The Duel: A Legacy of the Force Story

[CSI]

Nope, Mara Jade redeemed Kyle.

 

In fact, he has never defeated a Sith Lord as a Jedi. He only won against Vader by giving in to the dark side. What kind of a Grand Master is it who preaches of the light, but uses the darkness when he needs it?

 

WILL YOU OR WILL YOU NOT CONDEMN QUADRILLIONS OF QUINTILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO DEATH? [/i]

 

[Off topic: Then who redeemed Luke Skywalker?]

 

Another good chapter, but it's short...I can understand if you don't have so much time.

 

Well, Luke didn't give in his dark side to save his father. But true, he give in his darkside, but after he cut down Vader's hand, and realized they were the same, after that, Palpy is now mad and gave him a lot of bolts and Vader cast him deep to the rotten reactor core...

[Tysyacha]

It wasn't true. The Sith always lied. That was the way of the galaxy,

and Tysy Dvukh, deep in her heart of hearts, could not believe that

Grand Master Luke Skywalker would turn to the Dark Side of the Force.

Operation Shadow Hand, indeed! Merely a clever fiction invented by this

malevolent presence, whatever it was, to try and sway her opinion!

 

Tysy fled back toward the Jedi Temple, her head filled with dizzying pain.

She would hide, would not give in to either the story or its distant teller.

Inside the confines of the Jedi sanctuary, she knew that the persuasive

voice beckoning to her through the Force could not reach her. Or could it?

 

"Grand Master Skywalker?" she asked, seeing a tall figure in the distance.

"Is that you? If it is, I would like to ask you something--if you have time."

 

Luke smiled as he always did, with that warm fatherly gaze he reserved

for the apprentices who meant the most to him. Tysy did, because in her

he sensed the desire not only to become strong in the Force but to

strengthen the galaxy through it as well. She not only wanted to serve,

but to sacrifice the power and glory she might have had for someone else.

 

To someone else. Luke suddenly had the sense he must be careful.

 

"What is it, Padawan?" he asked. "Is something troubling you? What's wrong?"

 

Tysy took a deep breath and began. "Was there a time where you turned

to the Dark Side of the Force, Grand Master Skywalker? Not when you

dueled your father in that final battle, of course, but afterwards?"

 

Luke sighed and bowed his head. Not many students at the rebuilt Jedi

Temple cared to ask that question, or had even thought about it enough

to come up with that theory. He decided that whatever he had to

do in his dealings with Jacen Solo, rebellious planets like Corellia, and the

escalating war against the Galactic Alliance, all that mattered was this now.

 

"Yes," admitted Luke. "There was a time after the Empire fell when I

succumbed to the Dark Side. Do you remember Palpatine, also known

as Darth Sidious? He had cloned himself, unbeknownst to me, and this

clone was the mastermind behind Operation Shadow Hand. Sidious

wanted to retake the galaxy, with me as his loyal apprentice.

 

Even though I discovered that this Palpatine was only a clone, clones

can often improve on the abilities of their original creators. It was this

way with the Emperor's clone. I surrendered to him because he had

become so strong. He forced me to bow and address him as Master."

 

"How did you turn back?" asked Tysy, choking up. "To the Light Side, I mean?"

 

"It was my sister who rescued me from the darkness," said Luke. "Leia's

love and loyalty to me were far stronger than even the Emperor's clone.

After I had been redeemed, I took a solemn vow to serve the Light forever.

No more would I be tempted by the Sith or the machinations of the Dark Side.

I knew firsthand of its insidious power, of how it could destroy you from within."

 

"Thank you for telling me the truth," said the apprentice, bowing solemnly

to her Grand Master. "I have been doing some--research lately, and I

believed that this Operation Shadow Hand story had come from a wholly

unreliable source. You've cleared up this misconception, although it pains me."

 

"I as well," replied Luke. "It is no rumor, no fiction. Operation Shadow Hand

is fact. You would do well to learn from my travails and my mistakes. Peace."

 

Tysy smiled. So it was true, but now thanks to Grand Master Luke, she

would not have to listen to the Force presence tell her the Sith were right...

[Emperor Devon]

Tysy, if I may make a point, it wasn't really Palpatine's clones that masterminded Operation Shadow Hand. His spirit actually possessed them - he had the very same mind, except it came in different bodies. This is shown when Han shoots one of the clones in the back and Palpatine's spirit comes out.

 

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Irritation flashed across Devon's mind. People would not simply ingore him like an information droid! And the irritation in itself was irritating, since emotions could disrupt his meditations. Especially ones that had to be sent back through time.

