Before - Legends Tales of the Jedi: Aftermath

CHAPTER ONE

The sun was at its highest point when Starstorm One touched down. Although the vessel had enormous wings, they easily folded on top of each other. While the ship settled in the sand, the boarding ramp rolled out. A tall man, accompanied by two Massassi bodyguards, disembarked. The mysterious individual looked quite old for his age. He had a remarkable tattoo on his forehead and two scars on his cheek. His long, brown cape swept across the ground as he walked in the direction of the entrance of the Sith Academy. Exar Kun smiled. It was the first time he had returned to Korriban since his appointment as Dark Lord. It was here, on this planet, where he fully committed himself to the Dark Side of the Force. Home. He had come home. Once inside, Kun was greeted by Lord Kaltor, a Devaronian who had joined his cause about a year ago. Kaltor and all the other Sith adepts knelt down before their master. “Rise”, Kun’s voice echoed across the room.

“Exar Kun, what a pleasant surprise. If I had known you would pay the academy a visit, I could have made the necessary preparations”, Kaltor apologized. “Your kind words flatter me, but you have to remember that we are all equals. We are all brothers”, Kun turned his attention to the crowd that had gathered around him. Every person in this room adored him. They all were living extensions of his will. “Brothers and sisters, the time has come. Soon the war will end and the fate of the galaxy will be decided. Despite our latest setbacks, I assure you that everything is going exactly as I have foreseen. The Republic is crumbling. I just returned from a journey to Ossus. My Massassi warriors and I raided the Jedi Library and stole its most precious scrolls and artifacts. I have brought a few of them with me for you to be studied. We will use the Jedi’s own knowledge against them. Long live the Sith Brotherhood!”, Kun finished his speech. “Long live the Sith Brotherhood! Long live Exar Kun!”, the Darksiders renounced their loyalty. “Can I talk to you in private?,” the Dark Lord made clear he and Lord Kaltor had urgent matters to discuss.

“You really have done a great job establishing the Sith Academy, Lord Kaltor. Actually, I consider you one of my greatest assets. Your efforts have made sure the Sith will live on long after my death”, Kun praised his loyal servant. “Something is wrong, is it not? Otherwise you would not be here. You can fool the others, but you cannot fool me”, the Devaronian urged his master to stop lying. “One of my spies has just informed me about an eminent threat. My apprentice, Ulic Qel-Droma, has been captured by the Republic. He gave away the position of our military forces and the locations of our secret bases. As we speak, the Jedi are assembling a strike force. They are coming to get me…”, the Sith Lord finally admitted the truth. “You should evacuate your troops while you still can. If you die, all hope is lost. The Sith Brotherhood will be wiped out”, Kaltor advised his friend to be careful while scratching his horns. “That is exactly what I have in mind. I already gave the order. All of my Massassi warriors are being pulled back to my main headquarters on Yavin IV. We are going to start from scratch and prepare a new assault on the Republic. I need you to accompany me to my main base and help me pick our next targets. You once were a great strategist, Lord Kaltor, you can be so once again”, the brown robed man asked his aide a favor. “Of course, we will leave immediately. I will inform the others of my departure”, the academy headmaster responded without any doubt.

While some of the Sith Apprentices were packing his stuff, Kaltor enlisted the help of an old friend to take over his job in his absence. “I am honored you picked me. I really am. Do not worry, your precious academy will still exist when you return”, Aarghaa made a sarcastic remark when he was told what he got to do. Although they had known each other for years, Kaltor still was not sure what to expect from his comrade. The pair had fought side-by-side on numerous occasions while they still were Jedi. Aarghaa, however, had been always been a mystery to him. Maybe it was because he never understood why a Celegian, or as some called it “a floating brain”, could be so powerful in using the Force. Nevertheless, he accepted his associate the way he was. “I will not be gone for too long. I help Exar Kun to launch a counteroffensive and then I return. That is a promise. The next time we see each other, things will have changed”, Kaltor said goodbye.

Gyndine had been under siege ever since its monarch, King Vagand, had joined Exar Kun at the beginning of the war. Its shipyard churned out countless assault crafts, making it one of the Republic’s favorite targets. Each day massive war fleets clashed in space. Thousands of soldiers had already lost their lives in a war that had nothing to do with them. Luckily the end seemed near. A Republic victory was inevitable, but the Royal Forces of Gyndine fought until death. Jedi Master Vrook Lamar thought the best way to stop the bloodshed, was to capture the King and take over the Royal Palace. His plan backfired. He was captured by the enemy. The Royal Forces held him as hostage and locked him up in a cell on their capital ship. That is when the Jedi Council decided to send in Palasi De Jaal and his Padawan Dack Ryne. The objective was simple: infiltrate the capital ship and rescue Master Lamar. What could possibly go wrong?

“I think I just lost my deflector shields. I do not think I am going to make it to the capital ship”, Dack reported to his Duros Jedi Master. Although he was one of the best pilots in the Jedi Order, he had not been able to break through the blockade undamaged. His Star Saber XC-01 starfighter was not going to hold out much longer. Any direct hit and he would go up in flames. Two enemy fighter approached from behind and destroyed four of his escorts. They were going in for the kill. Dack knew this was the end. Soon, he would be another casualty of war. Just when the attack crafts started firing, his master made a daring move. Suddenly he decelerated speed and let the others fly past him. When he had plain sight, he used his blaster cannons to evaporate the two hostile combatants. “As you can see, I have everything perfectly under control. Hang in there. We will reach our destination in no time”, Palasi De Jaal always looked after his pupil.

