Darth Traya: A Fragile Alliance

[Beniboybling]

Added Chapter 27.

[Aurbere]

Only then Vrook, will you have my permission to die.

 

He he he, I get it.

[Beniboybling]

He he he, I get it.

I couldn't resist.

 

Added Chapter 28.

[Aurbere]

Vandar just got messed up!

[Beniboybling]

XXIX

“My lord.” The assassin she had dispatched to retrieve Threecee approached from behind her, and knelt.

 

She turned. “How long have you been watching?”

 

“For but a few moments, my lord. I thought it best not to interrupt.”

 

“You thought wisely, he was a powerful opponent, and would have no doubt destroyed you.”

 

She sensed a twinge of agitation from her disciple, but ignored it.

 

“Now” she began, “if you have only just arrived, how it that the astromech arrive before?”

 

He paused before replying. “The droid managed to slip away my lord, we were distracted –”

 

“Enough. Did you recover the Abyssin as I asked?”

 

“Yes, my lord.” He rose to his feet and gestured with his hand. With that signal a pair of acolytes entered the hall with a coffin shaped container.

Traya took the container in her hands, peering through the dull glass, Duuklaf still slept, indeed it appeared the Jedi had placed him back into a hibernation trance.

 

“Is, he dead my lord?” One of acolytes asked. Traya shot him a veiled stare, and she felt him mentally recoil under her gaze.

 

“He is…” Something caused her pause, something she could not explain, a feeling… an instinct.

 

“He is dead.” She said at last. “Have the body taken back to the Academy.”

 

“And disposed of?”

 

“No,” She said quickly. “I wish to examine it first. I trust it will be transported safely.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” They bowed in unison, then peeled away with the coffin in tow.

 

Traya took a moment to breath, the Jedi were in retreat, and she could feel it. The possibility of holding the Temple had been abandoned, and their allies had deserted them, hope had been lost, and instead their actions were driven by fear. But there was one last task to perform. She touched a hand to her forehead, sending out a mental signal to the chief among her disciples.

 

Clear the Temple as best you can of all signs that we have been here. Dispose of the bodies, wipe the surveillance, activate the repair droids if need be.

 

The Republic must find no trace of us. She thought. Let them believe that the Jedi have abandoned Coruscant, and let them think good of it. Let them forget the once proud Jedi Order and all orders of the Force, and when they are all gone, there will be peace.

 

Her work here was finished, it was time to return to Malachor Five.

 

* * *

 

Malachor. Monsters had been created here, one of pain, one of hunger, and one of betrayal.

 

It was hunger that strode towards the Trayus Academy, primal and infinite. A black shadow on cold grey stone he glided across the Academy’s bridge, his robes rippling in the wind. The Academy loomed before him, ever ominous in a maleficent green, bearing the countenance of a fierce creature. But compared to Nihilus it was insignificant, and instead of approaching the maw of a beast, Nihilus appeared to be ascending to a rightful throne.

 

Almost subconsciously he drew the power of Malachor towards him. Enwrapped it clothed him like an extension of his robes. He fed on its energy and in turn it fuelled his powers. The doors to the Academy slid apart without a gesture, swallowing him up as he passed through.

 

Sion was waiting at the far end of the hallway, his functioning eye growing a little wide as he felt Nihilus’ tremendous power, and as Nihilus drew close, he resisted wincing at the pressure of it.

 

“You’ve grown stronger.” He growled. But Sion could not tell how strong, Nihilus was infinite blackness, magnificent yet immeasurable. Then Nihilus spoke, but instead of the words Sion had expected his voice reverberated with the chords of the ancient Sith, he spoke the Old Tongue.

 

“I have attained the power I sought, Traya is no longer needed. It is time, Lord Sion, to destroy her.”

 

So. Sion mused. Nihilus depravity has finally consumed him, until he is now but an echo.

