The Master waits aboard his flagship to launch the next step of his plan

 

 

It had been five days since the Battle of Bothawui, The Master's fleet had gathered above Koros Major to prepare for another wave of attacks. But three of his students were missing. The Historian, Assassin and Shadow had not yet returned from their attacks. Surely the Alliance had not proved difficult to overcome? Perhaps they failed and were killed in battle? No, The Master refused to believe it. His plan was perfect, and his students were more than capable of defeating Alliance defenders. But their absence troubled The Master greatly.

 

Suddenly the holocommunicator of his personal hoverchair, projecting a holoimage of The Soldier. "Master... I have bad news."

 

The Master could feel what The Soldier was about to tell him. Solemnly, he replied. "What is it?"

 

The Soldier wiped his brow with one of his broad hands. "We found The Historian... he's dead."

 

Dead? The Master's heart sank. A single tear ran down his cheek only to be stopped by the healing wound on his right cheek. "Dead? Is that so? Bring him to me. We shall see him off in a fitting way." Another tear. Sadness... it was... unfamiliar.

 

The Soldier's image bowed. "Yes Master."

 

The Master deactivated the projector and leaned forward to see his reflection in the viewport. More tears rolled down his face.

 

 

The Lance sat a safe distance away from the sun of the Empress Teta system. The remaining Watchers stood around to a large durasteel casket outside the ship's main airlock. Many of The Watchers cried over the loss of The Historian, but not The Brain, Soldier and The Master.

 

The Master placed a hand atop the casket. "The Historian was a dear friend to all of us and will always remain with us in spirit. In life he gathered the knowledge of the galaxy, chronicling the history of the galaxy. We had spent many hours together as I recounted the events of my past. He was close to all of us."

 

The Master paused and looked up from the casket and looked at each of The Watchers. The Lore-master was wrapped up in the arms of The Guardian, her black hair covering her face, but The Master could see the tears fall to the floor. The Beastmaster and The Brain solemnly stood beside each other staring at the casket. The Soldier put one of his broad hands on The Master's shoulder.

 

The Master shrugged him off to continue. "Friend. Student. Historian. Brother. You were known in many ways, and you shall be remembered as such." The Master carefully guided the casket into the airlock and stepped back as he closed the airlock, sealing the casket in the airlock. The Master activated the venting procedures for the airlock as he continued. "So now we see you out, letting The Force guide you." The casket drifted out of the airlock, headed on a collision course with the bright yellow sun. "To your rest." The casket became enveloped in the heat of the sun and was disintegrated.

 

The Master approached The Lore-master and presented her with the curved hilt of The Historian's Lightsaber. "I'm so sorry." He said as he walked away, leaving her to her thoughts.

 

The Master entered the bridge, followed by The Soldier and The Brain.

 

"What now, Master?" The Soldier asked. "Where do we go from here?"

 

The Master placed his right hand on the main viewport. "We continue the plan."

 

The Brain stepped forward hastily. "That's it? No retribution? No response? He was killed by the Jedi! We must respond immediately!"

 

The Soldier stepped forward to stand by The Brain's side. "I agree. He was killed by Jaina Solo. We must strike back!" He joined The Master at the viewport. "What about Project Death?"

 

The Master waved him off. "Project Death is not yet complete."

 

"Then what of Operation Eleven? Just give me the order and I-"

 

"No." The Master cut The Brain off. "Operation Eleven is a last resort."

 

The Brain threw his hands up in frustration. "So do nothing. This is not right!"

 

The Master turned around, fire in his eyes. "Look around you! Nothing we are doing is right! We are doing what is necessary to save the galaxy! Not follow our emotions and exact revenge! You swore an oath to do what is necessary to save the galaxy! The Watchers do what is necessary, not what is right."

 

The Brain was silenced by The Master's outburst. Never had they seen The Master act like this.

 

The Master regained his composure. "Leave me. Continue searching for The Assassin and Shadow."

 

The two Watchers bowed and left The Master alone on the bridge. The Master returned to the viewport.

