What Has Come Before…
(Prologue)
They called themselves the "Cousin Crew." They did almost everything together, including share their excitement.
"I can't wait till we get to the Core!" Zeek exclaimed. "Do you really think Master Skywalker meant it when he said our first test when we got there was to build our own lightsabers?"
Jyo spoke for everyone when he replied, "I hope so!"
"Should we try to find Cordell and work this out?" Zeek asked.
"No," Jyo said. "I think I know why he did what he did and said what he said. He's done it before at the Installation. These little outbursts are really just his way of blowing off some really pent up energy."
"Energy, huh?" Denz scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Trust me. By the time we get to the Core Worlds he'll act as if that conversation we just had never happened."
"Should he be considered dangerous when this buildup becomes too great?" Zeek asked worriedly.
"…I'm afraid that in a desperate attempt to relieve his pent up power, he will almost unknowingly turn to the Dark side!"
"It's Jedi lesson 101," Jyo said. "Anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering."
"Ugh, he's using the orb I modified," Denz groaned. "I told him I hadn't had a chance to test it yet."
"Looks like he's testing it for you now," Zeek said still watching intently.
Cordell was really moving in there. Every now and then, the other students would clap lightly for an exceptionally impressive display. The laser bolts were firing almost non-stop and in an extremely random order. Denz, Jyo, and Zeek watched along with the other students as Cordell rolled to the left to avoid a volley of shots and jumped out of the roll to avoid being hit in the foot. As he landed, Cordell ducked another shot then swayed left to dodge another.
The hyperspace alarm blared in the forward viewing area where Denz, Jyo, Cordell, and Zeek stood, anxious to see their new home. The white of hyperspace became fine white streaks before reverting to their normal state as small points of light called stars. Straight ahead the four friends saw the lush, green world that had been donated specifically to the Jedi for their part in repelling the Yuuzhan Vong. Luke, being the "leader" of the Jedi, was chosen to give the Jedi's new home a suitable name. Luke had appropriately named the planet of the peacekeepers and protectors, Jedron or the place where all journeys begin and end.
"Wow!" Zeek breathed.
"This is the first time I've seen an actual planet!" Cordell stated, wide-eyed.
"It's the first time for all of us," Denz reminded him.
Jyo was speechless with awe.
As the four gazed upon their new home, where they would grow physically and in their Jedi abilities, they dreamed of the adventures that would take place there and those that would lead them to the far reaches of the galaxy. It was like a new beginning for them here. Here they would have the room and freedom to grow and develop into their own persons, different from one another in many ways. They saw themselves being presented with numerous decisions that they would have to make, and in the end their choices may decide if someone lives or dies, chooses the light side or falls to the seduction of the dark side.
Although the four friends knew not exactly what their new home held for them, they were certain that this planet and what happened to them on it, would change each of their individual lives forever….
Denz didn't have much luck though, sitting on his bed trying to think of the parts necessary to make his new idea come to life. He huffed a sigh of disgust, "Maybe I'll be able to think better with more people around," he said to himself. Denz left his room after all and poked his head through the door to the lounge. There were a couple students in the room either on a computer or reading one of the books from the library upstairs. Denz noticed someone at a table with paper and a pencil and decided to go see if he was doing something interesting. As he approached the kid, Denz recognized him. With his shoulder length, black hair pulled into a ponytail and short stature he was impossible to mistake. His name was Todan Ems. Denz had seen him just like this on the space station many times. Todan seemed to spend as much time drawing as he did training to be a Jedi. "Hey, Todan!"
The black haired boy glanced up from his work and gave Denz the peace sign, his traditional greeting. Denz sat down across from Todan and asked him what he was drawing now. Instead of answering, Todan turned his sheet of paper around and slid it toward Denz. He took one glance at it and gave a low whistle. Though all around the edges of the paper were little doodles, right in the center was what looked like very detailed specs for a lightsaber.
"Looks nice Todan, but aren't we supposed to use the Force to guide us through the construction of our weapons?"
Todan finally spoke, "I know that's how we're supposed to do it, but I figure if I get stuck all I have to do is glance at this and it'll put me back on track."
Denz shook his head, "Whatever you say, Todan."
Not ten minutes after Todan started on his way did Salah Jem, her red hair tied back in a bun, exit her room and walk quickly toward the door to the lounge. Just as she was passing Jyo's room, the door swished open, Jyo rushed out, and ran right into her. They fell down in a heap.
"Hey!" Salah exclaimed. "Watch where you're going!"
Jyo blushed with embarrassment as he climbed to his feet and offered to help her up.
"Thanks," she said with a hint of sarcasm as she grabbed his offered hand and was hoisted her to her feet. She brushed herself off and continued toward the lounge without another word.
Jyo followed in embarrassed silence.
Lowbacca grinned wide when he saw not one, but two Jedi students step into the lounge. He examined both of their lightsabers at once. After which, they clipped them back to their belts, Jyo's on his side, and Salah's behind her back. The still grinning Wookiee then handed them food and water for their journey.
