The Darkening: Chapter Seven

He who fights monsters should look into it that he himself does not become a monster. When you gaze long into the Abyss, the Abyss also gazes into you.

Jysella stands in front of her wardrobe, wrapped in a soft absorbent towel as she looks at the new clothes she had purchased the day before. She quirks her head, and finally decides that she will wear them. Dropping the towel, she quickly dresses, and then looks into her mirror.

Her eyes start at her toes, smiling at the form-fitted boots that stop right at the knee. The matt finish of the boots is offset by the silver buckles on the side. Then she follows the rest of her legs up, nodding approvingly at the skin tight pants, which show her every curve. She begins to smile as she sees the shock of flesh that is her bare midriff. Then her eyes land on the final piece of her ensemble, a black halter top, with a low front cut, and merely tightened strings for a back.

She smiles, and brushes a strand of hair from her face, before turning from the mirror and going to breakfast. As she nears the kitchen, she can hear her brother and parents talking. With a smile, she steps into the kitchen, and silences the room. She first looks to her brother and notices his open mouthed stare. Next she glances at her mother, noting the storm clouds gathering on her face. Then finally she looks to her father, and is scared by the look he is giving her, it is an animalistic craving, and she has to quickly turn away and get her food.

Finally her mother overcomes her initial shock. "What do you think you're wearing?"

Jysella calmly looks at her mom. "My outfit."

"I think you should go change."

Jysella clenches her fist, and looks down at the counter in front of her. "I don't want to change."

She spins around, glaring at her mom, who takes an instinctive step back away from her. Then she brushes past her and walks out the door. As she arrives at the academy, she pauses on the front steps. Then with a flick of her hair, she pushes open the doors and confidently strides in.

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Back at the Horn household, Mirax stands watching the door as it swings shut. Surprised at how her daughter is acting, at the anger that was coming off the young girl. She turns towards her husband, and notices that he is also staring at the door. She waits for a moment, hoping he would speak first. "You could have said something to her."

Giving his head a slight shake he turns towards her. "I thought you handled it perfectly."

"So you're going to let her walk around all day wearing that?"

He leans back in his chair, and strokes his goatee. "Well, if she wants to be stared at like a piece of meat for a day, I say let her."

After another second, he stands up and walks to her. He kisses her, and then steps towards the door. Pausing a second he says, "It will be okay, I have to go to the Council Chambers now."

Then he is gone, following the same path towards the Jedi Temple that Jysella took. Mirax touches her lips with her fingers, wondering if that really was Whyren's Reserve she tasted when he kissed her. Picking up his cup of caf, she lifts it towards her nose to smell it. Stopping before she reaches her nose, she hesitates and looks out the door once more. Then pouring the caf out, she ignores the smell of whiskey coming from the sink and heads towards her office.

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Ben is standing around, chatting with a few of the boys his age, when he notices her walk into the hall. It takes all his self-control to not allow his jaw to drop as his eyes take in what she's wearing. As he watches her walk in, he notices a difference in how she moves, she's more sure of herself, her head is raised high and she acts proud and confident.

A far cry from the meek girl he is used to seeing. He walks away from the others, and falls into step beside her. "You look different today."

She glances at him. "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that."

She stops, and turns towards him, leaning into him. "Good. I want you to like it."

Then running her hand down the side of his cheek, she spins and walks away, leaving Ben gaping after her, his thoughts confused. A large hand slams down on his shoulder and squeezes tightly, and Ben spins breaking the grip. He looks up and finds himself face to face with Corran Horn, Jysella's father.

Ben takes a step back at the anger and jealousy that pours off Corran. "Stay away from my little girl Skywalker."

"What are you talking about Master Horn?"

Still confused by everything that's going on; Ben is caught unaware by Corran's fist as it slams into his jaw, knocking him to the floor. Before he has a chance to get up, Corran grabs the collar of Ben's tunic, and drags him back to a standing position.

Corran leans into Ben, his eyes narrowed and deadly. "I saw you touching her, and I saw the thoughts you were having about her."

Corran heaves Ben towards the wall. Ben is prepared now, and throws his feet out, walking up the wall, and flipping around, ripping his tunic from Corran's grasp. As he lands, he can hear the snap-hiss of a lightsaber. Looking up, he sees a silver blade, angling in towards his head. Ben rolls away, coming up from the roll, with his own saber in hand and blade thrumming.

Ben takes a second to glance around the hallway, looking for some other way out of the situation. Yet all he sees are clusters of students all watching and cheering and betting on the fight. Then with a flicker of warning, he dodges Corran's blow, and places his sword in the way of the counterswing. "Why are you doing this Master Horn?"

Corran's blade comes down, the blow powered by his anger. Ben catches it, but is pressed down by the power, and Corran leans his weight onto the blade. He looks at Ben, his eyes flashing red and yellow. As he speaks his voice is low and menacing. "She's mine. You need to stay away from her."

Ben angles his blade, and slips out from beneath Corran, who stumbles slightly as Ben dances away. They both once more assume mid-guards and start circling each other. A commotion at the edge of the crowd attracts Ben's attention for a second, and he sees Jysella pushing her way to the front. As she looks between the two fighters, she runs between them, and stares at her father. "Daddy! What are you doing?!"

Corran advances towards her, his face twisted into a sneer. "You dirty schutta! You're involved in this!" Then he backhands her across the face with his closed fist. Jysella twists with the blow, but the power behind it is still enough to send her to her knees.

