Star Wars: The Starkiller

The Lieutenants training under the Dark Jedi had left to attend Council meetings, Kuylen not wanting the public to get suspicious about their whereabouts, seeing that they were important figures in society. However, the ranks under each Dark Jedi had swelled another two dozen soldiers or more.

"I am confused by something, Master Kuylen," Wraith said as they gathered to meet with their General. "They appear to be hyper-evolved frogs. How can they evolve if...there is no water? Without water, there could not be tadpoles. Without tadpoles, no frogs. Without frogs, no Zeitonians."

"Well now, Wraith,” Kuylen began. "Do you seriously think any life could have evolved on a planet like this?"

“Quite frankly, I do not think it could," Wraith realized, thinking for a moment. "Do you mean to say that the Zeitonians are not locals?"

"Oh they are, they very much are. The answer is the other way around to that."

"I do not know what that means then..." Wraith thought for a bit longer. "Did the Sith have something to do with it?"

"Well, in a way you are right, Wraith. But the answer is- this planet wasn't always like this..."

"Meaning there have been some...climatic changes?" Galder guessed.

"Staggering ones. That wasn't a valley we landed in, Galder. It was circular...”

I knew there was something odd about that place... Galder pondered. Finally he came up with a reasonable suggestion. “Orbital bombings? From the Sith War?"

"From what I understand," says Kuylen, "the Sith bombarded this planet continually for four decades or more.

"Think of it, Galder. A whole planet of Force-trained soldiers. Most assuredly, I am not the first who spotted that potential! This place...was one of the greatest battlegrounds in history. The Jedi and Sith fought for it over, and over, and over, and over...it was bombarded so much that the oceans boiled away and the topsoil was gone forever. Gone from the ground, anyway. Most of what was the surface of this planet now just blows around in the wind, forever.

"I am sure the Jedi would have bombarded it too but as ever they had a quaint regard for trying to protect the locals beyond their merely practical value.

"Anyway. The Zeitonians were advanced people, they moved their entire civilization underground. But that was long ago and all that has been kept from them.

"There are, after all, only a billion beings on this planet. There should be ten times more, I imagine it is getting less and less each century. The wars are long finished but this forgotten gold mine still dies slowly."

"That is indeed quite tragic," Galder says, knowing that Kuylen would want to hear. "It too shows that the Jedi are weak..."

“They fought hard. It was a long war." He sighed. "But Demnos saw more than just troops here...a planet where every being born could use the Force? He knew there was something to it. Hence...the Mausoleum.

"The Jedi, of course, wanted nothing more to do with this place...too dangerous for them or anyone else. They sealed it off and the Zeitonians themselves engaged in mass deception of their own people to remove all trace of the past as best they could. I suppose only this 'Elder' knows any of it now.

"And that is the mystery of Zeiton, Galder."

= Chapter 33 =

"Alright, soldiers, we are going to have war games! Can you set your weapons for stun rather than kill?"

“Technically, what these weapons have is a 'whack' rather than 'smash' setting, as opposed to stun and kill...” informed Gar'Veran, who had returned briefly.

“Then set it to whack! We will be combating Captain Wraith's men, right Wraith?" Galder shouted to the other Dark Jedi.

“Um...sure!” Wraith replied.

Immediately, Galder and Wraith began rushing their men to different positions, telling them that they would not die for failure but would need to remain absolutely still if hit once. If they moved, they would be hit again and again until they stopped.

“On my mark...” Galder whispered to his men. “Fire!” Wraith uttered the same ordered on the opposite side of this deeper cave, and the games began.

The guns roared to life with pattering sounds rather than the sharp sizzle of laser bolts, shattering rocks to dust. In the dark of the cave, the white muzzle flashes shown brilliantly, and where the kinetic energy struck there was a brief and dim spark amongst powdered rock. One of Galder’s men fell backwards as he was struck several times, and he snatched up his rifle.

“You are doing excellent, soldiers!” Galder hollered above the din of the echoing blasts. On the opposite side, Galder could see Wraith and Zahn’Tin firing rifles of their own, ducking under blasts narrowly. Finally, Zahn’Tin was struck down by a firer quite close to Galder. He turned to congratulate his own Lieutenant, who merely grinned until two shots struck his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him and tossing him away from Galder.

“Fire the repeater!” Galder ordered. Each side was using a stationary kinetic repeater that unleashed high amounts of kinetic energy launched at a higher velocity than the rifles. The constant flashing of the gun now erupted on both sides, blowing large sections of cover away.

Galder jumped from his cover as the repeater angled in his direction, shattering the igneous rock around him. Keeping low, he snuck off to the side of the battlefield, hoping that Wraith’s soldiers were at least trained enough to sense him coming, even if it meant his knock-out. Instead of kinetic blasts, however, a blue ripple streaked past him as Wraith descended from a rock he had discovered jutting out, waiting in ambush. More rippling beams hit very near, but never striking home. Galder fired the kinetic rifle up at Wraith, who dodged. Rising to meet one another, they attempted using pistol whips and rifle butts to knock each other senseless.

In own fluid movement, both combatants disarmed the other and drew their lightsabers.

“Ready to take a few pointers, Wraith?” Galder hissed, waving it around menacingly.

“I need no pointers, Galder!” Wraith rasped back, tossing his helmet aside. “I can stand my own ground...”

“I’m sure my men would care to attest to that!”

“Then I challenge you to a duel, single blade!”

“You?” Galder burst out laughing, all the while strafing as kinetic bursts cracked all around him. “You’re challenging me to a fight?” His laughter increased.

Wraith, goaded on by the laughter, lashed out with his orange blade lit. Galder’s trick had worked, and he smacked the blow upwards and kicked his new opponent in the gut.

“Challenge accepted,” Galder suddenly said with the utmost seriousness. For a moment he shut his eyes, using the Force to guide him away from kinetic bursts as he sifted through angry thoughts...Master Marcus severing his arm, the death of his parents, the loss of friends...and charged Wraith with a powerful strike. Unfortunately, Wraith had excellent timing, and sidestepped, spinning to dig into Galder’s back with his blade.

Following up, Wraith launched himself at Galder, bringing a foot down on Galder’s spine. The kick never connected. Galder performed a one-eighty and put his lightsaber up to guard. They locked. Sssssshhhh... Clack-clack! A few rapid blows erupted from either man before Galder unexpectedly brought his second saber, causing Wraith to fall back.

“Going back on your word? Not surprising...” Wraith ignited a green lightsaber and snapped it into a socket on the pommel of the orange lightsaber’s hilt. The newly realized double-edge saber spun wildly for Galder’s neck. He ducked low and checked the momentum with his own blades, opening a new opportunity to attack.

“You think I’d play fair?” Galder cackled. “That’s not how I beat Jedi!” He slammed his blades into Wraith’s in an attempt to twist it from his hands. Countering it easily, Wraith went with the momentum and threw Galder back.

Now Wraith went for a classic power blow, unhooking the lightsabers and slamming downwards. But Galder was more than ready for it. He rolled to the side and rose with a kick to Wraith’s ribcage. To finish the deal, Galder spun with both blades aiming for Wraith’s right side, the ribcage and neck mostly, barging his shoulder into Wraith’s chest as he tried to dodge. The shoulder thrust was good and sent Wraith to the ground. He began to rise when a lightsaber came to his throat.

“Check and mate,” Galder said. Wraith attempted to move, but Galder signaled for the men to complete his order. A group of kinetic bursts flattened Wraith against the ground, moaning as he slipped out of consciousness.

“Victory is mine!” Galder declared as he strode away from the battlefield, watching as Wraith’s men dragged him behind cover, only being tossed clear by the kinetic repeater. Takuan’s men had gathered at the entrance to the now violent cave.

"This is ridiculous" Takuan muttered to his men as Galder approached. "You can learn a lot from this, my minions. Don't be fouled and distracted by anything that comes in your way. You will wear out too quickly if you agitate and stray outside your goal. The Dark Side is much more than mere challenges and insults. The ones that plan their actions carefully, and act cautiously have a greater shot of achieving what they want. By that you reach true power."

"I understand..." Lieutenant Tik'Peebo agreed. "You certainly sound more like the Sith Lord of Legend than these people do."

Galder merely snorted and ignored Takuan as he marched past, finding Rah not too far away with Ter’Minaw. Looking back, Takuan moved to meet with Saar and his Lieutenant, Cho’Keron.

The intellectuals having a meeting, hmm? Galder thought with annoyance. Bah!

"Ter'Minaw!" Rah cried out. "So far you have been an exemplary student and Lieutenant." Looking Ter'Minaw in the eyes, Rah continued. "To show my appreciation I wish to give you my mark, not only will it prove to me your loyalty but will also test your ability endure pain and will allow you to come through the other side much stronger!" Rah drew his saber. "Now focus on the pain, feel the power you can draw from it and hold perfectly still, if you move or cry out, you die!" He then carefully etched three intricate lines on Ter'Minaw's left upper arm. "Now go and bring me the finest most worthy of my troops..."

Ter’Minaw did not even cringe as Rah had done his task, and even saluted as he marched away. Galder clapped Rah on the back with a laugh.

“I take it that you are enjoying this?” Galder chortled.

“Very much so, Captain Galder!” Rah said comically, saluting with his lightsaber. As Ter’Minaw returned, Rah repeated this process on several of his minions gleefully. One or two twitched or cried out, and Rah severed the arm thoughtlessly and pushed them away.

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

"We'll plunge this city into chaos," Kuylen declared. The Dark Jedi and their Lieutenants were meeting with the General and Master of the entire operation for thorough planning. "We'll start riots all over the city to force the authorities to draw out their forces. Then I plan to make a raid on the government buildings whilst battle is joined. A raid by us, leaving our men to do the fighting. We'll go to the archives, find the Elder, make him help us, and find what we want in there."

Rah proposed that they focus with the Force to cause some havoc. “Master. If all these Zeitonians are Force sensitive could we possibly group together, use the force to create ill-will and bad feeling within the minds of the citizens? Thus when we make our attack there will already be a lot of confusion about for us to use to our advantage...”

"I will probably engage in a simpler solution," said Kuylen. "The rumors of our presence are already causing disquiet as it is confirming what all these people, by instinct, know on a deep level- that they have been lied to and denied all their lives.

"Don't chose people to kill at random though," warned Kuylen, when the subject arose. "If they think we arbitrarily kill for no reason they will lose faith in our power to lead. What I will need you to do is identify a solid group of people who are against us."

Rah formed a plan for the Lieutenants to do, to be of use in this plan of Kuylen‘s. "Using your contacts within the city, I need you to find the right people for our little execution. They need to be people that would oppose us, people that hold enough influence over the general population to inhibit our plans. Thus when they are duly executed chaos will rain down and we will be able to move forwards towards our goal..." He paused for dramatic effect. “The Mausoleum.”

Kuylen was also looking for someone to perform an attack in the enemy's rear once the fighting started. They were to travel on the surface to get to another entrance into the city. The target would be the transit lines between cities. To destroy them would disrupt the flow of reinforcements to the government.

"They can get them in by air, of course. But the ore time passes the better we do. Knowledge of our presence is spreading like a plague; if we get this right then there will not be a Government much longer."

“Anarchy and mayhem...” Galder sighed happily. “Just my kind of work.”

“The thing is...maybe when they see us in action...we'll have fewer against us...” Takuan explained, Lt. Tik'Peebo nodding enthusiastically to agree with him. “Hmm...perhaps we could organize it like a theatre play. Our saber templates would slice a few as a demo, while our Force templates would do other types of havoc...”

“I still need men to go on the transit raid, mind you,” Kuylen reminded. “I will send Jolanta and Chion by default, seeing as they would have more fun with the immediate butchering and sabotaging.”

“I will also go, General...” Wraith began, when suddenly Galder sensed a life end and began to hear a loud uproar among his troops.

“If you’ll excuse me...” Galder said with a forced smile, jumping from the ring of leaders to rush to his men. Takuan followed, obviously to see if he could keep Galder from starting a massacre with his own soldiers.

He strode into the center of what appeared to be a fight with his lightsaber activated. A dead body sat in the middle of it all, with one of Galder’s men standing over him smugly.

“Who started this?” Galder asked, holding the blade in front him defensively.

The Zeitonian with his arms crossed over the dead man raised his hand. “Self-defense.”

“This is why we shouldn’t have had those silly contests...” Takuan mumbled agitatedly.

Galder shook his head. “I do not care, you had no right.”

“But he was weak and attacked me," croaked the accused. "Why should I have not killed him? To do otherwise would have been weak."

“Save your demonstrations on who's weak or not on the real foes,” Takuan interrupted. “Save them for the Jedi. You needed the one you killed to aid you in the battle against them. To you- to everyone here- he was worth more alive than dead.”

“The weak are no good in the fight to come. Survival of the fittest," retorted the accused. "He struck me so I struck him down. I do not care who he was, Jedi or Elder or Sith or nobody, why should I have spared his life?"

“Because you need to put some thinking behind every action you make. Weak or not, you needed him," rasped Takuan, who was noticeably getting angrier. “Why should I spare you for that matter? Compared to me, you are the weakling!"

Galder was actually enjoying this debacle, though he did not show it. “Why did he strike you in the first place, soldier?"

"He struck me because he said you cheated in the duel and he would show whose side was stronger. I proved him wrong.

“We do not need him. We do not need the weak. I just proved myself strong. And if you kill me then everyone will know there is no logic in your discipline."

“No logic in my discipline?" Galder laughed. "Maybe you are right. Maybe you are wrong. Either way, compared to me, I am the more superior. I will spare you, but there is no reason why you should kill without orders, and those are orders." Galder lightened up on his stern face. "But, I did cheat a little. Wraith cheated equally. I am just a better fighter, more experienced. Isn't that right, Wraith?"

“Shut it, Galder,” Wraith said, joining them in the center. “And put the saber away, before it comes to blows again.”

Rah decided to make light of it. “Again another lesson is learned,” he told his men. “Although we have instructed you to use your anger to make you strong, you must also use it to foresee the repercussions of your actions."

