Dark Tides

[Havoc Stryphe]

Awesome Chapter Tie!!

 

Finally, the cat is out of the bag! Well, now here's where the story gets interesting!

 

EDIT:

 

I've got the next chapter, the plot thickens!

[Havoc Stryphe]

Chapter Twenty-two: Destinies Collide

 

Tie stammered as he almost fell over, “Wha- what do you mean, twin brother? That can’t be, I have no family.”

 

The Jedi took a step and stumbled to the ground. Tie was still too flustered to act, but Havoc and Leon raced to the Jedi’s aid and helped up the warrior. “Sorry, I’m still kind of weak, but I’ll be a hundred percent in a little while.”, the Jedi, with Havoc’s and Leon’s help, made his way to a chair and sat, wincing from the pain.

 

Tie finally gathered enough composure to speak again, “I still don’t understand, how could you be my brother?”

 

The Jedi only smiled and motioned for Tie to come closer, “First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Kvan, Jedi Master, and incidentally, your twin brother.”, Tie went to reiterate his lack of family, and Kvan cut him short, “I know, I know, you have no family. Until five minutes ago, at least.” The Jedi’s eye twinkled with pleasure, “Tie, search your feelings, you know it’s true.”, Kvan struggled to stand back up, this time Tie lent his hand, “Thank you.”, The Jedi straightened his robes and turned his attention back to an anxious Tie Guy, “Tie, the force flows through you, even now in your untrained state, the force helps you. It guides you and protects you. Surely, you’ve had strong feelings, almost like someone was talking to you. Maybe you’ve even had visions. Surely, since I’ve been with you, you’ve experienced some strange feelings?”

 

Suddenly it became so clear to Tie, “Those visions… it was me, but I don’t remember them.”

 

That’s because it was so painful that your mind have blocked them out, but it was the will of the force that you know who you really are so your memories were brought back up through the force.”

 

Tie was anxious to fill in the gaps, “So what happened to me? Why were we separated? Where are my parents?”

 

Kvan laughed, “Easy, easy. We’ve got plenty of time to go over all of that on our way to Coruscant.”

 

“Coruscant? What are you talking about, I can’t go to Coruscant!”, Tie was becoming tired of all these surprises.

 

“Of course you are, the council has sent me to find you and bring you before them. You are to be trained as a Jedi Knight.”, Kvan moved to Tie’s side and placed his hand gently on his brothers shoulders, “Ordinarily, we would never train someone at your age, but your potential is great and we have suffered great losses and need more Jedi to combat the Sith. I was sent out with four other Jedi in hopes of tracking you down, but we were attacked and the others were killed. I continued on, but, I knew very little of you other than your existence, our parents were too grieved by your loss that they didn’t speak of you beyond…”, Kvan suddenly got quiet, “well… beyond that day.”, Kvan turned his head and lowered his gaze as if the memories were still too much for even him.”

 

Tie was confused, but not nearly as confused as Havoc, who was straining to follow the conversation, “I don’t get it! If you thought Tie was dead, how did you find out he was still alive?”

 

“I never really knew for sure, but through the force, it was revealed to me that my brother was still alive, and I clung to that hope for the past five years.”, Kvan turned to Tie and looked into his eyes and was overcome with joy, “And at last I have found you, brother. Never again will you be lost to me!’

 

Tie was still having a hard time believing it, even though he felt everything Kvan said was true, “Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but I still can’t go with you to Coruscant. I have a responsibility to the Dark Eyes. I can’t abandon them, we’ve just had a major battle, and suffered many losses!”, Tie turned his back to the Jedi, “I’ll give you a ship that will take you as far as Coruscant, but I’m sorry, but I can’t come with you. Brother or no brother, I can’t leave my friends.”

 

“If that’s how you feel, than I must respect that. However, it pains me to hear you say that.”, the Jedi stood for a moment, and looked around the room at each of the men who stood there, as if he measured each one, peering deep into their souls. At last he spoke again, “At least you have surrounded yourself with good people.”, he paused again, but only shortly, “Very well, If you excuse me gentlemen, I must make a report to the Jedi Council.” Kvan quickly did an about face and starting walking towards the blast doors leading out of the command center, still limping slightly. And as he took his leave from the command center he let his last words linger, “I will be requiring that ship, first thing in the morning, Tie.” And with that the Jedi was gone from view.

 

Havoc and Leon were still too stunned at what just happened to speak, but Zero turned to Tie, “Tie, I understand your desire to stay with us, and it makes me happy to hear you say that, but I think you’re making a mistake by not going with him.”, Zero turned to Havoc and Leon, “Together, we can lead the Dark Eyes until your return.”

 

At that Leon jumped, “Absolutely! This is amazing Tie, you have just found out you do have family and you’re to be a Jedi, all in a matter or minutes! Don’t throw away an opportunity like this for our sakes!”

 

“Has it ever occurred to you, that I way not want a new life?”, Tie asked as he finally turned back around, “I’ve spent my whole life believing my family was dead. Now I suddenly not only have family, but I’m supposed to be a Jedi as well?! I’m sorry, but that’s just too much to deal with right now.”

 

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a voice over the com line, “Tie… Havoc… anyone? Filaar Base, come in?” It was Rogue Nine.

 

Tie was the first to the com line and immediately flipped the switch, “Go ahead Rogue.”

 

“Thank the Force!”, you could hear Rogue Nine sigh a breath of relief over the com line, “I wasn’t sure what happened in there. I saw that Sith fighter enter the docking bay and then just a few minutes ago it blasted it’s way out of the system. Is everything alright?”

 

“Yeah, as well as could be expected.” Tie returned, “What’s your status?”

 

There was only silence over the com line, “Rogue Nine, I say again, what’s your status?”

 

“It’s bad Sir.”, more silence, “We’ve lost at least thirty fighters. Of those, only eight pilots were able to eject and clear. We need both a rescue shuttle and a wreckage tug out here, it looks like a bomb went off in a shipyard.”

 

As Rogue relayed the news, the men on board the base slowly realized the huge loss that was dealt the Dark Eyes. Each dealt with the news differently. Leon excused himself and turned and left before anyone could see himself doubting his decision to come along. He had forgotten the life of a Dark Eye, the risks, the danger, the loss. Zero just collapsed into a chair too stunned to even speak. The Dark Eyes have never known such a loss. They were scoundrels, bounty hunters, mercenaries. Not a navy or army. Thirty fighters and twenty-plus pilots at a single blow was just unheard of, how would they ever recover from this.

 

Havoc at first seemed unmoved, which was so out of character, but it must been his rage was so intense he merely locked up for a moment, because within a few seconds Havoc had grabbed a nearby chair and hurled into the nearest sensor display smashing the glass and electronics. Havoc than followed that by yelling and cursing, throwing his fists into everything and anything that would break. Finally Zero and Compa were able to contain Havoc and tried to cool him down. “Let go of me! What the ‘ell do you think you’re doing! LET ME GO!”, at that, Havoc, shook off the two men and stormed out of the command center. Zero and Compa were about to follow when a voice stopped them, “Let him go, he’ll be alright.” It was Tie Guy.