 

Sion smiled darkly, despite Nihilus’ tremendous presence, he was convinced the man before him was but a shade, a rift in the Force that would soon collapse on itself, whereas he, he was a furnace burning brightly and eternally, what he possessed was [true] power.

 

Or so he believed.

 

“So, the apprentice has finally surpassed the master. I have already made preparations, contact has been established with what remains of my forces. They will serve us well in the destruction of the Jedi. As for the Academy, it has no real loyalty to Traya, only to power.”

 

“Good.” Nihilus replied, brushing past Sion like a wraith. "We will confront her when she returns from the Jedi Temple."

 

Sion pivoted in surprise. “Confront her? Here, on Malachor?”

 

“I thought you were ready. I thought the student had surpassed the master?”

 

Sion growled. “You know what will occur, she will foresee it, as she did before. She’ll bring an army, turn our allies against us. We won’t stand a chance.”

 

“No.” Nihilus interrupted. “She cannot predict our actions here. Malachor is a dead spot in the Force, a wound, such wounds conceal those within, their presence, their actions, their thoughts, intentions. Here we are invisible."

 

Sion grinned. “If that is the case, then we can strike before she can raise a finger.”

 

“Precisely.”

XXX

And so it was done. The Jedi had been scattered and the Republic were content to forget them. Without their protection the Jedi would die, and their Order would fade into legend.

 

Along with the Sith, and the Force. It will all finally end.

 

 

Traya’s shuttle descended on Malachor V, the navigation computer had been put on autopilot, following the latest safe trajectory plotted through the stalagmites and gravitational storms. Yet today even this safe passage appeared unstable, flashes of emerald lighting illuminated the misted skies, thundering angrily as the gravitational pull threatened to tear the shuttle into oblivion. Soon enough the Academy came into view, and the shuttle landed before the walkway. While her forces had returned to the Academy she had remained on Coruscant for a few days longer, to assess the impact. She was the last to arrive.

 

The ramp quietly extended, as if wary of disturbing the silence. And with equally quite footfalls Traya stepped out, alone.

 

Traya stopped at the foot of the walkway.

 

“Are you coming, droid?”

 

A sheepish tone was all the answer, as Threecee crept into view, then, after a moment’s hesitation, slide down the walkway after her.

 

How demeaning. She thought. To arrive before my students with that… machine.

 

But her students were not there, even if concealed she would have still been able to sense their presence. And as she approached the Academy none emerged, with every step she expected them to appear, appear before their returned Lord and Master. She who had brought the Jedi to their knees.

 

Such lack of respect was out of place, and she felt a well of anger begin to bubble upward. With a sharp gesture she thrust the doors to the Academy aside and stormed in.

 

The entrance hall was empty.

 

“Droid.” She snapped. “Find out where Duuklaf is being held and remain there with him until you are contacted.” He quickly rolled away. Now she was truly alone.

 

A disturbance in the Force. As if some dark current where rushing towards her, imperceptible but for a distant rumble. Unclear, she lacked the necessary clarity to see it.

 

The Trayus Core, if I am to find answers, it shall provide them.

 

And so she marched, marched across the Academy’s cold flagstones, intent and determined, undistracted by the dead silence as she approached the Core. They say that there is a moment in everyone’s lives when the wheel of fate turns, a critical juncture, a fulcrum, on which their world pivots irrevocably. For Traya, this was that juncture, and the Core would be her fulcrum.

 

For now everything would change.

 

She stopped at the centre, and as all the energies of Malachor gathered around her she prepared to kneel. But something gave her pause. A presence, two. The first she had felt since her arrival. One a blazing inferno, all fire, hatred, and pain. The other an infinite abyss, total blackness, pure hunger.

 

They approached from either side, she could hear the heavy tread of Sion’s boots, and the quiet fluttering of Nihilus’ cape. Sion approached her with a smile, and but metres away from her he stopped, igniting his lightsaber defiantly. Traya drew her own in response, flicking it into the palm of her hand and activating it.