Indicating the dead Zeitonian, Rah continued. "He died because he assumed too much and didn't have the foresight to see that his actions would result in his death.

“This power we have opened up for you is your servant, use it well and it will keep you safe, but if you are careless..." Again indicating the dead Zeitonian. "It will be your undoing!"

Takuan ignored all the others. "Right or wrong, you have to talk with your Captain before doing something. You don't act on your own here..." hissed Takuan.

"He was going to kill me," snapped the Zeitonian. "I hardly had the time to come appeal to Captain Galder whilst he did that."

"There were plenty of ways of you to have dealt with this differently. What you have to and will understand is that you didn't choose the efficient way to it."

"You aren't my leader," the Zeitonian snapped again. "I answer only to Galder and Kuylen."

Takuan muttered for the Zeitonian to mind his tongue, lest he rip it out, before Galder intervened again. "I'll handle him, Takuan. Don't want my men dying off that fast. I doubt there will be another disturbance..." Galder turned to his men with a stern face. "Am I right?"

"Why do you let that man speak to us so?" asked the accused to Galder. "He has no skill; he is your clear inferior."

“Maybe when it comes to blows, soldier,” Galder replied austerely. “But Takuan has different talents that I lack. Superior Force skills. Despite the fact that I have trained you all on ‘survival of the fittest’ and ‘might is right,’ you do not speak against him. He has different values that will be required in the future...”

“Very well," said the accused, satisfied. "But if you can beat him in a fight I do not see how his 'superior Force skills' avail him any."

“What if Galder’s men start killing our men?” Tik'Peebo asked Takuan, who was now stomping off in a thoroughly exasperated manner.

“Then we shall act accordingly, setting some examples" ordered Takuan. "But I think Galder knows better than to let his men skip out of control."

"I wish I had your confidence in that, sir..."

Galder growled after Takuan and his Lieutenant before turning back his men. “Dismissed!”

Rushing from his men, Galder rejoined the meeting. Kuylen was quizzing Lieutenant Shi'Haia on something.

"A book, you say? In the Archives?"

"Yes...it's the book of the Elders. The Elders keep their records in there. It was created by the first Elder, thousands of years ago, at the dawn of our civilization."

"And it has always been kept in the Archives?”

"Yes, the Elder's have kept it there. Only they are allowed to look inside it. It is very big; almost as big as a person."

"So your civilization came into being with the Archives already there for this book to be kept in?"

"I...I guess the book was the first thing there..."

"That it was, but I doubt that was the 'dawn' of your civilization."

"I...I do not know..."

"Look at your weapon! Even if you do not believe what I say, it is thousands of years old! Are you saying your people came into being, complete with lightsabers and underground cities?"

"I suppose not..."

"Indeed! And if your people made cities and hi-tech weapons like your long arms, why use a book when you could use a computer?"

"I..."

"I'll tell you why, because computers are too accessible, whilst that book is a secret!"

Kuylen turned to the others, satisfied with his findings. "If, as I assume, the first Elder dates from the time of Demnos, then that book carries the only contemporary record of his time here that I know exists. Not even the Jedi Archives have such information. It must contain what we need."

“Perfect,” Takuan said. “So we have a goal inside the Archives...”

As the meeting drew on, some worries arose, such as why the Zeitonians had not found the Mausoleum themselves, and had the Jedi left the Mausoleum intact since they quarantined the entire planet after the war. Who even won the damned war here? The Zeitonians did not know Jedi names, so it would suggest that the Sith won, but then the Sith were gone from here as well. Galder could sense a small burst of panic from Takuan, but he easily quelled it.

Rah suggested naivety was the cause of their lack of names and locations.

"More ignorance than naivety if you ask me," replied Kuylen. "These people do pre-date the Mausoleum, of course. But I am afraid I have no great idea why they have never found it themselves. Maybe it is just one of those things. Like this whole planet.”

Then he continued on a subject that Galder had brought up. "Unfortunately, one of the whole deals with this place is that there is very little known about it. I had to exhaust the Archives of Coruscant and Avalar to even get the name of this planet.

"I know more about the war in this Galactic sector. There was a major campaign here some five thousand years ago, back when invasions from Korriban were almost an occupational hazard for the Jedi, a long time before the final Sith War, which was mainly about the Sith fighting each other anyway. There is no record about the war in this sector drifting out this far but logic suggests it did. The tales I have about the bombardment about this place are...vague, but as soon as I saw the surface I knew they were true.

"Anyway. The wars in this sector were entirely inconclusive. They went on for centuries. They only stopped when the entire campaign stopped. The Jedi never cleared up the Sith strongholds in this part of the Galaxy until the final war a thousand years ago. And they never came back here at that time.

"So the history of this place being very vague on who won seems to fit the facts. But one thing clearly suggests to me that the Jedi won- the very fact that this race is still here. The Sith would have either conquered these people entirely- and if they had, the Galaxy would have known it!- or annihilated the Zeitonians as punishment. The Sith never hesitated at genocide if need be. I would be willing to accept proof I am wrong though.

"As for the Mausoleum and the Cult of Demnos...what you have to remember is, the records I found on Zeiton are very different from the records I found on the Mausoleum. The Jedi knew the Mausoleum existed, but they never knew where it was. We have found it was here, and the Sith knew it, but no one else does!

"So I would say Demnos' achievement is that he set up his headquarters here without the Jedi knowing about it. The Sith were good at that, after all.

"As for Sith coming here...maybe they did? We'll find out when we get there, I suppose."

"Of course, that’s usually the way it is,“ grouched Galder. “Think about it for now, find out later. But it does answer some things."

“What about those hyperspace traces we found when we arrived?" Takuan inquired.

“They are fully capable of hyperspace travel, Takuan,” Kuylen educated. “The concepts of space craft and other planets are not unknown to them...”

Wraith asked a question next. “What of their age shortage? The Elder is in his sixties, according to my Lieutenant Zahn’Tin, and that is years past the average age of death, apparently.”

“This isn’t the world they evolved on. This is a dying race.”

“Would they dwell better on another world?” Galder piped up. “We’d have to see, of course...”

“We'll bring them to ten thousand worlds by the time we are done, Galder.” Kuylen rose, standing tall and proud as always. "You people should rest. Our campaign begins tomorrow."

= Chapter 34 =

The soldiers slowly streamed into the caverns and began taking to the ranks. Galder checked, double-checked, triple-checked, and quadruple-checked his weaponry to make sure that all was functional. He ordered Lieutenant Gar'Veran to do the same, forcing a kinetic rifle into his hands alongside the lightsaber and pistol he already had.

“You will thank me later when you don’t have any cock ups with that damned thing,” Galder said, tapping the old pistol that Gar'Veran insisted on wielding.

Captain Galder took his spot at the head of his men, Lieutenant Gar'Veran just behind him. Captain Rah and Lieutenant Ter’Minaw marched his men alongside and saluted their comrades with elaborate hand motions.

“You have had way too much time on your hands, Captain Rah,” Galder chuckled, ordering his men to return the salute.

“That could be said,” Rah replied, grinning whimsically.

General Kuylen stood upon a higher rock and was about to give the order to ascend to the city when Lieutenant Shi'Haia rushed down from above shouting for him to halt.

“What is it?” Takuan asked, but Kuylen seemed far more annoyed by the interruption.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Kuylen, more forcefully than Takuan. "If you cock this plan up by being noted absent you will be the first in pain- but last to die!"

"I'm sorry, Master Kuylen!" protested Shi'Haia. "But this is important!"

“What could possibly be more important than reforming Zeiton?” Galder inquired with great volume, his men behind him hollering praise and agreements.

“Yes...?” Takuan sighed, waiting for Shi'Haia to continue.

“The Jedi are here.”

Air in the room suddenly became devoid of noise, other than the clicking of weaponry and the shuffling of feet. The awkward silence was broken by Takuan’s disbelieving mutterings and Galder.

"The Jedi are here, just to foil our plans. It won't work, we shall set our plans in motion and do away with them. We outnumber them by a few when it comes to using the Force and lightsabers, but we outnumber them by dozens when it comes to troops."

“Best get things moving then!” Rah added, not really caring whether it was the Jedi who were following them or the Jedi Council.

"Hmm," contemplated Kuylen. "We have the Astrolabe. We left no traces. How, then, did they follow us? Ascar?"

"It's the only way they could know,” Saar agreed. “I don't know what game that man is playing but I do not like it. You should have killed him, Kuylen."

"Easier said than done."

“And you should know only too well, Galder; the presence of the Jedi can easily ruin any plans of ours!" continued Saar, never a man to look on any bright sides.

"I agree with Rah," interposed Jolanta. "We should push on."

Kuylen thought further. "What has happened with them?"

"They've been taken into custody by the Elder,” Shi'Haia reported.

"Will he ally with them?"

"My word, no!“ croaked Shi'Haia. “He'll have them executed. Their very existence threatens everything he stands for."

"Hmm," says Kuylen. "Too neat. These Jedi may be predictable but they are also resourceful. Give them any time at all and they will escape." He beamed widely. "Shi'Haia...go and...expedite proceedings. Use your imagination. You'll think of something, I am sure!”

"Yes, Master!" Shi'Haia croaked with joy, before jumping away as the Zeitonians tended to do.

"Thoughts?" asked Kuylen, turning back to his Captains and Lieutenants who had all stepped forwards to hear the conversation.

"When they see us killing Zeitonians in combat, the Jedi will engage us,” Takuan said, thoughtfully. “In fact, they'll engage upon eye contact. Then the Elder will most probably ally with them if we don't get to him in time. You know...enemy of my enemies...."

“I say we kill the Jedi,” Galder snarled. “We were under the impression that they would die on Dordellus, but they are not dead! We should attack them, hack off their limbs and leave them to die...”

"Then let them ally if they do; if not with the Elder then with another. The Jedi are all the same. Once we start burning this city they'll come out to try and stop our forces. You can be sure- they will care about the things we don't give a damn about. The advantage is still ours.

“And by all means, Galder- if you see them, kill them."

“So it doesn't have a direct change on our plan, you say.." Takuan was obviously still worried about the presence of the Jedi.

"A possibility we shall have to kill the Jedi when we get to the Archives. It shouldn't be a problem."

“I certainly hope so,” Takuan sighed before moping off towards his troops.

"I would say they might be dead already," declared Kuylen. "But I suspect Gundark and I have a destiny to meet one more time. And that will only go one way.

“The rest of you are free to settle any vendettas that you wish."

“Yes Master!” the rest cried in unison, before moving to attend their troops.

“Oh, and one more thing...” They halted. “Your Lieutenants will join you when the full battle is joined. They are maintaining a pretence on the Council.”

“Yes Master!” they cried again.

"These Jedi that you have heard about,” Rah spoke, again moving into a speech format in front of his men. “You must strike them down at all costs. They are harbingers of falsehood and deceit. They will say that they come to you in good will and peace, but really they only seek to prevent you from attaining the power that you deserve, that you have worked so hard for, that can be yours by standing with us in this fight!"

His men readily believed it, applauding the Captain.

"Defeating them is at our hand" Takuan informed his men. "But don't underestimate them. They can be...tricky. Act cautiously, and remember to think first. Alert me if you happen upon one."

His men nodded in obedience, having adapted to his contemplative ways by now.

“There is a change in plans, men..." Galder informed as he gathered his own troops. "The riots will go as planned, but with a small detail. I have been alerted that the Jedi have arrived. The Jedi are liars, deceivers! They have little power. They are a fading light, and now they are stepping into the dark in an attempt to stop us. I will not let that happen!" Galder paused after pounding his fist. "You all know that they are better at swordplay than you, but your kinetic guns are designed purely to destroy them! If we have to give our lives, we give them hell before we do!" Galder allowed his men to cheer.

"The Force led the Jedi here as well," Galder added. "But their destiny is not known to us. Likely it will result in death." Galder smirked his ever malicious smirk. "Either at the Elder's hands or ours. I suppose he'll side with them when we start slaughtering his forces, but it matters not.

"Shoot anyone wearing a brown robe and holding a lightsaber that is against us!” Galder finished, his men continuing to shout approval.

= Chapter 35 =

Galder and Rah marched down the streets of the city, nearly two hundred men following them. Nearly half were unarmed, due to the limited access to weaponry, but Galder was sure they would crush anyone who opposed nonetheless.

"My warriors, my worthy students!” Rah wailed as the ranks followed him. “Our time is nigh! You have all come along way, and you have proven yourselves worthy to fight along side me! Not all of you have weapons to fight with but do not be disheartened, remember with the force as your ally you are always armed! Those that have weapons will initially lead and when our enemies fall before us, as they most certainly will, those who follow take up their weapons! Use your fear and feed off the fear of those around you! This will make you strong! Lastly, some of you may fall but I do sincerely hope most of you will prevail to stand beside me when we reach our goal!"

The troops gave a combination of war cries and croaking huzzahs, thrusting their weapons or webbed fists into the air in celebration of their awakening from the lies that they had been fed for decades, for centuries, for millennia.

Galder, flanked by Sergeant Gil’Neelan, the soldier who had struck down one of Wraith’s men in self-defense, parted from Rah’s column and led his own down another street.

"Begin the rioting! Storm shops, banks, restaurants, and whatnot! Kill all who oppose you. Speak against the Elder who has so far withheld power from your grasp!"

The soldiers scattered with more croaking war whoops, firing their rifles into buildings and windows while others mugged citizens and stole money. Galder motioned Gil’Neelan to follow his lead, marching into a restaurant. Without warning, he drew his pistols and fired them into the ceiling, both Zeitonians behind him following suite.

“I want the most expensive food you have in this place,” he requested of the employee at the counter, putting one pistol to his head. “Free of charge, with all the extras...”

Eventually, some came to Galder and Rah croaking concern in their native language as to why they were pointlessly vandalizing.

“We have come to reform Zeiton!” Galder hollered, Gar'Veran and Gil’Neelan translating for him.

Rah soon rejoined him, lightsaber drawn. "Use your powers, turn over market stalls and benches, show your people the power we have shown you! Declare an end to the oppression that has kept your people subdued all these years! Show them the power that can be theirs if they stand with us and oppose the Elder!" At the end of another motivational rant, he turned to Galder.