 

Up to this point Tie had remained silent, poised in thought. Unknown to the rest of the Dark Eyes, Tie, though to look at him you couldn’t tell, was being consumed by vengeance. “Nobody did this to the Dark Eyes! Not to his family!”, and as Tie mentally plotted his revenge, he realized that if he were to ever be able to exact that revenge, he’d have to be something other than a Dark Eye. He’d have to be trained in the ways of a Jedi.

 

“Rogue, hold tight. We’re sending a shuttle now, the tug will follow shortly.”, Tie switched off the com line off and started out of the command center, “Zero, hold the fort down. I’ve got to see someone about my future.”

 

Tie found Kvan right where he thought he would, the infirmary. “I’ve grown rather fond of your droid here.”, Kvan greeted Tie as he walked through the doors.

 

“You can have him, but I warn you, he’s always misplacing or losing patients!”, Tie smiled as he glanced at Gee-Bee-Com, who began to fret his demise.

 

“I beg your pardon sir, but he snuck out, I did not lose him!”

 

“Oh yeah, and he has no sense of humor!” Tie grinned as he turned back to Kvan. Gee-Bee-Com just shook his head and took his leave from the two men.

 

Kvan turned serious, “So what brings you here. Want to know more of your past, or want to deny your future some more?”

 

“All right, I guess I deserved that.”, Tie said as he sat next to the Jedi, “It’s just that that’s a whole lot of information to digest at one time.”

 

“I know, Tie, but unfortunately the Force has laid this upon you during a period where time is a luxury we can’t afford.”, Kvan didn’t mince words.

 

“I understand that, and that is why I have decided to go with you to Coruscant.”, Tie said almost chocking on the words, only now realizing the full weight of what he just said.

 

Kvan looked at him, almost searchingly, “So why the sudden change of heart?”

 

“What...? I had a moment to think about it, and I decided I wanted to be with my brother. Is that so hard to believe?”, Tie retorted, becoming defensive.

 

“Tie, I’m not just your brother, I’m also Jedi, and I sense much anger in you. This wouldn’t be about revenge, would it?”, Kvan stood and looked down at Tie Guy.

 

Tie feeling much like a child or a student, suddenly felt guilty and had the urge to run, “A little, but wouldn’t you? I lost twenty good men today, and nearly had my head cleaved from my shoulders. I want that Sith to suffer, for what he did to us!”, Tie suddenly found himself standing, and shouting in Kvan’s face. “What was happening to him?”, he asked himself silently.

 

Kvan sensed his confusion, “It is the dark side calling you, brother. It is the work of the Sith. They live to incite fear and anger in their foes, but remember, Fear and anger is the path to the dark side. You must be above that, your destiny lies along a different path than that.” Kvan reached out an place his hand on Tie’s shoulder, “Come with me and I will teach you to deal with your anger, and you can fulfill your destiny.”

 

Tie was still too overwhelmed to speak and simply nodded his head. Tomorrow he would be on his way to Coruscant , and his way to meet his destiny.

 

Through the night, the entire Dark Eye crew worked long and hard to clean up the wreckage surrounding Filaar. Gee-Bee-Com had his hands full in the infirmary, and Young David offered the Dark Eyes his medical droid from his personal freighter . Tie Guy and several Dark Eyes had a meeting with the new arrivals in the wee hours of the morning and Chase and Redwing were forced to explain the circumstances of their arrival, to which Young David proclaimed he knew nothing about. Eventually, the group of scoundrels decided to swallow each others lies, after all, in their line of business the truth only serves to get people killed.

 

Chase and Redwing, though they despised each other, found they had more in common than they first thought, and spent the remainder of the night swapping old smugglers tales in the basses cantina. Young David finally caught up with Tie Guy, Leon and Havoc. Young David seemed anxious to hear all about their recent adventures and seemed very interested in the whole “Jedi” affair, including Tie’s trip in the morning. Tie and Young David went way back, so Tie thought nothing of Young David’s questions and indulged him with all the details of his would be training and family history.

 

As morning approached, it was decided that Young David would stay a while with Havoc and Leon and lend the support of his men and ships until the Dark Eyes were closer to full strength, and the Dark Eyes were grateful for Young David’s help. Chase and Redwing, too, decided they would stay at Filaar for a while longer, each for their own reasons. Chase was still interested to see if he could weasel a payment from the Dark Eyes for his services, and Redwing still needed some information from Young David, and since Young David was staying, so would he.

Of course they told the Dark Eyes it was because they wanted to help as well, and the Dark Eyes were in no position to decline anybody’s help.

 

So as morning arrived a very exhausted grew gathered, including veteran pilots Rogue Nine, Silenthunter, and Kylilin, who were bruised and battered from their battle, to see there boss take his leave from his adoptive family. Young David, Chase and Redwing also appeared for the occasion. All in all, it was an impressive gathering to wish Tie Guy and Kvan the best of luck and a safe journey.

 

Leon was the first to say his farewells, “Take care Tie, I guess the next time I see you, you’ll look a lot different. Don’t’ change too much, you make a great scoundrel!”

 

Tie merely laughed, “It will take a lot more than the Force and some robes to change that!” the two men embraced and Tie moved on to Young David.

 

“Thanks for all your help, David. I don’t know where I’d be without friends like you.” Tie hugged the casino owner.

 

“It’s the least I could do, Tie. And don’t worry, your guys are in good hands.”, replied Young David.

 

Lastly, Tie came to Havoc, “Well old friend, this is goodbye for a while.”, Tie spoke first.

 

“But only for a while, the Dark Eyes will always have a place for you.”, Havoc replied, fighting back the tears.

 

Tie tried to lighten the moment, “Are you sure you can handle the responsibility of leading the Dark Eyes?”

 

“Hey, I had a pet womprat once, how much harder can it be?”, laughed the old Mechanic.

 

“I feel a lot better, now.”, grinned Tie as he embraced his old friend. As they parted they looked at each other and understood what the other felt. They both nodded and without any more words Tie turned and started up the shuttle ramp to where Kvan was waiting. Just as Tie was about to vanish from view up the ramp, Havoc stopped him, “Tie wait!”

 

Tie quickly turned around, “What is it?”

 

Havoc tried his hardest to smile, “I thought I would never ever have to say this, but... may the force be with you.”

 

Tie smiled back, “Thanks, take care of yourself.” With that Tie turned and vanished into the shuttle and the ramp began to close with a mechanical hiss as the pneumatic systems released their pressure. The Dark Eyes and companions made there way from the docking bay to the observation deck, to watch their friend, and to some, their father figure leap into hyperspace to fulfill his destiny, whatever that may be. The small Shuttle maneuvered silently from the base and slowly accelerated towards the nav buoy, and in the blink of an eye the shuttle disappeared from the filaar system.

 

The group slowly dissipated as they each returned to their duties, until it was only Havoc, Leon, Zero, Young David, Chase and Redwing.