 

She had fled into the temple. So what? The Dark Lord didn't care where she was. His mind could be everywhere. It might've been best if she had remained outside, since people communicating through their minds often looked like they were in a coma to others.

 

He entered her head again, but still did it with enough care as to not cause any pain. The way he did it almost said I'm still being polite. Why aren't you?

 

He sent the vision of the shadowy figure to her again. I demmand you to listen!

 

Will you or will you not condemn a galaxy's worth of innocents to death?

 

This is the third time I have asked you this question. Why do you not answer me?

 

Young people were so impolite these days. No, young people had been impolite in all days.

[CSI]

Well, great switch had took place...ED's short, and Tysy's long. Indeed.

 

So, Leia redeemed Luke Skywalker?

[Jason Skywalker]

Yes, she was. This is getting good, altough, it looks more like a fic than an RP.

[CSI]

Jason...Nice to have you back, Jaden Solo.

 

Jaden Solo? Either you meant Jacen Solo or Jason Solo. Also, can't wait to see more.

 

Oh, Yes, Jacen Solo, sorry. Your avartar is Jacen, isn't it? He is an apprentice of Jae Onasi (Her avartar is Lumiya, The Dark Lady), did he redeem himself?

[Jason Skywalker]

Jaden Solo? Either you meant Jacen Solo or Jason Solo. Also, can't wait to see more.

[Emperor Devon]

This is getting good, altough, it looks more like a fic than an RP.

 

I've never RPed before. I'm not exactly sure how you go about including a lot of other people without changing the plot. You (and everyone else) are welcome to participate if you want, though.

[Jason Skywalker]

I would, but i don't know how to fit in. Perhaps i could be a friend of Tysy's from the Academy.

[steven]

I would, but i don't know how to fit in. Perhaps i could be a friend of Tysy's from the Academy.

 

I have a few ideas. Talk to me on MSN about them when your free.

[Tysyacha]

Oh, no. No. It couldn't be! I thought I was safe here, thought Tysy,

in the Temple, where the Jedi are on round-the-clock patrol. You're still

in my head, in my mind, and since you crave an answer, I'll render it. She

slumped cross-legged in her private quarters, meager though they were.

 

"Of course I'd never condemn innocents to death," whispered

the Padawan, "especially quadrillions of quintillions of them! Do

you believe I have such a dark drive in me, such a motivation

that I would? However, I fail to see how turning toward the Dark

Side could save them. How many living beings would I have to kill

to establish order throughout the galaxy? One? Two? A hundred?

A thousand? Too many for me, because I've never killed. The Jedi

Order would have me quickly banished if I ever committed murder.

 

"And don't Sith lie? You may have told the truth when you said Grand

Master Skywalker was once an apprentice of the reborn Emperor. If

I become your apprentice, how can I be sure you won't start spinning

untruths to sway me further to the Dark Side? I only wish to serve the

galaxy, and to save it if I can. Two more questions, if you'll permit me...

 

"What of Lumiya? I have heard rumors of the return of the Dark Lady. True?

 

"Also, if you are true to me, send me a vision of Traya. What would she

say? I've always wondered about her, this creature who knew the hidden

nature of betrayal. What would she think of my defection from the Order?"

[Emperor Devon]

Excellent, purred Devon. I am glad you would not murder innocents.

 

He paused. Then turn to the dark side or remain true to the light, it truly doesn't matter that much. All I want is an apprentice. An heir. Perhaps you do not realize the gravity of this situation.

 

I rule an empire that spans from the heart of the Deep Core to the start of the Intergalactic Void. I formed it in mere years, and made it a greater civilization than the Old Republic within a decade.

 

But all is not well. No leader lives forever, and I am dying. I have no heir. Once I pass on, the throne will lie empty. Other Sith Lords, generals and admirals in my military, high-ranking officials and avisors - they'll all be at each other's throats to lay claim to it. There will be civil war the likes of which the galaxy has never seen. And in the process of trying to rule my empire, they will destroy it.

 

That is why I need an apprentice. An heir. Someone who I can train in the ways of the Force - and at this point, I don't care whether it's the light or the dark - to become the next Emperor. Or in your case, Empress. Someone powerful enough who can rule without any dispute.

 

And killing? If you start your training under me now, you might not even need to. My subservients hate me, but would never even think of challenging me. If you become powerful enough, no one will challenge you.

 

The Jedi Order, the Sith Empire - it doesn't matter. All that matters is that order be preserved. And any Jedi would consider it a noble deed to prevent war on a galactic scale.

 

You cannot refuse me. Ignore my visions, pretend I'm just a bad dream - you'll condemn all those people to death!

