Brothers

[Karmack]

Hey!  Welcome back!

The character interactions were great, and this may be the first "Jedi" cross-guard hilt I've read a construction sequence on.  Awesome description.  :-)

But I think the part that intrigues me the most is the droid.  The way L2 enjoyed the hunt of the deer...   A droid actually savoring a hunt, extending it...  Wow. 

Makes me wonder, though....  ;-)

[Taegin Roan]

I loved this chapter. I really liked the parts with Tas building her saber, and L2 hunting, those were interesting. But I think my favorite was the very last scene with Heddit fighting Tas, and totally owning her.

[Lord_S_Gray]

I like the kind of rural Idyll they are living in, emphasised by cool things like the Koloa trees, the kind of 'happiest days' feel it has, everyone learning and living enjoying their roles, even the droid in a macabre way. Yet there is that hint of doubt at the end with Heditt...is it all too good to be true...look forward to finding out.

[TheDrunkenConsular]

Thanks guys!  I always love your comments, but please forgive me for not replying to everyone individually, the ONLY reason I don't is because I'm sure I would inadvertently spoil something.  But, without further ado, the next chapter!

CHAPTER 9: Do Droids Dream of Electric Nerfs?

     The floor Addy stood on was stone.  So was the ceiling, both of them faintly washed in the yellow light of his blade.  He couldn't see for more than ten feet in any direction.  Behind him, he could feel the presence of the Sith Lord.  Without entirely wanting to, he began placing his feet one in front of the other, every cell in his body screaming that he must escape the Dark Lord.  His steps got quicker, and quicker, until he was at a dead run.  The presence never felt like it was more that a few feet behind him, always ready to reach out and grab him.  His breath became ragged, and he stumbled, falling to his knees.  The presence behind him vanished.  
     "You know you can't escape it."  The cracked, dry voice spoke.  As always, the old man stood before him now.  Addy looked hatefully up into his eyes.  They were grey, and looked for all the world like chips of stone.  Long white hair framed his withered face, and a snowy beard reached nearly to his belt, obscuring his ornately embroidered grey robes.  From his belt hung a long-hilted lightsaber, and he leaned on a wooden staff.  "You can run for the rest of your life, son, and you'll never escape him.  Not alone, at least."
     Addy felt the darkness emanating from the old figure, and tried to steel himself. "I'm not alone." He replied, attempting to sound strong, but to his own ears, the words came out sounding small and meek.
     "You are worse than alone.  You surround yourself with cowardly vermin, content to spend their lives scurrying wretchedly from hiding spot to hiding spot."  The old man scoffed.  "You have the power to be a king, but instead, you toss and turn at night in a mud hut like some kind of savage."
    Addy was silent, but anger began to run through him.
     "You want the nightmares to stop, boy?  Then take control of your destiny!" The old man said, raising his voice.
     "I don't know how!"  Addy shouted in response, standing and preparing to swing his lightsaber, intent on cutting the old man down.  As soon as he brought the blade to bear, his eyes snapped open, and he was awake.  
     Addy sat up and rubbed his eyes.  Something felt different.  It took him a moment to realize what it was, before he began hurriedly throwing his few belongings into a backpack.  He knew what to do now.

     Rakham wasn't sure if it was the sound that woke him, or the disturbance he felt in the Force, but as his eyes snapped open, he found himself staring directly into Dala's blue irises.  
     "What's happening?"  He asked her groggily, as the two dragged themselves out of bed and reached for their weapons.  It looked like they'd both awoken at the same moment.
    "It sounds like the Fugitive."  She replied.  The high pitched whine turned to a roar as the two ran outside, and they made it just in time to see the Corellian freighter tear into the night sky.  Looking around, they saw that Heditt and Tasrii were standing outside in their nightclothes looking just as bewildered as Rakham and Dala.
     "Did Addy steal the ship?"  Tasrii asked no one in particular.
     "There's no way.  There's no way."  Heditt kept repeating, rushing into Adkai's Koloa hut.  The others followed him, and found it empty, without so much as a note.  None of them quite knew what to do, and eventually an argument broke out between the brothers.  Heditt was certain that Addy had good reason for whatever he was doing, while Rakham was convinced that he'd betrayed them.  Tasrii tentatively took Rakham's side, and Dala attempted in vain to mediate between them.  The argument lasted for hours, until it was cut short by L2.
     "Masters!"
     "Masters!"
     "Masters!  Stop fighting!"  Eltoo increased her volume to maximum, finally drawing the attention of everyone gathered around.
     "What!?" Rakham said exasperatedly.
     "Trouble."  She pointed a finger towards the sky.  A great black triangle had blotted out a section of stars, and if one looked closely, the shape of troop transports could be seen descending.
     "Oh, no."  Dala said softly.  "Please, no.  Not now."  
     "Everyone, grab your gear and get ready!"  Heditt said calmly, the argument forgotten.  Tasrii and Eltoo ducked off to gather armor and weapons.  Rakham and Dala embraced one another, each of them promising that they'd protect the other, before doing the same.