 

Zero turned to Havoc, “So, as acting Dark Eyes commander, what is your first order of business?”

 

Havoc looked straight at him and what he said made everyone stare in disbelief, “I’m making you acting commander, I’m leaving on a trip myself.”

 

Zero stared at Havoc, “What do you mean? Where are you going?”

 

“Well, I might not be a Jedi, but I’m going to pay those bastards back my own way!”, replied Havoc coolly.

 

Leon turned to Havoc, “I’m going with you, then!”

 

“That’s fine.”, replied Havoc, “Any of you are welcome to come, though it’s not going to be pleasant, I can tell you that.”

 

Young David was intrigued, “So where are you going then?”

 

Havoc didn’t look anyone in the eye as he turned to look out the observation deck’s viewport, “Where else would I go to have my revenge on the Sith. I’m going to Korriban.”

 

The room became deathly silent, and for good reason.

[Tie Guy]

Very nicely done, Havoc.

 

When i saw that part about Korriban i couldn't hold back a "hoooly crap."

 

Anyways, i'll write a chapter today, probably. Its the weekend but i do have the SATs tommorrow, so i'll se what i can do.

 

I'm not sure where your gonna go with your story YD, but if you want to write a chapter go ahead and post it, it won't have anything to do with mine.

[jediduo]

Twin brother??? Holy poop! Nice twist, fellas!

[Jatt13]

Great chapters, guys! the story's really developing! i can't wait to read more!

[Tie Guy]

Hmm...sorry guys. I've written most of it but i got caught last night and then had SATs this morning. It'll be a up little later today.

 

Alright, here it is:

 

 

Chapter 23: Jedi Apprentice

 

 

As the shuttled barreled through unknown depths of hyperspace, Tie Guy and his long lost brother, Kvan, sat in the passenger bay, discussing what had been happening the past fifteen years. At first, Tie had been reluctant to know his brother, refusing to accept his past, but now that he had decided to come, he found himself eager to learn about both his brother and the force. Nevertheless, his mind kept wandering back to the Dark Eyes. He would never forget the only family he had the past fifteen years. At the thought of his companions a deep anger bubbled from within him. He wouldn’t forget their sacrifices; he would have revenge!

 

At the mere thought Kvan seemed downtrodden. “Tie,” he stated, “beware the dark side.”

 

Tie shook his head and mumbled to himself, “this is going to be a long journey.”

 

“I know how you feel, Tie, but that is not the way to deal with it. Remember, fear, anger, and aggression are the dark side. A Jedi never uses his power for attack, only for defense.” He smiled, “But don’t worry, you’ll get your chance to face the Sith. Sooner than you might like.” his voice took on a sorrowful tone. The two sat in silence, each contemplating the almost certain destiny.

 

Kvan finally spoke. “We better start, time is already of the essence. Normally it takes years for a Jedi to complete the necessary training, but with your aptitude in the force and your experiences as an adult, it shouldn’t take nearly that long.”

 

“That’s nice to hear” Tie retorted sarcastically. “So what exactly is the Force. I’ve heard about it and I’ve obviously seen its devastating effects, but I still don’t understand it.”

 

“The Force is an energy source created by all things. It is everywhere: around us, inside us, inside all things, from humans to trees. The Force is what gives the Jedi, and the Sith, their power. The Force also guides and protects, showing us the way, if we are willing to listen.” He paused. “Tie, there is one thing you must understand right now. The Force is not a tool or a weapon; it is a guide. Follow it and it will protect you, abuse it, and it will betray you. You must always remain true to yourself, do not follow the easy path, for that way leads to the dark side. I’ve already lost you once; I’m not going to you again to darkness.”

 

“Alright, alright, calm down. I can handle myself.” Tie said, ignoring his brother’s passion.

 

“We will see.” Kvan said coolly.

 

 

 

Tie Guy did not like being the one who knew nothing, the one who had to start from scratch, but he knew that was the only way to learn, the only way to avenge his friends. He sat in a chair in the passenger bay, his brother, Kvan, beside him, spouting what, to Tie, seemed like trite platitudes and codes, void of any real meaning or importance. But when he saw his brother’s passion and when he stretched out with his newfound skills, he saw things from a whole new perspective.

 

“Clear you mind of all barriers.” Kvan said. “Free yourself and stretch out. Focus, try to reach out and touch my mind.”

 

Tie extended his conscience past the walls of unbelief and doubt, feeling rather than seeing what was around him. He began to understand as his presence extended further, reaching next to him and sensing emotions and thought pouring from his brother. And suddenly, his presence exploded outward like a supernova, extending further and further as the last barrier was torn down. He felt as if a new world had been revealed before his eyes. He could feel the smooth curves of the shuttle, the quiet hum of the engines, and rattle of the decks. Tie was amazed at the boundless possibilities that had just been opened to him. But his presence quickly drew back to him; he would have to practice.

 

Kvan sensed his brother’s discovery and smiled. “Very impressive, Tie. I’ve never seen anyone do it that quickly. You have incredible talent and focus. This may proceed even faster than I expected.” For that Tie was grateful.

 

 

 

As the shuttle approached Coruscant, Kvan jumped into the pilots seat as Tie took the co-pilot position, another place he felt uncomfortable. Still, he had learned much more than he could have imagined on the journey, and he was now eager to learn more about his untapped power.

 

When the timer on the navicomputer counted down to zero, Kvan reached for the control levers and pulled them back, dropping the shuttle from hyperspace. Familiar white star lines formed and condensed into stars. In the center of the view port was the gigantic planet Coruscant, glowing with the artificial lights of the massive city sprawling across its plains. Kvan obtained clearance and began reentry in the northwestern section of the planet.

 

The shuttled penetrated the atmosphere like a comet and for the first time caught a glimpse of the city. He had read about the planet on datapads, but nothing prepared him for the overwhelming greatness of the real thing. He sat gaping out the view port as the shuttle descended toward the spaceport. Endless duracrete buildings extended as far as the eye could see. Impossibly tall buildings stood like pillars to the sky, reaching up to support the stars. Long hallways connected the towering skyscrapers, extending out like a web to connect the vast network.

 

Tie saw a huge building rise above the rest as the shuttle streaked across the twilight sky. Four towers stood opposite one another on the four corners of what seemed like a great memorial. In the center of the four towers rose a massive obelisk, a glorious shaft of radiance that eclipsed all other buildings in sight. Kvan pointed to the building. “That’s the Jedi Temple.” He explained. “The council resides at the top of that center tower. Your training will take place mostly in the base.” Tie nodded, and the shuttle descended to the right of the temple.

 

Tie walked behind Kvan as the two exited the shuttle and stepped onto the cool floor of the landing bay. He saw two figures waiting for them just beyond the ramp. One was a human clad in brown Jedi robes, but Tie could not believe what he saw when he glanced at the other being. It appeared to be a Jawa, but it was wearing miniature robes and Tie thought he saw a lightsaber on his belt. Tie shook the strange feeling off, there were many things in this universe he had never seen.

