Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:04:30 +0000
From: Declan Mulhern <declanmulhern@hotmail.co.uk>
Subject: Star Wars: Masters of the New Order, Chapter One: In The Beginning

STAR WARS: MASTERS OF THE NEW ORDER
Chapter One: In The Beginning

by Declan Mulhern




Introduction and Author's Note -

Okay, so this is a big first chapter, but you should know that this
is possibly the first thing I have ever written on here that I have
had every intention of finishing. I have in fact finished the entire
story, but I'm re-writing most of it. Now, this chapter stands at
8,393 words, so before you read it, consider making sure you have
time (that is, if you like it). And be warned, while sex is all well
and good, nobody shags 24/7 (I certainly don't) and this isn't really
a horn-dog type of story. So if you're looking for a good bit of
jacking off material, this isn't it. Sorry. But if you do want to know,
there are several very lurid sex scenes later on (and I'm not just
saying that to lure you in). Now that all that is said, I can get onto
the other stuff I wanted to say.

This story is based entirely on Star Wars. Now, I'm not that geeky,
so if I get things wrong, don't jump on me and throttle me, e-mail me
nicely and I will thank you for bringing my attention to it. The main
reasons for me writing a Star Wars story are that it's easy to base
something in a world that is already so complete, it's fun to write
about, and Jedi are sexy. Well, Hayden Christensen was anyway. Despite
his broody and miscalculated bad acting (I'll never get over it). The
story is set a good long time before the events of the films, but a
while after the Knights of the Old Republic games. This is important if
you've played the games, because a few of the events of that period
of Star Wars will feature in the backstory. If you haven't played the
games then that's okay, it'll still make sense, but I recommend you
do play them - they're getting dated, but they are still excellent.

Right, so if you want to e-mail with feedback, or you want to help
me out by proof-reading/submitting ideas/telling me it's crap, then
feel free. My address will be at the bottom of the disclaimer, and
at the end of this chapter. There are lots of sub-plots coming up,
so if you have an idea for another, then do let me know. I like the
idea of having an enormous complex story. Saying that, it isn't going
to go on forever. If you want to know more about me, feel free to ask,
but before anyone asks me anything, try not to be rude about it. I'm
only twenty-one, and liable to cry if you're nasty. Well, I'm more
likely to ignore you forever, and nobody wants that.

Anyway, I've spewed on far too much, and now it is time to disclaim
this thing.

(PS I'm English, I only speak English, and therefore you should only
write to me in English. You can write to me in other languages, but
I will most likely reply with 'huh?'.)


*********************DISCLAIMER************************
*Star Wars and all its content are a copyright of     *
*LucasArts. This piece of fiction is not intended for *
*any purpose other than to be read for free, and      *
*should not be distributed anywhere else without my   *
*express permission. Any names, places or people are  *
*of my own design, and any resemblance to real persons*
*is strictly coincidental. There are a few planet     *
*and character names taken from the Star Wars series, *
*and these are also subject to copyright. I apologise *
*for any mistakes made, and if any infringements are  *
*made, please notify me immediately. Thankyou.        *
*******************************************************

Thankyou for putting up with all that spiel, and if you want to contact
me, here is my e-mail address.


Declan Mulhern
INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS HERE.






A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...


STAR WARS: MASTERS OF THE NEW ORDER
Chapter One: In The Beginning

The galaxy is reeling after a long and bloody battle between the
Jedi and the Sith. Triumphant, the Jedi are battered and broken
after their many years of struggle. Many Jedi fell to the Dark Side,
and even more severed their connection to the Force. In the Jedi
Enclave on Dantooine, many of the few remaining Jedi try to re-build
the Order, struggling to regain trust in the Galaxy after a string
of violent wars with the Sith. Kailen Hanadar, a newly appointed
Jedi Knight, is on the brink of a conflict so dangerous, it could
claim not only his life, but the lives of all those around him. And
far away, a distant enemy is watching from the shadows, poised for
it's moment to strike...


There was an incredible surge in the Force as Kailen meditated. It
burned through him, powerful and dark, filling his mind with visions
of acute pain and intolerable suffering. The eyes that stared deep
into him were filled with the flame-orange of persistent Dark-Force
use. The pain of thousands upon thousand of innocent men, women and
children flooded his senses, blinding him and deafening him to the
world around him.

In a sweat he forced his eyes open, wrenching himself from his
medititive state. Barely clothed, the beads of sweat trickling down
his body made him shiver. Standing fitfully, he pulled a blanket from
his sparse bed and went to the door. Standing out on the little
balcony, he looked across the dark water and tried to place the
vision. It had come from something so very strong, and yet had not
given him any clue as to where or what had caused it. He remembered
his master's words; a Jedi saying as ancient as the galaxy itself,
repeated over and over into the ears of apprentices everywhere:

The Dark Side of the Force clouds everything...

But Kailen was no longer a Padawan learner. He had ascended through
the ranks some years previously, landing a role as Knight too
early. The Jedi had been in disarray, and many of the older Padawans
had been forced into their current roles to stem the haemorraging
numbers as countless Jedi fell. They had been dark times, many had
turned to the Dark Side, disenchanted by the stern leadership of
the then Jedi Master, Lew-Kai Ell. Lew-Kai had been a traditionalist
and calm man, failing to act as many would have him do against the
rising Sith threat; instead taking to meditation and manipulation
in what had become an all-out war.

Kailen was there when Lew-Kai Ell had been assassinated. The old
master had been teaching a group of very young Padawans in the gardens,
when three Knights had walked down from the terrace. Blind to his fate,
or accepting the inevitable, the old man had not even drawn his
lightsaber when they struck, all three of their sabers driving through him
together. The Knights were quickly captured, but their job had been
completed. The Jedi were leaderless.