     Ten minutes later, a motley crew had assembled in the clearing.  Dala and Rakham wore traditional Jedi robes and cloaks with their hoods up and lightsabers in hand.  Tasrii wore her Mandalorian armor under a heavy cloak, and with the crossguard saber in her hand and a sawn off DLT-19 slung across her back, she could have been mistaken for an ancient Jedi crusader.  A clean black jumpsuit and equipment belt carrying a lightsaber, DL-44 blaster, several thermal detonators and assorted slicing tools adorned Heditt.  L2, having given her "compact" weapon to Tasrii, was now carrying a rather large autolaser, with two DL-44s on her hips and a T-21 rifle on her back.  A rough, hooded burlap poncho concealed her metal features, and Rakham was fairly certain he could spot at least three eight inch vibroblades on her person.
     "As far as I can tell, we only have one option here.  We have to lure them away from their shuttles and steal one.  From there, with a little luck, we'll be able to get out of here.  No matter how it plays out, there's going to be a fight.  When they land, I need three of you to draw them away and then circle back.  I'll get aboard one of the shuttles and hijack it. I need one of you to stay with me and watch my back."
     "I'll do it."  Tasrii stepped forward and extended her hand.  "Let me prove that I'm on your side."
     Heditt paused for a moment and reached out to shake the gauntlet firmly.  "Let's get it done.  Everybody, get ready.  We don't have long."

     The five fugitives shrank back into the woods to wait.  None of them could tell exactly where Tasrii and Heditt had disappeared to, but that was probably a good sign. It wasn't as long as it felt like before the sound of shuttles drew near, and the drone of a TIE fighter sounded.  Two shuttles set down in the clearing, and several other continued overhead.  It looked like at least fifty Stormtroopers disembarked, most of them immediately rushing the Koloa huts, the others establishing a perimeter.  Knowing that it would only be a few seconds before their cover was blown by sensors, Rakham turned to L2.
    "L2-A1, fetch me a drink."  The activation code unlocked the safety blocks in Eltoo's programming, and her photoreceptors flashed bright red.
     "Understood, Master Rakham.  Please, stand clear."

     As usual, L2 was completely in her element as the autolaser spooled up.  A laugh came from her unmoving chrome lips, and she stepped out into the open, unbroken beams of green energy tearing from her laser into the ranks of the Stormtroopers.  With her safeties deactivated, her reflexes were twice as fast as any of the troopers', and she swung the laser from target to target with astonished speed, sidestepping what incoming fire she was able to, and letting her armor absorb what she wasn't.  Dala and Rakham seemed to be in more danger than Eltoo, even though the Stormtroopers couldn't have even know that they were there. Dala reached for Rakham's hand and gripped it tight, before letting go and activating her lightsaber. Rakham did the same, and both of them rose to face the music.


     Twenty meters into the forest on the other side of the clearing, Heditt and Tasrii watch silently as L2 cut down troopers like wheat before a scythe.  In a moment, they saw the blue and green glow of lightsabers batting blaster bolts back towards the troopers, before all three of them drew back into the treeline, taking most of the troopers with them.  Half a dozen of them remained, attempting again to establish a perimeter while radioing to their command that they'd located the Jedi. Through the Force, Heditt indicated that it was time to move.  He would use a stealth generator to get aboard one of the shuttles, she would handle the guards.
     Tasrii's mind flitted for just a moment to how imposing she must look, marching out of the forest with a flowing cloak over blood red armor, lit by the fires started by L2's laser.  With a screech, her lightsaber came to life exactly as she stepped out into the clearing, and she couldn't help grinning as the sound finally drew the attention of two troopers, who stumbled and fell over one another trying to get away from her.

