Star Wars "Undead Planet"

My Fan Fiction on Star Wars. Written on 04/07/2009

Long after defeating the empire and ten years after the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong, aging, Jedi master, Luke Skywalker discovers an ancient Sith secret on a planet inhabited by cannibalistic zombies. With the Help of his wife, Mara Jade, and his nephew, Jacen Solo, the Jedi expedition team uncovers an unforeseen truth about a pair of dark side warriors thought long dead.

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Star Wars Undead Planet "Part #1"

Dark, Dark, Darker
(Forty years before the battle of Naboo)

“Death is darkness, life is light. But if darkness is light to me, than death is life.”

That phrase whipped about the mind of a Sith lord traveling incognito to a strange and mysterious world. Twenty-two light years past Bakura and hanging like a dead star in the Ss-ruuk cluster, the planet Necrorb turned in its elliptical orbit. It was a planet rarely visited and virtually unheard of. Being set well into the unknown regions, Necrorb was desolate in more ways than one. For generations, decrepit masters from the old empire of the Sith visited the ominous planet to conduct the most dangerous of Sith magic. It was here that the dark side of the force was often pushed to its limits. In years long gone, dark lords of the Sith vexed the planet with arcane concoctions of force trickery and black manifestations of dark side lore. The aged footprints of Freedon Nadd, Marka Ragnos, and Darth Bane could still be felt in the dim atmosphere that wanly lit Necrorb’s fractured continents.

Zooming in toward Necrorb’s red-colored atmosphere, a small triangular ship came rushing from the blackness of space. Inside the black-clad star cruiser were two humans. The one piloting the ship was a twenty five-year-old man, while the taller one was much older. Even so, the tall man was of a strong build and despite his tendency to slouch like some lazy serpent, the lanky sage was ever aware and fearsomely powerful. In times past, the two had been through many battles together, using sneakiness and corruption as much as refined skill and brute force to gain their powers.

The younger was an ambitious man, ambitious indeed. Back on Coruscant, he was inserting himself into the corrupted and insidiously woven fabric of the Republic’s heralded political arena. After all, his namesake demanded it, for even though he was known as Palpatine, his real name -- his Sith name, was Darth Sidious. The elder man calmly relaxing in the seat next to him, was a truly legendary figure. Unlike Palpatine, he kept a more inconspicuous alter ego whenever he visited the core worlds. Nevertheless, this enigmatic figure was pivotal in manipulating affairs in galaxy-wide conflicts. Notorious for destruction and unbridled havoc, he moved in and out of battles like a hellish phantom. Unlike war mongers and glory hounds like Darth Scion, Darth Halcyon, and Darth Andeddu, this man was learned and sagaciously devious. It was these arcane traits that prompted his deceased master to name him Darth Plagueis -- Darth Plagueis the wise. For even his long time idol, Darth Bane had respected the young lord’s antics before the elder Sith lord was vanquished.

The Sith now consisted of only two -- Master and Apprentice. Long gone were the empires of warring Sith lords. The cosmic wreckage of Malak, Exar Kun, and Ulic Qel-droma were now distant figments of the past, locked away in dark holocrons for future lords of chaos. In fact, these encrypted holocrons; these small, mechanized libraries of knowledge, were what drew Darth Sidious and his potent master to the orphaned planet of Necrorb.

“Master, we’re entering the Red-zone. The electrical storms here are very powerful, should we reroute and take another passage?”

“No, push the ship further; pick up speed and ride through the storm, apprentice.” Plagueis replied in his usual raspy voice. “I’m disappointed at your apprehension, Lord Sidious; you should know that Sith plow through or dismantle obstacles, never flee from them!”

“Of course, my master. I will comply.”

With one frightening look from his master’s striking eyes, Darth Sidious quickly turned and set the black spaceship rushing through the crackling lights of the energy storm. Soon, they were hovering over an ancient temple. The massive structure looked similar to those built on Korriban, but this dilapidated enclave was much older and sported huge tablets, which surrounding the entire pagoda. Alighting the spaceship in front of the dust-covered landing strip, Darth Sidious couldn’t help to notice that the massive tablets were inscribed with Sith runes so ancient that even he could not read them.

“Master, those runes -- what do they mean?” Asked Sidious.

“They warn of wayward powers; of force magic corrupted by Dathomir witches, Sith Lords, and even fallen Jedi. Do you see the glowing scripts on the first tablet? …They read a most simple message…’Realm of the Dead’.” Replied Darth Plagueis, always anxious to instruct his ambitious apprentice.

“Realm of death?” Sidious exclaimed . “Why do they call this place a realm of death? It looks to be nothing more than an abandoned dust ball.”

“Ha, ha, ha, don’t be so naïve, young one. This planet holds many seductive secrets. In years before the great Sith War, a trio of Jedi fools tried to exercise this place of its dark magic. These so-called ‘masters’ felt the power of the force moving in disturbing ways here. But in the end, Torr, Hoth, and Kiel Charny gave up their futile efforts and left this place to the tinkering of the Sith.”

“Ha, the Jedi are weak, master. I’ve done much damage to them, even deceiving that pesky, Jedi alien Vergere.”

“Yes, she is a keen Jedi, that one. But even so, she’s no Yoda. Nevertheless, I’m glad you keep our sinister work in stealth and deceit -- for it is only through deceit and manipulation that the Sith can completely conquer the multitude of Jedi that plague this galaxy.”

Moving down the extended ramp of their ship, Darth Sidious looked up in awe of the magnificence of the ancient Sith temple. From the ship, its view was partially covered by red dust that flowed past it in the heavy wind. But now that he was close to the vast structure, he saw the monument in its full glory. The elongated walls were composed of rare minerals and Cortosis ore. Intricately carved, the decorated sides of the many doors gave off a slick sheen, despite their antique age.

Inside the temple, Darth Plagueis moved into a circular room that was surrounded by a series of red lights. The lights were spawned by some kind of glowing slime along the walls. As the tall Sith lord summoned his apprentice to draw close, he revealed a long sarcophagus on the marble floor of the meditation chamber.

“A grave? Why is a grave in a meditation chamber?” Asked Sidious.

“It is here for me to tinker with, young one. Behold, for my powers are great.”

After saying this, Darth Plagueis placed his hand in the air and twisted them in bizarre gestures. His eyes rolled back in his head, and a blue light began to pulse from the inside of his forehead. As Darth Sidious watched in astonishment, the ancient coffin began to stir. Manic bumping was coming from the inside of it and after several moments of mad thrashing, a retched hand busted through the marble box, sending fragments of thin stone everywhere.