Corran raises his saber and begins sending it in a downward arc towards Jysella. Ben slides his own sword between Jysella and Corran's blade just in time. Then with a flick of his wrist, he sends Corran flying backwards with a powerful Force push.

Ben pauses for a second, and kneels beside Jysella, lifting her face from her hands. His eyes narrow in anger as he sees the large welt and blood seeping from her nose. "You okay?"

She mutely nods her head, and Ben resumes standing, turning to face Corran. The older man is once more stalking towards them, and assumes a high-guard. Ben steps forward, then rushes ahead, pushing his blade at the older Master. Corran deftly side steps, and slams his left fist into Ben's stomach as Ben is running past.

Ben crumples to the ground, and then starts rolling away, barely being missed by Corran's blade as it cleaves into the stone floor. Shakily getting to his feet, Ben once more assumes a ready stance. Corran attacks and Ben parries the blow, and then as they pull their sabers away from one another, Ben quickly flips his blade around and touches Corran's leg with it.

Corran screams in pain, and attacks with renewed ferocity. His blade slices away at Ben, who is barely able to parry every attack, and is slowly backing away, giving ground. Then Ben steps in something wet, and his foot slips out from underneath him, dumping him to the ground.

A triumphant look appears in Corran's eyes as he raises his blade. Then Luke Skywalker's voice cuts through the hallway, causing everyone to stop and turn towards the source of the voice. "Enough!"

Luke stomps forward, his eyes flickering between Corran and his son. "The both of you to my office immediately!"

As Ben stands, he glances around for some sign of Jysella, and when he doesn't see her, bows his head and walks towards his father's office.

As the three enter, Luke closes the door and turns on Corran. "What do you think you were doing? Attacking an apprentice in the middle of the halls? What if someone had gotten hurt?"

Ben leans against the wall, mutely watching, hoping his father would forget about him. Corran glances up; his eyes rimmed in red, but otherwise their normal green color. "I'm sorry Master. I lost control when I saw him and Jysella together."

Luke turns from Corran to Ben. "You, go see your Mother, and tell her what you've been up to. She'll come up with a suitable punishment." Then he turns back towards Corran. "And you go to the med center and get your wound treated. Then after that return here; we're going to have ourselves a nice long talk."

Autumn Winds

Tahiri stands on the bluff, overlooking the tampasi. Her green eyes, shaded and tired, she sighs slightly as the wind ruffles her hair. She pulls her arms across her chest, tightening her robe against the cool autumn wind.

The crack of a twig attracts her attention, and she casts a glance back over her shoulder. She smiles for a second as she watches the warrior advance. He was nearly half a meter taller than Tahiri herself, and weighed nearly three times as much as her. Her eyes traveled up the ritualistic scars and tattoos which marked him as a subaltern of the broken invasion force. She gives him a quick nod of the head and turns back to the tampasi, happily watching the golden leaves whisper in the breeze.

“Jeedai Veila.”

She sighs slightly. “Yes Savont?”

“We of La’okio have noted that something bothers you since the end of the war. Especially as the time of the harvest has approached.”

She stares out over the bluff for a few moments, gathering her thoughts, before turning towards the warrior.

“This time of year was always his favorite when we were growing up on Yavin IV. He loved the cool nights, and the smell of the mavi blossoms that the autumn winds would bring in through his window.”

“Your beloved?”

“Yes. His name was Anakin. You would have liked him, he was a great, and cunning warrior.”

“He would have to be, to win your heart.”

Tahiri looks up at the warrior face, searching for something in the inscrutable expression. After a moment, she turns back towards the bluff. “You know, I hated the Yuuzhan Vong for killing him.”

She hears the soft thuds of Savont’s fists hitting his upper arms, the soft sound of a salute; it is the Yuuzhan Vong equivalent of a quick nod of the head.

“He wouldn’t have hated, if I had been the one to die though. He was always so perfect, the consummate warrior, the steady one, everyone expected him to be the next Luke Skywalker.”

“You speak of what-ifs Jeedai Veila. You cannot know for certain that he would not have hated us, would not have been as strong as you, to forgive and help us.”

Tahiri nods. “I know that. Yet my heart tells me otherwise.”

“When Yun-Txiin and Yun-Q’aah were first caught by Yun-Yuuzhan in their forbidden embrace, Yun-Txiin said ‘the heart is forever making the head its fool.’”

Tahiri barks a short laugh. “And that proverb is true for humans as well my friend.”

“There is something that I still fail to understand about you Jeedai Tahiri Veila.”

Tahiri turns back towards the warrior, a slight smile on her face. “Ask your question Subaltern Savont Ghar.”

He smiles in return, a broadening of the cheekbones, pulling the muscles taut away from his teeth. “Why do you help us? After everything we did to you, why help us?”

“The short answer is because I am a Jedi.”

“And the long answer?”

“I was raised among the Ghorfa, the Tuskens on Tatooine.”

“I have heard of them. Formidable warriors.”

She gives him another smile, before continuing. “Well, the Ghorfa teach something about forgiveness. They believe that true, sincere forgiveness is not colored with expectations that the other person apologizes or changes. It should not worry whether or not anyone else understands you. We should merely love them and release them. That life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time.”

“So, you forgave us for yourself, secure in the knowledge that the gods would show us the error of our ways.”

Tahiri nods her head, and turns once more towards the tampasi. “He would have liked it here, liked the smell of the tampasi on the autumn wind.”

