A dagger in the dark

Jedi Temple Ruins

Tython

"Turn from this path, I implore you!" the Force Ghost of a female Jedi begged.

"It's too late for that, my former master. The Republic we swore to protect is gone, replaced by that corrupt abomination carrying its name." a man covered by fine brown robes answered.

"It's not too late! You've merely lost your way!"

"Perhaps. But no more than the Jedi of this era. I at least know who and what I am. I found the truth, former master of mine. The Dark Side isn't something to be feared or avoided. We embrace it, yet resist its corruption! Now we have just enough power to start saving the galaxy!"

"Look at yourself. At what you've done! Your actions mirror that of the Sith we fought!"

"Yes, they do. Before you say it, I indeed find it ironic that one of out enemies is here in this time. Fighting to protect their so called Republic. Don't you see?! The very fact that Darth Vael of all people is on their side tells us all we need to know! This Republic is utterly corrupted and needs to go!"

The Force Ghost shook her head in denial. "We both know who really leads the Confederation you helped create!"

"Please, that sorry excuse of a Sith Lord?! This Sidious creature? I've faced and slayed members of the Dark Council. I took the Force Damned Emperor down! Sidious doesn't deserve to carry such a title. We know our true enemy. It's Vael and the Jedi of this era who are falling under his influence. How long do you think it will be before there is an open schism and most of them decide to support him?" the robed man shrugged. "We will tear town this corrupt regime and build the Republic anew. As for Sidious? Vael is doing great at dealing with him and his minions."

"No matter the price? Look at yourself, deluded fool! You poisoned a whole planet using biological weapons! Where does it end?!"

"Ah. That. It was regrettable, but necessary. The Confederation and the Republic need to taste the horrors of real war, not that proxy conflict they've been fighting with expendable droid and clone armies. The Clone wars are no longer the carefully orchestrated theater directed by Sidious. It's a chaotic, unpredictable war between peer opponents. By the time we allow it to end, the galaxy will be ready for change. For salvation."

"And you will be the one to provide it?" the Ghost's voice was breaking with regret.

"Me?! I'm very well aware of my failings. I've flirted with the Dark Side for far too long to be trusted with rebuilding the galaxy."

The Force Ghost of Satele Shan was taken aback by that response. "So you haven't fallen that far..." she whispered.

"Oh, don't be silly, Master. I'm much worse than that. I am very well aware of all my actions and their consequences. Yet I'm doing what I believe to be necessary. Isn't this what's scaring you? That I should have fallen thanks to my actions up to date, yet I haven't? That you can't blame the Dark Side for my deeds?"

The woman who once was the Grand Master of the Jedi Order frowned.

"I may very well fall before the end. There are good people who will put me down in such eventuality, as you very well know." the Jedi shrugged. "So what is the purpose of this visit? You haven't made yourself known lately."

"You are still searching for the child. Do you have any idea what will happen if you actually manage to get your hands on her?"

The man in brown raised his head. Only the lower part of his face was visible under his hood. He was smiling. "Once we have her on our side, Veil will show his true colors for everyone to see."

"You've gone mad, apprentice. You very well know what happened when those fools killed his wife. You know he won't suddenly start making mistakes."

"Of course not, that would be too much to hope for." the Dark Jedi shook his head in amusement.

"Why do you want him in such a fury again?"

"All I need him to do is to stop holding back and show the whole galaxy how a true Sith wages war. The Confederation will make a splendid target for his wrath."

"And a new order will raise from the ashes of war. It's been a long time, Grandmaster" a new figure entered the clearing where the entrance to the Jedi Temple laid. She was female humanoid, clad in a sealed power armor.

"General. I wish I could say it is a pleasure." Shan glared at the newcomer. "So it's you who are supposed to rebuild the galaxy in her image."

"I will uphold my oath no matter what. The people of the Republic deserve better than to be exploited by a bunch of corrupt fools, who are protected by the Jedi. Even after all those years, that haven't changed. It almost makes one think that the Sith had the right idea."

"So that's your plan? Let the galaxy burn and build yourselves a little empire on the ashes?"

"Of course not! We will reforge a nation in the fires of war. This conflict will purify the galaxy making the restoration of the Republic, of real democracy possible!"

"You two are mad!"

"No more than you for imploring us to support another corrupt government! It happens again, damn politicians protected by Jedi are letting the galaxy burn just as it happened during our conflict! If the Empire hadn't splintered in a civil war we would have lost because of the likes of you! Because of the corruption you protected!"

"Ahem. Technically we did lose the war before the Empire self-destructed." the Dark Jedi quipped.

"I rest my case." the armored figure glared at Satele Shan.

"What nonsense is this?! I, we did our duty! To the Republic and it's citizens! We swore to protect the Republic and we did! Most of the Order perished, dying to protect it!"

"NO! All you did was fight and die to keep the status quo! Instead of changing to meet the Empire on even ground, the Republic stagnated, became weaker, all the while we fought, bled and died to protect a state that was no longer worth it! Not again!"

"I see." Shan muttered. She glanced at her former apprentice. "There is no convincing you to turn away, is there?"

"No, master. We are way beyond that. I need follow my heart in this."

"Some times I think that those who wanted us to divorce ourselves from our emotions had it right." muttered the former Grandmaster.

"As if. If we had followed that way, the Sith would have destroyed us a long time ago. It's not like it works for the current generation of so called Jedi either. They are pale shadows of what they should be."

Shan gave a long, wishful look at her apprentice and faded away.

"I'm sorry. I know how much she meant to you." muttered the Old Republic General.

"It's fine. We've had that argument ever since I decided to walk this path. I'm grateful that you and your soldiers decided to follow me, my love."

"We take our oaths seriously and it isn't to this so called Republic. We will rebuild our nation from the ashes. There is nothing else left for us in this day and age."

"There is nothing less that we can do." the Dark Jedi agreed.