18 Chapter 18: Crystal Stars 5

Thanks to blaze1992 for some quests concepts and spitballing ideas.

To theshadowchaser and vargos for help with SW related issues.

To WarriorsCre3d for creating a custom image for the story.

And theshadowchaser for betaing the chapter.

…

"You are late," Dooku stated simply as I ran into the training room.

"Sorry, sir. I got caught up in a project. With Master Fay. Then I had to. Complete the construction. Of my lightsaber." I replied between breaths.

That was an understatement as after learning the basics of Battle Meditation from Master Rancisis, I'd spent six hours in the Archives with Fay learning what we could about the Temple's history. It had been a long, boring read, but we had managed to rule out the upper 500 levels of the complex, as those levels had all been used during the last major war with the Sith, nearly a thousand years ago. So Master Fay was planning to have us explore the levels lower than that. I honestly didn't expect to find anything above level one thousand – finding out that Coruscant had over five thousand levels was a shock – and so I was wondering how I could fill the time.

"Very well. May I?" He asked with a hand outstretched and I unclipped my lightsaber – and I couldn't help but feel proud at being able to say that – and handed it to him.

He turned it over slowly. While only about two-thirds the length of his, it had the same curved hilt as his own. I had done that purposefully as I was publicly committed to Makashi and he had explained that the curved hilt granted advantages when using Makashi and both styles of Form V, which I would ask him to start teaching me once Makashi was at Savant 1 or better.

The hilt was black, with the actual grip being grey and made of a hard substance that reminded me of the grip of a combat knife in my old life. A small activation button was situated just above where my forefinger would rest and Dooku touched that, making the blade ignite.

That made me grunt quietly. 'I just had to get something different, didn't I?' I pondered as Dooku did a fair impression of a Vulcan brow raise as he examined the blade.

The core of the blade was black, seeming to draw the light into it, yet the corona shone with a brilliant white light. After I had gotten over my initial anger at the colouring, I had noted that neither colour dominated the other. That reminded me of how Master Nilas had described me when I'd first appeared in front of her.

"Darkness touches your soul, yet it does not taint your essence. It makes your shine brighter, clearer than any I have seen before."

Those had been her words and I just knew that she had seen this happening. I was still trying to wrap my head around the Force knowing how certain things were going to go for me, but for now, I would accept it. The Force wasn't actively working against me, so no need to risk angering it; if I even could anger something that couldn't be fully described.

"A unique blade Padawan. One well suited to its owner." Dooku said as he handed the now unpowered hilt back to me. "Now we will work on teaching you to accept the blade as a part of you."

I moved to the far side of the sparring circle we stood in, ignoring the glances and whispers from onlookers around the room as I re-ignited my lightsaber.

NOTICE:You are receiving one-on-one training with a true Makashi Master.25% increase in Makashi XP gains while training with the master....

I subtly waved away the notice, even as a small grin appeared on my face. These training sessions would make getting to Master 1 – and completing the new quest Expert Duellist, that I'd generated during lunch – by my birthday much easier. It was still going to be a challenge, but 3000XP just for Master 1 made it worth the effort.

"Begin."

…

…

Eight days we'd been at this.

Eight afternoons where we'd travelled downwards from the Jedi Temple into the bowels of Coruscant looking for the corruption that I knew – but Fay only suspected and Dooku didn't believe existed – was below the temple. After spending another day researching in the Archives, we had managed to determine that there couldn't be any corruption in the first two thousand or so levels below the main Temple, as these were all mapped out.

We'd left via speeder after lunch each day and only returned to the temple seven or eight hours later.

We had passed the three-thousandth level below the surface two days ago and I was getting concerned if we'd even find the source of the corruption before my birthday and me leaving the Temple with Fay.

Oh, don't get me wrong, leaving the temple – and Coruscant in general – was something I was looking forward to, but I wanted this quest cleared before then. That was also why during the last eight days I'd changed my studies to focus on just my computing skills, instead of a broad range I had been forced to learn when I was an Initiate, so that I could level those skills quicker and not have to worry about the related quest; Just Don't Get Caught as time went on. That I could maybe gain access to the Holocron Vault with high-level computing skills long before I became a Knight was a nice bonus.