 

Kvan and Tie walked slowly to their two greeters, and Tie sensed a feeling of relief and joy on his brother. He felt pride at being able to accomplish the small tasks he had just learned on the brief journey.

 

“Kvan!” The human shouted in joy. “It’s so good to see you alive! When we heard about the others I feared you had been destroyed as well.”

 

“Well, its good to be alive, Rhett, and nice to see you again. As it is to see you too, Eets. How did your mission to Ninistral go?”

 

“Not good, I’m afraid.” The Jawa began to Tie’s surprise. “We ran into the Sith and barely made it out alive. I’ll tell you about it later, maybe”

 

“And this must be the famous Tie Guy.” Rhett began. “You’re all Kvan’s been talking about the last few months. I must say admit I did not believe you even existed at first. Its good to have you, we can use all the help we can get.” Tie merely nodded, and Rhett continued, turning to Kvan. “I need to talk to you later.” With that, the two turned and walked out, leaving Tie and Kvan to themselves in the bay.

 

“Come on,” Kvan started, “I’ll show you to your room. You better get some sleep, you go before the council tomorrow, and after that we will begin your training.”

 

 

 

Tie breathed deeply and tried to use the relaxation techniques his brother had showed him to calm himself. He did not feel comfortable being questioned by a group of people that could all read his mind like a datacard. There incredible power made him feel uneasy.

 

“Relax, Tie, everything will be fine. Stop worrying.” Kvan said, trying to calm Tie down.

 

“I know, I know. It just I’ve never been scrutinized like this before. Being around all these Jedi makes me feel out of place.” Tie responded.

 

“Well, just try to calm down, and make sure with your honest with the about your past, they can easily see through any lies.”

 

“Yeah,” Tie gulped, “I know.” The turbolift came to a stop with a soft tone, indicating they had reached the top level. The doors opened with a mechanical whine and the two stepped out into a short hallway leading to another door. Tie tried to calm his pounding chest as they approached the door. Kvan stopped just in front of it.

 

“You ready for this?” he asked.

 

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Tie took a deep breath as the door opened silently. The two stepped into the room, Kvan leading the way to the center of the room. Surrounding the brothers were thirteen Jedi Masters of various species. Directly in front of him Tie saw two humans, who he presumed to be the leaders. The one on the right he recognized as Rhett, one of the two people who greeted them the previous day, but the other he had never seen before. All the figures wore brown or gray Jedi robes.

 

Tie and Kvan just stood silently in the center of the chamber, and Tie guessed the council members were all studying him, sending invisible probes inside his mind.

 

Kvan spoke first. “This is Tie Guy. He has come here in hope of joining the Jedi cause. I have studied his potential in the Force and it is great, I think he would be a valuable ally.”

 

“We will be the judges of that, Master Kvan. Thank you.” It was the man sitting next to Rhett; Tie still did not know his name. “So, Tie Guy, you wish to join the Jedi?”

 

“Y-yes” Tie managed.

 

“And why is that?”

 

“Before now, I never had any family. I grew up believing they were all dead. I only had my friends, and that is the only thing that kept me going.” Tie almost choked at the thought of Havoc and Leon and the others, but he kept his composure. “Now I find out that I have a brother, and that I find out that I have the Force as well. I want to be with my brother, and I want to learn the ways of the Force so I can help others, so that tragedies like what just happened to me never happen again.” Tie couldn’t hold back his anger at the thought what the Sith had done. He cursed himself for letting it get away from him at such a time, but the Jedi remained calm. He knew they were studying him intently.

 

“Being a Jedi isn’t about revenge.” Rhett said, obviously not missing Tie’s emotions. “For a Jedi there can be no anger, no hate. That was leads to the dark side.” Tie had heard that before, but coming from the council it seemed more serious than it had before. “If you want to be a Jedi you must let go of your hate, or it will corrupt you. However, wanting to protect your friends is admirable, despite flawed methods. You must focus on the good, and not dwell on your anger. In time you will learn to deal with it, that is a Jedi’s training.” Tie was slightly annoyed by the man’s lecture, but he didn’t show it.

 

“Now,” The other man resumed, “tell us about your past.” So Tie told him everything there was to know. He spoke about Havoc and Leon and Zero, about the formation of the Dark Eyes and Leon’s departure. He told him about the glory days of Dark Eyes, about how they got ahead. He then told of the run in with Darth Homer, and the deadly chin of events it started, of the Crimson Blade and their role, and of how he saved Kvan, only in turn to be saved by him. As Tie finished his tale the Jedi Masters sat it silence, as if contemplating his story, analyzing every detail and event. Tie caught this breath and waited for the next round of questioning, but to his surprise it did not come. Instead, he saw Rhett turn to the man beside him and nod.

 

“Very well,” Rhett said, “I leave you in the hands of Master Kvan. Your training will begin immediately. May the Force be with you both.” Kvan turned and walked out of the camber, Tie followed.

[Darth Homer]

aaahhhh, more beautiful story...keep it coming, guys!

[Jatt13]

the story's devoloping more and more. great work!

[Havoc Stryphe]

Great Chapter Tie! This story has really fleshed out well.

 

I'm going to see if YD decides to write teh next chapter. If not, then I will take it.

[xwing guy]

Great chapters guys, I can't wait for more.

[Tie Guy]

Come on, YD! I can't wait to see what happens next!

[Darth Homer]

--More story, please

 

--YES! MORE STORY!!

 

 

hehe, I'm just anxious, that's all...wanna see what happens

 

-Mmmmm, more story will you post

 

yes, thank you, Yoda...

[Tie Guy]

Well, sorry YD or havoc (whoever was going to write next), you're probably just busy, but i went ahead and wrote this, just to kinda keep this alive. Its not very long. and is really a direct continuation of the previous chapter, so i guess you could consider it part 2.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 24: Vision of the Future

 

“So that’s it? I’m in?” Tie said as the door to the council chamber closed behind him.

 

“These are desperate times Tie, the Jedi need all the help they can get,” a smile crept across Kvan’s face, ”even if it means hiring mercenaries.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, but why didn’t they ask more questions? I thought becoming a Jedi was a more serious matter. I was just recounting my life story in there.”

 

“Believe me, Tie,” Kvan answered, “they know more about you from that than you could ever imagine.”

 

The thought was less than settling. “Right….so when do we begin?”

 

“Patience, Tie, we will begin tomorrow. First, I’m going to show you around the temple. This will be your new home for some time, you need to get used to it. Come on, we better get going.”

 

“Wait, one more question. Who were those people in there? I know about Rhett, but what about the rest?”

 

Kvan smiled. “You will get to know them in time, they are the members of the Jedi council. They are the wisest and most powerful Jedi. They are the ones who make the decisions for the Jedi Order. You might think of them as the administrators of the Jedi. As to your question, the one sitting next to Master Rhett, the one who asked you questions, was Master Aristotle, perhaps the wisest of all Jedi; Rhett is generally accepted as the strongest. Also there of note were Master ChrisC3po and Master Kurgan, both great Jedi, each key figures in the defeat of Bill Thrawn, whom I’m sure you have heard of. Honestly I couldn’t tell you the exploits of all of them in one day, don’t worry about it, you’ll get to know them, just make sure you always speak to them with respect.” His voice to turned to an almost scolding tone, “at least more than you’ve shown me.”

