"Zexar, today-"

"I'm sorry about the evil I unleashed on the Sith here"

"No, I was weak, I am sorry"

"Don't apologize, it was I who was wrong, the Sith could have been incapacitated and held prisoner's rather than being killed"
Telon sat down on a meditation mat, crossing her legs and closed her eyes, before talking in a calmer manner.

"You know, I was well known for meditating, I taught many students in the methods after you left for Dantooine"

"I was known for rash movements, a strong will, being as stubborn as anything, and for going against direct orders"

"But you did what you thought right?"

"Yes, the council never saw this, they always saw it as a bad thing. When I killed Darth Fanu, I saved Masters Carly, Yux and Brunn, as well as Knight, Lauren. They held me back as I had disregarded their orders, barely praising the fact I, a padawan, had killed a Sith Lord that Carly, Yux, and Brunn had all failed at killing"

"It must have been hard"

"I realize some of it was my fault, but I can't be held responsible for everything. I am only here now due to Marsh abandoning me on that platform with Grunto"

"I'm sorry, Zex"

"Don't be, it's in the past"

At this, Telon deepened her meditation and cleared her mind of all but Zexar, as he did with her.

The blood from the Sith he had killed was clearing from his mind, the Force stains of their deaths wiping clean from his thoughts. The evil acts he had committed to Darth Grunto clung on to the edges of his memories as he kicked them out, refusing to allow evil acts pin his mind to the dark side, something he would never allow. The thought of Telon's motionless body hovered in front of his eyes, refusing to budge until he screamed in anger, ripping his saber from his belt and attacking a training dummy ferociously. He then wildly attacked the wall before driving his saber into it and breaking down in front of Telon's watching eyes. In his pain the dark side fed him images of his worst, most painful memories. He saw his friends on Tati, their bodies scattered over the floor due to his anger, and he saw Master Veronica wave him good bye as he left Coruscant for Dantooine. More recent memories hit him, the Jedi scum Marsh abandoning him, Telon's hand being chopped off by his former Master, Carly, and then Telon's motionless body once more. He couldn't deal with the image of her like that, and collapsed to the floor holding his head.

"Zex? Zex? Are you alright?", Telon asked him, clearly worried for his health.

Zexar rose back to his feet and grabbed his light-saber, before running from the chamber, headed to the training room, where he released five elite training droids. Anger took a hold of him as he viciously hacked the droids down, one-by-one; he had never felt like this in his life before now. He decapitated the last droid before hacking its torso as it fell to the metal floor, many different parts scattered the training room.

Telon silently entered the room, watching Zexar standing there, shaking violently for a reason unknown to her.

"Zexar?"

Zexar turned to face her, his eyes a shell of what they should be; they were cold, hard, empty. He had gone more pale than she had ever seen him, and as he stared back at her, she knew she loved him, even now.

"Are you alright? What's wrong?"

"I-I-I saw-", Zexar said, before burying his face in his hands and shaking much more violently.

"I sense I have a part in this. You saw me, yes?"

Zexar nodded slightly as she asked him, just what she had been expecting.

"Injured or dead?"

Zexar nodded once more, before taking a deep breath and speaking back.

"After Grunto, I thought you were dead. The memory made me angry so I lashed out, then painful experiences from my past flashed back"

"These memories, they are triggered by the dark side. They are there to increase your anger"

"I can't deal with them"

"The dark side is full of pain Zex"

"I know, I hate the pain it brings but I love the power given"

"Certainly is a difficult situation to be in", Telon finished, before adjusting her cloak and igniting her saber to battle a series of training droids.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"This will never work", a brown cloaked figure stated.

"That is why it will work", another spoke.

"Jared, how many times do the council have to underestimate him?"

"Master Carly, he is not as unpredictable as everyone thinks he is"

"He tore a Jedi cruiser apart with the Force, can you get much more unpredictable than that?", Carly asked, getting a little annoyed.

"This rests more upon the fact that your former padawan bested you in a battle"

"He has become more powerful than any Sith ever has been before", Carly stated, now raising her voice slightly.

"Nevertheless, he can not hope to take on and kill the entire Jedi council"

"He will try"

"And he will fail", Jared began, "Do you remember when he was a youngling, and he engaged in a spar with four Jedi Knights against him?"

"Yes, he took on more than he could handle. Still, he put up a good fight and bested two of them"

"That is my point exactly, he put up a fight, he engaged in a battle he could never win, and that is what he will do in this situation"

"He is not just a Sith, Jared, he's a Sith Lord. Force, he killed Fanu as a Jedi padawan, and now Grunto"

"Your attachment to him is clouding your vision, you don't want harm to come to him, I know that, but the entire council will be able to disarm and capture him"

"And what then?"

"Redemption will be offered"

"And when he refuses to re-align with the light?"

"He will be held a republic prisoner"

"Why are we even here? Why this planet?"

"The Force will lead them here, his destiny"

"Still, this won't work"

"I don't expect it will work in the way I am hoping"

Carly rolled her eyes and left the room, her aim to find Master Brunn.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Telon, I'm fine, I just want to get to Tatooine"

"You don't look fine", Telon remarked, concerned.