“Rise, rise, my minion!” Plagueis commanded.

Just as the dark lord ordered, a rotten and dried corpse busted from its morbid prison and stood before them. The cold-blooded zombie was naked and possessed a fearsome expression of blood lust on its face. As it opened its milky, white eyes, it sped toward Plagueis, screaming in feral angst. However, Darth Plagueis produced his opal lightsaber with lightening speed. In one long chopping action, he completely severed the maniacal ghoul in two.

“What? …Why did it attack you?”

“Ah, these reanimating powers of mine are not to their fullest potential. I still need to refine them.”

“Reanimating?” Asked Sidious unbelievably. “You mean to tell me that you brought this...thing back from the dead? -- That you can halt death?”

“Indeed, my young apprentice. I tell you the truth; I can manipulate the very force-giving agents in the blood of any force sensitive being and use them to birth life. You must realize, that the dark side has many powers that some believe to be…unnatural.”

Realizing his master’s awesome power, Darth Sidious grew eager to learn more from him. He knew all too well that he needed to usurp everything he could from the elder force magician if he was ever to become the master one-day. Indeed, he had much to learn, for it certainly appeared that his foreboding master had such control over the dark side that he could actually create life.

Part #2

A Disturbance in the Force
(Thirty-five years after the fall of the first Death Star)

“Luke, Luke -- are you ready?” Asked Mara Jade.

Luke Skywalker woke up from his deep meditation, feeling the force all around him. He could feel the essence of Jaina and Jacen playing Dajerak in the lounge. He could feel Leia and Han Solo bickering over some trivial things as they always did. He could even feel the cold emptiness that filled the piloting chair where Chewbacca once sat. It had been over a year since Chewbacca’s untimely death on the planet Serpendal, but Luke could still feel his spirit in the galaxy. Indeed, Luke was a very, very powerful Jedi master…and a master that never ceased learning. In fact, in the whole of the galaxy, he was the only “Jedi Grand Master”. After years of training and aligning his spirit with the living force, he was finally amongst the greatest of Jedi legends, including the late, great Yoda, Mace Windu, and Lord Hoth.

“I felt it again,” said Mara Jade Skywalker. “I felt the force vision from Sekot. You said you would be ready to interpret it, lover. Did you get some focus on it, or were you thinking about the blue milk stew from your Aunt Beru again?”

Luke just smiled at his wife’s playful chastisement and then sat up and began recalling what he’d seen in his most recent vision.

“I think Sekot was trying to lead us somewhere. I dreamt of Palpatine…Darth Sidious and his old master. They were visiting a very dismal planet; a planet infused with the dark side of the force. I don’t know, but I think Sekot might actually be afraid of it.” Replied Luke.

“Zonama Sekot afraid of something? I can scarcely believe that a living world would actually fear anything else in the galaxy. We don’t even know if Sekot is still ‘alive’. All we know is it is still in hiding.” Replied Mara Jade.

“Sekot is wise and cautious, Mara. I don’t think Zonama Sekot is hiding from anything…it just searches for knowledge and peace in the galaxy. However, that dark planet -- there is something about that world…I believe it is called Necrorb. The place is not completely unheard of. Back in the days of the old Republic, Mace Windu wrote several logs about it. He believed it was a traditional training ground where Sith lords faced their most grueling trials. Even so, the planet was never found and even ardent archeologists gave up looking for it. Apparently, it was believed to be more myth than real, but I have a feeling that Necrorb might be the next stop in our destination.”

“…Another hunt for a mythic planet, huh? It sounds like the mission we went on to find the living world of Zonama Sekot. But at least we needed to visit ‘that’ world, it was crucial in helping us defeat the Yuuzhan Vong. Why do we need to go on a wild bantha chase to find another possibly-non-existent planet? We barely spend any quality time with our own child, Luke.”

“I know you don’t like the idea of leaving our son, Ben, with Leia any longer. But we’re Jedi and we have to honor our duty. Besides, Jacen has taken Ben as his unofficial apprentice; he’ll make sure he’s well cared for. Listen, Obi-Wan’s master once said that true masters must heed the will of the force. I think Qui-gon-jin was right about that. I feel there’s something on that planet that needs to be discovered -- I feel the living force pulling me there.” Explained Luke.

Mara Jade turned from Luke with her arms crossed in a gesture of frustration. It wasn’t long since they vanquished the horrors of the Yuuzhan Vong and defeated their powerful and crafty leaders -- the Supreme Overlord Shimrra and the deceitful Onimi. Even then, they needed all the help they could get, including aid from the New Jedi Order’s best recruits. But even with the help of Kyp Durron, and Jacen and Jaina Solo, the war still took the lives of Chewbacca and Leia’s youngest son, Anakin Solo. Now that that horrific war was over, Mara really wanted to spend time with her husband and young son.

“How do you know that the visions aren’t some calculated trick from some vestigial Sith ‘wanna be’s’?”

“I’m not sure, but I know that Zonama Sekot is feeding me these visions somehow. There’s something on that planet that Sekot – no – that the ‘force’ wants me to investigate.” Replied Luke adamantly.

Part #3

Land of the Dead
(Four months after the birth of the Galactic Empire)

The iconic sound of heavy breathing was reverberating in the stone halls of the ancient temple. Speaking in a deep, machinated voice, Darth Vader inquired about the ominous place where his master had taken him.

“This place -- I feel the power of the dark side very concentrated within these walls, my master. Why have you brought me here?”

Darth Sidious kept quite for a long moment and let his steely apprentice appreciate the lure of the dark facility before answering him.

“Can’t you feel it, Lord Vader? …You are connected to this place.”

“How so?”

“Long ago, when I was just an apprentice, my master took me here to witness a very rare conjuring. There is a Sith holocron here, one that might contain the cryptic secrets of reanimation. Do you recall me telling you the tale of Darth Plagueis the wise?”

“Yes…it seems so long ago. We still have yet to uncover the power to defeat death.” Replied Vader, obviously reminding Sidious of his unkept promise.

“Indeed, my apprentice; now you must learn something else. As I told you before, Plagueis had the power to create life by manipulating the vital midichlorians in anyone. As it is well known to me, you seem to have been birthed without the aid of a father. Impossible as that unlikely conception seems, here you are as living proof. But I have long suspected that Darth Plagueis had tampered with midichlorians to create a Sith of unbridled power. What I’m telling you, my young friend, is that your very birth might have been an event orchestrated by one of the most powerful Sith in history. Perhaps this is why your destiny lays with me.” Explained Emperor Palpatine.

