Saga - PT The Scourge of Salusa IX

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Title:The Scourge of Salusa IX​

Author(s):Flying pigs​

Timeframe:Saga PT,shortly after RoTS​

Characters:Arjen Venice,unnamed trooper​

Genre:sci-fy and bad grammar​

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Arjen Venice stood at the window of the command tower,with his hands behind his back,looking at the base beneath him.​

Down there,hundreds,perhaps thousands of clone troopers fulfilling their daily duty,swarming around guard and communication towers,ships and barracks,like ants around their hive,all painted orange by the afterglow of the descending sun.Contrast to that,he was surrounded by dead.​

It was a challenge to infiltrate a heavily fortified base,forcefields,guards,security cameras,a varied and refined system to stand as obstacle to anyone,who tries to invade.But someone with a great talent in stealth and concealment techniques like him,it was just a challenge,nothing more.​

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He pulled out his knife from its sheet,strapped on his right side,and started to pick out the dirt from under his nails with the five inch slightly curved blade.Behind him,amongst many dead clones,a flicker of life still lingered in one.”Very well.”Arjen thought.​

The trooper tried to get on his knees,but his broken ribs made every move agonizing.He felt the taste blood in his mouth and begin to coughing up more and more of it.When the blood finally stopped,he tried to look around in the room.Through his blurry vision he saw a man standing at the window.Tall and lean.​

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”Are you awaken,trooper?”The man turned and approached him.As the man closed the distance,he were able to see more details about him.Relative young somewhere in his eighteens,early twenties,short blonde hair,neatly slicked back,wearing black shirt and trousers,a knife in his hand,a blaster holster under his armpit,and on his left,a lightsaber.​

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“Good,I usually prefer to work without notice,in the shadows,but since what’s going to happen here,I may allow myself to have an audience.”He said as he walked back to the window.His tone was cold,and emotionless,his stare was piercing.​

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The trooper breath heavily,due to his injury,but he managed to speak.”You are… You are one of the traitor Jedi.”he said.​

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“Traitor!?You dare to call me a traitor!?You who turned against us,so easily,so quickly,without a flicker of remorse or hesitation!?”He burst out.​

Arjen took a deeps breath and returned to his more cold and controlled voice.”You were nothing,but blind puppets in war that masked another war.A war of conversion and corruption,but you’ll be betrayed in the end too,just like us.”He said.”Betray,betray,betray.My master,my brother,my men.They all betrayed me.Betrayed us.”He took another deep breath”But enough of the chit chat,let’s begin this,shall we?.”Arjen walked to the holographic projector and activated it.There numerous,small scale projections of troopers came to life,in bright blue light.​

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“You may not know this,but the reason you fulfilled your orders was never because of loyalty,but simply because of programing.All of you have a biochip implanted into your brain,that could turn you into a mindless automaton,by a single command.”Then Arjen lifted a communication device to his mouth.”Activate it.” he said.​

For a few seconds nothing happened.A moment of heavy silence laid on the room.Then something happened.The troopers displayed on the projector begin to act strangely.​

Out there in the base,thousands of troopers begin to crying,shouting,laughing,but that was just the beginning.The troopers begin to squirm and flailing in agony,some begin to shoot each other in their hysteria,others bashing their head to the ground.Under few minutes the entire base turned into a chaotic,insane mess.​

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“The results are impressive.You might think I do this out of vengeance,you would be right.This event here will be a further evidence for the imperial leadership,that the clones are unreliable and waste of resources.Everything what you are,what you were will be exterminated,just as we were nearly wiped out from the face of the galaxy.I’ll make you obsolete.That is my revenge.”He looked at the suffering trooper,he smiled for a brief moment.Then he walked back to the window.“But this is more than just,vengeance.The data we collect with this experiment will be crucial for our future researches.For our future plans.”​

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The trooper suffered on the ground,he tried to fight with the effect but is was too painful to bare.​

Hallucinations tormented him,every noise,smell,taste and light felt agonizingly intense.He forced his eyes open,searching for any weapon and found a blaster laying on the table,nearby.​

The trooper focused,he knew he had no chance for survival,but he had to do something,he had to fight back,for the empire,for the emperor.He finally launched himself on the foot and grabbed the gun,pointing at the man,but he just stood there,motionless,staring at him with his piercing grey eyes.​

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He pulled the trigger and the blue plasma blast flew through the air a few inch from Arjen’s head breaking the glass,he missed it.His hand shaking,he felt on his knees,the gun just hanged on his finger.​

Arjen slowly walked to him.”You’re relieved from duty,trooper.”Then he ignited his weapon and ended the trooper’s life with one fluid swing of yellow plasma. ​

 

Hey. Welcome to Fanfic!

There's nothing wrong with this story other than its horrible, horrible formatting. Sometimes, when we post from Word, Google Docs and similar programs and apps, the board can be cruel and not hone our line breaks. Maybe try to edit it?

This is a very good start to a story. You know how to write an interesting, captivating villain...who can integrate into the mass solely to show that he thinks nothing of any part of the mass and that he has no sympathy for them at all. Would definitely like to see where this goes!

 

Thank you,very much.Yes posting from WPS writer and such is a pain in the butt,because I usually write in Justify format,which is not part of the posting functions.I can put some space here and there,but align left is not something I used to.
I'm glad you liked the character and story.

 

Title:The Scourge of Salusa IX:A trip to Nar Shaddaa Part 1
Author:Me
Timeline:Saga PT,five years after RoTS
Charactersriginals
Genre:Scy-Fy

Part 1

Nar Shaddaa.The little coruscant.The planet of desperate life and decay.A giant steel hive,filled with billions of sentient beings.Some people comes here to make prosperous trades,try their luck and get rich in gambling,others try to disappear from the eyes of the galaxy.The ones who are smart or lucky are succeed.The rest could only hope,they end up in the refugee sector or some other lower level,instead of a bag.If there is anything left to put in a bag at all.

Arjen sat lonely at one of the tables,set in the corner of the club Purple Velvet.He watched large mass of people on the dance floor,with amusement.How unrestrained,how free they seemed in the dancing whirlwind of purple and green lights,bonded in harmony by the rhythmic music.He felt the tides of emotions through the force,flowing like a stream,flowing around him,flowing through him.He closed his eyes for a moment,diving deep into the currents.
“I tell you the Jedi were warmongering to stay on top!”

Arjen snapped out from his meditation by the words he heard.At a nearby table,no more than two meters from him,a group of people sat.A zabrak,an ithorian,and two mirialans,a male and a female.
The mirialan male waved his hand in annoyance as he spoke.”Oh sod off!It’s party time and a stupid conspiracy theory is the last thing I want to hear now.Just shut up and drink!
“No!Listen for a minute!In the past few thousand years,there were barely any war.Yes!there were a few smaller conflict,here and there,but that’s all.The Jedi begin to fade out of the galactic stage.They become less and less needed.But when the clone wars broke out,they suddenly become generals and when it was over,they tried a coup.It just backfired and made things worst than before.Look I don’t like our current situation either,but the Jedi brought this upon us,that’s for sure!”The Zabrak said.

Arjen’s fist clenched from the words,he overheard.He wanted to grab the head of the Zabrak and bash his head to the table,hard enough to break his nose and teeth.But this wasn’t the time,nor the place to make a scene.Instead he closed his eyes again and draw on the force.He saw no light,no shapes nor colors,any more.He sensed the world around him in a much different way.He reached out to the zabrak with the force,entangling his mental grip around him.

The Zabrak stumbled and fell on his side,sweeping down a few bottles and glasses with his momentum.His friends circled around him,weary of his state.
“You know what?Just go home instead,drinking will only blast you up,even more.”The green skinned man said.

Arjen smirked as he watched the group led out the dizzied man.He will recover his strength in a few hours.Until then Arjen might finish with the matter at hand.He couldn’t help but wonder,what kind of man he will encounter.It was like a delicate peace of meat,cooked and spiced,hanged up in front of him,like a bait.He had no reason to trust this ‘Middle Man’ but there were only two people who knew his hideout on planet Teth.Two people he trusts.The Senator and The Lady.Arjen doubt The Lady would have any friends from such circles,she was just not that type of woman.Thus only the Senator could’ve shared his location with those people.But for what purpose,and why didn’t he told him.But he needed the money,they could provide.Otherwise the neural web,what he also called as the Sleeper project,will never leave its cradle.

Arjen become more and more impatient as time gone by.His hand slowly slid on the handle of his blaster,he wore on his right,under the table.It seemed more and more likely that,this is a trap for him.

Suddenly an attractive,young woman approached his table with a warm smile on her face and a pair of glasses in her hands.A togruta,athletic build with crimson red skin,black stripes on her white montrails,her face painted with white lines.She wore a simple black trousers with boots,a white shirt and a sleeveless jacket.Strangely enough she didn’t had the jewellery,commonly wore by the females of her species.
“Are you alone,sunny.?”She said.
“I’m waiting for someone.”Arjen said flatly.
“Good!I’m looking for someone,maybe we both found what we were looking for!”Arjen’s hand tightened on the handle of his blaster as she sat down to his left,though he felt no malice from her.
“And who do you looking for?”He asked.
She smiled and put one drink in front of him.
“Just the same thing,any woman does.A handsome man,with a lot of money.Preferably one with a nice,dark blue jacket and long blonde hair.”She said.
“Then you found the wrong person.I’m quite far from being rich,in fact,I’m in great need of money,myself.”He responded with a smile
She slid closer to him.
“Well we might be able to solve that problem,darling?Or should I call you Arjen?”
“My name is Colben,as I said,you found the wrong person.”He said.
She slid even closer to him“But of course you are.Wrap your arm over my shoulder and play along,instead.”She said and Arjen did as such,with a smile after a brief hesitation.
She lowered her voice slightly,just enough to hear by him but not anyone else.“My boss have a great interest you,but we couldn’t just simply allow you to meet him right of the bat,I’m sure you understand.I know a quite place where we can talk alone.”
“I’m not sure we can be alone,right now.”He said as cocked his head toward the dance floor.
She made a quick glance.A man with beard and short curly hair,stood there,in a long trench coat,visibly looking for someone.Then various other people,similar to him, appeared with a similar outfit,with transparently suspicious way of acting.
“Well,not everyone is in dancing mood tonight,come,we better leave!”She said.
As they were about the go,Arjen felt the emotions rising in the nearby man,as he pulled out his blaster rifle from under his coat and drop all the poorly done facade,he had.