The closer they came, the harder it got to elude the enemy. Dozens of starfighters moved in to intercept the Jedi and their allies. Explosions were everywhere. Chaos. Confusion. Missiles tracked their targets relentlessly. Most of the pilots forgot about their mission and tried to save their own skin. Some were sucked into space as their aircrafts broke down. One by one members of the Republic Task Force were picked off by the Royal Defense Forces. Ultimately only Dack and Palasi remained. Luckily for them, the capital ship was in close range. The cannons of the massive ship opened fire, trying to make their catch of the day. A lot of the pursuing fighters withdrew because they did not want to be shot by one of their own. Jedi Master Palasi De Jaal had no trouble evading the laser beams, but his Padawan got hit once again. His starfighter started spinning and became uncontrollable. “Dack? Come in, Dack?”, Palasi was worried about his friend. To his surprise he did not get an answer. Things could not get any worse. Or could they? The capital ship lowered its shields and launched another attack wave. This time, there would be no escape.

Dack had difficulty focusing on his surroundings. His Star Saber was falling apart and a fire erupted from the right wing area. Alone. He would die alone. When he started to prepare himself to become one with the Force, he got an idea. He would use the tactics of the enemy against them. The capital ship was defenseless without its shields online. Maybe he could direct his starfighter toward the hangar bay and save his own life. Because his comlink had given out, he used the Force to inform his Master of his intentions. They both knew this would be their only chance to survive. More and more of adversaries were closing in on them. They had to make their move now. The two fighters managed breach the vessel's defenses and crash-land in the hangar just in time.

“Another happy landing. Let us go before security locates our position”, Palasi pulled his comrade out of the starfighter wreck. “They are not going to be happy about this. This is the third Star Saber destroyed in three weeks”, Dack was exhausted of all he had been through. “Who cares? Stop complaining. You are no better than Master Lamar. Maybe if you…”, the Jedi Master was interrupted by the arrival of a squad of Royal Security Forces. Before any of the soldiers could raise their arms, Palasi used the Force to push them away. “Move it! We got to make to the elevator. Vrook Lamar is being held on level eight”, the Duros and his Padawan started running toward the corridor. “Master, why is it we always get the most life-threatening missions?”, Dack did not like being in constant danger. “That is because the Jedi Council likes us. They really do”, his tutor tried to be funny. When they thought they had outran their opponents, a Krath War Droid appeared in front of them. The battle droid was armed with a pulse wave gun and it did not hesitate to use it. Almost immediately, it started firing plasma barrages at the two Jedi. The blast threw Palasi away against the wall. His young companion acted quickly and jumped behind the giant machine. Dack activated his Lightsaber and sliced off the head of the War Droid with one strike. “That was close. You did very well, my apprentice”, Palasi thanked his pupil for his quick thinking.

When the door of the elevator opened at level eight, a bunch of Royal Soldiers prepared themselves for a fight. They had been waiting here ever since a pair of Jedi Knights had been sighted in the hangar bay. They knew their enemy had come to rescue Vrook Lamar, the Jedi General they had captured a short time ago. Things, however, had not gone as planned. “There’s no one in the elevator, Sir. They fouled us”, a recruit reported to his superior officer. “You are all cowards! Move in and check out what is going on. We saw the Jedi entering the elevator. They cannot just have disappeared”, the sergeant gave new orders. A couple of privates bravely stepped forward. They surveyed the empty room with great caution. “Euh, Sir, there is a hole in the roof. What should we do?”, one of them made a weird discovery. “Oh, no! They have already left the elevator… The Jedi are on the loose. Track them down, right now! I tolerate no failure. I want them captured before our King finds out what is going on. Move it!”, his supervisor started yelling. Soon level eight was crowded with hundreds and hundreds of armed forces.

 

CHAPTER TWO​

Lord Kaltor could not believe his eyes. He had not seen anything this beautiful in his entire life. Full of joy, he stared at the giant temples the Massassi had constructed in the middle of the jungle. “Amazing. These buildings are even more glamorous than the tombs on Korriban”, he had always been interested in architecture. “Most of them were built long before my arrival in honor of Naga Sadow, a powerful Sith Lord, who lived here centuries ago. When I made Yavin IV my headquarters, I ordered my servants to build more of them in my name. You will be free to visit all of them once you have completed your mission”, Exar Kun had not any more time to waste. They both kept moving until they reached a deep lake. A volcanic island, with another temple build on top it, was located in the middle of it. The massive structure was made from black obsidian and covered with hieroglyphs. “Amazing. Truly amazing…”, the Devaronian murmured.

Dack Raltar and his Master, Palasi De Jaal, crawled through a service vent, leading to the eight level. Moments earlier, they had managed to evade their enemy by leaving the elevator and taking an alternative route. “Two Krath War Droids are stationed right below us, Master. We have to destroy them, otherwise they will alert the others of our presence”, Dack looked out through the gratings. Palasi took an ion grenade out of his pocket and used the Force to drop it right behind the mindless automations. The explosive device triggered an ion burst which disabled the pair of Battle Droids. “Let’us go! We have no more time to waste”, the Duros Jedi Master jumped out of the pipe. His pupil followed his lead and soon the duo was racing through passageways. “Stop them!”, a Human in uniform rang the alarm bell.

The two Jedi Knights were in for the fight of their lives. It looked like every person on the ship was trying to kill them. Krath War Droids and Royal Security Forces threatened to overwhelm them. Dack and Palasi ran from room to room, leaving destruction as they went. Blaster bolts seared past their heads as more and more guards closed in on them. A couple of soldiers showed up in front of them, but Palasi cut them down with ease. “Master Lamar is near. I can feel him in the Force. We need to create a diversion so we can continue our mission”, the Duros deflected blaster shots with graceful skill. “I have an idea. It may be risky, but it sure will be effective”, his Padawan still had cards to play. As soon as they both entered another room, he used the Force to shatter the glass of the window. All of the Royal Forces, who were in pursuit, were sucked into space. Dack reached for the panel on the right side of the wall and closed the door. “That should have bought us some time. Maybe the Force is still with us”, he was getting tired of constantly being on the run. “The Force is always with us, young Padawan. Let us waste no more time. We should keep moving”, Palasi knew the battle was far from over.