The creature held out a gloved hand and in a surprisingly high but raspy voice said, "Water."
Denz didn't move at first, and then slowly reached for his canteen. He poured water into the cap and handed it to the stranger.
The hooded figure slurped the liquid thirstily. When he tilted his head back to drink, Denz thought he saw what looked like pink fur. The creature handed the top back to Denz and spoke again, "Thank you for your generosity. In return, I would like to give you this." The hooded creature pulled from beneath his cloak a small paper bag.
Cordell slid the lightsaber back into its holder and grabbed the other stuff as he charged out the door. As he ran, Cordell slung the pack onto his back and the canteen around his neck. This is it! Now that I have a lightsaber, I'll show everyone how powerful I really am.
It was getting even harder to see in the forest, if that was possible, but Cordell was still able to spot the two orb-shaped things trying to block his path. He ignited his blade at full speed, jumped into the air, and destroyed both orbs with a single horizontal swipe. Cordell landed without losing much forward momentum and kept going as two more orbs appeared behind him. They opened fire, and Cordell half-turned, deflecting the two shots back at them. The orbs exploded simultaneously. Not even breaking his stride, Cordell turned to face forward again and grinned to himself; he was enjoying all the fun he was having.
There was no warm up. No testing of each other's skills. As soon as Tahiri announced the start, Cordell attacked using his great speed to his advantage.
This was fine with Denz, though. He didn't want the fight to be boring. And boring it certainly wasn't. One thought continued to circulate through Cordell's mind: I MUST WIN!
As Denz, still using only one hand, blocked and parried all of Cordell's two-handed attacks, another thought was added on to the original: AT ANY COST!
Then it happened. Cordell stopped Denz's attack mid-swing, but not with his lightsaber. With his left hand, Cordell had grabbed Denz's right wrist, stopping the attack cold.
Jyo vaguely heard Tahiri call out an end to the match, but he knew it was not over.
Cordell did not release his hold on Denz. He did not even turn and acknowledge Tahiri. His cold, emotionless eyes bore into Denz's, filled with confusion and worry. Cordell grinned, and you could hear the cracking of bone as with one quick motion, he broke Denz's wrist. The turquoise lightsaber clattered to the stone floor and shut off, as Denz groaned in pain. Tahiri called again for Cordell to stop, as she stood, a little uncertain as to what she should do.
Cordell didn't move for a moment, and everything was silent. Then the quiet was broken by a laugh. It came from Cordell. Not a laugh of joy or insanity, but a laugh of satisfaction.
Denz knew what was coming. Not because he had foreseen it like Jyo had, but because when he had looked into Cordell's eyes, he had not seen his friend, but someone else. With whom there would be no pleading or voice of reason. Denz thought of what his future could have been like, instead of what it was going to be … nonexistent.
In what seemed like slow motion, Cordell swung his golden blade in a long upward arc that picked Denz up and threw him several feet away, a smoldering black mark from his left hip, almost strait up to just right of his neck.
When Cordell turned to look at what he had done, he acted surprised and repulsed, the exact same reaction as everyone else who had witnessed it. Cordell fell to his knees and deactivated his lightsaber. He knelt there and stared at his weapon as things he did not acknowledge, went on around him. What have I done? was a thought that went through his mind, but it was overpowered by another idea: Look at what I have the power to do!
From out of nowhere, a voice spoke: Clever deduction Denz Solo.
Denz knew this voice. He had only heard the low, nasally tone once before. "It's you! The one from the woods!"
Correct again, came the sound again. And you may call me Pan.
The voice sounded so close, so vivid, unlike listening to the voices of those outside his bacta tank. He must me communicating with me straight through the Force, Denz thought.
My! You are perceptive.
Tay gasped and backed up against a wall of the medical ward. Denz's body had suddenly started to shake violently. He can't be waking up already! It's only been twenty-eight hours! She nervously told herself.
Tay was just about to call for assistance, when Denz just as suddenly became still again. The fright had knocked the wind out of her, and Tay found herself bent over, gasping for air. When she looked up, Tay noticed something different about Denz. More color had suddenly returned to his skin. She moved her gaze up to his face, and almost passed out when she saw him looking back at her.
"Let me out."
The request was muffled due to the breath mask, but it was still clear enough for Tay to hear and understand; but she could not move. She sat there on the floor gaping at what should have been an unconscious Jedi student in a bacta tank.
Denz's brow creased when she did not move. He frowned, and the bacta tank cracked and shattered, causing bacta to spill out and drench tables, chairs, equipment, and Tay. Denz stepped out of the ruined bacta tank, ripping off the breath mask as he did, and throwing on a robe. He stepped over to Tay and asked, "Where are my garments?"
Tay, still on the floor, did not respond. She merely pointed a shaking finger at a drawer. Denz rummaged around in the shredded clothing for a moment, and, without another word, left the medical ward.
Denz frowned and placed his hand on the door, which blew into the room and landed with a loud crash. Salah gasped and stepped back. Inside the room, Tahiri and Lowbacca sat at a table holding datapads. Their expressions bore surprise; not only for the destruction of the door, but also for the fact that Denz was standing in Tahiri's doorway.
