Aleah reached down and gripped her lightsaber tightly, her thumb tensing up on the activation switch, ready to strike down Vader. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched the Sith Enforcer go to the tomb of his late wife, it would the best place to strike down the man responsible for her master's death and the death of so many other Jedi. Aleah took only three steps before Dray grabbed her hand.
The Bothan and Nelvannian looked one another. Dray could see all the pain and anger in her eyes, but he also had such emotions. Looking up at Vader going into the tomb, he spoke softly to Aleah. "Don't let the dark side control you, remember what your master taught you."
Aleah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Dray was right. She couldn't fall to the dark side like Vader did, because then her master's sacrifice would be all for nothing. Right now, Aleah had to follow the voice of wisdom that Dray clearly had. Still, the young Nelvannian couldn't control her tears. Dray pulled her into a hug and held as if she was his own child.
"Hey, when the two of you are done hugging, maybe one of us should secure a place to stay for the night?" Jens said clearly annoyed. He wasn't one much for all the mushy drama, but he did feel some symphony for the padawan.
"Relax, Jens," Dray smiled. "I know a place."
Within the hour, the remaining crew of the Nova Star was settling into their rooms of the Golden Heart Hotel, one of the most exclusive places in the city of Theeds, only coming in second to the royal place. However, do to the big announcement Vader was to make in the morning, security had been doubled. Clones were patrolling the streets, ensuring that the civilians were in doors before dark. Aleah looked out the window of her bedroom. A group of clones were arresting a man who had stepped outside to pick up a fallen statue.
"Poor man," she sighed sadly at the sight.
"I know," said Lyra as she brushed her beautiful black hair. "Things look very bad for these people."
Feline who had been going through many maps of the many known locations put down her scanner. "If my calculations are accurate, the Empire will have full control over the whole city in just twenty-four hours. With any luck, we'll be back on the Nova Star before they lock everything down."
As the three women talked, inside another room, Jens was talking with Fang. However, it was about Aleah. Now, Fang wanted to abandon the whole search for the holocrons, but Jens refused to even consider such a thing. His years among the Jedi had helped him know the difference between cowardice and tactical retreat. The Nova Star captain reminded his first mate that the minute they took Aleah aboard, she became part of the crew.
Fang's eyes glowed in anger. "She's not part of our crew!" he protested to Jens. "She's a Jedi who is wanted by the Empire. Why should we now risk our necks for her when we could just turn her over Vader and get some kind of reward?"
Jens crossed his arms. "Because no matter what, the Empire knows we helped her and they will have a bounty out on us soon," Jens went on to his first mate about how it was now their duty to help fight and protect Aleah while they searched for the remainder of the holocrons.
The next day…
The midafternoon sun was warming the beautiful green grass, but the Nova Star crew were too busy eyeing the ancient Temple of the Elders. Siv scanned the area, there was only some crates and a few diggers at the temple, none of them were armed from the looks of it, but Jens turned to Dray and said, "Check the area, then give the signal."
The Bothan nodded and ran off. Taking caution, Dray scoped out the whole area. It was interesting. The diggers were employed by the Empire to dig up relics for them to auction off to the higher bidder, no doubt to fund their increasing control over the known systems in the galaxy. Seeing that there was no threat of any kind, Dray gave the signal.
"Alright, let's go," Jens said. He motioned for the others to follow and to remain as silent as possible. They sneaked pass the first set of diggers before entering the temple, only to see that the diggers weren't the only ones in the temple.
A group of clones and Naboo royal guards were in the main entrance.
A Naboo royal guard, armed with a sword, cautiously climbed a set of stone stairs toward an arched opening in the back wall of the temple. As he was nearing the top of the steps near the arch, he saw something else. A body. A few steps away from the man was a clone soldier, and near the sprawled corps was something else. Aleah leaned forward, trying to make it out.
It was the clone soldier's head.
"Keep going," a clone ordered the guard. "Just keep going."