With dwindling numbers, Jedi Master Kani pulled off a spectacular
tactical move, re-grouping those Jedi trained well enough to fight,
and led them through the first few battles the Sith provoked. The Jedi
began claiming victories as the Sith's swollen numbers failed in
their teachings. Kani was victorious, eventually heading a strike
team which silently sped through the galaxy, looking for the hidden
flagship of the Sith fleet; the Nexus. After several years' frantic
searching, the team had boarded the Nexus, Kailen among the handful
of Jedi aboard. The team had been deadly in it's efficiency, and came
to the bridge without tripping any alarm. As the entered they bridge of
the ship, it became all too apparent why no alarms had sounded. The
entire command deck was deserted. Making their way to the command
console, they had punched up a holo-recording of the ship's last
recorded data. The ship had been dead for nearly a decade. It seemed
that it had been inactive since before the assassination of Lew-Kai Ell.

Further exploration of the Nexus unearthed shattering evidence of the
betrayal of the Jedi. It seemed that the Sith invasion had been
co-ordinated by Darth Tridus, an incredibly powerful Dark Lord,
who had been mentioned throughout time as one of the true masters
of the Sith, and in Sith legend, reborn in times of great need to
help evil spread through the galaxy once more. Soon the evidence began
slotting further and further into place. The three knights who had
assassinated Lew-Kai had been part of the first secret strike team,
presumed missing or dead. It became apparent that the reason they struck
down their Master was that they had pieced together the puzzle sooner.
They knew that Lew-Kai was in fact the dreaded reincarnation of Darth
Tridus, and struck him down to purge the Jedi of the traitor, and free
the galaxy of unmistakeable evil. The Sith had been leaderless, and
this had contributed to their downfall.

Many more Jedi left the Order following the Years of the Revelation of
the Jedi Order. Jedi Master Kani retreated to a cell for nearly a year
to try and understand where she should lead the Jedi. Kailen had been
one of only a few Knights, trying to scrape together the remnants of
the Order, trying to re-build, to train new Padawans. Even now, three
years later, Jedi Master Kani still spent most of her time locked away.
Now Kailen understood why. The visions where not solely his. He was
still only just turned twenty, and would normally still be an apprentice.
His insight was not half that of Kani's but he still saw. He was sure
many of the Order were plagued by these visions. These visions of evil
reborn.

Re-entering his bedchamber, he threw the blanket to the floor and
removed the rest of his clothing. Moving into the washroom, he started
the water in the shower, and stood under it. Washing himself, he
thought more on his vision and what it might have meant. If it was not
only his vision, then the force he was seeing was incredibly powerful.
If the vision was his alone, then it could mean any number of things;
a future evil he would face, even a future evil he would become. History
was filled with hundreds of Jedi who had submitted to the Dark Side and
become twisted by it's insipid power. Leaving the shower, he dried himself,
pulling clean robes from the chest at the foot of his bed. He dressed
quickly in the unmistakeable get-up of the Jedi. Taking his cloak from it's
peg behind the door, he threw it around his shoulders and left for breakfast.


*	*	*

The enormous cafeteria was sparse with people. Dotted across the tables
that stretched across the huge room were the remains of the Order,
Padawans, Knights and two of the three remaining Masters. Kailen walked
silently to the serving hatch and took his morning meal. He walked to a
nearby table and sat down, sighing heavily into his tray.

"Good morning, Prince Hanadar," came a strong and confident voice. Kailen
felt a pull deep within his groin.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," he replied awkwardly, "you know that
Jedi renounce any title they previously held when they are accepted into
the Order."

"I know," said the voice, "but I enjoy making you squirm."

The tall, bronzed figure of Kailen's best friend sat down beside him.

"Fendarr, you know you cannot make me squirm," he replied, a little too
testily.

"I know," said Fendarr, reaching lazily with strong arms to take a slug
of his drink, "you have far too much control over your emotions to be
riled by a fellow Knight of the Order."

Kailen felt the pull in his groin tighten and knot.

"Yes," he said, uncomfortably, "sadly, you come under more than just the
category of fellow Knight."

"Yes, I know," replied Fendarr.

Kailen's stomach lurched as he felt Fendarr's leg brush against his, as he
felt his foot stroke the inside of his thigh and move further.

"Stop, Fendarr. You cannot do this."

"Why? We are taught nothing but love and compassion, yet they expect us to
become isolated in our emotions, to not feel any of that which we are
taught."

"There are reasons for that Fendarr, as well you know," replied Kailen.

"Reason! Ha! Reason made the Order weak when we needed strength, and now
we are all that is left. How can we cling to the teachings of the past
when we can see how blinded we were? How can you cling to it when you
can see so clearly when you are with me?"

"If I see clearly when I am with you, then it is not because of love or
compassion! It is because I trust you, I know you. It is because you are
so full of the Force that it flows through anyone you are near. You are
a light in a world of darkness, Fendarr, you have a connection so strong
I could not hope to achieve it."

"And yet you do, Kailen. You feel it every time we are together. I sense
you now, wanting more, but afraid to touch, in case that power corrupts
you."

"The Dark Side is embraced by those who have more power than their mind
can control. I can harness my power, I know what it's limitations and
boundaries are. I know how far it can stretch. I can see it's curve around
me, and I can see how to control it. If I had your power as well, I
would not have that control. I would not know how far my power could go.
I would have to find ways to explore it. We are inherently power-crazed,
Fendarr, and I am scared to think of where your power would take me."