     Fear is a weapon as dangerous to you as it is to your enemies, apprentice.  Rakham's voice echoed in her head.
     Sorry, Master.  She sent back guiltily, seizing the chance to snatch the two fallen troopers' weapons with the Force and fling them into the forest.  Another trooper fired at her, and she found herself in the attention of everyone in the clearing.  Deflecting the bolt with a spin, she slammed the Force into him, knocking him back into the hull of his shuttle.  Three troopers remained outside of the shuttles, all of them firing at her.  The first one was isolated from the others, but Tasrii deflected a few of their blaster bolts into his chest.  She continued to march toward the last two, who took cover around the nose of a shuttle, firing sporadically.  Within a moment, she was upon them.  Using the Force to snatch one of them off his feet and around the corner, her lightsaber met his midriff, and his momentum carried him through it.  Before his upper half hit the ground, she rounded the corner, bringing her blade down across the last trooper's blaster rifle, cutting it in two and inadvertently severing a few of his fingers, causing him to howl in pain.
     "Sorry about that, but isn't it better than the alternative?" She asked him, but before he could respond or react, she slammed his head against the nose of the speeder, knocking him out cold with a solid Thunk!  Heditt looked up from his work inside the viewport, distracted by the noise, and flashed a quick grin at Tasrii, who replied with a thumbs up and an ear to ear smile that was hidden by her helmet.

     Eltoo pulled the trigger of the autolaser, switched to a different target and pulled it again before realizing with disappointment that it had stopped firing.  Grabbing it by the almost red hot barrel, she slung the twenty-five pound cannon at a nearby trooper, not waiting to see it smash his helmet and kill him him instantly.  Instead, she drew her DL-44s, and began firing them simultaneously at different targets, rarely missing, but not always killing.  It seemed like the troopers kept scurrying forward like armored roaches no matter how many she hit.
     This was a good time.
     A blaster bolt slammed into L2's chest, but she kept going.  Alarms were going off in her programming; that one had hurt.  More infuriated by this than anything, L2 began to forget the objective.  She had to kill these Stormtroopers.  Had to protect Masters. Her feet began to move in the opposite direction, back towards the troopers. She faintly heard Rakham call out her name, but that wasn't important.  A Stormtrooper leaned around a tree right in front of her and fired, the bolt ripping the blaster from her left hand.  In response, she drew a vibroblade from her belt with the newly freed hand, whipping it at the trooper who'd fired the shot.  The blade buried itself in his neck, and he fell to his back clutching at it.  Continuing her forward march, L2 placed a foot on the dying trooper's chest and fired down into his faceplate.  A bolt burned into her own face, taking out a photoreceptor and impairing her vision.  She kept firing and walking until, finally, the DL-44's power pack was drained. She dropped it, moving much more sluggishly now and taking a myriad of hits as her programming screamed, and reached for the T-21 on her back.  The high powered blaster made short work of trooper armor, and finally, with a trail of carnage and white plated bodies behind her, L2 stepped into the clearing again.  One more trooper remained, dragging himself across the ground on his back, his right leg trailing uselessly due to a blaster wound.  L2 pointed the blaster at him, and pulled the trigger over and over, her damaged circuitry failing to comprehend that it was overheated.  Finally, she tossed it aside, and grapped both of the trooper's legs.  He screamed as she swung him into a tree, but after he hit with a sickening crunch, there was silence.  L2-A1, perhaps the finest battle droid ever created, fell to her knees.  As the red light faded from her remaining eye, she saw Rakham running across the clearing from the shuttles towards her.  Behind him, Dala and Tasrii.  Heditt could be seen preparing the shuttle for takeoff.  The mission had been accomplished.  Her masters were safe.  If Eltoo had been capable of smiling, she'd have been beaming with joy as one last thought flickered across her circuitry.
     A good time indeed.

CHAPTER END


  
 
    

[Lord_S_Gray]

I like the switch here, everyone's looking at Tasrii, then something...deep in Addy makes him suddenly flip.  Still the imperials arrived very soon after he left, almost too soon to have been sent by him specifically.  Is L2 related to Hk-47 by any chance?

[Karmack]

L2-A1, a droid, became ... lost in berzerker blood-lust?  Wow...  As much as I like Eltoo, I think that this death in battle may be the best thing that could have happened to all of them. 

And I think LSG is right, Eltoo MUST be related to HK-47.  :-) 

DC, great chapter entry!  The 'other shoe' definitely dropped with Addy.  That line, "he knew what he had to do", is a nice hat-tip to Kylo Ren.  A bit of foreshadowing?  Or maybe the old man is ... Snoke?  LOL

Great story you have going!  Looking forward to seeing how they pull this exit off!  Especially since they're now down a freighter!

