Prolog (2)

2 BBY

"Could you explain further?"

" Let's see. Starkiller also known as Gallen Marek, Vader secret apprentice thought he killed me after seeing me fall into the opened jaws of the Sarlacc. Vader teachings are few and as I know him, almost everything he taught to his apprentice are lightsaber skills and destructions skills." She said with a giggle. " Calm and versatility never was Vader strength, that's why his skills are what they are despite his overwhelming potential. If he was more focused and patient, he would already have learned almost all the use of the Force and wouldn't be forever the puppet of the emperor or forced to wear that dark armor."

" Nice, I think you have a lot to teach me about Vader but what is the relation with you faking your death?" He asked her.

" Patience is a virtue. Let's resume, Vader didn't teach anything besides fighting skills to his apprentice. This is this lack of knowledge that I used to fake my death, I willingly fell in the jaws of the sarlacc."

" That's crazy no one ever survived to this."

" Maybe, I tried my luck. I was controlling the sarlacc, to begin with, and this creature eats the food it has ingested after millennia. All I had to do was keep my focus and ordering it to not eat me, but it was weakened by the fight and the sarlacc injected me his toxins. This explains my current health situation, as you said no one survived to the sarlacc until now, no antidote exists." She said while sitting down with difficulty on a fallen tree trunk. " Now tell me why are you here?"

" I stole some data from the Empire and got chased by Vader. So, Master Ti why are you staying alone on this planet in your condition?" I said while giving her a survival ration from his ship.

"Thank you, young one." After that, I and my astromech droid started to repair the shuttle. The damages were pretty heavy, it would take several days to make it fly again.

"There was no ship on Felucia before you landed in catastrophe, but even if I could have left, I wouldn't, I can't maintain myself alive for a long time using the Force. Soon, I will die, even if death is part of life, I will leave this world with regrets."

She stayed sat and watched me work in silence until I found it disturbing and started the conversation.

"You talked about Vader, you knew him personally before?" Knowing the past of the Empire hero could be interesting.

"He was a Jedi, the one with the highest potential ever seen in all the Jedi's history. In the past, he was called Anakin Skywalker, a passionate man, full of impatience, anger, and remorse. In our arrogance and ignorance, we didn't saw the harbinger of his fall into the dark side. Our mistake cost dearly to all the galaxy and permitted the Empire rise."

"Arrogance, Jedi's aren't supposed to be humble and benevolent?" Her statement made me raise an eyebrow.

"That's where our arrogance lied, we thought we were wise and knowledgeable. We thought our way was the only one correct. We were old, blind and in the wrong, we should have stepped down, the young generation was ready for what was to come but we believed them to be immature and ignorant. Once again, we were wrong." Her tone became more and more melancholic, almost teary.

I didn't talk, I let her paused while focusing on the reparations.

"We were used to an era of peace, and ignorant of the Siths. Before Darth Maul's death, it has been centuries ever since the last time we had to face the Siths. During these times, we became complacent and arrogant. We were taken in the turmoil of the Clone Wars and forgot that we should serve the people of the Republic and not the politicians. It was the beginning of our downfall."

"I'm sorry." It was the least I could do, she was visibly remorseful, but I didn't know what to do to help her.

"You don't have to be. The Jedi's code forbids emotions, however, all the Jedi council felt fear, otherwise, we wouldn't have wrongly blamed our members based on suppositions, or forbidden some knowledge and techniques. Knowledge is a form of power, and we were afraid of it. We breached the code but, we preferred ignored it and do as if nothing was wrong."

After that, she didn't talk but settle for observing me working on the reparations of the shuttle and soon the night fell and the temperatures became colder but still hot.

"Want to sleep in my ship. I have beds, even if they are not comfortable." At my question, a slight smile came to her lips, after raising herself from the trunk with a bit of difficulty, she made her way inside the ship.

Following behind her, I showed her a room before talking about her health condition.

"You should be examined by the holo-medical droid, even if he can't give you a cure, maybe he could find something to delay the progression or lessen the pain."

"Thank you, I will do that, and then I'll sleep. Good night." She said with a nod before switching on the medical device.

As she was being examined by the holo-droid, I started the reparations of the hyperdrive, the external damages would still take time to repair, but I'll do it by the day. Later, I heard the door to her room close. While she was sleeping, I continued the reparations of the ship.