The duo proceeded with extreme caution. They had arrived at their destination, but something was wrong. They had encountered no more troops and all the hallways were empty. Jedi Master Vrook Lamar was held in a Force Cage at the center of a dark chamber. He looked extremely weak and Palasi knew he was not going to hold out for much longer. Suddenly an energy burst was sent through the body of the frail man. Lamar screamed because of the immense pain he experienced. “We need to find a way to release him, Master, right now!”, Dack wanted to act immediately. “I do not think so. One more step and your friend will be reduced to dust”, Vagand, King of Gyndine, and his two bodyguards made their presence known. “Finally, we get to meet the Monarch of Gyndine. Surrender and I will make sure you get a fair trial”, the Duros Jedi Master tried to be reasonable. “You are in no position to negotiate. I will have you imprisoned and hand you over to Exar Kun as a gift. The mighty Sith Lord will decide your fate”, the old King smiled sadistically. “The war is nearly over. You do not stand a chance. Kun is pulling his forces back. He has betrayed you”, Palasi tried to talk his adversary into surrendering. “Shut up, Jedi! Guards, take their weapons and lock them up”, Vagand was not in the mood for negotiating.

The two soldiers accompanying the Monarch moved in and tried to disarm the Jedi. Things, however, did not go exactly as planned. Palasi made a daring move and ignited his Lightsaber. After that, things happened rather quickly. With one blow, he sliced the weapons of the pair in two. One of the two bodyguards counter-attacked and tried to stab the Duros with a vibroblade. Palasi dodged every punch and kicked him into the stomach. Meanwhile, Dack pulled the control panel used to electrocute Master Lamar out of Vagand’s hands with the Force. The King did not know how to react and stared at the two Jedi Knights in disbelief. “I will not let you leave alive. Die, Jedi Dogs, die!”, Vagand reached for his gun. He aimed and started shooting at the two perpetrators. Palasi was hit in his shoulder and fell to the ground. His pupil blocked the blaster bolts coming his way and sent one of them back into the Monarch’s heart, killing King Vagand instantly.

“Are you all right, Master? Did you get hurt?”, Dack helped his companion stand up. “It is just a flesh wound. Nothing some Kolto cannot heal. Let us release Master Lamar”, the blue-skinned Jedi breathed loudly through his mouth. His comrade pushed a button on the control panel he had taken from Vagand and deactivated the force field. The cage containing Vrook Lamar shut down and made its prisoner drop down. The Jedi Master was once again a free man. Dack rushed to Lamar’s side, but he was unable to catch him from falling. Exhausted. The tortured individual was exhausted. “Thank you. Let us get out of here”, he bubbled. “I think he is right. Soon, level eight will be crawling with Royal Forces. The death of their beloved King will only infuriate them further. I doubt we will make it out of here alive. We have no transportation and thus no means of escape. We need to head for the hanger bay”, Palasi threw in his opinion while he put pressure on his wound.

The Jedi had only just left the torture chamber when the cruiser was hit by an enormous blast. Republic reinforcements had arrived to save the day. A Praetorian-class frigate entered into a direct engagement with the capital ship. Both sides fired at each other with laser cannons, causing a lot of damage. The trio had trouble keeping balance, but they were glad someone was taking the fight to the enemy. Unfortunately, their happiness did not last long. Everything was falling apart. If they did not reach a shuttle soon, they would be blown to pieces by their own allies. Back at the elevator they encountered a Royalist who was desperately trying to escape. When he saw the three Jedi coming his way, he raised his hands in horror. “Please, I surrender. Do not kill me! I am only a mechanic. I do not want to die…”, the little guy was shaking because of fear. “Do not worry. We will not hurt you. Is there a ship nearby?”, Dack tried to calm him down. “No, but we can use the escape pods. Follow me!”, the technician found a solution.

They had almost reached the escape pods when something terrible happened. The ceiling collapsed and rumble came crashing down. The Royalist, who had decided to guide them, was crushed by objects falling out of the sky. Dack helped the wounded Vrook Lamar get to cover in time, but his Master was left behind. Palasi De Jaal struggled to evade the debris. Ultimately, he got hit by a metal pipe. Specs of green blood were all over his Jedi robes. The blue color of his skin became paler and paler. “Oh, no! Are you all right? Can you walk?”, Dack rushed to his side. “No, I cannot. You have to leave me, my apprentice. Soon the capital ship will be destroyed. You can still survive. Go!”, his tutor knew he would join his brothers and sisters any moment now. “He is right. We can mourn later. We need to get to the escape pods, right now!”, Lamar interrupted the pair. “Shut up! Master De Jaal has taught me everything I know. I cannot just abandon him… He is everything I have got!”, Dack had never felt so angry in his entire life. “Please, Padawan. Go! I will always be with you. Remember, there is no death, there is only the Force…”, Palasi passed away. “Noooo!!!!”, the young Jedi screamed as his Master died in his arms.

Broken. Dack Ryne had been broken. Master Lamar started shouting at him, but he could not make out what exactly he was saying. For a moment there was only silence. The worst thing that could possibly happen, had happened. He had lost the only person he completely trusted. The pain he felt, was unbearable. Grief and guild plagued him. He felt responsible for the death of his Master. Palasi De Jaal had been so much more than a teacher. Friends. They had been friends. Without him, Dack was helpless. Nothing was left inside him, except an emptiness. Revenge. He wished he could take revenge. The Galaxy had suddenly become a much darker place. Shadows were everywhere. He was being consumed by hatred alive, but he did not realize it. A seed was planted in his heart that would change his life forever. From now on, his mind would be a battlefield of good and evil. Broken. Dack Ryne had been broken.

