see, with the wind blowing so strongly and the realms of Light and Dark merging as they were. But as the Transcendence Portal started to stabilize so did objects within the Dark Realm. Anakin suddenly ignited his lightsabre and threw off his cloak, his actions causing the other Jedi around him to do the same.

"Anakin, what is it?" Nomi screamed, her own lightsabre ignited and held at the ready.

"There!" Anakin replied, pointing toward the dark forms that were now moving toward the Light Realm. "Someone is there!"

"Yes, yes!" Master Yoda exclaimed from his position up on the rise. "Dark Ones, they are!"

"Prepare to defend!" someone yelled.

"Ulic, you must hurry!" Qui-Gon called, his green blade held over his head in attack position.

"Luke! Go!" Anakin demanded, his eyes flashing between his son and the dark forms that were now moving at a run toward the light realm.

"Not....ready..." Ulic replied, the strain of his effort evident in his voice. "Almost...."

   Luke wasn't sure what to do. He had been given strict instructions by the Council to not engage the Dark Ones if they attacked. His only concern was to get through the Transcendence Portal as quickly as possible so Ulic could close it down. But Luke deplored the idea of leaving when a threat such as this was taking place. He fingered his lightsabre, looking from Ulic to Anakin.

"Luke! Get ready. It's almost time!"

   That was Master Arca, undoubtedly sensing Luke's conflict. Luke nodded, once again focused on what he must do. He released his hold on his lightsabre and crouched, ready to leap into the tunnel at any moment.

"Almost..." Ulic said, his shaking voice barely audible. "I think...yes....Ready. Luke! Now!"

   Luke reacted in an instant, sprinting forward, his eyes focused on the Transcendence Portal. He got within a meter of the tunnel and jumped forward, feeling the tremendous energies swirling around him.....

   Seemingly out of nowhere, a dark clad figure emerged, tackling Luke from the side, knocking him hard to ground directly in front of the portal. Luke rolled, stunned from the unexpected blow, heard Anakin and Qui-Gon calling to him. He looked up, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the person standing above him. The man was young looking and strongly built, at first glance appearing to be a stranger to Luke. But the evil yellow eyes and the cackling laughter betrayed the man's identity. The face of the man Luke hoped never again to see stared down at him.