"Wha … What?"
Lowbacca growled in confusion.
Tahiri tried to rise but found that she could not move.
Denz smiled at this, "How does it feel to be helpless, Tahiri?"
Now Tahiri looked confused and even more surprised. "What are you talking about?"
"While I was in that bacta tank, I could tell almost exactly what was going on. I was helpless to stop Cordell from leaving or keep Jyo, Zeek and Todan from going after him. However, you were out here and had full power and authority to keep them here if you had wanted to. But instead you let them all go, based on the assumption that it was the will of the Force. Well I'm not about to entrust the safety of my friends and family to "the will of the Force". I am going after them. Not because no one else will, but because no one else can. Once I leave the Jome, you will be able to move again. Although I doubt you would come after me anyway." Denz turned and left the room, and Salah followed in stunned silence.
"Hmph! I say we just let the thing kill Cordell and be done with it." Todan grumbled.
Jyo ignored the remark and focused on coming up with a plan.
Kam grunted from behind them as he set down his large shoulder bag. He unzipped it and pulled out a laser canon. "My aim isn't perfect with this thing, so I should probably try to shoot it in the front or back. Don't wanna take a chance on missin' when it's standin' sideways."
Jyo nodded, "Cordell! Did you hear that?"
Cordell seemed to have finally come to his senses, "Forget it, Jyo! I can take this thing down myself." As he said this, Cordell pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it.
"Cordell! NO!"
The vort made a sort of growl-hiss as if agitated. It had not expected its food to be so difficult to kill. It took a step toward Cordell but suddenly changed its mind. Something convinced the vort that there was easier prey to its right. When it turned, it saw not one but three Jedi, as well as a large man aiming something big at it.
"Do it now!" Jyo told Kam.
"Roger!" Kam replied and pulled the trigger.
A large blast shot from the laser canon and hit the vort, square in the chest. It did not penetrate, and it did not seem like it did much damage, but the blast did knock the vort back about thirty feet. Long marks in the dirt were evident from where the vort had dug in its clawed feet to try and stop its slide.
"Shoot it again! Quick!" Zeek instructed.
Kam let loose again and delivered another direct hit. This time the vort was lifted off of its feet as it flew backward into a building at about fifty miles per hour. Before the vort could even fall to the ground from where it had hit, Kam fired the laser canon once more. The blast struck the base of the building, causing it to collapse, burying the vort.
Jyo glanced toward Cordell and saw him running full tilt in their direction – with his lightsaber still lit. Jyo realized where Cordell was looking, "NO, CORDELL DON'T!"
Too fast for Kam to react, Cordell ran past him, swinging his lightsaber once as he went by.
Kam fell to the ground, his right arm gone, severed at the shoulder. The big man yelled in agony before passing out.
"Idiot." Cordell said without turning around. "He should not have interfered with my fight." Behind him he heard the sound of three lightsabers igniting.
Denz nodded and walked determinedly into the darkness.
He disappeared from sight as Salah shook her head to clear it. She knew he had just used a mind trick on her, but didn't dare go after him. Suddenly she saw a flash of light and a spark as two things that would not cut each other collided. The blade of light moved again and there was another spark. Then the tempo increased and the light moved faster. Is that another lightsaber? Salah asked herself. She closed her eyes and shook her head again, but when she opened her eyes, it was over.
Denz called out from the darkness, "Let's go!"
"Promise me that you won't kill Cordell. I don't think he is to blame for his actions."
"You mean something or someone is controlling him?"
Denz shook his head. "I'm not certain. So, do you promise?"
Salah nodded as they rounded the final corner. Salah kept going, but Denz stopped in his tracks and soaked up what he saw. Kam lay on his back and was missing an arm; Zeek looked like he had been thrown against the building he slumped against; Jyo was face down in the sand and dirt with no wounds Denz could see; and Todan was engaged in a duel with Cordell.
Feelings of hate and revenge boiled to the surface of Denz's being, and he fought to keep them from becoming actions. Denz vaguely saw Salah join Todan as they began attacking Cordell together. Denz slipped out of sight and found that he was breathing heavily. His hands itched to hold a lightsaber and to use it against Cordell. Denz shook his head to clear it, and realized that he could not face Cordell yet. He determined that he would not face him until he was sure that he was ready. Quickly and quietly Denz disappeared into the darkness.
"What happened to you guys?" A voice asked quietly.
Salah looked to see who had asked such a question and was shocked to find that it was Cordell. "What's that supposed to mean?" She shot back hotly.
"Exactly like it sounds," he replied with a shrug as he looked around and saw the destroyed building and a couple of badly injured people. "What happened here?"
"YOU HAPPENED!!!"
"What're you talking about?"
"You're a monster, Cordell!"
"Me? I couldn't have done this!"
Suddenly, Salah realized it. Denz had been right. Something had been controlling Cordell, and he didn't remember a thing.