When I learned the truth about her, I had the idea to ask her to train me as Jedi, but seeing her mood, I doubted that she would agree. Furthermore, the Empire is still hunting Jedis even now, even if the purge happened more than 15 years ago.

Finally, I went to sleep in the middle of the night before tiredness makes me commit a mistake and blow up the ship by accident.

The next morning, I woke up early even if I didn't sleep much, a habit I got after working as a bounty hunter for some time. I was surprised because a breakfast mostly made of fruits was prepared but I had almost nothing left except my survival rations.

"Surprised, are we? To a Jedi, nature and most animals are dear friends, it's even truer for me. I'm not boasting, but taming a sarlacc isn't an easy feat." She said that while giving me an orange fruit with a tough and thorny skin. "Peel it with a knife, then you can it eat, it has a sour taste but I find it tasty."

After that, I resume the reparations of the ship, and we continued to talk again sometimes about my past, sometimes about her or of the planet. It took me 3 days to fix the hull and reactors of the ship.

"What did you mean when you talked about the young generation?" I asked her as I finally finished the external reparations and stepped toward her for lunch, once again it was fruits.

"It's one of the regrets I have, in the past, 2 young padawans left our order, Barriss Offee, and Ahsoka Tano. Barriss didn't trust the Jedi Order and detonated a bomb in the temple to make react peoples, and we falsely accused Ahsoka. Finally, after some investigations, Ahsoka was acquitted and Barriss was condemned."

Sigh

"The two of them were exemplary and may have been able to change the way things have gone. Don't get me wrong, I'm not resentful of Barriss, she was right, during her trial, she made a speech for everyone to hear, and she was right, she was totally right. She saw through the fog that we, her masters couldn't. Ahsoka was Anakin's padawan, a bright girl, intelligent, determined and upright, but because of our fear, we doubted her, imprisoned her and hunted her in the streets of Coruscant."

"When she was proven innocent, it was already too late, she had lost her hope and trust in the Jedi Order. Ahsoka left the order soon after. Some years ago I heard that when she learned the identity of Vader, she assembled a commando and tried to bring back her ex-master from the darkness. She died trying. This what I meant when I said that we should have stepped down and given their chance to the young generation Because of arrogance and pride, we lost two of the most impressive Jedi that could have been."

After saying this, she was lost in thought and silence took over, until I said something that would change my life forever

"Once the reparations are finished, I want you to train me as a Jedi."

She raised her head with a stunned expression on her face but said nothing, she lowered her head and looked toward the ground in silence. The rest of the day was painfully silent, we didn't talk and the only sounds we could hear were the animals in the jungle.

At night, the hyperdrive was fixed but I still had to check the life-support system and the secondary systems. As I was going to sleep, I heard my door open, Shaak Ti was standing here at the door with the light illuminating behind her.

"I won't train you as a Jedi. I'll train you in the way of the Force and you'll have to make your own opinions, no Jedi's teaching. I want you to have your own view of me, the Jedis, the Siths, the Republic and the Empire."

She didn't let me respond and left, letting me stunned in the dark.

The next days with the last repairs and tests, we were ready to go. We left Felucia and headed toward Lianna a near world where we could buy foods and some things Shaak Ti said she needed to teach me, as well as the medicines to keep Master health stable.

Lianna was located in the Outer Rim territories and at the core of the Perlemian Trade Route. A world loyal to the Emperor so we had to be careful, but the nearest base of the Empire was on Belderone, and I heard enough stormtroopers weeping to know this the place where they send the waste of the army.

I wasn't totally clueless, by myself I learned the basic telekinesis and the Force Push /Pull, the techniques the Jedis were famous for, but except that I didn't know much by the beginning of my training under master Shaak Ti.

Next, we headed toward a neutral planet, Phindar in the Outer Rim, the Empire doesn't care about it, it's far from Coruscant and most of the planet is made of jungles, swamps and great mountain ranges. I landed the ship at the foothill of a mountain, destroying at the same time some trees as the jungle was neighboring it.

Finally, my training in the way of the Force could begin. My training was divided into 3, in the morning I trained in the various ways to use the lightsaber and learned how it is made and the history of the most famous weapon of the galaxy. In the afternoon, master Shaak Ti trained me to feel the force, the various way to use the force and meditate. In the evening, she gave me history lessons about the galaxy, the Jedis, the Siths, tales of battle and everything else.

"Master, why can't I learn another form first, Shii-Cho is too easy and I already memorized the movements." In the morning, 2 weeks after the beginning of my training. I was impatient at this time.