“Well, recruit them!” Rah hissed. “Just watch me...“

Jumping up upon the hood of a speeder, Rah raised his lightsaber to gather attention of the concerned members of society. “For too long your people have been repressed from realizing your true potential! Look upon your own kind that serve under us, look at the power they hold, we cause this trouble to get your attention so that you will join us and rally against the Elder who has kept it from you! But, if you wish to stay pathetic and weak, make a stand against us and you will die!"

Gil’Neelan translated that the dozen that now stood before them simply did not believe what they were being told.

“Believe!” Galder commanded. “We are the new Dark Lords of the Sith! The Sith were real, not just legends in your mythology, but they existed! We intend to bring back their old ways to show you a new path into the Galaxy, one that you could conquer with no effort!”

The dozen were swayed, mostly falling into the ranks behind Rah rather than Galder. Rah twiddled his fingers with a shout of “Toodles!” and ran off to continue the rioting.

“This is what I like...“ Galder muttered to his Lieutenant. “No rules to bind me. No worries about getting killed. With nearly a hundred men behind me and my own skills, I can be supreme and do as I wish. This was never possible in the Republic or even the Outer Rim."

Suddenly, a section of a wall behind him cracked, showering him with fragments. Just over a dozen armed men came to oppose Galder, opening fire immediately.

“Drop them! And drop them fast!” Galder ordered, grabbing for his pistols and firing while strafing to cover. Gil’Neelan and Gar'Veran followed, the latter igniting his lightsaber in defiance of the officers coming to apprehend them. Just behind them, a few of Galder’s men were flung backwards into a wall by the kinetic energy. The dozen, however, were facing more difficulties from the ones that rose to take their place, attacking them violently in melee combat or with the guns. Pretty soon, the fighting began to spread to the next street over, and the next, and the next.

“So it has begun,” Galder mumbled gravely, igniting his red lightsaber. “Soldiers! Take cover! Get inside buildings!” Leaping from his cover, he ran up a wall and landed behind a Zeitonian policeman, spinning to hack through his spinal chord as he landed, then burning through a leg of another, finishing him with a downward thrust. His danger sense blared, and he cart-wheeled sideways, landing on his feet and springing himself through a window as a volley of kinetic blasts.

This is going to be difficult, Galder contemplated. They may not have all the powers, but they have the senses of a Jedi, all of them! No matter... Pulling the pin from a smoke grenade, he leaped out behind it. As it burst, he vanished into the smoke, two metal orbs flung by him exploding just in front of a row of police officers. The blast sprayed them with shrapnel and disoriented them, so they became easy targets when Galder sprinted from the billowing cloud with lightsaber raised high. He cut them all down with a few fast slashes.

“Galder, they seem to be concentrating on you and your men...” Saar alerted him. “Rah and Takuan are coming to deal with this...concentration...”

“Thank you, Great Horned Coward,” Galder said sarcastically into the comlink. Saar was taking the backseat approach and directing his men from the cave entrance.

As Saar had said, soon their was a wailing demon racing down the street at high speeds, swinging a purple lightsaber and screaming terrifying noises at the policemen. Rah was in full swing, his men racing in behind him with guns blazing. Takuan approached from the year, slowly ambling through the smoke.

“Take them out,” he commanded, pointing to the police with his lightsaber before stepping aside. Blasts whisked past him from behind, his soldiers cautiously taking aim.

Rah strafed in and out of cover, running up a wall and beheading a Zeitonian near Galder. He said nothing audible but constantly wailed harsh tones and continued to attack. Galder marveled at his athletic friend’s abilities for a few moments before he was forced to dodge the incoming firepower. Dust showered down upon him.

“There are too many policemen,” Galder gasped into his comlink.

"A pittance," Kuylen told his Captains by communicator. "Destroy the contemptible rabble; the real fight starts when the Elder sends in the Army. I shall be with you soon with fresh weapons."

More firepower came his way, so he sprinted up a wall and flipped about in midair to grab a hold of a window sill. The sill shattered from kinetic forces merely a second after he had pulled himself in. He turned to face the window, pulling his repeater out and spraying bolts down upon the policemen, squeezing a second trigger to unleash a concussion blast.

“Sergeant Gil‘Neelan, lead a group of soldiers around to flank the police forces,” Galder ordered, shying away from the window. “Riddle them from the rear!”

“Yes, Captain!” Gil’Neelan replied eagerly.

“Galder, do you copy?” It was Rah. “Where are you?”

“Up in the building, Rah.”

“Galder, those policemen are finished,” Rah alerted. “With the opposition here gone maybe we should go find a better populated area and get back to causing trouble...”

Galder looked out the window, and the amount of firepower had decreased drastically. Gil’Neelan raced in from behind, his rifle blasting down a police officer with a group of two dozen soldiers behind him. Marching up the street, Takuan was surrounded by a mass of his soldiers, sweeping the street for remaining resistance.

“General Kuylen, I sense something is wrong," Galder spoke into the comlink. "They aren't sending any additional forces to aid what we are obliterating now. We've almost completely finished them..."

"Damn..." says Kuylen, by comm. "This Elder is a very dangerous opponent. He's willing to let the city burn rather than do what we want him to. Keep up the pressure, that's all I can say for now. I'll be on my way with those weapons in ten minutes."

Within those ten minutes, Wraith crackled onto the comlink that he had just acquired a large field gun in the transit area. They had yet to blow the place.

The police forces surrendered or died at the hands of Galder’s, Rah’s, and Takuan’s troops. All was quiet by the time Kuylen arrived, followed by over a hundred Zeitonians.

“What’s the situation, Captain Starkiller?” he asked after ordering his men to stand easy.

Galder saluted. “It seems that the Elder is still withholding the Army, General.”

“Hmm," says Kuylen. "What do you think of things, Galder?"

"I think that something like this has happened before to the Zeitonians, that is why the Elder is reluctant to send his forces. Or he's a cold-hearted bastard who doesn't care about his people. Or both."

"He doesn't care about the individuals of his people," explained Kuylen. "But if you ask me he is doing the smartest thing possible to protect his people as a whole. This riot's only going to last so long, after all.

"This Elder is far too dangerous for us to suffer a moment longer than necessary, Galder. As soon as we have the book from the Archives- kill him."

"With pleasure, General," Galder said with a grin, saluting again with great pride. "And then we can all assume control of the Zeitonians."

"More are flocking to our banner each minute, but until we engage the mass of their army we won't have the demonstration we need...we shall wait for news from Chion. At least he has been useful for something today."

"Chion? Why, what have you assigned him to do, other than kill things?"

"Well, exactly," says Kuylen. "What else did you think he was useful for?"

"Other than massacre, nothing really," Galder agreed. He looked over the massacre that he himself had caused. "But I suppose I might be able to do a better job sometimes. He's got that huge lightsaber, so it makes things a little difficult for him...though a lot worse for others..."

"Might as well hand out these weapons whilst we wait for Chion to disable the transit lines and then we can really get this show on the road,“ Rah muttered to no one in particular at Galder‘s left. “General, any more news on the whereabouts of those cursed Jedi? I'm wondering if it’s worth trying to raise the heat for them a little before taking on the Elder’s army."

"We have no information there at all," Kuylen admitted. "We don't even know if the execution went ahead."

"Let's hope it did,“ Galder hissed. “If they try anything drastic in the terms of escape, the Zeitonians will destroy them."

= Chapter 36 =

“Lieutenant Gar'Veran reporting for duty!” cried Gar'Veran, snapping to attention with a salute.

“Just in time, too,” Galder said, looking through macrobinoculars down upon the fighting below. It had become urban warfare in a matter of hours, the army of the Elder suddenly appearing, headed by several Council members. Just below them now, as they crawled to the edge of the roof and looked down, a Council member marched forth with several soldiers behind him, holding a lightsaber out in front of him as he did so.

“That is Jeren'Toc,” Gar'Veran informed Galder after borrowing the macrobinoculars.

Galder nabbed it back, viewing the Council member. “No...”

“Zeitonians! You must know that what you are about to do is very dangerous. But you must also know that you fight for the greater good! For life, for liberty, for freedom! If you do not fight, then it is to go into slavery or die miserable and alone. I am sure that is not what you want. What you want, what you all want, is freedom!"

Thrusting his blue lightsaber forwards, Jeren'Toc ordered a charge in the name of Zeiton.

“No!” Galder hissed in anger. “They have rallied the army!”

“You said we could handle them easily!” Gar'Veran reminded. “We have a thousand strong...”

“We shall see...”

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

The enemy Council members tried to organize a negotiation. The Lieutenants were sent to oppose, but Galder had ordered Gar'Veran to wear a bug to let him listen in on the proceedings.

“People of Zeiton!" Jeren'Toc called out. "What is this senseless slaughter? Would we tear down our ancient civilization for the sake of mere demagogues and rabble rousers? Look what we have done to our city! If we all lay down our arms now, there will be no recriminations, simply the effort to re-build!"

Shi'Haia, for the aggressors, came forwards to oppose.

"Don't try and fight us with mere words, Jeren'Toc! The lies you wish to perpetuate have done nothing but enslave our people!"

“I speak no lies! We no longer recognize the authority of our doddering Elder! We see the truth of things, of the Galaxy, and of the Force!"

"Hah!" laughed Shi'Haia. "Yet you are blind, as you seek to fetter us in unseen chains. Too long have we skulked beneath the surface, trapped on this dying world, left to die like wounded animals. No more! We now ally ourselves with the power that will free us! T he Sith will lead us to victory!"

"You fool, Shi'Haia!" cried out Jeren'Toc. "The Sith will only bring you death and enslavement of a sort you cannot even envisage! They are your doom, not your saviors! Only the Jedi can be our salvation now! Our people must turn to them!"

"Oh really?" asked Shi'Haia. "Because look what they have done for us before! Did the Sith plan to leave us locked up down here for all eternity? No! The Jedi are the jailers of the Force, the Sith are those who will free us to take our place in the Galaxy! Zeitonians, the Sith bring us freedom! Tear down this old order, and build one that will be a monument to the might of Zeiton!!" There was a loud cheer of croaks and war cries from his troops and the other Lieutenants, and they began to charge. Through the comlink, Galder could hear Gar'Veran ignite his lightsaber.

"Engage them," commanded Jeren'Toc. "Set your weapons to stun, don't hurt them unless you have to!"

Shi'Haia just snorted, and Gar'Veran laughed. "Annihilate them all," he hissed callously.

The sounds of battle erupted violently over the comlink, lightsabers humming and crashing and rifles cracking. Galder, still sitting upon his rooftop and viewing the battle with his comrades Rah and Takuan, began to laugh.

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

"Just kill as many as possible," ordered Kuylen. "We don't need to seize anywhere, we don't need any ground, so don't be afraid to retreat. Just kill!"

“Yes, General!” Galder replied. “We’re doing our best!” Currently, the building he had been camping atop was laid siege to by the Light Side of the Zeitonians. The problem now was artillery based, for enormous kinetic mortars were bombarding his troops heavily. From the building across the street, Galder watched as the roof of his hideout caved in from a heavy strike. Dust and debris was scattered everywhere, including down onto the street, where Takuan has hollering for his soldiers to clear the area as a sleek tank mounted with several kinetic guns hovered down it. The rest of the building began to crumble as the tank fired into it with the main cannon.

“Men of my division! Fall back!” Galder ordered. “If you do not, you face death! Retreat!”

"Everyone," ordered Kuylen over the comlinks, "finish up what you are doing and reinforce Wraith! We can trigger the mass battle and the opportunity we need."

On the street below, Takuan pulled his men back amongst Galder’s, everyone retreating to the transit lines. The anti-personnel guns still blazed, flinging the troops left and right, and the main gun crumpled a building, some of Takuan’s men caught inside the collapsing structure and crushed to pulp.

“Rally to Captain Wraith at the transit lines!” Galder hollered with slight panic. The last half-hour of the battle was going incredibly bad, and it unnerved him how fast his soldiers had been cut down by the artillery. As he considered this, a kinetic mortar struck close. The blast picked him up with a few of his men and tossed him. He recovered his senses as Rah lugged him away on his shoulder.

“Look where you are again!” Rah chuckled, though annoyance was a tad obvious for once. “Carried over my shoulder because you got caught in an explosion!”

“Set me down, I’m fine!” Galder shouted angrily. Rah did as he said and they sprinted, their men still with them. Their Lieutenants had vanished during the battle, and Sergeant Gil’Neelan had been killed.

At the transit lines, Wraith and Jolanta were hopping about, slashing wildly and violently with excellent timing as artillery bombardment continued around them and troops headed by the enemy Council members fired away. There were lightsabers flashing amongst the pillars of smoke and dust, but Galder could not tell if they were Jedi or just Zeitonians. The distortion of air from sonic blasts was not helping...

Sonic blasts? Galder focused on the firer of the sonic blasts and found his assumptions to be correct. “Xeth Tam! The Jedi have escaped!”

“Men! I want the source of those blasts obliterated!” Rah hollered, igniting the second side of his lightsaber and striding forwards as Galder let off several smoke grenades.

“Galder! Rah! Get back!” Kuylen leaped towards them, pulling them back into cover inside the ruins of a building.

“The Jedi have escaped, Master!” Galder exclaimed with frustration. “You said I could destroy them!”

Kuylen only laughed. “Don't you see?" he asked, laughing heartily. "Don't you see what they have done?"

After a moment of thought, Galder realized the truth of the situation. "They have done exactly what the Elder would not do. They brought out the Zeitonian military, which is exactly what we wanted." Galder glimpsed back at Xeth, who spun and disarmed one of his men. He grins widely, almost insanely. "Such fools...they have set themselves up, and they will die in their stupidity, unknowing that they brought the end of themselves."

"You can always predict the Jedi," he continued to chuckle. "They have delivered us the Archives. They must have seized control and led the defenses themselves, thinking they were performing heroics.

"So it is vital we stay out of sight! If we engage the Jedi it will be a fatal distraction. But now our way is clear to attack the central buildings and take the archives!"