The Naboo royal guard took the next step under the arch, and it was his last. A loud whooshing sound like a sudden gust of wind swept through the temple, and suddenly the guard's head was clearly severed from his neck.
"The wrath of the Sith," Aleah said softy.
Just then, Kenna tapped her on the shoulder. "Uh, Aleah." The sound of mechanical breathing filled the ears of everyone.
The Nova Star crew turned to see Darth Vader standing behind them, with over a dozen clone soldiers. It had been a trap, and Vader had set the whole thing up.
As the clones surrounded the crew, Kenna had to ask, "How did you know we going to be here?"
Vader pointed at Aleah. "A tremor in the force," he boasted. "And I saw your ship land the day before." The dark enforcer of the Sith walked up to Aleah. "Please accept my compliments of escaping Coruscant," he said, mocking the Nelvannian. He then pulled out his lightsaber and ignited it. The temple was lightened up with a red light. Vader raised it, ready to strike Aleah down, but suddenly halted.
"Any last words, before I let you join your master?" he asked.
Aleah quickly thought of a way to buy some time. "If you kill me, you won't be able to get the next Holocron."
Vader cocked his head. "The next Holocron?" he asked.
Aleah had him. Only this time it wasn't a lightsaber in her hand, but the truth. The Nelvannian knew Vader would want this Holocron as well, so she decided to play her hand to see if he would take the bait.
"The Sith Holocron I have was a map that led us here to find this Holocron, and there are four more scattered across the galaxy." she exclaimed pointing to the archway where the clone and royal guard laid dead.
Vader pointed his lightsaber at Aleah. "Then go and get it," he said, then turned to the rest of the crew. "And I will let them live. Fail to return and they will die."
Aleah nodded and walked up the stairs. She could see the archway at the top and a dark passage. The Nelvannian walked past the two dead bodies, she felt a huge tremor in the force. The dark side was strong here, just then, with the force she pushed herself forward as a giant saw like blade just barely made contact with her neck. Aleah then saw a switch in the wall and pressed down on it. The blade stopped.
"I'm through!" she shouted.
Dray smiled and looked at his friends. "She made it." he said but received a shove from the clone guarding him.
Vader then felt it best to send a clone in, along with one of the other prisoners. He turned eyes each crew member. His dark gaze fell on the Lyra. "Soldier, take her through the arch way, and keep that Jedi in your sight. If she tries anything, kill the Chiss." he commanded.
"It will be done, Lord Vader," the clone said obediently. Then he grabbed Lyra by the hair and dragged her up the stairs.
"Hey, watch the hair buddy!" The female Chiss said to the clone.
Aleah came to a large pit with many pillars, but a closer examination showed that each pillar had a letter on it, each one clear as daylight. Great, another puzzle. She thought to herself, but her friends needed her. If she failed, then Vader would kill her friends. The Nelvannian began to scan the room, noting but symbols and sautes on the walls that were all related to the Sith. Then she figured it once she read an inscription carved into the wall.
"The First Sith Emperor shall lead us to greatness," she said, then said his name. "Ajunta Pall."
She noticed the first pillar on five feet away, but before she could jump, the clone and Lyra arrived. The Chiss looked at the clone and then Aleah. There was only one thing to do. "Looks like we follow you," she smiled.
Aleah nodded, smiling as if she was playing a children's game. "A-J-U-N-T-A." The Nelvannian then came to the last part of the name, but these pillars were moving. She steadied herself with the force and jumped. "P-A-L-L." She made it to the end and there, in the hands of a statue of the Sith emperor was the next Holocron.
"Don't touch it," the clone growled, then pushed Lyra into Aleah's arms. The clone removed his helmet and smiled. "Lord Vader will be most pleased." he said picking up the Holocron.
Aleah could have used the force on the clone. But something from the nether realm of the force told her not to, but to wait and watch. She didn't have to wait long.
The clone suddenly dropped to his knees, he looked up at Aleah and Lyra. "What….is…. happening….to….me?" he gasped.