 

“Hey, its hard for me to call anyone, Master, much less my brother. I’m used to being my own master.”

 

“Its fine, Tie, it was just a warning, I can understand it between us. I do want you to feel like my brother, we could have a great friendship.”

 

“Hmm…maybe.” Tie said in a doubtful tone, but only because he was trying to maintain his hard-edge image, he actually was glad to finally have a brother.

 

“Well, we better get going then, the temple is a big place.” Neither said anything else as the turbolift spiraled away from the Jedi Council.

 

 

 

The turbolift whined to a halt as it reached the bottommost floor of the massive Jedi Temple. The two brothers stepped out into the long white hallways. Jedi walked the halls quietly, some followed by students, others on their way to unknown destinations. Tie thought he recognized a council member striding the hall and was so surprised he didn’t think twice of how the man had beat him down there. Perhaps what Kvan had said was true. Tie had imagined the Council to be high and mighty, looking down from their precipitous throne and passing judgment on weaker people and even other Jedi, but seeing them passing the halls of the lowest level made Tie realize they were all sapient beings too. They didn’t seem to have the “holier than thou” attitude that Tie always assumed they would. Perhaps it was time for him to abandon his somewhat hasty assessment of the Jedi. He would, after all, be one of them soon. Hopefully.

 

Kvan’s tour of the Jedi Temple impressed Tie, who couldn’t believe how large the building really was. Kvan had led him from the lower levels to the vast training facilities, where Jedi honed their bodies. They then proceeded up to the rooms where young were taught the Jedi History and tradition as well as the mysterious ways of the Force. Immediately above that was the Library, one bigger than Tie had ever seen, filled with countless datacards containing endless amounts of information. There, Tie learned, a Jedi could study on his own or find important information for a mission he was assigned. Such a sight was a little overwhelming for Tie, studying had never been his strong point. After visiting the Library, Kvan showed Tie the medical wing, and then the two moved on to the combat training centers. Large indoor domes were the area of choice for lightsaber exercises and matches. Tie also saw some practice blocking blaster bolts with tiny floating droids. He looked on with excitement; he couldn’t wait to get his hands on a lightsaber. The rest of the tour encompassed the large, and quite boring, meditation chambers, as well as the dining areas and main quads.

 

After the tour, Kvan led Tie back to his quarters. “Get some sleep, Tie. Tomorrow we will begin the training.”

 

“I’ve heard that before,” Tie retorted.

 

Kvan smiled. “We will begin tomorrow I promise. Now get to sleep, tomorrow you will enter a world you never knew existed.”

 

 

 

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!” Tie awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. He had had a nightmare, or worse, a vision. In it he saw Havoc, his longtime friend, standing in terror before the Sith, a worthless blaster smoldering in his hand. He could sense his friend’s terror as the Sith ignited their fiery red blades. He saw a dark figure, veiled in darkness, approaching him. He lifted his blade high as brought it down in a cleaving blow, but Tie had awoken nanoseconds before the impact.

 

The door to the room opened with a hiss, and Tie looked up to see Kvan standing in the entrance. “Is there something wrong, Tie?”

 

“No.” Tie said, shaking off the image and trying not to show his fear and anger. “I just had a dream.”

 

“Really? Tell me what you saw.”

 

Tie was reluctant but finally spoke. “I saw my friend, Havoc. He was in trouble, about to be killed. Was it…the future?”

 

“The force sometimes gives us foreknowledge of the future.”

 

“Well then I’m going to save him! The Sith aren’t taking him away from me, too!” Anger bubbled in his voice.

 

“Tie, calm down. You can’t let your emotion control you. The future is always in motion, nothing in absolute. You don’t even know it was a vision; it could just be a manifestation of your fear. Besides, you had committed to the Jedi Order, that is not something you should take lightly.”

 

“But I can’t just sit here when he might be in trouble! I thought being a Jedi was about helping people.”

 

“It is, Tie, but there are things you are not considering. Your loyalty is admirable, but let’s not abandon reason. If that was a vision of the future, you still don’t know where he is or why he’s there, we might arrive to late to save him. And even that’s assuming we could. You said he was surrounded by Sith, right? Well, unless you think you can defeat them all by yourself, you couldn’t save him anyway. Even with my help it would be for naught. You’ve seen the power of the Sith, you should know to take extreme caution when dealing with them. If you are ever going to be able to defeat them and save your friend, you are going to need training. And where do you think that’s going to come from?”

 

Tie was torn between his emotions and his brother’s reasoning. “Argh! But I can’t just sit here and meditate while he may be dying! I’ve got to do something!”

 

“You will be; you will be learning the ways of the Jedi, which is the key to saving him. You have time; trust me. It is safe to assume that what you are seeing is not the present. Even in your untrained state you would be able to feel the death of someone so close to you. And, of all the visions I have seen or heard of, very few have happened in the near future, and even less happened exactly the way they were seen. Tie, I know this is hard for you, and I understand how you feel, but if you run off for him now, you may end up hopeless, or worse, dead.”

 

Tie bowed his head, his brother’s logic melting away his cloak of emotion. He knew there wasn’t anything he could do, but he couldn’t just abandon his friend to the Sith and live with himself. “Look, Tie,” Kvan interrupted his silent debate, “I promise that we’ll go to find him once you are ready. The harder you work the faster we can go, that should be incentive enough for you to learn.”

 

Tie contemplated the young Jedi’s promise “Alright, I’ll stay.” He said quietly, the decision still struggling inside of him. “But only because I want to be able to save them, this isn’t about the Jedi,” He added.

 

“That’s fine, Tie, people become Jedi for a wide variety of reasons. But you must understand that by staying you are committing yourself to the Jedi, you must follow their commands and not be going AWOL all the time. You will be allowed to protect those you love, but you have the same responsibility to the all the people of this universe, don’t ever forget that.”

 

Tie was silent. Kvan waited a second, hoping for some kind of reply, but then turned and walked out, heading back to his quarters. Tie collapsed on his bead, his mind racing. He kept replaying the dream over and over in his head, thinking of the friends he left behind. He tried to get some sleep but it never came.

[Havoc Stryphe]

Great Chapter Tie! Sorry 'bout the lack of new material on my part! I've been really busy, but I should have the next chapter up tomorrow!

[Darth Homer]

Hurrah! New chapters! I'm glad you posted that Tie, i was afraid the thread was dieing...that and I was forgetting what had happened already...story = refresh

[Havoc Stryphe]

Chapter Twenty-Five: Vengeance Rising

 

It had been several weeks since Tie Guy had left the Dark Eyes with his brother, and Havoc had made known his plan to avenge the Dark Eyes by going to Korriban, the Sith home world itself. Though Havoc’s intent was to leave immediately, cooler heads prevailed, and he was convinced to at least plan and properly prepare for the mission, affectionately referred to by the Dark Eyes as the “Meet Sith and Die” mission.