Savont steps forward, so he stands next to her. They stand side by side, staring out over the bluff at the tampasi, as the sun slowly sets. Without looking at her, he speaks again. “Since you do not hate us for killing your beloved, what then bothers you?”

Tahiri sighs, and wraps her arms around one of his, leaning against it, as if for support. “While we were growing up, autumn was when he would arrive on Yavin IV. Through the summer, I watched the trees for any sign of autumn, because it would be a symbol that he was arriving. Yet, that changed. Before the invasion, he left on a trip with Master Skywalker and Jacen, and that was in the autumn. Then he went on that mission with his aunt, and that was in the autumn.”

Tahiri hesitates, and presses her face against his arm. Savont is surprised at the soft wetness.

“Then Mrykr happened. It was autumn on Yavin IV.”

She looks up, and notices that he is looking down at her. “So, I guess I am mourning, not only for Anakin, but for autumn, and the autumn winds as well.” She turns back towards the bluff, as the wind whips her hair around the warrior. “And I think I mourn my memory of him.”

There they stand, as the autumn sun slowly sets in the west, and the wind teases them with the vibrant smells from the tampasi. She is relieved when he does not ask any more questions, relieved when he stays there by her side, relieved that she is able to hang onto his arm while putting her memories to rest.

Finally, the sun has set entirely, and glowflies start appearing from the woods around them. She releases his arm, and takes a step towards the village.

After a moment’s hesitation, she reaches out and grasps his hand, and looks up at him again, one of her eyebrows quirked slightly. “Do you think the Twin Lovers would approve?”

He looks down at her, his eyes flickering over her slight frame, the smile, once more exposing his teeth. “Yes, I think they would.”

As she walks back towards the village hand in hand with the warrior, the autumn wind picks up once more and Tahiri looks around, certain she can smell mavi blossoms on the gentle breeze.

The Darkening: Chapter Six

In the real world as in dreams,
nothing is quite what it seems.

She is running through the forest. Her breath is coming slow and steady, the fast pace she is keeping barely winding her at all. She can feel the vibrancy of the forest, of the night as she runs. She revels in how the small sticks and stones feel on her bare feet, and how the wind slices through her nightgown. Ahead of her is her prey, a shining beacon in the forest, running scared.

The wind and tree limbs whip past her as her grin grows larger, coming around a corner and spying her prey. It is a pretty young human female, about fifteen standard years old. She recognizes her from the Academy, her name is Keira Mirand, and she is one of Kai's friends. The scent of fear is all around her, and she almost laughs as the girl turns around, her blue eyes large and round.

She jumps at her, knocking her to the ground, pushing her face into the hard pressed dirt floor of the forest. The girl tries to fight back, sending a Force wave at her, and she just smiles, using her new skill to twist around telekinetic attacks, to deflect them away from her. She scratches the girl, marring the girl's perfect face, her perfect skin with four long, ragged gashes.

She laughs as the girl screams in pain. Then she grabs her around the neck, squeezing tight until all movement stops, until the girl's presence fades into the Force. Licking the traces of blood from her fingers, she turns around and heads back towards her lair.

With a stifled scream, Jysella sits up in her bed, her heart beating way too fast, and her breath nearly a pant. She grimaces as a muscle in her leg twinges. She looks around the room, recognizing it for what it is, as the last vestiges of the horrible dream fade away.

Looking at the chrono she realizes that she has awakened only a half hour earlier than usual, and decides that she doesn't need to go back to sleep. She strips out of her night gown, noticing the rip in the shoulder. Shrugging she tosses it away before stepping into the shower.

She shivers as the warm water begins to loosen muscles tightened by her dream. Finally she starts to soap herself, as she lifts one of her feet, she notices the small cut. Frowning she sticks her head from the shower, looking around the floor of the fresher to see what could have caused it.

After she finishes her shower, she finds herself once more in front of her mirror, appraising herself, wondering just what Jacen saw in her that would make him ask her out. Shrugging her shoulders again, she returns to her room to get dressed. Opening her wardrobe, she frowns at all the browns and tans. Digging further, she finally pulls out an old pair of black pants and a navy tunic. Slipping into those clothes, she glances at her reflection, and frowns once more. As her eyes travel up and down her from, she decides that she needs to get a new outfit or two.

Sitting back down on the bed, she picks up her box, and the Custodian appears as before. He gives her a slight half-bow. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. I have something that I am wondering, if you could offer advice?"

The Custodian, once more bows. "I would be happy to."

"Well, I went on that date last night, and I was just wondering what he could see in me? I am about the same age as his apprentice after all."

The Custodian strokes his chin. "I doubt that he is truly interested in you. Maybe a test is in order."

"A test?"

"Yes, but not yet. You do not have all the necessary skills or outfits that the test will require. For now, just go along with him, and do not let him suspect your doubts."

"So, exactly what skills am I going to need?"

The Custodian smiles and begins to teach.

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Luke is standing over the mutilated body of one of his young students. He frowns as his eyes travel over her form, noting the small details, such as the bruises up and down her torso, the long gashes on her face. He glances up at the steps of the temple, wondering why someone would kill one of his students, and then dump her broken, naked body here.

The crunch of a twig attracts his attention and he turns to see Jacen and Ben walk up. They both give him abbreviated bows. As he waves them over, he notices as Ben's eyes narrows. Luke can understand this, after all the girl is Ben's age.

Ben kneels down next to her, his head moving slightly as he looks her over and, then he glances up at his father. "This is Keira Mirand. What? Who did this?"

