CHAPTER 2

Savannah looked though the glass window at Holden, who was lying on the operating table. All the others had been with her too, but had fallen asleep. Now, she was the only one left.

She couldn't believe this had happened to him. He had always been the most skilled at lightsaber combat of them, yet he had this happen to him. She wept at the sight of his broken, crippled body. Chances are he wouldn't even live that long, since he lungs couldn't function on their own. Right now he was hooked up to multiple machines to keep him living.

Savannah walked over to the door and walked into the room where Holden was lying. She could feel his pain through the Force. She stood next to him, and grabbed his hand, trying to comfort him. Suddenly, he spoke into her mind.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?" he asked. Tears flowed from Savannah's eyes.

"No! You're not going to die!" she cried. He closed his eyes.

"I wish I would. I can't… pain…" he started, and passed out before her eyes.

John Paul awoke as he heard a door shut. He stood up and looked through the window at the operating room. Several droids were working on Holden, putting on some kind of dark armor. Master Skywalker was next to John Paul.

"What are they doing?" John Paul asked. Skywalker sighed.

"This was the only way to save your friend," Skywalker replied in a sad voice. John Paul looked back at Holden, who was being forced to wear the armor.

"Why are they doing that? What is that armor?" John Paul asked curiously.

"My father, Darth Vader, had injuries nearly identical your friends. This suit will breathe for your friend, since he is unable to on his own. He will also be given two new legs," Luke told the young Jedi. John Paul suddenly felt bad for his friend.

Holden slowly opened his eyes. The world was a light red, and he could hear himself breathing. But his breaths weren't normal. They were loud, deep, frightening. He tried to move, but was too weak to move. He realized he wasn't seeing different, he was covered in some kind of shell, like a suit. He then heard a door open, and all his friends stood around him.

"Where am I?" he asked, his voice dark and menacing. Savannah stepped toward him.

"You're in the Jedi Temple emergency," she told him.

"Why do I feel so strange, and my voice? Why is it different?" he asked. He tried to move again, but his body ached horribly.

"You got hurt bad, Holden. They put you in the same kind of suit Darth Vader wore. It was the only thing to keep you living," Lea told him. Holden felt anger swell in his gut. He didn't want to live. But, this might be kind of cool.

Holden sat up as Master Skywalker came in.

"Hello Holden," said Luke. Holden nodded.

"I can see you've become a bit adjusted to the suit. As you can see, it keeps you breathing, and is far slimmer than the original suit, so you can move around easier," Luke explained. Holden stared at Luke, not saying a word. Suddenly, Holden grabbed Skywalker by the throat, squeezing as hard as he could.

"I didn't want to live! Don't you understand! Now I have to live forever, in constant pain!" Holden screamed, and squeezed harder. Skywalker gasped for breath.

"We… wanted what's best… for you!" Luke gasped.

"Then you should have let me die!" Holden shouted. He threw Skywalker against a wall a hard as he could. He looked, and saw his yellow lightsaber sitting on a desk by the operating table. He used the Force to make it fly into his hand, and turned it on. He walked over to Skywalker, who was now standing up.

"Don't do this, Holden! Don't join the Sith!" Skywalker screamed. Holden shook his head.

"I will not join the Sith. I will destroy both Sith and Jedi, neither helped me. I hate both!" Holden told Skywalker. Holden swung his blade, which connected with Skywalker's green saber. Holden swung again, but again it was deflected.

"Holden, please! Don't do this!" Skywalker begged.

"You will die, Master!" Holden shouted. He quickly continued his assault on Skywalker, but he blocked everything Holden threw at him. Skywalker would die.

Lea walked with her friends to see Holden. She opened the door to the emergency center. Inside, Holden was fighting Master Skywalker. What was going on?

"What? How…" Lea began, but Master Luke stopped her. He turned to her.

"GO! RUN!" he screamed, and as he turned to look at them, Holden drove his blade through Master Luke's chest. Lea watched as Skywalker gasped, and let his blade drop. Holden quickly withdrew his blade, and sliced through Skywalker's neck. His head rolled to the ground, shock on his face.

"Holden, what have you done!" Lea screamed.

"I am going to bring balance to the Force by destroying Jedi and Sith. I want you all to join me," he told them. They all shook their heads.

"If you don't, you will be forced to fight me. I don't want to fight you," he told them.

"Holden, you can't kill Jedi, they're good. The Sith are evil, though," Jessica told him. He sighed.

"What makes Jedi so different from Sith? Did either of them help me when I was burning? Did the Jedi let me die like I wanted to?" he asked. Lea took a moment to think.

"I will join you," she told him. Soon, they all agreed to join him.

"Good. Lets go have some fun."