The Last Sith, Pt. Five

Welcome to Part 5 of my (so far) only foray into Star Wars fanfiction.

The disclaimers yet again:  Mara McCuniff is a a copyrighted character of Traci Briery.   Star Wars, Jedi, Sith, Yavin, Dantooine, Coruscant, Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, et al, are copyrighted characters and terms owned by George Lucas, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Fox.  I ain't gettin' no money from this, folks.

"Master!" said Malice. "I beg you, let me end our cowering and destroy the Jedi myself! I can do this for you, master!"

Again, his master gave no response.

"Master, please, I-!" Malice cut off his own words after his master held up his hand suddenly. For a few seconds, the master held his pose, than slowly brought both hands under his chin.

"First of all," he said, his voice like the low rumble of a starcruiser’s engine, "We are not… cowering. The Jedi will not find us. Not until it is too late, that is. And next," he said, and then his hand suddenly whipped across the table, grabbing Malice by his black robe and dragging him to within inches of his burning glare, "I… HATE… being begged!"

"I’m sorry, master!" Malice spurted out in terror. "No more! Never again!"

For a few seconds more, the master held him in place, then pushed him back roughly. "You lie," he said.

"No, master-!"

"The only reason you live is that you don’t know you’re lying," said the master. "But soon enough, you will beg me again. But that is of little relevance now," he said, pushing away from the table and rising from his seat. "Our brethren’s numbers are growing, and the final war will begin soon. Your impatience is understood, my apprentice. We all want to slaughter the sniveling Jedi that claimed first blood. Especially Taga. He will suffer more than the others."

"Let me have the girl, master!" said Malice. "The one who took the twins! Please, master!"

"You see? Not even 10 seconds have gone by, and you’re begging me again."

"Begging? No, I-" said Malice, who then realised what he’d just said. "Pl-! That, is, am I to be punished, master?"

"Not this time," said the master Sith, his pale blue eyes glinting in the bits of sunlight that squeezed their way through cracks in the walls. He was tall and had handsome features for a human, yet his benign appearance masked a heart and soul drenched in evil.

"Continue your training, and that of the others," said the master. "Remind them of how the Jedi killed our brethren. Let their thirst for revenge fill them with strength."

"Yes, my master," said Malice, then bowed and raced from his master’s chambers, eager to fill himself with the power of the dark side. His master was left alone in his dark thoughts. It was not yet time to launch their full attack, but he would Taga a clue as to whom the Jedi were dealing with. And if this did not fill them with fear, especially Taga, then they were truly not human. Malice would see to it the Siths’ training would continue on into the night. His master threw on an ordinary brown cloak before leaving their lair.

* * *

"Master?" Mara stood in the doorway leading to Orn’s study. He and Jeel were reviewing the day’s cues (there were none) when she interrupted.

"Yes, Mara," said Orn without looking up.

"The chief magistrate has called for you from town," she said. "He’s waiting for you on our communicator."

"Very well," he said, heading for the doorway. "Stay here with Master Jeel and wait."

She obediently sat in his chair while he left the room, and waited silently. Jeel gave her a quick smile, which she did not seem to have noticed, for gave no reply.

"Did it sound like bad news?" he asked finally.

"Hm? Oh... Oh, I don’t know, Master Jeel," she said. "I didn’t ask him for his message."

"I can sense that something is going to happen soon," said Jeel. "But good or bad, it’s… difficult to tell. What about you? Do you sense anything?"

"No, Master Jeel," she said, rubbing her arm. She seemed to be avoiding making eye contact. Jeel decided not to inquire of this, though. "I…" she continued, "For some reason, I’ve always had trouble hearing the greater Force. It’s such a rare thing for me to sense things in the distant future, or see visions. And I do try, every-"

"We must go to town," said Orn. Like his padawan, he stood in the doorway to make his announcement. The others immediately rose from their seats and looked at him. "The magistrate has asked for our assistance to investigate two murders."

"They’re asking us to do this?" said Jeel. "Don’t they employ investigators in the city?"

"They have reason to believe that someone killed them with a lightsaber."