 

CHAPTER THREE​

As he strolled over the bridge, Captain Orley Vanicus watched the enemy fleet crumble. The Royal Forces were about to be overrun. Their cause was lost. They did not stand a chance against the bulk of the Republic Navy. The Royalists had already abandoned the shipyards, but a couple of frigates still put up a hell of a fight. Gyndine was one of the last headquarters of Exar Kun. The defeat of its inhabitants would discourage others who still were loyal to the Sith and wrap up the conflict. This had been a good day for the Republic. For the first time in a long period, Vanicus could smile again. Soon the war would end and everyone could go home. His wife and family would be waiting for him. Although a whole Galaxy was between them, no one would be able to stop him from seeing them again, once the last pockets of resistance had been mopped up. The Admiralty could keep its medals. He did not join the navy to seek glory, but to ensure peace was maintained. “Sir, two dreadnaughts are making a run for it. Should we pursue?”, a crew member asked for further instructions. “No, let them escape. They have nowhere to go. Sooner or later they will be captured”, the commander had no intention on hunting down every Sith Loyalist in the Galaxy. “Transmit the cease fire order. If we are lucky some of them will surrender, but do not count on it. I am going to see Master Qual. Let me know as soon as something happens”, Vanicus addressed one of his officers. He walked to the back of the command center and left the bridge.

Vanicus made his way through the hallways and entered one of the crew quarters. A blue-skinned alien was sitting in the middle of the room. Because his eyes were closed, an ordinary person would think the man was sleeping, but one could not be more wrong. Two lobes extended from his mouth, making him quite strange in appearance from a Human point of view. Every spacer, who had made journeys throughout the Galaxy, immediately recognized the guy as a member of an aquatic species. Some even could tell on which planet he was born and what exactly he was. Captain Vanicus belonged to the last category. He had been stationed on Manaan, the homeworld of the Selkath, during his training and knew exactly how members of the species thought and acted. Master Qual, however, was not just a Selkath. He was a Jedi Master, a being powerful in the ways of the Force. Together, they had liberated countless planets during the war and launched a counterassault against Exar Kun’s forces. A couple of days ago, they had defeated the Mandalorians at Onderon. They were the newfound heroes of the Republic.

“Master Qual, your assistance is highly appreciated. Once again, we have achieved victory without suffering too many losses. I am most pleased”, the naval officer expressed his gratitude. The Selkath opened his eyes and gazed at Vanicus. Apparently, the Captain had brought him out of his concentration. “I merely used Battle Meditation to improve the efficiency of your soldiers and end the battle more quickly. Actually, your men deserve as much gratitude as you bestow upon me. They were the ones risking their lives, not me”, Qual answered while he stood up. “I need you to do something for me. A couple of escape pods are floating in space. I want you to pick them up and rescue whoever is onboard”, the Jedi Master asked for a favor. “Hmmm… I am afraid I do not understand what you are trying to say”, Vanicus thought his companion behaved strangely. “Patience. Just trust me and do what I tell you to”, the Jedi Master was up to something.

While the last of the Royal Forces pulled back to Gyndine’s third moon, the escape pod containing Dack Ryne and Vrook Lamar was retrieved by a Republic transport and brought aboard Captain Vanicus’s flagship, the Reliance. “Master Lamar. Padawan Ryne. How nice to see you. Are you all right? I have brought some medics to attend to your wounds”, Qual greeted the duo. “I think I am going to give my body some time to heal itself by submersing myself in a Kolto tank. Can you look after Ryne while I am gone? He is quite upset about the death of Master De Jaal. Maybe you can talk some sense into him”, Lamar gave his colleague an update of the situation. A couple of doctors rushed to his side and helped him get to medical bay. “Come, young Padawan. You need some rest. I have a room prepared for you. There is enough time to talk later”, the Selkath Jedi Master escorted the troubled student to his quarters.

Dack was getting restless. He stared at the ceiling of the room and lost track of time. Thoughts raced through his mind. He recalled the events that had occurred and experienced them over and over again. In every dream he had, he tried to save Palasi De Jaal from dying, but each time he was too late. This all was the fault of the Jedi Council. They should never have sent them on a suicide mission. Every war has its casualties, but is it really necessary to send someone on a mission that is impossible to accomplish? Dack sighed. What would become of him, now that his Master was gone? Who would look after him? Life seemed so pointless. Did he have important role to play a future? Probably not. The Galaxy would take care of itself. Maybe his existence was just an illusion. Maybe, there were no Jedi or no Sith. Maybe everything was part of his imagination. When he finally was falling asleep, Qual entered his room. “There is food waiting for you. I thought you might be hungry. Are you coming?”, the blue-skinned alien tried to be as friendly as possible. Dack nodded and followed the Jedi Master to the dining area.

Although he had not eaten for days, Dack was not hungry at all. With every bite he took, he had more and more the urge to throw up. “I sincerely regret the loss of your Master. Palasi De Jaal was one of the most respected members of the Jedi Order. He will be missed”, Qual started a conversation. “Why would you care? You have met him only a few times. You did not know him at all”, the Padawan was unable to control his emotions. “I might not have known your Master very well, but in the ways of the Force all Jedi are brothers and sisters. We are all connected with one another”, the fish head softened his voice. “My teacher is dead. I do not want to talk about him”, Dack was getting upset. “Palasi De Jaal is not dead. He is one with the Force. Although you might not know it, he is trying to communicate with us. You just have to listen”, the Selkath quoted a part of the Jedi Code. “I believe Jedi fear death. Otherwise they would not make up silly excuses. There is no death, there is only the Force. Do not make me laugh”, the young man was losing his faith. “You are still a Jedi, Dack, whether you like it or not. Behave like one. What would your Master think of you if he saw you right now? I am quite sure he would not be pleased at all”, Qual looked the Padawan in the eyes. “I said I do not want to talk about him. I want to be left alone. Please, go away…”, Dack asked his companion to leave.

