With approval from the Alliance Chancellor, Arvon and Vala have dispatched teams to begin exploring the ancient Star Forge. Meanwhile, the two Jedi Knights are occupied with their own mission- exploring the station's archives, which are housed within a massive, multistory area. Not only are there computer terminals, there are also seemingly endless shelves filled with books. Accompanying Vala and Arvon are- Vala's Padawan Aja Pinal, as well as the droids U5 and BB-8.
"Wow! Look at all these books! Actual paper books! I've never seen anything like this!" Aja says.
"None of us have. Paper books haven't been in regular use in thousands of years. This… is quite a find. Not even the Galactic Library on Coruscant has a collection like this." Vala says.
"I'm going to have to assign a team to catalogue all of this." Arvon says.
"Better make it a large team." Vala says.
"Agreed." Arvon says.
BB-8 utters a string of whistles and beeps.
"Yes, I know there aren't any interface ports. Astromechs didn't exist yet when they built this place." Vala says.
"I'm sure we can rig up some kind of bypass. Our droids need to be able to access these systems. I'll get a technical team to look into it." Arvon says.
The group continues walking through the shelves of books.
I… feel something. Something… dark. Vala thinks.
"Do you feel that?" Vala asks.
"Yeah. It feels dark. Unnatural." Arvon answers.
"I feel it too. What is that?" Aja asks.
"I don't know. But, I intend to find out." Vala answers.
"This place used to be a Sith base. You could be feeling some residual dark side aura." Arvon says.
"He is mistaken. You are sensing me. And that… is exactly what I intended." A disembodied male voice says. The voice is unnaturally deep and distorted.
"Did you hear that?" Vala asks.
"Yeah. I heard it." Arvon answers.
"Me too. What… was that?" Aja asks.
"Who are you?" Vala asks.
"Come to me, and find out. I am waiting." The voice says.
It's much stronger now. I think I… I know where it's coming from. Vala thinks.
"It's… this way." Vala says, pointing straight ahead.
"You sure?" Aja asks.
"Positive." Vala answers.
"You think this could be whoever killed the Knights of Ren leader?" Arvon asks.
"Could be. We'll just have to find out, won't we?" Vala asks.
"Don't you think we might need some help?" Aja asks.
"We need to investigate this first. I'm not calling backup down here for no reason. That being said, this voice is definitely speaking to us with the Force." Arvon answers.
"If it is a darksider, then we should back off, and call in the other Jedi." Vala says.
"Agreed." Arvon says.
"We only have ten Jedi in the fleet. Will that be enough?" Aja asks.
"It'll have to be. No other Jedi would be able to get here in less than three days." Vala answers.
"We'll proceed… with caution. I'll take point. U5 and BB-8, watch our backs. Aja… stay close to Vala." Arvon says.
The group continues walking. Eventually, they reach a massive double door. Vala extends her hand toward the door, and closes her eyes.
"Good. You've found me. I have been expecting you. Enter... at your convenience." The voice says.
The doors open, revealing a large, circular room with a single chair in its center. The chair is on an elevated platform, and is facing away from the entrance.
"Looks like a throne room." Vala says.
"Yeah. A scary one." Aja says.
"Stay sharp. We don't know what we're getting into." Arvon says.
Vala, Arvon, Aja, U5, and BB-8 enter the mysterious throne room. The throne rotates to face them, revealing a masked man in a black cloak.
"Vala Skywalker! We meet at last!" The man says. His voice is very deep and mechanical.
"I'm guessing you're the true leader of the Knights of Ren." Vala says.
"I am the Master. Everything that has happened… has been according to my will." The Master says.
"Everything that's happened? You mean the war?" Arvon asks.
"Indeed, Arvon Cade. Your intellect serves you well. It is unfortunate that you have not yet realized your full potential." The Master says.
"My full potential? You mean the dark side." Arvon says.
"The dark side is the only true power. The light is meaningless. It weakens you." The Master says.