 

Of course. She thought. To be united by hatred, is a fragile alliance at best. But they are not strong enough to defeat me, not yet.

 

But she was wrong, and as she looked at Nihilus, the realisation came all too swiftly, and all too late. To describe him as infinite blackness would be an understatement to his power. He was more than blackness now, he was beyond that, he was nothingness. To her eyes he was a blank spot, visible only as a shifting void, a silhouette. And as she stared into the abyss with her atrophied eyes the abyss stared back, and she saw how it yearned to feed. Primal and unending, he had become hunger incarnate.

 

No. That’s not possible. Her gaze flicked back to Sion as she began to back away, she understood his smile now. But it was too late.

 

With a gesture he struck.

 

She felt more than the air go out of her as Nihilus lashed out with a palm and threw her back with the Force. It was as if as she flew away from him, she left her power behind, tugged out of her as her lightsaber flung from her grasp and her body was struck against a pillar.

 

She thought she could control him, always obedient, always willing, always in awe of her knowledge and ability, all this she thought, would be enough to keep him in check.

 

But she had been wrong, and now she lay there, defeated, lifeless. She tried to reach out for her lightsaber, reach out with the Force. But it was no longer there. Once a chorus, now only silence.

 

It was gone, her connection to the Force was gone.

 

Her arm went limp. He had drained her connection to the Force, stripped her of it in an instant, and now she was defenceless. She watched helplessly as Sion drew closer. Traya lifted her head to look up at him. She did not need the Force to know how long he had waited for this moment, without its aid he was barely visible, a faded blur. But she could still see his hateful stare.

 

And so, betrayed, I die.

 

With a sudden movement he swept his hand down to grip her face, she let out a muffled scream, clutching his arm in a weak attempt to resist. He lifted her off her feet, and then slammed her head against the pillar. She felt her skull crack. Holding her in place he struck him in the stomach with his knee, then across the temple with his fist, each blow caused a cry. And then as she fell he gripped her by the throat, she spluttered and choked as he lifted her off her feet, and then, taking one last moment to bore into her eyes, threw her to the ground. She fell unconscious, and into darkness.

 

“It is done.” He said, and Nihilus, arms folded, looked on.

 

“Then kill her.”

 

Sion gritted his teeth, his fingers clenching tight around the hilt of his lightsaber. He ignited the blade and stepped towards her. Clutching the pommel in both hands he raised his weapon over her inert body, to deal the final blow.

 

But paused.

 

“No.” He said, shutting off his weapon. “I want her to suffer first, as I did. Then I will kill her.”

 

Nihilus unfolded his arms, and turned to walk away.

 

So be it.

XXXI

Traya awoke to silence, blackness engulfed her, and without the Force she could see nothing. But she could still feel, she could feel the pain in her arms as she hang, shackled at the wrist by chains either side of her. And she could feel the pain in her skull that still rang.

 

“You’re awake.”

 

She caught her breath, she was not alone. Sion was with her.

 

“Good. I want you to experience every wound I inflict, crone. I want you to feel the pain I felt, the pain that I feel now. I will break your body, mould you into my image, I will break your spirit, so that you beg for mercy, and when this is done, I shall grant you death.”

 

“First,” he began “we will start with a lesson, I am certain you will recall it. It begins with a question.” She felt Sion draw closer, smelt the stench of rotting flesh. A hand reached out to grip her face by the chin, forcing her dull eyes to look at him. “There at those who wield the Force, and those who would be wielded by it. Which are you?”

 

She said nothing.

 

He let go with a rough movement, she felt him move away.

 

“I think you are neither. I think you are a weak, old crone who the Force has abandoned, and left here to rot.”

 

She saw a flash of white light, and then her body was engulfed in pain as crackling lightning shot from Sion’s fingertips. That blast subsided, but the pain remained, she heard Sion cackle with exhilaration.