For a long moment, Darth Vader pondered his master’s shocking revelation. Could this actually be true? Thought Vader. Could he be the product of some Sith magician’s powerful tinkering? The thought made him angry. No, he had his own destiny. He refused to believe that he was merely the personified result of some dark side trickery. Before Vader could speak, Palpatine moved to his side to console him.

“This news disturbs you -- I can feel your anger. Be not insulted by the circumstances of your creation, young lord. Instead, be proud that you are the pinnacle of Sith magic and one that has the potential to become the most powerful force user in the galaxy!”

Vader began to rethink his identity...his time with Qui-gon-jin, his training with Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his rebirth as Darth Vader. He briefly marveled at all he had learned in those times. This made him realize that even if Palpatine’s tale was true, he still controlled his own destiny…and no one else. After all, he was ‘the chosen one’.

“Why tell me this now? …Why say these things here?” Asked Vader.

“Because you yet have a trial to pass -- you have yet to face yourself.”

For a brief instance, Sidious thought of his slain apprentice, Darth Maul. He raised the Irodonian like his own child. The skilled lord was a valued tool and an ardent disciple. However, he failed to know his own pride, and that is why he perished at the hands of Obi-Wan. Unbeknownst to most, Sith take a twisted pride in the deeds of their apprentices. Palpatine was much closer to Anakin Skywalker than he was to Darth Maul. There were cryptic reasons for that. But even though Darth Maul was just a tool, Sidious still had a tiny, lingering ache in his cold heart over the death of his loyal apprentice. After all, he raised him like a son. Still, there was a part of Darth Maul that might yet be useful.

“Listen to me, my ambitious friend…the mysterious mirror of the dark side often reflects blackened portions of the force. You must look deeply into it.” Said the Emperor.

Suddenly, Vader felt a queer tremor in the force. He turned around and peered through the black ether in the darkness beyond.

“Master, I – I –“

As Vader turned back, he quickly noticed that he was alone. Apparently, his master left him to face this trial by himself. As the Sith lord passed through the disheveled halls of the temple, he heard the odd pattering of footsteps -- many footsteps. Within seconds, he saw four figures rushing toward him. Even through the temple’s wan light, he could see that these mad humans were rotted and bloodthirsty. Through the force, Vader realized something that seemed impossible. Being able to feel the force energy of living beings, the Sith lord was stunned to discover that the maniacal beasts rushing toward him were completely devoid of it. To his morbid surprise, he quickly realized that they were indeed dead.

Acting on instinct, Darth Vader instantly went for his lightsaber. But another surprise was in store for him. Searching his side belt, he discovered that his laser blade was gone. However, he already knew the whereabouts of his crimson-red energy sword.

“My lightsaber -- My master has lifted it from me. No matter, I’ll deal with this by other means.” Said Vader rhetorically.

The first two ghouls ran toward Vader with a rabid force and maddening bloodlust about them. One had his entrails hanging from his corroded belly. The intuitive zombie made a leap for Vader, but Vader quickly caught the ghoul by the neck. Holding the beast in midair, the dark lord simply cracked his neck and then flung the ghoul with such force, that its head blew apart from the impact.

Vader stepped back and let the other ghoul fall over his feint. He then summoned the force and telekinetically picked up the ghoul and held the beast in the air before him. After looking deep into the quasi-fluorescent green eyes of the dead man, he held up his hand and gestured it to make a tightened fist. In response, the force obeyed Vader’s adamant control and the ghoul’s head was crushed like some Dantooine soft fruit. Falling to the floor with a sloppy thud, the two ghouls were instantly destroyed.

“What kind of test is this?” Asked Darth Vader. “These dead creatures are no threat to a Sith lord!”

But even as Vader spoke those words, a stone wall on the other side of the narrow hall began to slide open. As the wall disappeared into the earth, Vader could see the morbid contents held within. To his surprise, he saw a multitude of the dead ghouls thrashing about and making their way toward him.

“By Bane’s scepter, there must be hundreds of them!”

Vader made a series of arcane gestures and a large avalanche of decrepit stones came falling from the ceiling. He had seen Count Dooku do the very same trick when Yoda came to his rescue years before, when he was still a foolish Jedi. The stones came crashing down, destroying nine of the undead instantly. More importantly, it cut off many of the ghouls from emerging from their hive of putrid death.

Even so, there were still many of the zombiod ghouls to contend with. The majority were human-like, but some were rotted corpses of reanimated aliens. One such alien came toward Vader and made an aggravated leap for the dark lord’s neck armor. Vader blocked the large Gammorean and sent the undead pig-being over his shoulder in a wicked Teras Kasi flip. The dark lord then raised his boot and sequestered the force to aid his foot in crushing the entire skull of the rabid alien. With bloodstained boots soiled with green brain matter and unmentionable gore, Darth Vader jumped into the air and swept through the darkness like some nightmare bat. He landed square in the middle of the ghoulish mob, instantaneously pressing his attack with all manner of hand combat and force-generated attacks.

Ghouls were swept into the air, while Vader crushed their skulls with his gloved hands. Many were thrashed against the walls and ceilings of the stony corridors by Vader’s wicked use of telekinesis. After the majority of the undead were vanquished, Palpatine emerged and advised Vader on his hasty actions.

“You are too slow, young one. Be rid of them or perish the same fate!” Ordered Sidious with a steely voice.

Realizing that thirteen of the rancid ghouls remained, Darth Vader calmed himself and felt outward toward the dark side of the force. Raising his arms as if praising some invisible god, Vader summoned a wild cluster of lightening, which swept through the ghouls’ bodies, melting their brains and hearts from the massive heat of the black energy. A second later, all of them were nothing but charred corpses before the feet of the black clad lord of darkness.

“There, master…it is done!”

Palpatine let a perverse smile slide over his face, as he glided toward his apprentice in sinister pride.

“You’ve done well, my friend.” Palpatine said .

Part #4

The evil force user reached into his black cloak and revealed an odd triangle adorned with a myriad of carved designs.

“I’ve retrieved the Holocron we ventured for. Here, apprentice, it is yours to inquire with. Perhaps the secret of reanimation lay within. Now come, our attention is needed elsewhere.”

Back in their spacecraft, Vader and his master readied to spin off into the blackness of space once more. Rambling inside the control booth, Vader’s mind was distracted by something; it was the concept of death itself. For some time now, he’d been rethinking the events that led to Padme’s death. Although he knew that she was dead, for he no longer felt her life force; there was an ever-slight presence of her that he could still feel in the force. He’d thought it might be Amidala’s spirit, faintly resonating in the galaxy, but more recently, he began thinking that their child may have survived, despite the adamant claims of all that dealt with Padme after her demise. Nevertheless, he hoped -- as tiny as it was, he hoped…hoped against death.