Crimson particles of plasma flew through the air.Arjen instinctively draw upon the force to enhance his muscles and senses.He picked up the heavy wood table,they sat at and threw it at the attacker.Some blaster shots tore into it as it flew through the air,ripping into its material.
The attacker rolled out of the way,giving enough time for Arjen to pull out his blaster and deliver two blue blaster bolts,catching him off guard as he was about to stand up.The man died immediately.
Screams and shouts filled the club,as chaos erupted amongst the crowd.One of the other coat wearing man tried to get a clear line of fire,as he pushed people out of his way,while another jumped on the bar,taking the high ground.Arjen delivered another shot.
The man on the bar collapsed and fell behind it.The second one punched a Twi’lek man on the jaw and pushed him away and begin to shoot at Arjen.
He ducked the blaster bolts and retaliated with his own.Another dead man laid on the ground.
Arjen grabbed the arm of his new found companion and dragged her to the bar,using it as a cover.
“We must get out of here,before more schutta try to kill us!”She shouted.
“And how should I know you have nothing to do with this?”He said pointing his gun at her.
“Of course I’m not!Look at their cloths,I would never work anyone with such horrible fashion sense!Look!There is the door that leads to the exit,just get us there in one piece and get us out of here!”She said as she pointed towards their exit.Arjen focused his attention on her,to feel through the force,if she lies.But felt only,fear,excitement and honesty.
Arjen grunted in and nodded.From the crowd two more coat wearing man emerged,trying to crawl through the terrified mass towards their location.Arjen and the togruta lady ran towards the door.

The door swung open,Arjen and the woman headed down on a staircase to a long narrow hallway,that squared into two pathways.As they arrived to the corner,two man leashed out and tried to ambush them.A large,two meter tall human with a long baton,and a duros with a blaster pistol.
Arjen ducked and raised his gun but the human swung his weapon,again,knocking his gun out of hand.
Arjen closed in quickly with vicious grin on his face.He kicked the duros strong enough to make him bash against the wall,then switched target,delivering a lightning quick punch on the human.Arjen felt the ribs cracking under his fist but the human was more resilient than most and delivered a counter in the form of an elbow strike,that hit Arjen in the cheek bone.

The man grabbed the momentary staggered Arjen’s neck with his left and raised his weapon again.Arjen grabbed the weapon before the hit could connect.”Quick!Kill him!”The giant shouted to the duros.
Arjen kicked again,this time getting the alien in the stomach,who collapsed from the hit.Then with one precise,bone breaking punch to the large man’s elbow he freed himself from his grasp.The retaliation was quick and vicious.A strong left hook on the already cracked ribs,shattering them to splinters and one right on his chin,followed by two head butts and a throat punch.After that he simply grabbed the stranger’s head and broke his neck with one move.
The Duros,got up and raised his gun,aiming at Arjen,just to meet his end by a blue bolt of plasma,before he could pull the trigger.His lifeless body flew through the air at least two meters.

Arjen looked at the togruta woman,standing there with his silver-grey weapon and an awe-struck expression on her face.”Good shot.”he said.
“Thanks!Where did you got this monster of a gun,by the way?She said.
“I killed a mandalorian for it.Can I have it back now?"
“Yeah!Just careful where do you aim with that,I don’t want you to blow Nall hutta out of the sky!”
Arjen smiled for a brief moment.“You know this place,where to go now?
“Turn right and we will get to the back door,I used to keep my speeder outside.”She said.
Arjen nodded and headed in the direction.He stopped at the door for a moment,gathering on the force to sense what’s behind it.He was caught off guard seconds ago,he don’t want to risk again.He felt something strange out that,no living beings were outside.At first he thought,there might be some droids out there but even they express some magnetic field.This was different.This was something through the force.Someone using stealth techniques to mask himself.He couldn’t locate the person.”Hurry!”The woman said.
He hesitated for a moment,then kicked the door,with weapon held ready in his hand but there was no body out there,not someone he could sense,at least.
“Come!I know a place where we can lay low for a while.”She said and leaped into the seat of her speeder.
Arjen hesitated,he thought he would be better to go on his own.This presence he felt,was something of the force,tainted by the dark side.Perhaps they found him,perhaps they know he is here?Perhaps he should search out this presence and strike out for it or lure it into a trap,on his own.Who knows what secrets of the Sith,that one could hold?If he or she have anything to do with the Sith,at all.There were too many unknown variables to decide with certainty.On one hand,this stranger of a woman with her mysterious employer.On the other hand this shadow lurking somewhere near.
“What are you waiting for?”She said.
She was right,there was no time to waste.He’ll have time to reconsider his options,when he have some breathing room.He leaped behind the lady on the speeder.
"What's your name,girl?"He asked.
"Shanra Zima."She said.

 

Glad that this is continuing.

Arjen seems more and more disturbed with every single line. Of course that somebody like him ends on Nar Shaddaa, out of all places in the Galaxy. And whatever causes him to feel Force disturbances under bright lights has got to be upsetting.

This drunk Zabrak dude cannot be a coincidence. There's got to be a strange twist of a fate at works.

And the Torguta lady knows Arjen's name? Hmmm...therefore, the ensued fight is not coincidencial either. And then she kicks butt. I like her. I like Shanra Zima!

 

Well after near two weeks I finally done with the Nar Shaddaa arc,I'm still not sure about the editing and some other parts but I ran out of ideas for this story and certainly have some mistakes I overlooks during the rewrites and polish but I hope you'll like it.​

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Title:The Scourge of Salusa IX:A trip to Nar Shaddaa Part 2​

Author:Me​

Timeline:Saga PT,five years after RoTS​

CharactersArjen,Shanra,Holgan Novigo,and some.​

Genre:Scy-Fy,bad editing​

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Part 2​

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“Have you ever been looked upon the stars and wondered what could be out there?Have you ever looked back on your life,unsatisfied?Do you want more?We can help you in that!The Galactic Empire grants huge career opportunities for you.Join us and experience an exciting adventure across the galaxy.To protect the peace and justice.Just go to the nearest recruitment office and apply to the Imperial Army.We are everywhere for your convenience. ​

-Holonet News.Imperial Commercial:19P114​

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Arjen sat cross legged on the floor meditating.The apartment he’s been brought to was relative small but comfortable.A couch in the middle with a small table in front,a small bar,a bed at near the window and a holocommunicator.​

He dived deep into the currents of the force,while reminiscing on the the recent few hours.The ambush in the Purple Velvet,Shanra,the woman,who led him to this ‘sanctuary’ and most importantly,the mysterious presence.​

Arjen wrapped the force around him like a cloak to hide himself,became one with flow instead of outstanding from it.Fortunately in this deep meditative state,he was able to reach out with his mind further than he would be able,further than most of his contemporaries.Some students of the order had talent in telekinesis,some other had in lightsaber combat.Arjen’s home was in telepathy and concealment,ideal skills for a field agent.Though he is often criticised for being too ‘dominant’ with his telepathy.​

But this is not enough any more,if he face the servants of the dark,he’ll need to be stronger,more skillful.And such meeting will happen soon,he felt it.He knew it.​

Fortunately his former master thought him well.The traitor general.A harsh teacher but a good at what he did.He gave him the skills,he taught him,how the hear the force,well.How to tame the wild beast,that lingers in all living things,including him.​

Yet he loathed him,for his selfish betray,his arrogant delusion of being the part of the new order.Arjen saw the records,he hated to accept it,but he had no other choice.​

But the worst of all,he could not be there to stop him.The failed mission on Badab left him severely injured.They were lured into a trap and he barely survived.​

Weeks later,he woke just to face the realisation of his master were shot in the back by a creature,bred in a laboratory.How could he not saw it?Did he glossed over something?How it would’ve ended,if he would’ve been there?What he would’ve done?​

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He brushed away the thoughts.The present and the future was much more important.Shanra,his new found company,brought him,here with the intention of meeting with her associate.Now she was laying on the nearby couch like a well fed feline,with a data pad in her hands.Arjen focused his attention on her,performing a subtle,surface probing.”…switch the place of the +1/-1 card,the totals are nine-ten.Switch the face of the +2/-2 card,the total is eight-eleven…”​

“Playing pazaak?”Arjen thought.​

In the end,she took the initiative.”So how did you got that blaster,from some mandalorian,huh?What happened?”​

“Lets just say he thought the head of a Jedi would bring a great reward and glory for him.Instead I was the one who took his,along with his blaster.”He said.​

“Mandalorians.They always get ahead of themselves.”She smiled.​

“Do you know them so well?”He asked.​

“I had some occasional business in their territories but I used to get along them,well.The more revealing clothes you have,the better.”She said.​

“I doubt that would work for me.”​

“Oh,I’m sure you could find some feisty mandalorian gal around Concord Dawn.”She smiled.​

“Noted.”Arjen said flatly.​

“So is this what Jedi do?Sitting and doing nothing.I expected a little more action,with lightsaber and stuff.”She said.​

“I’m not here to entertain you!Now be silent,someone is coming.”Arjen commanded.​

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Surprise sat on the woman’s face at first,then she took a glance on the data pad.”It seems you are right.Well you wanted to meet the boss,now you have it.”​

She got up and headed to the door.When it sprung open a tall lean figure came in.Brown leathery skin,wearing a long,grey coat,made of some kind of silk.A weequay.The figure said nothing,just stood in the corner,staring at Arjen with his deep,brown eyes. ​

Then Shanra and a short,ashen haired man came in.”Shanra,darling please make something to drink.”The old man said.​

She was about to do as such but he was interrupted by Arjen.”I’m not interested in drinking and chit-chat,tell me old man.Who are you and why did you dragged me to this loathsome planet?”Arjen said.​

“Oh,of course,My name is Holgan Novigo founder and head of Novigo Medical Sciences.Officially at least.”The old man reached out for a handshake but Arjen ignored it.​