Luke shakes his head. "I don't know. The Force is strangely silent, clouded on this matter. I'm assigning the two of you to help find out for me."

Jacen nods his head. "Yes Master." Then he turns towards Ben. "You know her right?"

Ben nods. "Yes, she was in a couple of my classes, but I've not seen a lot of her since I became your apprentice."

"That's fine; it just means that you're going back to the academy for lessons. Get to know who her friends were and get to know who her enemies were." Jacen pauses for a second. "And get to know who she and her friends teased."

"Yes Master."

Jacen looks towards his uncle. "Are we getting any forensic specialists in to look the body over?"

"Yes, they will be here soon. Corran will also be working with you on this, but what I want you to really focus on is the Force. After all what worries me most is the lack of guidance from the Force. This clouding worries me. I sense dark tidings, a darkness that is heading this way."

Jacen gives Luke a grin. "Don't worry Uncle Luke, we'll figure this out.

Luke gives Jacen a half-hearted smile and then walks inside.

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Ben slides into a seat in his first class of the day. He looks around the room, noticing the knot of girls standing in one corner, obviously upset. He recognizes one of them as Merida Tool; a vindictive Arconian girl he used to be paired with during saber training.

After a second, one of them looks his way and smiles at him. "So the Great Skywalker has once more been reduced to attending lessons with us normal trainees."

He looks up at them, a mischievous light flashing in his eyes. "Yeah, my dad thought you all could use a little bit of help, so he sent me to see you."

He notices as a few of the other students laugh, and smiles as he sees the outrage in her eyes. Then she turns from him, retreating back into her cluster of friends. Then he glances at the door and really smiles as he sees who is standing in the doorway.

He watches how she enters the room, as if she is almost hesitant to walk in. Then his eyes travels to her hair; which she has left down today, and he wonders what it would feel like to touch it, to run his fingers through it.

As he looks over her clothes, he realizes what is different about them. They're not the tans and browns he has so often seen her in, but rather a tight fitting pair of black pants, which show off the curves of her hips, and a navy tunic, which brings out the blue of her eyes.

She catches his stare, and as he looks away, notices that she blushes slightly. From the corner of his eye, he watches as she darts into the room, and slides into a seat in the back. After a moment, he stands up and walks back to where she's sitting and slides into a seat next to her. As he opens his mouth to talk, he can hear the girl from earlier once more. "Well, look at that, the great Skywalker with the clipped Mynock."

Then Merida glances at them, a look of disgust crossing her features. "Hey Bennie, you shouldn't spend time with her, she'll just drag you down."

Ben cocks his head slightly and just stares at them, a calm bemused expression on his face. "Maybe I'd like that. Regardless, I'd rather spend time with her than you."

Beside him, he can feel Jysella's anger and embarrassment radiating off of her, and he reaches beneath the desk and grasps her hand giving it a gentle squeeze. He can feel her jump slightly and almost loses his blank "Jedi" face. Finally the girls once more retreat to their cluster and he turns back towards Jysella and gives her a bright smile. "Hi, hope you don't mind sharing this desk with me."

She looks up at him, her smile hesitant, as if she's not sure what to expect from him. "No, I don't mind at all."

A Life Not His Own

His heart sank as he realized that the explosion in front of him couldn't have possibly spared the life of his best friend. He can hear the echoes of the scream from when he called her name. His heart is pounding in his chest, ready to burst. With a twist of the Force, the two men holding his arms fly through the air, and Anakin Solo leaps forward, jumping towards the explosion, into the fire. He lands amidst the flames, can feel them lick his flesh.

Ignoring the pain, he pushes in further into the remains of the building, searching, hoping, demanding of the Force that he can find her and find her alive.

A tingle in the Force, and he jumps to the side as a support beam crashes down, showering him with sparks and ash.

Squeezing his eyes against the burn of smoke, he stretches out with the Force, searching once again for that spark of life. Fighting back the tears as he can’t find her presence, he dashes into yet another room

Anakin glances around, noting that this room took most of the brunt of the explosion. Then he spies her shattered, broken body. He kneels down beside her, gently touching the broken and bloodied face. His body hitches, as he sobs, his pain and anguish pouring into the Force.

He can feel the tears slide down his face, a line of coolness which evaporates ever so quickly in the heat of the fire. He picks up her body, sheathing it in the Force, keeping the flames away from marring her beautiful face any more than it already is and begins retracing his steps. Finally he emerges from the fire, burns covering his body, most of his hair gone.

He gulps down the air greedily as he gently lays her on the ground.

The shuffle of booted feet, and clicks of weapons, attracts his attention. He glances up and sees his captors, those who placed her in the building. Those who blew her up, who killed her.

Anger and hate consumes him. He hears the words that have been drilled into him since birth. Words saying that anger and hate leads to the Dark Side. That revenge is of the Dark Side. That he should rejoice in her death, rejoice that she has joined the Force.

He hears those words, but they hold no meaning, no power over him.

After all, they are merely words.

Anger, hate, vengeance. That is what holds meaning for him; that is what powers him. They are real, viable things. Not the abstract ideas that are words.

Anakin glances around, finding his saber attached to the belt of one of the men. His eyes flash, and the saber rips from the man’s belt and smacks into this hand. He hefts the saber, comforted by the weight and pull of the weapon, the subtle whispers from the lambent. He presses the activator, glorying in the purple glow of his blade.

“You are going to pay for this.”

