Millennial sat in his master's office, the holocommunicator in front of him still active as the image of the other shareholders flickered on the screen. They were growing increasingly concerned about Cognus' absence, and it was clear that they were beginning to question her leadership. Millennial had been forced to calm them down, assuring them that she was still alive and well, and that she was simply dealing with some personal issues that needed her attention. He knew that it wouldn't be long before they began to question him as well, and he knew that he needed to be careful in how he handled the situation.
As he sat there, he couldn't help but wonder what his master was doing, and why she had left him to deal with the others on his own. He knew that she was a powerful Sith lord, and that she had her reasons, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, it had been an additional four days since she was supposed to return.
Millennial remains seated in the dimly lit room, the holocron of Jada in his hand. He had been given the holocron by his secret apprentice Hanan, and had been using it to distract himself from the growing concerns about Cognus' absence, if only temporarily.
He reaches out with the force, checking to make sure that he is alone and that no one is watching him. With a sigh of relief, he knows that he is alone and begins to delve into the knowledge and teachings of the fallen Jedi.
The holocron flickered to life, revealing the image of a middle-aged human male with short-cropped hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He introduced himself as Jada Katarn, a Jedi Master who had crash landed on the planet Haruun Kal. His face was etched with worry, as he explained that his ship had malfunctioned and he was stranded with limited supplies.
"I have not yet had a chance to assess the damage to my ship, but I fear that I may be stuck here for some time. The planet is hostile, and I have already had to defend myself against the native creatures. I will do my best to survive and find a way off this planet, but in the meantime, I have decided to keep this holocron as a record of my time here".
He went on to describe the planet, the creatures he had encountered and his attempts to survive. He also mentioned his struggles with the dark side, which he felt calling out to him in this harsh environment. He feared that he might not be able to resist it for long, and his expressions reflected that.
"I have always known that the dark side is a powerful force, but I never imagined it could be so tempting. I will do my best to resist it, but I fear that my time here may change me in ways I cannot yet imagine".
He explains that he has been stranded on Haruun Kal for a little over a few hours now, and that he has been forced to adapt to the harsh conditions of the planet. He mentions that he has been using the force to help him survive, hunting for food and finding shelter. He also mentions that he has been in contact with the native "Korunnai" people and has been learning about their culture and way of life, though they were cautious of him and refused to offer him shelter or aid.
Jada continued, explaining that he is determined to survive and make it back to the Jedi Council, but he is also aware that he may not make it and that this holocron is his way of leaving behind his knowledge and experiences for any other Jedi who may find themselves stranded on the planet as well as identifying him should the worst happen.
The hologram of the man sat in front of the holocron, his eyes closed in concentration as he seemingly trying to reach out with the force but to no avail. He stated that he knew it was only a matter of time before the planet's harsh conditions and dangerous creatures claimed his life.
"I am Jada Katarn, Jedi Master," he began, his voice steady and determined. "I will continue to attempt to reach the Jedi Council, and I will not give up hope. May the force be with me".
Millennial sat in silence as he listened to Jada's words in the holocron, his disdain for the Jedi Order growing with each passing moment. "May the force be with me," Jada had said, and Millennial couldn't help but scoff at the Jedi's naivety. "The force doesn't care about you," Millennial thought to himself, "It's all about power and strength, something the Jedi could never understand." He couldn't believe that someone seemingly as powerful as Jada could fall for the Jedi's rhetoric, that he would sacrifice his power for the sake of peace and compassion.
Millennial knew that true strength lay in embracing the dark side, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust for Jada and his weak-minded ways.
Despite his distaste so far of Jada, he decided to continue with the holocron entries, reminding himself that Hanan had said Jada had embraced the darkside, and there may be something he could learn from the former Jedi Master.
He couldn't deny that Jada's journey to the dark side was something that intrigued him, and he was curious to see what led to Jada's fall and what he could learn from it. He reminded himself that as a Sith, it was his duty to study the past, to learn from the failures of others and to use that knowledge to his advantage.
In the second entry, the Jedi's face is etched with worry and frustration as he begins his entry. "It's been weeks since my crash landing on Haruun Kal and I still have not been able to reach the Jedi Council. The Force is strong here, and it's been a constant battle to keep the dark side at bay. I thought that as a Jedi Master, I would be immune to its temptations. But it seems to be getting louder, more persistent. It whispers in my ear, tempting me to give in and let it consume me".
