I want to thank all my friends that have helped me throw ideas around for the next chapter. When I wrote this story in November for NaNoWriMo I had Jacen as dark as he was in the profics, but I wanted to give him a happy ending, so I had a solution that was a bit harsh. But some of the readers expressed that they didn't want a dark Jacen. So he morphed into a really confused and desperate Jacen...which is a little better than the torturing psychopath he was in the profics. But therein lies the rub...how do I now justify something that would make sense for a Sith, but not a confused Jedi?

I have been working on it for a few days. So far I am not completely satisfied. I had a big chapter, but split it in half and hopefully I will figure out the second part of the chapter this weekend.

Once I get past this part I can begin on making everything right again...that starts after they leave Myrkr.

Thanks for reading!

~JL~

Myrkr

"Mark," came the voice of Luke Skywalker from the front entrance of the building. "Can I see you a moment."

Mark looked up and saw Luke standing in the doorway. "Sure." He turned to his son, Talon. "I'll talk to you later."

He jogged over to where Luke was holding the door open for him. "Is Jacen awake?"

Luke shook his head. "Not yet. I talked to Leia. Her and Han are on their way here. They were on Coruscant so it might be a couple days. When Jacen does wake up, I'd like you in the room. You are the only one who can sense if he is being deceptive or not."

Mark nodded. "I'm going to be your lie-detector machine."

"Exactly."

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.

.

As Jacen lay motionless in bed pretending to sleep, he became more and more distraught by the situation he brought upon himself, his family and the Jedi Order.

It became very clear that something went very wrong with the nanovirus. People were dead and more were dying. He no longer had any illusions of salvaging his own life. His dreams of safeguarding his family and maybe one day openly living with his wife and daughter were now smashed beyond repair, and he had nobody to blame but himself. He had gone against everything he was taught as a Jedi and now people are suffering. He deserved to be punished and if he knew he'd be the only person who would be held accountable for his actions he would gladly confess his roll in the nanovirus epidemic. Unfortunately, he knew the Hapans would scream for more than just his blood.

Jacen was a Jedi and the son of the former New Republic Chief of State. The anti-Jedi Hapan populace would use his actions to damn the entire Jedi Order. There could also be repercussions to the Galactic Alliance. The Jedi had recently pledged allegiance to the G.A.; his actions could cause a rift between the Alliance and Consortium.

And Force forbid if it is ever discovered that Allana's father was the man who was responsible for the death of so many Royals. Tenel Ka would be ousted from the monarchy and her and Allana's lives would be endangered.

Jacen needed to do whatever he could to distance himself from the Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance just in case the nanovirus was linked to him. Perhaps if he could get the Jedi Grand Master to banish him from the Order it would make it more difficult for the Hapans to demand that the Jedi be held responsible for Jacen's actions.

Jacen felt a sickening drop in his stomach as the full impact of his foolish decisions hit him. He had become a problem and liability to all the people in his life. There was no way he could repair the immense devastation he had visited upon his family, but perhaps he could mitigate some of the damage. He wasn't sure exactly how that could be done, but he had a feeling they would be better off if he just disappeared, never to be seen again.

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Luke and Mark walked down to the room where Jacen lay cuffed to the bed. Luke entered the chamber first and nodded to Jaina and Jaden. "Still unconscious I see."

"He hasn't stirred at all," Jaina said with worry in her voice.

Mark's large frame filled the doorway as he stared at Jacen intently. "He's awake. He's just pretending to be asleep. Open your eyes Jacen."

The young man on the bed sighed as he blinked open his eyes. "Please don't stun or sedate me again." His voice was low and radiated defeat and depression. "I won't give you any more trouble."

Luke looked over to Mark as if waiting for a confirmation. Mark nodded. "I believe him." He went over and removed the cuff holding Jacen's hand to the bedpost, but kept the leg shackles secure. Jacen sat up and rubbed his chaffed wrists.

"Jaina, can you go get him some water and food," Luke said to his neice.

Jaina lifted herself off the floor where she had been sitting. "I'll be right back."

"Jaden," Mark said. "Why don't you go help her…and take your time."

"Yes, Sir," Jaden said as he followed his cousin down the hallway.

When they left Luke closed the door behind them. He turned to his nephew and gazed at him through cynical eyes. "Jacen we would like some questions answered…truthfully. "

Jacen didn't respond. He sat head bent, avoiding his uncle's gaze.

"Jacen did you hear me?" Luke said a little more forcefully.

"Yes," Jacen muttered in a despondent strangled voice.

"Why were you with Lumiya?"

Jacen took a deep breath. "She was training me. She said the dark prophets had foreseen an ancient evil coming to our galaxy and only a Master of the Unifying Force could defeat it. She wasn't strong enough in the Force to train for the confrontation…so she decided to train me on dark side techniques."

Luke looked over to Mark who simply nodded.

Mark could see Luke visibly brace himself before he asked the next question. "Why did you attack Mara?"

Jacen brought his hands up and covered his face. "Uncle Luke, it was an accident. I thought I had a tranquilizer dart. I am so, so sorry." Tears escaped from between his fingers. "I loved Aunt Mara. I'm so sorry she dead. I am so sorry."