The Sith cruiser began breaking for the atmosphere, but before exiting the atmosphere of Necrorb, he took one last look down at the age-old Sith temple. All around the massive monument were thousands of undead ghouls, raising their hands toward the distant ship. As Darth Vader headed back to imperial space, he muttered a single sentence that provoked many murky thoughts.

“So, there are things worse than death…”

Making Contact
(Thirty-five years after the fall of the first Death Star)

Mara Jade walked through the dank bar owned by one of the more infamous Hutts of the planet Nar Shadda’s inland. She was in full disguise, which outfitted her with a sexy, Corellian jumpsuit and a fake tattoo of a Krate Dragon inked across her left arm. She was once an incredibly successful spy for the empire of old. In fact, in the dark times of the old Galactic Empire, she was simply known as the “Emperor’s Hand”. Looking as sassy as a Twileek spice dancer and as savvy as a space pirate, no one would ever suspect that she was actually the caring mother of a twelve year old Jedi apprentice -- the son of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.

Either way, Mara had been drawn to the seedy cantina by a spy contact that said she would find a Palawan warrior who might know the whereabouts of the mysterious planet called Necrorb. Just days ago, she and Luke had embarked on a mission to find the planet of legend and now, they had separated to make the search for the cryptic world easier. After getting some off world information from retired general, Wedge Antilles, she made sure to leave for Nar Shadda as quickly as possible.

Concentrating on her mission at hand, Mara noticed that the bar was filled with all the usual types of scum and deadly villainy. She was used to the kind of beings that roamed these undesirable waterholes. The place was a proverbial wishing well for illegal contraband and dished out servings of wildly intoxicating drugs such as Glitteral Spice and Death-sticks. Mara passed dozens of inebriated aliens, some smelling like the rear quarters of a rancid Bantha. But soon, she got to the place she wanted to be -- at the edge of a high-stakes gambling circle, which featured brutal combat games.

Pushing herself through the musty crowd, Mara Jade watched as two warriors began to face each other down. One was a tall Tusken Raider, complete with all the gear so familiar with the sand people of Tatooine. As he made his way to the inner circle, the crowd of degenerates that filled the bar from end to end began yelling the warrior’s name.

“Hoar! Hoar! …He is the best fighter here!” Screamed one over-fanatic gambler.

Matching the Tusken’s moves on the opposite side of the circle, a thin woman with lithe features and black, silken hair turned and bowed to the crowd. Her body was slim and feline, but she sported some type of mechanical appendage. After taking a better look at it, Mara recognized it as an old fashion model of a prosthetic droid arm – a model they stopped making years ago. Mara wondered why any celebrated fighter would have her right arm fitted with such an old model. It didn’t make practical sense, unless she was far older than she appeared. At any rate, the crowd did not praise her name, obviously, she was either a new combatant, or one gone for a long time. Nevertheless, she got into position, pointed toward the Tusken Raider and made her threats.

“You were once my student, Hoar. I heard you finally defeated your old nemesis, Thok, and even battled against some of the Yuuzhan Vong’s better warriors. We are old in these advancing times and have seen many years pass. Nevertheless, you’ve done well despite your age. I’ll admit, you peeked my curiosity -- now let’s see if you can beat a true master of Teras Kasi!” Replied the intense woman.

As she said this, something snapped in Mara’s mind. She had recalled some old story that Luke had told her…one involving him dealing with an assassin bent on destroying key members of the old Alliance. The woman with the robotic arm fit the description almost perfectly. Now, Mara Jade knew the combatant’s name, and ironically, it matched the name her spy contact had sent her to search for -- Arden Lyn.

Mara Jade watched the two warriors battle in the small gambit circle. The Tusken, Hoar, moved in incredibly fast, while hurling a long Gaffi stick. One of the blows hit Arden, but she was quick to respond. Rearing back, she made a twisted frontal flip that would rival even the best Jedi summersaults and landed behind the stunned Tusken. Hoar tried to deflect Arden’s blow, but the agile Palawan warrior was too fast. In an instant, she had bent backward and delivered a double kick that ended in a complete rear flip. The impact sent a walloping uppercut from Arden Lyn’s legs, directly to the sand person’s jaw. At that, Hoar lay on the hard floor, unconscious for several moments.

“The winner! “Shouted a Devaronian referee, while holding Arden’s droid arm victoriously in the air.

At the announcement, credits of all manner of value began to exchange, as the onlookers cashed in on their bets. Arden Lyn swaggered up to the bar and ordered a Kashyyk Thunderbolt -- an intoxicating drink so potent, it could knock out a full-grown Wookie.

“That was a fine fight,” said Mara, while taking a seat in the barstool next to Arden.

“There’s nothing ‘fine’ about combat!” Responded Arden brazenly. “ I know why you’re here, Jedi: don’t waste my time.”

Mara was a little surprised that Arden recognized her so fast. But now was not the time to inquire how she knew of her identity, even behind an elaborate masquerade.

“I’m told you know of a hidden planet, a place the Palawans call Necrorb.” Replied Mara.

“Ha, it’s more like a small moon then a planet. That world is a dangerous one, often visited by Sith in the past. Now, only crazed Dathomir Witches and suicidal thugs dare enter it. Although the Sith are long gone…the place still holds ground for many of their minions. …You wouldn’t want to go there – it’s no place for the living!” Recalled Arden Lyn.

Part #5

“I’m not interested in its vacation spots, I just want to know how to get there,” said Mara sharply.

“There are rumors about the place. Some say an old warlord named Dooku left his last message for the Jedi there.”

“ A message, huh? – And what would that be?” Asked Mara.

“I don’t know, I don’t think anybody knows. I haven’t met a being stupid enough to try to find out. Well, other than you, Jedi.” Replied Arden venomously.

“Can the small talk then…just tell me where it is.” Said Mara.

After a short time, Arden considered the request and came up with one of her own.

“Hmm, it’s going to cost you…a lot.”

“Name your price, I can offer a reasonable amount of GA credits if your request is logical.”

“Credits? No, no, you get me wrong,” said Arden, speaking her version of Galactic Basic with an unfamiliar accent. “No, my price is in battle. It’s been some time since I fought a Jedi…a real Jedi. If you defeat me in a Teras Kasi circle, then I’ll give you what you want, woman – but if you don’t, you die!”

“Maybe your price is too high”, replied Mara, instinctively backing away from Arden.

