Chapter 7: Growing Threats

Viren's fears had been confirmed.

Despite his observations, Viren had hoped that maybe the Sith were still out there.

But this vault of knowledge dashed all hope of that.

A thousand years.

A thousand years had the Sith been extinct.

Or nearly so.

For these histories told of how one Sith had survived and carried on the Order.

Never growing. One Master, One Apprentice.

Until nearly a century ago, when they emerged again, only for the last remnant of the Sith to be wiped out.

By one of its own members.

Darth Vader.

Treason against one's master was acceptable, expected even.

But treason against the Order itself, that was unforgivable.

Now the Force wallowed in unbalance, the Light in complete domination over the Dark. It was against the nature of the galaxy, and Viren was sickened by it.

He shuddered, and felt the disturbed presence of the Jedi girl behind him.

He felt the fear in her.

Turning, Viren saw her widened eyes upon the ancient robes that he wore, now showing through his open mantle.

She knew who and what he was.

Without hesitating, Viren extended his hand and the lightsaber hilt upon the Jedi's hip flew to his hand. A moment later, in an azure flash, she was cut down.

Viren paused over the bod for only a moment before he flew forth from the temple.

The Jedi would surely learn of his presence from this act.

It was time to flee.

o0o

So many thoughts filled Hazel's mind as she tried to sleep that night.

Force, even the decision to sleep in this place needed consideration, though Hazel had come to the conclusion that, whatever their motives were, these people were not out to murder her in her slumber.

Even with that decided, there were plenty more concerns to fill Hazel's head; chief among them the fact that Darth Vader was still alive. Everything else aside he was what, a century old? Probably more...yet he didn't seem at all aged or decrepit. If Hazel remembered correctly, Anakin Skywalker had been about the same age as her great-grandfather, who had been dead over fifty years... now there was a strange thought.

And that was only the least of them.

There were still so many things to discover about Guardian's past and his intentions, so many answers that Hazel did not think would be willingly given. It was a frustrating spot to be in. Of course some things would be learned in time...but how long was it going to take?

Why the fosh did everything require patience?!

o.o.o.o

Breakfast that morning was a silent affair. Guardian sat with Hazel and the Twins but he eat nothing and sat almost completely still. Toran and Taera followed his lead and said nothing, though they did eat. Hazel wasn't sure if this silence was normal here or if there was something amiss in the house. But she was too sleepy to give the matter much thought.

It made Hazel realize how lazy she had gotten in the year that had passed since the end of the war with Red-Eye Five, the terrorist faction that had brought an end to the Jedi-run Core Government and brought about the relocation of the Jedi and the Agency of Justice to Arebeddon. During the war, Hazel had been accustomed to always being on the alert, honing her skills whenever she could, even participating in battles. Now...well, in the past several months she had done none of that, and it was showing.

With nothing else to focus on, Hazel stared outside, watching as the sun rose to cast its dim orange light over the gurgling lava below the window. Not exactly the prettiest nor the grandest sunrise Hazel had ever seen. Still, it lit up the blackened stone walls better than the feeble torches could.

There were so many things Hazel wanted to discuss, so much she wanted to know, but Guardian's looming presence was quelling her desire to talk. Even as she thought that, Guardian rose with a slight scraping of armor and departed from the room. What an eerie coincidence...

"So..." began Hazel, trying to start the conversation slowly, without an instant barrage of questions, "Who are your parents? Do they still live here?"

"Our father is Ben Skywalker," said Taera after a short pause. "When we were younger, he would often train us with Guardian, but now he is often away performing various duties...many of which involve keeping your family safe, even if they do not know it."

"Right..." said Hazel, not really convinced. "What about your mom?"

"She was once a Jedi Knight," said Toran slowly, "named Estalla Corridan. She and Father crossed paths during one of his trips to the Jedi Temple, then on Kashyyyk. Much of their story is still unknown to me but at some point after that they married and Estalla moved away from the Jedi to be with him. They lived together for four years and Taera and I were born during that time, but Father never told Estalla of Guardian, fearing what she would do if he told her. However, dark times came, the return of the one you know as Darth Aelitou, and Guardian commanded that we return to him on Mustafar to ensure our own safety.

"Father's fears came true and when Estalla saw Guardian and recognized him, she thought him as a foe and attempted to strike him down. So great was her determination to protect us from the danger she thought we were in that in order to stop her assault, Guardian had to break her mind. Shattered, she left this place and Father was forbidden to go in search of her, as we have now been also. Father believes she is still alive, but he has no knowledge of what has befallen her in the twenty-seven years since he saw her last."

"Wow..." breathed Hazel. She had been hoping to start the conversation off with something light...not a tale like the one she had just heard. "That leads for an awkward family dynamic."

"For some perhaps," replied Taera, "but for us it is just a part of life that we have grown used to. Besides, there is really no one to blame...it was simply a situation that was handled poorly by all involved."

"That's obvious," said Hazel, before quickly changing subject. "So, what sort of a teacher is Guardian? He doesn't seem much of a mentoring type."

"He can be," said Toran. "He has a great deal of wisdom and knowledge to share, when he is inclined to do so. He can be reserved and distant at times, but we know to respect that. He's had a hard life, and there are still wounds he hasn't fully recovered from."

"But when he is teaching, we can learn many things from him," Taera added quickly, before Hazel could speak. "He has indeed had many hardships, but with them come a great store of knowledge, one he willingly shares with us."

"Perhaps with you, but he is not eager to share anything with me," noted Hazel.

"Yet indeed he has already begun," said Taera. "Though you have been here not even a day yet, nor are you one of his students, not yet at least."

"Not yet? You mean he plans to make me one?"

"He has considered it, at least," answered Toran. "He has been increasingly worried about a coming darkness and is worried that our power may not be enough to keep your family safe, for they themselves are unaware of the danger and make no effort to protect themselves from it."

"I don't understand what you mean. All the wars are over now. The Sith have been gone for decades. What danger is there to hold such a great threat to us?"

"Imbalance," said Toran simply. "Without a common enemy the Jedi will begin to fracture and turn on themselves. No longer does the Dark Side need the Sith in order to survive. In fact, even now it is thriving without them, for among those who can combat it, only we know of the danger. The Jedi, though they have withstood many trials so far, cannot hold much longer, not against this unseen threat. Your family, the Barks, are also ready to crumble. There are none but us who can stand against it, but we cannot do it alone."

"If the danger is so real, then why don't you tell anyone about it?" wondered Hazel, unable to comprehend why these people would intentionally weaken their position. "We can still fight it, if we know what there is to fight."

"Because in doing so we would reveal ourselves to the Jedi, and thus to our enemy, which is something I cannot allow to happen," rumbled Guardian, stepping out of the shadows. "Though I am afraid we are already too late for that."