Chapter 5

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'Clarity'

'The Saberslinger'

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Dantius thinks about his journey to that dark corner of town as he dashes across campus. The remaining fractured images from his memory consume him. A great Force beckons him. He must obey.

He is the last student to arrive in the classroom. Heads turn as he makes his way to the closest seat. He forgets that he still bears the bruises from an evening he cannot distinguish between real or imagined. The professor notices as well. One can tell that the late arrival is topic of hushed discussions around the room. Heads tilt in small clusters to listen to speculation about the odd bruises. 'Perhaps he has finally pledged to a fraternity.' That would be news. Had he gone into the wrong neighborhood? Perhaps he stood out as the loner that he is and got roughed up in the process. Others in the class smirk with a telling 'he probably deserved it' gesture.

The professor is concerned. He has witnessed this before. He knows that the 'quiet' ones tend to be picked on the most. He intends to take this 'battered' student aside immediately after class. The Theed Student Review Board will surely hear about this. He will take this student aside at the end of the class.

Dantius can sense the array of thoughts around the classroom. It is both embarrassing and thrilling at the same time to have all this attention. He did not care how many eyes were upon him.

The 90-minute class ends and he gathers his books to make a quick exit. The professor was well aware of the whispers and snickering among some of the students in the class. The professor was expecting to speak to him but Dantius weaves through the crowd adroitly before any contact is made. He is not interested in empty platitudes from a teacher who barely acknowledged him during the entire semester.

It is now on to his next class. This is an economics class: 'Introduction to Free Trade'. For Dantius, this was one of his favorite and intriguing classes. He had taken a business course during the summer to get enough credits before the end of the fall semester.

Dantius enjoyed the 'Privacy and Intergalactic Trade, summer course. He learned about some of the commodities such as aurodium ingots. It is listed as one of the high-risk cargo on the market. Aurodium fetched a hefty sum on the black market. The questions were raised as how best to protect this cargo across the galaxy. What is the solution? While many thought reinforced droid patrols were the way to go, the Galactic Republic preferred the use of the always dependable and efficient Jedi to escort the ingots in transit. Cynics decried, 'Of course, it is always the Jedi!' The keepers of the peace and stability, and protectors of commerce across the galaxy seemed to be the popular choice. Everyone stayed on topic in this class. No one noticed his bruises.

Half the day was gone before Dantius could take a break to have some lunch, and retrieve his mail.

It is difficult to find a single table where he could enjoy his lunch in peace. His seating choices are few; He can sit at a round table where three Muun students were gathering. There are three empty places. Definitely not. There is a table for four but as he closes in to claim it, a group of Tatooine 'techie-radicals' toss their books in the center of the table and begin to discuss landspeeders and 'speeders of the future' like the proposed T-16 Skyhopper. He refers to them as 'tech-rads' because they usually discuss vehicles or the doom and gloom of the political climate. He absolutely will not sit with them.

The last option is to share the long table presently occupied by students engaged in a debate about the Jedi Order. The discussion today is whether the Jedi will always keep Naboo safe. Some believe that the Naboo monarchy asks too much of the Jedi Order. This conversation is tiresome to him. He wishes they would be quiet. It gets more intense when several other students join them at the table. The table of Jedi devotees is passionate about the state of the Naboo Republic. There was no time to search the dining hall for another place to sit. His strategy is to stare straight ahead pretending not to listen.

Dantius takes bites from his sandwich. He is, however, slightly curious about the debate. Just as they begin to hit on some topics that interest him, it is time to leave. He glances at the clock on the wall. He snatches up his rucksack and food tray making as much commotion as possible to attract the attention of the Jedi supporters at the other end of the table. Heads turn in is direction. Having pulled this off successfully, Dantius then pushes himself away from the table and leaves. His next stop is to the mailroom.

The Gungan Adso Bar Binks and the human male student are once again working in the mailroom. These are the only two voices that Dantius hears as he arrives. The student, Chaz Darklighter, a young cousin of Huff Darklighter. Chaz is engaged in a conversation with the Gungan. They are busy stuffing boxes with flyers.

"Man, you should have seen the expression on his face. It was awesome."

"Now yousa hafta pull that off three more years before graduation…yousa be da man, homeskillet."

"You're right about that, Adso."

While the clerks on the other side of the mailboxes chat, Dantius pulls out his mailbox data card. The swooshing sound of the flyers going into the mailboxes grows closer. The clerks must be functioning in tandem because once a flyer is inserted into a box another item follows. These new pieces are intra-campus missives such as exam results sealed at the edges for obvious reasons; then there are the messages on official university stationery. The clerks are so busy chatting, however, that one of them repeatedly inserts the wrong message into the wrong box. Chaz catches himself midsentence and makes the correction barely looking at the boxes.