"Ah, well, in that case…"

* * *

"As you see here," said the medical examiner, "All the wounds have been cauterised. Blaster fire does the same, as we know, but these wounds are far too deep to be from a blaster. These victims were cut with something extremely hot."

"Like a lightsaber," said Jeel.

"The Sith are making their move, then," said Orn. "We must search even harder now. They’re bringing innocents into their blood feud."

"Probably just poor souls who got in their way," said Jeel.

"Were any others killed or injured?" Orn asked the examiner. "Was there a fight in town? Did they destroy or steal anything?"

"Not that I know of," said the examiner. "Only these two have been brought to me. We’ve identified them as…" he added, grabbing his datapad and reading from it, "Xen Saeus and Graal Klen… Klenjrma… oh, however it’s pronounced," he said, handing the datapad to Orn. Orn studied it while Jeel leaned over to take a closer look at the bodies. Mara stood away from the others, watching silently.

"They were found together?" said Orn, handing the pad back to the examiner.

"Yes. Just outside of an apothecary," said the examiner.

"A Rodian and a Sanjelarian," said Jeel. "Pretty ironic."

"Why is that?" said Orn.

"Oh, well, their races haven’t traditionally gotten along very well," said Jeel. "At worst, they’re trying to kill each other. At best, they’re very competitive."

"Mm, yes, that I could agree with," said Orn. "Many years ago I was on a mission with 3 other Jedi. One was Rodian, and another was Sanjelarian, and they were always trying to outdo each other. It was a friendly competition, but…" His voice trailed off suddenly. "Oh, no."

"Master Orn?" said the examiner. "Is something-?"

"I know who did this."

The examiner immediately started pressing buttons on his datapad.

"Who did?" said Jeel. "You know who killed them? And why?"

"Pel Milanth," said Orn quietly. "Pel did this."

"I don’t know that name," said Jeel. "Is he a Sith?"

"No, not Pel," said Orn, shaking his head. "Pel died soon after our companions lost their lives on the mission. It was… a great failure on our parts. On my part. We barely escaped with our lives. Then we were separated, but… Pel died, that much I know. Died because he was consumed by the dark side."

"Oh, no…"

"When that happened, Darth Omen was born."

"A Sith…"

"Master Orn," said the examiner, "I.. appreciate your loss, but I also don’t quite understand it. Do you know who killed these citizens or not?"

"A Sith master killed them," said Orn. "Perhaps they knew each other, and perhaps not, but he killed a Rodian and a Sanjelarian to send me a message. He slaughtered two innocents just to send me a message."

"Then what’s his message?"

"Only that he’s here," said Orn. "That he’s the one who’s brought the Sith to Zeelan 4. We must speak to the magistrate now. Come, everyone. Thank you for allowing us to speak with you," he said to the examiner.

* * *

"Pel Milanth was unusually strong with the greater Force," said Orn. Both Jedi masters and padawan were in the magistrate’s meeting room. Over the years Orn and Mara had had cause to meet with him, but never for such a grim reason as today.

"His visions of the future were often clearer than even a Whill or an Iktotchi master’s," Orn continued. "He could not see the outcome of every situation, but when he did, he was never wrong. And in combat, his instincts were unparalleled. It was as though he sensed far ahead of time what the enemy would do. They moved as if in slow motion compared to him. And we were great friends. The Council often paired us for missions. This was all before I had taken you as my padawan learner, Mara."

She nodded in comprehension.

"I remember," he continued, "He once told me that he had had a dream one night. A disturbing dream of his own death. And a Jedi knows never to dismiss a dream, but the Force does not reveal our own deaths to us. It turned out that in his case, it had. It was on that mission where we’d lost our companions, Taran and Quent. Pel and I almost lost our lives, too, but it was Pel who saved both of us. It was… it was as if he knew exactly where to be, and when. On the way back, he confirmed what I’d sensed. He told me the dream he’d had foretelling his own death had been played out at the very end of the mission. He had been meant to die like the others, but he used the dream to avoid his death."

"The dream must have been a warning, then," said Jeel, "And not a prophecy. The Force often shows us potential futures, not fact. We all know this."