Jada's voice lowers as he continues. "I know that I must resist, but it's getting harder. It's as if it's a living entity, constantly calling out to me, tempting me to let go of my Jedi training and embrace the power it promises. It tells me the Jedi are weak, that they will never be able to save me from the dangers of this planet. That the only way to survive is to give in to the dark side".
Millennial sat in front of the holocron, his arms crossed as he listened to Jada's words. "The darkside a 'living entity'? Please," he scoffed. "The darkside is nothing more than a tool to be wielded by those who are strong enough to grasp it. It's not some sentient being calling out to be embraced."
He leaned back in his chair, tapping his finger against his chin as he continued to listen to the holocron. "Jedi are so weak-minded, they can't even handle the power they claim to seek. It's no wonder they fall so easily." He shook his head in disgust, the Jedi's words falling on deaf ears. "But I will continue to listen, to learn, to master the darkside as it should be."
Jada's eyes close as he takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up. The dark side is becoming more aggressive, more insistent. I fear that if I don't find a way to break free soon, I may be lost to it forever". With a heavy heart Jada ends his entry with "May the force be with me".
Millennial quickly closed the holocron, placing it back into his pocket as he heard the knock on the door. He quickly composed himself before calling out, "Come in".
The door opened and the house protocol droid entered the room, "Master Cognus has returned, she requests your presence in the parlour".
Millennial nodded, rising from his seat and following the guard out of the room. As he walked, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease in his stomach. He knew that he couldn't let Cognus know about Jada, not yet. If he was going to take her down, he needed to keep his true power a secret. So, he pushed the thoughts of Jada to the back of his mind and hid the holocron in his robe's sleeve. Focusing on the task at hand, meeting with his master.
Millennial entered the parlour and was immediately taken aback by the sight of his master, Cognus. Her robes were torn and covered in dirt and blood, and she looked exhausted. As he approached, he noticed that she was not alone. Two men were sitting beside her, one of whom was also bearing the scars of conflict, while the other looked as if he had just stepped out of the shower.
"Cognus," Millennial greeted, bowing respectfully.
She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "Millennial, I have returned from my mission," she said, her voice tired.
"What mission was it?" Millennial asked, trying to hide his surprise.
"A retrieval mission," Cognus said, not elaborating further. "These two men were part of the team I hired," she gestured to the men beside her. "This is Zax and Kael".
Millennial nodded, noticing that the two men seemed to be mourning, despite the apparent mission being successful. He couldn't help but wonder what had really occurred on this mission, but knew better than to question his master, especially in front of strangers.
Cognus stood up, her movements slow and deliberate. "I must rest, Millennial. We will speak of this later". And with that, she turned and left the room, leaving Millennial to wonder what secrets his master was keeping from him.
As Congus retreated to her bedroom, Zax turned to Millennial and held out his hand. "The other half of the payment, if you please," he said, his tone business-like. Millennial nodded and gestured to the house protocol droid that was standing at attention in the corner of the room. "Fetch the remaining payment for this man," he ordered.
Zax took the payment without a word of thanks and pocketed it. He then turned to Millennial and said, "I'll be on my way now. Thank you for the opportunity to work with you".
Millennial nodded. "You're welcome. But before you go, I must insist that you use the bathroom to clean yourself up. You're covered in dirt and blood, and it's not befitting of a Mandalorian warrior to present himself in such a way".
Zax shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but my injuries are my medals for having survived. I'll be on my way now". And with that, he turned and walked out of the room followed by Kael.
As Millennial sat alone, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about his master's return. The way she looked, covered in blood and dirt, her robes torn and her exhaustion so palpable, it was clear that something had gone wrong on her mission. But she had said nothing about the specifics about it.
He couldn't help but wonder what secrets she was keeping from him. Was she hiding something from him? Could she be hiding the truth about her mission from him? The thought nagged at him, causing him to question if now would be a good time to make a move against her.
He thought about it for a moment, his hand reaching for his lightsaber hidden under his robe. But he quickly dismissed the thought, knowing that he would not be a match for her, even now. She was still his master, and he was not yet ready to challenge her. He would bide his time, and wait for the right moment to strike.
With a sigh, he resigned himself to waiting for the right moment. He thought to himself, "Soon master, you shall fall and I will lead the Sith to a new age of prosperity". As Millennial turned to leave the parlour, he made a mental note to keep a close eye on her and to continue to gather knowledge and power, so that when the time came, he would be ready to cut her down.