Then right before the two females, the clone began aging rapidly. Lyra began to scream in terror as the clone crumpled to the ground, an ancient skeleton becoming one with his decaying armor.
Aleah then used the force to send the pile of bones and armor into the pit behind them. The Nelvannian then relized something. Only someone who was force sensitive could claim the Holocron. She quickly picked it up and activated it, seeing the next part of the map. After reading the riddle and memorizing it, she placed the Holocron in her pocket and led Lyra safely back to the main entrance. All that remained was to find out how to escape from Vader.
For about ten minutes, Vader waited patiently for Aleah to return, but so far nothing had been heard of the Nelvannian or the Chiss and the clone soldier who had followed her. The Sith enforcer was not at all happy, but before he could take his anger out on the Nova Star crew, Aleah returned, alone, but unharmed.
"Lyra and the clone are dead," she said sadly, trying her best to sound sincere. Vader took a step toward her; he reached his hand out toward the Nelvannian.
"Do you have the Holocron?" he asked.
Aleah pulled it out to Vader. "Yes," she replied, then tossed it him.
"Good," Vader said catching the Holocron in his hand, he turned to the clones. "Place them against the wall and execute them."
"You said if I got you the Holocron you would let them live," Aleah protested hotly. "You can have me killed, but let-"
"I lied. You of all people should have suspected that from the beginning." he said before turning to leave, however, he failed to notice theNelvannian as he stepped over an ancient symbol that was engraved on the floor.
A moment or two passed, then a deep rumbling sound that was felt as it was heard erupted beneath the temple. The walls began to shake. Dust flew as debris began to tumble from the shaking walls. Vader spun around, terrified, he could hear the voices of the Sith Guardians who once guarded the temple.
The clones were looking around as if confused, they started to randomly open fire at where the voices were coming from. Seeing this as their chance, the Nova Star crew rushed the clones, grabbed their weapons and began to fight their way out of the temple. Vader turned around to see Aleah come at him with her lightsaber ignited. The Sith enforcer drew his and parried her attack.
As Vader and Aleah dueled, a clone grabbed Kenna from behind and put his blaster to her head. Her brother Fang turned and took aim, but with his sister being used as a shield, he couldn't risk hitting her. Suddenly, a blaster bolt struck the clone in the back, Kenna and Fang were both shocked to see Lyra still alive.
There was no time to ask questions, because the temple was about to collapse. As the crew fled, Dray stopped and turned to see if Aleah was following them. She wasn't. The Nelvannian was in a heated battle with Vader, wanting only to avenge her master's death. With a mighty swing of his saber, Vader knocked Aleah over, causing her to drop her lightsaber.
Vader picked Aleah up with the force. "Feeble," he said, but before he could strike her down, a powerful tremor in the force was felt and Vader was sent flying against the wall. He looked up, stunned to see Dray holding Aleah's lightsaber in his hand.
"I knew you had to be a Jedi," Aleah said with a smile.
"Go Aleah," Dray calmly said. "I'll deal with Vader."
The Nelvannian ran off to join the rest of the crew. Dray looked at Vader as he got up and slowly walked toward the Bothan.
"You are full of surprises," Vader said. "I had no idea that other Jedi survived Order 66."
Dray smiled. "I left the Jedi order forty years ago," he said and began to circle Vader slowly. "Tell me something Vader," the Bothan asked, "What made you turn to the dark side?"
Vader readied himself to strike. "The Jedi turned my beloved wife against me."
Dray narrowed his eyes. "And by who's hand did she fall?"
"Mine," Vader replied. His voice filled with self-hatred. Then, he launched his attack.
Well, I'm back. It took me a long time to get over my writer's block for this chapter, but here it is.
It looks like Dray has finally revealed his secret, but what does this mean for Aleah? Will he teach her the ways of the force, or will he leave the crew to go back into hiding? Find out in the next chapter of Voyagers.