 

Young David had left to return to his casino, but not before making sure Havoc knew he thought he was crazy. Nonetheless, Young David had arranged to have one of his freighters repainted and modified for the Dark Eyes. “Maybe you could slip through as a supply vessel bringing supplies to the planet.”, he said not altogether convincingly. Chase Windu decided to go with Havoc, even though the mission was certainly suicidal, but Chase was already thinking of all the reward and future payment he’d receive. He figured suicide might just pay for itself yet. Redwing, though longing to know who killed his father, decided to stick around and see just how tough the Dark Eyes were. After all, Chase was tagging along and he couldn’t let that weasel have all the reward and loot. The Dark Eyes themselves would have made Tie Guy proud. Leon, Rogue Nine, Silenthunter, Kylilin, Jediduo, and NL Ackbar all chose to follow their new leader, and old friend, into whatever hell Havoc would lead them through. What surprised Havoc the most though, happened a few nights later.

 

Havoc had settled down for the night and tried to get some rest, though sleep came difficult anymore. And as he tossed an turned, Havoc was startled by a knock at his quarter’s door. It was the Dark Eye’s number one Bounty Hunter and head of the Dark Eye’s mercenary commando group, Xwing Guy. Havoc and Xwing Guy never saw eye-to-eye. Xwing Guy was too impatient, and relied on his blaster a little too much for Havoc’s liking, but nonetheless, even Havoc had to admit, the guy was damn good with a blaster and never seemed to show any fear.

 

“Kind of late for a social visit, don’t you think?”, Havoc greeted the Bounty Hunter even more gruffly than normal.

 

Xwing Guy just stared, “This isn’t a social call, it’s business.”

 

Havoc looked at the man, “It’s still a little late for business. Come back in the morning, good night.”, Havoc reached for the door panel.

 

“Wait! I want to do this now!”, Xwing’s reply nearly startled Havoc, “This can’t wait till tomorrow!”

 

Havoc said nothing, but sized up the bounty hunter. The man was tall and very well built. His face was chiseled and marked with scars of battles long ago. It occurred to Havoc that something was very different about the Bounty Hunter. It was strange to see the man without his battle armor, Havoc thought, but quickly dismissed the thought as he smiled at seeing the two blasters holstered at the man’s sides. Armor or not, the man was still all business.

 

“Alright, what’s this all about?”, Havoc finally replied letting the man in to his quarters.

 

“Sir, I want to come along on the mission to Korriban.”, the Bounty Hunter blurted out.

 

“You realize what you’re saying, right?”, Havoc asked wondering why this man, whom he barely knew, wanted to travel on a suicide mission with him.

 

Xwing Guy shuffled a bit, allowing his discomfort to show, “I- I have my own reasons!”

 

Havoc knew there was something more to this, “I’m sorry, but that’s not going to do for a reason.” Havoc stepped close to the mercenary, “We’re going on an extremely dangerous mission into the heart of Sith territory. Many of us may not make it back at all. I need to know that I can trust every man who’s with us. I have to know what each one’s thinking and why each one is there.”

 

“You know you need me, I’m the best you’ve got on the ground.” Xwing Guy pleaded his case, “I want to come and you need me to come, isn’t that enough?” Xwing Guy was becoming very anxious.

 

Havoc could sense the Bounty Hunter’s uneasiness, “Look, I’m sorry, But ‘I want to’ isn’t a good enough answer.” Havoc turned to go back to bed, “Now if you’ll excuse me, morning already comes soon enough.”

 

Xwing Guy turned as well, admitting defeat, and started for the door. But suddenly, the mercenary changed his mind, “Alright”, he said as he turned back to Havoc’s bunk, “Alright, My sister was murdered by the Sith.”

 

At that, Havoc swung around to face the man, “How?”

 

“She lived on Altus IV. She was a member of the security force there. She always wanted to be like me, but, you know, without the illegal stigma.”, Xwing Guy smiled to himself as he remembered his sister’s smile, but the smile quickly vanished, “As you probably know, In the beginning of the Sith War, the Sith invaded many systems without warning, Altus IV was one such system. They attempted to defend themselves from the Sith, but the Sith easily defeated them, and even after they surrendered, they slaughtered the prisoners in cold blood. My sister was one of those prisoners. I want to avenge my sister’s death. That’s why I want to come with you.”

 

Havoc stepped towards the man and placed his hand on his shoulder, “It would appear we have more in common than I first thought. You’re absolutely right, I do need you. Welcome aboard.”

 

“Thank you, sir.” Xwing Guy turned to leave.

 

Havoc stopped him, “I don’t understand, why didn’t you just say that to begin with?”

 

“Sir, in my line of work, if you show any sign of weakness… you’re dead.”, Xwing Guy said as the door closed quickly behind him.

 

Havoc could only grimace because he knew exactly what he meant.

 

Now, only a few weeks later, after gathering together some supplies and studying some crude Holo-maps of the Korriban System, the Dark Eyes were finally traveling aboard Chase’s ship, the Pringled Can and Redwing’s ship, the Red Rabbit heading straight for YD’s Casino. Havoc was leaning back in his seat, listening to the hum of the Pringled Cans engines as it slipped through hyperspace towards the rendezvous point. Havoc decided the quiet hum was quite soothing as his mind wandered off, he found himself thinking about Tie Guy and his Jedi training. His best friend a Jedi? Havoc just shook his head, some things you just never see coming. Havoc allowed himself a smile as he imagined Tie swinging a lightsaber around. Havoc next found his mind drifting to Leon and his promise to STTCT. Here he was dragging Leon into certain death, but it couldn’t be helped, he told himself. It was either wait to be found by the Sith and destroyed or use surprise to their advantage by doing the unthinkable, attacking the Sith first. The thought of the Sith, suddenly brought the image of Darth Homer to mind, and his sinister smile. Havoc thought back a few weeks to when the Dark Eyes were so ravaged by the surprise attack of the Sith and how many Dark Eyes lost their lives, and Havoc found himself clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. Again, the image of Darth Homer appeared in Havoc’s mind and Havoc seethed with vengeance. And as Havoc plotted his revenge, he slowly drifted into a troubled sleep, plagued with hate and fear.

 

Suddenly, Havoc found himself being awoken by Leon, “Havoc, wake up. We’re here.”

 

Havoc blinked a few times, and the world slowly began to come back into focus. As he stood up, he was startled to realize his hand was still clenched tightly into a fist. Havoc began to wonder if his vengeance was overtaking him and overshadowing his better judgment. Perhaps his need for revenge was going to destroy them all. Havoc quickly dismissed the thought as he stretched his hand to relieve the cramp.

 

Havoc’s thought was abruptly interrupted by Chase’s voice, which Havoc had decided became more irritating with time, “Young David wants to see you as soon as we are on board.”

 

“Thanks”, replied Havoc, who turned to the others, “We have till tomorrow morning here, so I suggest you have some fun, but try to stay out of trouble.”