“And unofficially?”He said.​

“Participant of many other dealing,I’m not going to list it now,I’m sure you understand.” Holgan sat down on the couch.​

“So,why am I here then?”​

“Because we have a common enemy.The empire.The tumour that plagues the galaxy and its people.We want to cure this disease and I know you want the same.”He said.​

“Forgive if I’m not naively accept you as some benevolent corporate,who just want to help.”Arjen said,flatly.​

“Is that so impossible?I’ve been a doctor who saved lives before you were even born,but I realize that I can make more impact on the world as a businessman.I created NMS to help the galaxy but the empire oppose that principle by it’s very nature.I saw the remains of old,lifeless worlds,created by wicked dictatorism and now it is happening on a galactic scale,I cannot allow that.”He said.​

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Arjen probed Holgan and it seemed he was honest and genuinely concerned.He crossed his arm and took a more diplomatic tone.”Very well.Lets say I believe you.Why me?Why not aid the rebel cells?They could use such supporter.”He said.​

Holgan shook his head.”Not yet.Rebellion leads to revolutions,which leads to civil war.And such war is expensive.It costs a lot of money and life.We want a much more subtle and clean solution,we prefer to work from the shadows,put the right people in the right position,in the right time,with the right tools and knowledge to make the ‘transition’ smoother,to lay out the path for a new,more… humble era.You can help us your with your capabilities and talents.”He said.​

“I doubt the emperor would allow that.”​

“Everything at its time,son.Everything at its time.”​

“You know a lot about me.How?”Arjen said.​

“Your benefactor,the Senator gave us what we have to know.We know that you were born on a​

spaceship,approximately nineteen years before the declaration of the Galactic Empire.You joined the Jedi Order at a very young age.You served in the Clone Wars as field operative.Slicing,Infiltration and sabotage were your main expert.However,after what happened today,I can’t help but wonder of your… abilities.”He said.​

“My abilities are as good as ever.What happened in that bar was something different.Something of the force.When we fled,I’ve sensed a presence.Lingering,lurking out there.Like a hound,hell bent on hunt,probably for me.I believe the attackers were the instruments of its will.”Arjen said.​

Holgan leaned forward,slowly“Did this… presence followed you here?”​

“No.But it is out there,it’s eager,it’s hungry and looking for me.I feel it.It is something of the dark side.Unfortunately this planet make the search difficult.”He said.​

“Well,before we would further advance our relationship,talk to the owner of the Purple Velvet,he might help you,but don’t expect generous welcome from him.I expect you to deal with this ’security breach’.Shanra will accompany you.Make it clean,this time.”He said.​

“I make no promises.”Arjen said.​

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Later​

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Arjen quietly sat next to Shanra in the airspeeder,a secondary vehicle kept in the garage of Shanra’s hideout,they were.Unlike most,this was a closed topped one,somewhat similar in shape to the DC0052 type,utilized by the on coruscant but it was a two person carrier with much smaller wings and darkened glasses.​

Arjen kept up his his meditation to conceal his force signature,fortunately after a few hours he was able to properly,fine tune his senses to Shanra,now he was able to monitor her emotions without effort.However the tides of life still bashed on the door of his mind,thus reducing the reach of his ability to sense the mysterious presence he felt.​

“The right people in the right position,in the right time,with the right tools.”The words echoed in his head.”What did he meant exactly.”He thought.”Are they planning acts of sabotage and subterfuge?Maybe planning a coup?”​

It made sense,even if they somehow destroy the emperor,the grand war machine that is the imperial army would still remain.Even in divided they would still consider a major threat to anyone who dares to dissent.One can try and destroy a leviathan by force.But its skin is thick,its body is resilient.But there is another way.Poison.​

Infiltrate their line,implant the seeds of betray,pour it jealousy and doubt.A war of shadows.This is the golden opportunity of retribution.​

But will he succeed?Will he able to become the victor of this war and wipe the Sith from the face of the galaxy?How could he succeed there,where even the nine hundred years old grand master of the order have failed?​

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He looked at Shanra.Her thoughts echoed in Arjen’s head.Thoughts revolved around pazaak.Numbers after numbers,cards after cards.She sure does love card games.​

“What’s that?”She smiled.​

“Uhmm… nothing I just wonder why don’t you wearing those forehead jewellery,common to your people.”He said.​

Shanra shrugged.”Not really my style.How many togrutan do you know anyway?”​

That was it!Arjen felt a strange sense of resentment and anger.She hidden it well but it was definitely there.Something personal,maybe?But it was only a moment,she quickly slipped back to her usual state. ​

“A couple.”He said.​

“Pretty ones?”​

“Are you jealous?”​

“Just curious,really.”She said.​

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Their speeder landed behind the Purple Velvet,on the same spot,Shanra had her speeder parked before.However the entry was different this time.Three people stood there,armed with blaster rifles,in ready position,guarding the back door.The Speeder opened and Shanra leaped out with grace and approached the guards.One with a three long scars on his face stood out with his broad,red shoulder pads and chest armor raised his hand,palm outwards.​

“Go away,Karmok doesn’t want to see you.”He said with his raspy voice.​

“Oh come on.”Shanra rolled her eyes.​

“Don’t even try to persuade me,you may landed a few credits to me in the past but the boss pays me much better.I won’t let you in!”​

“But..”​

“No but.You and your buddy messed up his club,royally,he is not in a good mood.Now be a clever little girl and turn back!”He said.​

Arjen step forward and did a subtle wave with his hand.”You will let us in.”He said.​

Two of the guards lowered their weapons but the one with the scars resisted.Arjen waved his hands again.”You will let us in!”He said with a strong,commanding tone.​

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The guard finally loosen and repeated his words.”We… We will let you in.”​

“Now touch your nose with your finger and stand on one leg for twenty minutes.”​

Shanra made a frown look on him.”What?”He said.​

“I could’ve convince him.”She opened the door.​

“I waste no time for thugs and bandits.”​

“Thugs and bandits are the corner stone of the society on Nar Shaddaa.Piss off one and you’ll piss his friends and the friends of his friends.Then you gonna have to deal all of them.And it’s very creepy too.”She said.​

Arjen smiled but said nothing.​

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After they entered,they went through the same long hallway,skipping the left turn and head straight forward to a staircase that turned left,into a wider hallway.A blue carpet,walls coloured copper and a two-winged door.​

The two guards in front of it looked at each other with slight confusion.”let me handle this,now.”Shanra whispered to Arjen.​

As she was about to approach the guards,a distorted voice cut through the air”Let them in.”​

“That went easy.”Shanra said,surprised.​

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The door sprung open.Behind that an elegant man stood tall,beyond a big wooden table,in front of a tall and wide window,looking at the empty interior of the club.He was a human with jet black hair slicked back,eyes a brown and clothes white like the snow of Hoth.He turned as Shanra and Arjen stepped in with a wide smile on her face but as she was about to talk,the man cut her half.”Shut up!”​

“But..”Shanra tried to speak.​

“Shut up!I don’t want to hear anything!”He said.​

“Then why the hell did you let us in?!Shanra said.​

“Because I wanted someone I could shout with,someone who actually deserves it.You and your buddy brought chaos into my club.Do you really expect me to give a warm welcome?!”​

Shanra looked at Arjen who stood there,arms cross with a barely restrained smile on his face.​

“Well I hope you satisfied now!Now can we get to the matter now or you want to shout more?”​

The man sighed.”Very well.What do you want?”​

“Look Karmok!We want to find who is behind this attack as much as you do.You prefer a hands on approach and I though we could help each other.”She said.​

“There is no need for that.We found a communicator at one of the dead guy and restored the last conversation it contained.”Karmok pulled out the mentioned com link from his pocket and activated it.​

​

A small holographic figure came to life in blue light.A tall person,dressed in a long black cloak,face concealed with a hood.”This is the man you are looking for.”The figure said with a booming baritone. The hologram turned into a picture of Arjen’s face.“He will be one of the clubs in the corellian sector,spread out,find him and bring me what’s left of him.”The figure said.​

The hologram turned off.​

​

“We traced back the signal to one of the abandoned facilities in the Undercity.I’ve already sent a squad to deal with this man.”Karmok said.​

“Did they accomplished anything?”Shanra said.​

“Lets see!”Karmok said.​

He pushed a button on his own communicator on the table.”Bloodhounds report.”He said.​

No response came,so Karmok tried again.”Bloodhounds come in.I repeat,come in!​

“It seems your hounds has been eaten by wolf!”Arjen laughed.​

“What?”​

“You sent them to their death,you moron!”Arjen said.​

“Then what are you going to do now,huh?”Karmok said in response.​

“I’ll deal with it.”​

“Deal with it!Really?What can you do what and entire squad of trained mercs can’t.”​

“Succeed.”Arjen said.​

Karmok released a sigh and thrown a datapad to Shanra.”There is where you find it.”​

“Thanks.Give my regards to your daughter.”Shanra catched the device in midair.​

Karmok waved his hand in disregard.”Yeah,yeah,just try no to die okay?”​

​

Later​

​

Arjen and Shanra sat in the speeder,yet again,this time in an abandoned alleyway in the Undercity of Nar Shaddaa.​

This territory was a difficult maze of facilities resting beneath the upper levels of the worldwide city of the moon.Home for shipyards,source of mechanic components for everything that is machine and the miserable sanctuary of Ganks and various unlucky species,who had nowhere else to go.​

​

Here the echo of life was weaker due to the lower population but taint he felt came through stronger.A smell of desperation.Desperation of people who worked here all day,never knowing what the sun is like.People who lived their life in monotony.The only thing stood out was the dark presence he felt before.​

Arjen’s only comfort was Shanra who seemed unaffected by this place.Always so cheerful,so optimistic.How can she be so resilient?So unflinching?​

“So,how are we going to do this?”She asked.​

“I sneak in and you wait here,until I finished.”​

“What?You can’t expect me to sit here and doing nothing.I can help you!”She said.​

