Chapter 8
The Dark Side of the Force, Part I
The
memory came unbidden as Yoda approached the rising Sith Lord...
"The Sith are nothing like other sensitives who use the
Force. Passion feeds their power, but it does not rule them."
"Master Rimasiss, I don't understand."
"You're too young to have ever met a Sith, padawan. I have only faced one in a hundred and twenty years. You needn't worry about them, though. They are extinct, as far as any of us can tell."
Yoda's young eyes scanned his Master's weathered face. The Thisspiasian Jedi Master was the oldest and most revered of the Jedi. His voice sounded as ancient and wise as his curled white beard looked. Rimasiss turned and looked at Yoda, his expression hidden behind the tufts of white hair that grew out of his face.
"Yoda, I fail to understand why you're asking about this. You're barely twelve standard years old—a child by even human standards…" He bent low and brought his eyes level with Yoda's. "Besides, shouldn't you be practicing your lightsaber skills? You are far behind your fellow padawans in this area, my young apprentice."
Yoda frowned, but dutifully bowed his head. "Yes, Master."
Rimasiss stood erect, apparently satisfied, and turned to walk away.
"Master?"
"What is it, padawan?"
"Are the Sith more powerful?"
Rimasiss' hairy face bristled as he turned to regard Yoda. "More powerful? Hmm…do you fear them, my young apprentice?"
"No. Fear leads to the dark side."
"Very good, padawan. But the dark side of the Force is a pathway to many unnatural abilities, padawan. No…the Sith are not more powerful. Yes, they have access to powers that would seem amazing to you, but their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. They detach themselves from their emotions. That is how they are different from the other users of the dark side. They use their emotions like tools, but they are not connected to them. This prevents them from ever really loving anyone. As such, they know nothing of loyalty. They destroyed themselves through their own deceit and lust for power. Even if one or two managed to survive, their way cannot survive, because treachery is the way of the Sith."
"What sort of powers, Master? How do you fight them?"
Rimasiss chuckled. "Come now, padawan. That's enough questions for today. You have an appointment with a lightsaber. For now, I only have one piece of advice for you should you feel the urge to fight a Sith."
"What's that, Master?"
"Don't."
Yoda stopped in front of Kaine and angled his lightsaber across his frame in the Ataro defensive stance. Darth Frigeus stood tall and nodded.
"It is better this way, is it not, Master Jedi? You and I locked in combat for the life of your pathetic planet. "
Yoda gripped the lightsaber even more tightly. "If dead you are, destroy Migruna, you cannot."
"And what makes you think you can kill me, my arrogant little friend?"
Yoda leapt at Kaine in a crimson blur of fury. The Jedi Master slashed his blade incessantly at the Dark Lord of the Sith. His muscles tightened with each strike. His attack strengthened with each leap. Power flowed into Yoda faster than it ever had before. He could feel the fiery flow of energy permeating his every movement.
Darth Frigeus smiled.
"Yeeessss…." Kaine grinned as he thwarted Yoda's barrage. The Dark Lord turned gracefully and twirled his blade in response to Yoda's thrusts. "I can feel your power growing, Yoda!" Kaine laughed aloud and gave ground as Yoda pressed his assault. "Release your rage! Use it! Only your hate can destroy me!"
Yoda roared as he called on the Force. He felt no soothing currents pouring into him as he had so many times before. The power that teemed into him burned like the fire in his heart. Enraged, Yoda unleashed the inferno.
The Dark Lord of the Sith flew across the room, and landed hard. Yoda leaped onto the prostrate politician, his lightsaber angled down to thrust through his chest. Kaine rolled to the side and leapt away. Unable to stop his momentum, Yoda's weapon drove into the floor to the hilt. As he withdrew his sword, he caught his reflection in the gloss of obsidian.
Yoda froze.
"No!" Yoda screamed. Swallowing hard, Yoda closed his eyes. Of the dark side, this is…
"Yes!" Kaine sneered and leapt at Yoda's back, brandishing his lightsaber for a killing blow.
Yoda leapt aside, knocking Kaine's blade away. As his feet touched the floor, Kaine advanced. With a flurry of movement, Yoda found himself desperately giving ground to Darth Frigeus' seemingly unrelenting attack. Yoda leapt and twirled but could not gain ground.
"Kill…you…" Yoda snarled. "Kill…you…I…will!"
Yoda leapt up onto the viewscreen console just as Kaine's weapon clashed into his. Yoda struggled to hold the Sith's powerful blade at bay. His breath caught in his throat when he looked into Kaine's glowering yellow eyes.
"Give yourself to the dark side. Then, perhaps you will!" the Dark Lord grinned.
Yoda swung his foot up and drove the sharp nails of his toes into Kaine's wrists. The Sith Lord screamed in agony and dropped his blade as he leapt away.
Yoda howled in triumph.
Reaching out, Yoda called the fallen blade to his hand. "Now! You will die!"
Kaine held his wrist and stared at Yoda with fiery eyes. Yoda smiled as he ignited Darth Frigeus' blade. The Dark Lord straightened and lifted his chin. Yoda bellowed with wrath and leaped from the console, the weapons swinging from his sides like twin-ion engines.
Darth Frigeus raised his hand.
Yoda's lip curled in disgust. No Force-push would stop his assault.
Darth Frigeus smiled.
Pain.
It erupted all around Yoda. Forgotten in his agony, the weapons fell absently to the floor as Yoda landed hard against the console. Electrical fire tore at his skin. Squinting through the anguish and the blue-white fire that engulfed him, Yoda saw the Sith Lord's triumphant glare as lightning poured from his wounded hand.
Relief.
The electrical storm stopped.
"Do you see it now, Yoda? Do you finally understand? The Sith are never unarmed. The Force itself is our weapon!"
Agony.
Respite.
"Are you going to make me destroy you, Yoda? Join me, and this power will be yours! Defy me, and suffer."
He could barely hear the words above the pounding of his pulse against his ears. His throat burned as he screamed. "No!"
Kaine dropped his head and sighed. "Very well, then."
Blue-white lightning swallowed the Jedi.
