Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars… I am just having some fun with it at the moment.
Author's Note: I am so sorry guys! That cliffhanger was never meant to go on this long. This month I just seemed to be hit with everything possible, such as boutes of plague (colds), tons of papers (evil professors), two hospital visits (not fun at all, but I will survive, as it is nothing life threatening), and now I have finals. On top of all that horrible stuff, I have a intolerable case of writer's block. I think I will break it once I decide which version of chapter twelve I will post, because this story can now be divulged in two different ways depending on which chapter twelve I decide to take. I hate to say it, but you may not get another update until this new year, sorry. Please, forgive any minor mistakes as my mind is numbed by the lovely pain pills the doctors have given me.
WARNING- It is about to get violent.
Key/Force Communication/
'thoughts'
/Exile's Voice/
dreams/visions italics
Chapter Eleven- The End of Naivety
The sound of the locking door echoed through the chilled room. The solitary figure before it remained jarringly composed. A flint of amusement glistened in his unnatural red eyes. Mutely, he waved his ignited blade in challenge. The Senators leaped from their seats, moving as far from the being as they possibly could. His eyes, for the moment, remained intently on Palpatine and Qui-Gon.
"Pretender, I have found you," His voice rose above the terror filled Senators. His eyes never left Palpatine. "You, call yourself a Sith, but you are little more then a child playing a game. I will show you what it means to be Sith. Unfortunately, you will not survive the lesson." His voice turned to mocking, as he hissed, "Let anarchy reign."
To Qui-Gon's surprise, a red blade shot into Palpatine's hand. Understanding hit him. 'Palpatine was the Sith Master behind the Clone Wars.'
Palpatine's eyes met Qui-Gon's own. "Together, then?"
Qui-Gon's green saber hummed to life, and together the two, a Sith and Jedi master, rushed at the intruder. Nebulous blocked their strokes. Their flourishes failed to find a weakness. In every direction they aimed, they only found his blade there blocking them. Furniture was destroyed as the trio fought. After what seemed like an hour, the two defenders began to tire. Laughter filled the Dark Lord, until it bubbled to the surface.
"I like your blade, Pretender. I will take it from your dead body."
Palpatine ignored the comment and circled around the Sith hoping to flank him. Qui-Gon remained to the front of the Dark Lord. The two attacked in unison. Nebulous leapt landing behind Palpatine. His lightsaber's blade protruded through the Supreme Chancellor's chest. Palpatine's mouth opened in surprise, his eyes fell to the red light. Nebulous withdrew the beam and Palpatine fell to the ground before the Dark Lord.
"I am the Master of this galaxy." His cold eyes fixed on Qui-Gon. "Now, Jedi, you will die."
The Sith Lord's blade fell with power against Qui-Gon's blocking lightsaber. Qui-Gon found himself forced to retreat. The Lord's eyes glowed intensely, never leaving his prey. Nebulous stayed on Qui-Gon, as the Jedi master retreated. The pair traveled through the wrecked Chancellor's office. Orin Free Taa, the Twi'lek senator, and Ask Aak found themselves too close to the combating two, and Nebulous cut them down with cool animosity. Qui-Gon realized he was slowly; he was after all not a young man. The Sith Lord seemed to sense this, and drove his strokes with more vigor. Nebulous raised his hand and with a force push, he forced Qui-Gon into a wall, his lightsaber fell harmlessly to the ground. Nebulous was upon the Jedi master before he had time to react.
Nebulous looked up from his latest victim. His eyes scanned the horrified faces on the remaining political figures.
"There has been a change in regimes and you are all being downsized."
Aiming the force at Mas Ammedda and Sly Moore, he pushed them into the glass window with such force that they broke through it, falling to the bowels of Coruscant. All that remained was the panic-stricken Jar Jar Binks, who was running in a circle, squealing like a stuck pig. Nebulous's eyes lightened.
"I have to thank, you, 'Senator' Binks without your help I wouldn't have found the Republic in such a weakened state." He paused, as he raised the horrified Gungan into the air using the force. Jar Jar's stalk eyes bulged as he gasped for breath. Slowly, the Dark Lord approached him, until he was inches from the Gungan's face. "The road to hell is paved in good intentions, and, you, my friend just bought a one way ticket."
"Pleassa, sir-." Jar Jar pathetically pleaded as his breath escaped.
Nebulous's blade gutted the amphibious creature. The Sith Lord fed upon the power of his deeds, as he pompously strode toward the door. His hand called Palpatine's gold encased lightsaber into it.
"I owe a Jedi my compliments for surviving my plans on Utapau."
As silently as he had come, he left. Masking his presence, he purposely made his way toward the Jedi Temple.
The temple was quiet, as most of its occupants had retired for the evening. No one realized that a Dark Lord had managed to bypass the codes and was now walking among them. Nebulous moved stealthily through the empty hallways. He sensed the echo and was resolute on following it to its source.