Moments after the departure of Qual, the former apprentice of Palasi De Jaal left the dining hall and decided to pay a visit to the bridge of the Reliance. To his surprise, most members of the crew had left their stations. They probably were trying to get some sleep before rushing into another battle. Dack carefully studied a control panel on the right side of the room. There were so many buttons… The young Padawan knew that he would immediately get confused if he had to operate the console. He had never liked technology. Computers were made for dumb people. They would only bring about the destruction of civilization. “Interesting, is it not? When I first entered the navy, you were lucky when your spacecraft got off the ground. Since then, a lot has changed. Engineers are constantly trying to improve everything. Rumor has it, they are developing a new kind of warship. They are calling them Hammerhead-class cruisers. Ha, I guess the Ithorians will not be happy! In the next couple of years ships like these will be replaced by newer models”, Orley Vanicus joined him. “Interesting, indeed. How is the war going, Captain? Have the Sith launched a counter-assault or are they waiting till we come and get them?”, Dack was curious if anything spectacular had happened recently. “Exar Kun is pulling all his Massassi warriors back to his main headquarters on Yavin IV. Actually, we were on our way to Yavin when we were ordered to make a stop at Gyndine. The shipyards of this planet are of great importance to the Republic”, the Captain explained the reason of the intervention.

“Do you really think all the suffering will be over once Exar Kun is captured? I do not. The war has destroyed the homes of thousands. The government is not capacitated to deal with floods of refugees. And that is just one problem…”, Dack was worried about the future of the Galaxy. “Not so long ago, I spoke with a friend of mine about the economic situation of the Republic. He is a financial adviser to the rich and famous. He knows things others do not. Although a lot of people do not realize it, we are bankrupt. We were not prepared to go to war and had to loan a lot of money. Will the government ever be able to pay our debts? I do not know… I honestly do not know. But why would I care? I have done my part. It is now up to them”, the naval officer knew he had done his job. Dack was intrigued by the Captain’s ideas. Although the man was about thirty years older than him, they both seemed to share the same thoughts. “A little less conversation, a little more action. Let us get out of here. Our forces are waiting for us. Yavin IV, here we come!”, Vanicus activated the comm system and summoned his crew. Soon, the bridge was crowded with people. When everyone was in position, the commander ordered the jump to Lightspeed.

 

CHAPTER FOUR​

Yavin IV. A little known world, located in the Outer Rim. Few people had ever set foot on the planet and even less people knew it existed. That had changed when word got out Exar Kun had made the jungle moon his main headquarters. For a moment, Yavin was the center of the Galaxy. “I sense a disturbance in the Force. The Jedi will arrive any moment now. You need to depart right now!”, Kun panicked. “You are not coming?”, Kaltor did not understand what his master was up to. “No, I am not. Do not worry, they cannot kill me. I will find a way to survive. Take Starstorm One and leave this miserable planet. I will order my two strongest Massassi bodyguards to accompany you to Korriban”, the black-haired man was unable to remain calm. “I cannot. I will stay here with you. We are all brothers, remember?”, the academy headmaster was willing to sacrifice his life for Kun. “You will do as I say, Kaltor! I have to remain here and face my destiny. Just promise me one thing. You need to return to Yavin IV once our adversaries are gone. Go now!”, the Sith Lord pushed his assistant away with the Force. Kaltor knew his master would not tolerate any objection and did as he was ordered.

Exar Kun decided to take a walk. Two Massassi warriors wanted to follow him, but he quickly sent them away. Alone. He wanted to be alone. He needed to get away from the crowds and seek solitude, silence, and serenity. In his final moments, Kun realized all the mistakes he had made. He could have been so much more. All his dreams of ruling the Galaxy had been crushed. Had the Jedi defeated him? No, it could not be. It could not be! The mighty Sith Lord suddenly became very angry. He would have to find a way to survive and take revenge. The universe needed to be remembered who he really was. While Kun took the stairs to the observation deck, he could hear the engines of Starstorm One being fired up. Clearly, Kaltor had been paying attention to his advice. Hopefully, the Devaronian would make it home safe and sound. If he did not, it would be a shame. Kaltor was one of his most loyal servants. He deserved more than just the title of “academy headmaster”. Kun walked to the window and studied his surroundings. He felt like he was being watched. Someone was out there, in the jungle, spying on him.

After he had identified the target, Sergeant Mlendo Ulgo put his binoculars away. He did not want to draw any unnecessary attention by staying too long on the same place. He moved back and joined the rest of his squad who were hiding in the bushes. “The intelligence department was correct. The main headquarters of the Sith is just up ahead. I have managed to locate Exar Kun. I am going to contact our superiors and ask for further instructions”, he whispered to the others. When he finished talking, he used a small comlink to inform Admiral Cede of the current situation. “You may proceed, Sergeant. Eliminate Kun and all the other high-ranking figures you encounter, but do it quietly. You are on your own, remember. If you start a gunfire, we will not be able to help”, a big, brown man answered his call. “I understand, Admiral. We will be gone in no time. Over and out”, Ulgo ended the conversation. The leader of the commando team had not felt this excited in long time. Although he had been raised on Alderaan, a planet that was well known for its pacifists, he liked to get his hands dirty once in a while. Tradition required that every member of his family served in the military or in the navy. Today he would make his elders proud. Today he would be the one who took out Exar Kun. Today he would write history.

As they moved closer to the massive structure, Ulgo could not help but wonder why they had not encountered any hostiles yet. It all seemed too easy. They had not spotted any guards and there were no traps set up to stop them. Something was wrong and they all knew it. “Sir, we are walking right into a trap. We are being deceived”, one of his comrades was worried as well. When they reached the outskirts of the jungle, Ulgo made his squad stop. There were not any trees or bushes up ahead to provide cover. From now on, they would be in plain sight. They would make easy targets for the Massassi. Timing was of the uppermost importance. They needed to cross the courtyard and enter the temple before anyone noticed them. Otherwise, their mission would fail and all would be lost. “Cleever, I want you to back and set up a sniper’s nest. Once you are in position, we will make a run for it”, he sent one of his men away. A couple of moments later, all was in readiness. “We go in on my mark. One, two, three”, Ulgo continued very carefully. Just when he started walking, he heard footsteps approaching. Ten Massassi soldiers led by a brown caped Human being came out of the entrance. “Welcome, we were expecting you”, Exar Kun greeted his guests.