[TheDutchman]

Yeah, poor Addy.  I wonder who the mysterious old man is...

Wonderful writing TDC.  If that's L2's "swan song" it was a fitting end to the droid (but personally I'd like to see "her" back  ) but, fittingly, bittersweet.  Like I said: the more I read about this group, the more that I want to learn about them 

Keep it up TDC!  BTW: LOVE the Philip K. Dck title reference 

[Illyiss]

*stands and applauds*  Bravisimo!

[TheDrunkenConsular]

Thanks guys!  I though you would enjoy that one!  This one has some concepts that I think are going to expand into something very cool over the next few chapters, but we'll have to wait and see!

CHAPTER 10: The Smuggler's Moon

     Miraculously, none of the Imperials seemed to notice when the stolen shuttle lifted off and shot away at max speed, skimming the treetops as Heditt attempted to put as much space between them and the Imperials as possible.  Once he deemed it safe, they broke atmosphere and made a lightspeed jump to empty space. 

     L2-A1's body was placed in an escape pod, with her weapons beside her, and launched into space.  In a last act of defiance on L2's behalf, they aimed the pod towards the last position of the Star Destroyer over Oros, though the knew it was unlikely it would hit.  It was a simple funeral, as a droid, Eltoo had no connection to the Force, and she would not return to it, but all of them still considered her more than that, especially Rakham.  The others comforted him as a tear rolled down his face, but they didn't have time to mourn, soon the Imperials would come looking for this shuttle.

     "Where can we go?" Tasrii asked as they returned to the cockpit.
     "I can only think of one place." Rakham said.  "But Heditt's not going to like it."
     "Oh, no.  Absolutely not."  Heditt said, sensing what was on Rakham's mind.
     "The Imperials don't go there, and my friends planetside have been hiding successfully for a lot longer than we have.  They can help us."
     "By 'friends' you mean the cartel of Dark Jedi criminals, right?"
     "Do you have a better idea?" Dala said, sensing Rakham's thoughts as well.
     Heditt was silent.
     "It's settled then.  Set course for Nar Shadaa."

     Often called the Smuggler's Moon, Nar Shadaa was a haven for criminal activity of all sorts.  The grimy streets were littered with garbage, and inhabited by chem dealers and vagrants.  It very much reminded Tasrii of the station on which she'd grown up.  Heditt eyed every person they passed uneasily, while Dala looked on the sick and unfortunate homeless  with sadness.  Rakham was the only one who didn't appear to be particularly bothered, striding purposefully towards their destination, which turned out to be a nondescript door down a particularly uninviting alley.  Beside the door an apparently homeless man sat, wearing dirty, baggy clothes, but neatly trimmed hair and a clean face.
     "We're here to see Nadia and Anton." Rakham told him.
     "Piss off."
     "Listen friend, I'm about fifteen years out of date on the passwords, so if you could just go tell Nadia that Rakham Crescentfall wants to talk, I'd appreciate it."
     "Piss. Off."
     "I see how it is."  Rakham sighed, before using the Force to wrench the man to his feet and press him against the wall.
     "Go.  Tell Nadia."  His words echoed with the Force, and the man gulped and nodded, scurrying through the door as quickly as he could.  It was hardly a moment before the door opened again, and a wildly animated, remarkably petite human woman wearing dark clothes and makeup rushed out, immediately leaping to wrap her arms around Rakham's neck, planting a kiss on his cheek.
     "Rakham!  Ve knew you vould be back!  It takes more than a little purge to kill the galaxy's greatest Jedi!"  She said excitedly, in a thick accent with heavy rolling r's.
     "It's good to see you too, Nadia."  He said, turning red in the face and attempting to pry the little Dark Jedi off off his neck with limited success, until finally she dropped down to her feet of her own accord.  Dala eyed the exchange with mirth, a grin tugging at her lips  "Where is your brother?"
     "Anton is doing business.  You know how it is."  She replied.  "Now, stop being rude and introduce your companions!"
     "Of course.  This is my brother, Heditt, my apprentice, Tasrii, and my wife, Dala.  Everyone, this is Nadia, a very old friend."
     As Nadia bowed to the trio, who were somewhat taken aback by the eccentric woman before them, they all took the chance to get a look at her.  She wore a black tunic, and a lightsaber with a clawed emitter hung from her belt. Her hair was black and cropped short, and her skin was pale.  She had sharp features, and tattoos crept up her neck.  To the two older Jedi, she looked dangerous.  To Tasrii, she looked like a fellow fighter.
      "It's wonderful to meet you all, I'm sure."  Nadia said, her accent coming under control somewhat as she got over her initial excitement at seeing Rakham again after so many years.  "Now, why don't we go inside and discuss the reason for your visit?"