 

There would be retribution. This act would not go unpunished. The Master swore it. He had reached The Breaking Point. In response to The Historian's death, The Master would burn Coruscant.

Nooo! Not the Historian!

 

Still puzzling over that cut... just have to wait and see I guess

Nooo! Not the Historian!

 

Still puzzling over that cut... just have to wait and see I guess

 

You must have missed the previous chapter. It gets explained there.

You must have missed the previous chapter. It gets explained there.

Gah! How did I miss that, ah I see know... interesting. I look forward the second, possibly third sacking of Coruscant (when will those guys learn )

Gah! How did I miss that, ah I see know... interesting. I look forward the second, possibly third sacking of Coruscant (when will those guys learn )

 

Probably never

 

I do think you'll be surprised by the ending to this installment.

 

Revenge. It was a base desire. The Master thought himself above such things, but he never thought one of his students would fall in battle. The desire for vengeance was overwhelming. He tried to fight it, to keep a clear head, but such an act could not go unpunished. The death of The Historian would be repaid in blood. Not just Jaina Solo's blood, but The Master would bleed Coruscant itself.

 

After everything he had done to weaken the Galactic Alliance they still fought. Their resistance was admirable, but wasted. The Master saw all things, all roads. No matter what happened he would be victorious. But he had learned not to rely on visions a long time ago. He would ensure his victory over the Alliance and his conquest of Coruscant with one more battle, one more nail into the coffin: Balmorra.

 

Balmorran Arms served the Galactic Alliance faithfully, providing an assortment of weapons, heavy droids, and assault tanks. Removing the factory would deprive the Galactic Alliance war machine of a vital asset, but it wasn't enough. He would dispatch the majority of his forces to Balmorra while he personally saw to negotiations with the Kuat nobles.

 

 

The Master's Defender-class starship floated into a large hangar along the large ring-shaped shipyard that surrounded the planet Kuat. Attatched to the shipyards were the unfinished husks of various starships under construction. Not for long, of course.

 

The Master disembarked the Defender to find awaiting him... nothing. The hangar was vast, but besides a few labor droids and cargo crates was empty. The Master suspected trouble, and he was right. To his right opened a large bulkhead door. From this door came a cadre of at least ten security guards armed with stun sticks and light blaster pistols. Surely Kuat of Kuat could throw more at him.

 

The guards surrounded him, weapons raised. If they had peaceful intentions, The Master did not allow them to be shown. He raised a hand and sent bolts of White Lightning from his fingertips at them, killing each of them in seconds. Their charred husks dropped to the floor as The Master walked past, headed for the man in charge.

 

The Master strode the long halls of the shipyard with purpose. He had a plan and intended to follow it. The meddlesome guards proved no challenge, each group dead before they could fire upon him, victims of his potent power.

 

Eventually he reached a large door decorated with ornate symbols. It was obviously Kuat of Kuat's office. The large door slid open as The Master approached. Inside was Kuat sitting at his desk studying what looked like a datapad. The Master entered the room, ducking under a wide swing from what appeared to be Kuat's royal guard. The Master reacted quickly, grabbing the guards arm and snapping it at the elbow. He then turned the guard around and snapped his neck. It had happened in a flash, the fight lasting less than five seconds.

 

He turned to face Kuat who was shocked at the speed at which the guard had been slain. "The courtesy of your hall has lessened since last I was here, Kuat of Kuat." The Master then took a seat in the soft ergonomic chair that sat across from Kuat.

 

Kuat set the datapad he was studying on the desk. "That's what happens when you make bad business with your contractors."

 

The Master nodded in agreement. Kuat wasn't wrong, the war had been a shock to the galaxy. "I had assumed the shipyards could handle the demands for war."

 

"They have been. I was referring to your little attack on Rothana. Do you know how difficult it has been to keep up with the demand of the Alliance? Not to mention your little project."

 

The Master let out a small chuckle. "Little isn't the word I would use for it. But to answer your question: No."

 

The aging administrator sighed heavily. "At the rate you're going, we won't be able to continue building it."

