Chapter 2:
After a long night, the Academy woke slowly and with the unearthly screams forefront in their conversation. Ones who were closest to Miennya knew something bad had happened so they sought her out. Even her apprentice, a Dathomirian called Daniella, knew her master was deeply troubled. The group found her meditating near the Hot Springs, hovering over the naturally red-hot coals that often were part of the Jedi Rites. This alone spoke volumes, as she had always expressed a dislike for that area. Too much of the Dark Side was here, she often said and she should know since her past was evident in the noticeable scars on her body. Walking over, Daniella stopped as her master opened a blood-red eye and they gasped as one. It was a tendency for her eyes to revert to blood-red irises when she was tired or troubled, a natural quirk found in her genetics. But the group had never seen them this red and that boded ill so they tried to coax her out of the area without success.
As they sat there, she smiled faintly and hopped down, her booted feet hissing on the coals as she walked. About to say something, the bell rang for the daily Jedi Council meeting and Daniella watched as the members walked off. Staring at the form of her master, she was deeply troubled by the tiredness in her frame and the eyes she showed. Walking over, she skimmed the tiles with water and waited for the smoke to clear.
---
Inside, the meeting hall was silent as the council stared at Luke. Luke nodded and the council session began. They skimmed over the usual announcements about Jedi matters and then Luke took the stand again as the members watched with trepidation. Beckoning to Miennya, he frowned as she stared at him with her vacant eyes and then stood. Bowing before the Council, she spoke as if in a dream.
"Last night, I was visited by the Sith Lord in my dreams, trying to turn me back to the Dark Side. When I refused, he forced my mind open and placed a dream in it that I was forced to face. I saw blood, a river of scarlet blood. I stood there and watched as the Jedi Academy loomed and that was where the river flowed from. Inside were bodies, the corpses of all the students and apprentices here. The Sith Lord stood there, leering at me. I tried to run but he grabbed me and I saw Master Luke. He was dead, a lightsaber in his stomach and his blood mixing with the river. Everyone was dead, except me. And then, I fell and woke up."
Frowning, Jacen Solo spoke up. "Yes, I had sensed that you were in great peril and danger. However, what does that have to do with the Jedi Council? What effect does it have on us now that you have told us this revelation?"
Nodding, Miennya spoke quietly. "I have the gift of premonition, as you all know well. I believe that this may have been a taste of what is to come if the Sith ever find this place. I am proposing that we alert the Academy and put them on high watch for an attack. If the Sith can torture me this much through a dream than imagine what it could do to us in real life?"
Lowbacca stood, his robes flapping in the wind as he spoke in his usual grows. "You are saying that we should alert the Academy for something that might not happen and put panic in the students? This cannot be rational thinking, Miennya." He ended with a growl that seemed quite fierce.
Ben took the stand then, being promoted a few weeks after his successful completion of the trials. "I would suggest, Master Lowbacca, that we alert the mature and sensible ones only, that way the news will stay in that area and not cause undue panic. Instead, we must start training some of the older apprentices to pass the trials and therefore have a group of mature and able Knights to patrol and fight the Sith if they should ever attack us. Furthermore, why not send out our best field agents to eliminate the threat?"
"You are speaking of Jedi troops forced to battle with a foe as large as the Sith?" asked the easily angered Tahiri from her seat. "We both know that is suicide, Ben. Look at Miennya for example, she is one of our strongest Masters, yet she was nearly killed by the Force."
With that, Miennya held up a hand for quiet and they all looked at her. "Whatever we propose, we must do so soon. I have a bad feeling that this may be our last few opportunities to debate this before it is upon us."
Waving a hand, she dismissed the Council and walked out. Sitting under a lotus tree, she fingered one of the blossoms and smiled as Ben came and sat next to her. "You were brave to speak up, Ben Skywalker. I appreciated it but something tells me that you want me to do something for you. If it has to do with the Sith, my answer is no..."
"I was going to say no such thing, my dear Miennya," smiled Ben. "I was simply going to ask if we could walk along the pathways so I can show you something."
Nodding, she rose and clasped his hand as Daniella smiled from her place and watched the two together...
---
That night, two robed figures met in Coruscant. The younger one hissed every so often while the other one ignored it. Looking out over the bright city lights, the older one smiled. "We have the Jedi right where we want them, my Apprentice. They will not be able to resist the call here and when they come, you will dispatch them for me. I especially want the one they call Miennya, bring her to me unharmed and alive. Kill the others and then slaughter all those who are in that Academy."
Nodding, the younger hissed, "Yes, my Master" and the two faded into the night....