"If this had been the dream of another Jedi, I might agree with you," said Orn. "But Pel’s… gift was unprecedented. In his case, I believe he had truly cheated his own fate. And it seems that he continues to use this power to avoid death, but as a Sith master."

"Why did he succumb to the dark side?" asked Jeel.

"I don’t have the full answer," said Orn, "But I believe it was a combination of many things. I sensed great guilt on his part on the return home. I’m only guessing at this point, but it’s possible that he had foreseen the deaths of our companions as well as his own, yet used his knowledge to save himself."

"If your guess is correct," said Jeel, "I can see how guilt would be difficult to control. Guilt can lead to regret, then to self-hatred, then hatred of all things if not brought under control."

"And lead to the dark side," said Mara quietly.

"This is merely conjecture," said Orn. "As I said, we went our separate ways after we returned, but Pel disappeared from our midst. The Council lost contact with him. Then Darth Omen appeared shortly afterwards. Then it was learned what had happened to Pel. The dark side had claimed a great Jedi warrior. Then Omen himself, rather than begin a war with the Council, fled into the far reaches of the galaxy, where even our best trackers could not find him."

"Perhaps the dark side was showing him where they were looking, allowing him to avoid being caught," said Jeel.

"Gentlemen," said the magistrate, clasping his hands together as he sat behind his desk. "I’ve been patient with your stories so far. You Jedi have always been a great help to me and the people of this city. But now we seem to be invaded by these… Sith, as you call them… one of which has a vendetta against you. Two citizens have already died because of this blood feud. So what are you going to do about this?"

"We make our most solemn promise to you, Magistrate Daar," said Orn, "We will find these Sith. And if we cannot destroy them, we will drive them from Zeelan 4 so they never harm your people - our people - again."

"It’s my job to make promises, gentlemen," was Daar’s reply. "You don’t have that luxury. I will not tolerate a Jedi blood feud in my city! Find these killers and find them now!"

"Anger will not help the situation, Magistrate Daar," said Orn. "We wish for peace as much as you do, and will do all in our power to protect this city. This has been our home for many years, as you know-"

"Yes, and we’re very grateful for-"

"Please, Magistrate Daar," said Orn, "Allow me to finish. We cannot stress enough how important it is that everyone - and we stress everyone - avoid the Sith in every way possible. If they are seen in the city, summon us immediately. Even the city guard should not confront them."

"You’re suggesting we let them do whatever they wish??"

"No," said Orn. "But as you say, their ‘blood feud’ is with us, not you and your people. The Rodian and Sanjelarian were killed in cold blood, but it was not a random occurance. Darth Omen killed them to send me the message that he’s here, but I doubt if he’ll send his minions to attack everyone else. The Sith care about nothing but destroying all Jedi. All else is insignificant to them, unless it serves their purpose of destroying the Jedi. Of destroying us."

Daar sighed loudly and leaned back in his chair. "Master Orn," he said, "It’s because of your many years of service to us that I’ll trust you on this. I’d offer to have the city guard help you find these evil Jedi, but you’ve refused."

"We don’t want to put anyone else in danger," said Jeel. "And we call them Sith. The ‘evil Jedi,’ that is."

"Sith, Jedi, whatever you call them, as long as they don’t kill anyone else!"

* * *

"I have a bad feeling about this," said Jeel on their way out of the building.

"As do we all," said Orn. "Now that we know our adversary is Omen."

"It’s a different feeling than that," said Jeel. "It’s not just that there are Sith out there. How long have you known this magistrate, then?"

"About.. six years," said Orn, glancing at Mara, who nodded in reply. "And before that, Magistrate Zenk Ploota.before Daar was elected. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious," said Jeel. "It was just something I couldn’t quite grasp while we spoke to him."

"I sensed no disturbance centered around the magistrate," said Orn. "Mara?"

"No, master," said Mara. "I sensed nothing."

"Oh, sure, make me feel bad," said Jeel.

"Eh?"

"Oh, Master Jeel, remember what I said about-"

"Just a joke, all!" said Jeel. "No need to panic. Ahhh. You two are probably the ones who’re right. I may have only thought the disturbance had something to do with Daar, but you’ve both known him much longer than I have."