“Are you an expert at infiltration?”He asked.​

Shanra was about to say something but she shook her head.​

“Are you skilled in silent hand to hand takedowns?”Arjen asked.​

“I mastered the art of kick in the groin and eye poke.”She said.​

“Unfortunately that wont be enough for now.”Arjen said as he pulled out his lightsaber from the inside pocket of his dark blue jacket.​

“You expect a tough fight,don’t you?”Shanra said with concern in her voice.​

Arjen cocked his head in response. ​

Arjen took his blaster out of the holster and gave it to Shanra.”You are good with it and if I going to need an extraction,you could use it.”She took it with a warm smile on her face.​

He was about the get out of the speeder when he heard her voice.”Take care.”She said,kindly.​

​

Arjen leaped out of the speeder and headed down in the labyrinth of streets to the location he had on a datapad,soon he saw the gates of a giant facility,between two towering apartment that looked more like a hive than a house to live in.Empty abandoned at first glance but Arjen felt the flicker of life from his target.A hundred meter from the said architect,he saw an entrance to the sewer system in the middle of the road.He looked around to see if someone is in eye-reach.​

When it was clear,Arjen quickly headed to the sewer opening.He used the force to move the heavy iron top of it and threw himself down in the hole.​

He landed with with silence.Such thing was impossible for a normal human being but a Jedi Shadow were trained for such.That was the the title and rank he strived for.​

​

He reached out with the force again and pulled the iron top of the hole,in order to hide his track.​

Now alone in the dark,his anxiety,his disturb has gone.He was one with the shadows,now.A wraith,a predator,driven by the singular purpose of completing his task.Nar shaddaa were no longer existed,the tides have no longer ‘irritated’ him,there were only he and he alone.​

Arjen grinned in satisfaction.Now not even the stinking streams of dirt could take his enjoyment.​

​

As he followed the sewer into the facility,he soon arrived to another,sewer entrance.”This is it.This should open inside.”He thought.​

He climbed up on the iron ladder that built into the concrete but before he would’ve opened it he reached out with the force to see if somebody is out there.​

The area was clear,so he continued his journey to the heart of the architect,the heart where he felt the presence of life.​

The inside was a web of multiple levels connected by durasteel stairs and bridges and steel pipes and machines designed to melt and reforge metals into various shapes,for spaceships or speeders.​

He headed higher and higher to the levels as simultaneously went deeper in the facility.Climbing on pipes and iron pillars.​

​

Gaining the higher position could be crucial to success as most mundane beings simply don’t give attention to what is over them.From there he could sneak through easily or ambush his targets,swiftly.​

​

After a while the place ended in a large open area,a place what was probably used to keep the containers and transports with resources in their belly.​

But now only one,lonely person sat down there,covered by a black cloak.Arjen suspected that this was the same person he saw on the holorecord,Karmok shown him.”And now the hunter becomes the prey.”Arjen thought.​

​

He looked up an saw a widespread,iron balk-structure,leaning over the area.Arjen climbed up and silently,walked on it,down on his hunkers,graceful like a cat.​

Down there,the figure stood up and suddenly spoke out,loud with a booming,deep baritone.”I know you there Arjen!Come out from the shadows,We are alone,I promise.”He said with glee.​

Arjen was puzzled.how could he sense him?He hidden his force signature,only a very powerful and skilled force user could’ve sense him,but he felt no such power from this one.The figure’s strength in the force was barely equal to his own.​

There was no point on hiding,any more.Arjen jumped down from the balk,landing a few meters behind the mysterious man.​

“I must say,I didn’t expected such warm welcome.Who are you?”Arjen said.​

​

The man turned and threw back his hood to reveal his dark green skin and pointed teeth with a twisted grin on his face.Two long head tails,commonly known as Lekku,came down from the back of his head,one wrapped around his neck,the other dangling,freely.A twi’lek male with deep red eyes,filled with madness.A well known degradation caused by the long term dark side exposure.​

​

“You must be wondering how could I now you are here,in this place,on this planet,in this time.Well I always had a certain gift.I foreseen you come to Nar shaddaa and I foreseen you’ll be in the Corellian sector,and now here.”The man said.​

“Is that why did you sent those thugs after me in the club?”Arjen asked.​

“Yes,I used them to chase you out,so I could follow,and hunt you down,though I must admit you are much better at hiding than I expected.”​

"Even that Zabrak?"​

"What Zabrak?"The alien said.​

“Doesn't matter.Tell me then,what does the future holding for us?”Arjen said,cynically.​

“At first,before I came here,I saw you die by my hand,marking my ascension to the apprentice of Lord Vader himself.That is why I wanted to confront you alone.But!Now,as I meditated,I saw another vision.A different one.Something far more glorious.I saw you and I standing over the scorched body of the dark lord,himself and rule the galaxy as equals!Come brother,join me and we will take what is destined for us.”The Twi’lek said with cathartic voice.​

“Who is this Vader?”Arjen wondered.That wasn’t the only question of he wanted to find answer for but he knew,this man would not give them,easily.Not yet.”Why did you called me brother?”He asked,flatly.​

​

“I was once a foolish servant of the Jedi,just like you.I was a naive pawn,unable to realize the truth that lies in the dark side of the force.Come and let me show you!Come and walk the path,your master,the general searched,before his demise!”The twi’lek grinned.​

​

The blood ran out of Arjen’s face,turning him pale.Now he looked more like dead than alive.”He was a Jedi and he knows about my past.”He thought.​

A moment of heavy silence descendant on the two.Then,after a while,Arjen’s silence turned into a chuckle and the chuckle turned into a wicked laugh.​

In turn,the grin disappeared from the Twi’lek’s face.”What do you find so funny?”The man asked.​

“You!Do you really think I would join you?!You are nothing but a weak fool,who cowardly turned against us when you faced peril!But instead of dying with dignity,You decided to become a lapdog of the Sith!My loyalty is unquestionable and unshakable,you wretched pawn!Tell me!How many of my brothers and sisters died by your hands,so I could cast judgement on you for each of them!”Arjen spat the words with righteous fury.​

The Twi’lek made his tone calm and controlled.”Very well,son.I am the best swordsman in my brethren.I’ll deliver a quick and merciful death,I promise!​

“I would say the same for you,but that would be a lie!”Arjen said.​

​

The Twi’lek let his dark cloak fall on the ground.His clothes were a black,close fitting bodysuit paired with,knee high leather boots,two plates of armor,covering his upper legs and black chest plate.​

In his hand an odd lightsaber with a strange,steel part curving over the handle.The man ignited it and raised the blood red blade to his face in the manner of classical form two,makashi.​

Arjen pulled out his own weapon from his jacket and ignited it without any return of salute.His face contorted by anger and disgust.​

The two man leaped into action,almost at the same time.Red and yellow beams of plasma clashed against each other,releasing thunderous noises,after each blow.​

Arjen took the initiative after the opening exchange,drawing on the force to enhance his strength,speed and agility.He was powerful,quick and relentless,with blade work,simple and randomized,led by the currents of the force.​

His foe held his weapon in one hand,only.He deflected Arjen’s blows,one after another.Then he shunted one of Arjen’s overhead strike into the ground and responded with and angular,ascending cut towards Arjen’s face.​

Arjen did a back flip to evade the slash.As he landed on his foot,the Twi’lek unleashed a force push,what made him lose his footing and made him flew a meter,landing on his back.​

His opponent leaped in the air like a bird of prey,weapon in reversed grip,ready to thrust trough the heart of his victim.​

​

But Arjen wasn’t a victim,he was the hunter.He roared and released a vicious force push on the dark servant,catching him off guard in mid air.The twi’lek blasted through the air but turned the momentum into a back roll as he landed.​

Arjen launched himself on the feet and pressed the offense.His strikes were quick and powerful.​

Just like in their before,the twi’lek deflected with one handed parries but as he shunted Arjen’s blade aside,the blonde man bumped his shoulder against the darksider’s,pushing the alien away.​

The twi’lek took the offense,this time,fluid and elaborate,combining blade work with series of kicks and punches.​

Arjen evaded or blocked those attacks with relative ease.​

He instantly recognized the flamboyant fighting style of Ataru.The style was very common in the Jedi order,amongst the young and reckless padawans,especially.However it was an exhaustive form and lacked proper defense.​

Arjen continued to block and evade but as the fight continued,he began to slip counter attacks of his own,turning the fight into a back and forth exchange of attack and defense.​

Arjen’s anger slowly turned into gleeful excitement as he begin to pushing the alien on his back foot.It seems his opponent wasn’t as good as he expected.​

​

But twi’lek wasn’t defeated yet.As Arjen gained the offense,yet again.The alien did a back flip to evade a horizontal slash.Arjen followed him but as he was about to deliver a thrust,the alien did another force augmented jump and leaped to one of the iron pillars and from there headed down to the steel labyrinth.​

Arjen leaped after him.He climbed over the fence and followed the alien down into the narrow maze of pipes,steel pillars and rusted machines.The twi’lek lured him down in the suffocatingly tight place but Arjen was no fool and advanced with caution.​

Then the alien held his weapon in front of him.Arjen stopped as he saw a second curve flipping out from the handle and a second blade activating from the handle.​

The two blade emitter began move on the circular shape with rapidly increasing speed.The speed was so fast,the red blades blurred into one giant,red mess.​

​

The twi’lek unleashed a rapid,awkward and seemingly unconnected attack sequences that kept Arjen off balance.​

Heated sparks of steel flew in the air,uncontrollably as the blades cut through anything in their way.Arjen evaded and deflected as he forced on the defense.Even though his glee vanished,he did not gave into desperation yet.His former master held similar weapon,in fact Arjen himself was trained in saberstaff,too.But the sudden changes of tempo and lack of fluid connection between the attacks,pressed him harder and harder to his backfoot.​

This was the seventh form of lightsaber,called Juyo,Arjen recognized that.An extremely aggressive form that was only taught to a few selected individual in the order.Unfortunately,Arjen was not one of those.However every from has it’s weakness.​

​

Arjen leaped backwards to get out of the reach of his foe and begin to hacking his surrounding into small chunks of metal.​

