Chapter 5. Changes
Meanwhile in another part of the galaxy a few days after the events on Yavin 4 Luke and Kyle meet on Republic Cruiser.
'I heard about what happened on Yavin 4 Kyle.' Luke said turning to him.
'I had to go bring him back Luke I knew Jaden would have killed him.'
'I understand Kyle there is no need to explain your actions to me.' Luke paused. 'News of Jaden using all that power within the scepter on herself is very distressing.'
'She doesn't know what dark powers she is playing with…and I can sense that this dark power is what is really controlling her now whether she knows it or not.'
'I'm afraid of what will happen when the power of the scepter runs out Kyle, I fear the repercussions may lead her to desperate acts which will see both herself and others killed.' Luke again paused and sighed. 'I'm sorry Kyle I blame myself for this I should have told you about her past but I sensed when I spoke to her at the Academy that she had put it behind her and embraced the light side. I was wrong.'
'What's done is done Luke but what are we to do now? We both know we cannot let her continue her domination of the outer worlds she will soon gain enough followers to begin attacking the major worlds and if she finds our new academy…'
'I do have a plan and if you are willing it will take both you and your new student to complete it.' Luke said looking past Kyle as Wyr entered the room.
'You wanted to see me Master Skywalker.' Wyr said walking up to the two.
'This situation is far too dangerous for Wyr Luke. Jaden has already proved that she will kill him if given the chance.'
'I can't stand back and watch what she's doing to herself and others I know there must still be good within her…' Wyr said quickly.
'I agree Wyr and that is why we be patient.'
'Patient?' I don't understand Luke.' Kyle said looking confused.
'As I have mentioned before when the power of the scepter runs out she will need to source her dark energy from elsewhere and there is only place in the galaxy I believe holds enough dark power to try and sustain her dark powers.'
'Korriban.' Kyle said looking up at Luke who nodded. 'But how does Wyr fit into this? He is not ready to face Jaden again, her power has grown since embracing the dark side and the scepters power.'
'I'm afraid if all else fails Wyr here may be the one who will need to put an end to Darth Jaden.' Luke said to turning to him.
'I can't kill her Master.' Wyr confessed.
'I understand your feelings however you must understand that if you do not and she claims Korriban she will have enough dark power to fuel her anger and power for many years and millions across the galaxy will die. I feel that both you and Kyle will play an important role in the upcoming battle and I know if the time arises Kyle will stop his former student but I need that assurance from you to young Wyr that you will do the same.'
'I promise I will try.' Wyr said with a sigh.
'Don't worry about it kid I'll have your back.' Kyle said patting Wyr on the shoulder but it didn't seem to comfort him at all.
'Now what's the plan for when Jaden seeks out the dark force powers on Korriban Luke?' Kyle asked.
'I believe that by the time Jaden seeks out Korriban she will be desperate this I believe will work in our favor. What I suggest we do is…'
-
'Loose that ship Admiral and I promise you that that broken arm of yours will be the least of your worries.' Jaden said angrily as she looked out the window of her Star Destroyer at the medium sized transport vessel in front of her that they were chasing and firing upon.
'Fire everything at that ship! If it enters hyperspace we'll lose it!' Rallion yelled at his men on the bridge.
Jaden watched as the ship in front of her Destroyer tried in vain to try and evade them but she knew it was to no avail because she had caught it by surprise and hadn't given it much of a chance to get away before she began to fire upon it.
'Bring it in.' Jaden said before turning around and marching off the Bridge as the Destroyer used it's tractor beam to bring the ship on board into the hanger.
As Jaden walked towards the hanger she reflected briefly back on the disaster that had occurred at Yavin 4 a few days ago and when she thought about it she could help but grow angry. The whole thing was a complete embarrassment not only did she achieve nothing but she didn't even get a chance to kill anyone either! She knew that the people in her fleet were talking about it and how she failed but she knew they quickly stopped whenever she was around. If she found any one talking about how it was a failure or that it was her fault then they'd be dead before they even hit the ground.
Walking into the hanger she looked at the ship in front of her that appeared on the outside to be quite badly damaged and she hoped that the occupants inside weren't dead or else Rallion would be in a lot of trouble. She did however have to give her Admiral a little credit because even in the face of the onslaught against them at Dagobah when Luke and his allies attacked her two Destroyer's Rallion managed to still follow her orders against the odds and actually survive bringing her back at least that one badly damaged Destroyer.
'Do you want us to board with you Lord?' One of her clone captains said walking up to her as she walked towards the ship.
'No you and your men will wait outside if anyone tries to escape shoot them.'
'Yes Lord.' The Captain said and watched as Jaden walked up the small ramp onto the vessel.
Once inside she glared around at the ship wondering who on board was going to make the first mistake by trying to jump out and attack her. She was surprised however when no one appeared. She rolled her eyes, they weren't going to play some foolish game of hide and seek were they? However the idea of a hide and seek game quickly ended when a someone a few meters in front of her revealed themselves.
'It's good to see you alive.' Jaden said looking at the person.
'I am surprised you are wasting your time with me Jaden or should I say Darth Jaden?' Master Soli said in a cold voice.
'You know if my Admiral had accidently killed you and the other people on this ship he would have been in a lot of trouble.' Jaden laughed. 'Oh and yes I am not a fool so wherever your little crew is hiding tell them not to bother because it won't help.'
'I ask you to take me prisoner but leave my crew alone they are of no use to you.' Soli said quickly. 'I will put up no resistance.'
'Oh how admiral of you Soli I think I might cry.' Jaden said shaking her head in disgust. 'Now where are they?' Jaden said looking around her playfully.
'I will not let you harm them.' Soli said quickly drawing her lightsaber.