"You have to be patient, and you may know the movements, but you are far from mastering Shii-Cho. Master Kit Fisto used Form 1 that you are calling simple to fight his opponents and few were those who could equal him in a fight. Now, continue to train, my impatient student." She answered me with a smile as she watched me swing her lightsaber.

The ship was our home in the jungle. We couldn't sleep outside, the local fauna was not what you could call friendly which kept away unwanted visitors. Several species living on Phindar are able to kill men easily either with poison, sharp fangs or corrosive acids.

When it rained too hard, we passed the days in the ship and she trained me to block blaster fire using her lightsaber while using the force to detect it as she blinded me with a cloth. Even when I became able to do it easily, I continued to train using the Marksman-H training remote, I loved this floating ball it became my playmate most of the time.

"Lesson: The dark side is a seductress, ready to offer you everything to drown you in, lying, corrupt you. You may have the impression that Siths are stronger, but this is false. The Dark side gave more raw power at the beginning of your learning, but it takes something from you. In the end, light and dark side are equals, your strength depends on your skills and knowledge."

It was one of the few warnings she gave me toward the dark side, I thought they would be more but she didn't anything else even after all my asking. I thought that maybe she would explain later.

As I began my training later than most novices in the Jedi temple, I learned faster but was far from my master either in strength or wisdom. After training the Shii-Cho for four months, master fought me to test my levels of skills. To compensate for her sickness, she used the Force to reinforce her body to fight in normal conditions. As we used wood sticks and not stunning lightsaber of training, I was beaten black and blue.

"Good, you progressed, from now on, I will teach you the other forms until you reach a correct level in each style. Then you'll have to find which one suits you better or if none suit you, create one, it will be harder but I can give you tips with all the experience I accumulated through my life." She said while sitting on a chair and exhaling a long breath.

1 BBY

With time, we learned to know each other, she was like a second mother to me who became an orphan all those years ago. Master Ti health was far from good, at the end of the first year of training, most of the still vivid red spots on her skin were replaced by dull gray, and her coughing became recurrent.

By the end of the first year, I was trained in all traditional lightsaber fighting styles and finally chose to specialize in Jar'Kai. I also had a good level in form 5 Shien/Djem So, I'm used to fighting using twin lightsaber, but this form his my favorite if I use one lightsaber only. Reflect effectively blaster shot is a must if you have to fight against the Empire troops, and the reverse grip, the variant form give a solid defense in melee.

I didn't progress only in lightsaber skills, I learned other skills with the Force other than those I knew already and three basic forms of meditations.

The skills I learned were: Force Jump, Force Enhanced Condition, Force-enhanced physical endurance, Faresight, and Force stealth. It was a pretty incredible feeling to feel yourself become more powerful and skillful with each passing day.

When I learned the skill Force Stealth, Master Shaak Ti insisted on the fact that I shouldn't underestimate this skill but I knew it already from the history lesson that she gave me in the evening. It was the skill that used Palpatine, the Emperor to fool them and destroy the Jedi Order from the inside. I strived even more to reach my Master's expectations.

0 ABY

An evening during the second year of my training, she finally explained she wanted to achieve in training me.

"We lost a lot of our knowledge as the years and wars went by. For example, during the sacking of Coruscant by Darth Malgus or with Dooku betrayal, we lost a lot but not everything. One of the oldest archives of the Jedi's talk about a world called Tython, the homeworld of the Jedi Order. These archives describe Tython as a world deeply linked to the Force. So deeply linked that an imbalance in the Force could trigger natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, sandstorms and many others. This extremely powerful connection may be one of the reasons to explain why Tython became unhabitable." She raised her head and smile seeing me totally hooked by her story.

"Our ancestors, the Je'daii didn't focus on the light side or the dark side. No, they focused on balance, an excess on either side would cause a disaster that could destroy them. Around Tython orbited two moons, Ashla the light moon and Bogan the dark moon. Their goal was to reach Balance in the force, the Bendu. If an individual wasn't able to balance the force in him, he was sent on the corresponding moon in order to reachieve balance between the two aspects of the Force, he had to meditate while watching the moon symbolizing what he was lacking. Now, we lost this aspect of balance, this is why I accepted to train you. After the downfall of the Jedi Order and my failure to protect the Jedi legacy, I asked myself if we were right or not, but I was sure that the Sith weren't and I remembered the Je'daii philosophy and even the Jensaarai. I want you to reach a balance between light and dark."