"All this talk of power. Does power not lead to corruption? Corruption
to anger?"

"Yes, and that is where I fear I will head if we force a connection
between ourselves. You know both our strengths, Fendarr. You are gifted
in the Force. You can manipulate things with absolute control that I
can barely sense. You can master other people's minds and see into things
that I could not even dream about. You know that I am not that gifted."

"You are far more gifted than I! What use is manipulation and control
when we are so few? What use is a strong connection to the Force when
what the Order needs are soldiers? You are the deftest wielder of a
lightsaber anyone alive today has ever seen. Your combat techniques
are beyond that of any of the Masters. You are acrobatic in your
movement, you have grace and ease that the students and teachers here
alike would die to possess. Your natural ability in the Force lies not
in peace, but in combat."

"So are you saying I am fighting for the wrong side?"

"Not at all, friend, I am saying that you possess what we need. And I
do not."

"You talk without wisdom, Fendarr. Yet I sense you speak without
jealousy. You are kind-hearted, my friend."

"And you, Kailen, are blind to it."

"Excuse me, Master Kailen?"

A young Padawan had come up to the two young men, looking guiltily at
interrupting their conversation.

"Yes, young Padawan?"

"Master Kani has requested an audience with you. She says that it is
very urgent."

"Thank you, Padawan," replied Kailen, "Well, friend. It looks like we
will have to continue this at another time. Will you meet me for
training later?"

"Of course, Kailen. I believe I am ready to be put through my paces
in the Training Room."

Kailen shot a look of contempt at him. Clearing his tray away, he made
his way quickly to Master Kani's quarters, nodding at the few fellow
Knights he saw on the way.

Arriving, the door was already open and waiting. He stood silently,
waiting for permission to enter.

"You may come, young Knight," came the wizened voice of Master Kani.

Kailen entered, stepping into the dark beyond the doorframe. He stood
hesitantly just inside, waiting for the Master to speak again.

"Sit, my child," came the croak.

He did so. Master Kani was sat cross-legged on a stool at the far side
of the room, a hologram paused in front of her old, lined face. The
flickering blue light made her features look more haunted than they
already were, making her blind and whitened eyes sparkle with life
that they no longer contained.

"I am old, child, and I am slowly losing the battle against time. The
events of the past years have scarred us all. But I fear that perhaps
I took them a little too badly. Lew-Kai Ell was a friend, a dear one,
and his betrayal was more than harsh to my already husky frame."

Her words were dry and raspy. She sounded ill and tired, and every
breath came heavier than the last.

"I shall be one with the Force soon, and the Order shall have to find
a new leader. A strong leader. One who can re-build and learn from
the events of the past. One who can..."

She hesitated, a thick sigh prolonging itself across her dry lips.

"...but that is not why I bring you here to me today. I have an
assignment for you. We have had little to do of late. The Sith
invasion was halted with great sacrifice. We lost many Knights and
Masters to the Dark Side, and to indifference. But there is something
new out there. Something greater than the Armada we faced for those
long years. An evil that lurks beneath the shadows in the wide open
spaces of the galaxy. I know you have seen it. I know you can feel
it's power, burning everything in it's path. I have heard your voice
call out in pain, I have seen it torture you as you meditate, as you
sleep. It is your vision alone. I cannot sense what it has taught you,
except that you know the meaning of the Dark Side more truly now than
any in these sacred halls. And you know of it's temptation. Yes, you
know a great deal about temptation. And yet you resist, somehow
holding onto the teachings we have tried to instil. You are wilful,
and yet you use that will to shape the light, not interfere with the
dark, and you let yourself fall further and further into the warmth
of the Light Side with each passing day. Be warned, young Knight,
that even the least tempted will find something in temptation. Even
the strongest can fall. And do not forget that some temptation is
for the greater good. If we cannot fight everything, we must succumb
to that which will only make us stronger in lightness. If we must
fail, then we fail for what is right, not that which is wrong.
There is a small planet in the Outer Rim, barely inhabited, which
emanates a shroud of mystery. People avoid it, sensing even without
the Force that it is a place of great danger and risk. I believe
that if you travel there, you may seek out what you will find.
And you may also help to strengthen the Order as we dwindle so
acutely towards extinction. I believe that if you wish to forge
your own destiny, then this planet is where you shall go. But be
forewarned that no good can come from this place. I know not
if you are strong enough to withstand it's influence, but a vain
old woman's hope is now my only guide. Go, young Knight. Seek out
the darkness from which you so easily rebel, and put a cause to
your sleepless nights. Be safe, and forget not that which was taught
to you. Forget that which is not to pass. And remember that strength
does not come from power, nor power from strength. Strength comes
from peace and rationality. Strength is what we have, and power
is what others crave. You have the strength to harness that power.
You have the ability to open yourself to the Force in ways which
others cannot hope to achieve. You and you alone can find the
source of this evil. And I believe only you can stop it, young
Kailen."

The old figure opposite him coughed violently, her shoulders
quivering with the force of her outburst. She slowly regained
composure, moving from the stool, a stick appearing from nowhere.
She moved, limping slightly on her old, tired legs towards the
command console, where she leaned heavily on a large command pad.
The hologram in front of Kailen reset.

"But before you start on this path, you must help with others'.
This hologram has come from a planet in the same system. it is
a distress call. We have received several similar from other nearby
settlements. This Dark influence is insidious. Nearby planets are
beginning to suffer. This call comes from one of our few remaining
functional enclaves. We have had no further contact from the
enclave. I fear that we have lost them. Lost them to the power
that only you see."