"I see, General. Would you like me to call a retreat? Or leave my men under the command of my Lieutenant and join you at the Archives?"

“The Jedi will realize something is wrong," said a dust-covered Saar, approaching from behind. His lightsaber was activated, held idly at his side. His eyes flicked about nervously. "Their instincts are good, especially their Master."

"Yes, Gundark..." said Kuylen, stroking his beard. "They will try and stop us...but it will be too late."

"Not too late for them to make a fight of it."

“Then they shall die!" hollered Kuylen with powerful gesticulation. "Too long we have tolerated their presence. Now they shall meet their doom. The Jedi will leave all their forces to fight here. I care not about this battle. Bring your Lieutenants and I shall also, say, two dozen men. The fight will not last long."

"Yes, General," Captain Galder replied, the insane grin still on his face. "I agree that they have lived a bit too long to be in our plans. I should wish to see the Jedi fall..."

"Kuylen!" called Shi'Haia, running in. Kuylen was busy for a few moments, forcibly yelling at Chion to withdraw- not easy. "Our enemies request parlay!"

"Grant it," he commanded with a wide grin to match Galder’s.

"Watch this," he said to you others. "When the fighting starts again, things will be confused. That will be our chance to leave this war and go do something important..."

"And then we can eliminate the Jedi, am I right? We are so close to power..."

"Yes," says Kuylen. "This time... we leave none of them alive."

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

The enemy Council members tried to organize a negotiation. The Lieutenants were sent to oppose, but Galder had ordered Gar'Veran to wear a bug to let him listen in on the proceedings.

“People of Zeiton!" Jeren'Toc called out. "What is this senseless slaughter? Would we tear down our ancient civilization for the sake of mere demagogues and rabble rousers? Look what we have done to our city! If we all lay down our arms now, there will be no recriminations, simply the effort to re-build!"

Shi'Haia, for the aggressors, came forwards to oppose.

"Don't try and fight us with mere words, Jeren'Toc! The lies you wish to perpetuate have done nothing but enslave our people!"

“I speak no lies! We no longer recognize the authority of our doddering Elder! We see the truth of things, of the Galaxy, and of the Force!"

"Hah!" laughed Shi'Haia. "Yet you are blind, as you seek to fetter us in unseen chains. Too long have we skulked beneath the surface, trapped on this dying world, left to die like wounded animals. No more! We now ally ourselves with the power that will free us! T he Sith will lead us to victory!"

"You fool, Shi'Haia!" cried out Jeren'Toc. "The Sith will only bring you death and enslavement of a sort you cannot even envisage! They are your doom, not your saviors! Only the Jedi can be our salvation now! Our people must turn to them!"

"Oh really?" asked Shi'Haia. "Because look what they have done for us before! Did the Sith plan to leave us locked up down here for all eternity? No! The Jedi are the jailers of the Force, the Sith are those who will free us to take our place in the Galaxy! Zeitonians, the Sith bring us freedom! Tear down this old order, and build one that will be a monument to the might of Zeiton!!" There was a loud cheer of croaks and war cries from his troops and the other Lieutenants, and they began to charge. Through the comlink, Galder could hear Gar'Veran ignite his lightsaber.

"Engage them," commanded Jeren'Toc. "Set your weapons to stun, don't hurt them unless you have to!"

Shi'Haia just snorted, and Gar'Veran laughed. "Annihilate them all," he hissed callously.

The sounds of battle erupted violently over the comlink, lightsabers humming and crashing and rifles cracking. Galder, still sitting within the ruins and viewing the battle with his comrades Rah and Takuan, began to laugh.

"Now is our chance," ordered Kuylen. "Start to slip away..." He and Shi'Haia disappeared down an alleyway.

Boom! Suddenly, the tank came rolling around the corner, guns blazing.

= Chapter 37 =

Galder, Rah, and Takuan flung themselves clear as section of wall were shattered about them by the anti-personnel guns. The main gun toppled the entire wall completely.

“Listen, loyal followers of our worthy cause!“ Rah hollered to rally his soldiers as they quickly decided to attack the tank. “Before us lies a grave situation some of us will not survive, but I must ask each of you to give that ultimate sacrifice for the greater power! You have all fought hard and well to get this far now we must face this tank. What I ask is that you help us by diverting the tanks fire power. Once within reach we will be disable it. The sooner we can get to it the more of you will stand with us when we reach our goal. Finally, if you give us everything, we will gladly die in this endeavor to see to it that you reach the Mausoleum and its ultimate power!"

Turning to the other Captains, Rah smiled whimsically as always. “We’ve a tank to play with, gentlemen!” he shouted before charging the tank with his men from the side.

“From the rear! Quickly!” Galder shouted at his own men. Takuan moved in from the front.

The anti-personnel guns began to roar as soon as the Dark Siders were in range, tossing some of Rah‘s men away despite their athleticism and coating all with dust. Kinetic rifle fire did nothing to the protective plating of the tank, much to Takuan’s chagrin as the large cannon tried to discover his position. It pivoted slowly, but when it locked on, Takuan leapt away. A majority of his men were thrown yards down the street, scraping painfully to a halt nearly a block away. Takuan himself was caught on the edge of the blast. He hit a wall of ruins which crumbled around him.

“Captain Takuan is down!” Lieutenant Tik'Peebo hollered, the Lieutenants having rejoined the effort suddenly. However, Takuan clawed himself from the debris and pitched himself behind cover just as the pile he had been in was scattered into the air by another blast from the main cannon of the tank.

Around Galder, his men were being thrown through the air in great numbers.

“Captain! Help!” cried one from the ground, but he was silenced as the anti-personnel guns drew a line of holes across the ground, passing over his body with sickening crunches. Galder completely ignored his plea for help, using the death of a man to spur him on. With a cry of rage, Galder leaped into the air and landed atop the tank just as Rah did. With a flash, Rah had sliced open the top hatch. A Zeitonian officer attempted to come out with a rifle, but Rah drove one end of his blade through the skull.

“Galder, detonator!“ Rah said, tapping the hatch with his blade.

“Oi!” Galder groaned, pulling loose yet another pin and dropping the explosive inside. They threw themselves clear as the tank vaporized, incinerating a group of defending Zeitonians around it.

“Captain!” called out one of Galder’s men. “Terrible news...gah!” The Zeitonian calling to him was shattered by a sudden burst from a repeating kinetic gun from a window. Sprinting at full speed, Galder kept ahead of the shots. Wraith rolled in from a doorway and fired his sniper rifle, taking out the gunner, along with others who tried to take control of it.

“What news?” Galder asked another one of his men, who looked downwards as he handed a lightsaber over.

It was Gar'Veran’s.

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

The Dark Jedi made their way to Kuylen, who was not at all pleased with what had happened. They had destroyed the tank, yes, but in doing so, only ten of the two dozen elite soldiers they had been ordered to bring with them had survived.

Lieutenant Gar'Veran was dead. A volley from the anti-personnel had silenced him, for he was the one that had cried to his Captain. Galder had moved back to find him, after the mess was cleaned up around the tank,

"See to it that my Lieutenant receives a fitting burial..." Galder ordered simply, turning away. He did not make eye contact with Kuylen, but gave Saar a solid and unwavering glare. He turned briefly away to put Gar'Veran’s lightsaber on his belt. The ancient lightsaber would now be his.

"What the hell was that, Galder?" asked Kuylen.

"I...do...not...know...sir..." Galder says, still not meeting Kuylen's glare, giving Saar a sneer. "I take a breather for a few seconds and I come back to very few soldiers."

"You don't know? You don't know?" said Kuylen with a hint of hysteria. "Cretin! Those men were there to tie down the Jedi, not be thrown away before we even get inside! That was a shambles. You should have taken that tank by yourselves, and if you had any sense you would have captured it.

"There is no room for second best now. Listen to me. I have taken all of you with me this far because I needed you. That might soon stop being the case so you had better give me a damn good reason to want you with me."

He raised his saber towards Galder. "I have no problem in killing any of you now if you stand in my way."

“I’m not comfortable with the idea of being tossed aside if I displease you, Master,” Galder said, remaining calm.

"Let him die at the hands of the Jedi," said Saar, still smiling.

"He doesn't deserve to die at the hands of the Jedi," rasped Kuylen. "Who the hell do you think you are, Galder, to in any way question me or my motives? Let me remind you how this works. Displease me and you die."

“Yes, General Kuylen,” Galder said with no emotion, moving slowly into a salute. “Forget I said anything...”

= Chapter 38 =

“I take it that Galder and you never get along...” Wraith commented as the Dark Jedi and their remaining Lieutenants and soldiers moved into the main government building.

“Galder's a threat," said Saar. "Besides which, it's just so easy and amusing to wind him up." Saar suddenly threw up his arm across their path through the ancient hallways of the building, so they had to stop. Kuylen drew and ignited his saber as soon as he did this, for Saar’s danger senses were rarely wrong.

Several things happened at once, as sixteen defenders of the palace appeared from behind and ahead. Each Dark Jedi prepared themselves for a quick fight.

Kuylen suddenly flipped forwards through the air, landing behind two of the attackers and hacking them down.

Saar threw himself prone, knowing that the straight hallway was a deadly fire channel, since they could not deflect the shots and had nearly no room to dodge.

Jolanta ran up a wall, running back towards the flanking attackers as she activated her yellow blade.

Chion lumbered ahead, bringing forth his gargantuan lightsaber.

Rah thrust his hand forwards and knocked down two guards.

Galder, quick off the draw, flicked out his wrist blaster and threw himself prone as well. One single shot struck a Zeitonian full in the forehead, killing him instantly.

Takuan’s preparation was more amazing. He spun on the spot to the remaining defenders to the rear stood and made a pulling motion. The rifles of five defenders were hoisted from their grip and broken against the walls.

Unfortunately, there were still six defenders opening fire. Rah and Takuan, having not moved, were hit hard, both in the stomach and knocked to the ground. Rah picked himself up quickly, but Takuan stayed down, groaning.

There was a flash of purple as Kuylen spun. When he finished, he opened his eyes, having killed the remaining three in the front.

Gat! Rah fired a single shot which hit one of the Zeitonians and threw him into a wall.

Vwum-um-um-um! Saar threw his lightsaber and speared another.

Vwum! Jolanta dropped from her wall run and hacked through a Zeitonian.

Gat! Rah fired another shot and finished the defense.

“Nice,” Galder said to Kuylen.

"I'm a professional," replied Kuylen, simply. "And now it is time. We'll keep this one simple. I'll make sure the Jedi stay subdued; Galder and Chion- you enter the Archive at my signal and find that book. And Galder, remember, when you come out again- kill the Elder when I say."

A minute later, and they received an inkling of danger as they sensed the Jedi nearby. Not long after, they emerged into a low room, with a large vault door at one end. The Jedi were here. Master Gundark and Master Marcus stood side by side, turning suddenly with pale faces. Xeth Tam spun with his sonic blaster out, apparently the most twitchy of the Jedi, the same pointless renegade that Galder had met on Damagran. Another two Jedi were there, unknown to Galder. It was obvious to Galder that Master Gundark had reinforcements, but it was not enough.

“Typical Jedi thinking,” Kuylen sighed, shaking his head. “Leaving your followers in the fight outside. Where they are no good to you."

The Dark Jedi filed in to cover them, Lieutenants and men with them. The Jedi, having been in conversation with the Elder, watched them with edginess.

"I, on the other hand, brought all I needed to make this no contest," said Kuylen. "Now, is this going to be amicable or shall I have you all pointlessly slaughtered now? Lay down your weapons, Jedi."

"Marcus, we meet again..." Galder said, grinning. He ignited his red lightsaber, but also the lightsaber of his dead Lieutenant, both blades red. "Drop the lightsaber, and whatever crap you are carrying. I'll claim it as mine, and it'll join my trophies later."

Next to him, Wraith spotted faces he recognized from Nar Shaddaa. "Kosta, remember me? I nearly had you beat at our last meeting, maybe this time I'll succeed. And Xeth, run through by my friend the Lizard Man. It's a shame he could not be here to see you defeated again..." Kaliero had disappeared during the fighting, along with his Lieutenant, Ker'Raos. “And, ah, Master Gundark!" Wraith took special notice of her. "The cowardly Jedi Master who ran at the sight of a future Sith! Pathetic...

“Do as Kuylen says, and maybe we'll let you join us...or we'll just kill you!" Wraith chuckled, his eyes moving between the Jedi and the Elder, pistol swiveling about.

“They’ll try to talk their way out of it,” Takuan whispered to the remaining soldiers and his Lieutenant. “Mere tricks...”

“Hmm...interesting...” said one of the Jedi Knights that Galder had not seen.

“Interesting?” the other Jedi that Wraith had identified as Kosta asked, perplexed.

“We’ll stay the course, Xeth,” Master Gundark said to the insectoid as he looked to her for guidance. She nodded to Marcus and turned her eye upon the Dark Jedi.

"We're not laying down our weapons, Kuylen," Kellan answered coolly. "So don't bother trying to check Demnos' will. I doubt you're mentioned in it."

Kuylen raised an eyebrow. "I am sure you do not want it to end this way, Master Gundark..." he said. "And you will not stop me making it to Demnos."

The Elder whispered something to Gundark. "And what way would you have it end, Kuylen? Do indulge me," said Gundark.

"Why," said Kuylen, "I would have you see me victorious, Master Jedi!"

The Elder whispered counsel to Gundark again. She seemed troubled, but eventually answered.

"Lower your weapons," she ordered to the others.

Kuylen smiled. “Very wise, Master Gundark.”

“We should hurry,” said Takuan, sporting an annoying smile as he motioned the Elder to him.

Kuylen raised a hand to stop him. “First things first. Chion, Galder? Into that vault and get what I want."

Galder stepped towards the vault, when Kosta ignited both of his yellow blades. “Maybe is a key word, Wraith, you fool! Your cocky manner will be your undoing!”

Kuylen appeared amused, and waited for things to get worse. All eyes fell upon him, Dark or Light. Gundy gave him a nasty glare, while Takuan began to shower dust and chunks of rock from the ceiling down upon Kosta, as a threat of what he could do.