He stalks forward, raising his blade as those arrayed against him raise their blasters. Slowly, inexorably, he advances, batting blaster bolts back at them, and when gets close enough he cuts them down one by one. Minor inconveniences such as morality are burned away in his hate and anger.

Finally, he stands over the corpses of those who killed her, who took Tahiri from him. Yet it is not enough, there are others who are responsible. The Yuuzhan Vong. They empowered these Peace Brigade scum, they ordered them to capture Jedi.

With a smile, he decides that they too must pay for what has happened.

He turns around, and walks back to her, kneeling beside her once again, his grief and rage palatable to him, a thirst that no amount of death can quench.

He runs a hand down the side of her face, her body coolly rapidly in the crisp autumn air. He sobs, and covers his face with his hands, unsure of what to do, where to go, who to kill. He feels a hand fall on his shoulder, and he looks up to see Corran standing over him, a stricken look on the older Knight’s face.

“She’s dead.” With that said, he covers his face once more.

Corran’s voice is thick with emotion. “Come on, we need to get off planet.”

Anakin picks up her slim form, and walks behind Corran, his head bowed, his emotions locked behind his shields. Finally they arrive at the ship, and Anakin places her gently on one of the bunks, and then kneels down beside the bed, laying his head there next to her.

Corran appears beside him again. “You need medical attention Anakin.”

“Go away Corran.”

A hand is placed on his elbow, and Anakin bites back the growl that wishes to escape. “Come on, kid. There’s nothing you can do for her.”

Anakin yanks his elbow out of Corran’s grip, and spins towards him. “I can avenge her!”

“You’re not falling to the Dark Side on my watch.”

Anakin can feel the hate and anger surge through him, making him powerful. “And who’s going to stop me.”

Corran reaches for his saber, but Anakin is faster. In an eye-blink, he has placed his palm against the older man’s chest, and then pulses out with his hate and rage. A blast of lightning pours into and through Corran, slamming through him and against the wall, as if he was not there. In the inferno of energy that courses through his body, Corran is left with a brief moment of pain and anguish, and then every muscle and nerve in his chest erupts under the onslaught of unnatural energies. Anakin stands over him, his breath coming in shallow gulps as he looks down at the dead body, still twitching from the residue of lightning.

Turning away, he once more resumes his vigil over Tahiri’s body, determining what he should do, who he should kill next.

Finally he comes to a decision. One that is irrevocable. He knows what to destroy next. The Vong. The Peace Brigade. Or anyone who gets in his way. He will destroy them all.

Yet first he needs to become a symbol. Something which will strike fear into their hearts, make them hesitate to face him, make the Vong regret coming to his galaxy.

Anakin stands and strides towards the cockpit, arriving, he pulls the levers dropping them from hyperspace. A short course correction, and their ship is once more propelling into hyperspace.

Hours later, Anakin pulls the levers once again, and the blue swirl of hyperspace drops away revealing a planet swathed in sickly yellow clouds. Anakin closes his eyes and can feel the Force radiating from the planet. He opens his eyes again, and swiftly enters Vjun’s atmosphere, heading towards Bast Castle from memory.

He lands and carrying Tahiri, once more enters Bast Castle. Deactivating the security system, he calmly goes to the med center, and delivers Tahiri’s body to the droids. Two of them take her away, and Anakin feels a moment of anguish as she disappears, but he quickly crushes the emotion, and turns towards the remaining droids.

“I want Vader’s armor.”

He smiles as the droids carry in the black plasteel armor pieces. Quietly Anakin dresses, covering himself with the black armor, piece by piece, taking up his birthright, his namesake. He clips the cape around him, feeling the steelweave flow and shift against him. Then he picks up the helmet, and looks at it for a moment.

For as long as he can remember, he has been plagued by dreams of becoming his grandfather. Of looking out at the world through the red tinged lenses of the death’s head mask. The dreams, tinged with blood and smoke and pain have haunted and dogged his footsteps as he trained in the Force.

He has often wondered if she was what kept them from coming true.

Yet as he pulls the helmet over his head, he is not afraid. It is a comforting thing; it almost feels like coming home.

The helmet clicks into place, and Anakin opens his eyes onto the world. Gone are the blues and yellows and whites. Now everything is shades of red. A press of a button on his chest plate, and the sound from the nightmares of billions of beings is heard once more.

An inhaling hiss, followed by a loud mechanical exhale.

It is the sound of the labored breath of a creature which used to be a man.

Anakin looks into a mirror, nodding his approval at the reflection. He has realized something fundamental about the Dark. That it is generous and patient and always wins. Yet in the Dark, there exists a weakness. Light, love, life and laughter. Such things can destroy the Dark; shatter it to a million pieces.

As Anakin allows himself to be comforted by the metronome of his breathing, he realizes that he does not have to worry. He is the Dark’s and the Dark is his, and nothing can stop him from exacting his revenge. After all, his light, love, life and laughter now lies on a cold slab in some other room.

He spins and strides confidently from the room, his cape billowing out behind him as he unleashes himself upon an unsuspecting galaxy.

The Darkening: Chapter Five

You must be strong now. You must never give up. And when people make you cry and you are afraid of the dark, don't forget the light is always there.

Jysella has a smile on her face as she returns home from her date with Jacen Solo. She comes around the corner, and starts up the walkway to her house. With a sudden tingle in the Force she stops and looks around. A frown replaces her smile for the first time in hours, and she turns back to the house, just in time to be smashed in the face with an egg.

She screams at the shock of being hit with something as another egg comes flying out at her from the darkness. She ducks letting the egg fly over her head, and as she straightens gets hit in the back of the head by an over ripened redfruit.

