Chapter 18
Alex pushed his star ship to its limits, going as fast as he could over the frozen ice fields of Arkania. This planet was the most beautiful in Alex's eyes for this was technically his home world. His father had worked in the diamond mines underneath the icy surface before Alex was even born. His father fell in love with an Arkanian Offshoot. These were a genetic subspecies of Arkanian who were bred to serve as lower class citizens for the higher powers. Alex's mother was sold into slavery and was forced to serve the rebellious group known as the Arkanian Renegades during the revolution.
Alex's father had attempted to free her, and they did escape. Alex was conceived in a small cabin hidden among the ice fields. His parents stayed there for nine months until he was born. However they were eventually tracked down and killed for their crimes and Alex was left as an orphan. Cordatis found Alex as a child running about the local markets when he had tried to steal his light sabre. Most people looked at Alex as a poor juvenile born into a cruel world of criminals and thugs, however Cordatis sensed the force in him and so took him in as his own young apprentice. When Alex was old enough they returned to Arkania where he trained vigorously and studied the Jedi way on the Arkanian ice fields, here Alex earned his very own light sabre.
Now as he glided over the fields in his star ship, Alex reminisced over the events of his childhood and his training here until at last he located the old wooden cabin that was his home. The cabin sat near the edge of a massive ice cliff, and a dense pine forest on the other side hid it perfectly from sight. As Alex came close something felt wrong, and suddenly from over the cabin flew two v-wing star fighters piloted by enemy clones. Alex pulled away before their ships collided and he began to fear that Cordatis might already be dead.
Suddenly another message appeared from the holo-com, and again it was Elexis. "You cannot save Cordatis," She said, "These v-wings will make sure of that. They won't kill you, but they will keep you away until my task is done. You will understand everything once he is dead, and then at last we can be together." The hologram switched off and Alex was left to ponder over the words. "Why is she doing this?"
Before he could consider it anymore he remembered that he was still being chased by two v-wings. The pursuing ships fired EMP blasts and were attempting to shut down all systems on Alex's ship. Alex twisted and turned, avoiding every shot and steering with extreme precision towards the large cluster of trees behind the cabin. During his training Alex had to manoeuvre his way through these trees using a high-speed land cruiser, this task could only be accomplished by someone with the remarkable reflexes of a Jedi.
As he weaved in and out of the tall trees the v-wings attempted to match his skill but failed, and one of them clashed head on with a large wooden pine. The other v-wing was a little more persistent and Alex could not shake him, so he readied the weapons systems and fired a laser bolt into a large slanting tree. The blast area of the tree burst into flames and it began to topple until it fell directly in front of the final v-wing. When the ship slammed into the blockade it exploded with a loud crash and the surrounding forest caught fire.
Without wasting any time Alex turned his star ship and raced back to the cabin. In the distance he could see a ship landing besides the small wooden building, it was Cordatis, completely unaware that Elexis was waiting for him. When Alex had finally made it to the cabin he landed his ship in the soft snow and then ran to Cordatis. Alex saw his master step out from his own ship and walk towards the cabin. "Cordatis!" Alex shouted out, but it was too late. From behind Cordatis' star ship sprang Elexis, and with one swift movement she drove her glowing blue light sabre between Cordatis' shoulder blades. The end of Elexis blade protruded from Cordatis' chest and he gaped for breath as the laser sliced through his lungs and heart.
Alex reached out with one hand as if he was trying to hold his master, "No!" He cried, but it was too late, and Cordatis was dead.