 

There is no middle ground in this. You may either save the galaxy as my heir, or you may doom it for millenia as a good little Jedi. I can take you to the future at any time once you choose to do the right thing.

 

"That'll give her food for thought." Devon muttered to himself.

 

Ah yes, your last two questions. He remembered. That pretender has returned. But her fate matters not, for if you choose to save all those innocents, you will never even hear of her.

 

And Traya? I can do better than a vision. Her holocron is mere feet away from me. I can give it to you right now, if you want.

[Tysyacha]

A holocron of Darth Traya? wondered Dvukh. Can such a thing still

exist after four thousand years? I would like to see it, she replied to the

Force presence, and learn her teachings. Perhaps holocron technology

has developed to such a point that the lesser Jedi Masters would not

recognize it as a Sith artifact. Grand Master Luke might, but I don't wish

to show it to him and trouble him. Perhaps you know what's happening.

 

If not, let me explain. After the Yuuzhan Vong War, Coruscant and

other planets formed a new cabal called the Galactic Alliance. At first,

under Supreme Commander Gilad Pellaeon, peace and prosperity began

to return to the galaxy. However, Corellia, a fiercely independent planet,

started saying it wanted its autonomy while still receiving the benefits

that the Galactic Alliance offered. This is unfair, and very puzzling.

 

Now terrorists of Corellian descent living on Coruscant are attacking

their adoptive homeworld. I don't understand. If Corellia only wished

for independence, why wouldn't she secede from the Galactic Alliance

peacefully? We're at war now, escalating war, though it's only begun.

 

Let me see the holocron of Traya. I wish to know what she would do.

[Emperor Devon]

Really, how couldn't someone two millenia in the future know about this war?I know everything about your conflict. I know how it ends, thought Devon.

 

Take the holocron. As a sign of good faith. Go to sleep, and you will have it. I shall visit you in your dreams. I trust you will choose to save all those innocents?

[Tysyacha]

Go to sleep? thought Tysy, thinking that at last the Force presence

speaking to her made some sense. That's a very good idea. I'm quite

tired, and I guess trying to figure all of this out hasn't helped any. Good

night, whatever or whomever you are, and I look forward to knowing

Darth Traya. She had the Jedi Exile as an apprentice, right? Whatever

became of the Exile, I wonder? Ah, well. Please...would you show me?

 

Tysy sat in the traditional "sleep meditation" posture and began to doze.

[CSI]

Why...these chapter are becoming shorter and shorter...But I hope to see more. Good roleplaying so far...

[Emperor Devon]

@Nihilus, once Jae starts to post some chapters they'll probably get longer.

 

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Sleep was perfect for Devon to communicate through. It was such an unreal and shadowy place. Far less effort was required on the speaker's part to communicate through time when the listener wasn't so attached to the more physical aspects of the universe.

 

The Dark Lord appeared in his future apprentice's dream, and calmly swept it aside. He turned it into a realm of grey fog, and appeared as a dark figure concealed by mists. Although his shape had the outline of a male humaoid, nothing else was revealed.

 

And then Tysy. Her future undecided, she appeared as a small outline of black and white. His form towered over like a starship. It wasn't the most realistic portrayal, but small things like that helped the Dark Lord emphasize his power.

 

Devon spoke not a word, but reached into the shadows that made up his body. Out of it he pulled one of his most prized holocrons, and held it in front her.

 

It was shaped like a pyramid, and glowed an eery red. It was obvious evil resided within this artifact. It was practically dripping with the dark side as he held it out. Faint whispers could almost be heard from it, echoing of malice. It paracticallt radiated malevolent power.

 

Go on, take it. You asked for it, murmured Devon.

 

Though only a dream, it was a chilling one.

[CSI]

Very good chapter. I hope Jae could appear and write her chapter. I hope to see the struggle of the apprentice. This would be a very, very good chapter.

[Jae Onasi]

I'm working on the chapter now. I had to get a 30 page monster report done by Oct 1, and I've put several hundred hours of work into it over the last 6 weeks or so. That had to get done before I could come over and play.

 

Should have something for you tomorrow/later today.

[CSI]

Ah...Dark Lady Lumiya...Good to see you outta there. Looking forward to see your chapter! How's your report by the way?

[Jason Skywalker]

Well, this is getting more interesting by the minute! Or chapter. And Nihilus, yeah, Jacen is Lumiya's apprentice, so, i'm guessing Jae's apprentice. *shrugs*

[CSI]

But Emperor is evil, and Jae is lightsided, so...can she possibly to be apprentice of Lumiya?