The holgram started. An old Jedi, his face shrouded against the
harsh sun of the desert planet where he came from, was hunched
over his holocomm terminal. The signal was weak, the figure
flickering and jumping occassionally from it's long journey.
The figure began to speak, in a very distressed voice, his accent
thick as he spoke.

"Master Kani, old friend, I cannot begin to explain the dangers
which I present to you. There is an unseen force working in
this system. Our Enclave here is threatened by it. Our students
are beginning to stray, disappearing into the desert. There is
nothing but us known on this planet, there is nowhere they could
go. But recently it has been getting worse. The Knights who
I sent to investigate never returned. Their speeder was found
earlier this month, bearing no signs of battle, just abandoned.
Data onboard suggested it had been so for several days. I am
more than distraught at this news. The Knight who found the
speeder sent me a holocomm informing me of his whereabouts.
He then vanished also. I made my way to the gorge the Knight
had specified. I looked at the speeder. To the eyes, the scene
was innocent enough. But through the Force I could see the
devastation of the Knights we have lost. Something happened
here, but I do not sense death. I sense confusion, anger.
I worry for my companions. I worry for my own strength."

On the hologram, an alarm sounded. The Master looked around,
worried at the new sound, his hood whipping back, revealing
large, scared, dark eyes. He spoke a little more.

"I must go, Master. We have a problem. I will attempt to send
you another holocomm, but I fear that I may not see the end
of this day. Goodbye, friend."

The holocomm froze in the same place as it had before. Kailen
began to speak, but Kani raised a hand to quiet him.

"Quieten, young Knight. I know no more than you. In fact, you
know more, however shrouded your vision. Kailen, I am old.
You must take this assignment. You have intimate knowledge of
the Enclave. It is where you began your training. And your
knowledge of this unseen power is greater than you know. Now go.
Take one with you. Someone of experience. A balance. Choose someone
who excels where you do not. Someone who fails where you blossom.
Take my ship. Use it well. I shall not have need of it. Now,
leave me."

*	*	*

Kailen left the chambers with a feeling of great bewilderment. Back
in his own bed-chamber, he took the datapad Master Kani had handed
him and looked through the information it held. There was a
recording of the holocomm, and several pages of data on the planets
in the system. There was also a list of all the Jedi living in the
enclave. There were barely thirty names, most of them Padawan learners,
and the list was dotted with the word 'missing'. Placing the datapad
into his utility belt, Kailen began to strip, removing his shirt
to reveal his strong back, tattooed by shrapnel from an explosion
aboard the Nexus. The exploration of the ship had revealed precious
Sith artefacts, embedded with ancient Dark power, but they had not
reckoned on Darth Tridus' desire to protect these items from the
Jedi. Barely seconds after Kailen had entered the room, the chests
exploded, their magical contents firing around the room in tiny pieces.
Kailen had caught several in the back, where they had attached them-
selves to his bones, leaving a dark, red tattoo across the skin of
his shoulders. It was possibly the knowledge that he had these
artefacts buried within that kept Kailen from the seduction of the
Dark Side. If he could fight them, he could certainly resist other
temptations.

Settling down to meditate, his mind began to empty, light wispy strands
of the Force brushing away his thoughts, filling him like an empty
vessel. His thoughts died, and visions began to float across his
eyes. The partner he should choose, the fate of the Jedi in the
Enclave on Jooine, the fate of Master Kani and her wisdom. And all the
while in the back of his mind, he could feel the flame-orange eyes
stare at him from beneath their black cowl.

*	*	*

In the early afternoon, as the blossoms from the trees outside began
to fall, Kailen made his way to the training rooms. The one he had
reserved was currently empty, and he entered it, making a note of
where the randomiser had placed the furniture and balconies today.
He walked to the far wall, where a number of training sabers hung.
He picked one up gently, and tossed it in the air before replacing it
on the wall. He did not need it. His own saber hung at his belt, the
hilt long and slender. The blade was nimble, barely a shimmer of purple,
a swordsman's blade. He made a move to the bench and began to remove his
shirt. Training rules stated that a Jedi should train wearing as little
clothing as possible, in order to feel the burn as a saber came too close,
and in order to not feel embarrassment in their technique. In later
years, the Jedi should become gradually more clothed in order to feel the
burn through clothing, in order to sense through fabric. But that was
the way of the Jedi, to start simply and build upon knowledge. Stripped
down to just his under-shorts and sandal-like shoes, Kailen knew he should
be moving toward clothed training, but he preferred it this way. He knew
that while his saber technique was excellent, he still needed to work
on his connection with the Force. True, it came more strongly while
fighting, but he needed all the help he could get.

There was a voice from above.

"Glad you could make it," said Fendarr.

"Wouldn't miss it," replied Kailen, "Automate setting number four-seven-
three-B."

The lights winked out and around him Kailen could hear the old grating
sound of gears as the training room began to move the furniture and
balconies around. This was one of the harder training courses, the one
Fendarr was eager to try. Kailen knew that Fendarr would be so eager
to get started he would forget who he was dealing with. He could have
taken Kailen down with one blow simply by sensing him. Fendarr's connection
with the Force was that much stronger, he could have sensed him and
moved to him before Kailen had the chance to react. As it was, the thick
green blade of Fendarr's saber hummed to life, bouncing around the room
from balcony to moving balcony. Kailen followed the hum of the saber as it
sliced through the air, coming closer, but not close enough to warrant
his attention. He saw the movements of the blade in his mind's eye,
plotting which attack Fendarr would execute. When it came, Kailen simply
wasn't there. Fendarr began his dash around the room again, leaping
around the moving background. Kailen waited from his viewpoint high in
the roof. If Fendarr stopped focussing all his energy on trying to see
me through his eyes, and stopped using the Force to move like that, he
could easily find me and take me down, thought Kailen.

