"Why do two Jedi burst into this sacred room and with lightsabers drawn? It is disrespectful Jin Wan So'bal."
"Forgive me, Master Oberon…but we were in pursuit of a young Padawan who is responsible for the death of a Jedi Knight. He must be hiding in this room…"
The aged camel-faced Jedi Master glances around room and looks back at Jin Wan careful eye.
"There is no one in this room, my old pupil. You must be mistaken, only I have been in here…and no one else."
Yoda continues too use the force and scans the dark areas of the room with his eyes. Something blocks his every thought, he can feel a shadow lurking about and blurring his thoughts to anything else.
"What is the meaning of this?" An old voice booms out as the council room doors open.
Stepping through them comes Jedi Master Zen'Tauk, his cane taps the well polished stone floor as he bursts in and his facial expression is that of utter outrage seeing them in there with their sabers on.
"You tare though this temple as if it was nothing more then lower sector of Coruscant, disrupt the Jedi students meditation time with your screaming and now you are in the council room with lightsabers that are forbidden to be used in here! Explain!"
Oberon bows at the elder Jedi as he enters, as does both Yoda and So'bal and out of respect for the Council member, they turn their sabers off.
"I was just asking the very thing Master Zen'Tauk…" The camel-faced Jedi says. "It seems that So'bal here thinks he's tracked the mysterious killer…a young Padawan to be precise and to this very room no less."
Zen'Tauk sighs with disbelief and looks at Jin Wan as he taps his cane at him.
"Young Padawan? Which one are you accusing of? Answer!"
Jin Wan turns off his lightsaber, as does Yoda and So'bal walks over to the old Jedi Master with a serious glare.
"Master Bin Col Daus was correct about what has been happening in this temple, the young ones are rebelling against the elders and the council as he long predicted! More Jedi have died just recently and the one that's been killing them is Nevari Qinndala!"
The old man stood in shock as the name came to memory, his eyes glazed over with horror as he brought the teenaged boy's face into his mind.
"Nevari? His skill is limited…he hasn't full mastery of the lightsaber, how could he defeat so many Jedi? How could he kill a Jedi Master like Bin Col Daus?"
Yoda now speaks up as he suddenly gives a glace over at the two men.
"Kill Master Daus, young Nevari did not…only Jedi Knight Anabi did he manage to strike down. In this room he still is…listening…and waiting…but his mind is not blinding me. There is something else…."
Both gave a curious look at the small boy, as they could see he was trying to pinpoint the other who was trying to protect the young boy. He looked deeply at Oberon, then at So'bal and then over to Zen'Tauk. Stopping at the old man and staring right at him, Yoda peered at Zen'Tauk.
"Another one there is…stronger more focused and skilled…and with knowledge of the Darkside there is. By his hand was Master Bin Col Daus murdered so quickly."
So'bal began to wonder if he was referring to Zen'Tauk as he was gazing right at him, it would explain a lot of the old man's actions of late and why he was trying to keep everything a secret from anyone else. Zen'Tauk stood there looking back at the small Padawan and his eyes opened wide with surprise at Yoda's accusation.
"Yes…Nevari told me, he did. The Force is one; both with the good…and the evil…but more to the evil does this mind lean. The darkside is strong in him, I sense."
So'bal can't take the tension any longer and shouts at his young learner.
"Who? Who is this person?"
Yoda takes one last look at Zen'Tauk, who even now looks guilty as he stands there, but the young green student suddenly turns around and points directly at Oberon.
"Master Oberon Sa-hee!" Yoda growls.
The camel-faced Jedi smiles and grits his teeth at the small boy.
"Well done my boy…you are truly powerful as the council has foreseen!"
So'bal and Zen'Tauk both look astonished, with his cover blown, Oberon takes out his lightsaber and switches it on. From out of the dark shadowed corner beside him steps young Nevari; he too activates his lightsaber and the two stand side by side. Yoda and Jin Wan So'bal now quickly reactivate their swords again, a defense that almost seems automatic to any Jedi.
"Why?" Zen'Tauk questions. "Why are you doing this my old friend? You who have taught so many the meaning of the Force…of its peaceful ways…the skill of the lightsaber. What led you astray to this dark manner of thinking?"