“Ha, ha, ha -- It’s as I thought, you’re no warrior; you have the look of a mother and the hands of a housewife!” Spat Arden.

Without further notice, a wild snap-hiss was heard as Mara’s lightsaber sent a glowing streak of illumination throughout the corner of the bar.

Arden somersaulted back and landed just behind two drunken Jawas.

“What’s this, Jedi? I fight only in the battle circle!”

“Well, lady, the battle circle just got bigger!” Replied Mara with determined eyes.

That said, Mara swung her saber to the lower right and commenced the fight. Arden swiveled her droid arm and did a cartwheel to the left. Landing back on her feet in a Bothan-Tiger attack position, the dark-haired woman gave off a sinister smile.

“Good, good, now we will know if I really am the champion.” Replied Arden with violent glee.

Arden Lyn double flipped backward, kicking Mara square on her chin. The blow sent Mara flying over the bar next to her. In response, sentient creatures of all types waddled, flew, and jumped out of the battle path. Nearly tripping on a spilled drink, Mara was caught by surprise as Arden shot out a laser blast from her droid arm. Quickly parrying the laser bolt with her lightsaber, Mara jumped up and ricocheted off the bar’s ceiling. She landed right behind Arden and got the woman in a Corillian chokehold.

“Eat dirt, spat!” Arden as she over flung Mara from her backside. With truly admirable skill, Arden had twisted Mara’s wrist and flexed her shoulders in a way that flung Mara off of her. The Jedi master was sent smacking hard into the plasteel wall of the side bar.

“Not bad, lady, but I’m no fool, I can hear you gearing up a sonic field – too late, champ!” Goaded Mara as she flicked her fingers toward Arden.

Unbeknownst to the Palawan warrior, Mara had used the force to disable the sonic field on her droid arm. The now tampered weaponry suddenly sparked in her face and Mara jumped at the opportunity. Arden saw the Jedi moving in with impeccable speed and ducked under a bar table. She banked off the side of the bar and made a series of deadly acrobatic moves toward Mara. However, Mara was ready this time. She flung her hand toward the bar and used the force to slap a tall glass of hot Jawa juice in Arden’s angry face. In the end, that was all she needed.

Mara slipped past Aden and slashed her saber in three broad strokes, a second later, the weaponry attached to Arden’s droid arm, spat out sparks and vapor, while falling to the floor in severed pieces. Arden quickly turned to roundhouse kick Mara, but the old warrior woman was too late. As Arden flipped around, she met the end of Mara’s blazing lightsaber, which was so close that it singed the woman’s black eyebrows. If another tiny push forward were taken, the neon blade would impale Arden’s entire head.

“I’m impressed…very impressed!” Said Arden. “I didn’t think they made Jedi like they used to.”

“Well, the galaxy is full of surprises, ain’t it, warrior? …Now to the business at hand -- Necrorb; where is it?”

Bad, Bald, Beautiful
(The Battle Begins)

“New masters to slay…I waited quite long for this!”

That sentence meandered through Mara’s mind as she slept. Waking up halfway to the mysterious planet, she noticed that Luke was up as well.

“You had the same premonition? New masters to slay? …I heard it, too.“ Replied Luke.

“That voice, it sounded so cunning, so creepy,” said Mara.

“Yeah, it was a raspy voice, but no doubt female. In fact, I sensed that both were female.” Explained Luke.

“Both? I only felt one presence.”

“No, Mara, one is making herself obvious, the other is more powerful, more subtle. …Whoever they are, the dark side is very strong in them.”

“Two dark side foes? -- You think they might be new Sith? Damn, now I’m not so happy that Arden Lyn gave up the whereabouts to this forsaken place ” Said Mara in concern.

“I’m sure they’re dark side force users, but I’m not so sure they’re Sith, although I do feel a Sith-like scent to them. Either way, I can tell you this much, if they are Sith, they certainly aren’t new. Through the living force, I can sense long traces of violence, but dark wisdom as well.” Explained Luke carefully.

“Could it be Exar Kun – in spirit form? Can he possibly still gleam from the grave.”

“No, it’s definitely not Kun. I don’t know, when I had the vision it seemed to me that these beings were more…brutal.”

“Well, whatever it is, we best get ready, we’re currently in Necrorb’s orbit.”

“Good, then the force has guided us here as planned.” Replied Luke staring bleakly in an almost meditative state. “Mara, I had a vision of Obi Wan last night. Qui Gon was there, too. In my dreams they spoke to me; they spoke to me about the Whills.”

“The Whills? Your talking about the force sensitive beings that taught them how to communicate from beyond the grave, aren’t you? Well, honey; you’re the Grandmaster of the Jedi order -- what does it mean?”

For a long moment, Luke thought about it and came up with an unlikely answer for the Grandmaster of the New Jedi Order.

“You know, I don’t know, I really don’t know.“

“Yoda was once the Grandmaster, Luke -- I’m sure he would be proud of that wise answer,” mocked Mara, while she giggled playfully at her husband.

As Luke and Mara Jade gathered their gear, Jacen Solo packed along some things he thought he might need on their venture to the foreboding temples. He had overheard Mara and Luke’s conversation about their odd premonition. For some time, Jacen had been having doubts about Luke’s views on the force. In fact, he’d been having doubts about how all the Jedi; both new and old had viewed the force and its place in the universe. After being trained by Vergere and going through the trials with the force-immune Yuuzhan Vong, he’d had a great deal to think about. More so, he wasn’t so sure about the stable and unwavering teachings of Yoda and Jedi traditions such old masters had instilled.

“Is something on your mind?” Asked Mara.

Jacen just broke from his thoughts and answered inconspicuously.

“No, it’s nothing, Mara. I just feel the force so strong here.”

“The dark side has its claws in this place, be careful, Jacen.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” said Jacen. “You know how I feel about Uncle Luke’s philosophy on the force. After my time with Vergere, I’m not so sure there really is a dark side, just people who chose to use the force in dark ways.”

“That’s a philosophical debate, Jacen. It’s true that the force bends its will to the user, but it also bends the user as well. One has to be careful not to fall into dangerous ways. …And, there are specific abilities that are endowed to the dark side, Jacen. That much is hardly deniable.” Remarked Mara.

Part #6

“That may be true, but using dark side abilities doesn’t always make some one evil”. Jacen retorted . “I remember the story of how Luke used a force choke hold to incapacitate two Gammoreans when he sneaked into Jabba the Hutt’s stronghold all those years ago. My grandfather, Darth Vader, often used the same force trick; does that make Luke evil, too? He certainly used the same dark side tactic.”