"This is yet to be settled," spat Kosta, laying down his sabers.

Galder shook his head. Damned renegades... He neatly sliced a section of the vault’s door away with the Sith lightsaber. The massive section was too large to move.

"So, how have things been fairing for you?“ Wraith taunted. “Hellish I hope. How's it sitting with you that you did exactly what we wanted?"

Kosta merely glared, flexing his fists helplessly. “Under the right circumstances, you would have done exactly as I wanted...”

“And what circumstances would those be? Me surrendering?”

“The right circumstances? A fair fight, man-to-man...”

Galder laughed heartily with Rah as Wraith poked fun at the Jedi ways. “Takuan, be a dear and take this out for me?” he said, tapping the bulkhead. Takuan reached his hands forwards and concentrated. A few moments later, the sliced through section of the metal vault door started to shake, then to wobble...and then it flew back across the room, nearly knocking the bunch of them flat, before clattering on the far side.

“Impressive...” the unknown Jedi sighed.

Galder wandered inside the massive vault. It was filled to the brim with old papers, and the vault itself smelled ancient. He flicked through a few papers and books, but none seemed to be what Kuylen required. He finally decided to rely on his instincts after an excessive amount of time. Reaching out with the Force, closing his eyes, he wandered through the vault, guided by the unseen powers he possessed, and put his hand upon a book. He hoisted it from the shelf and nearly dropped it if it were not for Chion’s massive helping hand. They emerged and handed it to Kuylen, who began flicking through it immediately.

“Very well, Galder,” Kuylen said, “if you please...”

“As you wish...” Galder drew a small ballistic weapon from his belt, using his trained hand to draw it fast. He aimed the Micro UZI.

“Find what you were looking for, Kuylen?” Gundark asked, eyeing Galder with contempt as he drew his weapon.

“Yes.”

Gat-gat-gat! The bastic warheads on the bullets exploded in the chest, blowing out the spine and splattering the wall behind the victim with blood. The Elder turned to look at Master Gundark before falling back silently, dead before he hit the ground, his eyes staring sightlessly. He was now nothing more than a bloodied, burnt corpse.

“I guess he won’t be giving any more advise...” Galder hissed maniacally. His senses tingled with the hatred he now received from the Jedi. Next to him, Wraith clapped, saying that it was a spectacular shot.

Xeth Tam’s insectoid pair of jaws dropped, his wings falling flat against his back. "How much of a threat did you consider him, Galder? Or were you just having your pointless fun?!"

"He was a far more dangerous threat than any of you are," Kuylen interjected before Galder could respond.

“I should say it was a combination then...” Galder hissed.

"That's always how it is with you, isn't it Galder? I only kill with a purpose in mind..."

"And your purpose is...?" asked Galder. "Upholding justice and truth and all that bullshit? Oh please, don't even try. You should see how we live. It is a much better way to go. More power, more freedom, more respect from those around you rather than being the dirt that the Republic takes you for.

“The Elder probably thought of you as idiots since you fell for our trap, bringing out the soldiers when he could have starved us of killing. Indeed, you are a fool to continue on as a Jedi. You don't even look the part! A species that makes guns for a living, and you're covered in guns like I am! And your anger, I can sense it...why do you not fight on our side?"

“Sadistic twisted bastard," Kellan spat at Galder. "Bloody damned killing as all you know. You think you're something, don't you? Big man with a big blaster. Well let me tell you what are...” She flashed a sick smile. "You're nothing but a brainless hired thug. You do what you do because you can't do anything else. Look at your company, Galder. Other low life gutter slugs and overstuffed aliens." She gestured casually toward his artificial arm. "And an artificial arm too. Guess you're not that good in a fight after all." She shook her head. "I don't see you attracting any admiring females. Guess that artificial arm makes you half a man."

"If you are trying to make me angry, it is working..." Galder snarled, aiming the machine pistol in her direction. "I am in the company of your superiors. I learn from a man who can easily put you on the ground with a blade at your throat, and I hope to sometime soon do the same. And the mechanical arm? So I was bested once by this geezer here, big whoop..." Galder gestured at Marcus with the pistol. "I like this thing better anyway. Stronger, a secret compartment, a blaster, a knife, all inside my forearm. And maybe I'll make some modifications! Then I'll be just as annoying as Balek." He grinned maliciously, taking a step forwards, pocketing his UZI and igniting his red Sith lightsaber in the process, making sure that Gundark got a glimpse of the handle.

"Come on, Kellan, let your anger flow! You cannot save the Zeitonians any more than you can save this dead frog on the floor," giving the Elder’s corpse a little nudge with his foot. "But you can lead them to victory against the Republic, perhaps. The group of old men and women that you call a Council did not warn you of the problems here, did they? Why should you obey them if they failed to tell you anything?"

"Well, anyway, we have much to be doing..." says Kuylen, turning to go.

"Indeed," Galder agreed, eyeing Kellan and Xeth one more time. "Consider my offer. I think you'd like the Dark Side more than you think..." he spat them before also turning to leave, lightsaber still activated.

"Kuylen," Chion said, suddenly breaking his long silence. "You promised."

“Oh...very well...” Kuylen said, before turning away and walking out the door. “Kill all of them.”

= Chapter 39 =

Half a second after Kuylen had ordered it, the Jedi had drawn their weapons to them, with the exception of Xeth’s sonic blaster as Takuan hurled it across the room. Also in half a second, Galder drew the dual Micro UZIs and put a burst of warheads down the center of the Jedi, parting the Masters from the Knights and renegades. Master Gundark was nearly hit with the shots, arcing her back and dodging. Her lightsaber flashed hit a few bullets before they hit her, giving her a scare but causing no damage.

“Rah, Chion, with me!” Galder hollered, having emptied the UZIs and putting them in his holsters. Snap-hiss! Both blades activated simultaneously, and he dove for Master Gundark shout a scream that would drive terror into the strongest of hearts. However, Master Gundark seemed to be stronger than the strongest, and she leaped high into the air as Galder assaulted her from the front and Rah from the side, both spinning and slashing. Chion moved to shut out one side to her, building momentum with his blade. It did not affect Gundy’s trajectory, and she landed between Galder and Rah.

Takuan suddenly vaulted overhead, racing to aid his soldiers and the Lieutenants. He was not alone, but the intents of his followers were quite different from aiding the Zeitonians.

Kak! Kak! Kak! The Zeitonian troops opened fire on Xeth, Kosta, and the other Jedi, known as Roan Trilanger, who stayed to hold off the soldiers best they could. Roan’s opening lunge got him away from the blasts, but a slash from Ter’Minaw caught him off-guard and nearly cut through his shoulder. Opposite of him, Xeth raced agile towards the soldiers, flipping through the air to snap a blow through one of the men, spinning just in time to deflect a hasty green-bladed attack from Lieutenant Tara’Zie, Jolanta’s pupil, and another from Zahn’Tin. Kosta sparred with Tik'Peebo intensely, the cautious Zeitonian giving ground.

Clash! Wraith came in for a blow to Master Marcus’ midsection, but Marcus carried himself backwards quickly, rendering him harmless as Wraith could not force the blow into flesh. However, Jolanta performed a running leap and landed behind him, threatening him with the blade.

Now Galder focused intensely on his own troubles as the battle erupted around him. As Master Gundark landed, she lunged for Rah as he and Galder spun away to give themselves space. Her hard slash to his hip was narrowly blocked, and Rah even put in a riposte with his foot, landing it on her chest. To make matters worse for the Jedi Master, Galder moved to flank her, cutting off more moving space.

A vicious web of whirling blades was then spun by Rah, who aimed to push her towards Chion. A supporting move from Galder did not help, as she decided to let them push her towards Chion. She straightened from her crouch under Galder’s leap and somersaulted hard into the chest of the hulking albino, kicking off with great strength and escaping their trap.

“Come on, Kellan, strike me down, avenge the Elder!” Galder snarled gleefully with a malicious Cheshire grin.

“Yes, come on Master Kellan strike us all down,“ Rah taunted with a wicked grin to match. “Let go of your foolish ways, use your anger, release your real power and strike us down...”

She executed a fast spin to escape being pinned by the two. "Only the fool takes the easy path to the dark side," Kellan snapped back, swinging her saber up and across toward Galder's neck while trying to pull Rah off his feet with a tug of the Force. "Looks like a pair of fools to me." Nimble on his feet, Rah went with the pull but landed on her opposite side with great balance. Galder’s firm grip easily blocked the attack, and he cackled as Roan laid a Zeitonian flat right in Master Gundark’s path.

“No!” Rah shouted angrily, his eyes veering from the duel to see Xeth suddenly hack down a Lieutenant in a fast exchange of blows. Ter’Minaw fell back, an arm severed, then the yellow tip of the insect’s blade driven into his throat. He rolled in pain, trying to cry out to his mentor, then fell from consciousness, and from life. Powered by great anger, Rah extended a hand and unleashed a Force push which Galder aided. Rather than lay the Master flat, she spun and ran, using it to increase her speed, and caught Chion off-guard with a sudden slash.

Danger! The sudden response of his danger senses jerked Galder’s attention from Master Gundark to a new attacker from behind. The blue blade clattered against one of his red, but as soon as he saw the attacker, the maniacal smirk dropped from his face, replaced with utter surprise.

“Shi'Haia!” he shouted, stepping back as another jab came in. Shi'Haia was accurate considering the little time spent training under Kuylen. “You fool! You traitorous fool!”

“You are the fools!" he cried. "Why would we possibly share the Mausoleum with you when the power could be ours!”

Around him, the Dark Jedi suddenly disengaged the Jedi, who scampered back to gain breathing space. Lieutenant attacked Captain, pupil attacked mentor, as new fights began.

Zahn’Tin struck against Wraith, who had lifted his blade to strike down Marcus, instead blocking an overhead blow from behind. Turning on the spot, Wraith drew his pistol, shouting accusations at the traitorous Zahn’Tin. A thrust was blocked and the blue blade shunted aside, and two shots fizzled into Zahn’Tin’s shoulder from the sporting pistol. The Lieutenant fell back, his blade crackling against his opponents in a few short exchanges.

Tik'Peebo, most likely compelled to rebel by his fellow Lieutenants against his cautious reasoning, suddenly leaped down on Takuan, who had been equally cautious during the fight. He suddenly rose with a cry of fury, seeing it before it happened, igniting his lightsaber and blocking the fatal blow.

“How dare you turn against me!” Takuan rasped, extending a hand a flinging Tik'Peebo against a wall at high speeds, into Tara’Zie in the process, giving Jolanta time to prepare for something that he now knew was coming.

“I have a very bad feeling about this...” Galder muttered, holding his blade in front of him defensively. Shi'Haia backed up...into a crowd of Zeitonians that was now pouring in, rifles all pointed for Galder. Dozens packed themselves into the room, cutting off all exits, let alone room to move. In response, Galder quick-drew a Micro UZI, tossed it into the air just a short ways above his hand, reached down to his belt, grabbed a magazine of bastic warheads, and shoved it inside the gun, all motion speeded by the Force. He cocked the machine pistol with his fingers in a stylish way before unleashing a burst into the crowd, several Zeitonians hit instantly and dying as the bullets burst within them.

"Destroy the outsiders!" ordered Shi'Haia as he was coated with blood from the miniature bombs. "They will die alone and forgotten when we go on to rule the cosmos!"

“You will never attain such power, you amphibious slime,” Galder hissed. “Your species will rot away, your atoms blown with the grit into nothingness, after you have wiped yourselves out fighting over the Mausoleum...”

“Your power is broken, idiot," Shi'Haia croaked. "You have no forces, no support, nothing! It is you who shall be blown to dust...”

“Then you shall receive no power either!” Galder shouted angrily as more bullets exploded.

“How did it come to this?” Galder heard Marcus sigh near him.

It became another one of those moments where things happened in rapid succession. Launching into a new battle song, Rah’s precise moves were aided by the Force in the sudden serried battle. He pulled his lightstaff apart and hacked through the rifle of one Zet- Galder’s new racial slang for the Zeitonians since he now despised them- and driving the other blade into the throat. Without retracting the blade, Rah turned about to face the next attack, leaving the alien frog with a half-severed head.

Near Galder, Wraith drove his blade through the spinal chord of another assailant, his scarred and tan face contorting with rage as he put his strength to the test. He leaped through the air as rock wall became dust around him, dropping low upon meeting the ground and ducking under shots.

As Galder took his shots, the Jedi reacted quickly. Roan brought his blade up from lower left to upper right, splitting a Zet from hip to shoulder. Nearby, Marcus entered a full spin, dodging the final shot of one Zeitonian before cutting across his chest, then dropping down to sever the legs of another, still a whirling mass of robes. He rose and halted as he went back to back with Master Gundark, who cut apart a Zet with a diagonal slash as she moved to him.

Without warning, a kinetic blast caught Galder full in the chest. His lungs were emptied of air, effectively knocking the air out of him. Pure instinct took over and he avoided the same thing occurring again. With a roar of vengeance, he rose with a shot from his wrist blaster, blowing the Zet away.

Whum! Whum! Rah spun very close to him, passing by him in fact, hacking down two. Takuan scattered the bunch a tad by bringing down a section of the roof. Wraith mimicked Roan’s attempt at a ‘Death from Above’ approach, both of them hitting home but Wraith striking more accurately, Roan just barely making it in.

The Jedi were moving away from the Dark Siders with all due speed, Galder noted as he chucked a grenade in their direction. The Jedi and the Zeitonians lifted the grenade into the air with the Force, hurling faster than the eye could see until it exploded against the roof.

Suddenly, Marcus and Xeth were very close to him. The Geonosian was preoccupied with several stabbings into the stomachs and legs of the Zets, but Marcus had his eye on Galder. With another quick-draw, Galder aimed a few rounds in his direction before blowing through another Zet. The rounds burst upon contact...with Master Gundark’s flashing lightsaber.

Growling audibly, Galder unleashed some angry strokes upon a Zet in front. His blade crippled the Zet, cutting through his legs. A solid kick sent the cripple sprawling, but another kinetic blast caught his foot and threw him sideways.