"We just whipped your Snokespawn butts! Your dark side looks about as useful as a hairbrush to a hutt!" Aja says.
"Insolent child! You know nothing!" The Master says.
"Aja… back off. Now." Vala says.
"I would heed her warning if I were you. Provoking me… would be unwise." The Master says. Vala steps in front of her apprentice.
"You… will not touch her." Vala says.
"The child means nothing to me. I am here for you, Vala. Come closer." The Master says.
"I'm fine right here, thank you very much." Vala says.
"I said come closer." The Master says. He extends his hand, and Vala is pulled toward the throne. Arvon and Aja activate their lightsabers, while U5 draws his blaster rifle, and aims for the Master's head. As Vala is being pulled, a force field appears, cutting her off from her friends. Once the shield is up, the master releases Vala from his grip, and she drops to the floor.
"Vala!" Aja shouts. Appearing to be momentarily dazed, but otherwise unhurt, Vala slowly gets to her feet.
"I'm alright. Ah… ray shield. Great. Guess I'm stuck in here until you can get this thing switched off." Vala says. Aja hits the shield with the tip of her lightsaber.
"It's no use, Aja. We'll have to find the power source and shut it down." Arvon says.
"Take your time. I intend her no harm. The shield is only to prevent you from interfering." The Master says.
"Interfering with what?" Arvon asks.
"We are going to have a conversation. Nothing more." The Master answers.
Vala activates her lightsaber, and points one of her blades at the Master's chest.
"The hell we are! Drop the shield and give yourself up!" Vala says.
"I am not here for a fight, Vala. But as I told the child, provoking me is unwise. Put away your saber, and we will talk." The Master says.
I'm cut off from the others thanks to that shield. What choice do I have? I guess I'll just have to play along for now. Vala thinks.
Vala switches off her lightsaber, and clips it to her belt.
"Good. It appears you can be reasonable." The Master says.
You said you wanted to talk. So, talk." Vala says.
"I see you have inherited your grandmother's impatience." The Master says.
"What do you know about my grandmother?" Vala asks.
"Considerably more than you, I think." The Master answers.
"Is that so? What exactly do you know?" Vala asks.
"I know that you are strong with the force! The heir to a great legacy." The Master says.
"Old news. I've been told that all of my life." Vala says.
"Yes, but were you told everything?" The Master asks.
"No, and that's alright with me. I'm not ready to know everything." Vala answers.
"Is that what she told you?" The Master asks.
"You know what I think? I think you don't know me or my family at all. I think you're just trying to impress me. For what? I don't know. But, I'll figure it out." Vala says.
"I see that you are going to be difficult. As I anticipated. Very well. I have something to show you. Perhaps it will change your perspective." The Master says.
The Master presses a button on the controls of his throne, and a small pedestal rises from the floor. On top of the pedestal is some kind of small, black object of uneven shape.
Is that… a helmet? Vala thinks.
"What is that?" Vala asks.
"Look closely. You should recognize it." The Master answers.
The helmet of Darth Vader? He… has it? Could this be… him? I thought he was dead! He can't… actually be alive after all this time! Vala thinks.
"You know what this is, don't you?" The Master asks.
"Yes. Who… are you?" Vala asks.
"I think you already know." The Master answers.
"Maybe I don't. Would you care to enlighten me?" Vala asks.
"Very well." The Master answers. He lowers his hood, and slowly removes his helmet, revealing himself to be a bald, elderly man with a diagonal scar across his face. Upon seeing the man's face, BB-8 shrieks excitedly, then quickly rolls out of the room.
"Where's he going?" Aja asks.
"Who knows? That droid used to belong to Master Rey. He's about as mysterious as she is." Arvon answers.
"It's like he… recognized that guy." Aja says.
"We can worry about that later. For now, let's focus on getting that ray shield down. U5, scan for a power source." Arvon says.
"Affirmative, master." U5 says.
Meanwhile, Vala and the Master observe from inside the shield.