 

“You remember this don’t you?” He mocked, shooting off another gout of lightning, she was defenceless against it, and could only writhe and scream in pain. “But you don’t remember the pain,” another blast, each one lit up his face, a twisted mask of hatred “you only remember the joy” another blast, another scream “of seeing your apprentice squirm at your feet.”

 

He shocked her again, for longer this time, savouring her agonised screams. Then he broke off. “Well? How does it feel? To be in pain as I am?”

 

Traya grunted. “You are a fool, Lord Sion.” She spluttered. “The power that you have allied yourself with, it will destroy you.”

 

Sion growled. “What are you talking about, witch?”

 

“You know, Lord Nihilus. He has become more powerful than I imagined possible, a power that eclipses both of us. His hunger will only grow, and in time he will consume you as easily as he did me.”

 

“Silence, witch!” Another gout of lightning lit up the room. “I will not listen to your lectures, not anymore!”

 

“No,” she began, pushing past the pain “you will not. But you will soon come to realise that you’ve merely traded one master… for another.”

 

Sion growled again. “Enough! I will deal with you later.” And with that he turned and stormed out, leaving her alone in the darkness once again. But the dark quiet of her cell was not just around her, it was inside her as well. She felt deafened, broken, blinded. Was this what it felt like? To be untouched by the Force? Or was this merely the empty, hollow feeling left behind by something taken from you? Is this how the galaxy would have felt, if she had deafened it?

 

For a while she pondered in the darkness. But the she realised that she felt something else, in the very core of her being, something had changed. And it was not just the silence, in fact it was as if in the silence there was something else. As if with the thundering chorus subsided, she could finally hear. Listen not the Force but to herself. Gone was the hatred, the anger, the passion of the dark side, but neither did she feel serene, or at peace. She felt in pain, her bones ached, her head throbbed and her flesh stung. But for the first time she felt herself, free, to think and to feel, and see the galaxy and her actions for what they truly were.

 

She had been blind, embittered by anger and disillusion, and scorned as she was she attempt to best the Force, by creating a weapon to powerful for it to overcome. But instead she had created a monster, and like all monsters it had turned on her creator. And now, with its power unchecked, the galaxy would begin to die. She had challenged the Force, and she had lost. And now the entire galaxy would suffer for her arrogance.

 

Was it ever even possible? To win?

 

No. This outcome was inevitable, I was just too blind to see it. All power comes with sacrifice, and the power to challenge the Force would always come at a terrible price.

 

She tried to laugh, but it come out as a painful wheeze.

 

You knew this would happen, didn’t you, Master? You foresaw my fall, you tried to warn me, you saw the wisdom in keeping the balance and knew that to challenge the Force would be a fool’s errand. But I refused to listen, and now it is too late to stop what is to come.

 

At that moment she heard a noise, a faint click, and then the cell doors open. Was it Sion, had he returned? She could see nothing, only hear a faint scratching, scrabbling noise as something approached her.

 

“Master?” A voice, not in basic, but in a thick garbled tongue.

 

“Duuklaf? Is that you?”

 

“Yes, Master. Duuklaf here to rescue you.” She heard the creature draw closer and begin to fiddle with the shackles that bound her arms. Then she heard him growl impatiently, followed by a sharp metallic sound as he sliced through the shackles with his kerarthorr. And with her hands released she collapsed into his arms.

 

“How did you find me?” She muttered hoarsely.

 

“Droid lead Duuklaf here, went looking for you, saw you being taken away. And when Duuklaf wake up droid bring Duuklaf to you.”

 

With that she heard Threecee roll into the room, he must have been unlocking the cell doors from the control panel.

 

“And you were not seen?”

 

“No, droid used security codes to open storm beast pens, Academy is distracted.”

 

“But they will soon see through the deception, you must leave, take my shuttle now and go.”

 

“But, but Master will die!”