Plus, the eight days hadn't been a complete waste. We'd discovered about four dozen lightsabers – of which I had managed to stash a pair in my inventory – and a handful of holocrons on and around the skeletal remains of Jedi and I'd also come across few thousand credits.

I had expected the credits to be useless at first, after all, what currency is still the same and valid a thousand years later, but my powers had just added them to my total. Now I just needed to try to buy something with those stored credits to see if they were useable.

On Dooku's instruction, I had logged where all the bodies of fallen Jedi were so that they could be gathered and burned on mass later. While their names had been long forgotten to the ages, both Jedi Masters felt they deserved to be treated with honour and respect. Though I was certain that a few at least were Sith, I had to agree with the decision.

"Which level have we cleared now?" Dooku asked with a hint of annoyance as his eyes narrowed and his hand torch illuminated the corridor in front of us.

"I believe this is level three thousand, one hundred and twenty-nine," Fay replied in her usual calm, serene manner. "I understand you place little faith in these explorations, but both our Padawan and I feel there is something down here that poses a danger to the Temple."

"I am well aware of your reasons for these daily examinations of the levels under the Temple, yet I again believe that you are both sensing the general decadence of the planet." Dooku countered as I struggled to not smile at the interplay.

Dooku was the epitome of nobility in the way he behaved; always placing stock in rules and what he knew to be true. He dealt in certainties and formal approaches to most matters. The Force was there to aide us with suggestions.

On the other hand, Fay was very much a feeling, caring, individual who subscribed to the belief that life was to be lived by following the Force, to let it guide you where it needed you to be.

"Our opinions amuse you, Padawan?" Dooku asked with a single eyebrow raised, noticing my smile.

"No, sir. Well, yes, but probably not for the reason you think."

"Then what is it about us you find so funny?" Fay queried with a small smile of her own; that one that she seemed to have when she knew an answer but didn't want to tell you what it was.

"Forgive me if I overstep, but from my time within the Temple, you are both rebels." Fay chuckled gently while Dooku's eyebrow rose higher. "I mean that while both of you are Jedi, neither of you are, well, willing or concerned to follow the general notion of what a Jedi should be.

"Master Dooku, you are always in control. You are calm and controlled while willing to do what must be done to achieve your goals, and yet you seem driven to know more than others.

"Master Fay, you are, forgive me for saying it like this, someone without obvious direction. You seem to want to just float around and let what comes come.

"You both prefer to deal with what is happening around you in your own ways and not always in strict accordance of the Order's rules.

"This is why I feel you are both outliers within the Jedi. You do not follow the common approach I was taught over the last year regarding who and what a Jedi is. In fact, your approaches are similar to what my grandfather explained to me about the ways of the Ancient Jedi before I came here."

Both Masters looked at each other when I finished and seemed to communicate with each other without talking. I was guessing a bit about both of them, but since I had a former life, and people I knew for that, to compare them too, I felt my guesses were reasonably accurate.

"Your observation is accurate, if unrefined," Dooku stated once they had both looked at me again. "While Master Fay and I see the role of a Jedi, and what it should mean to be one, in different ways, we do both agree that the standard methods used by the High Council are… lacking."

Fay shook her head even as her smile returned. "You can take the boy out of Serenno…" She chuckled a little before she continued. "Your assessment of us is correct, young one. We are both non-conformists to what the Jedi Council wishes all Jedi to be; as are many others. And yet, so are you.

"You challenge authority at times yet are content to obey it at others. One moment you seem driven by some force, pun intended, while others you are happy to simply be." She shook her head even if her face should clear signs of amusement. "You are in many ways, an interesting blend of Master Dooku and myself."

"Indeed. I have noticed that you go out of your way to help your clanmates, as a good Jedi should, yet you don't waste time sprouting platitudes or false praise. Even those I feel are not worthy of being a Jedi you still help. Why is this?"

I thought for a moment on how to phrase the answer without revealing my suspicions or plans.

"Even if there are some within the clans who aren't taken as Padawans, that does not mean they are no longer Jedi. Nor that the Council should just shunt them into what are essentially dead-end jobs without at least speaking to them.