With the aid of the force he flung those pieces at the alien who evaded some and cut the rest with his saber.Arjen took the initiative,again but this time he changed his approach.He switched to a one handed grip and begin to mimic the twi’lek’s own fighting style,with probing,back and forth,fencing stlye offense and defense.​

It wasn’t as refined as the alien’s own technique,in fact it could’ve been called basic but it was good enough to surprise his foe,if only for a moment.​

Arjen kept his blade in front of him,in order hold up a consistent distance between the two.As the fight continued in the rain of scintilla,Arjen recognized something.Even though the attacks were unpredictable and seemingly inconsistent,there was something that never changed.The tempo which the blades rotated.It was always the same,never changing.​

Arjen begin to focus on the weapon of the twi’lek’s weapon,not with his eyes but his ears.​

​

Arjen began a roaming retreat as the alien kept pushing his own offense.The twi’lek’s strikes were raining down on Arjen’s defense,his blonde hair loosened and flung around,uncontrollably.Then a kick slipped under guard,knocking him to one of the iron pillars.​

Arjen felt pain in his back and head,he probably got a concussion.Still he kept his attention on the rotating weapon and as the alien lunged towards him,Arjen gathered all of his strength and made his own counter attack.​

In that moment everything seemed slow,almost frozen in time.He saw yellow lightsaber slipping between the crimson blades and cutting the rotational device in half,along with the twi’lek’s hand.​

​

The alien screamed in agony as he squeezed what was left of his right hand.It wasn’t a clear cut that severed one’s hand at the wrist,so cleanly but it was good enough for now.​

Arjen smirked in satisfaction.”You seems to be in a rough shape,my friend.Do you need… a hand?”He said with a chilling voice.​

In his last desperate attempt,the twi’lek unleashed a force push but Arjen countered it with his own.After the alien wasted his last remaining shred of strength he was little more than an easy prey.​

​

Arjen reached out with the force an begin to choke him,he even lifted him up a little bit,to increase the torment.​

“Now you are going to tell me everything you know about this… Vader!”Arjen said.​

“No!”The alien squeezed the words out of his lungs.​

“Then I’ll rip it from your mind,neuron by neuron!All of it!”​

​

Arjen closed his eyes and released a vicious mental assault on his victim.Weakened and malnourished,the dark one had no chance to resist him.​

He crawled deeper and deeper in the alien’s mind,peeling through layers of his consciousness.​

“Yes!I see it now.Your brethren.Your master!”He said and released his hold on the twi’lek,who collapsed on the ground.​

​

Arjen stepped closer to him.“Tell me,can you see them?The people you killed?Do you see their faces as they staring into their own demise?Do you see their disappointment,their pain?I can see them now.And I wont forget,nor forgive.”He said with an oddly cold and emotionless voice.​

Then he raised his yellow blade,ready to strike down the helpless alien.”I guess you didn’t foreseen this.”He said.​

Then he decapitated him with one swift move.​

 

Title:The Scourge of Salusa IX:The Dream Part 1
Author:Me
Timeline:Saga PT,five years after RoTS
Characters: OC
Genre:Scy-Fy,bad editing



Arjen stared at the battling snakes,hypnotized by their twisting and twirling,biting and choking.
One black as the void of space,the other gold like the sun of Coruscant.
A dance of death,wicked and gory,beneath a pair of twisted,joyful,burning eyes.
And in the end the golden snake devours the black one.
Arjen saw the blood flowing upward in the sky,shed by shed,defying gravity and common sense, and in the back of his head he heard a cackle,the cackle of the dark.

Arjen’s eyes sprung open in the warm and comfortable bed.
Since he killed that lapdog of the Sith on Nar Shaddaa,he had strange dreams.The one with the battling snakes,happened particularly often.
The Twi’lek said,he had a gift.A gift of foresight,that he foreseen Arjen’s arrival and a future where they stand side by side over the dead corpse of the Sith Lord.Did he peered into the future he saw?Did he ripped a fragment of visions from the Inquisitor’s mind?If so then what does these visions mean?Or maybe he just going crazy.

From all the wonderful abilities the force provided,foresight was the only one,Arjen ever dreaded.
Many believed that the force guides our paths,that the future is predestined and the question is not what happens but when.Such idea was always perplexing to him.
If the future is set,then our actions,our intentions are meaningless and all roads ends in the same place?Or we are all just marionettes,pulled on silver strings?And our choices are not our own?Does one truly have free will?
If it’s true,then the annihilation of his order was inevitable and could not be stopped in any way.And he is nothing more than a helpless pawn,destined to a path,he can’t foresee,nor control.

The thought infuriated him.The idea of all that death,all his brothers and sisters,friends and mentors,rivals and lovers,suffered to fulfill some grand,cosmic plan,seemed cruel and treacherous.
No.He did not accepted that and for all who believed such way,there were just as many who thought the future is always in motion and the choice is yours alone.
Arjen preferred that statement,much more.“I’m on the right path.”He thought.

He got up from the bed,his only company in the room were his muscles aching from the rigorous practice, and the low humming background noise of the ship he and Shanra travelled,called the Crimson Glory.An ILH-KK Type vessel.A Citadel-class civilian cruiser.Not the prettiest,nor the fastest but a tough,well armed,reliable and affordable ship,though it’s a little too big for only two person.

Four months passed since the events on Nar Shaddaa.Since then he worked under the hand of the man named,Holgan Novigo.A businessman with an oddly benevolent nature.
Shanra worked as a contact,pilot and supplier to Arjen.Though he had no doubt,her true purpose is to keep and eye on him.In those months,Arjen did nothing but small works.A little infiltration here,a little spying there.

He felt like a pawn,meddling with insignificant affairs,an errant boy to do the dirty deeds.But since his new patron supplying him with anything they need,he can spend much more time on meditating and Lightsaber practice.
He needed that.Even though his fight on Nar Shaddaa ended with victory,after he ripped the information from the twi’lek’s mind he had to make the cruel realization that he is still weak to face the Dark Lord.If he have such trouble with a lackey like that,then he have no hope to succeed against the apex of the Sith.

Novigo,simply don’t want his influence in his own game.That is obvious to him.And Arjen had his own little secret too.The Neural Web.The idea of the Neural Web to be accurate.

Years ago,shortly after order 66,he found a renegade kaminolan scientist,The Doctor.And with her help,he was able to take revenge on the brainless traitors,the clones on the planet of Salusa IX.

Every clone were fitted with an inhibitor chip since birth,a chip that made sure of their loyalty to the Republic and the chancellor.
But on that day,the day when the clones betrayed him and all of his kind,he realized that there is no loyalty in those creatures,but programing.
The clones were little more than droids with organic appearance,flesh machines who’s actions shackled by that chip.

The Doctor figured out they could use that chip against them and created a device that disturbs that chip,overloads the nerve,and neural system of the prey,driving them insane.A sort of neural scream he used on the planet of Salusa IX
Oh,how he enjoyed that day,to see as these ignorant fools suffer the consequences of their dreadful acts.How the pride and heroic soldiers screamed in agony.Arjen smiled as he recalled those memories.
“The best thing about the clones is that you can torment and kill the same person over and over and over again.”He thought.

Shortly after that,he realized that maybe this technology can be used on other human or near human beings.Theoretically it is possible to do it but due to the fact that these chips were originally designed to one specific person of one specific species,it needs a lot of money and highly advanced technology to achieve such result.But if this project comes to life,if they succeed,then Arjen will have a powerful weapon in his arsenal.
With such technology he could build a shadow army nested in the heart of the empire.

Abducting high and low position members of the hierarchy and turning them into spies who don’t even know they are spies.Officers,moffs,grand moffs,politicians,all are perfect targets to create his ghost army.
And then slowly but surely,with calculated and coordinated moves,he will rip the empire apart bit by bit,from inside out.It would take only one command.And when everything is set,when he is strong enough,then he will hunt down and kill the sith,one by one and take his position in the newly reformed Jedi order.

Is this what he saw in his dream?Is he the golden snake that kills the black one?If so,who’s eyes did he saw?

Arjen brushed away the thought.”Just a stupid dream.”He whispered in the dark.
He told the Doctor to keep the project secret until he’s sure Novigo would be in it.If Holgan was somehow able to deceive him and he just wants to use him,then he would try and take the research for himself.In that case,he have to get rid of Novigo.But such action would turn Shanra against him.
Anyway,he have to patient.

After taking a shower and got dressed he headed to the cockpit of the ship.There Shanra sat in the pilots chair,humming some kind of song.Arjen smiled and stopped for moment.This time she wore tight fitting,dark green trousers and a small sleeveless vest that left her crimson colored arm and belly exposed.A contrast to Arjen’s own simple black shirt,dark blue pants and skin,paler than usual.

He listened to the togruta for a while,then walked behind her,silently.
“Not bad.”He said.
She snapped out of the song.”Oh!Haven’t they taught you in the temple to don’t sneak up on others?”Shanra said.
“They did but I refused to learn that particular lesson.”He said as he sat down in the passenger’s seat.
“What did you learned then?”She asked.
“Sneaking up on people.”Arjen answered.
She rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned her attention to the hyperspace tunnel,whirling in front of them.

“Holgan gave us a new job.One of his spies reported some strange imperial activity in the Tekada system,on the outer rim.Officially the system only have a small garrison of imperial forces.The place is just not really important to have more,few mining facilities,some traders,a little black market,ect...”She said.

“What are we doing there,then?”Arjen asked.
“According to the informant,there is a small secret base,established on the far north,recently,not sure when exactly,but it is certainly there.We’ll have to find it out,what are they doing.”She said.
“Our cover story?”
“Traders of some sort.We’ll improvise something,later.This time try to be a bit more polite,we don’t need another cantina brawl,like on onderon.”She said.
“That wasn’t my fault!”Arjen responded.
“You punched a wookiee!”She said
“He attacked me!”
“After you told him,his mother loved trandhosans,very intimately!Mind if I don’t quote it,word by word.”
Arjen paused for a moment.“I’m not apologising.”He said.
“Jerk.”Shanra smiled.


Meanwhile on Teth.


The Doctor stood lonely in the laboratory.The room was large,white and sterile.Numerous jars and containers set in a concentric circle around the computer in the middle.
Each contained things,she called ‘biological components’.Brains,spines and various other body parts,from various species for her experiments and research.