They kept dancing around each other for about twenty minutes, before
Fendarr began to get tired, his effortless bounds now showing signs of
struggle. As he came down from one particularly lengthy and slightly
miscalculated jump, buckling his knees against the pressure, with a
slight upthrust of lift to steady himself, Kailen came whirling from
the darkness, his saber not yet unsheathed, but the hilt in his hand.
Fendarr turned and brought his saber up, defending against the oncoming
Jedi. As Kailen neared, he activated his saber, the purple blade fizzing
as it raced through the air. It hit the green of Fendarr's saber with a
roar of sparks, and the two lights began to dazzle and dance around the
room. Slash after stab, Fendarr's moves were heavy and blunt, like he was
chopping away at a log. Kailen moved noiselessly, never in the same place,
an easy grace about his movements which let him spin and dive and twirl
around Fendarr's clumsy attacks, batting them away like a lazy ballerina.
Fendarr lunged, his saber stabbing past Kailen, and, as his arm went past
the other Jedi's body, Kailen grabbed it, forcing him to drop the saber.
Weaponless, Fendarr conceded the fight. It had been well fought.

On different settings, they continued to practice well into the evening.
It was dark before either realised how late it was. Kailen was alarmed
that the time had passed so quickly. He and Fendarr were both bruised
and bloody from their training session. Sweaty and dirty, more than
half-naked and equally tired, they trudged back to their quarters in
the east wing of the Enclave. It was quiet in the corridors - most of the
Order would be asleep by now. Kailen felt the weight of the datapad as
he walked. The normal clarity he achieved while training had been elusive
during the day's session. The confusion of his meeting with Kani was
still taking it's toll on him, and he weighed her final words heavily
before he began to speak.

"Fendarr?"

"Yes?" replied the man.

"I require a companion to help me in one of the Outer Rim systems. A
disturbance has been reported at the Enclave there on Jooine. And I
thought that perhaps you waould accompany me."

"Of course, Kailen. But you wear the words heavily. What's wrong?"

"Master Kani spoke briefly of the companion I should take. Her words
echoed those which you spoke so truly this morning at breakfast. She
spoke of a Jedi who had abilities and qualities I do not possess,
and vice versa. You were speaking of our different strengths. But
I wonder if these words ran deeper. I thought she may be speaking
more... laterally."

"You think she sees into your heart, Kailen?"

"I know that. I cannot hide things the way you can. I am not so
deceptive with my powers. She knows things I could never know. She
can see into me, into places I don't know about."

"She is wise."

"It is more than that, Fendarr, and you know it. She knows of how
passionate you are. She knows how the peace in me has been ruptured
by your forceful nature. She can see how my wounds still haunt me."

"The shrapnel still hurts?"

"Not as pain. The force that still flows through the fragments is
tainted. Blackened and twisted. It is dangerous for me to be
reckless with my thoughts and with my emotions. I need the calm if I
want to stay true to the light."

"But Kailen, you are anything but reckless! Your devotion and inner
peace is something which I honour, respect and hope to one day achieve.
In a way I am proud. It has been many years since we met here, and
we have both grown."

"It has been twelve years, friend. I was still a child, fresh from
Jooine. Still tanned from the desert sun."

"You will never lose that bronze colour, Kailen. And you will never
lose your integrity. I have seen things, we all have. And I am nothing
but sure that you will stay true. I have seen far into your future."

"You think too much on me, friend. Your thoughts would be better spent
with you. Think on the path you are on. My path will present itself.
Now think on Jooine. I must leave very soon. Tomorrow most probably.
And I need someone to accompany me."

"I will come Kailen. You know I will. I do not need to think on it.
We are tied Kailen. You know our history."

"Of course. I knew you would come. I think Master Kani wanted us to
go together. She seemed to plant you in my mind, even though you are
always already there. I sometimes find myself thinking of you when I
know I shouldn't. I catch myself wrapped up in you, and it scares me
that someone can have that hold over someone."

"I do not mean to hold you. But I cannot help myself."

They were stood outside Kailen's door, Fendarr's hand resting lightly
on Kailen's elbow. The touch was electrifying to Kailen, awakening
senses within him, flourishing and spreading through his body. He tensed
with a sharp intake of breath, and the hand fell away. He opened his eyes
to meet Fendarr's, their dark brown piercing him. He felt he could sense
the pale blue of his own eyes vanishing, being filled by the intensity
of Fendarr's penetrating stare. He looked away, and turned to his door.

"You're leaving me, Kailen? After the things you said."

"Especially after the things I have said. I...  I can't do this until
I have figured out my own path. I... I will see you tomorrow. Dawn. We
are taking Kani's ship."

He slipped into his room, sliding the door behind him. He slithered
down it, lying in a heap up against it. Behind him, he heard Fendarr's
footsteps fade quickly down the hall. Looking up, he closed his eyes and
pictured Fendarr's eyes on him, their dark brown seeing through him, into
his mind and his heart. Barely realising it, he stood and undressed,
walked naked to the bed and threw himself onto it.

Several hours he woke in a sweat. The flame-orange eyes had pierced him
again, just as deeply as Fendarr's had earlier. They had stared into the
inky blackness behind the light, and the had pulled him awake, breathing
heavily and with sheets soaked with sweat.