Dantius reaches for his mail. He sees a new piece deposited into his box and inserts his hand to remove it but the mail clerk withdraws it. Chaz is still chatting to Adso, making motions with his hands to make his point. Just as he is about to reinsert the mail, Adso asks a question which prompts him to use hand gestures again.

"Oh! I just remembered something; I got ticks for the concert." He stops stuffing boxes and digs into his trouser pocket. He presents two tickets for the new band, 'Figrin D'an and his Modal Nodes.'

Adso's eyes light up.

"How much meesa owe?"

"Don't worry about it, bro. You don't owe me any credits." He holds up his hands with the mail in his left.

"Yousa serious?"

Chaz waves his hands again as Adso attempts to hand him 80 credits.

"Cha! You did double shifts for me during mid-terms. I will not take your money. Forget it. "

Chaz felt guilty taking the Gungan's money because this new band had never performed outside of Tatooine. He has doubts that they would still be performing in any capacity at venues other than on college campuses and in dive bars.

Dantius is losing patience. He is determined to say something but then it seems as if the mail is being inserted in the mailbox. This time Dantius grabs it quickly. It is a note. Chaz barely notices this and moves on to the next box.

Dantius examines his mail. He has five pieces today. The on-campus mail is the first thing he opens. He exits the mailroom through the next corridor. The note is written on ivory cotton stationery, folded in thirds and it is held together with a wax seal. He has never seen this seal before. Upon closer inspection, he realizes what it is and from whom. The black sealing wax glistens as if it were still wet and hot. He runs his right thumb across the bumpy surface. He glides his thumb under the fold to break the seal and begins to read the message.

'If you believe you are worthy to receive training you are invited to return this evening. Tell no one of this meeting.'

Dantius makes his way across campus. He stops under the terracotta overpass leading to the Nas Lecture Hall. He feels the palms of his hand warming. As he opens his hand, the note he had just read curls up as it is on a burning log. There is a slight popping sound and suddenly the pieces rise from his palm breaking into tiny particles and disperse to the air. He frantically begins to brush his hands together as the pieces turn to dust. He examines his palms. They are clean.

Dantius looks around to see if anyone else around. He hears voices. It is just a small group of students. They are some distance behind him. He gathers his wits and presses onward. He arrives at his next class feeling unusually relaxed. The ninety-minute class ends without consequence.

He hurries back to his dorm room to deposit his books and his unread mail. He remembers to grab the business card from his desk and checks for his metro data card. He makes his way downstairs and dashes across campus to the tram stop for the ride to 'the other' part of town.

The tram leaves him off at the cross bridge. He begins his walk, never once taking out the card to check the address. He remembers everything about that night during his first trip to this part of town.

He arrives at the door to the dark cathedral. The cloaked greeter does not ask who he is; he already knows why he is there. Dantius steps inside. The greeter extends his land towards the archway. Plagueis stands in the shadows then reveals himself.

"Good evening, Dantius."

"Good evening, Professor."

"Follow me."

Before Dantius can react, the tall cloaked Plagueis drifts ahead of him by three meters. Dantius quickens his pace to keep up but he is still far behind. The only footsteps he hears are his own against the stone floor. They pass through the cloister. A cold blast of air whips through the open area. It is a foreboding image as dusk turns to night. The dried zaela bushes, devoid of leaves, rattle like bones. The beginnings of a winter chill creeps into the night.

This old church or monastery must have been a glorious sight to behold at one time. Something horrible must have happened for it to become what it is now. Even the street leading to the main part of the neighborhood seems to have been left to the forgotten folk, the ones who disappear into their homes when the sun sets. Dantius continues to follow his mentor until they are inside the building again.

Plagueis stops suddenly. He gestures for Dantius to sit. There is a stone bench. Everything appears to be covered with soot. The high stoned walls around him are illuminated with candles on tarnished sconces. A few ancient tapestries hang from two of the dull stained glass cathedral windows. They too are worn and tarnished. He had not noticed these things during his previous visit. This is a different room. Dantius squints to get a better view of his surroundings.

In front of the bench is an ancient prie-dieu. It too is tarnished but must have been a handsome piece of craftsmanship in its' heyday. It has to be at least a thousand light-years old. He sits on the cold stone bench. This room just as drafty and but colder than the other room from his first visit. Plagueis waves his hand at the altar. A flame appears on a candle and brings improved illumination so his visitor can see better.

"Tell me, Dantius, what is it that you would like to know?"

"I…I need to know why you chose me. Are there others?"

