Author's Note:

Apologies for the hiatus, though I imagine they will happen rather frequently before this story is finished. I simply have a lot of other tasks on my plate.

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Evening was drawing fast on the horizon as light began to fade from Sanctum's surface. Clouds were rolling overhead, and the sky was turning dark over Aeternum, when a single starfighter pierced the clouds. It was an Actis-class interceptor, its hull blue. The starfighter of Jedi.

The ship disregarded landing procedures, choosing instead to fly toward the Bronze Palace, where gun towers could have shredded it in seconds for trespassing. However, lasers did not split the air, and all appeared to be quiet in the palace as the fighter approached. Wind whipped about the courtyard as the fighter set down, and armed soldiers were quick to approach the vessel with their rifles at the ready. They watched with cautious eyes as the cockpit opened, revealing a Zabrak whose brown skin seemed to match the walls of their fortress. The Jedi wore durasteel armor, with a brown cloak over his figure.

The Jedi eyed the soldiers before him, a paper-thin smirk on his lips as he stood calmly with his hands tucked behind his back. "I am here to see King Valoris."

The nearest soldier cocked his head at the Jedi. "Guests usually don't park in the courtyard."

The Jedi raised a hand. "I understand, but the matter is urgent, and I have little time."

The soldiers reluctantly let him pass, following close behind as the Jedi strolled through the remainder of the courtyard, up a set of bronze stairs, and into the throne room. It was a large chamber, sparsely populated save for a captain standing at the foot of the Aeternum Throne. Upon its seat was King Valoris, his body relaxed, face devoid of expression as he watched the Jedi approach. "Speak, Master Jedi," he said, though his voice conveyed little enthusiasm. "What brings you to my shores?"

The Jedi gave a slight bow before raising his gaze to lock eyes with the king. "My name is Malus Vention, and you have my deepest gratitude for your allowance of this meeting, King Valoris." He glanced about the room, noticing the soldiers that watched him, and grinned in the king's direction. "It is the winds of change that have brought me to speak with you on this day." He opened his holoprojector and allowed the image of a jagged, foreign creature to display. "Yuuzhan Vong, an alien race with only destruction in mind, has arrived in our galaxy seeking conquest. They have already taken and burned portions of the Outer Rim."

Valoris cocked his head at the display, hand to his chin in thought. "I know you're going to ask something of me, so out with it."

"My dearest king, the Republic wants nothing more than to know where your allegiances lie," Malus said, a hand to his chest as if suddenly indignant. "We have not forgotten your stalwart neutrality during the Clone Wars. On behalf of the Senate, I am here to ask for your aid against this new threat to the galaxy."

Valoris shook his head. "I do not take wars lightly. Besides, what could my small fleets offer which your Republic cannot?"

Malus's eye twitched. "Quite right," he agreed, and his elegant formality faded. "You've given me an adequate answer for the Senate, but I have another question to ask you, this one on behalf of the Jedi."

Valoris outstretched his hand. "By all means, speak."

"You see, this system lies beyond a nebula, tucked away from the rest of the galaxy," Malus began to say. "With the Jedi Order trying to rebuild, we have been eager to search the stars for any Force-sensitives that might still be alive. However, there is a strange presence enveloping this system, and we have not been able to sense anything within." He began to pace about before the throne, his mind teaming with thoughts as he moved. "The Jedi suspect there may yet be Force-sensitives among your people. What say you to this?"

Valoris huffed. "Let me lay this matter to rest: there are no Force-sensitives in my empire, nor have there ever been. My people are rather unlucky in that regard."

Malus gave a reluctant nod of the head, his eyes gazing at something off in the distance beyond Valoris. "So you say, yet even now, I sense something. Fog, a haze of deception I've never felt before." He then pointed to the king. "There's something about you, though I cannot put my finger on it, that spells trouble."

Valoris lowered his head at the Jedi. "Are you accusing me of a crime in my own court?"

Malus shrugged. "I'm merely suggesting you aren't telling me everything."

Valoris was silent for a minute, tensing in his seat as he thought of what to say. He could have waved the Jedi off and been done with the matter, but decades of pent-up emotion felt the urge to spill forth. "You've been keen on asking questions of me since you arrived. I have a few of my own to ask you now."

Malus splayed his arms out to his sides. "Ask away."

"You gather Force-sensitive children, yes? But what if they do not want to leave their homes, their families?" Valoris asked.

"Well, we—"

"What if they do not want to become Jedi?" Valoris persisted, and still he had another question on the tip of his tongue. "What if they do not want to wield the Light?"

Malus raised an eyebrow at the king's words. "Interesting questions," he admitted. "But the answer is simple: children of their age are too young to know what is best for them, or for the galaxy." He then raised a finger, a faint grin on his face as he looked up at Valoris. "I can't help but notice you mentioned the Light. You think it would be wise for a child, or anyone, to wield the Dark?"

Valoris fell silent, his eyes empty. His beathing was slow, as if one false word would mean the death of him. "I mean simply that the Jedi appear contradictory. Your kind speaks often of balance, yet where is the balance when all that is to counter the Light is snuffed?"

"Imagine," Malus said, "a piece of wood precariously residing on the edge of a cliff, yet it does not fall because it is perfectly balanced. Now imagine you take a rock and tie it to the end residing over the edge. The piece of wood will tip over and fall into the abyss. That is how the Light and Dark work. We cannot extinguish the entity, but we can wipe out its users."

"And this is your view of justice?" Valoris asked. "Exterminating a perspective without ever asking yourself whether that perspective works or not?"

"It doesn't," Malus was quick to reply. "The Dark Side consumes all. There is no debating it."

"And you say this," Valoris admitted, "without ever experiencing it."

Malus raised an eyebrow. "And you have?"

"No. I only wish the Jedi were not so narrow-minded and self-righteous," Valoris stated. "If you have nothing more to say, I believe our meeting has concluded."

Malus paused for a moment, taking in the situation for all it was, until finally giving a nod of the head. "Very well then, King Valoris." He turned toward the courtyard and took several steps, only for his hand to slither down to his lightsaber. He spun around with the speed of a varactyl, igniting his saber before throwing it like a javelin to meet Valoris.

The saber never touched flesh. Instead, Valoris held up his hand, reaching out with the Force to stop the blade inches from his face.

It was then Malus began to laugh. "You have been lying to me, Valoris. Deception like this could jeopardize your neutrality."

Valoris thought of the Yuuzhan Vong. "It seems you have bigger problems on your hand than a small, seemingly deceptive empire."

Malus's eyes became dark. "You're a Sith."

Valoris did not admit to such things, rather he rose from his throne in defiance. "If I were, would I not have simply cut you down in all my hatred? Is that not what Sith do?"

"I'll find out soon enough," Malus replied, and called his lightsaber back to him. He gripped in firmly by the hilt, its blade dissipating as he sheathed it on his hip.

Valoris stared at the man with cold eyes. "Get out of my palace."

Malus smirked. "As you wish," he said, and vacated the courtyard. Minutes later, his starfighter could be heard shooting away from the palace.

It was then Captain Konran stepped to the king's side. "We have a target lock. At your command, he's dust."

Valoris shook his head. "Kill one Jedi, and a thousand more will come," he said, and retired to his private quarters shortly after. It was there he sat on the edge of his bed, taking slow breaths as he pondered the Jedi's words. The secret he had tried to hide for so long was out, yet Malus had given away the ace up his sleeve. The Jedi were too preoccupied to worry about dealing with Valoris and his family. It was the only thought that gave him peace of mind as he removed a golden hilt from under his armor. Taking the hilt in his right hand, he held it out before him and flicked its switch. A beam of red light shot forth.