Chapter 3

The battle between Shi Dar and Lunesoul somehow managed to move to the opposite end of the Academy. This battle caught the attention of a few students, but they thought that this was a training battle between a master and his apprentice. Ven Lin and Der Khan were talking to each other when they realized that something was wrong.

"Why is that student's lightsaber red?" asked Ven Lin.

"Yeah, and why is he overpowering the master?" questioned Der Khan.

"Something's not right."

"Yeah, let's see if we can help the master."

Both students ran down to the field drawing their lightsabers. Both screamed at the top of their lungs trying to distract the Sith. It worked and the Sith turned around to see the source of the disturbance and that was the opening that Master Shi Dar was looking for. He deflected Darth Lunesoul's lightsaber, moved around his adversary, and knocked him out with a blow to the back of the neck with the butt end of his lightsaber.

"Thank you students," said the master, "I want you to gather a few of the masters and have them secure this Sith and gather a few more to go to the other side of the building and help out Master Teng and Kem Shar."

"Is Kem Shar hurt?" asked a concerned Ven Lin. Her expression and resolve intensified when she found out that Kem Shar was in battle.

"I'm not sure," answered Shi Dar, "but we must not waste time."

Master Teng was fighting valiantly against the aggressor. He was focused and was in tune with the force. Darth Kai could not find an opening in the defense of the Jedi Master. They battled for what seemed like hours until finally the Jedi changed his tactics and started to attack. This forced Darth Kai into a defensive position, which he is not at all comfortable with. Master Teng finally got the upper hand and disarmed the Sith by knocking his blade to the ground.

Yet the Darth Kai would not be defeated so easily. When Master Teng was about to go for the final blow, Darth Kai dropped to his knees, caught the middle of the lightsaber handle, electrically charged the hilt, and destroyed the weapon. He then tripped the Master, summoned his weapon back to his hand, and stood over the fallen Jedi.

"Your time has come Jedi," and with that he stabbed the Master through the heart.

"No!" came shouts of various Jedi Masters, Knights, and apprentices, as they came running into the scene. All twelve Jedi had their lightsabers drawn and circled the Sith and their fallen Master. Darth Kai knew he could not hope to win against such odds, but he would not die either. He looked into the crowd and recognized Der Ken and Ven Lin as the other two candidates he was supposed to capture. He also recognized Jedi Master Shi Dar and realized the Darth Lunesoul was defeated. At last Darth Kai figured out a way to escape.

Shutting off one end of his lightsaber, Darth Kai extended the other end making it twice as long. He spun the blade around in a circle like a long bo staff. All the Jedi jumped back. First Darth Kai went high then on his second arc went low, but before he could complete the second arc he was stopped. Der Khan had placed his lightsaber on the ground and stopped the spinning weapon. Darth Kai smiled, turned off his weapon, ran towards the confused apprentice, and knocked him out with a blast of force lightning. He easily picked up the fallen apprentice and used the force to jump upward towards the hovering TIE fighter.

Everyone was shocked at what had just transpired. A decorated Jedi Master has fallen, and one of their promising students has just been abducted. Ven Lin was the first to overcome her shock. She noticed Kem Shar lying on the ground. She screamed his name and ran towards his body. Using her powers as a healer, she scanned him and determined that he was all right. She then placed her hands on his forehead and focused the healing energies of the force into his body. Kem Shar then opened his eyes and saw Ven Lin. "Ah geez, if you wanted to kiss me all you had to do was ask."

"You jerk," answered a furious Ven Lin "who wants to kiss you anyways. Oh and for your information I just healed you."

"Well I didn't ask to be healed by you. I could have done just fine on my own."

"Oh I hate you. I don't even know why I put up with you," answered a furious Ven Lin.

"Yeah I..." Kem Shar paused realizing his situation. "Ven, where is Master Teng?"

Ven Lin broke into tears. "That Sith killed him and he kidnapped Der Khan."

"He what?" asked a shocked Kem Shar, "And what about the other one, there were two of them."

"We captured him," answered Master Shi Dar.

"You don't remember me, do you?" asked Master Shi Dar look into the eyes of the captured Sith. "Well let me tell you a little story," and Master Shi Dar started to tell his story to Darth Lunesoul.

Shi Dar was born on Alderaan and was friends with Leia when they were both children. Leia convinced Shi Dar to go into politics. He tells the Sith how he grew up to become a government liaison to Alderaan and how he felt its destruction while he was on Corusant. However, it was also at that time he was discovered by another Jedi Knight who suffered from a headache after Alderaan exploded. Jedi Twi'link was in hiding from the Jedi extermination squad led by Darth Vader and what better place to hide than in plain sight. Shi Dar became Twi'link's padiwan and was able to learn how to focus the Force, but he was still unable to control it when Twi'link was discovered by Mara Jade and executed.

Shi Dar was captured, tortured, and was forced to endure cruel and unusual exercises. Mara Jade was hoping to create another protégé for herself. Shi Dar had to undergo life or death exercises to strengthen his powers in the force, but Mara Jade was unable to corrupt him. In order to stay sane and keep from turning to the Dark Side Shi Dar would meditate to focus on the healing energies found in the light side of the force.

When Shi Dar mentioned Mara Jade Darth Lunesoul recognized the Jedi Master. This was the same person he helped Mara Jade torture. Lunesoul's head was starting to hurt. All of these repressed emotions and memories came back into his mind. He remembered how he was a child who Mara Jade found when his parents' house was destroyed. He remembered falling in love with Mara Jade and was willing to do anything for her. She trained him in the ways of the force and became kind of a surrogate mother to him. Memories of his training with Mara Jade and Darth Kor'rath came into his mind. Then he also remembered how Mara Jade then suddenly disappeared one day. That was the day he turned completely to the dark side to help Darth Kor'rath.

"Ah, I can see you do remember me now. Well I would like you to meet one of the instructors here," said Master Shi Dar. Lunesoul looked behind Shi Dar and recognized a familiar figure with flaming red hair.

The funeral for Master Teng was a depressing occasion. It had been years since such a funeral had taken place. Master Teng was a decorated hero from the first battles of the intergalactic war between the Empire and Rebellion. He was a pilot at both battles involving the Death Star and he was one of the pioneers that helped set up the base on Hoth. He was discovered by Luke Skywalker himself as having potential in the force and became one of the first teachers out of the Jedi Academy.

As the students watched the body of their teacher burn, a few wonder what would become of their comrade Der Khan. Kem Shar was holding a crying Ven Lin comforting her and not caring that he too had tears in his eyes.