“Fire at will! Do not let Kun leave this place alive!”, Ulgo ordered his squad to engage the enemy. He pointed his gun at the Sith Lord and pulled the trigger. Exar Kun illuminated his double-bladed Lightsaber and gracefully fended off all blaster bolts that came his way. While Ulgo kept on firing at the evil Force-user, the other members of the commando team tried to ward off the Massassi bodyguards. They soon realized the red skinned aliens were a lot tougher than they looked like. The Massassi charged and used brutal force to overcome anyone who opposed them. Their spears pierced through the armor of their assailants with ease. Dead bodies lay all over the floor. “Shoot them in the head! Shoot them in the head!”, a Republican soldier screamed to the others. A normal person did not stand a chance against a Massassi warrior. Luckily for them, Ulgo and his men had had extensive training. They had been taught how to survive against all odds. Although the fight was close, the elite troops of the Republic managed to get the upper hand. Cleever sniped down anyone who tried to sneak upon one of his colleagues. Soon enough, all hostiles were eliminated, but Exar Kun still remained at large.

“Nothing can stand against the power of the Dark Side. I have become so much stronger than any of you could imagine. Perhaps you do not realize it yet, but you all are doomed”, the Sith Lord inspired fear in the hearts of his opponents. At first, Exar Kun had just been defending himself, but now he went on the offensive. He jumped in the air and landed at the feet of two Republic Commando’s. Without mercy, he sliced off the legs of the two men. While blaster bolts sizzled past his head, Kun kept on advancing towards the others. He continued his rampage by electrocuting another soldier with Force Lightning. Simultaneously he used his blue Lightsaber to ward off incoming fire, deflecting the blaster bolts back to their sources. A smell of burned flesh filled the air. Sergeant Mlendo Ulgo did not have a clue of what was happening. The tides of fate had turned against them. His whole squad was being massacred and he could not do a thing about it. “Retreat! Retreat!”, he yelled while he started running into the direction of the jungle. To his surprise, no one else seemed to answer his call.

Ulgo had never been this afraid in his entire life. It appeared as if all his efforts had failed. No one was left to help him. He was stuck on a planet and he had no hope of escape. Admiral Cede would never send a shuttle to pick him up if his mission was not accomplished. For a moment, he forgot about his duties and responsibilities. Survival was the only thing that mattered now. He needed to get as far away from Kun as possible. The Dark Lord was just too powerful. He kept on running until he could go no further. Tired. He was too tired to move on. He stopped and decided to take some rest. All of a sudden something unexpected happened. An object fell out of the tree he was standing next to. Ulgo stepped backwards and only barely evaded the shockwave. When he had made sure there was not anyone nearby, he moved in to take a closer look. A corpse was lying on the jungle floor. He immediately recognized the dead man. “Poor Cleever. Who did this to you?”, the Sergeant tried not to show his emotions. Cleever’s body was twisted in unnatural angles. Ulgo turned himself around and threw up. He had not seen anything like this… Not for a long time anyway. Horrible. It was horrible. He started shivering violently and nearly started crying. For the first time in his military career, he suffered a mental breakdown. He sat down and rethought his life.

“You have seen what I am capable of. Are you going to fight me or do you surrender?”, Exar Kun appeared out of nowhere. His face was covered with blood and mud. He slowly walked towards his prey and activated his Lightsaber. “I will do neither. I am at peace with myself. Are you?”, Ulgo did not even bother to look up. His opponent frowned his face and tried to figure out what he was talking about. “I will lend you a ship, so you can leave this planet and inform your superiors of your failure. Show them what a coward you really are”, the Sith Lord offered a proposition. His words did not have any effect on Mlendo Ulgo. The soldier seemed to have found happiness in the darkest of times. “I am not a coward. You are. You have lost everything and it is all your own fault. Farewell, Exar Kun. We will see each other soon enough”, the Sergeant put his gun against his head and pulled the trigger.

 

CHAPTER FIVE​

The Reliance was one of the last Republic warships to join the blockade. Apart from the military, a lot of Jedi had made their way to Yavin to stop Exar Kun from causing any more harm. The Sith forces had no hope of escaping this time. Soon the fate of the Galaxy would be decided and the war would end. “Sorry for being late. I was visiting Master Lamar in the medical bay. Has anything unusually happened while I was away, Captain?”, Qual entered the bridge. “I have just made contact with Admiral Cede. The enemy has made no attempt to engage our fleet. A couple of ships were seen leaving the planet, but we are quite sure Exar Kun is still down there. My superiors have dispatched a squad of Republic commandos to the surface to locate Kun and his accomplices”, Vanicus replied. “Why do we not launch a full-scale assault? The Sith have nowhere to go and I do not think Kun is just going to surrender”, Dack wanted to see some action. “I will not risk sending in ground troops until we know what is down there. It may be a trap. Let us try not to rush into a decision we may later regret”, the Republic Captain was being careful not to make mistakes. “He is right. Patience. Waiting is the only thing we can do”, Qual tried to comfort the others.

