Chapter XVII

Vader had finally reached the Archway, the entrance into the Jedi Caverns that housed the Jedi burial grounds.

The Jedi had sealed the archway with a powerful magnetic Force power, Vader used a counter Force power that negated the effect, making the large stone gateway fall open with a crash.

The fifteen stormtroopers that accompanied him to the burial ground stopped, "Lord Vader, our scout confirms that there is another entrance to the burial ground a few clicks north, requesting permission to take the troops there sir!"

Vader nodded, "Lead the group Taria," the dark Jedi nodded and her long red hair flowed with her movements.

Taria was a former Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars who refused to partake in the war, she joined Master Sora Bulq and the others Jedi Knights that made a small schism in the Jedi Order, after the death of Taryn, her closest friend she seeked out Count Dooku and found him, and submitted herself to him.

Dooku had assigned her a position as a Sith Assassin and she was responsible for many of the Jedi Knights deaths during the war. Her partner Asajj Ventress, was the visible killer, while she was the invisible one. For all the time during the Clone Wars she was reported dead.

The only Jedi she did not kill, in fact that she saved was the half dead Jon Antilles, or rather Jon Garoth, a student of the Dark Woman. Jon was the only Jedi Knight that she ever loved and she saved him. She helped him with his wounds and returned him unconscious to a remote part of space, where the other Jedi Knights would not know he was there. Also using a powerful Force Technique she robed him of his memories so he would not go back to the war. She left him there, it was the hardest thing she had to do but she did.

Vader motioned for her to lead the troops; he was now her master.

The Sith Lord watched as Taria led the other troops to the next archway. He had a feeling that those troops would never be seen again and only Taria would return.

Garus stood behind him, "Lord Vader? Shall we continue?" asked the Jedi Hunter.

Vader nodded, "let us enter,"

The cold of the caverns was the first thing to hit him, it was freezing, like Hoth. Vader felt a chill pass through his body.

The long staircase led downward, it was ancient, devoid of Machinery. Only the systematic hum of a droid showed any life.

A small torch lit a small section of the caverns. Vader and Garus activated their lightsabers and continued downward in the faint red glow.

Garus' long black hair trailed behind him as he went before his master, and pulled the torch from its place using it to add illumination to their lightsabers.

A distant pattering of water was heard, and Vader realized that it was raining outside the burial grounds. The Sith lord continued until he reached the second archway, ceremonial lightsabers were embedded in the archway at intervals.

Vader pulled one to himself with the Force and activated it, the green blade shone forth with a dull glow, its power faint after so many years, slowly it faded until it was gone. Garus moved to take one, "Leave them," ordered Vader, "these are worthless, their cells are dead, and without proper knowledge of the Jedi of the Old Order, we can end up destroying ourselves,"

"Yes lord Vader," muttered Garus.

Vader knew that Garus was unhappy with Vader as his superior, Garus hated the man, especially because he was much younger than him. But Garus knew that age did not affect one's power in the Force, if Vader chose he could kill Garus with a small indulgence of his dark side powers.

"Let us enter the ceremonial grounds,"