Chapter 22: A Sith or Jedi
Two hooded figure ran through the streets of the city as they ran after another cloaked figure who was wearing black. One of the following figures wore brown while the other wore black as they dotted through the shapes and turns of the city. Finally they arrived in a clearing in the center as the runner stopped to a dead halt and the other two pursuers stopped in front of the stranger.
"You have failed," said the stranger in a low voice as he pulled off the hood and revealed a middle-aged man, with blonde hair and green-blue eyes. The man had a scar on his left cheek as it ran down to his chin. A smile was the only thing that he gave as he let his robe fall to the ground.
"No, there's no place for you to run Wasdal," responded the brown cloaked figure as he removed his hood and revealed an elderly man in his 60s. He had a long flowing hair and a full beard. His eye's showed only experience along with the lines that formed on his head.
"Don't worry Qui-Gon, he's just overly cocky," responded the black figured as he pulled back his hood and showed a young man who looked only at the most 18. He wore a black turban and had deep black eyes.
"We will see, Qui-Gon Jinn and Sim Nam," said Wasdal as he pulled a cylinder hilt from his belt and revealed a powerful Sith red blade. He ignited his blade as he attacked Qui-Gon Jinn who turned on his green blade. Sim force-called his lightsaber to his hand and ignited his old green blade to help out his master. But before he could, suddenly things warped as Sim found him stuck to where he was. He watched as his master and Wasdal fought till all of a sudden the red blade ran through his master.
Wasdal glared with victory as his master slumped to the ground. Sim found himself crying as tears raced down his cheeks. But the emotion was short lived as everything cleared up again. Anger began to run through Sim as he looked at his fallen Master. Calling upon the dark side of the Force, Sim lashed out at Wasdal and engaged him in his final lightsaber duel.
Wasdal was caught by surprise as Sim attacked him furiously with all his Force powers. His lightsaber turned into millions of blades as he pressed and pressed against Wasdal. Wasdal barely managed to block Sim's fierce lightsaber attacks as the two battled. Finally the two went into a lock as Wasdal looked at the Jedi Knight's eyes. They were fiery yellow as anger emitted from him.
As Wasdal was distracted, Sim disengaged and with one swipe beheaded Wasdal.
Sim jolted out of bed as he looked around his room. He was covered in sweat from his dream. Tears rolled down his eyes as it brought back memories of his old Master and that tragic day. He sighed as he rolled out of bed and left. It was only 3:00 but he wasn't tired.
He walked out on the deck as he passed Padme's room. Padme heard Sim walk by as she got up from a restless night and followed him. Sim walked out onto one of the temple's many balconies as he sat down to meditate. These days, meditation was the only place where he could feel calm, at the very most. He had been plagued by dreams for a while and couldn't stop them, for all his powers.
Suddenly he felt a soft hand on his shoulder as he felt the soothing presence of his friend. Padme sat down next to him as she looked at him. Both of them looked no different from the days of the Clone Wars yet she could tell that he had changed. No longer was he that prankster adult that found humor in playing with people. He was more serious, though, from what Leia told him, he still had his sense of humor.
"Why you up so early?" asked Padme.
"I...uh... always wake up this early. I am a Jedi Master and we Jedi Master's need lots of meditation," responded Sim as he faced the other direction.
"Oh really? From what Leia told me, ever since she was Knighted you've been a late morning sleeper," said Padme slyly.
"Damn her," whispered Sim as Padme cocked him a smile.
"So tell me, what's wrong?" asked Padme.
"Dreams about Qui-Gon," answered Sim with no expression except great sadness. Padme touched Sim's shoulder as she smiled at him.
"Anything else?" asked Padme.
"I would rather not talk about it," responded Sim as he got up and left back to the temple.
"Where are you going?" said Padme as she followed.
"I'm going to have a talk with an old friend," responded Sim as he left to the bottom of the temple to the prisoner hold.
Vader hissed at his officer who coward before him. He was on a rampage through the Jedi Temple and the officers were getting the brunt of the fury.
"Sir, Lord Annihilator was captured," said one of the officers before collapsing to the ground from an instant choke by Vader. He lashed out at one of his other officers and grabbed his collar.