The laughter erupts from the three girls as they run from their hiding places, and Jysella watches them and falls to her knees, crying. The door opens, and Corran steps out, seeing his daughter covered with food, kneeling in the walkway crying.

He walks down the steps, towards her, his eyes flashing yellow and red. As he speaks, his voice is harsh and cold. "Get up."

Jysella looks up at her father, startled by his presence and tone of voice. "Daddy?"

"I said, get up."

Jysella stands, the tears still streaming down her face. She can feel her father's eyes boring into her, and she keeps her head bowed slightly.

"Why didn't you fight back? Why did you just sit there and accept it? Are you some type of weak-minded fool?" Her father's voice cuts her to the quick of her soul, especially how they seem to repeat back the taunts her classmates spat at her earlier in the day.

"But Daddy, Master Skywalker said that I should learn to control my anger, and not strike out."

Jysella lets out a short, sharp scream as her father strikes her face, knocking her back to her knees. She once more lowers her head and starts to sob. Then she has to bite back another scream as her father grabs her hair and pulls her head up by it. "Stop crying."

Then he pushes her over, so she's lying on her side in the dust. "Get inside and go to bed." He turns from her, and without looking back at her disappears into the house. For a moment, she stays where she is at, crying, desperate in the pain and misery. Finally she picks herself up, and walks into the house, and goes to her room.

She steps into her room, dropping her food and grass stained robes to the floor. As she is about to climb into her bed, she sees her puzzle box laying there on the bed. She cocks her head, as she notices that tonight it shines with an odd internal light, causing the sigils carved on its sides to glow red. She picks up the box, and the box thrums for a second.

Then the space above the box flickers, as a red hologram resolves itself into existence. Jysella peers closely at the man that appears above the box, smiling as she has never seen a red-tinged hologram before; just blue or full color ones.

Then to her amazement the hologram speaks to her. "Greetings young one, I am the Custodian."

"What are you?"

The hologram smiles at her. "I am the Custodian. I guard access to the knowledge contained within."

"Oh, you're like a Jedi Holocron."

The Custodian smiles for a second as he nods his head. "Something like that. Now, how can I assist you? You appear to have been crying recently."

Jysella hesitates a moment, and then tells the Custodian everything that had happened between herself and the other girls, and ending with what happened with her father this evening.

The Custodian strokes his chin for a second. "And this makes you angry?"

"Yes."

"Then you need to learn to harness this anger, and learn from it. Nurture it, and let it give you the power you need."

"But Master Skywalker-"

"Is scared of letting you know the power you truly wield. Trust me, your emotions, anger chief among them, can give you power and abilities which you have only dreamed of. You are strong, and can control this power. I can sense it."

Jysella sets the box on her nightstand and sits on her bed, thinking hard. "But what of the Dark Side?"

"The Force is one, light, dark, they are both just meaningless labels applied by those who are unable to understand the truth. It is all a matter of your abilities and what you are able to do. Light, dark, they come from inside of you."

Jysella smiles, and leans closer to the box. "Tell me more."

The Custodian returns her smile and does.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jacen is walking back to his house from his date with Jysella. With a lopsided grin plastered on his face, he is not paying attention to where he is walking as he is mentally reviewing the entire evening. As he enters the small yard that surrounds his quarters, he sees Ben sitting on the steps that lead up into his house.

"Good evening Ben."

Ben doesn't look up. "Master."

"What's wrong Ben?"

"She's half your age Master."

Jacen laughs, and can feel Ben's anger flare in the Force. "Is that what this is about? Jysella?"

Ben stands up, and glares at his Master. "Yes! You knew through our bond that I liked her, I know because I felt you poking around in my feelings for her while I was dueling her earlier today."

"So what are you going to do about it? Are you going to fight me for her? A grand duel to the death? Or are you going to offer yourself to her, and let her decide who she wants?" Jacen's eyes narrow, and he allows a smirk to cross his face. "Or are you going to sit on my doorsteps pouting?"

"This is all a game to you isn't it? You're using her as a training device to see how I respond to things."

Jacen smiles and brushes past Ben entering his house. "Maybe, or maybe I just think she's an amazing, fascinating woman."

Jacen closes the door on a fuming Ben, and sighs as he leans against the door. Giving his face a quick rub, he wonders just how he managed to find himself in this situation. Deciding he could use some advice, he quickly comms his sister.

A bleary eyed Jaina answers. "Do you have any idea what time it is Jace?"

"Sorry sis, but I have a problem."

Jaina's eyes open slightly wider at that. "A problem the great and might Jacen Solo can't solve himself?"

"No need for the dramatics Jaya."

"Sorry little brother can't help it. So what seems to be your problem."

"I took a girl out on a date tonight."

"That sounds like a problem for her."

Jacen glares at his sister a second before continuing. "It was Jysella Horn, and I had a great time. The problem is that Ben likes her too." Jaina's laughter interrupts him, so he stares at her until she gets herself under control once more. "I know you have that whole love triangle down between you and Kyp and Jag and Zekk, I was wondering about any advice you could give me."

Jaina shakes her head. "Just good luck." Then her hologram flickers from existence as she cuts the connection, leaving Jacen frowning irritably at the empty air in front of him.

The Crash

Talon sits at the table watching the beautiful woman across from him. His eyes travel over her porcelain smooth skin, unmarred by lines, even though she is nearly as old as Talon himself. He considers for a second, reaching out and caressing her long, black hair, but decides against marring the perfection of the various ringlets which she obviously spent a long time preparing.