Next to her,a smaller jar sat on the top of the device.In it a soft bodied creature,with umbrella shaped body,with long,thin tentacles and translucent,pale green skin,floating in serenity.A rare type of jellyfish from the deep sea of Manaan.Aggressive,poisonous,magnificent.

Her long grey fingers ran across the computer interface,typing in a complex set of commands.
A large,holographic shape materialised in front of her.An oversized representation of a DNA sequence,twisting slowly.She put her finger on her chin in amusement.

Her attention has broken by the mechanic voice of a droid through the communication channel.”Attention.Incoming vessel.Identification code matches the one we received from Master Venice.”It said.

The Doctor’s eyes narrowed.”Activate security protocol: Obisidian.”She said.”Understood.”The droid responded.

The Doctor left the chamber in haste.After she typed in a long line of pass code on the interface,next to the magnetic door.She headed through the underground labyrinth.Twenty meters forward,then turn right.Straight a hundred and five meters,to a crossroad A left turn there and a right turn,after twenty meters.

This was all but a small fraction of the maze beneath the castle.There were hundreds,perhaps thousands of other tunnels,all across the place.According to her estimation,they only discovered thirty one percent of the labyrinth.
Remarkable construction,unfortunately these tunnels designed for humans,as kaminolans she often had to bent herself,in order to advance.

Finally and tunnel ended in a tall staircase made of granite.She headed up and after exactly one hundred and twenty five set,she arrived to a wall and another interface.She touched the device,then a hissing noise broke the silence.
The wall moved and she stepped out on the secret door,to a long,wide,enormously tall hallway.
The door closed behind her and disappeared like there was nothing there.No cracks,no joints,no slides.The construction was so smooth,even advanced droid sensors had difficulty to find it.For human eyes it was completely invisible.

In front of the Doctor a mobile transport platform parked,she used to travel across the vast castle.
With that she quickly arrived to the large open landing area,set on the side of the castle.

In the purple skies of Teth,a ship appeared,flying right towards them.First it was so far,she could only see a dot.But as it closed the distance,she was able to see the details of the vessel and eventually identify it as a Baudo-Class star yacht.An expensive ship,favoured by the upper class.

The ship slowed down and landed on the platform,gently.Two figure emerged from the belly of the Yellow and black ship.
One,short with ashen hair.The other tall,with leathery skin.An older human and a weequay of unspecified age,both wearing elegant suits,made of high quality silk.


On Tekada.


Arjen stood silently in the cargo room of the Crimson Glory.His lighsaber twirled,slowly in the air above his palm,held by the force.A small play to chase his boredom away,before the mission.

The cargo was filled with tame,red light.The belly of the ship was big enough to contain two 22-B Nightfaclon type speeder bikes of standard issue,along with a few smaller containers.
The magnetic door opened inside and Shanra came in the cargo,holding a large,black case with silver linings on the sides.

“What the hell is that?”He puts his saber,away.
Shanra put the case on the floor and flipped up the locks on it.”My new pet.”She opened the box and picked out a rifle,Arjen only heard but never saw,before.The gun has a thick base over the handle,with an optic on the top,a long,solid shoulder stand,with an ammo case and two,long rails of magnets.

”An RL-25 Reaper class Gauss rifle.Capable of speeding up a two finger thick,solid projectile to twenty miles per hour,A KXM type optical zoom,and a five round ammo clip.A rare beauty.”She held the gun proudly.
Arjen shook his head.“I doubt we going to need that.”He picked up his long leather coat.
“Maybe.But where else could I try my new gun,if not on a remote planet like this?”She said.

Arjen leaped into the seat of speeder bike.He pointed at the interface with his hand and opened the ramp by activating it with the force.Beyond that,the city of Tekada prime laid,beneath the tapestry of night sky,ornated by stars,like thousand candles in the distance.
The buildings were mostly short,stubby with a few tall architects.Most of them colored in black,contrasted by green lights of neons.

Arjen and Shanra rode their speeders through the streets of the city.The traffic were so spare they were able to go on full speed at this time,without any problem.

They finally reached the Outer wall,that surrounded the city,separating it from the red waste that surrounds the city.A gigantic,crimson desert,with clusters of tall mountains,spread all across it.Arjen found a strange beauty in this empty,abandoned waste.
The tranquillity,the sense of freedom,the vibration of the colours.He looked upon the night sky and smiled,mildly.

They accelerated their speeders to it’s fullest speed,heading straight towards their mission,straight into nothingness.

 

Part 2


Arjen’s vision was blurred from the pain as he forced open his eyes.He lied, face in the dirt with head, feeling numb and dizzy,breath heavy and painful.

With great effort, he was able to push himself up, into a kneeling position.Only then he began feel the sharp pain in his left side.
He touched his ribs,cautiously but even a gentle, soft contact of his fingers caused the pain brighten, become more intense.

He had at least three ribs broken, he knew.If he is lucky, they are just broken.If not, then at least one of them had pierced his lung.

He tried to call on the force to heal his wound or ease the pain, at least.An ancient healing technique,widely know amongst the jedi, but his attempt was an inevitable failure.
Here, he was unable to hear the lightside of the force.All he felt is the flow of the darkside around him.Sickening yet intoxicating.Vile yet seductive.

He slowed his breath and tried to remember what happened.He and Shanra entered into the catacombs after they examined the abandoned imperial outpost outside, that was clear, but then?

His memories were fractured and fuzzy.He remembered fragments, only.The floor disappearing from under his foot, then a long fall.He must have a concussion too.

He pushed himself on the foot with the pain in his side.His long, blond hair hanged over the half of his face like a ragged curtain, wet from his sweat.His legs shaking and weak.
Now only one goal in his mind.Find Shanra and get the hell out of here.She is alive.He can still feel her.

Arjen swept back his hair and looked around.In front of him, a long hallway lied.It was too dark for him to know how long it is, and where it leads.Behind him, the other side was another hallway, just as dark as the other, just as unknown.

Thus, he decided to follow his instincts and began to stumble towards the direction where he felt the presence of Shanra, with lightsaber ignited.

He didn’t know how long he walked the endless tunnel of dark alone,with the yellow blade as his sole companion but he eventually arrived to a crossing.There the same endless paths welcomed him.


Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his head.He put pressure on his temple-bone with his index and middle finger.A picture came to life in his mind.A vision.

A fraction of his past, lingered in front of him.A waterfall on a lush jungle planet, a small group of clone commando, covered in camouflage.And he was standing on the top, looking down on the water, swirling beneath them.

This was the planet Ragesh.His last mission during the war, the mission that nearly killed him, the day when the republic betrayed them.

A man appeared next to him.He wore a full body armor and a helmet with the signature T shaped visor, painted in camouflage from top to bottom.His own robes had similar color scheme, to help blend into the enviroment.They led a twenty man group, behind enemy lines.

“We are six miles from the target zone, sir.”The soldier said.

Arjen nodded in response, and sent him away, but then some strange feeling took over him, like a wave grief and pain echoing through the force.He turned back to say something to the soldier and his comrades, although he no longer remembered what.

In that moment he faced a line of clone troopers raising their weapon at him.Led by instincts, he ignited his lightsaber, a mere second before the clones opened their onslaught of azure blue vileness.

He deflected, and redirected several shots, killing at least three clones, with their own blast-fire, but his own defense was imperfect, several shots torn into him, burning a lesson into his flesh.

Then he fell into the abyss, below.

“Wake up!Hey, wake up!”Arjen opened his eyes for the familiar voice.

“Are you allright?”Shanra asked.

Arjen stood up, struggling.It took him a while to clear his mind and discipline his thoughts.Even though what he seen was only a mere illusion, or a nightmare, created by his own mind, his injuries were terribly real.”I’m fine.”He said.

“You are a bad liar.”She said, as she gently touched his forehead.”You have a fever.Possibly concussion too.”Her were voice filled with concern.
“And broken ribs.I can’t feel the force properly.This place, this place is corrupted, wicked.”He said.
“You always know how to light up the mood, don’t you.”She said.
Arjen concealed his torment with a faint smile.”I have a lot of practice in that.”He changed to a more serious tone.”We must get out of here.”

“Follow the wind.”She said.
Arjen raised an eyebrow in response.”What do you mean by that?”
”Can you feel it?The air is coming from that tunnel.”She pointed to the direction.”There must be an opening to the outside somewhere there.”
“Lets move then.”Arjen said.

Thus they followed the calm, cool wind through the system of tunnels.They wondered in silence for a while until Shanra decided to speak.
“Do you want to hear a joke?I can tell a joke.”She said.
Though Arjen recognised a sense of nervousness in her tone, he didn’t gave any importance to that, he was way too busy focusing inside.

“No.”He said, flatly.
“Oh come on, jokes are good stress relief.That’s exactly what we need right now.”She said.
“I said no!Keep your nonsense drivel for yourself!”Arjen burst out with anger.
Shanra shocked by the sudden shift.She never saw him going from zero to full rage like that.In fact she never saw him in rage at all.Always col, always in control.But now?He was different.He was volatile, stressful.It was written on his face.

She didn’t know much about the mysteries of the force beyond the legends and stories common in the galaxy.She never had the Gift that makes Jedi what they are.But it was obvious to her that this place affects him.And it affects her too.

Since they’ve been trapped here, she had this sense of trepidation and discomfort, something she couldn’t explain.It wasn’t like the adrenaline rush she felt in a fight.Something she was so used to and sometimes even desired.
This was the sense of the quite horror.

But she brushed away the thought.Until she has a trusty hand-cannon and an arm to hold it, she’ll be fine.They will be fine.She saw remorse in Arjen’s expression, for a moment.”Do you want to talk about it?”She said.



After hours of journey in the dark, they finally arrive to a large, two winged door, left slightly open.It was cracked, broken, the iron claws of time left deep marks on it.Through the door, they saw a sparkle of light.

They closed distance with caution and stopped right at the door, peeking from cover, like frightened children.