When Vanicus left the communication center and returned to the bridge, he looked rather pale. Clearly, things had not gone as planned. No one had the guts to approach him, except Qual, who wanted an update of the situation. “Captain, do you have something to tell us?”, the Jedi Master tried to be as polite as possible. “Son of a Murglak! The Massassi have ambushed our troops and killed some of our finest soldiers. Admiral Cede was furious. He wants to make Exar Kun pay for what he has done. Soon, we will sent in more ground forces, but first it is up to your colleagues to somehow neutralize the darksiders on the surface”, the naval officer was not pleased with the turn of events. “Yes, I can feel it. My Jedi brothers are going to use the Force to create a wall of Light Side energy which will cleanse the planet of its dark presence. Maybe we can assist the other Jedi and increase the light. Dack, are you ready?”, the Selkath wanted the Padawan to utilize his skills and knowledge. Dack nodded and let the Force take control of him. Before long, the two Jedi focused their powers and accessed a collective intelligence. When the time was right, a flood of Light Side energy was created to extinguish the corrupted power of the Sith.

Exar Kun watched from atop the great temple his Massassi had built for him as more and more ships entered the Yavin system. “Even I cannot fight the combined might of all Jedi. However, with the Sith knowledge I have acquired, I can fight in other ways… I can survive!”, the Dark Lord of the Sith came up with a plan. He stepped back inside and gave his final command. “The enemy Jedi are coming. Summon all of the Massassi. All of them. I have need of their strength”, he sent his messengers out to spread the word that all his servants should gather at the ceremonial chamber. While he walked down the stairs, he knew this was the end. The actions he would take the following moments were only for one purpose: his survival. By absorbing the life energy of his Massassi warriors, he could gain immortality. Without doubt, he chained himself to an obelisk in the center of the room. When all of his followers were present, he started the ritual. “My spirit will live forever! Forever!”, he screamed as he used the Force to absorb the life forces of his disciples. Lightning was unleashed in all directions. Sacrifices were made and the natural order was brought out of balance. When the room was filled with corpses and Exar Kun had vanquished, a fire erupted. Soon the whole surface of Yavin IV was ablaze.

“Something has gone wrong! I want a status report, now!”, Vanicus was getting more confused by the minute. All of the scanners were going wild. No one had a clue of what was going on. A silence ensued, making the naval officer extremely nervous. It seemed everyone was too scared to answer him. The monitors showed an enormous fire lightning up the sky. Did the Jedi cause this or were the Sith responsible for the catastrophic events that had just happened? Sorcery. From his point of view, using the Force was nothing more but sorcery. “This is not our doing, Captain. It cannot be”, Qual could not believe his eyes. “Of course, it is not. Exar Kun seeks only to sow dissent and destruction. He has got his name written all over it!”, Dack became angry. “It is terrible… So many people just passed away for no reason. All the Massassi died in vain. Their future taken away from them. Although they are no longer alive, I can feel them suffering through the Force. Pain. Such terrible pain”, the blue-skinned Jedi Master had difficulty controlling himself. “A monster. Exar Kun is a monster”, Qual seemed to agree with the Padawan who stood next to him.

The fire raged on for hours, making it impossible for the Republic to send in ground troops. Buildings collapsed, vehicles exploded and weapons were destroyed. Hundreds of trees were burned down. Countless animals died in the flames. Yavin IV would need years to recover from this disaster. Dack never imagined one person could cause so much damage. It is a pity, Exar Kun took his secrets to the grave. Valuable information had been lost. Information that could have saved lives. The Republic had just defeated its greatest enemy, but for some reason it did not feel like a victory at all. No one was cheering or smiling. Everyone just held their breath and kept working. Fear. The crew of the Reliance was paralyzed by fear. “Admiral Cede has asked us to leave. Our presence is no longer required. A couple of ships are staying behind to investigate what has happened down there. The bulk of the fleet is being reassigned”, Captain Vanicus broke the silence. “We are returning to Coruscant for debriefing. I know most of you do not like formalities, but here comes the good news. After the Chancellor has awarded medals, you are all free to leave. Enjoy your vacation”, the naval officer ended his speech. All the people present gave him an enormous applause. This was the moment they all had been waiting for. Soon, they would be reunited with their loved ones. Soon, everything would be back to normal. Soon, peace would be restored.

Dack Ryne returned to his quarters, escorted by Jedi Master Qual. “I am sorry for my behavior today. I have been arrogant and I apologize… It will not happen again”, the Padawan asked for forgiveness. “Do not worry. I will not tell the others. We have all been through a lot this year. War is a terrible thing. Everyone is affected by it. Even the Jedi. Still, your actions were wrong. A Jedi should be able to control his feelings. You need to learn how to master them. Someday you will make a great Jedi, Dack, but you need to keep your emotions in check”, the Selkath remained relatively calm. “Master, may I ask you a question? Many of our brothers and sisters died fighting the Sith. Will time heal all wounds?”, the young, brown-haired man had been thinking. “An interesting question, indeed. I think most of them do heal in time. Sometimes, however, the cuts are just too deep. Traumatic experiences do not go away over night. You may never totally get over the losses, but you will learn to live with them”, Qual explained very carefully. “Wise words. I still have a lot to learn, but who will teach me? Master De Jaal will not come back. My training is still incomplete”, Dack wondered what would become of him. “Once we have reached Coruscant, I will contact the Jedi Council. They will determine who your new Master will be. After that, we will start rebuilding. The Great Library on Ossus has been destroyed by the Sith. The Jedi need a new base of operations. I think Dantooine or Coruscant would be the most logical choice”, the fishman was already thinking about the future.

Rebuilding. The word floated through Dack’s mind. Rebuilding. The war was finally over. Unfortunately, there were still pockets of resistance scattered throughout the Galaxy. Exar Kun’s legacy would live on for generations to come. The Republic would track down his followers and lock them behind bars. The Sith had caused so much pain. Hundreds of worlds left in ruins. The Republic had won, but at what cost? Many had no home to return to. Their families had been killed in the fighting. Their lives were forever changed. When disaster struck, they lost everything. All their hope shattered in pieces. The Jedi should not be generals anymore. They should help people in their time of need and show them they are not alone.