He sighs and turns away, not entirely certain how to proceed. This indecision, uncertainty, is foreign to him. He picks up the glass of water in front of him and leans back in his chair, continuing his visual inspection of his companion.

His throat is raw, so he takes a sip of the water, grimacing at the metallic taste. He looks at the food laid out before him, and then back up at Shada.

“I love you, you know.”

She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t even move. He sighs, and looks down at the food again.

“I have for years. I think it started the night at the Solo’s apartment in the Manaari Mountains, when you just appeared behind me and Lando.” Talon barks out a short laugh. “I’m not sure who was more surprised, me for having you show up behind me, or the Princess for you having taken out her Noghri.”

Talon chuckles to himself for a moment more, and then gently strokes his goatee. Shada’s face is still impassive, her iron-hard glare unmoving. Talon lets his eyes dart from her eyes to her hair to her chin and then to her lips.

He sighs again as she still does not move, is still impassive.

“I dreamed many nights of telling this to you, of how you would react, what you would say or do, but-”

Talon lets his voice taper off, as he stares at the far bulkhead. If he did not know better he would have sworn he had heard a ship. Standing, he turns back towards Shada. “I’ll be back in a moment my dear.”

Then he walks out of the room, stepping through the giant rent in the side of the Wild Karrde. He blinks in the bright sun that shines through the verdant jungle, and he looks skyward. A wistful smile crosses his face as he sees a modified YT-1300 flash overhead, looking at the markings, he realizes that it’s not Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon, but Dani Kieran’s Century Hawk.

“Looks like we’ll be getting out of her soon, eh Chief?”

Talon looks behind him and sees Dankin and H’sishi stepping out of the hole in the side of the Wild Karrde. He nods his head. “Yes, it looks that way.”

Then he turns back, and walks into the darkened hole in the flagship of his fleet, ignoring Dankin’s and H’sishi’s stares. He hesitates, looking towards his office and the turns, returning to the ship’s mess. The ship’s mess, the room where Shada is waiting for him. Taking his spot at the table, he pushes his plate away. “Well it looks like we’re getting rescued.”

She is still impassive, unmoving.

He steps closer to her, trying to will her to move. He reaches out and gently caresses her cheek. A frown crosses his face at the coolness of her skin.

“Cap’t?” Talon looks up at Chin. “Sorry to intrude Cap’t, but Dani has touched down, an I think she’s itchin’ to get off this world.”

“Thank you Chin, get everything ready, we’re going to have to scuttle the ship.”

“Aye, Cap’t.”

Talon watches as Aves turns from the room, heading deeper into the ship. After a second he turns back towards Shada.

“I loved you for so long, why couldn’t I have told you earlier?” He puts his head in his hands as she still does not reply. “Why did I wait so long? Why did I wait until it was too late?”

Talon allows a single sob to wrack his body as he stands over Shada.

[Chieftain?]

Talon drops his hands, and looks to H’sishi.

[It is time to leave Chieftain.]

He sighs once again, and glances to Shada and then back at her. “I know H’sishi. Just give me a moment more.”

[I obey.]

Talon watches her leave and then turns back to Shada, a lone tear escaping his eye. He gives her a chaste kiss, saddened by the cold flesh, so different than his dreams. Gently, almost reverently he uses his fingers to close her eyes, stopping that iron-hard glare, hiding her beautifully expressive blue eyes. Then he straightens and walks into the hall, where Chin and H’sishi await. He turns his red-rimmed eyes onto his subordinates, his friends. “Bring her body; she deserves to be buried properly on Emberlene.”

[I obey.]

Then he walks down the hall, and leaves the ship, and his love behind.

The Darkening: Chapter Four

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

"Hey quick! Someone play some Jys!"

Jysella's face burns as the girls laughter echoes through the hall. She turns around to look at the group of girls walking up behind her, noting the sneer on Kai's face. Kai looks towards the girl on her right, a young blonde human named Keira Mirand. "Oh, look, Jys is getting upset. We better not upset her; don't want a Dark Jedi running around."

Jysella's closes her eyes and feels as her fists clench. She takes a deep breath, as Kai's taunting words come at her from the darkness. "Oh, I'm scared! Jysella is going to hit me again. Come on, why not try telekinesis?"

Merida chimes in at this point. "That's mean Kai, you know she's a clipped mynock of a Jedi, barely able to lift a pebble."

Jysella spins away as the girls once more start laughing at her. As she rounds the corner, she wipes away the tears that had started to flow, even as the laughter echoes down the hall after her. She ducks into one of the training rooms, expecting it to be empty at this time of day, and draws up short when she notices two people in it. In awe, she watches as they fight one another, their blades moving at breakneck speeds.

Then she notices that there are also training remotes activated, randomly firing stingers at either of the two duelists. As she watches dumbstruck, she slowly recognizes who these two are: Ben Skywalker and Jacen Solo. She had heard that their duels were spectacular things to watch, but she had always put the rumors up as rhetoric. Watching them now, she realizes just how wrong she was in that assumption.

Finally with a quick flick of the wrist, Jacen disarms Ben, and has his blade at the younger man's throat. "Kill point."

Jacen shuts down his saber, and helps his apprentice up, and then as one they turn towards Jysella who is still watching them, an awed expression painted on her face. Jacen smiles at her. "Good morning Jysella, did you enjoy our match?"