The room was stifling. Pulling a pair of undershorts on, he went to the
balcony, staring across the water, bathed in the dim light from the door
to his room. Regaining control over his thoughts, he focussed his abilities,
pulling the door behind him closed. The effort felt great after the vision
had drained him strength, and he gripped the rail of the balcony to steady
himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he that another balcony was bathed
in a dim light. Further along the row of balconies, a dark figure was
stood staring at the water far below. Words arrived in Kailen's head.

*I felt your pain Kailen. I heard the groans in your sleep. The visions
are bothering you still aren't they?*

*Yes* replied Kailen, no sound issuing from his lips, *they become stronger
as I come closer to my path. I am scared of them, Fendarr. The darkness
is the strongest I have ever sensed.*

*I can feel how wounded your spirit is, Kailen. There is much pain there.
You should not be so afraid to let me help.*

*You help me in other ways, Fendarr. You are helping me already just by
agreeing to accompany me on this mission. You are on my path, and you
will be part of it. I just don't know if it is in the way you hope it to
be.*

*I know, Kailen. But I am here. I will leave you to centre yourself
again.*

The figure on the balcony disappeared back into the room behind it, the
door sliding shut, the light extinguishing. Kailen ran a hand across the
back of his neck, feeling the metal embedded underneath skin. It burned
after it's contact with the Dark vision. The cool air was a relief to
the skin, but he could feel the swirling of the metal as it strained
with the Force. He sighed, heavily, tired with the night's efforts. He
went back inside, taking the sheets from his bed and throwing them aside.
Aching and tired, he rested his head, and slept a fitful, broken sleep.

*	*	*

Kailen awoke a few hours later, tired and aching. The pre-dawn light was
filtering through the window, bathing the grey room in a musty, watery
light. He rolled off the bed and performed his usual morning ablutions.
He donned his grey Jedi robes before pulling his cloak around him. The
cloak was long, brushing the ground. Pulling the over-sized hood up to
hide his face and the dark circles under his eyes, he strapped his utility
belt around his waist. Taking his lightsaber from the table by his bed,
he hooked it onto the belt. He took the datapad from the desk, and picked
up an assortment of other items, attaching the necessary equipment to his
belt. A spare robe, a few Galactic credits and other essentials went into
his pack, which he slung over his shoulder. Looking back on the room, he
left, closing the door behind him and locking it via the keypad next to
it. He walked down the corridor, sensing the sleeping Jedi behind their
closed doors, the Force swirling round them, uncontrolled as they slept.
The morning light was getting stronger now, filtering through the columns
of the corridor, splashing an orange glow across each door he passed.
Heading down the steps at the front of the Enclave, the gardens stretched
out in front of him. In the distance, the giant waterfall that disguised
the entrance to the hangars thundered down in the morning glow. He walked
through the still gardens, beautiful and splendid as the flowers bathed
in weak sunlight. Reaching the waterfall, he ducked behind the torrent of
water, disappearing into the darkness. Walking the familiar dark path
down into the cavern, he winced as he entered the hangar, the sharp electric
lighting hurting his eyes. Once they focussed, he saw the assortment of
Jedi craft sitting squat in their bays. At the rear of the hangar, the
gleaming white monster that was Kani's ship lay dormant, like a giant
eagle waiting to take flight. Kani had procured the ship years ago during
her time in the Republic Navy. The ship was one of a kind, and could carry
up to forty soldiers. It was fast and quiet, and equipped with several
heavy turrets, anti-personnel guns and a superior on-board navigational
system. During the attack from the Sith Armada, the ship, named the
White Swan, had spearheaded the assault on the Sith-controlled Coruscant,
disabled three Sith star destroyers alone before the Jedi and Republic
fleets entered Coruscant space. The battle had been violent, but, thanks
to the work of Kani and the White Swan, had been a devastating blow to the
Sith advancement. Kailen had been aboard her then, helping the war effort
with superior tactical knowledge he had inherited from his father. He
had been her passenger once again during the attack on the Nexus, and
had spent the weeks afterwards in her med-bay. He knew the ship well; Kani
had let him fly the Swan on several occassions, and she flew well, easily
controlled by just one pilot. She was one of the smallest vessels the Jedi
had that was capable of interstellar flight. All in all, she was the perfect
choice for this mission - small, quiet and able to slip in the back door.
As he walked towards her, Fendarr appeared from the open hatchway, a large
re-fuelling cable in his hands. Kailen hailed a welcome.

"Good morning to you too, Kailen!" Fendarr replied, "I took the liberty
of performing a few checks. She full of fuel, and the navi-computer is
set for Jooine. All you have to do is get her off this rock."

"Thank you," replied Kailen, "I'm guessing from the look of her that she's
still spaceworthy?"

"Definitely. She's a beautiful ship. It's been a while since she was in
the air."

"Since the Nexus."

"Yes. And she's still in just as good condition as she was when we got back.
I wouldn't be surprised if Master Kani herself had been maintaining her.
The few repairs that have been done are of military standard."

"I'm sure she does. I've seen her down here a few times. It's her solace
I think. She once told me of how tinkering with ships and engines is almost
meditative. The solving of problems. What's left to do?"

"I just need to get that crate of supplies on-board and we should be good
to go."

"Great. Are the droids on-board?"

"Not yet. I didn't know which you'd want with us."

"Okay. I'll go through to storage and get them."

Leaving Fendarr to the ship, he went through to droid storage. It was always
vital to have a few extra droids on-board. Service droids were notorious for
blowing a gasket or spark plug at precisely the wrong moment, and a protocol
droid was always handy to have around, be it to handle negotations or for
espionage. The on-board droids were specifically programmed to carry out
functions on their own ship, extra droids were there as a security blanket.
Kailen loved droid storage. He enjoyed taking apart droids and seeing how
each one worked. The motley of different models had been accrued from various
different planets; there were no two there the same. Kailen knew a few of
the protocol droids as he had dealt with them before, but he had his favourite.
Walking up to a shiny silver droid, he activated it, waiting for it's customary
greeting.