"Admittedly I'm not great but theres no point in hanging around here"

"Zex, I'm worried about you"

"Look, Marendel and I are going to Tatooine with or without you"

"You know damn well I'm not letting you out of my sight", Telon smiled.

"On the ship then", Zexar replied, smiling as she showed a sign of affection towards him.

Telon pushed a lock of black hair from her face and boarded a fairly large Sith ship that remained in the hangar. It was very similar to their previous vessel, but was a little larger and a lot more comfortable: the seats and bunks had obviously been refurbished due to the apparent age of them. Something wasn't right here.

"Zex, you feel it?"

"Vaguely"

"It's a trap isn't it?"

"It always was. Getting intercepted by Jonai's ship was part of the trap due to our course being re-written"

"I thought as much. The Jedi will engage us won't they?"

"No, they won't. I don't understand that, unless-", Zexar broke off.

"Unless what?", Telon quizzed, confused.

"They know I won't back down and will engage them at some point, and they are using that as a weakness of mine"

"They know their enemy"

"Oi Marendel, how do you feel about engaging what's left of the Jedi council?", Zexar shouted back into the ship.

Marendel walked into the cockpit and replied, distress obviously marking his face.

"I await the challenge Master"

"This is more than a challenge. I sense your fear my apprentice"

"I do not fear the battle, I fear you my Master"

"Me?"

"I feel the power emitting from you like a pulse. In battle with you I lasted mere seconds, therefore I am fearful"

"Fear of your Master will get you no where", Zexar said, before pulling out his light saber and stabbing Marendel in the forehead.

"Zexar in the name of-", Telon started.

"He was useless"

"I know but still, there was me thinking you were compassionate after you saved him", Telon replied, laughing.

Telon sat in the pilots seat once again, despite Zexar's natural ability she felt better flying herself. She manually punched in the co-ordinates for Tatooine, and quickly made the jump to hyperspace, giving them five hours until they reached their destination at Anchorhead.

Zexar took the time to catch up on some well needed sleep, and drifted into a calm dream filled sleep whilst Telon meditated once again. Zexar was all she could think of, and though she knew they couldn't be together in case anything happened, she still hoped.

I can't get him out of my head and it's killing me. We both know the enormity of the battle ahead of us, and we also both know the extremes we will go to. Zex will never back down: he will fight until death. However I am not so fearless as he and will surrender if I sense the battle is lost. I fear his death, it would totally destroy my mind, it would give my soul over to the dark side: any goodness within me would be annihilated by it. Tatooine is looming upon us and if I'm honest I am scared, scared for Zexar. I sense he's awake now, his sleeping routine is intriguing: he has a few hours at a time then gets up again.

Telon opened her eyes and quit meditating, as she was getting absolutely nowhere. She rose to her feet and walked through the ship, and began looking for Zexar in the cockpit.

"Oh, hello", he said, walking from behind her.

"You look tired Zex"

"I've just slept, I'm fine, I promise you"

"Okay, I'm going to go and spar with a droid", Telon said, feeling terrible.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes"

Telon walked away, towards the training room where she immediately locked the door and broke down, unable to control her emotions anymore. I can't help myself, I don't want to be with anyone else. I can't control my emotions any longer, I will have to tell him as soon as possible, but for now I can't. Before we leave Tatooine he will know how I feel and if he doesn't already know how much I love him then he will do.

Zexar sighed as he saw who the incoming transmission was from, but accepted nevertheless, knowing the Sith would question him.

"What is it Jonai?"

"Darth Raxen wishes to see you Zexar"

"That's Lord Zexar to you"

"I don't care for names, now, Raxen will await your arrival on Malachor V. Depart for us now"

"I can't do that. Tell your Master that he will have to wait until I am finished here"

"And here is?"

"That, my friend, is a secret"

"What of your apprentice Marendel?"

"Killed in training"

"Shame. Raxen informed me to let you know the Jedi council have all departed from Coruscant on a private mission, you should be wary of them"

"I realize the danger they present thank you very-", Zexar was cut across.

"That's enough Lord Zexar", Raxen said calmly, interrupting Zexar.

"Lord Raxen", Zexar stated, nodding in recognition.

"Word reached my ear of Grunto's demise"

"Your information is correct"

"Grunto was a beautiful fighter of the dark side, do not let the Sith standards slip", Raxen finished before cutting transmissions.

Telon entered the cockpit at that moment, totally oblivious to what was happening.

"What's happened?"

"Jonai informed me that we were to go to Malachor V, but Darth Raxen then told me not to let standards slip. At any rate we can continue our mission to Tatooine"

"Are you at all worried about what might happen"

"Not to me, no"

"And that means?"

"I don't want any harm to come to you", Zexar said compassionately.

"Likewise, I sense this is going to be a life changing mission, and I'm scared about what that means"

"I too am worried about the outcome, but we can only hope for the best"

"That's not good enough"

"Looks like it's going to have to be", Zexar said as they docked into Anchorhead, right next to a large Jedi ship.

They both left the ship and used the Force to open the large air sealed doors of the Jedi cruiser. Zexar leaped in, closely followed by Telon, and they sneaked through the ship until they reached the bridge, where what was left of Coruscant's Jedi council were standing. Jared Marx turned to face them, and spoke very slowly and calmly.

"Darth Telon, Lord Zexar, how nice of you to join us"