“Damn it!” Galder roared as two more Zets fell at Master Gundy’s blade just above him. Her stepping was excellent, her mastery palpable.

He rose with another roar and drove his blade into the chest of a Zeitonian, pushing him down with the blade still skewering. A roundhouse kick struck solidly, and Galder’s cybernetic arm clicked into place, turning about to slash the Zet’s throat with the concealed knife.

“Keep it up, Galder!” Wraith hollered to him. His own orange lightsaber passed around him brilliantly, lopping off the left and right arms of a Zet behind him with a single hand, using the other to aim and pull the trigger.

Gat-gat! Gat-gat! Xeth Tam was working with his lightweight and flexible body to blow down several targets. He kicked a Zeitonian in the head, bouncing off to bisect a Zet opposite, then turned to fire a brown, Geonosian pistol into the gut of the one he had punted.

Whum! Another Zeitonian dropped, the only one within reach of Master Marcus’ blade, sliced open violently. Galder had only ever seen him disarm weaponry or limbs, but never completely vivisect as he now did. His stern, aging face was visible, the hood having blown back to reveal gray hair. His eyes still glowed ferociously in the darkness of the Elder’s chamber.

Double flying kick. Knock down. Land and drive. Galder skewered another two as the two Masters put on another display of power. Marcus jumped backwards into a wall, then rolled from his dive to a crouch, having hacked through the legs of several Zets. Three Zets lay with they skulls split, Gundy’s sword having lashed out from above with one fell stroke.

Kill the outsider! Kill Galder! The thoughts echoed in Galder’s mind as his senses tuned in on this particular hatred for him. He was becoming crowded quickly, kinetic bursts powdering the ground and walls near him, when suddenly a surge in the Force erupted from Takuan. Tons of debris and rock knocked away a group of Galder’s opponents, and he himself sliced down another.

“Gah!” Xeth cried out as he rolled to the ground nearby, a kinetic blast having caught him in the side. Five Zets were almost on top of him when Gundy spun in a hard circle, sensing the danger from right behind her, cutting one down with a hard diagonal cut. Charging as if the world was going to explode in seconds if he did not do something, Marcus roared and charged the remaining four on top of the insectoid, removing every limb and every last drop of life from them.

Farther away and closer to the exit, Takuan had no such luck. Caught out in the open, attempting to fling more rocks and Zeitonians about, two shots punched into him. The wall cracked as he made contact, and he crumpled to the ground in intense pain. Galder was positive that he saw Master Gundark flinch when he did, but her blade still made contact with his own when she spun to confront him.

“Having fun, Kellan?” Galder hissed.

“Not in the least,” she struggled to gasp. Her blade met his again in a quick succession of blows, flicking one another’s guard away and jabbing forcefully into air as they dodged each other’s efforts to maim and kill the other. It led nowhere but to preoccupy Galder, as was her goal.

There was one last final exchange of attacks before Gundark and Galder parted. The Jedi had cleared themselves a path to the exit in the vast slaughtering. Gundark moved toward a group of four with a quick jump of the Force, kicking two of them hard in the chest area to bring them down. Her blade cut and slashed at the other two to disable them before turning to the first two, catching them before they rose to their feet, using swift stabbing motions to cut the life out of them. Alongside, Marcus and Roan flashed their blades on last time to kill a handful of Zeitonians before sprinting for the exit, Xeth and Kosta at their heels.

“They’re escaping!” Galder hollered angrily to the others.

“Let them escape!” Saar hissed. “We have more important matters at hand!”

This was true. Chion was now clearing a path for the others, slashing through row after row of the Zeitonians with his measured windmill attacks. Following after, Galder gave a war cry and swung out his repeater, firing into the crowd and dropping many. Vaulting past with in a torrent of attacks, Wraith cut down four, and raced out of the building ahead of Chion. Soon enough, everyone was out. Takuan was being dragged, half conscious.

Outside the entrance they had come in by, the city was burning. A building nearby disintegrated, collapsing into a pile of rubbish and red-hot metal. Kinetic shots shattered the engine of a passing speeder, which careened off its course and collided with a building, vaporizing in a brilliant flash.

"Where the hell was your Lieutenant, Saar?" asked Jolanta, somewhat out of breath.

"I killed him before the battle started," he replied, putting his lightsaber at his belt.

"Huh? If you knew he was going to turn traitor, why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't. I was just playing it safe."

Jolanta gave him one of those looks that say “You‘re insane.”

"How long before you kill one of us because you are playing it safe?" she finally asked.

"Don't be silly, I wouldn't kill you before we got to the Mausoleum, would I?"

"Great, thanks, very re-assuring...now, just what the hell happened back there?"

"Looks like our forces have betrayed us,” Galder spat. “They intervened with killing the Jedi, and we were this close!" He measured the space with lightsabers before putting them away and pulling out his repeater, in case any more Zets decided to attack.

“Remind me never to be benevolent to such a worthless bunch of power-sucking frog-****ing whores ever again!” Rah shouted, quite angry. He was dragging Takuan, then stopped to carry him over his shoulders. “Bastards, all of them!”

“We should keep our minds on the plan,” Takuan said, weary and nearly a whisper. “Kuylen will still lead us to the Mausoleum...”

“Republic-conquering army my ass!" Jolanta shouted indignantly.

“None of this matters,” Chion grumbled, refusing to elaborate on it.

= Chapter 40 =

They had discovered Kuylen underneath the city, burying himself in the book like a bookworm in a library of ineffable wisdom, wordless, his eyes searching the page as he analyzed what he read.

“There you are,” he finally said, looking up. “What kept you?”

“It seems that our men have betrayed us,” Galder reported, stepping from the crowd. “But...”

“You lost control of your men?” Kuylen cut him off, furrowing his brows in surprise.

“They turned on us! They wanted the power for themselves...”

"Lame excuses are all we can offer, Master, but all said and done it would appear they plotted against us for some time!" Rah declared, somewhat hysterical. "They paid for their treachery with their lives. I will go out and recruit more people if you wish, this time however I shall ensure proper discipline!”

"If we had the time, Rah," Kuylen said, wiping his forehead, "that would be a superb idea. But why is it that I cannot leave things alone for a few minutes without something going terribly wrong? I left you in control of an army, that was rather the plan..."

“...and they revolted!” Galder hollered, knowing that Kuylen would be blaming the entire thing on them. Currently, he did not want such stress upon himself. “They accepted the Dark Side all too easily, it corrupted them...”

“And you just let this rebellion happen?”

“What could we do? We’re clashing with the Jedi and they suddenly turn up...”

“Sounds to me like that makes it your fault...” While he was talking to Galder, this was aimed at all of them.

"This isn’t working, Kuylen! It’s a complete disaster!" shouted Saar. "These people are useless to all of us! This whole planet should have been left to burn itself out millennia ago!"

"That's the coward in you talking...”

"It's the sense in me. Can't you see how pointless this is? These people will always turn on themselves! A whole people that can use the Force? That's a recipe for destruction, not power! You say the Jedi quarantined this world lest someone control them? I don't think so. I think they did it because no one can control them! And if let into the Galaxy they would destroy it!"

"Demnos did it.”

"Demnos died here!" cried Saar, emphatically. "What does that say about this place? Is anyone in any doubt about what killed him now?"

“Demnos could have had a different approach to this,” answered a nervous Takuan.

“Oh, whatever Demnos did,” Saar groaned, "he never led an army of Zeitonians to victory over the Republic, did he?"

“Perhaps that was not his goal...”

"What do you think he was, a gardener? He was a Sith Lord! What other ambition could he have had?"

"Maybe he thought of reaching a different level of power...maybe it has something to do with WHY he built the mausoleum."

"Hah! For all their babbling about arcane secrets, the Sith were just like you and I. They were only interested in one thing- domination of the Galaxy!"

"It doesn't matter anyway," retorted Takuan "We're here now and we have to face the facts. We don't have the Zeitonians on our side."

"You're trying to sound pretty smart for a guy who has been shot," spat Jolanta. She mimicked the older man’s raspier voice, "'Oh, let's face facts, that will be jolly good, won't it?' Meathead!"

Takuan gritted his teeth. “Well, then again, we could just sit here and whine all day about how could such a thing happen to powerful creatures like ourselves. Well, it did!
We don't have time to waste on that..."

"You're the waste of time!" she yelled. "What the hell have you done to deserve to be here, anyway? Other than give our enemies to give another target to shoot at?"

Galder quickly stepped in for Takuan, not wanting to agree with the agitating Saar in any way, shape, or form. "Hey, we need Takuan, just as much as we need you. He's the only one here who really uses the Force to it's fullest potential. I just use it to kill things and make sure they are dead..." Galder defended, frowning. "And Saar, have you met any Sith lately? How do you know they were just like us?" He put a hand on Jolanta’s shoulder to hold her back, seeing that she was very much in the mood to start freeing souls of their bodies.

“I know that they were just like us because I have a brain, you semi-evolved simian!" Saar shouted at Galder, narrowing his eyes.

"I doing give a flying Huttese sneeze about his 'power of the Force!" shrieked Jolanta. "He's useless! Everyone can see he is useless! He has done nothing, for all his supposed power! And move that hand unless you want to have two artificial arms, Galder..."

Galder laughed. “Sorry, your Highness, but I’d like to see you try...” He turned on Saar next. “I have a brain too, but I don’t focus on nonexistent threats and tedious tasks every damned second...”

“Ok, big head, want to try?” Galder removed his hand just as her lightsaber flashed into action, held out in front of her. In defense, he ignited his own, holding his defensively. There was another flash as Kuylen stepped between them.

"You will all be dead if you don't reign yourselves in now," hollered Kuylen, furiously. “Anyone who wants to fight...fights me first. Interested?"

There were a few moments of silence, the only sounds being those of the battles above and the unruffled humming of their stationary blades.

"We are but one step away from ultimate power and all you need to do is keep your damn heads!” he resumed. “Damn the Zeitonians. We can deal with them later. I have the location of the Mausoleum."

Galder slowly put his lightsabers down. “Lead the way, Master...”

“It's in a mountain valley to the north," stated Kuylen. "We'll need to travel over the surface. Gather what loyal forces you can."

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

“It’s down that cleft!” Kuylen bellowed to them over the roar of the gale on the surface.

The Dark Jedi left the safeties of the armored hover vehicles that their few dozen loyal followers provided, their feelings from earlier still smoldering within them. It was a thing that tended to happen when one lived in the shadow of the Dark Side at all times, Galder decided. It was unavoidable. Emotions were everything to the Dark Side.

Galder strode ahead confidently, following Kuylen as they descended into the depths of the valley. He took his first few steps downwards when a peculiar thing happened. While nothing happened physically around him or to him, it seemed as though someone had blindfolded him, or a flash-bang grenade had detonated. Without any warning, his ability to sense the near future was gone. He stumbled for a moment, but continued his march. The others behind him were likewise afflicted with what must have been Sith sorcery.

“Maybe it’s a test,” Rah proposed to no one in particular. “Something we have to try and rise above to prove our worth...”

Galder reached the end of the valley, Kuylen just ahead of him. It was darker than the darkest of nights on Hoth, and Galder could not see his hand within an inch of his face. High above them the sky was seemingly black with grit, providing no light to the depths of the valley.

Feeling his way around, Galder’s hands met a solid rock formation. Lighting the magnatorch, they could see somewhat. Feeling his way along, he discovered that the rock formation had a large circular construction built into it. He stepped back to get a better view of what it was, and his jaw dropped in awe.

“A turret!” Galder announced his discovery. “A monument to the Sith Wars of old...” Further investigation told them that there were dozens of these turrets at various levels, with a two finned barrels that extended thrice the height of a man each. The enormous gun turret had obviously been unmanned for centuries, rust-stained and grit-battered metal blast shutters closed over the viewports.

“Nothing could get down here if these were manned,” Galder said, knowing from the size of the guns and their positioning. “Even if it was an armored craft. They look as if they were designed to destroy tanks as well as infantry...”

“It is not Zeitonian technology,” Takuan added shortly, still miffed at Jolanta’s harsh tones.

With more examination they discovered a small box-like door, hewn from a lustrous black metal.

"Is that it?" snorted Jolanta. "That's the way in? That cruddy little door?"

"What did you expect?" asked Saar.

“I dunno...something bigger? I've seen more impressive things in mud-hut villages!"

“This is a Sith Fortress. Not a country house."

“Well...let’s go on then...” Takuan piped up quietly, gazing up in wonder of the turrets and mountainous terrain that had suddenly appeared about them. Every now and then a showering of grit would force his gaze downwards, dropping from the clouds above them.

"Yeah, let's just stroll into the Sith fortress?" mocked Jolanta. She hammered at the door control for a moment. "Locked, from the inside. Still, easily dealt with..." She ignited her lightsaber, but Saar put an arm in front of her.

"Jolanta, this is a Sith fortress, yes? They are likely to have thought of that."

“What are they going to have done? Rendered the door lightsaber proof with their 'Magic Sith Powers'?"

"There are probably explosives woven in with the material," informed Kuylen, speaking up from the rear of the group. "Good way to lose an arm, trying to cut through that door."

"Ah!" Saar said abruptly with curious joy. “A plan with no drawbacks. On you go, Jolanta..." The girl only glared at him, putting away her lightsaber.

“There has to be some sort of lock we can crack,” Takuan suggested.

“It’s electronic,” Saar said. “I can work on it...”

“I’ll help you with it,” Wraith said, stepping in.

This is it, Galder pondered. Our power lies beyond this door, lying in wait for us to take...

“What do you plan to do with you power, Saar?” Wraith asked as he fiddled.

“There is only one thing to do with power and that is to wield it...” There was a final click and Saar stepped back. “The door is opening, we’re in..."

There was a hum, deep and resonant, as security systems went offline. The lustrous metal door creaked open slowly, sliding to the left at a snail’s pace, giving way to a vast darkness. Stale air was released from within, washing over the Dark Jedi and their followers. From anticipation and excitement and nervousness, Galder felt shivers go down his spine. Next to him, Rah’s fur bristled and stood on end, his elfish ears twitching slightly as he progressed to the door.