     Through the door was a rather inviting cantina.  A droid stood behind the bar, and around a dozen patrons were scattered around, drinking, reading, or scheming amongst themselves. The lighting was soft, and a mellow, gentle tune was playing.  Nearly all of the patrons carried lightsabers, and Dala would have sworn she recognized several of them.
     "Things are different here now than they were before the Purge.  This place is now open to any Force-sensitive being who wants to avoid the Empire's detection, not only Dark Jedi."  Nadia said, gesturing to a secluded booth.  As they sat down, a small server droid wheeled over and beeped an inquiry.
     "Merenzane Gold for me."  Nadia said to it.  "And whatever my friends want, on the house."
     "Agavinol with ice.  Cazadore brand, if you still have it."  Rakham requested.  The other Jedi declined to order.  After a moment, the droid returned with their drinks, and they got down to business.
     "What brings you here, Rakham?  I don't suppose you just missed us?"  Nadia asked.
     "I'm afraid not.  You want me to start at the beginning, or skip to the important parts?"
     "I have as much time to listen as you have to tell."  She replied.
     
     So, starting with the fateful day that Oder 66 was given, Rakham told their story.  The others were still unsure whether or not to trust this woman they'd only just met, but Rakham had no reservations.  Finally, he got to Addy's theft of their starship and apparent betrayal.
     "So, we're hoping that you can help us lay low for a little while and avoid capture and execution."  He finally finished.  Nadia leaned back in her seat, considering.
     "Of course I would not let you be executed."  She said.  "But I am considering the betrayal of your fellow Jedi Knight as well.  From what you say, he was influenced by dreams, by someone far away.  It takes a powerful mind to to do that to someone.  It's not a normal feat, even for a gifted dark sider."
     "Do you know anyone capable of something like that?"  Heditt asked.
     "Not personally.  I need to speak with the others.  It's getting late, but we have an apartment upstairs you can use.  I'll show you up, and in the morning, I may know something more about your problem.  Follow me."
 
     The apartment was cozy at best, with two beds, a couch and a small kitchen, but it was clean, and relatively safe, and that was good enough for the exhausted Jedi.  Within ten minutes of Nadia leaving, Tasrii was sprawled across the couch snoring, pieces of armor scattered around and lightsaber in hand, and Dala and Rakham weren't far behind.  Even Heditt, who normally had a hard time resting in a new place, was soon fast asleep.

    When Rakham woke, he found that Tasrii was gone, and Heditt was already awake and making breakfast. Dala still lay beside him.
     "Where's Tas?"  He asked groggily.
     "Sparring with your Sith buddy."  Heditt replied.
      "They aren't Sith."
      "I know that."
      "Where are they fighting?" 
      "Up the stairs, first door on the right."
      Rolling out of bed and dressing in his Jedi robes, the only clothes he owned at the moment, he went to investigate.  Sure enough, as he rounded the top of the steps, he could hear the faint sound of clashing lightsabers.  Opening the specified door, he entered a large, well equipped training room, in the middle of which Nadia and Tasrii circled one another.  Tasrii wore her armor and cloak, and Nadia was equipped similarly in black armor, though rather than Mandalorian it seemed to be of a custom design.  Sitting cross legged at the edge of the training mat was Anton, Nadia's twin brother and, other than his his gender and average height, nearly a carbon copy of his sister.
     "How are you, Anton?" 
     "I'm well, brother.  It's good to see that you're still alive." 
     "It's been a close thing once or twice."  Rakham replied, pulling up the legs of his trousers to expose the metallic limbs.  "A gift from Vader."
     "You fought the Dark Lord and survived?" Anton asked, impressed.
     "I wouldn't have made it if I didn't have help. Still, I hope one day someone runs that bastard down and cuts his legs off to return the favor." 
     Before the conversation could continue, the fight came to a crescendo, distracting them.  Nadia was using Juyo, and the lightning fast form was punishing to Tasrii's slower, more deliberate style, but the Jedi still managed to hold her own as she was pushed backwards across the floor, her pale blue saber flashing against the blood red blade in Nadia's hands.  Suddenly, Tasrii sidestepped, letting Nadia's strike meet nothing but air and throwing her off balance, before bringing her saber around to the back of her neck, a killing blow.  Both of them deactivated their sabers.
     "That's three-three.  I think we're even."  Nadia said breathlessly, patting her opponent on the shoulder.  "You know how to fight, that much is certain."
    "Oh, I still have much to learn."  Tasrii replied modestly.  For the first time, they noticed that Rakham had entered the room, and walked over to where he and Anton sat.
    "Rakham, good morning!  I have good news, and bad news.  I think we know who has your apprentice!"  Nadia said.
     "That's excellent!  What's the bad news?" He replied.
     "I'm pretty sure he'll kill you all if you confront him."