"Dark thinking?" Oberon chuckled. "There is no dark thinking…no Darkside or Good side to the Force. I once believed that there was…but someone showed me the truth that all Jedi were never given. There is only one side…one power…one Force. Our gift to command it makes us lords of all creation. The Jedi should be the ultimate power in the universe with every race bowing to our presence and in awe."
Nevari smirks at his Master's words and keeps his eyes focused on Yoda, the boy looks disgusted by the man's speech and gives a sad expression to Nevari in sympathy; he's been led astray by Oberon and now has become brainwashed to his way of thinking.
"For too long have we endured being humble, stagnant, and made to live by old rules that give us no room to expand." Oberon says looking over at Jin Wan. "You know of what I speak So'bal…my old pupil."
"I know that you are so completely mad that you are blind to all else. You've killed Jedi! Does that mean nothing to you? Have you no reason left in your mind that what your doing is totally insane?"
Nevari now glares over at So'bal and answers for his protecting elder.
"They had the chance to join!" He screams as tears form in his eyes. "We didn't want to kill them…we wanted only to change the direction of how things should be. We wanted the life you had So'bal…the experience you led outside this prison of a temple. An experience that made you stronger in the Force, in wisdom and made you the perfect idol for us all!"
"I'm no idol to worship." So'bal frowns. "Don't make me the reason for your treachery. Stand down and end this rebellion…do it…before anymore die from your mistakes."
Oberon glances over at Nevari and gives a slight nod. The boy notices his master's signal and eases back behind as keeps an eye on all of them. Oberon looks over at So'bal and points his sword at him.
"The only mistake I made was not bringing you into our circle, Master Daus seemed to keep you occupied and away from me as much as he could. But since none of you will join…not even your young apprentice…then you've started a chain reaction that will lead to only one fate…WAR!"
Lunging in at Jin Wan, the treasonous Jedi Master attacked him and a violent glow of light illuminated the entire room as their swords clashed together. So'bal defended himself from the old Jedi's blade, spinning and counter attacking the man's every move. Yoda and Zen'Tauk stayed out of harms way and watched the two men locked in a heated struggle. Nevari grinned with delight as he witnessed his mentor fight; the soft glow of his lightsaber still being on gave him an evil shadow across his face. Yoda was worried for his beloved Jedi Master and never shut his weapon off incase he was needed to aid his instructor.
"Your skill is masterful, my old student." Oberon admits as they come close together. "But I see that even now you still dip your sword to the left too much…"
"And you Master Oberon, you still tend to talk too much…" So'bal scowls at him as he holds him in place. "But make no mistake…I will make you pay for killing Daus!"
Breaking away from one another, the two Jedi flip and swing away with their swords, leaping into the air like graceful cats and returning to clash swords in pure anger. Zen'Tauk could see Jin Wan building his hatred and called out to him in order to make him aware of it.
"Calm you must be, So'bal! Don't give in to hate! Focus yourself!"
"Quiet old fool!" Nevari shouts out over the sound of clashing sabers. "Or I'll take you out as well!"
"How dare you speak to me in that manner!" The old Jedi cries out in anger. "The darkside has corrupted your mind and your soul…Cursed one!"
Nevari didn't like that; to be cursed by an elder and being insulted back infuriated him. He rushed over with his saber and swung it back to strike the man down, but as soon as he brought it down to hit, Yoda was there to block it with his saber.
"No! No more deaths!" The small green child shouted. "Blame you I do not for your actions…lead astray by others you were."
"You're the one being led astray Yoda. Let me take this old man out and then Master Oberon can take his place as the new head of the order. You'll see…you'll all see that his way is the correct path we should be on!"
Yoda forces the young teenager back with his sword and gives him a stern look.
"The path to death it is…the Jedi way…it is not."
Nevari tries to swing at the young Padawan and is suddenly forced back to the other side of the room. Yoda turns around to see the old Jedi Master, Zen'Tauk, poised with his hands held up as he used the force to hurl the teenager away. Yoda nodded in thanks to the elder and looked over to see how So'bal was doing against Oberon. The two Jedi had not stopped in their fight, both looking very tired and too much of an opposition for one another. Oberon suddenly spun away from Jin Wan as he almost managed to slice near his head and returned to where Nevari lay on the other side of the council room.
"Forgive me master…I'm not strong enough." Nevari whimpered as he stands up to Oberon.
"You will be my friend…you will be. But not today."