"Hello, my name is C6-82, protocol and communications droid, how may I be of
assistance?" said the droid in a synthesized voice.

"C6, old friend. How are you?"

"Master Hanadar, a pleasure to see you again! What may I help you with?"

"A mission, C6. I need you to accompany and Master Yxxi to Jooine."

"Of course, Master Hanadar."

"Thank you, C6. Now we need to find a couple of service droids."

"May I make a suggestion, sir?"

"Go ahead."

"R1-51 is in excellent condition sir, and he is a model. Also, DP9 is
currently in fine working order."

"DP9? I don't recognise the coding for a service droid."

"DP9 isn't technically a service droid, sir. His primary functions are
protection and tactics. However, he is programmed with full service
capabilities. He will be a valuable asset to a team on a planet as dangerous
as Jooine."

"C6, I am not sure I want an assassin..."

"With all due respect Master Hanadar, DP9 is not an assassin droid. His
coding is close, but he is in fact a specially-commissioned bodyguard."

"As in the infamous bodyguard of Master Li-Qwek?"

The supremely paranoid Master Li-Qwek had been the Jedi Master before
Lew-Kai Ell. His death had been caused when his bodyguard droid had
over-ridden it's own primary functions and attacked it's master. The
droid's AI was downloaded to the mainframe afterwards to be decoded and
analysed, to see why it had attacked. The results of the investigation
had shown that Master Li-Qwek had programmed the droid to protect ALL
Jedi, not just himself in the case of violent attack. The droid plugged
into Li-Qwek's command console each night to recharge and download
information about Li-Qwek's schedule. When he had plugged in that night,
he had downloaded a file which contained an entry from Li-Qwek about
his battle with the Sith apprentice, Darth Morus. Li-Qwek had slain
the apprentice after a furious lightsaber duel, helping the Jedi close
the gap between them and the ever-present Darth Tridus. In the entry,
Li-Qwek explained how Morus had once been his own Padawan apprentice,
a kindly young Jedi named Andor Gwen. Andor had been seduced by the
Dark Side on a routine run to Korriban, the Sith homeworld. DP9 had
taken this information, and slain his master for the murder of Li-Qwek.
While he had been de-activated for decades, the story of this mistake
in programming had been passed down through the Jedi as an example of
how great wisdom and compassion could often give way to quite stupid
mistakes.

"Yes," replied C6-82, "he is the same droid."

"I don't think that is a very good idea, C6."

"On the contrary, Master Hanadar. DP9 would be a good asset to you.
He is loyal and useful, and, while he may need slight re-programming,
would be a great help in an environment as hazardous as Jooine."

"Alright. But I'm not entirely happy with it. How extensive is the
re-programming."

"Not a lot, sir. Non-essential functions are fine, and his base
programming is intact. All that should need changing is his primary
motive. An easy task. There is a data-chip in his chest panel
which can be removed and re-programmed via a regular console."

"Okay. Activate him and take him to the Swan. Once he is there,
take him to the engineering platform and de-activate him. Remove
the ship and bring it to the flight console. I'll meet you there.
I still need a regular service droid."

"Very good, Master Hanadar."

Kailen walked towards the rear of the large room, to where several
service droids sat in a line by the wall. Behind him, he heard C6
activate the bodyguard droid and lead him out of the storage room.
He walked to the nearest couple of droids and activated a few.
Eventually he settled on R4-T7, a little green astro-droid, capable
of accessing the exterior of a ship mid-spaceflight and performing
essential repairs.

Leading the little beeping droid back to the ship, he checked his
datapad, downloading vital flight information by remote access from
the Jedi mainframe. Fendarr was standing under the ship's belly,
fiddling with a computer panel as he checked over the ship's
systems one last time. Kailen stood back as Fendarr executed the
final checks, looking up at the ship that would take him to Jooine.

Suddenly, he felt a twinge in the Force. It felt like a slight
buckle, as though someone had pushed at the floor under his feet.
Then, almost before he felt it, a shadow fell from the foot, dropping
lightly to the concrete floor. Kailen whirled, facing whatever it
was that had fallen. Behind him he heard Fendarr drop the computer
console and turn to face it too.

"The great Jedisssssss," hissed the shadow, "Masters Hanadar and
Yxxi."

"And you are?" came Fendarr's voice, full of sarcasm.

"I am an apparition, friend," replied the shadow.

Kailen felt the Force buckle again, more forcefully this time, and
he sensed five other shadows drop from the roof.

"Kardia," said Kailen.

"Very good, Master Hanadar," seethed the shadow, "you remember an old
companion."

The shadow lowered it's hood to reveal what had once been a beautiful
woman. Now, the face was haggard and lined with abuse. Dark grey veins
crawled across the yellowed skin, and the smile was full of blackened
teeth. There was no hair, but a vicious looking tattoo, blood-red across
her entire scalp. The eyes were misty, whitened as though blinded, and
the penetrated the room with their ferocity.

"Of courssssse, I am no longer Kardia," continued the woman, "I am now
and forever Darth Krall. And I am here for you."