CHAPTER END

[Illyiss]

Another great chapter, setting up, as you said, some interesting possibilities!  And the quip about Vader and taking his legs was PRICELESS!

[TheDutchman]

Interesting... Now I REALLY want to know who has Addy in his clutches.  I like the inclusion of the Dark Jedi at Nar Shadda.  And of course Rakham would be well acquainted with the periphery of society 

Keep it coming TDC!  Wonderful storytelling 

And the quip about Vader and taking his legs was PRICELESS!

LOL yes it was Illyiss!  I got a real kick out of that as well 

[Karmack]

Great entry!  These new Dark Jedi are intriguing.  And on Nar Shadaa...   *strokes chin*  There are definitely possibilities here....  ;-)

[Lord_S_Gray]

A Jedi refugee centre of sorts, makes sense to have it in Hutt space, so long as they pay their rent i'm sure the Hutts will look the other way...till someone offers them more credits...

Hmmm thinking about the person influencing Addy and the description you gave...sounds a little familiar, I may be completely wrong...but if I had to guess...starts with a J....

[TheDrunkenConsular]

Somebody needs to sell me a Flamberge emitter so I can build Tasrii's lightsaber.

CHAPTER 11: The Old Man

     The stormy moon swelled in the Fugitive's viewport.  Addy didn't know where he was, but he knew he was supposed to be here.  He could feel the pull emanating from the moon in his very bones.  Breaking into the atmosphere, the viewport was filled with nothing but grey clouds.  The Fugitive raced through the haze, leaving a trail of clear sky behind it.  Addy examined the scanners carefully.  According to the readings, there was a peak in front of the ship with energy readings that indicated some sort of habitation at the top.  He already knew that, though.  He could see the high, forlorn mountaintop in his minds eye,  with an enormous castle encapsulating it's peak, carved from the mountain itself.  It wasn't long before it loomed before him.  It was utilitarian, a great grey block, with a large flat ledge that seemed to serve as a landing pad.  Addy set the Fugitive down there.  The entrance to the castle sat directly before him, a black, gaping maw cut into the stone. A heavy feeling settled in his stomach as he stood, and prepared to face destiny.

     "What do you mean you think he'd kill us all?"  Heditt asked dubiously.  The entire group had returned to their table in the cantina.
     "He's powerful, and old.  The legends say he's been alive for centuries, and most believe that to be a short estimate."  Anton said, before Nadia continued;
      "Before the Purge, a Dark Jedi named Mal Fortige from Nar Shadaa decided to go and kill the Old Man, just to prove that he could.  He gathered seven companions to go with him, all of them powerful Force adepts.  A week after they left to find him, their ship returned, and crashed into Nar Shadaa.  Each of the eight had been decapitated and put back on the ship.  After that, it became a regular occurrence for Dark Jedi seeking to prove themselves to challenge the Old Man. None have ever returned."
       "It sounds like fabrication wrapped in legend to me."  Heditt said.  "And regardless of how much is true and how much is myth, I'm going to get my apprentice back."  A quick look at the other Jedi confirmed that they felt the same way; they weren't leaving Addy behind without a fight.  Anton and Nadia knew better than to argue with Rakham, and they could see the resolve in the eyes of the others.  These Jedi were going to try their hardest to kill the Old Man