"Dropping these so-called 'failed Jedi' off on farm worlds is sure to breed resentment among them and since, to me, the Jedi see emotions as something to avoid at all costs, this makes it likely that at least some of those designated for assignment will grow angry and frustrated. This leads to the Dark Side, or so my teachers claimed."

"And you feel there is a better way?" Dooku questioned in a softer tone than normal.

"Possibly. I know the Jedi Order is set up as a non-profit, but couldn't those reassigned be placed in some form of secondary training, or leased out to help with major problems? For example, I read that Mandalore is now a largely barren world. Couldn't the Council and the corps they oversee do something to help restore the planet?"

"Mandalore is an interesting example," Fay began, glancing at Dooku as she spoke. "But your idea has merit. I will speak with Master Rancisis who serves as the leader for the Council of Reassignment."

I gave Fay a nod even as I glanced at Dooku. I was aware of his recent history regarding Mandalore – I'd read about it early on after arriving in the temple since I was curious as to how the Mandalorians from KOTOR had become those from The Clone Wars – and learnt of Dooku's last Council-assigned mission there.

It had explained to me how Dooku had first met Jango Fett and I assumed that this failed mission was used to recruit to the Mandalorian to become the template of the clones of the GAR. I was still in two minds about stopping Jango being the template as even if I removed him, I was sure Sidious would find another template and I had no idea if the new choice would be better or worse in the long run.

"Master Dooku, is everything alright?" I asked slowly as I mentally turned on Player's Mind to block him sensing that I knew more than I should.

"Yes, yes. As Master Fay said, your idea has merit," he replied quietly and without all his usual certainty. "I just have strong, opinions, regarding Mandalorians. Or a certain group of them at least." He finished as his eyes narrowed at what I assumed was the memory of the Battle of Galidraan.

I knew I'd have to ask him about that battle if I travelled to Mandalore, or when I knew him better, but for now, I let the matter drop and sent out a pulse with Detection, and again cursed that the power still couldn't pierce through levels or more than 5 metres of cumulative duracrete. I hoped that changed once it reached Adept 1.

I'd done this about five times every hour each day we'd been down here, along with TK. The TK was just for the XP, but Detection was also to keep an 'eye out' for possible threats. Eight days, and over a dozen levels to the power, nothing had been sensed.

Until now.

"Um, I don't think we're alone," I muttered as I glanced down the corridor where Detection had sensed six presences a few hundred metres ahead. The same corridor that we needed to head down to find the stairs to the next level.

Sadly, while the power let me know if something was there, it didn't seem to be able to tell who or what was there, which did limit its potential, but even knowing where possible enemies were was something that I wasn't going to ignore.

"I believe you are right, young one," Fay said as her eyes narrowed a little and her tone lost some of its light and casual energy. "Not sentient, but not simple either. And anger, aggression, that we are in their territory."

"Perhaps sub-dwellers?" Dooku suggested as I noticed he was now palming his lightsaber. "Or another of the creatures known to live in the depths."

"Probable, and a problem." Fay glanced down at a datapad she had that contained the limited maps we'd been able to find of the lower levels. "If the map is correct, then they are blocking our route down."

"Can we go around them?"

Fay shook her head at her fellow Jedi's question. "From the old schematics that we found on level twenty-sixty-seven, no. All the other egresses are blocked or destroyed from the scans we've taken."

"Hmm. Then we will simply have to convince these creatures to let us past." Dooku stated as he slid his lightsaber into his hand.

"Stay behind us, Cameron. It is not that we doubt your ability, more that we do not wish to be placed in danger." Fay explained as she gently pushed me back a few steps.

"I have killed before." I countered bluntly, glad that Player's Mind was already running. I could wait for combat to begin, but that split-second where it isn't on, then is, could cost me.

"Yes, I am aware of the events leading to your being at the Temple," The Jedi Master said with a small smile that failed to reach her eyes. "But that was a situation where you were fighting for your very life. This may not be such a setting." She paused and glanced down at me, her eyes locking on to my own. "Remain behind us while we attempt to calm these creatures."