Jin Wan and Yoda team up again in the center of the room and now take slow steps with their lightsabers in hand as they come closer to the defeated duo.
"Give it up Oberon!" So'bal shouts bitterly. "This is over…this rebellion ends here and now!"
Nevari switches off his sword and looks at his camel-faced master with tears. The old Jedi wiped them off of Nevari in sympathy and turned to face the others with his sword pointed in their direction again.
"You just don't get it do you So'bal. This is much bigger then you know…the many that have joined are now safely away from here. The loyal students who believe in my cause are not only in this temple but many more as well. So why'll you may have this day to savior…be prepared my old pupil…those days will soon be numbered."
The Jedi swordsman lifted his weapon up and looked as if he was about to use it upon himself, Nevari stood beside him and remained still.
"No…" Jin Wan gasped as he stopped in his tracks.
Oberon gave a smile and winked, and then both he and Nevari turned around to the large wall like window behind and used their lightsabers to slice open a hole for each of them. The glass gave way and caused the two men to be sucked out of it from the sudden depressurization of the Council Chamber.
"OBERON!!" Jin Wan screamed in horror as he witnessed it as if in slow motion.
The suction soon caused the Jedi to loose their lightsabers and other debris not bolted down in the room to be hurled out of the exposed window, Yoda almost got sucked out if it wasn't for So'bal snapping out of his shock and grabbing on to him as he used the force to keep them from falling as well. Zen'Tauk had a good grip on one of the council seats that was permanently fixed on the floor, he held on tight until the wind died down and the room became calm again. Yoda and So'bal dropped to the floor at the base of the open window as he stopped using the Force to hold them in place. Both breathed heavily as they tried to get air back into their lungs and gazed out of the window as the sun now began to rise.
"A long way down…it is master." Yoda simply stated.
"Not long enough for the likes of them my young Padawan." Jin Wan replies.
But as they sat there huffing and wheezing, a sound of thruster engines could be heard roaring upwards. As the thunderous sound grew almost deafening, they soon saw the two renegade Jedi standing on the hull of a rising ship with their arms folded over and smiling. The ship was all too familiar to both So'bal and Yoda; it was the Razorclaw, Tinara's rusting vessel that brought them both to Coruscant. The two renegades gave a simple salute and lowered themselves into an open hatch at the top of the ship. In the narrow window of the side of the vessel, So'bal and Yoda could see Tinara looking over at them with a sad expression.
"Tinara?" Yoda said with a shocked gaze.
Jin Wan was also stunned to see her there and helping the two evil Jedi escape. He rose to his feet and reached out his hand to her. Her eyes never left his as the two locked in one last gaze upon each other. Then the ship quickly rose past the window and blasted off into the dawn-drenched sky of Coruscant. Both Yoda and Jin Wan stood there with a bewildered look, the woman that had helped them, befriended them…loved them…now betrayed them. Closing his eyes and sighing in disbelief, Yoda shed a few tears and began to sniffle as it all began to sink in. Jin Wan collapsed to his knees and watched the sun rise over the buildings as a new day began in the city.
••••••••••••••••••••••
The Razorclaw continued to thrust beyond the planet and soon launched into lightspeed as it got clearance from the space traffic. Inside the cockpit, Tinara and Mort helmed the vessel and eased back into their seats.
"What have I done Mort?" She sighed. "Was it really worth it? Some friend I turned out to be…"
Mort brushed his fur in thought and said something to her in his alien tongue. Tinara nodded, as she understood what he was saying and gave him pat on the head.
"Yeah…you're right. People like us don't have friends…only customers."
The door behind them slid open and Oberon Sa-hee stepped through in anger.
"You certainly took long enough to show up! What kept you Tinara?"
The woman leaned back in her pilot chair and shrugged.
"Hey, I had a heck of a time trying to loose them, ok? You could have said something while I was there in the Jedi Training room…look what's done is done alright? Just remember our deal."
"Don't worry my dear." Oberon snickered. "You'll get all that was promised to you. Now get us to the rendezvous site quickly…my Master must be told of our early exposure."
"Yes sir…Master Jedi, sir." She says sarcastically.
The renegade sighs at her comment and leaves the cockpit. As the door closes behind him, Tinara gives a laugh and Mort chortles along with her. The two flick various buttons and turn dials as they set course for Oberon's rendezvous location.