Luke gave Mark a questioning look. "You didn't tell him?"

Mark shrugged. "No, he was denying he attacked her. I figured if he knew he couldn't lie his way out of the situation he would be harder to control."

Luke closed his eyes and forcefully exhaled. "Mark do you think that maybe the knowledge that he killed his Aunt might explain some of his irrational behavior?"

Mark ran a hand through his hair nervously as a feeling of shame crept into his belly. "Umm…now that I think about it…it might explain a lot of things." He gave Luke an apologetic look. "Sorry, but in my defense, I was being affected by the dark side and wasn't thinking clearly." Mark hesitated then let his shoulders slump. "And maybe part of me wanted him to suffer…to feel the burden and guilt for her death for a longer period of time."

"What are you two talking about?" Jacen asked as he stared at his uncles in confusion.

"Jacen, Mara did die, but Mark brought her back using a Sith technique he knew from Palpatine's memories. That's why his eyes are yellow and that's how we know you attacked Mara…because she told us."

Jacen let out a relieved gasp and appeared to have trouble regaining his breath. "She's alive," he finally choked out. "Thank the Force."

"Jacen, why did you want to Tranquilize Mara?" Luke asked slowly.

Jacen turned his head away unable to look at his uncle in the eyes. "I was told it was a way to make her forget she saw me with Lumiya."

There was some hesitation as Mark tried to gauge the validity of his nephew's statement. "He's telling the truth, Luke."

"Jacen…why were you on Kavan. It's not a place one would imagine two Sith would gather to train. Why were you meeting her there?"

Jacen's head dropped and he shook his head refusing to talk.

Luke walked closer to his nephew and dropped a hand on his shoulder. "Jacen, we can't help you if you don't talk to us."

The dark haired man shook his head more adamantly. "I don't want your help. I want out. Out of the Order…out of everything. Uncle Mark was right. I went dark. I'm Sith and I am ready for my punishment."

Luke's brow furrowed in confusion. "I was told you absolutely denied being Sith, but now you are confessing?" Luke looked over to Mark who simply shrugged.

Mark wasn't certain what was going on with Jacen. He felt deception, but also truthfulness and he wasn't sure what part was the lie.

Jacen's head came up defiantly. "I'm resigning from the Jedi. Bring me to the GA Law Enforcement. I'll confess to attacking Mark and Aunt Mara." He then hastily averted his eyes, not wanting to see his uncle's reaction.

Luke gazed at his nephew in confusion. "Jacen, we don't want to put you in jail or remove you from the order. We want to help you and bring you back to your family and the order. My father was redeemed after twenty years as a Sith. You are salvageable."

Jacen shook his head sadly. "You're wrong. Darth Vader wanted to be redeemed at the end. I don't want redemption. I want nothing to do with the Jedi and my family. I just want all of this to be over."

Luke rubbed his temples where a headache was forming. "I don't understand any of this Jacen."

"You don't have to Uncle Luke. You have to face the fact I am a fallen Jedi that needs to be banished from the order and face justice."

There was a soft rap on the door. Mark opened the door and allowed Jaina and Jaden to come in with food and drink. Jacen reached up and readily took a proffered bottle of water which he drank greedily. When he was finished he went to hand the empty bottle back to his sister, but then pulled it back and looked up to Mark. "Can somebody bring me to the 'fresher? Or do I have to use the bottle again?"

Luke turned to Mark and gave him a questioning raise of an eyebrow.

Mark ignored his inquisitive look. "I'll bring you to the 'fresher," he said as he uncuffed Jacen's feet. "Come on, I'll show you where it is. And remember, if you attack me again…."

"Yeah, I know," Jacen mumbled. "You will either stun me or drown my sorry ass in the toilet."

"What?" Mark heard Jania exclaim as the two men left the room and moved down the hallway.

They entered a multi-stall latrine. Mark checked it out first before waving for Jacen in. After Jacen finished his business and was washing his hands, Mark's curiosity got to him. "Jacen why are you doing this? I didn't sense deceit when you said you didn't want to hurt your Aunt Mara. Why are you throwing your life away?"

Jacen put his hands on the sink counter and leaned heavily on the durasteel countertop. His head was down and pensive for a moment. When he looked up he gave his uncle a sad and trodden look. "Mark, Jaden once told me that you've kept Palpatine's memories a secret for over twenty years. You refuse to tell Uncle Luke or anybody the things you know. Jaden said you swore those secrets would die with you. Why?"

Mark was a little confused at the change of subject. "Because nothing good can come from me revealing those secrets…only bad."

"That's why I'm doing this. The Jedi are better off not knowing some things."

Mark stared at him intently. "What's scary is I sense you are telling the truth."

Jacen nodded. "I need the Jedi to distance themselves from me. I won't cooperate with my Uncle Luke any further. I have told you everything I will tell. It's time to accept my fate."

"Jacen, you may be ready to accept your fate, but I don't think your family is ready." Mark said softly. "I know I'm not ready."

Jacen frowned. "Then you better get ready, Uncle."