'You challenge me!?' Jaden shook her head. 'If you must.' Jaden said drawing her own saber. 'But you know what? I'm actually in a hurry other stuff to do you know…' Using her force lightning Jaden shoot it straight at Soli who hadn't expected it and was hit by the full force causing her to yell and drop her saber. 'Pathetic! No wonder Luke only ever sent you on missions to find force sensitive children, you're so weak! Now to those crew members.'
Leaving Soli panting on the floor Jaden boredly walked through the ship following her senses as they drew her towards the very back of the ship.
'Yes in here.' Jaden cooed as she flung the door open and was instantly shocked at what she saw. The crew Soli she had sense were nothing more than a group of about 4 or 5 children all huddled in the corner and Jaden knew instantly that they were all force sensitive. Jaden watched as they stared up at her with fear in their eyes.
'You would kill children? How far you have fallen...' Soli said as Jaden peered behind her to see Soili standing in the distance.
Jaden stared down at the children and in their eyes suddenly saw a reflection of herself at that age when those monsters had invaded her village and slaughtered her people before killing her parents in front of her and taking her away to the slave trade.
Jaden quickly recollected herself. 'Does your deal still stand Jedi?'
'What?'
'If you give yourself to me without a fight then I will allow these children to freely leave my Destroyer.'
'Of course.' Soli said curiously as Jaden turned around to face her.
'Give me your saber.' Jaden said as Soli held out her hand with her saber and using the force Jaden quickly pulled it to her own hand. 'Get out now.' Walking with Soli the two left the transport vessel where immediately her clone Captain walked up to her.
'Lord what do you want us to with the ship?'
'Just let it go back out into space and leave it there.'
'You can't do that! The children will die if no one finds them!' Soli said angrily.
'Enough of your preaching, Jedi!' Jaden yelled as she angrily force pushed Soli away. 'Do as I say Captain.'
'Yes Lord right away.'
'Tell the Admiral to get away from this location and back to the outer rim, I will not stay here with only my one destroyer in case those Jedi decide this is an opportunity for one of their little surprise attacks. If you need me I will be in the torture cell with our prisoner.'
'Yes Lord.'
With that Jaden a Soli slowly walked out of the hanger and into the next hall where they walked towards the cells.
'What do you plan on doing to me?' Soli asked.
'I will ask you questions and you will answer, it's just that simple.' Jaden said with a grin.
When the two of them arrived at the cell block Jaden pushed Soli inside and closed the door behind her.
'If I may, may I ask one final question of you before I am to be tortured?' Soli said turning to look at Jaden who frowned and thought for a moment.
'Fine I will grant my prisoner one last request.' Jaden said force pushing Soli into the chair in front of her.
'I know you are using the power of the scepter to increase your power Jaden and it is this driving these dark acts but tell me…tell me Jaden what happens when the scepters power disappears? How will you fuel your darkness then? I can sense good still deep within you…'
'You amuse me with your words but the scepter simply increases my lust for power not fuels it silly little Jedi. My power will never run out! But this is not the time for speaking about such things because now it's my turn and I will find out from you where the new Jedi Academy is…'
'How could you possibly destroy our new academy when you can't even bring yourself to kill children!' Soli said her voice rising.
'Don't you dare try and use one act of perhaps misguided kindess against me!' Jaden yelled. 'You will tell me!'
-
After a few hours Jaden finally left the cell room leaving behind one dead Jedi but Jaden didn't care for she now knew the location of the new Jedi Academy.
'Dispose of the dead Jedi I won't have it messing up my ship.' Jaden said calmly to one of her clones waiting outside the cell.
'Yes Lord.'
'I will be in my chambers.' With that Jaden turned around and walked back to her room on the ship leaving her clones to clean up the mess she had left behind.
As she walked back to her chambers Jaden couldn't help but wonder if what Soli had said was correct, could the power she was absorbing from the sceptre really have its limits? Could it really all just run out? Jaden sensed that Soli hadn't been lying but how could the scepter just simply run out of dark energy? It wasn't possible was it?
Walking into her room she immediately looked over at the scepter and walked over to it and picked it up. Slowly Jaden sat down on the ground in a meditation pose and held the scepter in her hands and closed her eyes. Breathing in deeply Jaden began to absorb more the dark energy from the it...
'I know you will one day turn away from all of this Jaden…'
Opening her eyes she looked up to see the ghostly figure of her old friend Rosh standing before her.
'Where are the insults Rosh? Aren't you angry at me that I gave in to my dark side and killed you.' Jaden sneered. 'Let's hear them you weak little coward.'
'I forgive you Jaden.'
'What no! You can't!' Jaden said in shock. 'You hate me!'
'Do I?'
Jaden quickly let go of the scepter but was surprised when the ghostly figure of Rosh didn't disappear.
'No…no…you don't exist anymore I killed you!' Jaden said quickly standing up.
'You were always stronger than me so why don't you show it by turning away from this Jaden.' Rosh said and slowly disappeared from in front of her.
'No…I won't turn back! This is me now!' Jaden yelled at thin air.
Quickly bending down she picked up the scepter and held it in her hands but she suddenly realized that the dark power she could once sense inside was slowly ebbing away, draining. This was all Soli's doing! Jaden convinced herself shaking her head, she had done something to her and now the scepter was being effected.
Dropping the scepter down onto the ground Jaden put her hands up to the side of her head and clenched her fists.
'No I will not let that wall blocking those feelings come back…They don't control me anymore they are not who I am anymore, I am Darth Jaden who will destroy everyone who hurt her and bring a New Empire to the Galaxy.' Jaden said talking to herself as she closed her eyes.