"Yes ma'am," I replied with a small sigh. While avoiding conflict was safer, I knew I could gain XP from combat since I'd earned about 800XP from killing the Sith apprentice and two of the pirates while escaping from my home. It wasn't much, but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to earn more if I had to fight, though I knew that if I started killing for XP, I risked heading down a dark road that I wanted to avoid; Force powers or no.

I unhooked my lightsaber, but I followed Dooku's behaviour and didn't ignite it as moved down the corridor, and as we rounded a corner we came upon an animal of some form.

They looked like dogs, yet they weren't. They were all about a metre long and had pale, white skin, large ears and some very sharp teeth. But what drew my attention was the lack of eyes.

"Why don't they have eyes?" I asked quietly as I watched the creatures amble around. They either hadn't detected us or didn't consider us a threat.

"Large areas of the lower levels of Coruscant have limited or no light. These creatures have clearly evolved to no longer rely on their sight." Dooku explained in a breath barely above a whisper.

"I have encountered similar creatures before. Judging by the ears, I believe that they rely on echolocation to detect their prey; which we would be doubtless if given the chance." Added Fay in a gentle voice as I tightened the grip on my lightsaber.

Slowly, cautiously we approached.

Even with trying to minimize any sound we made, the beasts seemed to sense us and turned our way; teeth exposed and a deep, guttural growl-like sound coming from them.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand as the largest of the pack stalked towards us.

And then they suddenly stooped.

I looked from the beasts to see both Jedi Masters were standing calmly with their hands raised towards the beasts.

I mentally sighed in annoyance at missing out on the XP as one by one, the beasts fell into a slumber.

"What was that?" I asked once all the beasts were asleep.

"The Force grants us the ability to calm the hearts and minds of beasts, and even control them to a degree," Fay explained. "The ease to do so depends on the animal in question and the strength of will of the Jedi but it is generally possible to avoid needlessly killing creatures that are only a concern due to their territorial nature."

I nodded along even as I spotted Dooku moving slowly though the pack of creatures. The man still held his lightsaber in his hand as he moved through them, clearly cautious that they may wake.

"The path is clear; however, I advise caution. Just because they are now sleeping does not make them any less of a potential threat," he remarked quietly.

I gave a quick nod in understanding and moved quickly but cautiously to join him, Fay right behind me. Once we were clear and heading down the stairs to the next level, I pulled up a notice.

Force Power Discovered!Beast ControlGrants the ability to calm, control or even dominate a beast/creature....

I waved away the notice even as I placed seeing that used a few times in the movies or Clone Wars. I didn't think I would need it much, but a new power was always welcome. Though I was still annoyed about missing out on the XP I'd expected to get for defeating the beasts.

As we reached the next floor, Fay turned to face me.

"Has anyone counselled you about having to kill to escape the Sith?" After getting over the shock of the out-of-the-blue question, I shook my head in the negative.

She sighed loudly and looked upwards. "Disappointing, but not unexpected." She looked back at me and continued; "When we return tonight, both Master Dooku and I will speak with you about those events. Being in such circumstances, and being forced to take a life, can have a grave effect on your mental wellbeing and we would be remiss in our roles as your Masters to not ensure you are healthy in body and mind."

"Yes, ma'am." She smiled and stepped beside Dooku while I realised that she was the first to ask about how I was after killing and knowing my grandfather was killed, and she had only done it after we had avoided our first potential combat situation.

It was a worrying reminder to me of one way in which the Jedi seemingly failed the children in their care. Though perhaps because I was a unique case, it had not occurred to any of them to ask; not that that was much of an excuse for ignoring a child with a potential combat-related mental disorder.

Shaking my head at finding another failing of the Jedi Order, I cast Detection once more and frowned.

"I think this level is inhabited," I said slowly as the power identified nearly two dozen beings within its range, most congregated in a large group directly down the corridor in front of us.

"Yes, there appear to be lifeforms up ahead," Agreed Dooku as he again took the lead. "These, however, are not simple beasts." He added as we reached a doorframe and spotted creatures within.

These had the same pale, white skin, and sharp teeth as the canines above, yet these walked on two legs and their skin was hanging loosely from their frames. Their ears were seemingly merged with their eyes and I thought I saw something move behind the skin where an eyeball would be for most beings.

I counted over two dozen of the creatures ambling around the hall, but another blast of Detection told me there were another ten that I couldn't see.

