'Your training is almost complete Lady Sadus. The time is quickly approaching. But there is 1 more technique you need to learn, one that I cannot show you. Go find the holocron of my wife. I will let her introduce herself. Listen to what she has to teach you, it is critical for the battle ahead'
I'm back in the Emperor's old throne room in the hidden passage where I first found Revan's holocron. This is the first time I've been here since then. I'm looking for the holocron he spoke of, although I have no idea which one it is. Or even who I'm looking for.
'The force will guide you to it, like it did before'
I open myself to the force, looking at the holocrons. Suddenly I feel myself being pulled towards one of them. I follow the calling to another red pyramid. This one is slightly smaller than Revans. I reach out and touch it, watching as it comes to life. A red glow is emitted throughout the room and a face appears over it. This time it's of a young woman dressed in black robes, with a pair of ponytails going down her back. She gives off a powerful presence in the Dark Side.
"My name is Bastila Shan, Sith Lady that lived in the time of the Jedi Civil War. Who are you and why have you opened my holocron?"
"I am Darth Sadus. Master Revan said there is a technique you know that he can't teach me".
"Revan sent you here?". A look of admiration crossing her face when I mention his name.
"Yes, he is the one who taught me the ways of the Sith. He said you would complete my training".
"Ah he sent you to learn the ability of battle meditation. I sense you have the potential to use it as well, you have great focus, concentration and willpower".
"Battle meditation?"
"Battle meditation is the ability to influence the outcome of a large battle with the force. To lower the morale of your enemy's forces and boost that of your own. This causes the enemy to become uncoordinated, less effective and lose the will to fight. While at the same time increasing the effectiveness of your own forces, making them fight harder and more efficiently. While this may not seem like much, in a large scale battle it can make all the difference. I am a master of this ability, using it many times to decide the outcome of battles and engagements. I used it as a Jedi against the fleets of Darth Malak, and later a more efficient Dark Side form to crush the fleets of the Republic in the Battle of the Star Forge. Darth Sidious was also a master of this ability, using it against your forces in the Battle of Endor before Vader destroyed him".
This sounds like exactly what I need to lead the Imperial fleet. As strong as it is they are outnumbered and outgunned by the New Republic. Not to mention the high level of incompetence among the Imperial forces.
"It takes great concentration and willpower for one to achieve it, both are qualities I can see you have. I believe you have the potential to master the ability and use it at the level I did. I can also sense you have great power in the force, with Revan's training and the battle meditation ability there will be none who can stand against you".
"I want to learn this ability Lady Bastila".
"So you have turned to the Dark Side then Leia?"
I freeze at the voice, I've been followed here! Turning around slowly I see him, it's the Jedi Kyle Katarn. Standing there watching me and the Sith holocrons in the room, he's seen and heard everything!
How did I not notice him? Why didn't I sense him? Has he warned the Jedi?!?...no I would have sensed it if he had. Still he is a great threat to my plan, I can't let him get away and tell them or everything will be lost. I can't let that happen!
"You're under arrest Leia".
"On what charge?". I respond sarcastically
"Conspiracy to commit treason against the Republic and turning to the Dark Side of the Force. Don't make this any harder than it has to be. For your own sake, please come willingly".
"And if I don't?"
"Then I will use force". He says as he pulls out his lightsaber.
I can't help but laugh at him. He has no clue what he's up against, of the power I have obtained under Lord Revan's guidance. He probably thinks I'm just a barely trained initiate. I'm really going to enjoy this.
"So you know the truth then. You realize I can't let you leave this room alive don't you?". I say as I ignite my red lightsaber.
He looks at me with a sad face as he ignites his blue blade. I can sense there are other Jedi in the area, I have to finish this quickly before any more of them get here. Everything depends on it.
"Don't make me do this Leia".
"You were a fool to follow me here".
I attack quickly going on the offensive, he meets my blade with his own but is caught off guard by the speed and precision of my attacks. Clearly he was expecting an inferior opponent, a mistake he wont live to regret. I make a vertical swing followed by a block and then slash at his legs, but he jumps over the blade. Bringing it up I continue to push the attack forcing him back as he struggles to keep up with my blows. He trys to jump away and regroup but I don't give him the chance, making a quick stab followed by a pair of vertical and diagonal swings to keep him on the defensive, before moving in and making powerful strikes at his midsection that he barely blocks. Then our sabers lock as he trys to push me away.
"I've experienced the Dark Side before Leia, on Dromund Kaas. I turned away from it, you can as well".
"You fool! What makes you think I want to? Why would I turn away from power like this?".
"It isn't power Leia, it's slavery. Let go of it before it's too late!"
"You know nothing of its power, Lord Revan has guided me to power beyond anything you can imagine".