"True, but we mustn’t dismiss what you felt," said Orn. "When we return home, I will meditate on this and see what the Force chooses to show me."

Jeel allowed Orn to pull ahead of him so that he briefly kept pace with Mara, who of course was several steps behind them. Once Mara looked his way, he raised his eyebrows and gave her a comical smile. This had the unintended effect of making her appeared worried, and she looked nervously towards Orn to see if he had noticed. It was not until she was satisfied that his attention was elsewhere did she reply with a smile of her own.

* * *

Mara lay in bed, very much awake and fighting to control her racing thoughts. It was not fear that kept her awake, but curiosity. Her master had told her a tale before they had met, which by this time was a difficult thing for her to imagine. All but a few years of her life had been spent with him; it was easy to think the same of his own life. But of course this was not true, for he was at least twice her age to begin with. Today was really the first time he had revealed this much about any part of his life before becoming her master. And small wonder: what had happened was something he would rather have forgotten. Friends and comrades dying before his eyes; another friend lost forever to the dark side.

Master Orn would give her a stern lecture about proper rest if he caught her now, sleepless in the middle of the night. She turned to one side, pulled the Master Jeel’s borrowed blankets more tightly around her shoulders, and closed her eyes. Time to put aside her thoughts and let sleep refresh her mind and body for tomorrow. Orn promised that it would be a busy day for them all.

Thinking about the sounds and smells of her favourite part of the forest helped her relax. Sleep was creeping its way around her mind, when her eyes shot open, and she took in a sharp intake of breath. She turned onto her back and looked up at the ceiling, which was no longer the ceiling. There was something else to watch.

* * *

"Master!" cried Mara in that manner of whispering and shouting at the same time. She rapped quickly and quietly on his bedroom door. "Master!" Inside his room, she heard the unique sound of a lightsaber being ignited, and an instant later, the door was opened.

"No-no!" she said. "There is no danger!"

"What is it?" he whispered. "We’re not in danger?"

Behind her, another door was opened. It was the door to Mara’s bedroom, which was being used by Jeel during his stay. "What’s wrong?" he said. "I heard a weapon."

"It’s… nothing," said Orn, turning off his blade. "Right, Mara?"

"Yes, master," she said, and turned around. "Forgive me, Master Jeel. I was trying not to disturb you."

"No apology necessary," he said. "Good night, then." The door was shut quietly as Jeel returned to bed. Mara turned back to face her master.

"I’ve…" she whispered, striving to mute her excitement. "Please forgive my disturbing you as well, master. But I’ve had visions."

"You have?" he whispered. "Come in, come in, then. I’m glad you summoned me for this. Come in and sit down."

"Thank you," she whispered, and moved quietly inside, then sat at the edge of his bed. He pulled up a chair from the corner of the room and seated himself near the bed. The chair was turned around so that he was able to rest his arms on the back and lean forward to listen better.

"I had three, actually," she said, no longer whispering but still keeping her voice low. "All this time of nothing, and suddenly I have three right after the other! Isn’t that odd?"

"Yes," he said. "But that’s nothing to be concerned about. Tell me what they were. We can decipher their meaning together."

"Yes, master," she said, then took a moment to gather her thoughts. "The first one… Master Jeel was part of it. We were in a land vehicle. Just the two of us. He was piloting it, and I was in the back. We were moving very quickly. The terrain looked… familiar, but I don’t think it was here. That is, I don’t think we were on Zeelan 4. And there were other vehicles around us, all racing in the same direction. Some were speeders like what we were in, and some were in the air."

"Was it clear to you where you were, or where you going?"

"Not… really," she said. "But I was anticipating something very strongly. I think all of us were. Perhaps… we were going into battle? I wonder that because I was holding on tightly to my lightsaber. Then the vision ended, and the second one began."

"Before you describe that one," said Orn. "You say you only saw yourself and Master Jeel? I was not a part of this vision?"

Mara was silent in thought a moment, then shook her head. "No, master," she said. "I don’t remember seeing you nearby, such as in another vehicle."

