Saga VC-VI - Encounter with Darkness - One Man's quest to accomplish the impossible.

(This is a self contained story in a series named The Versai Chronicles.)

NOTE - This takes place many years after the events of ANH and is reflected by Val writing his memories into a leather bound book.



THE VERSAI CHRONICLES ? CHAPTER SIX ? ENCOUNTER WITH DARKNESS

Shortly after I had finished sending Krevlin to his grave?the pain was still there, the hatred didn?t die when his office was destroyed. I could not get the image out of my head, night after night her eyes?her expression, her limp body haunted me.

Gen Zeridian, my most prized possession, my deepest love was lost to me?I was alone, from the moment on into the next day my path was now without direction, without purpose?without a place to call home. Perhaps it was fate that led me to watch the older man, I now know as Obi Wan Kenobi face off against the phantasm that was known as Lord Vader, a high stature warrior with a checkered past and the blood of hundreds upon thousands on his hands. I knew he assisted in the Jedi Purge. I know what he was capable of, so I chose to avoid him?to get away before he discovered the truth.

As written in the second chronicle, I did cross paths with him and manage to escape. However it is now that I feel the whole story must be revealed further. After leaving the Death Star, I headed in a stolen shuttle to a planet off in the far regions of Yavin, there I sought to disappear but destiny did not allow me to escape so easily.

It was then that I felt him?the darkness, the power, the intimidation. Lord Vader?s TIE Advanced ship crashed violently upon the surface of the planet. How I don?t know, why he was led here?I can only speculate that perhaps the guardians of the force were upset with me for disturbing the peace of Obi Wan?s last location, stealing his lightsaber?I feel I must have inherited his curse somehow. His curse with Lord Vader, the connection you see.

Vader recovered well from the wreckage and it was not long before he also sensed my presence on the planet. Trying to escape in my shuttle as he tracked me down, my craft was hurled to the ground by his immense control of the force, shearing off one of the tri-tipped wings with immeasurable skill.

Then it was time to decide who would walk away. He wanted the weapon back?he knew I had it, he sensed the connection. I wanted to live, I had no chance against a butcher of thousands, even with my skills proficient against students in the Dark Jedi Academy. Still conflict ensued, blue white met red vengeance?Vader defeated me as quickly as I had hit the button to ignite Obi?s weapon. Hurled back hard into steel, he approached. I could hear the earth crackle under his footsteps. The sound of twigs snapping like bones.

Fear found me?he fed off that fear and tracked me down, through endless forest. I crossed rivers, I leapt across cliffs, I tried to bury my tracks but as I heeded to catch my breath I would listen and hear it?

Hoooooook puuuuuur, hoooooock, purrrrr.

The immobilizing paralysis of that sound growing louder and louder, Lord Vader was now hunting me down as he had done countless others. He would find me and he would kill me without second thought. Opposing the Jedi I had now shared their fate?but I wasn?t a Jedi, I was something more.

Gen Zeridian taught me to use fear, use the power to my advantage?to above all else, survive. Fight to survive and fight to evolve. I needed her but she was gone. Part of me wanted to let Vader take me; deliver me to the force to reunite with Gen.

But I knew if I did so, I would fail the ultimate test being put before me and ultimately, I would reunite with Gen in eternal shame. No! I was stronger then that?love and survival was stronger then anyone who opposed me.

I could not defeat the Dark Lord of the Sith with a weapon. He tossed me around like a slab of cargo. I needed to focus?needed to block out the terror of his breathing, the crunch of his footsteps. I found the courage and I found the strength in my mind, not in my fists.

I led Vader now, I became the hunter leading the prey?What V

 

This was beautifully written - you did a wonderful job creating the atmosphere, and weaving all of that fast-paced action.

One of the few that faced Lord Vader and lived to tell the tale. (Excellent onomonopeia, by the way - I think I've finally found the perfect one. A lot better than "Hull-tah", anyway. )