 

“Nihilus has stripped me of the Force, and without it I –” She laughed, again as a painful wheeze “I am helpless, just a tired old woman, whose time in this world is at an end. I will only slow you down, you would be captured, and you would die. So leave. My failures are my own, only I deserve to be punished.”

 

“Dwee dwooo?”

 

“Don’t you get it!” Traya croaked through gritted teeth. “I am not your master anymore! I have been beaten, defeated, overthrown! I have no great strategies left, no words or instructions. My apprentices have betrayed me, and now I have nothing.”

 

“No,” Duuklaf stretched out a hand “Master still have us.”

 

Traya scoffed, and was about to mock his clichéd sentiment when the Abyssin placed a hand on her shoulder, and she felt a wave of energy wash over her.

 

“Wha –”

 

The Force, she could feel is coursing through her entire body, but it was not hers, it was Duuklaf’s, somehow despite untrained, he was channelling his energy into her.

 

“But, but how?”

 

“Master taught Duuklaf to drain the Force from the world around him, like Malachor does. But Duuklaf learned that you can give in the same way as you can take.” He paused, his palm still rested on Traya’s shoulder and his eye tightly closed as he struggled to focus and channel his energy into her, connect with her power, and reawaken it.

 

“Duuklaf thinks there is a bond between us, Master. Duuklaf can feel it, and Duuklaf is channelling his power through that bond now.”

 

A bond.

 

Of course, she had fashioned it herself. And yet, this power that coursed through her, a river between master and apprentice, that ran straight to her core, to her heart, she did not expect it. And then it faded, slowly receding away from her, Duuklaf lifted his hand and collapsed to the floor in exhaustion. She was in the darkness again, but now there was something else, a glimmer of light, of hope. Like a whisper she felt the Force speak to her, like an old friend, a friend whose trust she had betrayed, but now welcomed her back.

 

A second chance.

 

In the dull haze of her now barely functioning eyes she could make out Duuklaf’s presence, gasping and heaving on the floor. He turned to look at her.

 

“Master, did it work?” He said, staggering to his feet.

 

Traya rose to her feet as well as her strength began to return to her. “Yes it did. Because of you I can feel the Force again. All right, Duuklaf, I will not give in. Not yet. But we must leave now, we cannot win this fight.”

 

“Yes, yes Master.”

 

“Then follow me, both of you.”

 

Leaving the prison bay they ran, ran with all the strength they could muster through chambers and corridors as they made a bee line for the hangar bay. Traya felt as if the walls around her were closing in, she could not sense their presence, but she knew that her former students would soon be after her. And here and there she thought she saw a wall flicker, a shadow detach.

 

Then they appeared, a pair of them materialising before the hangar bay entrance. Traya shrank away, without the Force or a weapon she was defenceless even against the lowest of her former disciples. They took a step forward, levelling their weapons but Duuklaf stepped in the way, and with a primal growl he drew his rykk blades and charged.

 

To her dulled senses he was a blur as they raised their weapons to defend themselves. But they were too slow, crossing both blades across his chest he leapt then with a single swipe slashed at their throats before somersaulting over their heads and landing low on the floor. They staggered backward in unison, and then their decapitated heads dropped onto the floor, and their bodies quickly followed.

 

The hangar doors burst open as they emerged into expansive chamber. Traya’s shuttle rested on the far side, a modified Herald-class, painted in obsidian black.

 

“Over there, hurry!” She cried, her robes fluttering as she fell from the platform and made for the shuttle, Duuklaf followed behind falling on all floors as he bounded after her, Threecee’s servomotors whining in strain as he pushed them to their limits. Escape was within her grasp, their grasp, but metres away. Despite her injuries making each step a ricochet of pain she felt an unnatural strength, her lungs filling with the air of hope, and through her muscles a peculiar thrill of having her companions at her side. Escaping with her. But then something changed, her lungs inhaled but the air caught in her mouth, and muscles crawled with a familiar dread. The invisible hand around her throat grew tighter and lifted her off her feet, twisting her around like a marionette to look upon its source.