"I will first tell you what I believe you need to know. You need to believe that loyalty to me is paramount to anything or anyone else in your life. I will teach you how to channel your energy to become more effective. You possess the willingness to learn but you must also trust me. You will answer to no one but me. You will not discuss what you learn to anyone not even those closest to you. That should be easy enough since you have no friends to speak of at the university."

"As I told you before, I have not met anyone worthy of my friendship."

"Let's not fool ourselves. You have not made one friend since your first week on campus. You can be a miserable creature as much as you have the capacity to be quite charming when it is to your advantage. You will do well."

"So, what will you teach me?"

"Patience." Plagueis changes his abrupt tone after watching his would-be apprentice cringe with irritation. He almost sounds concerned. "Do you think your father will be proud of you right now?"

"He is never proud of me."

"That is because you cannot live up to his high moral standards."

"You already know about my relationship with my father. His expectations are unrealistic."

"So now you come before me. Well, I cannot replace your father. I will not pat you on the head and shower you with fatherly praise. What I can do is make him irrelevant. This will help you in your journey to the dark side."

"I want to know everything you know about the dark side."

"Once you prove yourself I can teach you a great many things."

"When? You've only spoken to me in puzzles! I need clarity. I don't know what you want."

There is agitation in his voice. He senses that Plagueis is toying with him. Plagueis ignores the youths' frustration and instead scolds him.

"I will tell you what you need to learn in the proper time! Do not ask me again." After a few moments, he quietly changes the subject. "Have you your lightsaber with you?"

Dantius is not expecting this. He knew he would use it at some point but he had no real use for it until now. He needs to practice. Dantius hesitates for a second.

"Yes…"

Dantius reaches inside his down coat and unclips the weapon. This rarely used gift from his father is in mint condition. It is a rare opportunity to show it off to someone who appreciated fine artisanship. He did not possess the talent to build it himself. The elder Palpatine had hoped it would come to good use once his son was accepted into the Jedi Academy. This was not to be and it remained in the velvet-lined Birchwood for several years. The hilt and box bore the Palpatine Family crest.

Plagueis watches as his anxious 'apprentice-to-be' presents the weapon to him. Plagueis grabs it and flips it in his hand. He powers it on. Dantius slowly removes his coat and waits for Plagueis to give his opinion. This is something Dantius was quite proud of because it was custom-made for him. Suddenly an unexpected boisterous laugh echoes through the ancient chapel.

"How drole! A Jedi's Lightsaber. How disappointed you father would be to see you here with a weapon he purchased for his only son. Hah hah ha! You amuse me, boy."

Plagueis twirls it like a baton between his slender fingers. His tone is condescending. Dantius stands quietly as the Muun Sith Lord continues to humiliate him.

"Rejected by the Jedi Order and you keep a lightsaber made by another Jedi. With all of your cleverness you were not able to construct one on your own?"

Dantius defends his father's purchase. This is one of the last decent things he will ever say about his father.

"It was a gift. It meant a lot to him that I have it."

"And so you shall."

It is at this moment that Dantius senses that they are not alone. Plagueis does not turn around to look. He already knows who it is. He powers down the lightsaber then tosses it back to the young owner.

Dantius catches it but with less conviction than before. A sense of shame fills up inside him after Plagueis devalues it as nothing more than a toy. Dantius lowers his head. Plagueis continues to laugh but he is no longer in view. The laughter echoes throughout the room then fades in the distance. He is alone…but not for long.

A new shadowy figure stands in an alcove. The figure sheds his cloak and lets it drop to the floor. The hilt of his lightsaber hums in the darkness as it hangs loosely in his right hand. He begins to move forward into the dimly lit room. Dantius squints to get a better look then takes a step back.

Dantius notices the shiny hilt of the lightsaber more than the red blade. Metal barbs protrude making odd indentations in the palms and fingers. He is too stunned to notice the figure charging towards him. His name is Darth Taras.

Darth Taras leaps a few meters in the air and twirls. A ribbon of crimson spirals wildly then crashes against the stone floor at Dantius' feet. The blade flows like a whip. Dantius shields his eyes from the intense glow as the blade lurches back then forward landing several inches from his feet. Had it landed any closer, it would have sliced him in half from shoulder to torso.

It takes the new apprentice a moment to respond as he fumbles to grip his lightsaber. A second hum of a lightsaber fills the room. The green blade of Dantius' lightsaber is sailing towards the spiraling red blade. He wields the lightsaber wildly to fend off his attacker. He jumps onto a broken stone column and continues to flail away. His opponent seems to have lost his advantage until the red blade locks onto the green one knocking Dantius from the column. He holds onto his lightsaber. He dangles like a gooberfish in a fishing line before plummeting to the stone floor. The red blade is aimed at his throat. He is now looking into the face of his surprise opponent.

To be continued…