For a long moment, Mara considered Jacen’s argument, but refused to get down into Jedi aesthetics. Now simply wasn’t the time for it.

“Well, kid, you’re asking the wrong person. Even though I’m a Jedi master, you can’t forget that I was once the Emperor’s Hand. I had my full share of dark side experiences, but I learned to live in the light. In many ways, so has Luke. The force is unpredictable – Take me for example; I was sent to kill your uncle many years ago, but instead, I married him. But of coarse your father, Han, might argue that they are the same thing,” joked Mara.

“I understand, but I just can’t accept that the force is herded into such a black and white label. I’ve grown, and so has my sensitivities to the force -- I know things about it now that many might find hard to accept, especially ‘older’ Jedi.” Replied Jacen with some intention inferred.

“Consequently, Jacen, Luke isn’t as blinded to new ideals in the force as you think. He’s quite adaptable and definitely more force sensitive than any other Jedi I ever met -- even you…although I’ll admit that your sensitivity to the living force isn’t very far behind. Either way, you should be careful not to put your faith in newfound philosophies, Jacen. Many great Jedi have slipped into such mistakes…some times what you ‘think’ you know, is merely your point of view – generally speaking of course.”

That said, Mara took off for the boarding ramp, awaiting the ship to settle on dry earth. Meanwhile, Jacen contemplated Mara’s advice, but couldn’t erase the nagging feeling that he simply knew more about the nature of the force than they did. It was an odd arrogance that he kept feeling ever since his Vong experiences. Nevertheless, he felt he was right and perhaps this venture into the dark would prove him right.

The new version of the Jade Shadow came spiraling out of space to make a soft landing on the outskirts of Necrorb’s flattened plateau. Luke, Jacen, and Mara readied themselves to enter the ancient Sith Temple that lay just beyond the red clouds. The Jade Shadow was Mara’s personal transport and featured an impressive array of weaponry and stealthy attributes. Before making landfall, she scanned the terrain and noticed that life signs were obviously thinned the closer they got to the massive temple grounds.

Jaina and Ben stood on Yavin 4, training for an upcoming mission for the GA. Even though they wanted to come along, Luke ordered them to stay at the Jedi enclave, making sure they took care of their contributions for the evolving republic. As Luke, Mara, and Jacen stepped off the ramp, they finally set foot upon the mysterious planet of Necrorb. The planet had a strange and foreboding name, which was coined by the very first Sith: not the followers of the Sith ideals as most know, but the actual black magicians from the insectoid race. The name simply means ball of death, and as Luke and Mara were about to discover, death was this planet’s most abundant resource.

Mara halted their hike toward the tall temple ahead of them. Kneeling down, she saw the dusty footprints of many tracks, which led into the side walls of the temple. They were made as if the beings that left them were dragging themselves about.

“Look, Luke, there are tracks leading into the temple, but I don’t see any side entrances, at least none that I can make out.”

Luke stretched his hands out and manipulated the force, within seconds he could feel the minute crevices on the temple walls.

“There are two exits hidden on the temple’s side. They’re triangular in shape and set in deep creases. That must be how the tracks were made.”

“They must have been scouts, “ said Jacen. “The footprints are from look outs, no doubt watching our ship land”

“Well, whoever they are, they certainly know we’re coming.” Replied Mara unassumingly.

Luke stood there with his arms crossed, considering their trek.

“What’s up, Uncle Luke. Do you sense something?” Asked Jacen.

“Actually, I sense very little, other than the two life forms we spoke of earlier. But that’s the odd thing. If scouts made these tracks, I would certainly have felt their life force, especially considering the number of tracks that were made.

“Perhaps they’re immune to the force, invisible to it like the Yuuzhan Vong are.” Proposed Mara. “Heck, maybe they are Vong.”

“They’re not Vong, I still have a Vong-sense and would have known if any of that species were here…no, there’s something different here, something that doesn’t fit in with nature.” Said Jacen suspiciously.

“Whatever the case, let’s keep marching, we’ll need to keep together and make ourselves aware of any traps; the Sith love to set traps, the more deadly the better.” Replied Mara.

“That’s too true, but how are we even going to get into the temple to begin with? I’m sure the current proprietors aren’t just going to open the front door.” Said Jacen.

As Mara and Jacen marched forward, they noticed that Luke stood back, he hadn’t moved along with them for almost a full minute.

“Hey, what’s going on, uncle. I thought we were marching on the temple.” Said Jacen. “I feel a great disturbance radiating from that place, I think it’s worth investigating.”

“We won’t have to get in there to get what we came here for,” said Luke Rather mysteriously.

“What? I don’t understand; we came all this way to get inside that ruin and now you won’t go in? …Why?”

“Because, whatever evil was in that place already came out and is after us.” Replied Luke calmly.

“Impossible, I would have sensed it,” remarked Jacen. “ My senses are far more keen now.”

“You might not be able to sense them, but I can. The dark side can camouflage itself like a Dagobah newt among swamp moss.” Said Luke.

Frustrated and believing that Luke was over estimating his own abilities; Jacen just shrugged and asked his next question in stifled irritation.

“So what now, Master Luke?”

“…Duck.”

“What?”

“Duck, duck now!” Shouted Luke.

Just in time, Jacen fell to floor, as a spiraling, double-edged blade came whirling from over a row of lava ferns. If Jacen hadn’t ducked when Luke told him too, the wildly spinning blade would have decapitated him right then and there. As Jacen ignited his blade, a lone figure appeared from the misty vapor beyond. She was wearing red leather made from Rancor hide and sported her crimson blade, which she had caught as the double-edged lightsaber fell back into her hands.

For a moment, Jacen didn’t recognize the athletic woman, but as the vapor cleared, he could see that the lady villain was a person he knew from old holo-documents.

“Aura Sing -- the Jedi Killer, I thought you were dead, killed decades ago!” Remarked Jacen in astonishment.

“I live, young Jedi and I thrive on the dark side.”

“Impossible,” said Mara Jade. “She must be a clone, like the reborn Emperor was.”

“No, foolish woman. I’m no clone -- I’m the original thing, bold, beautiful, and in the flesh. My age, beauty, and murderous ways have been preserved…kept in check by my master.”

“-- And just who might that be?” Asked Luke. “Perhaps it’s the same person I feel sneaking up on us from the opposite side of those mage tress.”

Knowing that the surprise of the attempted ambush was now gone, another bald woman with more slim and lithe features rose from the opposite side of Luke’s team. She wore a black jumpsuit comprised of beaded leather and onyx Voxen skins. Her bald scalp featured several tattoos that arched in some ancient design. At her very presence, Mara knew who the woman was, for like Aura Sing, she had long heard tales of the evil woman’s arcane accomplishments.