Startled out of her reverie, she quickly nods her head. "It was amazing."

"Good, because that means it's your turn."

Her eyes widen slightly in surprise. "What?"

Jacen laughs at her question. "It's your turn. You get to fight a duel with Ben. He's become a little too use to my style of fighting. It would be good for him to practice against someone else, and since you're here…" Jacen lets his speech fade off as he continues to watch her, his intent stare making her slightly uncomfortable.

"Okay, I'll do it." Then he smiles at her, and she can feel shivers run up and down her back.

She quickly removes her outer cloak and then steps into the center of the room with Ben there before her. She notices his slightly heavy breathing, and the way he is standing and moving, favoring his right leg. She bows to him, and he does the same thing, then she takes a step back as they both ignite their sabers.

As she watches Ben circle her, she wonders exactly how she is expected to beat him, after all, he is the son of Master Skywalker. Then he lunges in, his saber coming directly at her.

Stepping to the side, she swings her saber, connecting with his, knocking him off-balance. She counter-attacks and he dances out of the way, not bothering to parry her blow.

She feels a surge of frustration and anger as she realizes that he's not taking the duel with her seriously. She takes a step back, and lowers her blade to a low guard, one that starts at her hips and points towards her toes. As she starts to slide to the left, she notices Ben's gaze watching her, trying to figure out what she is planning. Then she can feel the feather-light touches in the Force, as he caresses her mind, trying to find her plan.

Then with a smile, she slams her mental shields against his probe, sending a backlash of energy to him. Ben stumbles back and winces at the sudden headache that appears as she knocks his mental probe aside. When she sees that wince, she moves forward fast, her blade coming up from its low guard in a fast attack.

Ben gets his blade up just in time to parry her blow, but she has already released that blow and has ducked. Spinning around in her crouch, she knocks his feet from beneath him, dumping him to the floor.

She stands back up and darts forward to get the kill point when a wave of Force energy pulses out towards her, throwing her back. She feels herself drop her saber and mutters a curse under her breath. Then she lands on the training mat, four or so meters from Ben. Standing she can feel a twinge in her shoulder and ribs as she looks around for her saber.

She finally catches sight of it, over near the training remotes and she dashes that way, just as Ben once more stands up. She dives and grabs a hold of her saber, just as it has started to shake, for a second she is worried that it will be ripped from her hands by his mental summons, but he finally relents and starts walking towards her.

She reignites her saber, and notices the playful light that has appeared in his eyes. Her eyebrow quirks at that as she wonders just what he is thinking, and then his saber is flickering towards her, and she has to sidestep and parry to deflect the blade out of the way in time.

She attacks with a half-hearted feint, which he doesn't fall for, and then she takes a step back, wondering what to do next. Ben steps in and attacks with a low to high slice, and Jysella twists her blade around to deflect it.

As the blades are about to meet, Ben drops his blade, and whirls around her, ending up behind her, one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly against him, his saber up under her neck. For a second, she wonders just what had happened, and as she played the last scene over in her mind, she recognizes his feint, and how his body was already moving around her when she went to parry his attack. She shivers as his voice is warm against her ear. "Kill point."

A frown flickers across her face, as Ben releases her. It almost feels like he is reluctant to do so. They both look up towards Jacen as he walks over to them. "You both did really well. Jysella that was a nice mental attack when Ben probed you; but you allowed yourself to get distracted at the end."

She can feel herself start to blush both due to Jacen's praise and his intent stare. "Thank you." She steps away from the two, as she hears Jacen's voice again, this time directed at Ben. "You underestimated your opponent didn't you?"

"Yes, Master."

She turns around, and sees the blush that is creeping up on Ben's face, and stifles a giggle. Ben catches her looking at him and smiles at her again. It is a warm, happy smile which Jysella is glad to return as she rushes from the room.

She finds herself in one of the many courtyard gardens scattered throughout the temple, and sits down on one of the benches, playing over in her mind what had just happened.

"You forgot this."

Jumping slightly, she looks over her shoulder to see Jacen holding out her cloak. She smiles up at him. "Oh thanks!"

He sits down on the bench next to her, causing her to wonder what is happening. Stretching out with the Force she is somewhat shocked by his nervousness. "I was wondering if I could take you to dinner sometime?"

Startled, she turns and looks at him. "Are you asking me on a date?"

To her surprise, Jacen begins to blush slightly as he nods his head. "Oh. Uhm. Okay, I'd love to. When?"

"Tonight?"

She smiles as he stands up and bows. "I will see you tonight then." Then he walks away from her, leaving her wondering just what has happened. Neither of them sees Ben standing in the shadows as he watches the two of them. Then like a phantom he slips further into the darkness and disappears.

-------------------------------

Corran is walking past Jysella's room when an odd red glow attracts his attention. Stopping, and taking a step back, he looks into her room, and notices the odd box sitting on her bed. He walks over to it, picking it up as the glyphs on its sides start glowing red. With a start he realizes that he has seen these glyphs before, in a temple on Yavin 4. As he goes to drop the box, a red mist streams out and wraps around him.

Corran drops the box back on the bed, as he starts to cough and choke on the red mist. Falling to his hands and knees, the mist contracts around him; seeping into his skin through his pores, entering his mouth and nose, until it is all gone. With a final cough, his eyes open, and they flash yellow with red flecks for a second, before settling back into their customary green.

Standing, he sees nothing out of place, and walks from the room, deciding that the red glow he had noticed moments before was nothing but a figment of his imagination.