Rise of the Sith Lords

Prologue

A Prelude to Darkness

(First Impressions)

I couldn't stop looking at the blue skies over Tython; it had been so long since I had seen the sky. The skies over my homeworld were nothing but ash soaked clouds and black smoke from the battlefields. I was so used to feeling that heat of the flames on my skin that had forgotten what a breeze of cool air felt like on my skin. As I gazed down at the cool waters below the master's retreat, the whole planet seemed so serene; it was hard to believe that anything could seem at peace when war still ravaged my homeworld.

I sensed them coming long before they arrived. A woman with long blond hair and blue pulled tight behind her head, her features were warm and inviting, she was dressed in very formal robes, that I was certain concealed a lightsaber; she had an air of knowledge and importance about her. She was followed by a young lavender Twi'lek, her lips were painted pink, and she a wore a dark blue sleeveless midriff top, dual lightsabers hung off the sides of her hips, a stark contrast to the formal attire of the woman in front of her.

"Hello. I am Master Denai Rann, and this is my Padawan Areeva Ban." She said.

"Kradok… Kradok Kaeyd." I was unsure of what this Master and her Padawan wanted from me, but their names didn't sound familiar or close to the name of the Master I was supposed to be meeting here today.

"Master Satele sends her apologies but recent events have made it unable for her to come and meet you herself. We are still dealing with the flesh raider attacks on our training grounds and… unforeseen complications, have taken up the councils attention. She also has asked me to inform you that she has yet to find a master suitable to your specific needs and has asked me to assist your training while things are sorted out." She said, the situation seemed a shock to her as much as it was to me

"I don't need a babysitter. So don't do me any favors." I was angry. This Satele woman had dismissed me like I was some errant child that she hadn't the time to deal with. She seemed to forget that the Jedi had requested my presence here on this forsaken planet.

"I'm not going to babysit you. The work you are going to be helping in is vital to the preservation of our order. Grand Master Satele felt that your experiences on Iridonia would prove useful in our endeavors." Her tone was abrupt, but not unfeeling, "I know you've been through a trying ordeal, and for that I am sorry, I think it would be beneficial for you to tell me about yourself before we proceed." She seemed genuinely concerned, but that didn't mean that I wasn't bothered by her request.

"I don't want to talk about it; I came here to train to be a Jedi, to learn how to defend against the empire, to be able to prevent what happened to my people from happening to other worlds." I lashed out; the pain was still fresh in my chest and I felt that at any moment I would burst into tears.

"I know this is painful, and you want to move forward, but trust me, the best thing you can do right now is to tell me what happened." She was both firm and gentle and although I wanted to it was impossible to refuse her.

"Two standard months ago, the imperial warships filled our skies and their soldiers razed our lands, burned our cities. My older brother Kordak, a member in the republic military, was assigned to the frontlines, I haven't heard anything from him since the start of the battle. My younger brothers and I tried to get as far away from the fighting as we possibly could, but every day we were surrounded by explosion and blaster fire as our world turned to ashes, Adarok, my younger brother… he betrayed us, he set a trap and handed us over to the imperials all for enough credits to buy transport off-world, I was held in a cage for more than a week, they tortured us, they took my baby brother Kadrok and me, they were going to sell us into slavery. The shock collar around my neck, I disabled it somehow… I ran, as my world blew up around me. I couldn't leave my brother… so I tried to go back, but the imperials surrounded me. They were going to kill me, but… I stuck up my hands… and their blaster fire went back at them, I was able to lift objects with my mind… the force as you call it, and throw them at my enemies. I was about to go back into the enemy camp to get my brother, when one of your people showed up, he wouldn't let go in… I fought him with my new-found abilities, he knocked me unconscious. When I woke up I was on a republic ship. The Jedi, I think his name was Kobu, he told me he was bringing me here and that I was to be trained to be a Jedi…" That's when Master Denai broke protocol she put her arms around me and hugged me as the tears I'd been holding back began to fall. Areeva averted her eyes, her face solemn, she pitied me.

"I'm sorry, when Master Satele told me of your situation; I had assumed… it doesn't matter." She pulled away and exchanged a worried glance with Areeva. "We are needed in Kalikori Village, a local Twi'lek settlement. Areeva will take you there. I will join you soon, Master Braga and I must determine how to proceed." She put her hands on my shoulders, "Everything is going to be alright," and with that she disappeared somewhere off into the retreat.

"Come on, Your life is about to get a lot more interesting." Areeva grabbed my hand and practically dragged me forward, "I can tell a lot about people, and I know, you and I we are gonna have a lot of fun together." She smirked at me, her eyes full of the good kind of mischief.

"I thought Jedi were about tolerance and restraint. I didn't think fun was part of the program." I said to her as we settled into the transport. Areeva looked at me, her smile seemed to dance across her face and she looked from side to side as if to make sure no one was in listening range.

"That's only if you want to become one of those stodgy old masters, you and I, we're meant for much more than Jedi politics." And with that we were off.

[A/N: When I wrote this first chapter I had such great intentions for all of my characters, Master Denai especially, but stories have a way of writing themselves and rooting out characters that are good but otherwise unnecessary to the plot, enjoy watching things unfold.]