After this revelation, training continued and sometimes while I was buying food stocks in a city of Phindar, I heard about the creation of a Rebel Alliance, apparently, they had a Jedi among them, but when I heard the description, I understood who was the Jedi, Gallen Marek, the man responsible for Master Shaak ti poisoning by the Sarlacc. It may have been rebels members in disguise because I heard he was among them and later the Empire propaganda said that he was dead, killed by Vader.

When I told her about it, she told me to not pay it any attention, and be glad that he became the enemy of the Empire. I must find balance and not lose myself and become a trivial Dark Jedi.

After several more months of training, I finally reached my second year of training under Master tutelage. My lightsaber skills became more refined and deadly, my skills in the Force became even better, even surprising Master Ti, she said: "You have a strange way to use and think to the Force." Because I always asked her if could use it in a different way to do something else or even asked her if she knew techniques unique to particular Jedi and tried to recreate it.

Maybe it was to celebrate my second year of training or because she thought I was skilled enough. Master announced to me that I should try to travel and find my lightsaber crystals and then assemble my own lightsabers.

After meditating a few hours and connecting myself to the force, I had the vision of a world, Velmor located not too far away.

"I know Velmor, the political situation is quite complicated in this world. The king has been killed, the heir fled and a prince influenced by the Empire is waiting to take over, but an old tradition is currently blocking him. We must be discreet." She said in a tone of warning.

"As always," I answered her with a smile.

We arrived in Velmor orbit several hours later, from up there Velmor was beautiful with large oceans and greeneries.

"It made me think to Alderaan." I said while leading the ship toward the landing spot indicated by Master Shaak Ti.

"Now we have to search for your crystals."

"We can't buy it? They must have mined some of these crystals are exclusive to this planet." I asked her.

"No, ever since the Empire rise, everything related to the Jedi is forbidden and the black market is closely watched. The only place where you could buy crystals or lightsaber parts without too much worry would be in the Hutt's space. Here, on this planet, we have to be wary of the Empire spies. We'll have to find your crystal the old way."

We searched several hours for my crystals, visiting this world was pleasant, wild grasslands and old mountain ranges covered the planet's land surface. Large oceans and scattered inland seas provided the planet with good living conditions. It was really one of the most beautiful worlds I've ever seen.

Finally, I felt something and headed toward the foothill of a mountain where I found a wide natural tunnel. Inside, Master lit her lightsaber to illuminate the way. After walking several minutes, the tunnel became narrower, but I saw a reflection in one of the walls. Taking out the dagger out of its sheath, I dug out two small yellow crystal, those I saw while I meditated on Phindar.

Cleaning them from the dust, I show them to Master who after looking at them told me with a smile.

"Congratulations, you found two Velmorite crystals. These crystals give a yellow blade and can be found only on Velmor. In the past, they were used to produce high-quality Velmorite energy swords, and when used in a lightsaber, this crystal creates a fine, thin blade for graceful and fluid wielding.

"I can't wait to build my lightsabers." I remember this moment, I was so happy, I could finally build my own lightsabers.

"I know this feeling, but you must not rush the building of your lightsabers or it could cost you your life." She said with a smile while we walked toward the exit of the tunnel.

We made our way back on Phindar where I could buy my lightsabers as Master still had a few spare parts left and most of the few parts were used in other fields and weren't banned by the Empire like the crystals.

While I bought some materials to build it, I heard an announcement of the Rebel Alliance. They must have taken control over a communication tower somewhere.

After the Rebel Alliance official creation, peoples all across the galaxy started to hope, but without a good demonstration of strength, the future of the rebels appeared rather bleak against the war machine which was the Empire.

But this announcement would change everything: It was a propaganda hologram showing the destruction of the Death Star and the announcement of the existence of a new Jedi, Luke Skywalker. On the other hand, Alderaan's destruction and the death of the legendary figure Obi-Wan Kenobi was a shock for everyone in the galaxy. Still, it was the first big military success of the rebels and with the apparition of a Jedi, a new hope was born.

I remember how hurried I was at that time, I rushed to my speeder and race toward the ship to inform Master of the situation.

"Master! Master! I have great news!" Boarding the ship, she once again told me about patience but I was stunned by what she said before I could tell her.

"I know already, the Death star, the weapon built by the Empire was destroyed and a new Jedi appeared among the rebels and is named Skywalker." She said with a giggle seeing my stunned expression.