"BB-8 recognized you." Vala says.
"It doesn't matter." The Master says.
"He'll call her." Vala says.
"Let her come." The Master says.
"You… want a confrontation with my grandmother." Vala says.
"It's inevitable. Actually, I'm looking forward to it." The Master says.
"If you are who I think you are… you're supposed to be dead." Vala says.
"That's what I wanted everyone to think." The Master says.
"I know you survived Exegol. Grandmother told me that much. But, other than that, nothing. I don't think she likes talking about you." Vala says.
"A shame. I suspect there are many things she has hidden from you. She is a liar, just like her father. Always has been." The Master says.
"You hate her. You hate her because she wouldn't join you all those years ago." Vala says.
"A long time ago… I told your grandmother to let the past die." The Master says.
"I've heard the story." Vala says.
"Did you? Did she tell you the truth? Or her version of it?" The Master asks.
"And what is the truth?" Vala asks.
"That she was a fool to bring back the Jedi Order. Now, she's realized her mistake, and walked away from it. The order will fall again. You see that, don't you?" The Master asks.
I hate to even consider this, but… he has a point. The more traditional masters are starting to repeat the mistakes of the past. If the order continues on its current path, it may very well fall again. Vala thinks.
"How will it happen? You?" Vala asks.
"No. The order will destroy itself. I don't have to do anything. My time is almost over anyway." The Master says.
"Did you… create the Sedition?" Vala asks.
"I did. Not to reform the Empire as some believe, but to weaken the Alliance. To break down that fragile unity that everyone is so proud of. A weaker Alliance will be easier to conquer." The Master answers.
"Who exactly will do that? The Sedition is gone!" Vala says.
"A new Empire will rise from the ashes of the Sedition. On its throne will be… my heir." The Master says.
"Your… heir. You have an apprentice that we don't know about. We'll find them." Vala says.
"My heir… doesn't know their role in all of this yet. Because… I've just revealed myself to her." The Master says.
Me? He expects me… to join him? Vala thinks.
"Yes, Vala. It's you. Leave the Jedi. Join me, and I'll teach you what you need to know. I'll tell you the truth. The whole truth." The Master says.
"You expect me to become a Sith Lord? Never!" Vala says.
"Not a Sith. Jedi. Sith. That's the past. The Empire will be something new, with you as its leader." The Old Man says.
"I'm a Jedi! I'll never join you!" Vala says.
"You were trained by ignorant fools who know nothing of the Force! They're all beneath us!" The Master says.
"Those Knights of Ren… that came after me ten years ago… you sent them, didn't you?" Vala asks.
"Of course I did. I saw your potential, even then." The Master answers.
"My potential? You wanted to do what exactly? Capture me? Torture me? Break me… until I turn?" Vala asks.
"I would have been your teacher. A real teacher. One who knows the truth." The Master answers.
I'll only put up with this for so long. I'll have to fight him eventually. I don't know if I can handle him on my own. Hopefully Arvon and Aja can get that shield down. I could use their help. Since this is who I think it is… maybe my grandmother will come to help us. Vala thinks.
BB-8 races through the corridors of the Star Forge, nearly knocking over several people in his path as he makes his way to the hangar. Eventually, he reaches the Centurion Eagle, and rolls up the boarding ramp.
BB-8 proceeds to the ship's common area, and approaches a small holotable. He extends one of his manipulator arms, and plugs into the droid interface. Soon, a hologram appears. The figure's face is obscured by the hood of their cloak.
"BB-8. What's going on?" The hologram asks, in an aged, female voice.
The droids utters a series of frantic whistles and beeps.
"Are you sure it's him? And Vala is with him now? I sensed she was in danger, but this is worse than I thought. Damn. I thought my fight was over, but… it seems I was wrong." The hologram says.
BB-8 utters an electronic whine, which sounds somewhat like a sigh.
"No. Do nothing. I am already en route. I will be there as soon as I can." The hologram says.