     Addy didn't remember taking the lightsaber from his belt, but it was in his hand as he walked across the stone pad towards the gaping black cleft in the mountainside.  The feeling in his gut only got stronger, but he powered through.  Suddenly, appearing out of the blackness as though he'd stepped through a portal, the old man from his dreams was before him, merrily puffing on a clay pipe and wearing simple grey robes.
     "Welcome, Adkai."  He said, his voice gentler than it had been in the dreams.  "Tell me, what brings you to my quiet abode?" 
     "You already know."  Addy replied, steel in his voice.
     "Perhaps I do, but I want to hear it from you."
     "I seek the power to destroy the Sith." 
     The old man considered for a moment, or pretended to.  "That would require quite a lot of power."
     "I know that."  Addy replied.
     "It would require you to walk a path that you've rejected.  A path that winds through shadow.  You would have to renounce your old master.  Renounce his teachings.  Even then, it is not guaranteed that you are even capable of attaining such power."
     "I have to try."
     "So you renounce your master?"
     "I do."
     "Would you strike him down?  Would you cut the heart from his chest with your lightsaber?"
     "I..."  Addy hesitated, and suddenly, was filled with pain unlike anything he'd ever known.  It felt as though his blood was boiling in his veins.  He could not even cry out, he merely collapsed to the ground, his lightsaber rolling away, towards the old man. As suddenly as the pain had appeared, it disappeared.  Addy lay on the ground, panting.
     "You are too weak to defeat the Dark Lords of the Sith."  The old man croaked, his voice hardening. "But I think we can resolve that issue."

     Rakham and Tasrii sat almost alone in the cantina, each nursing a drink at the bar.  Tasrii had a taste for Corellian whiskey, it turned out.
     "How did you know these people, Master?"  She asked.
      "I met them a long time ago."  He replied, a smile coming over his face.  "Kadmaur sent me here.  It was both my last lesson and final test before becoming a Jedi Knight.  I was 19, and as you know, Kadmaur had peculiar ways of doing things.  A lot of masters test their students with the allure of the Dark Side, but most masters do it in a controlled environment, and test their students with the extremes, with pain, or loss, or anger, but from Kadmaur's point of view, those weren't the biggest challenges faced by a modern Jedi.  He wanted me to experience corruption on a smaller scale.  Here, I faced greed, dishonesty and arrogance.  I came here under the pretense of investigating Dark Jedi chem cartels undercover.  I was by Anton and Nadia's side as they built the empire they have today, and I won't lie to you, I enjoyed every second of it.  It was exhilarating to cut our way through the underworld, and as time wore on, I became less and less concerned about our mission.  Eventually, though, I had to make a decision.  Stay here, or return to the Jedi Order.  It wasn't hard. This wasn't my place, no matter how exciting it seemed at the time.  So, I returned to the Jedi.  I falsified my report to reflect that the dealers I'd been following were dead, and soon afterwards, I became a Jedi Knight."
     "Master, you say that coming here the first time was your last lesson from Master Kadmaur, but I don't understand.  What was the lesson?"  Tasrii asked.
     "The lesson was that sometimes, a Jedi must make his or her own decisions.  We must allow the Force to influence us, the expectations of others.  My decision was to lie in my report about Anton and Nadia, and allow them to continue their illicit dealings.  Because I made friends instead of enemies, I gained a safe place to to take refuge and a set of allies in a time when both are in short supply, and Anton and Nadia might be bad, but they keep people a lot worse than they are in line from their position of power.  Because of that, I believe I did the right thing." Rakham answered.  Tasrii was quiet for a moment, considering his words, until finally she spoke again.
     "Do you think we can defeat this Old Man?"
     "I believe we can, but there's something I want you to learn.  Let's go to the training room."

...
     A month had passed since Addy arrived here, but it felt like it had been years.  He'd been learning, and the Old Man's lessons usually involved pain.   He told Adkai that he must learn to understand pain, he must learn to overcome pain, and then he must learn to use pain.  That was the only way to defeat Vader.  Addy had been unable to stand it at first, and he'd attempted to escape twice.  When he failed to escape, he tried to kill the Old Man.  His new master found the attempt amusing. 
     Addy was learning, though, and growing stronger.  He was already more powerful than he'd ever been, and the Old Man was teaching him to channel his frustration, fear and pain into his abilities.  He sat crosslegged on the edge of the stone pad, near the Fugitive, and stared out into the swirling mist.  It was morning, but the weather here never changed.  It was always light, always foggy.  But being here helped Addy keep his mind clear.  He was free of reservation, now.  He was willing and ready to do anything necessary to accomplish his goal.  It was freeing, in a way, to sever his bonds and ties, and concentrate only on his goal. 
     His reflection was broken by the appearance of his Master, who approached without a word and sat beside him, setting a tray holding a tea set and two cups between them, and pouring each of them a cup, steam rising from the warm liquid to join with the fog all around.  The Old Man offered the cup to Addy, and he accepted gratefully, savoring the smell of the tea and taking a swallow while he waited for the Old Man to sip his. He never spoke before having his first sip of tea in the morning.  As he finally did, Addy asked a question that he did not expect an answer to.
     "Who are you?"
     "I have been called a savior, a conqueror, a hero and a villain.  I am everything, Apprentice, and I am nothing."
      The response was all that Addy had expected, and he did not press the matter.  He had been unable to learn anything about the Old Man so far, except that he was powerful, and ancient.  "What will the lesson today be, Master?"
     "There will be no lesson.  Today, you will be tested.  I hope you are prepared, because it will not be easy."