 

“Hey, it’s us!”, replied Kylilin with a smirk.

 

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of!”, Came Havoc’s reply as he grinned.

 

Havoc watched the men exit the two ships onto the landing platform and enter the Casino. Most of the guys were in high spirits, and those who weren’t would be from the corellian ale by the end of the night. Havoc made a mental note to stay away from the bar. He had enough problems, he didn’t need a hangover to boot. As the last Dark Eye entered the Casino, Havoc finally made his way onto the landing platform, which brought back many memories for the old mechanic. He and Tie had many a stop over here at YD’s. Through the years, he lost a lot of credits here, as well as some fights, and he had the scars to prove it. But as he entered the Casino, again an uneasiness settled on Havoc and he desperately wished Tie was here. Leadership wasn’t Havoc’s cup of tea, and the job was only going to get harder from here on out, and as the flashing lights reflected their soft glow on Havoc’s face, it revealed a look of doubt and concern.

[Tie Guy]

Great Chapter, i can see it all starting to come together.....again.

 

BTW, unless YD claims it, i'll take the next chapter, expect it tonight or tommorrow afternoon.

[xwing guy]

Hey, great chapter Havoc! Glad to see I finally got put in(even though it wouldn't really matter to me all that much) and the character actually fits me too.

[Jatt13]

yay, more story! i don't want this to die, so keep it up, guys!

[Tie Guy]

Sorry, i said i'd have it up yesterday but i didn't. I really didn't feel very well yesterday (actually i don't feel all that great today either), but i'm writing right now. It will be up later today.

 

Alright, here it is, took me long enough:

 

 

Chapter 26: The Sacred Art

 

“Reach out with your mind, feel the Force between you and the speeder.”

 

Tie nodded, but remained focused. He touched the Force around himself, feeling it. Through it he could see the speeder, despite his eyes being closed. He moved his presence outward, touching the speeder through the Force. It did not budge. He focused harder, a bead of sweating dripping from his face. Again he reached out, wrapping the Force around the speeder and pulling it upwards, but it still did not move. He almost gave up hope. In the past two weeks he had lifted small objects a countless number of times, but this was different. He could move a few kilograms, but not a few thousand! No! I cannot fail! If I can’t even do this I’ll never defeat the Sith and avenge friends! Size doesn’t matter; I must do it! He concentrated even harder, a new wave of energy overcoming him.

 

He reached out again, this time enveloping the speeder in the Force, surrounding its every curve and hurling it into the air. The speeder spiraled higher and higher to the top of the large domed training room. Tie released his grip and the speeder slowed to a stop before plunging back down towards the ground. A second before it would have been smashed into burning rubble on the ground Kvan raised his hand and the speeder slowed. He gently lowered it until in rested neatly were it had been previously.

 

“Very impressive, Tie. I must admit I didn’t think you could do it.” Kvan said, a somewhat surprised look on his face.

 

“Thanks a lot.” Tie retorted sarcastically.

 

“However,” Kvan started, ”you must be wary of using your anger to strengthen yourself. If you are only doing this for revenge then I will quit training you now, before you get yourself in serious trouble.”

 

“I know, I know. I am trying, but friends’ deaths aren’t easy to forget.”

 

Kvan sighed. “Believe me, Tie, I know. But I also know that revenge won’t bring them back. Death can only lead to more death. But what we can do is protect others, prevent what happened to us from happening to them. Isn’t that what you told the council you wanted.”

 

Tie bowed his head, remembering the lie he’d offered the Jedi Council. “Yeah, I want that too, and I know that defeating the Sith won’t bring them back, but…” he paused, “doesn’t it at least give me the right to be upset?”

 

“For a Jedi, there is no emotion; there is peace. Now come on, that’s enough for today.” Kvan said. He turned and started walking away.

 

As the two walked back down the grand halls of the Jedi Temple, the debate still raged in Tie’s mind. He knew he needed to control his anger, but every time he thought about his friends all he could think about was his vision, about Havoc dying. He wouldn’t let that happen, even if it meant killing every Sith in his way!

 

 

 

A knock on the door awoke Tie the next morning; at least, he guessed it was morning. The concept of a day really took on a new meaning in the Jedi Temple. Those inside the gigantic structure really had no way of knowing whether they were on the night side or the day side of the planet, so one might sleep during the “day” and be awake at “night”. Additionally, not everyone in the temple was on the same schedule, so some slept while others trained and then they trained while the others slept. At first it had seemed odd to Tie, since he had always slept while on the night side, and carried out his business during the day. Now, though, it made perfect sense. Why should he, after all, hold himself to such an arbitrary schedule as the rotation of the planet? It was a lot like being in space, he figured, where there were no night or day sides.

 

A second knock pulled Tie out of his quiet contemplation. He didn’t need Jedi skills to tell that it was Kvan. He crawled out of bed with a yawn and put on his tunic before walking to the door and opening it. Kvan walked in and the door shut automatically behind him. “Good morning, Tie.” Kvan greeted him. “Ready for today?”

 

Tie yawned again before responding. “Yes, what will you teach me?”

 

“Actually” Kvan started, reaching beneath his cloak, “I have a present for you. Here.” He tossed the device he had pulled out from underneath his robe to Tie.

 

Tie caught it in his left hand, eyeing the unique device he instantly recognized. It was short metallic shaft, decorated with several small buttons. The top section of the cylinder was ridged, giving it the appearance of having once been much longer but then neatly squashed to make it shorter. Alternately, the bottom half consisted of smooth metal with small strips of gripping running from the bottom to the mid-way point spaced evenly around the circumference of the tube. “A lightsaber?”

 

“A training one, yes. When the time comes you will build your own, but for now that one will do. Be careful though, its not fully powered but it can still do quite a bit of damage.”

 

“Thanks, I guess it’s too much to hope we’ll get started before this morning’s exercises?”

 

“Way too much.” Kvan laughed. “Come on, the quicker you complete them the more time we’ll have to practice with the saber.”

 

 

 

The morning exercises actually consisted of, to Tie’s surprise, a good deal of physical training. He had never realized how much work it took to be a Jedi. Before he had thought that the Jedi just used their mysterious power to fight for them, but he now realized all to well the physical condition they were in. He had always considered himself to be in shape, but the training sessions were pushing him beyond his limits. He had learned to use the Force to regain strength and stamina, but that didn’t mean the exercises weren’t physically exhausting.

 

When the two finished with their run, which, also to Tie’s surprise, Kvan did as well, Tie nearly collapsed on the ground. Kvan simply stood still, breathing deeply but showing no signs of fatigue. “Use the Force, Tie, it will give you strength.” Kvan said.

 

Tie nodded and drew the Force around himself, he was still exhausted, but he did gain a little some of strength back. “Alright,” Kvan started, “let’s get going.”

 

“Can’t I have just a little break?” Tie knew what the answer was, but he asked anyway.

 

“You must learn to concentrate and use the Force even when you are tired. That is ultimately more important than being in top physical condition. Your body can take you only so far, but with the Force you will know no bounds. Come on, we have lots to do today.”