"I see," he said. "Continue with your next vision."

"The next was more pleasant, I think," she said. "I was in a room. A great chamber. I… think it might have been the Jedi Council. I was standing in the centre, but there was a woman dressed in Jedi robes standing before me, and saying something to me. I never heard her words, but they were comforting. I felt… joyous during this vision."

"A woman dressed in Jedi robes?" said Orn. "Was there anything distinguishing about her appearance?"

"She… wasn’t human," said Mara. "She had two… she was Twi'lek, I think. The race with the long growths behind their heads?"

"Yes, those would be the Twi'leks," said Orn. "Master J’lanna was elected to lead the Jedi Council just a few months ago. She is also Twi'lek. So you were on Coruscant in this vision. It was a comforting vision, you say?"

"Yes, master," said Mara. "As I said, I did not hear her words, but what she was saying pleased me greatly. Perhaps I… accomplished something that they approved of? I don’t know."

"It sounds like it, if Master J’lanna is telling you something pleasing. Was there more to this vision?"

"No, master," she said. "There was no more to it."

"Very interesting," said Orn, nodding to himself. Mara was silent. "You said you had three visions," he said. "What was the third?"

"It was… not a pleasant one," she said. "In fact, I think it may have been…." Her voice trailed off.

"May have been what?" Orn prompted.

"Perhaps I was just thinking on what you said about Pel-- about Darth Omen," she said. "About how he had seen a vision of his own death, but then used that vision to avoid his fate."

"And this third vision…" said Orn. "You think it was a prediction of your own death? Describe it to me, then. We will decipher it together."

"I was alone this time," she said. "No… not alone. There was someone else near me, but I couldn’t see a face. You see, I was on my hands and knees, facing the ground. But there was a voice. Yes, there was someone else with me. A man. He had a powerful voice, but full of hatred and anger. He was taunting me; laughing at me; mocking me. I was on my knees because I did not have the strength to get up. It was as if my very lifeforce was leaving me all at once, and I couldn’t stop it!"

"Calm yourself, Mara," said Orn. "Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply."

"Yes, master," she said, and did so. Her heartbeat began slowing, and she continued in a calmer voice. "I don’t know what was causing me to grow weaker," she said. "I don’t know if it was a device, or some dark power that a creature of evil had discovered. All I know is, in this vision, I was dying. I was dying, master."

She opened her eyes again and saw that he was considering her words. He had the look in his eye that told her he was deep in thought. When he was like this, she knew not to speak until he spoke first.

"This vision of… " he said slowly and somberly, "…What you believe may have been your own death. Could you sense how far away this would happen? A long time from now? Soon? Were you… the age you are now, or much older?"

"I felt much older," she said. "But my hands," she said, holding them up now to look at them, "They appeared as they do now. And my arms. I could not see my own face, but I don’t think it was… very far from now. I think my death may occur no more than a few years from now. I… don’t know what to do, master. Help me decipher this. Why would the Force choose to show me my own death after all these years?"

"We don’t know it is your death you saw," he said. "From the day we first met, I sensed a long life for you as a Jedi. And until now I’ve sensed nothing that would contradict this. Even now I sense a long life for you."

"But I was dying, master," she said. "I could… I could feel the Force itself being drained from my body. My arms and legs were shaking; I could not even raise my own head to see who was doing this to me. How could I escape something like that?"

"Perhaps someone rescues you," said Orn. "Perhaps the Force showed you, not your death, but your greatest challenge. Something that precedes your greatest triumph."

"I.. wish I shared your interpretation, master," she said.

"You must trust that the Force will guide you through this crisis, young padawan," he said. "It would not simply show you your death and leave it at that. There is something else you must learn from it."

"But what?"

"Only you can discover that," he said. "But not right now. You need your rest. We all need our rest. Put those visions in another part of your mind for now, but keep them within easy reach."

"Yes, master," she said. "I’m sorry that I disturbed your sleep."

"Don’t be," he said. "This is a great day for you. Not just one, but three significant glimpses into the future. It won’t be long before you can peer through the clouds of time at will."

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