Beyond the door they observed a large area, dimly lightened by embers, held in a bronze chalice.In front of the ornate tinker, dozens of mummified corpses knelt in forever stillness.Each dressed in the ragged remains of black attires and white masks.

Beyond that chalice laid a large, vacuous hole and on the other side, an altar stood with ornaments, similar to the ones on the chalice.

“It’s been a long time, since anyone disturbed these dormant tombs!”A deep baritone voice came from the dark.
Suddenly a human stepped out of the shadows.Tall man wearing a long crimson coat tightly held together at his waist, showing his lean statue.His face bore lots of wrinkles, etched by time.His balding, short hair slicked back, neatly.

The stranger walked to the chalice, with no signs of nervous or worry in his stance.He stood there for a moment, straight and proud before his voice broke the silence yet again.”Come out.There is nothing here, you have to fear.”He said.

The pair left their cover with great caution.Arjen first, then Shanra.Arjen forced a straight and proud stance on himself, mirroring their host’s.”Who the hell are you?”Arjen asked.

“I am the Alchemist.I watch over this place, keeping its secrets safe from the unfit and foolish.”The man said.
“Which one we suppose to be?”Arjen asked.
“It’ll take a little while to find that out.But I sense your power, your darkness, your pain.”The Alchemist narrowed his eyes and stroke his chin.
“So I wonder, maybe you are neither.”He said.

“You know nothing of me.”Arjen said.
“And neither do you.”The Alchemist pointed at Shanra.”But She does.”
“Oh, I’m just a girl with a gun, all I know is how to shoot things… and a little piloting.But I’m curious.Why are your protecting this place, why is it so important?”She said.

The Alchemist chuckled.”Perceptive aren’t you?Very well, I tell you the history of this place.”

“Know that, once, there was a great war ravaging this system.Two factions, spent decades, hell bent on destroying each other.They stood their ground equally.Each successful victory countered by a humiliating defeat.Each promising opportunity equalized by a moment of miserable misfortune, on and on and on.”The Alchemist said.

“But there must be a winner in the end, always!When the balance was finally tipped in the favour of one, the other lost their ground, so quickly they could barely react.In their desperation, the retreated to this place, preparing a final act of defiance.They created a ritual that could save their kind and obliterate the other.Unfortunately though, they made a fatal error in their calculation and destroyed themselves, instead.”He said.


“I do admire the lesson in history but you didn’t answered the second part of question.”Arjen said.He was suspicious about this man, for obvious reasons.He felt the force in him, yet shown no signs of being affected the same way Arjen was.”Why is it so important?”He said.

“This place holds secrets, still.Now there is one question left.Should I share them with you?”The Alchemist said.

“I care little about sorcery.But I’m curious who’s behind the name Alchemist.”Arjen said.
“It is of no importance to you, believe me!Lets just say I’m a curious man.”He replied.

“Very well, point me into the right direction, and we’ll leave.”Arjen said.
“Not so fast, my friend.I cannot let you out, just like that.You stumbled on my territory, and I can’t allow you to risk my work here.But I’m a generous man.Join me, pledge your loyalty, and I share you knowledge, beyond your wildest dreams.You can keep the woman as your slave.”

“Wow, what a compelling offer.”Shanra said, sarcastically

“Sorry but my loyalty belongs to somewhere else, already.I’m not interested .”Arjen responded with spite, and anger in his voice.

The Alchemist strengthened his tone.”You don’t understand.It is not a choice.”He waved his hand over the embers.
The flames risen in the tinker, brightening the room, just enough for them to see the vile secret concealed by the shadows.

Arjen finally saw the dread that was hidden from his sight.The imperials, the ones who came here before them, were all dead, and had all been hanged on the walls by chains.

 

Part Three



“Is this suppose to intimidate me?”Arjen spew.
“I strongly advise you to rethink your decision.”The Alchemist looked upon them ,with a stern expression.
“Okay, That’s enough!”Shanra raised her weapon to shoot, but The Alchemist was faster.He raised his hand and released a wave of telekinetic energy that threw her across the chamber, but left Arjen unscattered.

Arjen was shocked for a moment, staring at her unconscious body.Then he turned back to The Alchemist.

“There’s nothing to reconsider!But before I kill you, tell me who do you serve?Sith or someone else?”
“Sith?”The Alchemist laughed.”I serve no one!”
Arjen ignited his yellow blade.”Then you are no be use for us, at all.”He said.

“Oh don’t think I would face you on my own.”The Alchemist smiled, bemused.

As the words has spoken the altar began to glow with unnatural light, and some of the masked, ragged corpses begin to move.
They stood up, slowly, with rusted, broken blades in hand.Their fragile skin could barely contain their yellow bones and dried muscles.
At first they slowly turned towards him.Even though they were dead, Arjen sensed rage, and pain in them.It didn’t took for him to realize these are some sort of undead creatures, probably puppeteered by the Alchemist’s dark sorcery.

Arjen found himself surrounded by a dozen of these creature, and they left him no time to think, or plan.They launched their assault with blinding speed and agility.

Arjen lashed out with a horizontal cut to his right, bisecting the incoming attacker, then he reached out with his left, and intercepted and an incoming strike by grabbing the other at the wrist.

A golden flash of plasma cut through the undead’s neck, and left shoulder.But one of the other creatures, were came from behind, with an overhead slash.The rusty blade cut deep through Arjen’s jacket, into his flesh.

He roared and lashed out with a savage cut, across the chest.But the were more to come.

Arjen hacked them left and right, cutting through waves after waves of puppeteered un-life, in a Shii-Cho frenzy.

No it wasn’t form I, anymore!It was something more sinister, more dangerous.But there was no choice, he had to tap into the dark or he and Shanra will die here, and truth been told, He did not cared anymore.

Each strike, each destroyed enemy, made him stronger.He no longer felt pain, or exhaust, but the unalterable drive to kill.Soon he was surrounded by a circle of corpses, hacked into pieces.Limbs lying all over the floor.

But the dead cares little for such horror.For each obliterated puppet, two more came to life and rushed him, in fury.

The Alchemist simply stood by and watched the occurring massacre, in front of him.Strangely however, he shown no emotion at all.No joy, no hate, nothing.

“You dare to take me, lightly?”Arjen thought.He drawn on his rage, and unleashed a blast of force energy, so strong, it turned all of his foes into dried chunks of bones and skin.

He took no pause and leaped towards the Alchemist, with blade in hand, ready to strike.But the Alchemist did not move, not even an inch.

Then, suddenly, as Arjen’s blade nearly reached his throat, he raised his hand, and released dancing cascades of blue lightning.

Arjen tried to put his blade between him and the blast, but it was too late.It struck him in the chest so hard, he went flying across the room.

He fell to the ground, with a loud thump, hitting his ribs, and head against the floor.He tried to stand up but his body, all of his bones burned in pain.He could not move, he could barely even breath.His body was giving up.

The Alchemist slowly walked to him.His expression showed disappointment.”Poor fool.”He said.
“You have such potential, but I’m not gave up on you, yet.”The man released another wave of lightning.

Arjen felt the electricity running wild in himself.It felt like if his body was burning from inside-out.

Is that it?Is this how he ends?In a dusty tomb of a planet, no one knows or cares about.His plans, and goals, all led to this?The Great Retribution, the rebuilding of the order has been denied for him, just so?

Shanra shook her head as she tried to clear her mind of what happened.She looked up with a blurred vision, at fist.But as her sight cleared, she saw Arjen lying helpless, tortured by The Alchemist’s powers.But then she saw something else.

The altar, that laid in the far was glowing, with some strange light.A light that was getting brighter, and brighter, with each scream, that leaves Arjen’s throat.

She jumped on foot, and raised her Gauss weapon on the altar.The rails of magnets propelled the solid metal rounds into the altar with speed faster than any blaster bolt.Shard flew in the air and the faceted object jerked lightning all across the air.

“What have you done, you fool?!”Shouted, the man in crimson.Then the altar exploded, with white light, sending chunks of it all over the place, and knock Shanra on her back end.

Shanra took another aim, this time, at the man in crimson, who seemed disturbed by the explosion.

The Alchemist raised his hand, perhaps to exercise some kind of power in the force, but it was too late.He could not contend with the high velocity ammunition of Shanra’s weapon.

His left arm has been separated from his should in a crimson haze of blood.”It’s not over yet!”He shouted, and jumped into the deep hole behind the ornate chalice.

Shanra dropped the weapon, and ran to Arjen’s motionless body.He was broken, wounded, charred, but still alive.”Wake up, Arjen!Wake up!Hear me, damn it!”


Meanwhile on Teth.


Holgan was disgusted by the view in front of him.The room was large,white and sterile.Numerous jars and containers set in a concentric circle around the computer in the middle.
Each contained things, the Doctor called ‘biological components’.Brains,spines and various other body parts,from various species for her experiments and research.

This disgust were deepened even more when he put his hands on the research data, and holo recordings.

He turned and looked at the kaminolan female.His eyes spew fury.But he spoke with a calm, almost cold tone.”There is a lot to explain, Doctor!”

 

The Deal

“So, what do you think?”Holgan said to Shanra.They sat in a room, full of monitors, each observing a part of the castle of planet Teth.

She shrugged.”I don’t know.”
“Oh, don’t give me this nonsense, you know what am I talking about.What do you think of him, what is your analysis?”He pressed the issue.
“Look, I have to dig deeper than that, I only knew him for a few months, and he is not a particularly extrovert person.”She said.
“That never been a problem before, just tell me what do you think of him?”Holgan asked.

Shanra took a deep breath, and sighed.”He is… hard to figure out, I never really know what is going on in his head.He is introvert, and always keep a sense of… distance, just what I expected from a jedi, but he is somehow… more cold, violent, ruthless.He does not show compassion or mercy.””Can we trust him?”Holgan asked.
“I think… maybe.”Shanra said.”He seems to have a sort of honor code, but I have to dig deeper than that.”

Holgan cogged.”I see can we somehow ensure his loyalty to us?”
“I don’t know for sure, maybe I could try to seduce him, but… it feels wrong, after what happened on Tekada.He seemed so… wounded.I don’t want to take advantage of him, but will do it, if you need it. ”

“No, no, I won’t order you to do anything like this, think about it and decide yourself.”Holgan tried comforted her.
“What about this ‘Neural Web’ project?”She asked.

