Chapter II

Darth Vader's black helmet shone in the sun of Jutij, the Hutt controlled planet on the fringes of known space.

His honour guard of thirty Stormtroopers surrounded him as he continued on his way toward the Jedi Ruins in the Stoen Ridge. The Sith Lord smiled though it pained him as he saw the seven Jedi sitting meditating by the stone pillars. Three Jedi Hunters came up behind him and he nodded.

The Jedi Hunters robes were black and they were trained in the ways of the Dark Jedi, and their weapons the lightsaber.

Vader was silent as he saw the three young Jedi, about the age he was when he first picked up a lightsaber and practiced against another hopeful named Jorec. He blocked the thoughts and memories of his former path to distract him and gazed in wonder as he and his fellow Hunters made their way even closer and the seven Jedi made no move even to escape.

Vader pulled his lightsaber from his belt and stepped forward, his breathing probably startled the younglings and they showed this by thier snap of the heads in his direction. The Sith Lord watched the four older Jedi rise from their meditation posture.

He recognized the oldest, Akan Gui, his former friend when he was a Padawan. He flinched at the thought of killing his first Jedi friend but diminished the thoughts, "Jedi Knights, you have been found guilty of treason against the Empire and you will be executed,"

Akan turned to face Vader with a confused look on his face, "I know you don't I?"

The Sith Lord brought his gloved hand up in a salute and the stormtroopers began to fire. The younglings fled in fear as the blaster bolts ripped through them, killing the three instantly.

Vader extinguished the feelings of remorse in his heart just as he did when he went on his slaughter throughout the Jedi Temple, they were now enemies of his Empire, the Jedi would never join him. Would they?

The Dark Lord rose his hand again motioning for the troopers ceasings fire, only two Jedi Knights remained, "Jedi Knights, you have now the opportunity to live where as your friends have fallen to the wayside, I offer you the chance to live, join me in my quest to seek out the Jedi, and you shall be spared,"

Akan shook his head as he drew his lightsaber, "Never Darth,"

His companion, a mere teenager fell to his knees, "Lord Vader, please! I surrender, I wish to become a Jedi Hunter! Just let me live,"

Vader looked at the young man, and nodded, "Prove yourself by killing this Jedi here and we shall spare you,"

The young man drew his lightsaber and ran toward Akan, "die Jedi scum!"

Akan shocked at the young man's betrayal leapt back, and parried the attack, Vader motioned for the joining in of the three Hunters who stood at attention before him.

Akan Gui blocked and parried and avoided the blades of the three hunters and the traitorous apprentice with lightning speed he leapt unto a large boulder and drew a thermal detonator. He threw it towards the three hunters and they leapt away from it nimbly.

It exploded and sent the young Jedi flying, he fell to the floor in a heap, his robes tattered and his face scarred.

Vader stretched his hand out and pulled Akan towards him, in a powerful psychokenetic grip Vader activated his lightsaber and made a clean sweep. Akan's body fell to the floor and Vader deactivated his lightsaber. Akan was always the weaker Jedi.

The Sith Lord pulled a datapad from the dead body of Akan, "Ah so you were finding force-sensitives and training them in the ways of the Jedi?" Vader smiled though it hurt to himself as he saw the name a Jedi Master, "Jedi Master Quinlan Vos survived? And he is on Naboo meeting with three other Jedi Knights,"

Vader turned to regard the young man who lay on the floor near death, if he survived his face would remain scarred beyond recognition, Vader motioned to the youth and three stormtroopers made their way to him and picked him up.

The Sith turned to the Commander, "Ready my ship, we are going to Naboo," he felt a slight pain in his heart as he said this, Naboo, where his beloved was from. He shut the emotion out, he could not allow himself to become weak, the dark side of the Force would sustain him so long as he remained without love.

He turned on his heals his black cape following in his wake. Naboo was two days journey away.