     Tasrii was fast.  Dangerously fast.  Dala watched from the sideline of the training mat as Rakham tested his apprentice.  He had spent the last three weeks teaching her advanced Force combat techniques, the kind of things that normally wouldn't be taught to an apprentice until very late in their training, if ever. 
     The Force flowed through the bodies of both combatants as they danced across the mat with greatly enhanced speed, strength and reflexes.  Experience gave Rakham the upper hand, but Tasrii was enormously talented, and Rakham was trying to find out exactly how far that would take her.  The fight lasted for nearly an hour, both of them pushed to their extremes, before finally Rakham called a halt.
     "You're ready." He said, deactivating his lightsaber and giving a slight bow.  Tasrii returned the gesture with a grin. 
     "Thank you, Master." 
     "Hey Dala, has Heditt got the shuttle ready yet?"  He called to his wife.  As soon as possible, they were leaving Nar Shadaa and heading to the coordinates begrudgingly provided by their Dark Jedi hosts.  It was going to be a week long trip in the slow, but reliable shuttle they'd managed to get their hands on.
     "Almost.  He's finalizing the flight plan now.  We should go and say our goodbyes to Anton and Nadia."  Dala replied, and after Rakham and Tas changed out of their sweat soaked training robes, they all made their way to the cantina.  Nadia jumped to her feet when she saw them, and practically ran towards them, somehow managing to hug all three of them at once despite her minuscule size.
     "Rakham, you take care of them, understand?  You cannot bring me new friends and then go get them all killed!"  Rakham nodded solemnly in response.
    "I understand." 
    Anton joined them then, patting Tasrii and Rakham on the back.
     "You know, I think there's a pool going on the Old Man.  If you manage to kill him, bring his head back.  The jackpot is getting fat, and I dropped a few credits in with your name on them."  He said merrily.  "Either way, make sure you come back in one piece next time."  He added, gesturing towards Rakham's legs, then, with a graceful bow, disappearing before anyone could reply.  The twins hated goodbyes.
     "We have to go, Nadia."  Rakham said gently to his old friend.
      "I know."  She sighed, leading them towards the door.  "Just be careful, alright?  Watch your backs out there."
      "I promise, Nadia, we will."
      All four of them stepped into the alleyway, and Nadia watched as the three Jedi made their way down it, and stayed there long after they'd passed out of sight.

     The shuttle was a squat, rectangular affair, with no defenses to speak of, few creature comforts and an engine that would run until the hull around it fell to dust. It was a workhorse, plain and simple, and it was home for the next week. 
     The Jedi were all quiet as they boarded and launched.  Heditt worried himself with the operation of the shuttle, as the rest of them contemplated the coming challenge with unease.  Eventually, when that became too much to think about, they each tried to distract themselves.  Tasrii let her thoughts wander back to Nadia.  Truth be told, she'd grown particularly fond of the sparky little Dark Jedi.  Rakham inspected his lightsabers.  His mind wandered back to the day the Purge began, when he'd picked up the curved hilt.  He often wondered about that Jedi who'd fought so fiercely.  He supposed that was why he kept the saber, as a reminder of what had been lost.  Dala attempted to rest, but her sleep was plagued and fitful.

It was going to be a very long ride.
     
CHAPTER END

[Lord_S_Gray]

Very interesting...This Old Man doesn't seem like such a villain after all, and Addy's motives are in essence as good as any Jedi's. Combined with Rackhams experiences in his final test there seems to be no sense of judgement as to light and dark which is good, makes things more interesting in my opinion.
Very succinct style of writing too, gets it done quickly precisely and effectively.