“I tried to fight against their decision but the others want the project to continue, and under their hands.They said ‘Such opportunity cannot be wasted.’
“He will not like it.”Shanra said.
“Oh I don’t like it either, it is a distasteful, and cruel method, and I would shot it down if I could.But I’ve been outvoted.”

Shanra shook her head.“What did we got ourselves, dad?”She stood up and left the room.

But Holgan wasn’t alone in the room.”Barkas.”He said.
As the name was spoken, a tall figure of a wequay emerged from the shadows, right next to Holgan.
His voice was booming and emotionless.”Yes, sir?”

“What did you found on Tekada?”Holgan asked.
“We descended deep into the tomb, and found large amount of scriptures, murals, and relics.We are cataloged the seventy percent of them, by now.”
“And what about this ‘Alchemist’ person they spoke of.Did you found him?”
“Negative, we found no corpse, if he did not die from the blood-loss, he might be still alive.”
Holgan’s face contorted by concern.“I see, keep your eyes open, and give me the list when you finished.”
“Yes, sir.”The wequay responded, and intended to leave, but then suddenly stopped by Holgan’s question.”What do you think of him?”

“He is a warrior.Or a beast.But which one I do not know, not even he does.”Barkas responded.


Arjen looked down on his lightsaber, with satisfaction in his heart.Though he wasn’t a particular expert in mechanics, but just like every Jedi, he too learned to build and maintain his lightsaber.A necessary skill to possess.

It was a sturdy, and durable design, ideal for field agents like him.What made it different from most other design, was the slightly narrowed mid-section, which accommodated a one handed grip.

He stood up, and looked around in the room.This place was a large storage room, where containers had been kept, once.But that was a time when this castle was still inhabited by its original owners.Now it was as empty as the rest of the place.Perfect for practice.

He turned on his lightsaber, and drawn a half circle into the ground in front of him.Then he assumed a guard position.Saber held in two hand at chin height, on the left side, blade pointing towards the enemy.Then he began

He turned his blade into a sweeping horizontal cut from the left, and transitioned into an angular uppercut from the right, then a thrust, a parry, an overhead ripost, and so on, followed by great many variations of lunges, cuts, parries, and flurries.

Though he lacked the necessary sources to properly learn, Arjen was able to recall the basic teachings of many lightsaber forms, and after a careful consideration, he decided to keep his focus on the ferocious, and randomised style of Shii-Cho.The technical, and precise form of Makashi.The flexible, and complex form of Niman.

Arjen moved blindingly fast, for the human eye.His blade was like a hurricane of yellow plasma around him as he jumped, flipped, rolled around the cargo hold.

His personalized velocities ranged from quick flurries of sweeping, randomised strikes, that overwhelms the opponents defense, and a series of defensive cross cuts, and parries to intercept the opponent’s strikes and stealing their momentum.

For some people the sight of such demonstration would’ve been an amazing display of skill, and power, but Arjen was not satisfied, something was missing.

Then the inevitable realization has lingered in his mind.No matter how skilled you are with the lightsaber, the only those could succeed who have a powerful connection to the force.All the greatest lightsaber duelists, who ever existed, had a powerful connection to the force.

It doesn’t matter how much you practice, if your foes are simply faster, and stronger than you.

He stopped as he heard the magnetic doors open.Shanra came in, with a nervous smile on her face.Arjen threw out the formalities and went to the point.“Where is she?”
“The Doctor?Well she enjoys the hospitality of Holgan’s business partners.How do you feel, all you all right?”
“You mean, you took her for your own, so you could exploit her knowledge, and she is probably complying without hesitance.She is a Kaminolan.I don’t trust her, and I see no reason to trust you.”
“After I saved your life?!”She said, in anger.
“Forgive me if I’m not naively devour your act as a sign of compassion, we both know you were there to spy on me!”
“Oh, don’t act like you are a saint!You created this… Neural Web madness!”
“Yes, and your ‘dear little, Holgan’ took it for his own.”
“Don’t dare to talk about him like that, he abhors this idea, as much as I do! Can’t you see that this is wrong?!”

Arjen finally lost his composure.”Wrong?!”He said.

“I tell you what is wrong!Shooting your Generals, in the back!The ones who led you, and kept you alive for years!To raid their temple, and kill everyone, from masters to younglings!Betray us, like the past three years, matters nothing!That is wrong!My own men shot me down, damn it!

His word struck Shanra, who just looked at him, in silence.The moment seemed eternal, but she finally broke out from the shock.“So it is all about revenge?”She said

Arjen calmed himself, with a deep breath.“Yes.What did you thought, that the Jedi, just simply shrugs, and move on, with stoicism in our heart?That we don’t feel loss, and pain?We can’t cry, hate or lust?We do, we simply learn to calm it, extinguish it through discipline.”He said.

She stepped closer to him.”This can’t end well.”She said.

“What other choice I have?Play a childish revolution?Stealing supplies, plant bombs, and leave messages of ‘Hail the Resistance’?It would be like, fleabites for a Krayt dragon.”

“So what now?”He asked.
“I don’t know.”Shanra said.”In the end it is Holgan’s decision, but whatever happens, we drink!”

A mild smile appeared on Arjen, then sensed another presence, coming their way.He looked at the door, and saw the short frame of Holgan Novigo, appear.The old man came in with a data pad in his hand, but his mysterious shadow was missing.

“Good timing, we’re just talking about you.”Shanra said.
“Oh, good, good.It’s about time for us to get things clear.”The old man said.

Arjen felt a sense of antagonism, coming from him, which only fed his own distrust.

“I’ve consulted with my ‘Associates’ and created a suitable deal for you.”Holgan said.His voice was diplomatic, yet distant.”You can resume your project.”

Arjen sighed, but his first moment of relief were brushed away by the initial thoughts that followed by.It is too easy, there must be a catch, he knew.

“Under certain conditions.”Holgan continued, proving Arjen’s suspicion.”First:No experiment on sepient beings.Second:We’ll put the project under my suprevision.Third:If the project successful, and we can use it on the fields, we will make sure that everyone, who’s under the influence of the Neural Web, will be relieved from it, as soon as possible.I won’t allow the creation of a slave army."

Arjen crossed his arms, in disappointment.”So, you put leash on the project, that could hinder its success, and on the top of that, you take it away from under my hand.”

“You can be happy that I allow the project to exist, in the first place, boy.”The old man responded.
”But, though I may take with one hand, I give with the other.”He threw the data pad to Arjen.

“Hmph… You have nothing that I would… “Arjen caught off guard, by what he saw.

On the list there was something, he haven’t seen for years.A holocron.One of the most precious, sacred relic of the Jedi, ever made.Suddenly a thousand thoughts raced in Arjen’s mind.Who’s holocron is this?What of secrets does it hold?

The mere possibility that he could hold such thing in his hand, filled him with reverence, and joy.

“It seems your mission on Tekada was prosperous, after all.”The old man said.

“Yes it is, but what if I refuse?”Arjen said.

Holgan smiled.”You won’t, that’s why I presented it to you.We may even help you to find more of such.If our cooperation proves beneficial, of course.”

“Very well, old man.I accept your offer, but one more thing.Two, to be accurate.Droids.The strongest, and quickest you can afford, with upgradable memory bank, and adaptive, learning algorithm, armed with electro-staff. ”Arjen said.

Holgen responded with a measured nod“I’ll look around, and see if I can get them.”He said.

Later

In the last five years, this was the first time when Arjen truly felt happy.As he held the Holocron in his hand, his mind was filled with the possibilities of secrets, it could held.Detailed knowledge about lightsaber combat?Or teachings of the higher mysteries?

Now, sitting in his room, his only company was this glowing, ocean blue relic, so precious, so sacred, he was hesitant to open it.

What it he fail to unlock it?What if he damages it?What if… he is not worthy?

He felt a presence coming nearby, a presence he got use to, for a while, a presence, sweat like honey, from planet Crucival.Not in a literal sense, of course, but few other words were adequate, enough to describe the feel.

A short beeping noise broke the silence.

“Open!”He said.The door opened, and Shanra came in with a bottle in her hand, and a bemused look on her face.



On Tekada


The Alchemist looked down on his cybernetic arm, with repulsion, and amusement at the same time.Though such metallic constructs provided some objective benefits than one’s own flesh, it was still an unnatural creation.A place where the force could not flow, a cold cluster of circuits, servos, metal alloys.And now this dead body has inseparably bonded to his own, and truth be told, he missed his nerve endings.

But at the same time it was a strange, amusing little testament of the mundane’s talent, as limited as they are.The medical droid that made and installed this arm, was made by a factory, the factory was created through machines, and those machines created, and operated by mundanes.

A legacy of cold steel, built on the mundane’s loathsome, undeserved desire for greatness, and pathetic fear of death.But why would they deserve such?Why would they deserve to be remembered at all?

They don’t.

The truth is that the galaxy has been shaped by the ones with the gift of the force, and the rest are just cattle, only exist to be used, then thrown away.They have their uses, that is true, but in the end, they are simply inferior.

But there is something much more important subject to address.The man he met in the tombs, before.The man with the golden blade.”Bring the potions!”He commanded the medical droid, standing behind him.

“But master, your body just experienced a serious shock, it is not advised to stress it further.”The droid said.

“The force will sustain my body, as it did before.Bring the potions, now!”The Alchemist commanded.
“Yes, master.”Came the answer.

The droid left for a short while and returned with an old, rusty, case.The mechanic servant opened it, and The Alchemist, took out three small potions, and took a short slip from each one.

Then he sat down on the floor cross legged and prepared his body and mind for the ritual.He opened himself to the full extent of the Force.The cosmic energies swirled, wrestled, and coiled in sinister embrace, inside, and around him.

His body was shaking, and sweating, but it did not mattered to him, he was going deeper, and deeper in the Force, keeping that particular stranger in focus.

Pictures, and images started to flash in front of his mind’s eye, too quick, too many for him to grasp their meaning, and then he lost his consciousness.

 

Rewrites incoming.