 

"Project Death is the greatest assignment Kuat has ever taken on. Surely you can handle this? The great Kuat Drive Yards is a massive network of shipyards. Can you not handle this war?"

 

"We've been working with the Mon Calamarians closely, but we are having difficulty keeping up with the demands of this war."

 

The Master suspected it would be so. "Which is what I have come to talk about. I'm afraid your contract with the Galactic Alliance must come to an end."

 

The shock of his demand was visible on Kuat's face. His mouth hung open, he was speachless. "A-are you serious? Who do you think you are making such demands?"

 

"I'm the guy that can kill you in an instant. I'm the guy that will bring war to these shipyards should my request be denied."

 

Kuat got out of his chair. "You can't be serious! We can't just close such a contract!"

 

"This is about money, is it not? I can provide credits. More than you think."

 

Kuat slammed his hands down on the desk. "It's not about money! We uphold our contracts. Kuat Drive Yards was commissioned to build ships, we can't just back out."

 

The Master stood up now. "Indeed? Perhaps my dealings should prove more fruitful with your successor." He pulled out his Lightsaber and impaled Kuat in the chest. He pulled his Lightsaber out of the man's chest and deactivated it. "I had hoped these negotiations would have ended differently, but I suppose this would have happened eventually. I hope your replacement will be more inclined to listen to me."

 

And with that, Kuat of Kuat died. But his loss would serve to aid The Master's cause. His death protected Project Death and allowed The Master to take indirect control of the Kuat Drive Yards by using Kuat's replacement to hinder the Alliance.

 

The plan proceeded perfectly, as The Master had foreseen.

Chapter 17 takes place at the same time as Chapter 16

 

 

Aboard The Unstoppable, The Soldier watched the Battle above Balmorra unfold. Laser blasts were exchanged between The Watcher's ships and the three Super Star Destroyers that guarded the planet. Starfighters engaged in their dogfights only to be interrupted by the missles and torpedos fired from either side.

 

As The First of The Master's students, The Soldier held the highest authority of The Watchers when The Master was away. He would use this authority to direct the other Watchers to use their abilities to tear apart the Alliance fleet. The Lore-master projected her Battle Meditation from the safety of her ship The Crusader to weaken the resolve of Alliance fighters. The Brain activated the communication jammers of The Master's Will to stop the Alliance fleet from calling for help. The Beastmaster launched transport pods from her ship The Evolution of Warfare. These pods contained swarms of Gizka strapped with deadly bioweapons. From her meditation chamber aboard The Indomitable, The Guardian created a powerful Force Barrier to protect The Watchers' fleet.

 

These tactics created chaos in the Alliance fleet. The Lore-master's Battle Meditation caused pilots to crack under pressure, the loss of communications caused the Alliance fleet to lose contact with both the pilots and other fleets. The bioweapons quickly began killing the crew members onboard the Super Star Destroyers. And while this chaos ensued, any attempt to damage the Watchers' fleet was met with the powerful Force Barrier projected by The Guardian.

 

The Soldier had created the perfect offensive and quickly moved The Unstoppable in to engage at the enemy at point-blank range. The Soldier's flagship had the greatest firepower in The Master's fleet, and he planned on using it to great effect.

 

Indeed as the fleet moved in, the Alliance ships began attempting to retreat. The ships of The Assassin and Shadow would have been useful here. Their ships were armed with Gravity Well Generators and Cloaking Generators. But they had not been seen for quite some time. Perhaps The Master was using them for some purpose The Soldier could not comprehend? It mattered not. He was victorious above Balmorra and all that remained was destroying Balmorran Arms.

 

 

Balmorra had never truly recovered from past battles. It still bore the scars of the Great Galactic War, several crashed starships remained on old battlefields. Deformed Collicoids built nests within these starships and attacked all who dared to near them.

 

The approach to Balmorran Arms was littered with crashed starships, fertile fields still recovering from past battles, and Collicoid nests. The old wars had truly hurt this planet, and this war would be no different.