Kailen's saber was ignited before the first Sith had left the ground.
It came at him, red saber slicing the air as it leapt the full forty
feet between it and it's target. Kailen intercepted it, the purple of
his saber throbbing as it clashed with the Sith's. He parried the next
few swings, stepping backward as he did so, before a particularly wild
attack gave him an opportunity. He stepped into the Sith's body and
gathered the Force around him, unleashing it to fling the Sith away.
Behind him he felt another Sith leap towards him, and he jumped high
out of reach as it passed below. As it did so, he flung his saber out,
controlling it's arc with the Force. It flew downwards towards where
the first Sith lay, and caught a blow against its shoulder. The Sith
cried out, it's arm now lying away from it's body. Kailen landed,
catching his saber smoothly as it returned to him. Almost instantly,
the second Sith rushed him again. He felt the Force crackle and prepared
himself for the slam of energy before it came. Thrown backwards and up,
he twisted in mid-air, and came down lightly on his feet. The second Sith
was there again, hacking and jabbing with his saber like a madman.
Kailen easilyh parried the haphazard blows, and dealt a particularly
stinging defeat, slicing the Sith's hands off as it lunged. As it stumbled
past he flicked the tip of his saber past, plunging it into the Sith's
back. The Sith fell to the ground heavily, as the first came flying
towards him, his saber held with the hand of his remaining arm. Calling
on the Force again, Kailen held out his hand to the fallen Sith, pulling
the lightsaber from it's cold, dead fingers. It blazed as he grabbed it,
and he spun low onto one knee, bringing the sabers up. The advancing Sith
hit them both, and tumbled to the ground in three pieces. Immediatley,
a third was in front of him, more skilled than the other two, faster
and more delicate with his movements. He was a skilled fighter, dodging
Kailen's attacks and parrying his strokes with great ease. Kailen was
nearly blinded as the tip of his opponent's saber flashed past his
face. His felt the burn across his eye, felt it began to water, and the
sting of the salt in the tears as they fell across the burnt skin.
Drawing power, he bent his knees and thrust upwards, jumping high onto
an upper walkway. The Sith followed suit. Kailen continued to parry the
attacks from the Sith, dodging the blows which came more angrily now,
the Sith's control vanishing as he failed to conquer his opponent.
Kailen saw his chance, and unleashed a blow of energy, throwing the
flailing Sith from the walkway and into some crates at the far end of
the hangar. The Sith fell to the floor, metal boxes and chests falling
on top of him, until he was crushed beneath a large pile. Below him,
Kailen saw Fendarr had killed one of the other Sith, and was now battling
another. Kardia stood watching, laughing at Fendarr's attempts, trying
to discourage him. Fendarr was doing well, not showing off as he had been
the day previously, his brow furrowed in concentration. His green blade
danced across the Sith's saber, and eventually caught him a stab in the
chest. The Sith fell, a look of surprise on his dead face. Kailen dropped
from the walkway.

"You pitiful Jedi," hissed Kardia, her voice full of anger, "you are
lucky. Next time we meet, I shall destroy you."

She leapt up into the rafters again, and they heard her as she ran her
to the enormous opening in the roof. Fendarr went to follow her, but
Kailen put a restraining hand on his chest.

"Leave her," he said, "she has failed in her mission. She will report
back to her master, and, as is the Sith way, be punished. There is
no point chasing her. Come, we must tell Master Kani."

"There is no need," came a voice from the shadows, "She is already here."

Out of the shadows in a corner of the hangar came a hunched figure. Her
stick tapped across the floor as she made her way towards the two young
Jedi, her brown cloak heavy across her rounded shoulders.

"You have done well, Knights," she continued, "these were no ordinary
Sith. They are Assassins, skilled in combat and destruction. But little
matter to their training. They are no match for Jedi."

She chuckled to herself.

"Now, young Master Hanadar, I believe you have a mission. Or do I detect
a question on your lips?"

"Yes, Master Kani. I thought Kardia died in the Armada?"

"Oh no, young Jedi. Many believed she was dead. I have felt her presence
in the Force for years. As it grew more insidious and more angry. How
angry she was. I believe she lost many men during the battles in the
Utapau System. It was an intolerable strain for one who has never known
the difference between fair and unfair."

"We should have gone after her," said Fendarr, "we could have finished
this here."

"I believe young Master Kailen can tell you why you couldn't have." replied
Kani.

"She wasn't the one. The one from the vision. She was twisted, but there
was a seed of truth there. Like a good pip in a rotten apple. She is not
the Master, merely the apprentice. And perhaps if the Master knows we have
defeated five of his Assassins, he will fear us."

"I thought the Sith didn't fear anything?" replied Fendarr.

"Yes, they do," nodded Kani, "They fear strength."

*	*	*

Later, as Kailen lay in a bunk in the White Swan's quarters, he thought on
Kani's words. The old Jedi was becoming more and more cryptic as the years
grew more in number. He thought on what she had meant by 'one who has never
known the difference between fair and unfair'. Surely knowing one would mean
knowing the other. And of course there was a difference. Everyone knew that.
But as he thought further, he realised that the difference between them was
what they were. Fair was fair, unfair was unfair. Placing more on the two
was difficult. You couldn't say that one was right and one was wrong.
Sometimes, being unfair was necessary. Sometimes being fair wasn't the right
thing to do. Perhaps that was what the old Master had meant. Kailen fell
slowly into a deep sleep. He dreamed, dreamed of Sith Assassins, wise old
Jedi Masters and flame-orange eyes. But most of all, he dreamed of Fendarr.




To be continued...



And there you have Chapter One.
Any ideas/questions/feedback/criticism please e-mail me.
For your convenience, here is that e-mail address again.

INSERT EMAIL ADDRESS HERE

Thanks again for reading, I know it was long.

Declan Mulhern
Author/Layabout