I got back to the temple, and headed straight for the Skate.
There beside her was my first hurdle to getting Jysella back, Jedi Master Kyp Durron.
As I walked onto the landing field he started walking closer, the anger he wears like a mask coming off of him in waves.
He stopped in front of me and said, "Padawan Skywalker, I would like an explanation of your actions."
I walked around him.
At any other time, I would have probably laughed at the outrage and shock that came off him when I did that, that day, I just did not have it in me.
Master Durron reached out and grabbed me with the Force. "I want some answers!"
I turned on him, and could feel my guard slip a little, letting out some of my anger and frustration. I knew that he had not really done anything deserving of my anger, but at that point my worry and fears overruled my common sense. "We all want something Durron. Now, are you going to get out of my way, or do I have to move you?"
Part of me really itched at seeing what the "Killer of Caridia" could do. I remembered rumors to the effect that he thought himself more powerful Force-wise than my Dad, at least back when my Dad could access the Force.
That dark voice in my head really wanted to see if he held more power than a Skywalker.
That dark voice screamed at me to put him in his place, to hurt him, to make him bleed and scream.
Before I got the chance, a voice of reason interjected. It was Jaina, her dark robes swirling around her, a veil covering her head and the top of her face. "Ben! Kyp! This is not how either of you should be behaving. Now Ben, we just want to know what you did to Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara."
I closed my eyes against the pain as I told them. I told them about returning on the Skate and finding Jacen alive. I told them of showing mom and dad the fake body in the morgue. I told them about the discussion with Jacen and Lumiya. I told them of Jacen admitting to doing all those terrible things to Tahiri, and told them how he had shared those vile images with me. I told them about the Krath, and how Jacen used one of their techniques to turn my parents into meaningless puppets. I told them about my fight with Jacen, and that I had killed him.
I could feel the horror that came off them, since it so closely felt like what I still held in my heart.
I told them of stripping the Force from my parents.
And finally I told them of Jysella being taken.
In the Force I could feel the sadness coming from Jaina. "Oh, Ben. I'm so sorry. We'll find her."
I looked at my cousin as I said "I know I will."
I felt Kyp drop his Force hold on me, and I started walking once more towards the Skate.
Jaina's voice was filled with pain and concern. "Where are you going?"
"To get Jysella back." I absently wondered when my voice had turned so cold and hard.
As I walked past Jaina, her voice was soft and light. "Ben, beware the Dark Side. Be mindful of what you have been taught. It can save you."
I looked at her and tried my best to not start crying again. "I will."
I then kissed her cheek and said, "You are no longer the 'Sword of the Jedi', now you are Miraluka. Your vision is what will guide the Order through the dark times ahead."
With that said, I walked the rest of the way to the Skate, went in and closed the ramp. Even with the ramp closed I could still feel Jaina's confusion at what I had told her, especially because it so mirrored my own confusion.
I didn't know why I had said that.
I didn't even know what a Miraluka was.
Pushing my conversation with Jaina out of my mind, I slipped into the cockpit and started the pre-flight checklist.
I closed my eyes and could see the bright golden string of our Force bond stretching off to the stars.
I launched the Skate and put her on a heading following the string. As I reached the point where Lumiya's ship entered hyperspace I pulled the levers making the jump.
I spent days tracking them through hyperspace in that way. My fears and frustrations growing as each day passed.
I would catch occasional glimpses of Jysella, and when I did she was usually in either a great amount of pain or anger beyond anything I had ever seen.
Every time I got a glimpse of her, it was one of those two feelings, except for one time. There was a single glimpse I had of her that was of a different emotion. It was probably an hour after I left Ossus, and her despair flooded me. The thought that came with the feeling was one of abandonment, of being left behind.
Finally, I came out of hyperspace, and saw the string of our bond leading down to the planet's surface. I turned to Whistler and asked him to figure out exactly where we were.
As an Imperial Mark 3 Star Destroyer came over the horizon, I was thankful for the low sensor profile of the Skate.
As I got closer to the planet I tried my best to figure out a plan. I did not know what I could do, how I could get to wherever Lumiya was holding Jys. If she could field enough personnel for an Imp 3, then she probably had a good number of people on planet.
I smiled as I had an idea. I would do the same thing my dad did when he faced a Sith.
Again, today I can admit that wasn't a bright decision. Dad turned himself over to face his father. I turned myself over to a Sith with no relation to me. One who barely wanted me for an apprentice, someone to be her version of Lord Vader. And if she could not have me as that, then she wanted me dead. Well, I was still a kid, I'm forgiven.
So I sent power to the engines, and flew down to the planet, following the string.
I first flew over a great canyon. Built into the canyon walls were monuments, the pall of death and the Dark Side surrounding them.
Still following the string, the landscape changed from the blasted, broken rock of the canyons, to a forest, all dark grey and green; twisted and stunted. In the distance there was a large citadel stretching up out of the forest. It was dark and foreboding, the stones that comprised it stained from years of neglect.
It invoked feelings of depression in me just by looking at it.
I flew around the palace, trying to discover the best place to land, and wondered why the automated defenses, and this place had scores of anti-ship turbolasers, had not started firing.
I found a landing platform big enough for the Skate that was conveniently empty about half-way up the tallest tower
I shut down the engines, and saw a contingent of red clad stormtroopers come out of the doorway. In the midst of them was someone in a dark cloak.
That feeling of foreboding crashed into me again.
As I walked down the ramp, I turned to Whistler and said, "Whistler, stay here. If anyone but Jysella or myself comes on board, set the self-destruct."
I walked towards the cloaked form, but it just turned away and started walking back into the building.
Not knowing what else to do I followed.