 

Gasping for air she spluttered the name of her captor. “Sion.”

XXXII

“You are a fool to think you could escape me,” He spat, as half a dozen assassins materialised behind him “my master.”

 

Duuklaf growled. “No!” He cried deep and guttural, thrusting out both hands and for the first time unleashing a wave of telekinetic energy that threw the assassins off their feet and sent Sion sliding backwards, breaking his grip around Traya’s neck.

 

As Sion drew his lightsaber a snarling green blur collided with him, forcing the Sith Lord onto one knee as he blocked Duuklaf’s twin blades.

 

“Master, run!” He cried, as Sion threw him off.

 

Traya looked on as he engaged Sion, she was powerless, this time there would be no one to heal his injuries. All she could do was run. So, catching her breath, she did, she ran, scrambling to her feet she dashed for the transport, Threecee was already half way there as the landing ramp deployed. She grabbed on to a hydraulic pole and pulled herself aboard, then turned. She was powerless, the ramp was already beginning to close, as she watched Sion tear a rykk blade from the Abyssin’s grip…

 

“Duuklaf!”

 

A burning pain erupted in her chest as she felt Sion’s cruel blade pierce his heart.

 

And as he fell, the ramp slid shut.

 

Traya slumped against the wall as the shuttle took off. She has spared his life at the Jedi Temple, and in return, he had saved hers. It was only now that she realised that Duuklaf, that simple creature, had always been more than a pawn to her. He had been a companion, and a student. And like the rest she had lost him.

 

But someone needed to fly the ship.

 

Shaking herself from her stupor she made for the cockpit, and as she did she felt a violent tug shake the entire vessel.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Dwee dwee dwoo!” Traya stared out of the viewport, barely discerning Sion’s shape who with arm outstretched was attempting to ground the vessel, with the Force. Traya hissed and slid into the pilot seat, she could barely make out the controls but instinct was already taking over. And a burning desire for revenge. Flipping several control switches she activated the forward cannons and open fired. The hangar became engulfed in plasma, a blazing manifestation of her rage as the ship unleashed a spatter of laser fire in all directions.

 

She did not see what happened as Sion was swallowed up in fire and smoke, but his grip had been relinquished, and, flipping several switches, she brought the vessel around and it shot out of the hangar. The shuttle already had the safe path plotted and the coordinates flashed onto the control panels. But instead of letting autopilot take over she took to the controls, as like predator avian Sith fighters entered pursuit, slaloming between the giant stalagmites at supersonic speeds.

 

The tiny black blurs began spewing read plasma, and the shuttle shook violently as it came under fire. The plasma bolts rebounded over its advanced shields but they would not last, as the energy dial steadily depleted with each impact, and more fighters poured in to pursue. She needed to evade them, but the ship was too slow and her reflexes too dulled.

 

“Dweet dweet!”

 

And then it came to her, a rush of energy bubbled up from nowhere to fill her entire being, it engulfed her all at once and suddenly her senses were alive, she could see everything, feel everything, it was as if she had merged with the Force itself. Traya did not stop to question her new found powers, instead her fingers darted over switches in a frenzied blur as she activated the emergency boosters and thrust the shuttle into maximum velocity. Ignoring the blaring control panels she veered off the safe flight path and into hazardous territory. The engines blazed blue as it burst forward and the hull shook as a violent gravitational storm thundered violently around them, towering columns of rock rushed at her from all sides and flashes of emerald lightning threatened to tear the ship apart, but she saw it all in slow motion, and evaded it all.

 

The fighters pursuing her were not so lucky, a flash of green was followed by billowing flames as wings were struck and two of her pursuers combusted, another collided with a jagged thorn, two others collided with each other as the angry gravitation fields sent them askew, and as she blazed ever forward without injury the rest broke off.