[Diego Varen]

But Emperor is evil, and Jae is lightsided, so...can she possibly to be apprentice of Lumiya?

 

Things can be deceptive. One point, since when has an RP become similar to a Fanfic?

[Jae Onasi]

Things can be deceptive. One point, since when has an RP become similar to a Fanfic?

 

Since 2 of the 3 main parties in this haven't ever done this before and so we have to find our passes to the Clue Bus still. My last role-playing experience was with my college friends about (mumbly) years ago, and it was done with pen and paper and dice.

 

There's a long story on the Lumiya avatar, but it has nothing to do with this RP. The RP character Jae's fully light for purposes of this RP and the Lumiya thing is entirely unrelated. Well, except for maybe being the impetus of all this, but that's another story, too.

 

My report is done, to my great relief. I have to discuss it with the Board in a few weeks but that's all that's left.

 

So, I'm working on my chapter now and will be back relatively soon.

[Jae Onasi]

The Sith Lord had the audacity to try to sift through her mind, seeking the information he shouldn’t have. Jae knew he was going to take the information—he had gotten in before she could defend herself. But she didn’t have to allow him to see everything. She made the most visible parts of her life fill with light, allowing their brightness to blind while the more secret parts disappeared into the shadows. The Emperor saw a lot. Her parents’ deaths, joining the Onderon Court, Roben’s death, Master Kavar discovering her healing gift was the Force. He watched her training with Jolee and wondered how Jolee lived—shouldn’t Revan have killed him on Rakata Prime? He saw her battle with Miraxton and the relationship blossom between Talin and her, culminating in a wedding the Order hadn’t seen in decades. He saw some of the other adventures and pitied her impotence. She let him follow along to learn what she had experienced, while squirreling away the nuggets of strength that would reveal true power. So he thought she was weak. Good.

 

But lastly, I have a parting gift, he said as he ripped away from her mind.

 

The wave of pain hit like a thousand fire-needles stabbing everywhere. Jae gasped, eyes squeezed shut, fighting the pain.

 

“Jae, what’s wrong?” Talin’s normally gentle touch felt like a scouring instead.

 

She pulled away, unable to acknowledge his concern, and drove deep inside herself, to the very core of her Force being. She pulled on its strength and the pain decreased ever so slightly. She built the Force wall and it expanded too slowly against the overwhelming pain.

 

Then Talin was with her, combining his Force strength with hers. I’m here. Keep fighting—you’re starting to push it back.

 

It’s a Force attack. The pain is unbelievable. I don’t know if I can take more!

 

You’re strong. I’m helping. We’ll do this together.

 

The torturous stinging finally relented. Jae felt for the stream in the Force and found it, an ugly roiling river of polluted darkness.

 

Give me more strength, Talin. I have to follow this to the source.

 

I will as long as we don’t get in over our heads—whatever this is, it’s extremely powerful.

 

Jae pulled on Talin’s power and traced the stream, racing over the line of darkness, farther and farther, and found a cloud of malevolent blackness. Talin suddenly yanked both of them back, and then they were in their room again.

 

“Sorry, Jae. I know you wanted to go farther, but I thought that cloud was too much dark power for us to handle alone. Are you alright now?” There was concern in his blue eyes as he scanned her for injuries.

 

Jae tried to rub away the tingling in her hands. “I think so. I felt like every nerve ending was on fire, but I should be OK after awhile. The strength of the attack surprised me. It had to be a Sith Lord with that kind of power.”

 

“I thought it was a Sith Lord, too, when you found that dark cloud. Where was he? We need to stop him.”

 

“Not where. When.”

 

“We definitely need Jolee. I’ll go prepare the ship so we can leave for Coruscant right away.”

 

* * *

 

“Ah, Jae, Talin. Good to see you both, finally.” Jolee said once the pair arrived at the Jedi Temple. Talin gave a slight bow while Jae embraced her master. “How are my two favorite lovebirds?”

 

“We’ve got a little problem,” Jae said.

 

“I don’t see any problem between the two of you,” Jolee said, looking pointedly at them when they linked hands.

 

“Ha. You’re amusing, Jolee,” Jae grinned.

 

“Jae’s the master of understatement today. We’ve got a big problem. Very big.”

 

“The only big problem you two have is making a baby in time for me to win my bet with Mik’oth.”

 

“Jolee! It’s bad enough Mik’oth wants to get me into a dancer’s outfit without the two of you betting on little Jedi.”

 

Talin just smiled indulgently and shook his head as Jolee led the way to his quarters.