 

Tie stood up and prepared himself for the rest of the exercises. For that, the two moved out of the physical training section and into the meditation chambers. For the exercises Tie lifted and balanced various objects, then moved on to actually lifting himself in a jump. The amount of objects he could lift and the height he could reach increased daily, he was learning faster than even Kvan suspected. After that, Tie worked on defending his mind from probes by Kvan. Putting up shields, Kvan had said, was one of the most effective barriers against the Sith, as they used one’s fears against him.

 

When the two finished what Kvan had planned for the morning, he led Tie across the temple to a section he had never been in before. The walls were not the pure white that characterized the meditation and training areas of the Temple, they were a soft brown stone covered in a glaze that made them shine. In addition, the ceilings were arched, not stiff and angular like the others. Overall it had a much softer and more peaceful presence, the antithesis, Tie thought, of the fierce battles that must take place within.

 

Kvan stopped at a door on the left side and pressed in a code. The door opened silently and both men stepped inside. The room opened into an immense dome several stories high. The chamber was totally devoid of furniture and fixtures, a sparkling stone floor and the towering dome were its only features. On the far side on the room Tie saw another Jedi, a Twi’lek, teaching his student, a Rodian, how to parry attacks with his lightsaber.

 

Kvan walked out several steps towards the center of the dome and stopped. He pulled out his saber and flipped it on. The shining green blade cast an eerie glow across his face. He swirled the saber about in the air, as if demonstrating the weapon. “The lightsaber is deadly weapon,” He slashed his blade in a downward chop. “But it is also an important shield. The Jedi’s strength flows from the Force, but it manifests itself in the lightsaber. This weapon is essential to a Jedi’s life, and mastering it is a most sacred art. Each Jedi is encouraged to find the technique that suits him and his personality best. I can help teach you, but in the end it is up to you to find your way. Now, let us begin.”

 

Kvan motioned over to a seemingly blank section of the wall and touched it with the Force. A hidden door slid open and Kvan pulled out a small device, levitating it to himself and taking it gently into his hand. He nodded to Tie and Tie took out the saber Kvan had given him earlier. He thumbed the ignition switch and a blue shaft of light shot from the blade. He swung the blade back and forth, trying to get a feel for the weapon, but it bobbled in his hand as he realized there was more to the saber than he expected.

 

“Because the saber has no weight, it can feel a little odd at first. It also means it can be dangerous in the hands of a novice. One bad move can leave you with a prosthetic arm or leg. Don’t worry for now, the saber you are using isn’t enough to cut anything, it will only serve to block a few stun bolts from this remote.” He held up the remote, flicking it on. The remote was one like Tie had never seen before. It was pyramidal in shape and approximately the size of his two fists. On each face there was a miniature repulsorlift engine and on each point there was small stun cannon. “This remote, as I mentioned, fires small stun blasts at random. The bolts will give you a shock, but they aren’t too bad. Use your saber to deflect the bolts.”

 

Tie nodded and brought up his saber in a regular defensive position. The remote hummed to life and floated in the air in front of Tie. It moved up, and then to the right. Tie followed its motions, trying to anticipate when it would fire. Suddenly the remote fired, striking Tie in the thigh. Tie didn’t even have time to move his saber before he jumped in surprise and a small spike of pain. Kvan could barely keep himself from laughing.

 

Tie stared hard at Kvan. “Alright, what’s the catch? How do you do it?”

 

“Have you learned nothing in the past weeks? Use the Force; it will guide you. Focus not on what is happening, but on what is about to happen.”

 

“You mean I can see the future through the Force?”

 

“On a short term, yes. The longer the future takes to arrive, the greater the chance it will be altered, so it becomes unreliable and unclear the further into the future you get. But for our purposes, using the Force to see what will happen a second before it happens is perfectly fine. In fact, it is essential to using the saber, whether deflecting blaster bolts or fighting a duel. It really comes quite naturally with a little practice. Just reach out with the Force and feel the remote. Don’t try to use your senses; they can only see the present.”

 

Tie nodded, bringing his lightsaber back up into position as the remote hummed to life once again. This time, Tie used to the force to sense the room around him. He could not, he realized, focus solely on the remote, or he would be blind to other dangers that might be around him. That might not be a problem in the confines of the Jedi Temple, but on the battlefield such a shortsighted mistake could cost him his life.

 

Through the Force he sensed his brother, his thoughts, his movements, his appearance. Then he moved outward, sensing the two beings on the opposite side of the room. He saw them moving in intricate patterns as the padawan practiced his saber techniques. He searched further, locating his target. He felt the remote; it had a distinct pattern in the Force. He could feel its movements; the tiny ripples it made in the force as it moved left and right. He felt a slight wave in the Force as the remote fired a small yellow stun bolt. He moved his saber around to intercept the bolt, but he missed. Another spike of pain shot up his left thigh. He then realized that seeing where the blaster bolt would be and deflecting it weren’t the same thing.

 

“ Not bad, at least you reacted to that one.” Kvan said, still amused. “With practice your abilities will become grater, and you will be able to see things sooner. Your control of the saber will also increase.”

 

Tie once again stretched out, this time closing his eyes and using only the Force to guide him. Through it he sensed the remote, swirling in the air and then rising. It shifted to the right and he followed it. As he slipped further into the Force he found he really could see the Future. Before he had just had the tiniest intimations, but now he had visual clues. He now saw the remote in two places, one where it was, and one were it was going. He could see exactly what the remote was about to do, just as Kvan had told him. When the remote fired a tiny dart, he knew where it would land and moved his blade to intercept it. This time the blue blade caught the yellow bolt and it flew off to the side harmlessly. Tie felt a surge of pride and understanding in his achievement.

 

Before he could congratulate himself, though, the remote fired three quick shots. Tie felt them and reacted accordingly. He lifted his blade up perpendicular to the ground, catching the first bolt and sending it careening off into the wall. Then, with flick of his wrist he inverted the blade just in time to catch the second bolt. The third bolt came in at his right, so he turned his hips and brought his blade around his body and in front of the bolt. He then felt the remote go dead and just hover in the air.

 

“Good. Very good. I’m impressed you picked it up that quickly. Now, do it again.”

[Tie Guy]

Hmm...it struck me that since i added the last chapter with an edit it may not show up as having a new post. So this is the new post. I guess you could call it a bump, though really its always at the top of the screen anyways....

[Darth Homer]

I really liked this part...getting very good here, guys...wait, I'm the sith....Join the Dark Side or die!! You do not know the power you could have!!

[Bob Gnarly]

thats really good are you a writer or something tie guy

[Tie Guy]

I'm only 16, so no, i'm not a writer, i'm a student. Its just a hobby, though i've never done anything this big before.

 

Its been really fun though, i'll probably try and write something else after we finish with this, and it might have soemthing to do with my second sig banner, but i'm not really sure.

[Tie Guy]

Uhh.....Yd, Havoc? One of you gonna take the next chapter?