The first person to enter the Mausoleum in centuries was Kuylen, Galder coming second. All remained wary of an defenses or traps that might have lain waiting for them, but Kuylen assured that, by the looks of it, they were deactivated.

That was how Galder felt. Deactivated. No matter how hard he focused, he could only get a vague sense of his surroundings through the Force. The near future was gone, shrouded by the black veils of Sith power, his mind’s eye blinded by the stabbing darkness of evil spirits.

For the moment they were moving slowly down a long stone corridor, carved out of the mountain. After guardedly sojourning from the entrance corridor, they arrived at a junction. The crossroads led in four directions; to their sides and the front were more narrow, roughly hewn corridors, and behind them was the darkness from which they had come.

Saar brought out a magnatorch, a few others doing likewise. A few cracks and the dim lighting flooded the halls. It did not penetrate far enough to see where the paths led, but gave them enough light to see one another physically.

"Well, here we are," sighed Saar. "Our new home, I guess..."

“It needs some redecorating,” Galder muttered, waving his own magnatorch above him to cast its glow about. “Should we part ways here?”

“We may as well look around," Kuylen said. "Try and find what is important. Keep in touch on the communicators."

As the majority peeled off to the left and right, Galder kept straight ahead. With one hand on his hilt and the other grasping the torch, he took a brisk pace. The stale air that he had been breathing only worsened, the temperatures dropping to a point where Galder could see his own breath. In the light of the torch he could see dust being tossed into the air with each step he took, showering lightly from the ceiling to collect on the smooth floor.

The corridor opened up into a fabulously huge great hall. Done in brown stone made smooth, the ceiling several hundred feet above him, disappearing into the shadows. Halfway up a wall appeared a control deck, a smaller control deck even higher. Without a few measured leaps, Galder was on the lower deck.

“Saar could make sense of this...” he mumbled, trying to tap at it, until he suddenly realized Saar was with him. Within a second of arriving he was already typing away.

“These are all the heat and lighting controls,” he identified. “I’d better activate those...” The temperature grew considerably warmer and the lighting devices slowly glimmered on. All worked fine, as if Demnos himself had flicked them on just yesterday.

They moved to the higher deck via ladder, Saar analyzing that they were powered by a different source, separated from all other systems. A short walkway ended in a rock wall, embedded in which was a blast shutter. With a few buttons pushed, it slid open with a whoosh of air. Several other blast shutters around the entire room whooshed open as well, allowing them to see into another chamber that this one was built around. The vast room seemed to contain a gargantuan, transparent crystalline structure, stretched from the top to the bottom, control wires jutting out at multiple points to connect with their control deck and several other parts below.

“Don’t...touch...anything...” Saar whispered to him with genuine fear.

“Fine, if you say so,” Galder muttered back with disgust. “What is it anyway?”

Kuylen joined them shortly. “"Can you disconnect it?" he asked of Saar.

"Maybe...”

"Then do so."

"That's a precision exercise!" exclaimed Saar. "Not much margin for error."

"Then don't get it wrong.”

“What is that crystal?” Galder repeated his question, staring at it with a strange fascination.

"It's a Sith Vengeance Device," explained Kuylen, grimly. "A triumph of Sith determination, but a very nasty piece of technology. Oddly enough, it was actually designed for use against other Sith, rather than the Jedi..."

"Really now? What does it do?"

Kuylen pondered the best way to explain it. "Do you have a thermal detonator?"

"No, but Takuan does. What, does the Vengeance device do the same thing?"

Kuylen produced one, a small silvery orb with a button or two. "There is a microscopic baridium fragment at the center of this," Kuylen explained, though Galder already knew that. "It is the source of a thermal detonator's explosive force."

"And I take it that the crystal is a big chunk of baridium," Galder said, whistling in awe. “Blow up grave-robbers or something?”

"Galder, I said it was a microscopic fragment in that detonator. That baridium crystal weighs several thousand tons."

Galder unfolded his arms and stepped back in surprise. “Ah, hell!” he shouted. “I’d say it would blow up a good portion of the planet!”

“Saar?” asked Kuylen, indicating for him to explain.

“Not enough to blow up the planet," began Saar. "That would take more power than I can comfortably comprehend. But it would take a fair chunk out of it, and destroy the biosphere. Nothing would live on this planet again, above or below ground."

Kuylen nodded, satisfied with that. "In essence it is a rather extreme self-destruct," he continued. "Some Sith Lords used them as a threat to other Sith Lords; 'Come strike at my fortress and I guarantee you won't win a damn thing,’ that kind of thing. Is it wired into anything as a security measure also, Saar?"

Saar checked the controls. “Just a single system.”

"Probably the entryway to Demnos himself. We'll be fine so long as no one tries to force those doors."

Rah’s voice crackled onto the comlink that they had found a huge, immobile door that would not open whatsoever. Taking his leave, Kuylen descended the ladder and rushed from the room.

Buttons lit up and were clicked by Saar as he worked on disconnecting the Vengeance Device. Occasionally he rubbed his horned scalp in frustration, muttered a few things in his native tongue, then got back to work. Watching, Galder leaned up against a wall in boredom.

= Chapter 41 =

The Dark Jedi marched back and forth on the perimeter, amongst their remaining Zeitonian followers. The large turrets swiveled back and forth, reviewing the terrain. At the foot of them, several Zeitonians cleaned their guns or rested, only to be kicked by Rah to get them at attention. The butt of Galder’s repeater was to his hip, a strap hanging it over his shoulder. At regular passes Chion and Jolanta would snarl at one another.

“Where’s Takuan?” Galder asked Rah as he joined him in his walk.

“Resting,” Rah informed. “He’s up with Saar while the bacta pads make him good as new!”

Wraith joined them shortly. “Saar picked up a proximity alert coming from a sensor, mountainside.”

“Really?” Galder looked up to the mountain above them, inside of which was the Mausoleum. “Now, that’s interesting news...”

Nothing happened for an incredibly long time, so Galder contacted Kuylen. “You almost done, General? It’s getting boring out here...”

There were vague whisperings in the background, which halted abruptly. “Keep me updated,” was all he said before breaking contact.

“So what do you think is behind those doors?” Rah asked. “The doors themselves were grand...”

“The answer to all of our problems..." Galder replied, dreamily. "The path to ultimate power and riches, and ownership of the Galaxy...or so I hope."

He sighed, still looking up at the rock face. “My father would have been proud to see what my accomplishments have been, and what they will be. The Jedi are not going to change that."

"Yes, my friend,” Rah agreed with an bestial sneer. “We've come much too far to let a bunch of puny Jedi oppose us!"

Almost as if on cue, rocks tumbled down the cliff and landed with a clunk! on a poor Zeitonians head, knocking him senseless. After the rocks, two figures dropped down, both igniting lightsabers upon recovering from their tumble down the mountain. Master Marcus and Xeth, despite whatever plans they might have made, remained completely still as all Zeitonians whirled on the spot and took aim. The massive turrets swiveled, for the Jedi were in the firing arc of every last one. One barrel of such a turret was incredibly close to their position, the Geonosian glaring down the tube defiantly. He quickly whispered to the Master, before both deactivated their lightsabers, indicating they wanted to surrender.

Galder clapped slowly, letting the repeater he had brought up swing at his side. “Wise, Master Marcus! Create a hostage situation rather than die! Very bold...” He edged closer, staring down the Jedi Master. “So what will it be? Surrender or death?”

“There is no point in fighting a battle that cannot be won,” Marcus called to him.

“Very true!” Galder laughed, approaching them. “Glad you see it my way. Drop your weapons!”

Marcus nodded to a crestfallen Xeth, tossed down his lightsaber and sonic blaster in disgust.

“Take them!” Galder ordered, Wraith, Jolanta, and Chion coming to his side as he confiscated the weapons. Zeitonians crowded around, silent and grim.

Chion brought out a comlink as Zeitonians nudged rifle muzzles into the new prisoners’ backs, contacting their leader. "We have the male Master and the Geonosian," he intoned dully.

"Boy oh boy," said Jolanta, walking behind them, "this is going to be fun!"

"The others?" asked Kuylen. Chion did not reply. "If you have not got the others, get their location from these ones!"

"But Kuylen..." began Chion.

"Do as I say, Chion. Bring them to Saar; he will know what to do. And Chion? I do not want to hear that they were 'killed trying to escape'. I am nearly done here; don't mess this up."

Chion growled somewhat as Kuylen breaks contact.

"Chiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiion..." called Jolanta, in her friendliest voice. "Give me one to play with! Please? Oh pretty please!" She moved her seductive body up against Chion’s vast bulk.

"No. We have no time for your games."

"Aww, c‘mon! This is our chance to get our own back!"

"You heard Kuylen. We need information from them, so we need them alive."

Jolanta looked sulky for a little while, and then spoke again. "But...we don't need both of them alive, do we?" she asked, sweetly. Chion stopped, and thought this over.

"Very well, take one."

“We will never talk!” Marcus declared, but Jolanta jabbed him in the ribs as she led Xeth away to a side room. The Zeitonians closed and locked the entrance to the Mausoleum behind them and stood guarding the way. Galder’s comlink beeped, Kuylen calling for him.

“Right away, Master...”

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

The great hall in which the stone doors sat was completely dark, with very little light emitted by the lighting appliances on the rims of the room. There was no sign of Kuylen.

“Master?”

“Galder!” Galder spun on the spot to see a Sith Lord, black cloak and hood, extend a hand and put it on his shoulder. It startled him and he reached for a gun, but the hood fell back to reveal his Master. “You are here. Prepared to meet your destiny?”

“Yes, Master, I am ready,” Galder replied, moving into a bow. “I have dreamed of this day since my old Master told me of the Sith...”

“We've come a long way, you and I, together, Galder," said Kuylen, motioning for Galder to rise. "Now our journey is at an end. Please...stand to one side..."

“Yes, Master...” Galder rose at his command and stood off to the side as Kuylen headed for a small, stylishly hewn black lectern. He began to speak in a tongue unknown to Galder, but every word spoken seemed to echo and resonate louder than the one before. A faint humming sound added to the dark tones, and Galder was sure that static electricity was filling there air. For a brief moment, the doors of the tomb shook.

Beyond these doors is the spirit of Demnos, Galder thought with malicious glee. And the ultimate power in the Galaxy...

But suddenly, his senses twitched. He began to feel uneasy as Kuylen uttered some ancient Sith spell, but could not figure out why. His future was closed to him by the archaic magic that filled this place, the Force flowing about him in dark pools unseen to mask everything from him. Have I missed something? What is wrong?

“Master...I...something‘s wrong...” he started.

“You worry too much, Galder!” Kuylen declared, reverting to his normal speech before continuing his speech to ghosts in the forbidden tongue.

“If you insist...”

Louder and louder the alien language boomed, mingling with the stone of the mountain and taking on a life of its own. A feeling of pressure and static began to increase, making Galder extremely uncomfortable. Rah came to his side, furrowing his brow as he approached in wonder.

“Ah, Rah, you have joined us...” Kuylen broke off for a second. “Both of you remember...the Master is mine...”

Galder knew immediately which Master he was referring to. “The Jedi are here.”

“Nothing was ever going to prevent this moment!” he announced before returning to the incantations. He stepped down from the lectern to proceed with the final part of the incantation, when suddenly a rumbled shook the Mausoleum.

“What is that?” Galder asked, reaching for his blade.

But he went unanswered. As one, he turned with Rah and Kuylen to face the three Jedi that had just entered the room. As one, they cast off coats, jackets, and robes. Between his two pupils, Kuylen cast off the Sith robes and his military tunic.

“Nothing was ever going to prevent this moment," he intoned. "You saw it as well as I, Master Gundark! But now our game finishes. This is- the end."

Snap-hiss! Kuylen ignited his purple blade vertically and saluted Master Gundark, who likewise ignited her green blade and gave her own salute.

"Yes Kuylen,“ she replied. “It will end now. Your power driven reign of destruction will end."

"Brave words, Master Gundark, but we both know your skills are no match for mine..."

“Rah, you take the bug on the left,” Galder hissed to his comrade. “Today, they die.”

“And a glorious day it will be,” Rah hissed back, holding his lightstaff horizontally and activated both edges.

With war cries from both sides, they charged one another down. As he ran, Galder ignited the two red lightsabers, holding them backhand behind him. Angling away from Master Gundark, as she slowly approached his mentor, and Xeth, as Rah leapt for him and they met in the air, he aimed for the remaining Jedi. Roan Trilanger would be his target now.

= Chapter 42 =

“You shall never succeed,” Roan said firmly, holding his blade in front of him as if waiting for Galder to strike him down, casting off his robe absentmindedly.

“You are trespassing into my destiny,” Galder retorted angrily, clearing his throat and spitting the phlegm onto the ground. “Your intrusion in our affairs will be dealt with accordingly...”

Without warning, the Jedi leapt into the with a spinning kick, catching his hand to knock away his guard, Galder clumsily bringing the other blade across in defense as the green blade smashed against his red. In retaliating, Galder quickly tucked away one blade and struck out with the Sith lightsaber, feinting for the neck but striking for the ribcage. Roan read his blow like a child and pivoted to parry, nearly sending Galder to the ground with another kick.

“You cannot win!” Roan declared. “I have experience and peace, which you obviously lack...”

“Watch me...” As Roan made a running jump, coming down to slash across Galder’s chest, he rolled under the Jedi to end up behind him, rising to meet a quick succession of blows with ease. Now Galder was angry. “You missed!”

Turning to meet the infamous Starkiller scissor-strike, Roan fell into a roll then got over Galder with a hand-spring, evading the strike entirely.

“You missed!” Roan roared. The room now shook with a power discharge from whatever had been activated, a great crack splintering its way across the middle of the floor. The Mausoleum was now shaking itself to pieces.

The only thing that could be doing this is the Vengeance Device! Galder realized, but it did not deter him from combat. The thought passed from his mind as he forcefully beat away Roan’s feinted sidestep then jab. Their blades locked, but Galder overpowered Roan in a show of strength, causing the Jedi to stumble back over a slight rise in the ground. Debris began to rain down on them, the Jedi shaking off some dust.