"Troglodytes, wonderful." Dooku murmured as we stepped back from the doorframe. "I suggest we find another route."

"Yes, that would be for the best," agreed Fay. "While not sentient, these beings are intelligent and far more difficult to persuade with the Force." She added to my unasked question.

We returned to the stairs and tried two more routes, but both were blocked with fallen debris, and I was beginning to suspect that we'd have to fight our way through the Troglodytes when we reached the last possible way around the room.

"This is our only option," Dooku stated from his advanced position. "Padawan, stay to the rear and make sure that none of those beasts attempts to encircle us."

I nodded my consent and slipped behind the two adults, though I unhooked my lightsaber just in case it was needed.

We moved slowly down the corridor, taking each corner cautiously as we stepped and I used Detection before each turn as an extra precaution.

"It appears we will need to force our way through," Dooku stated in a voice barely above a whisper as we rounded yet another corner and saw that the about two-hundred metres ahead, a doorway opened onto the corridor and a group of about eight Troglodytes were ambling around.

A glance at my mini-map told me that the doorway probably opened up onto the hall that we were trying to avoid.

"I think that door leads to the area where we first encountered these creatures," Fay added, not realising she was agreeing with my mini-map.

"Then if we wish to continue to the next level down we will have to find a way past them," Stated Dooku with a tone that hinted at annoyance. "We could calm them easily, but that runs the chance of others through the doorway still sensing them."

"Why not calm them, then lead them towards us to stun?" I suggested. "That should help clear out this group without alerting the others."

Both Jedi looked and me for a moment, before sharing a glance.

"An interesting solution," Dooku said with the barest hint of a twitch to his lips. "And one that avoids bloodshed. Unexpected."

I felt a little affronted that he expected me to suggest just attacking them. Which admittedly I had considered for the XP alone, but the sheer number of the creatures within my detection range – about fifty all over the level – made me cautious about doing that.

"Still, it is a good plan," Fay added with a smile as she turned and extended her hands towards the creatures. Slowly, each of them stood and shuffled towards us.

Once they were close enough that he was certain they were out of range of the door, Dooku extended his hand and began to stun them.

Not wanting to miss out on any XP from that, and seeing an excuse to use level up a Force Power, I joined him and quickly we had eight soundly sleeping creatures at our feet.

"A successful plan. Well done Padawan," Dooku commented as he stepped over the stunned Troglodytes to take the lead.

"It is refreshing to see one so young realise that not all problems are solved with the use of force." Added Fay as she fell into step behind him.

I followed their path through the sleeping beasts, only to become curious and reached down to gently touch one.

ID: Cthon [Creature]Status: StunnedParty XP Gain: 37Do you wish to loot the body?Yes/No?

'Yes.'

3 credits added!…

Looting these bodies were going to be a waste, but at least I now had a name for the creatures. Though I did wonder what it meant exactly by Party XP Gain and how that was applied. Did Fay and Dooku also have levels of their own, or was it just a way to limit me gaining too much XP from allowing others to fight beside me?

A glance at my status showed I had gained just under 200XP since the start of the day. Without knowing the exact breakdown of how Party XP was calculated, I couldn't be sure, but it looked like I gained about 10XP for each Cthon and beast that had been stunned.

'Perhaps I get a bigger part of that if I am the one who stunned them? Would that also apply if I killed them, and would the XP gain be greater?' I pondered as I stepped through the sleeping Cthon.

"We must move quickly and quietly past the door," Dooku said as I finished stepping past the sleeping creatures. "I will go first, followed by you Padawan."

"Yes, sir."

Suddenly Dooku was harder to spot, and I had to focus carefully to see him as I realised that he had summoned the Force to hide him, and I realised that this was what Force Camouflage looked like to others.

With silent steps, he moved quickly past the door and once he reached the other side turned back to face us.

A quick series of hand gestures told me that there were three Cthon near the door, but none were actively looking out into the corridor.

Figuring it was better to use the same power as Dooku, I activated Camouflage and walked quickly to where Dooku was waiting.

His brow rose a touch as I moved, I assumed because he didn't realise that I could also use Force Camouflage, though he said nothing until Fay was across and we had moved a few metres past the doorway.