“Asajj Ventress -- Dooku’s old hench-woman. I’d say this was impossible, since natural age would have reduced you to an old bag of bones by now, but I suspect that dark side secrets found a way to keep you two lunatics alive for all these years.” Replied Mara.

“Alive, little woman? No, more than alive, far more than alive! Dooku was a lost fool, a puppet for Darth Sidious. When the Clone Wars ended, we were banished. The Emperor thought he could keep a reign on us here, thinking we might grow in the dark side and someday help him crumble the pathetic efforts of the rebellion. But when the old schemer died, we grew more powerful. You see, the dark side was not as thinly spread as it once was, and now, ‘I’ am the Lord of the Sith!” Replied Ventress in her raspy, evil tone.

“Not much of a Sith if you can’t even conjure up enough power to get yourselves off of this planet.” Mocked Luke.

“Ha, Necrorb is no ordinary planet, Jedi. It’s light years from any habitable place and far from any space trade lines. Yes, embarrassingly said, we are marooned here; stuck on a planet that most don’t even know exists. Yet we lived here for decades growing strong in Sith powers. For Freedon Nadd left the most interesting things in that temple, things that made surviving here much easier, as it will be easy to kill you pathetic Jedi, steal your ship, and march back into the galaxy to conquer it!”

“I’ve heard that kind of thing before,” said Luke.”

Part #7

“Heh, you speak with such confidence. You’re powerful in the force, that much I can sense outright, but it seems you think yourself a Jedi master? I’ve killed many in my time, when real Jedi roamed the galaxy. But I sense something ‘else’ about you.”

As Asajj said this, she drew back her head and seemed to pull in mystic energy into her nostrils.

“Ha, by Ragno’s gauntlets, I smell the stink of Anakin Skywalker on you. Perhaps you’re the aged offspring of that prideful fool. No matter, I only had the pleasure of scarring his face, but I will certainly kill you!”

That said, Ventress sprung from her perch like some wild sand panther. In unison, Aura leapt from the opposite side, spinning her blade in dangerous accuracy. Joining her apprentice in mid air, Asajj flung out two lightsabers with curved hilts; she ignited both blades and came down swinging.

Luke stepped back and parried the skilful blows of Ventress. The twin blades of her burning sabers were incredibly quick and accurate, but Luke’s mastery of the force and his own agile slicing kept Asajj at bay. At one point, Asajj Ventress swung one blade to the floor, while rushing her other blade through the high ground of their battle. This well trained move nearly decapitated Luke, but his reflexes were still in excellent condition despite his obvious age.

“Ha, you’re skills with a light saber are impressive,” said Ventress, “but let me test your knowledge of the force!”

Lifting her hand toward Luke, Asajj manipulated her fingers and conjured up a deadly force trick. Luke suddenly felt a strong pressure in his chest; Ventress was using a heart crushing technique and aimed to kill him where he stood. However, Luke acted fast; he called on the force to expand the crushing grip in his chest, forcing Ventress to release her mystic grip. In tow, he pointed to the Sith’s head and gestured his hand in a squeezing motion. In response, Ventress let out a squeak and fell to her knees, as blood ran from her nostrils.

“Arhg, Aura Sing -- assist me, he’s swelling my brain! The crafty force magician is using the Dathomir crush method!” Yelled Asajj.

Aura Sing leaped backward in a double flip and landed in front of Luke. She had done well in keeping Mara and Jacen busy with her excellent saber skills. Now, she confronted their master.

“Who are you, Jedi? I like to know the name of my victims, if they give me a worthy fight!” Hissed Sing.

“I’m Luke Skywalker, Grand Master of the New Jedi Order. …But you can just call me, Luke,” said Skywalker jesting towards them.

“Ah, I knew it,” cried Ventress. “ He’s a cursed Skywalker, don’t trifle with this one, just run him through!”

As Ventress doubled back and began fighting off Mara Jade’s and Jacen’s defenses, Aura Sing slipped to and fro, trying to get a better position to stab her saber into Luke. Raising the crimson, double-edge blade, she taunted Luke with the fearsome weapon.

“That’s a spiffy saber you got there,” replied Luke as he suddenly lunged in with his green blade crackling in the damp air.”

“It’s no ordinary weapon,” spat Aura as she did a cartwheel to the left and side swiped Luke’s saber. “This light saber was built by Darth Maul. Lord Sidious retrieved it from the edge of a melting pit on Nabboo. I have killed many with it and I’m sure I’ll be adding you to the list!”

“Really? …You have such confidence.” Replied Luke as he flung Aura Sing back against the temple with a hard force push.

Asajj quickly revived and began making a low strung rush to Luke’s legs, but as quickly as she moved in, Luke was already in position for his next trick. Tapping Aura Sing’s forehead with his finger as the wild woman attempted to sever his legs, Luke concentrated his powers an uttered one word that sent Sing collapsing to the ground.

“Sleep!”

Unable to counterattack Luke’s powerful mind control, Aura Sing found herself snoring on the earthen ground before her.

“I had that move passed on from Qui-gon-jin, through Obi Wan, and now me. It’s nice to have a mind trick that can also affect force users at times, even if it’s only temporary.” Said Luke placidly.

“Fool…Get up, apprentice -- he’s using an old master’s trick!” Shot back Ventress as she swatted blades with Jacen and Mara.

“By the force, this woman’s super-powerful in the dark side,” Remarked Jacen. “ I can’t seem to get her off of my back!”

Meanwhile, Mara kept pressing the attack on Ventress from the side, but as powerful as Jacen and Mara were, the Sith woman used her two light sabers as if she had two minds. She kept sending Mara Jade off balance, as she pushed Jacen further and further backwards. If she kept up this pace, she’d soon be able to rend the sabers from their grip. But Luke quickly joined the battle. Asajj Ventress lifted her hand and created a small whirlwind of dust, sending it toward Mara and Jacen, the smoke screen gave her time to flip back and tackle Luke once more.

For a brief moment, the two bashed invisible force shields against one another and then Ventress let loose a stream of violent, blue lightning. The bolts headed straight for Luke, but Luke merely lifted his hands and directed them back toward her. Unable to catch the energy in time, Ventress was rocked back by her own force lightening.

“Curse you, you are powerful…maybe as powerful as that toad, Yoda! No matter, my blade will find your weak spot yet.”