 

She allowed herself a brief smile, savouring her triumph.

 

Lord Sion will not be pleased.

 

And Duuklaf’s death will have not been in vain.

Epilogue

“She has escaped.”

 

“So it would seem.” Sion replied, standing before Nihilus in the centre of the Trayus Core. Nihilus turned away, starting into nothingness, exuding a cold and hungry power.

 

It made Sion’s skin crawl.

 

“If you had killed her as planned, this could have been avoided.”

 

“She deserved to suffer, to grant her a quick death would be to show mercy.”

 

For a moment Nihilus did not reply. Instead he simply radiated with that hungry aura. Was he even human anymore? Beneath those robes? Or just hunger given sentience?

 

“You allowed your emotions to cloud your judgement. You must learn control.”

 

Sion snarled. “Do not lecture me Nihilus, I–”

 

“Enough.”]Nihilus said, slow and cold. “This debate serves no purpose. Traya is no longer of any concern. She is gone, and she is powerless, we must turn our attention to the wider galaxy, to the Jedi."

 

“And we will.” Sion interjected. “We will rally together the remaining fragments of the Sith Empire and make it whole again, and hunt the Jedi down until none remain. But first I will find my former master, and finish her.”

 

“No.” Nihilus thundered in the ancient Sith tongue. “You must reassemble the remaining Sith forces, that is our imperative.”

 

“I don’t take orders from you.”

 

Nihilus turned, the folds in his cloak rippling and contorting, and like some grotesque mannequin his masked face twisted to bore into him with empty sockets.

 

It took all Sion’s willpower to avoid shrinking away.

 

“If you do not act now, what remains of the Sith Empire will crumble, and you will never see the Jedi destroyed. Is that what you want, Lord Sion?”

 

Sion resisted the urge to look away, to divert his gaze from that empty stare. Instead his eye narrowed, and through gritted teeth he complied.

 

“Fine. We will do it your way. But I will find her, and when I do she will die.”

 

“Do what you will, just ensure that our forces are rallied as planned.”

 

“And what will you do? Lord Nihilus?”

 

“I will locate the remaining Jedi, and prepare… to feed.”

 

And with that, he left, brushing past Sion like a cold wind. Sion turned to watch him go, seething on the inside.

 

"But you will soon come to realise that you’ve merely traded one master… for another."

 

* * *

 

Malachor was behind her. Its weight finally lifted. And before her lay the vast expanse of space. She had escaped the crushing darkness, but instead of light she was left with nothing.

 

“Kae.” The voice was faint, but clear. Reaching out from that tiny spark Duuklaf had left her.

 

Master. Master I –

 

“Hush child.” He whispered. “There is nothing more to be said.”

 

No, master. It must be said. I’ve been a fool, a blind, bitter fool. I sought to achieve the impossible, to control what cannot be controlled. If I had but accepted my role in this world, perhaps the galaxy would have been spared the suffering to come.

 

“You still can, Kae. The Force is out of balance, but you can restore it.”

 

But how? The Jedi are all but destroyed and I, I have no power left to give, there is nothing I can do.

 

“You’re right. You can no longer fight this battle. But there is another. One that has the power to restore the balance, and perhaps something more."

 

Who?

 

“I think you already know, I think you've known for a long time now.”

 

Traya looked up at the panelled ceiling, but instead peered into herself.

 

“The one from my vision, on Korriban. The one I saw in the minds of the Jedi Council. In the Archives. The Exile.”

 

“That vision on Korriban, it is a sign that you fates are bound. She is like you, Kae. Lost, deafened to the Force. You must find her, teach her, help her to hear the Force again, and in turn you will hear it again as well. She may be the last hope for the Order, and for the Force. Only she possesses the power to undo what has been done.”

 

But how will can I find her? When I am as blind as she? And what right do I have to teach?

 

“You must have faith, if not in yourself then in me. In teaching her you have the potential to learn something yourself. She could become your greatest student, your final gift to the galaxy.”