A padawan trod through the hall on his way to the quarters he shared with his master. His eyes caught the looming figure in front of him. Fear traveled through him, attracting the attention of Nebulous.
"THE SITH ARE HERE," the padawan voice yelled. He hoped that his call would bring help, but a sense of foreboding told him aid would not reach him in time. The malicious gaze of the Sith Lord told him everything.
"Have you ever heard the story of the boy who called 'Sith'?" Nebulous asked contemptuously, as he force crushed the child. He watched detachedly as the crumpled form hit the floor. "Apparently, not."
With added haste, Nebulous continued down the hallways. He knew that a few might have heard the boy. However, Nebulous trusted that many would refuse to believe such an implausible statement, but when they found the boy's body, they would know. Nebulous moved as if he were a zephyr. Clinging to the shadows, he drew closer. He stopped, when he heard footsteps in front him. Masking his presence even more then he had been, he waited.
A voice carried through the vacant corridor. "I heard the scream this way, Master Mundi."
Two Jedi walked toward him. He let them go by. Nebulous doubled back and stalked the pair. He held no fear of them. He could easily kill them and continue on his way. The pair came to a stop, when they saw the padawan's body.
The master with the tapered head plucked out his comlink from his oversized robes. "We have an intruder."
Nebulous materialized out of shadows precisely behind the pair. "No," he whispered into their ears. "I have official business here."
His two red sabers brought the two Jedi's ends quickly. His blades returned to the hilt in seconds. Nebulous could already hear the alarm being issued. He had minutes. The Sith Lord would relish the challenge. His pace quickened even more then it had been before.
A glass shattered, its burgundy contents spilling to the floor. The droplets spread across the wooden floorboards. Ravelin's hands shook. Obi-wan felt her abrupt alarm, and the darkness surrounding it.
/We have to get you out of here./ She rose suddenly. /The Sith master is here./ Using the Force, Ravelin called her blue lightsaber into her hand and ignited. /Hurry./
Obi-wan grabbed his own lightsaber, though he waited to ignite. He watched as Ravelin hesitantly opened the door. Her gaze flickered to the end of the hallway, where she felt the dark presence echoing.
/It's clear./ Together they flitted along the edge. Through Ravelin, Obi-wan sensed the darkness that seemed to radiate through the hallway. Both of them cast nervous looks behind them, expecting a threatening figure to appear behind them at any second. Ravelin's eyes darted behind them once more. Obi-wan noticed them widen. A warning shot through their bond and his lightsaber ignited. In astonishment, he witnessed a man in a white mask, force leap straight at Ravelin. His blade hit hers with such force it knocked her to her knees, and pushed her backwards.
Using the bond, Obi-wan drew upon Ravelin's force. His attack drew the Sith Lord away from Ravelin, who wasted no time in getting to her feet. Just as when they had done the movements of the katas, the force passed between them. Obi-wan's blade moved with the grace of a Jedi again. The Lord seemed to notice this as well, and his glowing red eyes passed unto Ravelin.
"I understand now, Revan Spawn," Nebulous hissed as he blocked their strokes. "Why did you keep this wound alive?"
"Every wound has its cure."
His haunting laugh filled the hallway. "It is ironic hearing you say that, Ravelin," His sinister eyes, bearing into her even as he threw the two's blows aside. "There was no, cure for your husband, was there. And when you sought to find one, what did it cost you?"
Ravelin's face visibly paled. Hatred rose within her. "I will kill you for that, monster." Her lightsaber lashed out at the Sith Lord in cold precision. Her silver blade jumped into her left hand.
Obi-wan sent calming waves to his companion, as soon as he had felt the dark waves of anger resonating through their bond. /Anger will not solve anything. It is what he wants./ He felt her rage greatly subside.
Obi-wan tried to circle behind the Sith Lord, but the Sith effortlessly outmaneuvered him. A sense of desperation filled him and Ravelin.
Immersed in his efforts, Obi-wan had noticed the noise behind him. Other Jedi had now arrived on the scene. He sensed Nebulous's reluctance. Obi-wan glanced behind him. He witnessed several Jedi rushing toward them, all prepared for battle. Nebulous backed steadily up; his eyes darted back and forth, as he did this. The Sith raised his hand, and using the Force, he collapsed the interior of the hallway, blocking all his foes on the other side of the rubble. The Dark Lord, then, proceeded to depart from the Jedi Temple and Coruscant.
The naivety of Coruscant was shattered to its core. Sacred ground had been sullied. No place could be untouched by this wraithlike menace.
A/N: Sorry if I went over board on JarJar's death... I hate that Gungan with a passion and was utterly depressed when he was not killed in Revenge. The next chapter's title is: Requiem for the Dead. Please R&R and I ask for your patience I write and select which chapter twelve to post. Thanks for all the reviews thus far.