Intending to bisect his enemy, Galder came for his mid-rift with a powerful slash, then went low for a slash to the legs. Once again evading, Roan landed behind him, met by another fierce slash Galder rotated from his slash. They locked again, Galder once again gaining the upper hand.

But now Roan counter-attacked, leaping into the air and aiming to drive Galder to the ground with either his weight or his blade. Seeing the attack as simple, Galder strafed away. But with the years of experience that Roan gained, he changed direction in mid-air and knocked Galder to the ground. A ground which now split. Their portion rose, Xeth and Rah sinking down below them on the other portion.

“You will die, Jedi!” Galder rasped, pushing Roan off and getting to his feet. “You will not bar me from my destiny! Not you, not anyone!” He made a series of many fast attacks, aiming for Roan’s right side with his left blade. A power blow forced Roan’s blade down and Galder brought his right arm into play, trying to skewer his opponent upon the blade. Having relied on jumping, Roan could not evade as the jagged piece of scenery on which they balanced was too small a space for him. The aggressive swordplay undid his defense.

The scenery began to tilt ever so slightly, but this gave Galder a bad feeling. He retreated from Roan’s next blow, landing on more stable ground while steam and blue light shot up around them both. Roan followed and was met with two strong jabs and multiple swift blows, forced into another saber lock in order to defend himself.

A shout rose up from one of the chasms that had formed near them. Out of the corner of his eye, Galder saw Rah fall back as Xeth planted a final kick into his chest and slashed hard, cutting across his stomach to nearly spill his guts. The bug moved to aid Master Gundark, who was exchanging furiously fast blows with Kuylen in a display of swordsmanship that even Galder could not match. She was failing, as Galder and Roan could plainly see, Kuylen casting a few slashes towards her feet but suddenly connecting a punch to her jaw, then nearly severing her arm with a cut that she blocked on instinct.

Galder glanced over at Kuylen, who easily battered away Xeth's and Gundark's blows as if he were doing it in his sleep.

"Master Gundark never told you how powerful Kuylen was, did she?” he asked Roan, returning his menacing gaze to him. “His skill with a blade is unmatched by many. Even a member of your damned Council would find themselves in trouble...“

Galder began circling his prey, his grin menacing, sweat dripping down his forehead. The servomotors in his prosthetic arm whirred quietly as his twirled his lightsaber about in that hand.

"Kuylen is unmerciful as well. He killed his own Padawan during our stay on Damagran. Poor soul didn't stand a chance. Right through the gut..." Galder made a stabbing motion with his lightsaber, then began grasping the hilt in both hands.

"And now, Jedi, he is going to kill your leader very soon...unless, of course, you unleash your anger towards me. There is no other way, Jedi. You will not strike me down if you do not flow with your emotions. It is why the Jedi have already failed. But maybe you can save Kellan. The wimpy Jedi Xeth cannot stand against Kuylen. Kellan is too old to be taking him on. But you are in your prime.

"Just let your emotions guide you, and your precious Master will be safe..."

"Words before blows then is it?” Roan responded, gripping his weapon tightly. “Very well. I will not be so foolish as to fall into your little ploy. I, unlike you, will not be destroyed by my emotions. I will not fall victim to the trap you have already set for your self.”

Roan remained stationary, only moving his head to keep Galder in his sights as he circled. He took a step back and let out a deep breath, soothing his mind with whatever useless Jedi lessons he had learned.

"You say Kuylen is merciless enough to kill his own Padawan. If this is true, how long do you think you will last?”

Galder snarled at this, but Roan continued. “Do you really think Kuylen will share power with the likes of you? When I was still on Corellia, that was the easiest way to catch a criminal, wait for him to get suspicious of his allies then when he starts to kill them off we rush in and get him. What makes you think that Kuylen will be any different?"

“I am not a threat to him, his Padawan was,” Galder retorted. “He is not some dumb smuggler on your stupid homeworld...”

Roan only nodded sarcastically, then closed his eyes. Reinvigorated by whatever lesson he had been using, he came at Galder with blows designed to push him back. Three progressively harder strikes aimed for his side, his head, and one arm were evaded, the light strokes intercepted. The red glow reflected on Galder’s face as he cackled insanely. The two were now fighting high upon a solitary outcropping of rock surrounded by deep chasms.

Galder rained down blow after blow upon his opponent's head, then knocked his guard away with a powerful blow and brought his blade back across Roan's shoulder and upper arm, cutting across his clothing lightly. Another powerful blow kept the guard at bay. Snap-hiss! Galder suddenly activated his second blade, sliding it from his arm compartment, flicking it past Roan's guard. Roan met the preceding blows evenly, but the final thrust from the unforeseen attack was his end. It bit into his shoulder as he flipped sideways, landing on the ground and rising from a roll...only to be smashed clear off the edge with one final stroke from a spitefully smirking Galder.

“Victory is mine!” Galder declared, before leaping down himself. "I will be stronger than any of the Sith Lords of old! The ghost of Tulak Hord shall bow before me, relinquishing his title to me! Cities will crumble at my feet, armies will fall to my blade! I will never be defeated now!"

The Jedi had landed hard on the ground, badly concussing himself, while Galder had landed on his feet just as the rock they had finished the fight upon toppled sideways to collide with a wall. Hot vapors were shot up from the chasms, arcs of blue electricity streaking across the walls. Zeiton was coming to an end in this very mountain.

His opponent gone, Galder watched the end of Kuylen’s struggle. With a sudden stunning move, Kuylen flung Master Gundark away from him and in a half-turn, he ran Xeth through. Falling debris separated him from a screaming Master Gundark.

"You will excuse me," he said. "It seems time is running against me." He stepped over to one side and picked up the black Sith robes he was wearing when they entered. Deactivating his saber, he donned the robes and strolled to the as-yet undamaged lectern. He spoke twelve more words in the obscure ancient Sith dialect the tablets from Avalar were written in, his voice booming around the room as it started to dwarf the destruction all around.

The doors to Demnos' tomb gave one last shake and started to open. The Sith Lord Kuylen strolled on towards the doors, his cloak billowing behind him, and he disappeared into the darkness beyond. Gundark spent a little time checking over Xeth's prostrate form, before racing in after Kuylen, just before a large piece of debris falls and blocked the doorway, barring Galder’s way in.

“This is it, Galder!” Takuan shouted, suddenly appearing at his side. He was bruised and had a slight saber wound to his upper right arm. “This is what we’ve been waiting for! Entering the Mausoleum!” After all the things Takuan had been through, his anger and urgency peaking by now, the boulder was lifted and tossed aside, crumbling against a wall. “Come on!”

They rushed into the dark that Kuylen and Gundark had just disappeared into.

= Chaper 43 =

Takuan and Galder, staggering on their feet as the whole Mausoleum shook as it continued its death throes, moved silently down the corridor. The corridor was pitch black, dust and debris spread everywhere to further obscure things. Only their senses helped keep any sense of direction. Nonetheless, they remained confused and disoriented, losing track of things with the combination of fatigue and the hectic rumbling of the Mausoleum. Galder looked around, feeling as if someone had passed him, but he could not be sure.

And then...they stepped into an ancient, dimly lit room. Stooping slightly under the low roof, Galder noticing that the room seemed perfectly calm amidst the destruction. The only hint that this room, too, was eventually doomed, was a faint rumbling.

On the far side of the room sat a large rectangular sarcophagus, hewn from rock, sitting on its back. A large golden plaque on the side gave Galder the heebie-jeebies when he read it.

DEMNOS

It was open, the lid on the floor.

“Come on,” an amazed Takuan urged an equally amazed Galder. “We must see the tomb!” Overcoming their anxiety, stepping towards the tomb as if in a dream, the two grinning Dark Siders stepped to the coffin’s edge and peered inside.

It was empty but for a small silver plaque.

“Where is his body?” Galder asked, confused. He started to read the plaque aloud, but stopped, horrified at what it said. The eight-hundred-year-old message, inscribed into the plaque by a steady hand, now suddenly killed his dreams.

On the orders of the Jedi Council
Jedi Master Sareth Komal, and his Padawan learner Tol Seyya
Came to the cursed world of Zeiton.
They located the Mausoleum, purged it, and destroyed the Cult of Demnos.
May the evil that once rested here
Remain forgotten by the Galaxy
For all time.

“This...” Takuan stuttered. “Th-this can’t be! No two Jedi could defeat the supposed power of this crypt! Something must be blocking us...something must be here!” In a state of confusion and despair, Takuan edged his way around the sarcophagus, calling for Kuylen.

Galder stared, his mind struggling to understand. Understand what this meant for him. For his future. His victorious state of mind birthed from his conquering of the Jedi pursuing them fell away into a black, smoking pit of despair, swallowing all his positive emotions whole and devouring them. It left him with nothing.

The shouting of their leader’s name ceased. Coming to a silent halt at Galder’s side, Takuan clenched a fit at the air and opened it again, in a dreamy sort of way.

“I had foretold this in a vision,” Takuan whispered hoarsely. “The Force told me...through Edna...that nothing was here for us...nothing was ever here...”

There was no response, not even at the mention of the great and powerful Force witch herself. Galder continued to stare blankly until he noticed movement behind him. With a click and a roar, he spun on his heel and fired several shots at a retreating figure. It was Master Gundark, grinning widely at their defeat by themselves. The bolts exploded harmlessly in the dark.

The violent shaking began to increase within the tomb. “Let’s go, Galder,” Takuan said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “The gold at the heart of the Sith power, the gold that we grasped, has only crumbled away in our hands...” He looked to his clenched fist again. “...for it was never really there. Nothing resides in this chamber but death.”

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

Users of the Force, Dark and Light alike, raced from the convulsing Mausoleum with all due speed. Their Zeitonian allies had finally sworn off their allegiance to the Dark Jedi, and Wraith had been forced to slaughter them as the Jedi were defeated in battle, and as the Dark Jedi were defeated by their own insane beliefs.

All Jedi were accounted for. Master Gundark, uninjured, slung a limp and very sickly Xeth Tam over her shoulder as she raced up for the valley’s edge. Master Marcus and a semiconscious Roan Trilanger led away Alik Saar, for he was unable to fend for himself because of a severely snapped arm and yet had ensured Takuan’s escape from the Jedi.

The Dark Jedi, however, were drastically diminished in force. Alik Saar was now held captive by the Jedi Knights, and Galder highly doubted that they would ever try to rescue him from the bowels of the Jedi Temple. Dak Kaliero was missing in action, having vanished or died during the conflict in the Zeitonian cities. Jolanta had disappeared after retreating from Master Gundark as Xeth was rescued from his captivation. And Chion, on whom Takuan pinned all blame and swore that Chion was insane, had died fighting Master Marcus and Takuan.

“He was only in this for the mass murder he could commit!” Takuan rasped as they raced from the Mausoleum, though Galder cared little. “An opportunity to wipe out the population of an entire planet was something he would never have a chance to do again.”

“So, in essence, we’d all be dead if it weren’t for you,” Wraith spat. “Anyways...where’s Kuylen?”

Galder had only seen Kuylen disappear into the blackness before the lit burial chamber, but he had never seen him emerge. What has become of our leader?

“He was wrong anyway!” Rah hissed, limping after them. “There was no spirit of Demnos!”

“Oh, there was...” Takuan retorted, depressed. “But not any more.”

<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>

From a good distance away, the Dark Jedi watched the mountain range. The Nexu’s Grin, the Geonosian starfighter of the Jedi, was sharply outlined against the atmosphere, disappearing into space just a moment before the Vengeance Device entered the final stage.

The Mausoleum’s mountain suddenly glowed bright, seeming to slide away in sheets of superheated mud and melting stone. The next second, the Dark Jedi shielded their eyes as the mountain became a gargantuan ball of fire, glowing a vibrant blue in the darkened atmosphere. The sky seemed to darken as the cloud of fire and ash stretched higher and higher, before slowly coming down in vast waves of smoke and light. Then, it was quiet. The Dark Jedi now stood alone in the center of desolated desert on a forgotten world called Zeiton.

A world which could offer them nothing.

= Chapter 44 =

A chill wind blew. Then again, there was always a chill wind blowing here.

“Why here?” Takuan inquired, wrapping a heavier cloak about him.

“It’s distant,” a grim Galder informed, staring blankly at one white-paneled, half-frozen wall, “and no-one in his right mind would want to look here.”

“I’m not surprised; is there anything in this sector of space at all?”

“Small gas mine in the next system. Pretty much the only reason any ships come by at all.”

“I guess that gives us options…but we can’t stay here for long, it’s freezing! How do you know of this place…what was it called?”

“Hoth,” said Galder. “I came here once…long ago. It is somewhere to go if you do not want to be found, as I have learned.”

“Damn right…” snorted Takuan, shivering.

The door opened, and Rah came in from outside, a torrent of relentless snow harassing him. “The solar heaters are fritzed,” he declared angrily. “They won’t last more than a few months and then we cannot stay here. I thought you said this was a smuggler’s base, Galder? More like a smuggler’s hut.”

“It’s somewhere to go, isn’t it? Maybe we can adjust a few things…”

“We’re just three people, Galder!” spat Takuan. “Building a base here would take organization! Resources! We don’t have any of that! We cannot stay here. There must be somewhere to go.”

“Well, you’re the Force expert, you tell us!” hissed Galder. “What do you see?”

“I see...” said Takuan, concentrating for a moment, then breaking his concentration to rub himself for warmth. “Cold…very cold…”

“Great,” said Rah.

“And a woman with…” added Takuan, quietly.

“Sorry?” asked Galder, taking sudden interest.

“Oh nothing, nothing.”

“Back to making a life in the Republic, I suppose,” said Rah. “There is nothing for us out here. We’ll just wait a little bit for the heat to die down.”

But Takuan was distracted, watching the snow falling outside, gazing across the tundra.

“Is this it?” he asked. “Is this all we get?” He looked down at the homing beacon Kuylen had given them all, that had summoned them to him when needed in the first place- Galder to Avalar, Takuan to Malastare, and Rah to Tartarus. It remained, as ever, silent.