Shaking off the burns and static from her shock, Asajj moved in, twirling her blade in evasions and aggressive moves. For a brief moment, she managed to deflect Luke’s saber and jolt it downward, giving her the perfect path to swipe down her second blade. Even so, when her second saber came screaming toward Luke, something incredible happened. Luke simply caught the blade – in his bare hands.

Flipping his wrists in a grappling move, Luke disabled the blade from her left hand, while simultaneously kicking the other saber from her right grip.

Now unarmed, Ventress walked back in time enough to see Mara and Jacen emerging from the dust clouds behind her. Still amazed at Luke’s feat, she cursed him in bafflement.

“How could you? I’ve seen force users deflect blaster bolts with their hands, but never shove off a light saber!” Said Ventress in astonishment.

“It’s over, Asajj. You’re out numbered and over powered. Give up and you might just live long enough to get off of this planet.” Replied Luke.

Realizing she couldn’t defeat the Jedi Grand Master, let alone fight off three powerful Jedi, Ventress was ready to play her wild card.

“You’re wrong, false Jedi. I’m the one in power here. My minions and I will kill you all!”

“Minions?” Said Luke. “I don’t sense anyone else alive here, other than my team and your sleeping friend.”

“Who said anything about ‘living’ minions?”

At that, Asajj lifted up her arms and conjured up a fountain of dark side lightening. The lightening flew across the sealed rims of the temple’s doors. In quick succession, hundreds of undead ghouls began pouring from the unsealed wall of the Sith Temple.

“You see, Master Jedi – even the dead can’t resist the power of the dark side!”

Sing finally awoke and joined her master by her side. Ventress and her apprentice walked back toward the temple walls, watching the multitudes of rotten ghouls make their way to the three shocked Jedi. Without hesitation, Jacen Solo whipped his blade in a rapid backlash and sliced apart four ghouls in one swipe.

“Luke, what are these things? They’re moving in by the hundreds!”

Just concentrate on swiping a path back to the ship!” Shouted Mara Jade as she used her saber to slice limbs off of her attackers.

Luke somersaulted over a dozen bloodthirsty ghouls and sent his lightsaber in a dance of death, quickly dismembering ten of the attackers within seconds. Backing away to catch his breath, Luke kicked a rolling head of one of the ghouls that Mara had decapitated and noticed that the severed head was still trying to bite him.

“Hmm, interesting -- Get behind me,” ordered Luke. “I know a way out of this.”

Doubting Luke’s sudden improvisation, Jacen made it behind Luke last.

“What do you have in mind?” Asked Jacen as he hacked away at several more zombie marauders.

“You’ll see…just bide me some time, while I adjust my affinity to the force.” Replied Luke enigmatically

As Jacen and Mara defended Luke, the Jedi Grand Master sat on the dusty floor between them and crossed his legs.

“Great,” said Jacen sarcastically.” What a time to meditate!”

“No, look,” replied Mara. “Those things…they stopped attacking us!”

“Huh – but how?” Asked Jacen.

Mara and Jacen turned around to see Luke’s blonde hair flowing upward and a golden mist slightly emanating from his body. In response, the ravaging ghouls suddenly turned around and began running toward Asajj and Aura.

“It’s some kind of battle meditation,” said Mara Jade. “Damn, I didn’t know my hubby could do that.”

Asajj Ventress saw the hundreds of rotting corpses rushing toward them and flung out her hands. Calling on the dark powers of the Sith spirit, Freedon Nadd, Asajj rolled back her eyes and set loose her full might. In seconds, the oncoming ghouls stopped in their tracks and began to twitch wildly; a moment later, they all fell to the floor as if they were Nar Shadda droids with bad motivators.

“Fool, you can’t use my pawns against me!” Shouted Ventress spitefully.

“I’m not here to do that,” said Luke. “I came only to follow the will of the living force. Through the force, I had a vision brought on to me by a living planet. The…entity warned me of this dead place and now I know why I was compelled to come here.”

“Really? …And why is that, Jedi?”

“To save you – both of you. You have to understand; just like the nature of Sekot, the living planet, Necrorb is also a planet that moves through hyperspace. I sense it about to jump into warp even as we speak.”

“Nonsense, we have lived here for decades and we have sensed no such thing. This is another of your crafty tricks, Jedi. I won’t be fooled again.”

“I don’t know ‘how’ I know this, but if you wish to survive, you must believe me. Where this planet moves to next will be in a part of space that you won’t be able to survive in. I’m now sure that that was the meaning of my past visions.” Luke explained .

“I care not for your pathetic dreams, old wizard. I will take my apprentice and channel the dark spirits within the temple itself. If you have any courage left in your weak heart, Jedi, I suggest you try to defeat us in the very place of our power!”

That said, the two Sith withdrew into the temple walls. Jacen quickly ignited his blade and began after them, but Luke stopped him.

”No, we don’t have much time, let’s get back to the ship before it’s too late.”

As they began their way back, Mara could feel the wild trembling from the planet’s floor.

“Hurry, this whole planet is about to warp out on us!”

“What about Asajj Ventress and Aura Sing? They’re too powerful for us to let escape. Wait, they’ll be killed when this world sets off into hyperspace, won’t they?”

“That was their decision, Jacen...and who knows, they survived for this long, I wouldn’t be surprised if they did again.”

“Hey, we’ll discuss those possibilities later, guys. This whole place is being rocked with earthquakes!”

As Luke and his team boarded the ship, they took a long look back at the ancient temple. Now, huge spires of molten light erupted from various parts of the ominous world. Taking to space, the three Jedi set a coarse for Coruscant. It would be a long ride back, even through hyperspace. As Jacen entered the deck lounge, he saw Luke and his wife, Mara, discussing the recent events.

“I don’t know why we came here, uncle. It didn’t make much sense to encounter them or that dead world. It was full of dark side magic and undead beasts, we even let two Sith escape our grasp!”

“You are very wise for your age, nephew, but you still have much to learn about the living force. Even dark side monsters can be redeemed.”

As Luke said this, he thought about his father; about how as Jedi, he died and was reborn as the monster, Darth Vader. But he also reflected on how he and his sister were born, and also on his own child. He knew that darkness didn’t always birth darkness, but could in fact, produce light.

“You have to understand, Jacen -- sometimes things come back from the dead, only to give birth to the living.” Advised Luke.

Still feeling uneasy about the circumstance, Jacen walked back into his quarters, contemplating Luke’s words and the dread of the undead. Finally getting some grasp of their adventure’s deeper meaning, Jacen whispered his eventual revelation.

“…Death is darkness, life is light.” Jacen muttered . “…Life is light.”

Story by Dark Riddle/Jesus Morales