We moved quietly but quickly away from the occupied hall and soon found the way down to the next level.

"This could be a problem," Dooku muttered as we reached the next level, and found ourselves in a giant hall full of dozens of Cthon.

The nearest Cthon spotted us before we could do anything and screamed; drawing the attention of every one of the other Cthon in the hall.

Every Cthon turned and to face us and screamed as well before charging as one.

Dooku and I ignited our lightsabers and stepped forward as Fay lifted her hands.

A Cthon leapt at me from my left, and I instantly raised my lightsaber to slice it clean in half.

Three more charged from my right and I pushed them back roughly with the Force even as I sliced two more Cthon apart.

I couldn't risk a glance at either Jedi Master as another seven Cthon advanced on me and I was forced to twist and turn to avoid their claws even as I struck at them with my blade.

A female scream made me spin and I saw that Fay was covered in a net, which was pulsing with electricity.

A growl came from where Dooku was.

I grunted as my vision was blocked by bursts of blue and my hands spasmed.

Realising I was caught in a net the same as Fay, I tried to use my lightsaber to slice the net, only to grunt as my empty hand touched the net and collapsed to my knees.

I needed a way out of the net and without my lightsaber, that was not…

I used Teleport to move backwards about five meters and sighed at losing the feeling of constant electricity surging over my skin.

A guttural scream drew me back to my surroundings, and I saw over a dozen Cthon closing on me, the nearest already raising their fists or primitive weapons to attack.

Reaching out with the Force, I grabbed any piece of rubble around me.

I accelerated them around my body before pushing out the rubble, sending it roaring at anything around my body, mentally hoping the Force and the weak sense of where they were, to prevent me from hitting Fay or Dooku.

Grunts, gargles and other guttural sounds were heard for a less than a minute.

I opened my eyes, not even realising that I had closed them, and almost gagged on what I saw.

The floor around me, and at other spots around the hall, was covered in a disturbing mix of white loose skin and red blood with bones and other solid parts of what I assumed were Cthon internal parts, jagging out of the blood and skin.

"Padawan," I turned at the soft voice and saw Fay, who was now free of the net and kneeling next to me. There was no smile gracing her face, and a hand came to rest on my shoulder. "Are, are you well?"

"I... I think so," I mumbled out. Player's Mind was engaged and had helped me think and act during the battle, but it had disengaged the moment the battle was over, and now I had to deal with having slaughtered so many creatures.

Yes, it had been done to save my own life – and that of Fay's and Dooku's – but seeing the… carnage I had wrought with unleashing such a common/basic Force Power was disturbing.

"I, I didn't mean to do this," I said slowly. While the aftereffects of the battle were easy to handle, due to my past life, knowing that I had done this, and how easy it had been to do, were going to take some time to accept.

"No, you did not. However, if you had not, we may all have died." Dooku stated solemnly as he surveyed the room. "While, excessive, your efforts were successful in saving us."

Fay's head snapped around and she glared at her fellow Jedi Master, but she didn't say anything to him. That was the first time I saw her face marred by anything approaching anger, and I knew I never wanted to see such venom turned my way, nor see her features damaged by such a reaction.

"We should return to the Temple," she said slowly as she turned back to look at me. "This has been a... taxing, moment."

"No!" I replied more forcefully than I intended. "No. I'm ok to keep going. We can talk about this later, but I feel we are close."

I used Detection and gasped at sensing something unexpected at the far side of the level. Something painful, angry, tormented was where my mini-map suggested the stairs down to the next level should be.

"There's something close, something off," I muttered as I closed my eyes and reached out with Detection again, only to recoil at what I sensed.

Darkness, pain, fury, desire.

"Yes, I too sense something. It resonates with the Dark Side, but I am not sure if it is this taint you both claim to believe is down here." Dooku added, agreeing with me.

"That we would find anything tainted with the Dark Side shows that our theory has merit," said Fay, countering Dooku's scepticism. "However, I am wary of placing our Padawan into another potential situation so soon after this."

"Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger," I muttered. "Something my grandfather used to say," I added quickly as an explanation.

"Not an entirely Jedi outlook, but true none the less," Dooku stated, giving me a fractional nod of approval.