 

CHAPTER SIX

Most of his students were sleeping when Lord Kaltor and the two Massassi, who were ordered to accompany him, entered the Sith Academy through the back entrance. Clearly, no one had told them about the demise of Exar Kun. Maybe it was better they were not told the truth. Without a cause, the Sith Brotherhood would crumble. He was sure of that. From now on, it was up to him to keep everyone inspired. That, however, would be a very difficult job. He was not as charismatic as the Sith Lord, nor was he as ambitious. Kun had played a dangerous game and lost. Luckily for him, he was no longer around to take the fall. His followers were the ones who were going to be held responsible for everything that had happened, not him. It all was not fair… Kaltor sighted. The future was entirely up to him and he did not like it.

During the morning, Lord Kaltor addressed all the members of the Sith Academy. Although he had yesterday reconsidered informing his students about the end of the war, he had changed his mind while sleeping. Maybe he could twist the facts and benefit from it. “I have terrible news. The Republic has destroyed our base on Yavin IV. They used aerial bombardment and turned all of our soldiers to dust. Exar Kun was able to escape with his life, but he had sustained very severe wounds. He is now recovering on a location he has kept secret, even from me”, the audience was shocked by what Kaltor told them. No one had suspected the revolution would take such a dramatic turn. “Please, do not be upset! They can defeat us, but they cannot defeat the power of ideas. One day, we will be strong again. We reveal ourselves to the Jedi and we will have our revenge, but for now we have to be patient. Our time will come…”, the Devaronian tried to be as convincing as possible. It seemed everyone believed his story and was willing to keep doing what they were told. Perhaps, there still was hope…

Just when Kaltor breathed a sigh of relief, it all started to fall apart. Aarghaa, a Sith Master who was closely related to the academy headmaster, appeared out of nowhere and started questioning his old friend. “With all due respect, but we cannot just sit here and do nothing. The Republic will come and hunt us down. It is not safe here”, the floating brain spread panic. “Our academy is perfectly safe. We built it in a canyon so it could not be bombarded from above. If they want to wipe us out, they will have to send in a ground troops”, Kaltor tried to calm everyone down. “And the Jedi? What of them? Surely they will start looking for us”, a pupil made a pointed remark. “The Jedi will not risk sending in one of their own. They fear we will corrupt their forces and turn them into our own. You will see, no one will come, rest assured. And if they do, I will take care of them. The whole Republic Army is no match against the power of the Dark Side”, the red-skinned man could counter any argument.

“You are all weaklings! We need to show the Galaxy that the Sith are a force to be reckoned with. We should elect a new Sith Lord. Someone powerful enough to replace Exar Kun during his absence and make decisions when needed”, a brown-haired human dressed in uniform suddenly entered the discussion. “Do you know this man, Aarghaa?”, Kaltor asked his associate to reveal the identity of the ambitious, young individual. “His name is Jorak Uln. Only recently, he passed the trails. He was one of my best students. He has an unusual high midi-chlorian count. Unfortunately, he is reckless. A bit too reckless, I am afraid. He does not know when to keep his mouth shut”, the Celestial felt embarrassed because of the behavior of one of his former pupils. Suddenly, Uln ignited his lightsaber. He gazed at the two Sith Masters as if they were his enemies. “What is the meaning of this? Deactivate your weapon right now or suffer the consequences!”, Aarghaa thought the reactions of the Dark Jedi were way out of line. “I will not. Please, leave us. This has nothing to do with you, Aarghaa. I came here to challenge Lord Kaltor. His actions will doom us all. Killing him, will ensure the existence of the Sith!”, the madman started shouting. “Well, well, well. You certainly got guts. I like that. You want to fight me, fine. Let the battle begin”, Kaltor dropped his mantle on the floor.

Kaltor’s eyes turned red as he illuminated his red-bladed lightsaber. Jorak Uln launched an assault, but his opponent used the Force to push him away. “Sure you can do better, boy!”, the academy headmaster taunted him. Kaltor did not give his adversary any time to recover. He raised his right-hand and used Force Lightning to throw his rival against the wall. Uln yelled because of the pain and dropped his weapon on the floor. “I expected more of you. So much more… Our blades did not even cross. A pity…”, the Devaronian started giggling. “You have not seen anything yet! I am more powerful than anyone in this room. One day, I will be the new headmaster of this academy!”, Uln desperately wanted to continue fighting. He picked his lightsaber of the floor and attempted to strike his opponent from behind. Kaltor blocked the attack and easily fended off all his blows. His competitor charged again, but his moves seemed to have been anticipated. The horned man finally overpowered Uln’s defenses and disarmed his assailant. The newly appointed Sith Master fell on his knees and turned pale upon realizing he had lost.

“Please, kill me! Do it! I do not deserve to live. Failed. I have failed”, Uln wished his supervisor would put him out of his misery. “No, I will not. You can still serve me. I, however, will not let you leave without a reminder of what just happened”, Kaltor slashed Jorak Uln across the face. The wounded individual started crying. Blind. He had become blind. “What have you done? I cannot see… Aaarghhh!”, Uln suffered terrible pain. “That should have taught your lesson. Anyone else wants to challenge me?”, the grinning Devaronian struggled to keep his allies in line. Without saying a word, the academy headmaster left the hall and returned to his office. “Please, help me! I need to get medical treatment”, the injured Human being had trouble keeping his emotions under control. “You did not only fail yourself, you also failed me! If you were a true Sith, you would not ask for help. Please, all of you, leave this room. Jorak Uln is none of your concern. Whoever touches him, I will know”, Aarghaa sent everyone away. Ultimately, only a blind man, filled with hate, remained.

 

Dear all,

Recently, I stumbled upon an old fanfic of mine. It contains some interesting elements, so I decided to share it with you. Bear in mind that I am no native speaker of English and that I do not have any ambition at writing SW fanfics.

The story includes references to the Tales of the Jedi comic series and the KOTOR games.

Best regards,

Immodet