After a long night, the Academy woke slowly and with the unearthly screams forefront in their conversation. Ones who were closest to Miennya knew something bad had happened so they sought her out. Even her apprentice, a Dathomirian called Daniella, knew her master was deeply troubled. The group found her meditating near the Hot Springs, hovering over the naturally red-hot coals that often were part of the Jedi Rites. This alone spoke volumes, as she had always expressed a dislike for that area. Too much of the Dark Side was here, she often said and she should know since her past was evident in the noticeable scars on her body. Walking over, Daniella stopped as her master opened a blood-red eye and they gasped as one. It was a tendency for her eyes to revert to blood-red irises when she was tired or troubled, a natural quirk found in her genetics. But the group had never seen them this red and that boded ill so they tried to coax her out of the area without success.
As they sat there, she smiled faintly and hopped down, her booted feet hissing on the coals as she walked. About to say something, the bell rang for the daily Jedi Council meeting and Daniella watched as the members walked off. Staring at the form of her master, she was deeply troubled by the tiredness in her frame and the eyes she showed. Walking over, she skimmed the tiles with water and waited for the smoke to clear.
---
Inside, the meeting hall was silent as the council stared at Luke. Luke nodded and the council session began. They skimmed over the usual announcements about Jedi matters and then Luke took the stand again as the members watched with trepidation. Beckoning to Miennya, he frowned as she stared at him with her vacant eyes and then stood. Bowing before the Council, she spoke as if in a dream.
"Last night, I was visited by the Sith Lord in my dreams, trying to turn me back to the Dark Side. When I refused, he forced my mind open and placed a dream in it that I was forced to face. I saw blood, a river of scarlet blood. I stood there and watched as the Jedi Academy loomed and that was where the river flowed from. Inside were bodies, the corpses of all the students and apprentices here. The Sith Lord stood there, leering at me. I tried to run but he grabbed me and I saw Master Luke. He was dead, a lightsaber in his stomach and his blood mixing with the river. Everyone was dead, except me. And then, I fell and woke up."
Frowning, Jacen Solo spoke up. "Yes, I had sensed that you were in great peril and danger. However, what does that have to do with the Jedi Council? What effect does it have on us now that you have told us this revelation?"
Nodding, Miennya spoke quietly. "I have the gift of premonition, as you all know well. I believe that this may have been a taste of what is to come if the Sith ever find this place. I am proposing that we alert the Academy and put them on high watch for an attack. If the Sith can torture me this much through a dream than imagine what it could do to us in real life?"
Lowbacca stood, his robes flapping in the wind as he spoke in his usual grows. "You are saying that we should alert the Academy for something that might not happen and put panic in the students? This cannot be rational thinking, Miennya." He ended with a growl that seemed quite fierce.
Ben took the stand then, being promoted a few weeks after his successful completion of the trials. "I would suggest, Master Lowbacca, that we alert the mature and sensible ones only, that way the news will stay in that area and not cause undue panic. Instead, we must start training some of the older apprentices to pass the trials and therefore have a group of mature and able Knights to patrol and fight the Sith if they should ever attack us. Furthermore, why not send out our best field agents to eliminate the threat?"
"You are speaking of Jedi troops forced to battle with a foe as large as the Sith?" asked the easily angered Tahiri from her seat. "We both know that is suicide, Ben. Look at Miennya for example, she is one of our strongest Masters, yet she was nearly killed by the Force."
With that, Miennya held up a hand for quiet and they all looked at her. "Whatever we propose, we must do so soon. I have a bad feeling that this may be our last few opportunities to debate this before it is upon us."
Waving a hand, she dismissed the Council and walked out. Sitting under a lotus tree, she fingered one of the blossoms and smiled as Ben came and sat next to her. "You were brave to speak up, Ben Skywalker. I appreciated it but something tells me that you want me to do something for you. If it has to do with the Sith, my answer is no..."
"I was going to say no such thing, my dear Miennya," smiled Ben. "I was simply going to ask if we could walk along the pathways so I can show you something."
Nodding, she rose and clasped his hand as Daniella smiled from her place and watched the two together...
---
That night, two robed figures met in Coruscant. The younger one hissed every so often while the other one ignored it. Looking out over the bright city lights, the older one smiled. "We have the Jedi right where we want them, my Apprentice. They will not be able to resist the call here and when they come, you will dispatch them for me. I especially want the one they call Miennya, bring her to me unharmed and alive. Kill the others and then slaughter all those who are in that Academy."
Nodding, the younger hissed, "Yes, my Master" and the two faded into the night....