"Very well, but Cameron, you are to remain behind us at all times from now on. I will not risk losing my first Padawan in centuries on our first mission. Neither the Force nor I would not forgive myself." Fay said with a sigh, once more reminding me of just how old she truly was.

She may look to only be a decade or so physically older than me, but she was not. The records in the Archives stated she joined the Order as one of the first Initiates on the cruiser Chu'unthor, which was launched approximately five-hundred years ago. That was the best I could do for discovering her age, as the records generally never stated how old a Jedi was when they were discovered and brought into the Order.

We moved slowly at first, Fay not wanting me to go too fast, through the hall and surrounding corridors – which were devoid of life without any sign of bloodshed – before picking up our speed once she was sure I was ok.

I would've liked to have stopped as my FP was barely above 500 after the battle, but I knew if we did stop, Fay would force us to return to the Temple. I stopped running Cloak and avoided using Detection and by the time we neared where I sensed the darkness, my FP had returned to just over 1500.

As the entrance to the next level down came into view, I spotted three new creatures.

These looked to be twice the height of the Cthon, and they had red, leathery skin, though it was uneven as were their heads, and none of the three looked the same.

"Wonderful," Dooku commented as the three beasts spotted us.

The creatures resisted Fay's attempt to calm them, and Dooku was forced to kill two before the third showed a hint of intelligence and ran away, heading down the stone tunnel.

It seemed that this level was the last of any initial temple as the tunnel headed inwards to the mountain instead of twisting around it as the last one-thousand plus levels had done.

"Hopefully he doesn't have any friends," I said, which earned me glares from the Jedi Masters.

"Perhaps you would be wise to not suggest such things," Dooku stated with a grunt.

Fay smiled, but it was more of a grim smile than one of genuine happiness. I silently wondered if the Force took the place of Murphy in this universe.

The tunnel was longer and darker than anything we'd come across previously, with Dooku and I using our lightsabers as torches. From the time given by my interface, it seemed to take us about five times as long as descending between levels before the tunnel widened out into a cavern and as my eyes adjusted to the limited natural light, I groaned.

The beast that had run had gathered nearly a dozen of his friends, all of whom were waiting in the cavern, and growling at us.

"My fault," I muttered just as the beasts charged.

Dooku stepped forward, and almost lazily, avoided a clawed hand before slicing off the arm it was attached to, then pivoted and slashed another beast across the chest.

As that happened, Fay flicked her wrist, and sent two of the beasts flying into their brethren, knocking out five of them as the combined mass of limbs struck the wall; which was accompanied by the cracking of more than a few bones.

I had barely even managed to step forward to help when the last two beasts ran into the cavern.

"Sorry," I mumbled out as Dooku turned to glare at me.

"Perhaps next time you will be more careful with your words," he stated as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt.

"Yes sir," I replied, even while cursing that Murphy was a thing here.

"This cave is within the mountain itself. There was nothing in the Archives that even hinted that such a thing existed." Fay said as she stepped past us and examined the walls of the cavern, only to pull her hand back sharply. "This place is tainted."

I used Detection and instantly regretted it as my mind was overloaded with whispers. Whispers of anger, of power, of rage, of taking what I wanted. An image from the crystal cave on Ilum flashed through my head and a glance at Fay had me glad I hadn't yet started puberty.

It was a little overwhelming and I slammed on Player's Mind and instantly the whispers ceased. This ability was so over-powered as to be ridiculous, but right now, I wasn't complaining.

"Cameron?" I turned and saw Fay looking at me.

"I am fine ma'am. Just a little unexpected to feel such… chaos."

"That is one word to describe what runs through this place," Dooku added without really opening his mouth. "Be wary, I sense that the taint is nearby and guarded."

"You now believe we are right about the taint?" Fay asked with a smile that failed to reach her eyes.

"To deny what I can see and feel would be a lie." He replied as he took point and lead us into the cavern.

For a few minutes, we walked with no light save that from our lightsabers, until the cavern began to narrow, and a small, narrow archway appeared. One that seemed to be marked with marking akin to hieroglyphs.