"Admiral Piett, I want all information concerning the whereabouts of my son to be found by tomorrow! Understand!" shouted Vader as Piett tried to move back but couldn't.
"Yes, Sir!" responded Piett. Vader let go as the officers ran down the hall away from Vader. Vader only sighed with frustration as he peered into the sky. He used the Force to find his son and found him where he thought most likely: on Icylian. How his blood boiled over at the thought. He would have invaded and got rid of that Jedi stronghold but the Force was telling him to wait, for some reason. But the time was coming nearer each day for the invasion and Sim's eventual defeat.
Annihilator looked through the bars of his cell as a dark figure walked up to him. He was completely covered by his long flowing robe but Annihilator didn't need to see his face.
"Sim, why are you here?" asked Annihilator coldly and deprived of emotions.
"Come to talk to a young friend of mine," said Sim as he sat down on one of the benches.
"Luke, I know there is still good in you," said Sim, "Vader didn't drive all of it away from you as he hasn't his either."
"I am doing well, you fool!" said Annihilator, "You just don't see it."
"I do, I see only evil," said Sim with calmness, "You can't allow the darkness to consume you."
"What do you know?" said Annihilator.
"More than you might think," said Sim as he looked away for the first time as a painful memory surfaced once more in the folds of his mind, "If you continue down the path of darkness, you will be consumed by it and the ones that still love you will vanish. Don't make the mistake of your father."
Annihilator didn't respond as he thought over Sim's words.
"It is too late for me, Sim," responded Annihilator but was only met by a pat on the shoulder.
"It is never too late," said Sim as he smiled at his former friend.
Annihilator didn't do anything as he continued to stare at the ground. Sim nodded as he walked out of the cell and back into the temple.
Leia and Padme sat in the room as they chatted.
"So, Leia how has your training with Sim been?" asked Padme.
"Great," said Leia, "I can't say I would want any other teacher."
"You should be honored that you have Sim as your instructor," said Padme, "Though I would never have thought him as a teacher in his lifetime."
"Well, I guess times do change," laughed Leia.
"They do," said Padme, "Sim has changed a lot since we last met."
"Really?" asked Leia quizzing.
"Yes, your father, Anakin Skywalker, and Sim were the greatest Jedi Knights in the Old Republic. They were known through out the galaxy for their daring exploits and adventures," said Padme, "The two were the greatest duo and together they changed the course of many lost battles. While your father was the greatest pilot and engineer in the galaxy, Sim was the greatest tactician and strategist that has graced this galaxy. Together they were unstoppable and that was why the Council always sent the two on the most dangerous missions during the Clone Wars."
"Go figure, Sim was pretty strong in the Force back then too?" asked Leia.
"Yes, though no where near as powerful or skilled in lightsaber combat as he is now," said Padme.
"Yes, indeed he was," said a mysterious voice. Leia looked over to where the voice came and saw Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, and Qui-Gon Jinn. Padme couldn't see them since she wasn't Force-sensitive but Leia was able to project them to her.
"Hello, Masters," said Padme and Leia at the same time while bowing.
"Thank You. I hope you are enjoying being alive again, Padme," said Obi-Wan with a smile.
"Yeah she is," said a random voice as the five figures watched Sim walk by eating an apple.
"Master, no hello or anything to them?" said Leia.
"What? I see them everyday. It makes me think that there not dead. I want some privacy in my life, you know," shouted Sim from down the hallway.
"Don't worry Leia, we talk everyday with him during meditation so we basically are living with him, at least that's what he thinks," said Qui-Gon.
"Whatever," said Leia as she slumped further in her chair but suddenly a thought popped in her head, "Masters, may I ask you something?"
"Sure thing," said Obi-Wan.
"Is there any hope of bringing Luke back to the light side?" asked Leia.
"Back to the light side for young Skywalker, possible it is. But with great compassion it will happen with," responded Yoda.
"Thank you, but how?" asked Leia
"Don't worry we will figure it out," said Padme as she rested a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder.
Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay but I've been having testing and been busy. This long delays won't likely happen again till May, so sorry for the delay. Read and Review guys! Thank you.