 

“Well, come on in to my little home. Beats the log thing I was living in on Kashyyyk. Make yourselves comfortable.” Jae and Talin found a sofa in the living area. Jolee brought out caffa for all three, then sat down to join them. “Now, tell me what happened. Your little message was remarkably vague, which I’ve come to expect from so many young people these days.”

 

“We weren’t sure who might have access to the data streams, and we didn’t want to take a chance with this information,” Talin said.

 

“I got attacked by a Sith Lord—through time,” Jae stated.

 

Jolee cocked an eyebrow. “Through time? You sure you’re alright?”

 

“From some time in the future, though I can’t quite pin down the time. There was something about a 4th Sith Empire. We saw a specific cluster of stars but I couldn’t find it on the astrogation charts. It was a huge center of dark energy, however. And yes, I’m OK, I just have some residual tingling—I thought I’d let Master Supat look at it.”

 

“Well, now why didn’t you tell me that when you arrived? Here we are sitting around having caffa while you’re having problems. What kind of Master do you think I am?” He snorted and gave Jae a look as he pressed a button. “Please tell Master Supat we have an interesting case for him to see. We’ll be right over.”

 

The Ithorian Jedi Master met them at the door of the medical section. “My Padawan said you have something interesting for me?”

 

Jolee answered, “We were having some caffa when Jae announced she was still suffering the effects of a Force attack from the future as if it were nothing more important than a discussion of brands of bed linens.”

 

“I wanted him to see what the attack did first-hand. If I healed it completely, it would be harder to figure out. And bed linens can be an important topic, too,” Jae smiled.

 

“Oh, right. I forgot you and Talin still fall in the newlywed category and might give that topic serious study.” Jolee rolled his eyes.

 

Master Supat’s brown eyes lifted in amusement. “This way, please.” They followed him to one of the exam rooms, and he motioned for her to lie down for the scans. She sat back up as he reviewed the results.

 

“Intriguing attack,” he said as he looked over the scan data. “It damages the nerve endings from inside out. Definitely a Sith power. Your hands bother you most, do they not?”

 

“The tingling’s worst there, yes. I wondered if it was because of the Scourge attack awhile back.”

 

Master Supat walked over to the exam table and took her hands gently in his, studying them. “Those nerves are a little more sensitive, yes. However, it’s the peripheral nerves that are affected. It doesn’t appear any of the central nerves took damage. It looks more like a torture technique—meant to be very painful, but not necessarily deadly.”

 

Jae watched as Master Supat closed his eyes in concentration. Warmth spread through her hands and up her arms as he healed the damage. Jae sighed in pure relief as the prickly feeling disappeared.

 

“Better?” Talin asked, hopeful. She nodded, and he smiled, relieved.

 

“Before you two get too moony-eyed, let’s go discuss this with the other Masters,” Jolee said.

 

They all left for the Council chambers.

 

* * *

 

 

“We understand you had some kind of experience with a Sith Lord from the future,” Master Kavar said. Masters Vrook, Jolee, Supat, and Visas sat in the chambers as Jae and Talin recounted their story.

 

Talin said, “He apparently is from something called the 4th Sith Empire, some 6,000 years in the future.”

 

Jae added, “My vision shows he’s been trying to corrupt a young woman to be his heir, but she’s from a different time than either of us. Her decision to be his apprentice determines the fate of his Empire.”

 

“Why would a Sith want an apprentice from the past?” Master Vrook asked.

 

“Must have eaten all the ones he has in his present time,” Jolee noted dryly.

 

Jae grinned briefly at him before continuing in a more serious tone. “As powerful as he is to be able to enter my mind and attack me across 6,000 years, he’s dying. I could feel his Force essence literally holding his body together. This girl has some kind of Force multiplier and I don’t know if he’s trying to use that to stay alive longer or use her for other means. All I know is that if he succeeds in seducing her, his empire will become even darker.”

 

“The vision is a girl asking for help,” Visas said. “She is a Force Focus, and she has great strength that has yet to develop. There are so many possibilities I see that far in the future, but there is a bifurcation in her future. If she falls to the dark side, the galaxy will experience a time of great evil. If she chooses the light path, she will be falsely accused of a crime. However, she will be vindicated in the end.”

 

“It is imperative we find her and save her,” Vrook said.

 

Jolee said, “Master Supat will work to find defenses against this Sith Lord and investigate whatever might be killing him. Kavar, Vrook, and Visas will meditate and see if they can determine her location in time and space. Jae and Talin, the three of us will go to Li’adin—we’ll leave tomorrow. They’ve figured out how to transport Jedi in time, and we’re going to go wherever and whenever we’re needed. May the Force be with us all.”