Anareen Space Port: Ten days ago.

Six months had passed since the death of my master and I had yet to find a possible learner to take on.
In desguise, I had ventured into all the nearby Jedi training centers, but all the children had either been too loyal to the light side, or were just too dumb for me to waste my time on. The fact that they were all working for the light side made them all dumb.
There was only one place in this quadrant left to check; Alderaan.

The trip to Alderaan took longer than I had planned. I should have bought a faster ship before I left Telos, but that's what I get for being hastey.
I ended up having to stop at a space port on the way in order to fill my food rations and other supplies. I also had to stretch my legs.

"Anareen Spaceport, Six-Four-Niner-Four-Three.", I keyed up my comm.
There was a long, disturbing silence on the other end.
Finally I got a response from the controller, "Niner-Four-Three, Anareen. Go ahead."
"Anareen, Niner-Four-Three, I'm 15 clicks at point Two-Seven-Zero. Inbound to land.", I responded.
They came back to me instantly this time. "Niner-Four-Three, Radar contact. You have docking bay Three One Six."
The transmission felt odd. I should have been given a transponder code before getting a clearance to land. But, maybe this was a new guy.

I landed at my dock and exited my ship. The ramp personel were waiting for me at the door.
I've never been to Anareen before, but my past experience with other ports were not as friendly. It usually took over an hour before the refueler was brought out. I tried to sence any sort of danger, perhaps word had gotten out about me and they were all afraid, but I felt nothing but calmness.

The head of the docking area came right out to me with his hand open, ready to take mine, like we were old friends.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain.", he said as he joined me at my side. I continued walking toward the decontamination chamber. "I hope you will find everything to your liking during your stay.", he continued.
I stopped and turned to him. "Do I know you?"
"Not that I know of, sir.", he answered.
"Then, why the helpful assistance?", I asked.
"This is how we treat everyone, here. Working here is great and the benefits are top notch. How else would we act?", he replied.
It was kind of creepy, but I also agreed to meet with the head of the space port, as was the custom of all new travelers, later that evening.

While bartering with a trader on the port, I senced the presence of darkness.
It was subtle, but getting stronger. I tried to shake it from my head. I figured I was just being paranoid.

I walked toward the armory and had just rounded the corner when my senses alerted me.
I dropped my supplies and ignited my saber as I flung around. I zeroed my blade at a dark figure right behind me.
"WHOA! Hold on stranger!", a familiar voice pleaded, raising his hands in the air infront of him.
The figure stepped out of the shadows so I could put a familiar face to the voice.
"Nex!", I turned off my saber and put it back in it's holster.

Darth Nexus was another Sith that my master and I had met when I was 18. He was one of the few survivors of a crippled ship we had come across in deep space.
We planned to loot it, but found a willing defender of the vessel instead – Nex.
He was a few years younger than me. He would have been an easy kill, but seeing as he was a fellow Sith, we agreed that he could ride with us to the next stop.
He ended up staying with us for just under a year.

He was my best friend for that time. My only friend.

Nexus' master was killed in the onboard explosion of his ship. He wasn't ready to be released into the universe as a master, yet, and he didn't seem like he had an inner fire to be a full Sith.
During our 'hanging out', I learned that he always wanted to be someone important. Someone who took up the spotlight. Those aren't the virtues of a Sith.

I turned and regathered my things. Nex helped me carry some of them back towards my ship.
"So, what have you and Klo'ek been up too, lately? No good, I assume.", he chided.
"Klo'eks' dead.", I scowled into my rations.
"Oh...", his voice went sympatheticly silent. He knew the history of our ways.

We entered the main docking area and I headed straight to my ship.

Nex stopped at the desk near the door. I supposed he was informing security that there were people out on the ramp.

I placed the items I was holding into the rear compartment of my ship and turned around, only to meet the head of the docking area.
"I see you're ready to meet our esteemed leader here on the Anareen?", his smile was starting to wear me thin.

As he said this I could see Nex walking up behind him, jovially carrying the rest of my things. An odd smile smeared across his face.

The dock boss stepped to the side, "May I introduce Dr. Douglas Mahn", he motioned toward Nex with a bow.
"Nex? You're the Captain of this port?", I said as the dock boss walked away, towards another ship that was finishing a landing sequence on the far side of the platform.
"You got it, buddy.", he said as he walked around me and put the rest of my things in the rear storage compartment, "I always told you that I wanted to be someone important. A space port isn't exactly a CEO position, but it's 10 rungs above a janitor."
He told me about his climb to the top after me and Klo'ek had left him on Alderaan years ago to start his new life. He also told me about how he got out of the whole 'Sith life', practicing only on occasion just in case..
"Doctor? And, why did you take my name?", I asked. It seemed odd that he didn't use his own, Ro'ek R'lee.
"I like how your name sounds. It's better than mine. Besides, you weren't using it, anymore.", he smirked. "The Doctor part is just a fancy add-on."

Just then, the dock boss ran over to me and Nex. "Boss, those gaurds over there are looking for your friend." He said, just as a blaster round exploded through his chest. Nex caught him as he fell and I ignited my saber.

Blocking two rounds from hitting Nex, I lowered the ramp to my ship. Nex dropped the corpse and pulled his own saber, pointing it at the advancing gaurds.
"Come on, Nex!", I yelled, motioning for him to get on the ship.
"Just go, Dra!", he yelled back, "I'll hold them off."
I yelled back, "Hold them off! Fuck! This ship can withstand those pea shooters! Get in, you stubborn bastard!"
Nex used the force to close my ramp, blocking my view. I immediately ran to the bridge and started the launch sequence, hoping that Nex would be along shortly.
Looking out my cockpit window, I saw my only friend die – four blocked rounds, then a single round to the head. There were just too many soldiers.

"NNEEEEXX!", my eyes welled up as I shouted my friends name for the last time. My inner fire lit up inside me; my body felt like a ball of fire. The pheonix was rising, again, and I acted.
Instead of taking off and shooting them with my cannons, I ran my ship into them; crushing their little bodies like bugs under your foot.
I remember the last guys' screams as I ground him against the hull and the floor before I lifted up and shot out of that docking bay at twice the regulated speed.

"Niner-Four.." I switched the comm off. I wasn't going to talk to anyone.

It was time to head to Alderaan.