"These are ancient Sith markings," Fay commented as she floated her hand centimetres above the markings, seemingly being careful to not touch them. "I recognize a few from memory. They speak of, a well, used by warriors before battle. These say this temple was created to corrupt or dominate the nexus that is the mountain."

"A Sith Temple here? One that predates the Jedi Temple. How is this not known to the Order?" Dooku asked, probably more to himself than us as he stroked his beard. "How could the High Council not be aware of this?"

"Perhaps we can ask them after we've dealt with this place," I suggested, though I doubted they knew anything about this.

"Yes. Now let us see what awaits us within."

"Cameron, perhaps you should wait here," Fay suggested, placing a hand on my shoulder and giving me a motherly smile. "Whatever is inside will be dangerous and exposing you to such darkness is not something I am comfortable with."

"No. I helped you find this place; I should see things through." I countered. I was worried that if I did not help to clear the dark-side nexus then I'd fail the quest. And I was all but certain that with Player's Mind active that I was safe from any possible corruption.

Nothing so far, beyond being a new experience, was tempting me to go crazy and kill everyone. Though perhaps that is how falling to the dark side begins?

I remembered my talk with Revan and the discussion we had on trying to achieve balance with the Force. Could I use this as the first way to prove that I was serious about finding another way and impress Revan?

My body being rocked gently drew me from my thoughts.

"Cameron? Are you well?" Fay asked, her brow creased with concern.

"Yes, Master. I was just considering if there was a way to balance the taint here." I replied, making both Jedi look at me as though I had grown another head.

"Balance the taint? Not remove it?" Dooku asked slowly.

"Yes. Everything must exist in balance, right? I mean, if the ecosystem of a planet is unbalanced then eventually the animals and sentients living there will die out unless the balance is restored. Why should it not be the same for the Force?"

"So you wish to bring balance to the Force?" Fay asked, her brow creasing so much that I worried about her eyebrows going int other eyes.

"Yes. And no." I replied and sighed. "I am aware of a… prophecy that some have applied to me but that is not what I am thinking about. The Sith, the Jedi are two sides of the same coin. Two extremes of a pole. Too much one way, and nature, the Force, reacts and seeks balance. But often this tilt the other way takes things to that extreme."

"You seek to remove enough of the taint of the dark side within this place to bring it into balance. Neither light nor dark, just strong in the Force?" Dooku asked as he again stroked his beard.

"Yes."

"Interesting. But perhaps we should wait to see if such a thing is possible until after we secure the source of the taint." He stated and pivoted sharply to face the archway. "I sense danger inside, but not something we cannot handle if we work together."

"Agreed. But as I said, Cameron stays behind us." Fay added and I realised that the reason Fay had given me a shake was that I had spaced out while thinking about what to do with the dark side nexus.

As we stepped through the archway, a deep, animalistic growl echoed around the next cavern. Once that seemed to vibrate up my spine.

"Oh fuck me sideways," I muttered as, from the light that somehow was seeping into the far side of this new cavern, stood a giant beast that I remembered from the movies.

"How did a Rancor end up here?" Fay asked with a small shake of what I hoped was not fear. I did not need the two Jedi Masters to be scared of what we faced.

"The better question would be what has this taint done to it and the other beasts," Commented Dooku as he pulled a second lightsaber from his belt – one we had collected of a dead Jedi a dozen or so levels above – and ignited it.

I looked carefully at the Rancor and noted that it was different from the one in the movies. This one's skin was darkened, almost black in places, and extra spikes seemed to sprout from the skin where it was darkest.

The beasts that had been in the last cavern where here too, and a half-dozen or so of them also had darker skin and spikes.

"This is going to be fun," I drawled without any feeling.

The Rancor roared once more and then charged.

…

Yes, a bit of a cliffhanger, but I needed somewhere to stop, and this was the first point in the scene where it could be done.

...

Normally I wouldn't mention another story here (as what I like may be different from you readers), but there are now two other Star Wars stories using a Gamer-like system.

A Galactic Journey by CloudSerpent

Star Wars: Ravager by Fanofallthethings

Also, since a few ideas that will be appearing in this story match up with ideas in a story I enjoy, I felt it appropriate to add a link to that as well.

Augment Gothic by gothicjedi666

Feel free to check them out if you want.