"I hate when you do that Master. How did you learn it? The ship received the transmission?"

"No, an old friend told me." She smiled while looking at me.

"But we're alone, and all the other Jedis are either dead or in exile, we didn't even knew Master Kenobi was alive." She said nothing but continued to smile "Master!!" I continued to ask her questions not to avail.

The day after, I finished my lightsabers. I made them identic, and pretty classic, I'd rather have modified it to be more pleasing to the eyes, but we weren't rich and I satisfied myself with the components I could find on Phindar. I used metals for the outer appearance, not something fancy like exotic wood, bones of rare creatures or anything else. It was beautiful to my eyes, had a chromed appearance and a shiny yellow blade. (see Achron SaberForge)

The first time you try your own lightsaber is really a peculiar moment. After that, I became even more hardworking in my studies and training. The training under Master Shaak Ti became more physical than theoretical. From now on, I had to fight against dangerous creatures, neutralize bandits' encampments and sometimes I had to hide from them to practice my stealth and strategic skills.

2 ABY

2 more years passed and my Master's condition deteriorated as my skills became better and better. During all my training, she stayed true to her words and never told any Jedi preaching and only spoke about the facts. It still ticked her off that I admired Revan ruthless strategy, tactical choice, or admire the destructive power of a Sith like Nihilus. Or worse, Palpatine craftiness and manipulative skills.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't admirative of the Sith, but knew how to recognize their strength. Still, I admire Jedi Masters too, like Satele Shan Force skills and diplomacy, Obi-Wan Kenobi composure or Nomi Sunrider skills and sense of responsibilities.

Sometimes we rushed into a debate about the Jedi Order mistakes such as participating in the Sith race holocaust or as to know what may have been done avoid the Jedi purge, but it was understandable. To her who lived in an era I never known, it was painful wounds. The worst one we had was when I openly criticized master Yoda saying that he may have been a good monk or Jedi Master in time of peace but that he was useless in times of conflict and was not fit to be a leader.

I realized my mistake, I was stupid, arrogant and it's easy to make a conclusion once we know everything.

Yoda was known for being the wisest and smartest Jedi of his time. He was an exceptional strategist, being a great contributor to the highest level of Jedi strategy, and was also an exceptional diplomat comparable with the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu.

This is the source of my rancor, if he was so great the why wasn't he able to understand the Jedis he was responsible for, even his own apprentice? But when you think of it, Palpatine not only played Yoda but all the Jedi Order and the Republic. He was a master manipulator in addition to being one of the strongest Sith of history. Furthermore, emotions were forbidden to Jedi. how could he identify something he never understood and experienced himself?

I also developed some abilities with Force visions, at a pretty good level, Master even said that in another time, I could have been a Jedi Seer. It may also be personal, when I discovered I could have visions while focusing on peoples, events or emotions. I immediately tried to find my parents, but Master warned me of the vision and their interpretations. The force shows us the visions, but we have to calm and reflect and analyze them carefully. Otherwise, I wouldn't be the first to lose myself trying to change the future but in fact, putting events in place to make it happen.

Master Shaak Ti was Bedridden by the end of the fourth year of my training and slept most of the time. She refused my begging to take a risk to try to find a medical laboratory with enough medical equipment to find a cure to the sarlacc toxins but refused adamantly. Saying that everyone had to time at some time and that another life was waiting for her.

If her skin was a mix of red and gray before, now her body was fully dull gray with showing dark veins all over her body, was often taken of coughing fit and had bloodshot eyes. I missed her malicious smile she used so often in the past.

"Master, you can't give up, my training is not over." I said to her while I was looking after her.

"Almost…You are ready…What you are lacking is only experience…and more patience." She tried to raise a smile but her lips stayed frozen. "Search in my bag… I left my notes about the Force and personal experiences in a Jedi Holocron… These are for you."

After I took everything out of her bag, I began to listen to the Shaak Ti hologram created by the Holocron patiently. Until I felt Master giving me her hand. I smile and hold her hand, and then I saw her close her eyes with a smile.

I knew what was to come, Master heartbeat on the monitor near her bed became flat. She died; this was the day I lost my Master's.

But something unexpected happened. Her body disappeared leaving only her clothes and the blanket falling flat on the bed.

"What the!!" I raised all at once, surprised by her disappearance.

"Master, you've still hidden something from me. Wherever you are, I am sure you are smirking." I almost laughed while thinking about it.