"Revan?". A look of confusion crossing his face
"Darth Revan, the greatest of all the Sith and the best with a lightsaber. He is my master. Under his guidance I have achieved true power. Soon the Republic will fall and the Sith will rise again".
I break the lock of our blades and begin my attack again. Forcing him back with strikes from every direction that he can barely keep up with. I am agile, precise, perfect. With the lightsaber forms I have learned from Revan I am unstoppable. Kyle is rapidly giving up ground and I can feel him becoming fatigued, clearly he never expected this from me.
I block a series of strikes before launching some more of my own as I continue pushing him back. Reaching out to the Dark Side I begin lifting and throwing objects at him, distracting him and forcing him to dodge them while I continue my attack.
We continue fighting across the room, with him on the defensive, red and blue blades clashing rapidly as he trys to fight me off. He is struggling to keep up but he does, I have to give him credit for being a formidable opponent. Although he has no chance of winning this battle. He pushes me away and jumps back to regroup.
"You're stronger than I thought you would be Kyle. Why don't you join me? I could use an apprentice. Master Revan and I can show you the way to true power. The galaxy wouldn't stand a chance against us".
"No, I've seen what the Dark Side does to people. What it did to me. I'll never go down that road again".
"Pity, such a waste of talent. You could be so much more in the Dark Side. Too bad I have to kill you".
I move in again, striking from the left and aiming at his midsection. Before spinning around and attacking from the other direction. He blocks but I've made an opening, again I take control of the battle pushing my advantage and forcing him to give up ground. He bats away a stab meant to run him through before ducking under a swing at his head, only to be followed with a hard kick in the stomach that knocks the wind out of him. My attack is relentless, yet I'm unable to penetrate his defense.
Suddenly I'm caught by surprise by a leg sweep that trips me and knocks me to the floor. He quickly takes advantage and brings his blade down on me, but I block it at the last second and our blades lock. It's a test of strength as he pushes down and I push up while still on the ground. Using the force I hit him in the head with a pair of lightsabers from the display shelf and kick him away from me, before jumping to my feet. But he quickly recovers from it and comes in at me again forcing me on the defensive, his blows are strong and powerful but I block and parry them without effort as the battle rages on. He strikes from the left, trying to cut through my legs, I block his blade and then he makes a vertical slash meant to sever my arm but that too is blocked. Then he feints and changes direction making a diagonal strike as he pushes his offensive trying to disarm me, but I block all of his attacks. Then I spot an opening and make a series of feints and slashes before nicking him slightly in the arm with my blade. He jumps back in pain and I go on the attack again, forcing him back as he struggles to deal with the pain in his arm and block my rapid blows at the same time. The battle has shifted and he knows it too as he brings his blade up barely blocking my swings. My strikes are so fast that that is all he can do though. We continue to battle across the room but he is better than I thought he would be and he is keeping up, though I can see he is beginning to tire.
'Force drain is a powerful ability. It allows one to restore their own energy while sapping that of their opponent, feeding on their power'
I reach deep into the Dark Side allowing its powerful energy to envelop me, I focus on Kyle's presence and use the force to send his own energy to me. Feeling myself grow slightly stronger as his presence begins to diminish. I'm feeding on his own energy. Kyle recognizes this and blocks it with a basic Light Side absorb technique, but he has to focus to maintain it. Which creates more openings for me to exploit as I attack and force him to give up more ground. Bringing my saber around our red and blue blades lock again as we try to push and break it.
"Your little plan wont work Leia, the Jedi will stop you. The Sith wont return again".
"The Jedi are fools, blinded by their mundane teachings. Limiting themselves from the power they could have. They will be crushed like insects".
I break the saber lock and push him away, then launch my attack once again. I can sense his fatigue and the pain from his arm injury are beginning to wear him down. I take advantage of this with a series of horizontal slashes and swipes that force him to put more pressure on the injured arm. He trys to block and parry but my attacks are too fast, accurate and precise for him to do so. With a swing from the left I knock his blade out of his hand, then run my lightsaber through his chest. He collapses to the floor beaten and in agony, I can feel his life force fading as the wound is fatal.
'Mercy is for the weak. The most dangerous enemy is the one that has been defeated but isn't dead'
Remembering Revan's words I bring my saber down on Kyle ending his life. Feeling something inside me change as the saber slices into him. I pause for a moment realizing the significance of this. The first Jedi has fallen to my blade, the first casualty of the war ahead. I revel in the victory.
"Very nice work Lady Sadus, but you're out of time. The Jedi will sense his death and come to investigate, we have to leave quickly".
"Yes Lady Bastila".
With that I grab her holocron along with a few of the Sith books and leave the room, stepping over Kyle's body as I exit. I escape the palace before anyone else notices me.