 

A final gift. She thought. Yes, for too long have I taken from this world, life, light, hope. Perhaps, before this tired form fails me, it is time to give something back.

 

Where must I go?

 

“There I cannot help you. She is lost to the Living Force, I cannot sense her. You must find her on your own, Kae. I have faith in you.”

 

But… She could feel his presence fading, and then he was gone.

 

Traya rose to her feet, and looked at her hands. They were cold and grey, paled by the taint of the dark side. She closed her eyes, and let a tiny ripple of energy flow through her. Then she opened them, colour restored to her palms and the hem of her robes no longer black but a deep brown. She would appear to the Exile as neither Sith, nor Jedi, light nor dark, and let her decide which path to follow.

 

Wherever you are, Exile. She thought, pulling the hood of her robe over her head, and letting it settle over her atrophied eyes.

 

I will find you.

 

THE END

 

Edited April 8, 2015 by Beniboybling

[Beniboybling]

Added Chapter 29.

[Aurbere]

Traya better run if she knows what's good for her. The Reaper is coming!

[Beniboybling]

Traya better run if she knows what's good for her. The Reaper is coming!

Traya right now:

[Aurbere]

Traya right now:

 

Gold!

[Beniboybling]

Gold!

Never gets old.

 

Added Chapter 30, its not explicit, I swear!

[Beniboybling]

Added Chapter 31.

[Beniboybling]

Added the penultimate chapter.

[Aurbere]

Just got caught up on my reading. Awesome stuff!

[Beniboybling]

Just got caught up on my reading. Awesome stuff!

Thanks! Very much enjoying the exploits of Evil Koon.

[Aurbere]

Thanks! Very much enjoying the exploits of Evil Koon.

 

So evil, lol.

 

I really wish I had gone into his backstory, though. 'Cause it is interesting. Oh well, that's what Prequels are for! Prequels, lots and lots of prequels!

[Beniboybling]

So evil, lol.

 

I really wish I had gone into his backstory, though. 'Cause it is interesting. Oh well, that's what Prequels are for! Prequels, lots and lots of prequels!

Prequels indeed.

 

Added the Epilogue, its been fun!

[omegaalpha]

Very nice reading, I thoroughly enjoyed it :-)

 

I do not know if you have just been writing it in the forums or if you have used another tool (e.g. word) to write it.

If you have, could you provide a pdf of the compiled story? Would be very nice to have, so I can read it all in one place in the future. Thanks in advance :-)

[Beniboybling]

Very nice reading, I thoroughly enjoyed it :-)

 

I do not know if you have just been writing it in the forums or if you have used another tool (e.g. word) to write it.

If you have, could you provide a pdf of the compiled story? Would be very nice to have, so I can read it all in one place in the future. Thanks in advance :-)

I'm glad! Thanks!

 

And sure! I type it up on Word, so I've uploaded it as a google doc for you, you should be able to download it as a PDF.

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11i835SVcuT4CmxdmHSkYG9ikpyccLFff9AhSXDLbYJA/edit?usp=sharing

 

And I don't know if you've read the first installment, Waiting in the Dark, but I uploaded that as well:

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lPastWSVMDM4m1tlcAF4NWHP_eDvxAgJkkXXMf7tx6w/edit?usp=sharing

 

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!

[Aurbere]

Awesome work, man. I absolutely enjoyed reading this series. I loved it!

[omegaalpha]

Thanks for the uploads, I'll make a copy :-)

 

You do not want to add yourself as author?

[Beniboybling]

Awesome work, man. I absolutely enjoyed reading this series. I loved it!

I enjoyed writing it.

Thanks for the uploads, I'll make a copy :-)

 

You do not want to add yourself as author?

*shrug* this thread is the book proper really so I don't think its needed.

 

And your welcome!

Edited April 15, 2015 by Beniboybling