 

The scarred battlefields of Balmorra once again saw another battle, this time between The Watchers and The Galactic Alliance. Plasma rounds from both sides were fired across the destroyed plains, into the opposing lines of battle droids and soldiers. Massive Collicoids emerged from their burrows to attack either side, intensifying the chaos that The Soldier reveled in.

 

He charged into the enemy lines, cutting through flesh and steel alike as he cleaved a path to Balmorran Arms. The Guardian leapt to his side, blue lightsaber ablaze, and used The Force to propel a group of Balmorran battle droids aside. The Soldier's red blade cleaved through more soldiers as the two Watchers continued to fight. He twisted left to dodge a pair of missles fired from a large assault droid roughly seven meters tall. Before he could retaliate, the droid was torn apart by an Alchemically enhanced Krayt Dragon... The Beastmaster had brought her pets to do battle with.

 

She stood atop the mighty Dragon, deflecting whatever blaster fire may come her way as her massive pet continued its rampage. The mighty beast shrugged off everything from blaster fire to missles as it crushed those foolish enough to stand in its path. The Krayt Dragon was flanked by two enhanced Rancor monsters, which were followed by a small army of Terentateks and powerful Leviathan creatures. Her monsters rampaged across the battlefield, destroying all in their path. Both Collicoid and man ran in terror before the twisted creatures, and droids were simply crushed. Her army was unstoppable. Even the armies of the other Watchers paled in comparison to the massive monsters at her command.

 

The Soldier and The Guardian fought in tandem as they cleaved through Alliance forces. Red and blue blades deflected blaster fire in a blur of light. The green blade of The Lore-master flew past them, cutting through a dozen men before coming back to her. She wielded The Historian's purple bladed lightsaber in her left hand as she cut through Alliance forces in a flurry of purple and green light.

 

The Brain orchestrated the coordination of their armies from the tail-end of the droid armies. Each droid operated according to his orders and executed his commands with absolute precision. The defenders put up a good fight, as expected, but they were eventually overwhelmed by the massive beasts and overwhelming numbers put against them. The droid armies pushed them all the way back to Balmorran Arms, and quickly killed the last of them.

 

As The Soldier cut through the last Alliance soldier with zeal, he noticed one man standing in the entrance-way of the massive factory. He was a tall man, his hair graying, a full beard dominated his broad jaw. The Soldier noted the Jedi robes the man was wearing. It would have been so easy to simply command the droids to fire upon this Jedi, but The Soldier wanted more. He wanted to face this Jedi in single combat, for he could feel the power this man possessed.

 

The Jedi and The Soldier stepped forward to face each other. The sun began to set on the horizon, causing the factory to cast a large shadow over the two duelists.

 

The Soldier activated his lightsaber, the red blade cast faint red light upon them. "Tell me who it is that I am about to kill." He said with a snarl.

 

The Jedi activated his own lightsaber, a silver-blue blade. "I am Jedi Master Kyle Katarn, and this planet is under my protection. You will not take one step further. Lay down your weapons and surrender... you won't be harmed."

 

The Soldier scoffed at those last words. "As if you could harm me!" He laughed at the elder Jedi. "My master trained me to be the best and named me The Soldier!. My power knows no limits! You can only delay your inevitable death!"

 

With those words, The Soldier attacked. His incredible size and strength was brought to bear in an all-out assault, his red blade crashing down upon Katarn's blue blade. Sparks showered from the mighty clash of their blades. The Soldier let out a fierce bellow as he made heavy downward strikes, using his size and strength to force Master Katarn to stay on the defensive.

 

As The Soldier began pushing him to the outer wall of Balmorran Arms, Kyle kicked him back and followed it with a powerful Force push. The Soldier was knocked back, but quickly leapt back to engage the Jedi Master with even more ferocity.

 

Kyle's defense became desperate. The Soldier continued his assault, battering the Jedi's defenses with zealous ferocity. In desperation, Kyle let out a powerful Force blast and followed it with a burst of Force lightning. The Soldier was unable to raise his lightsaber to absorb the lightning and was impacted in the chest by it. His black armor was singed by the lightning.

 

The Soldier felt the burnt cloth and singed metal of his armored robes. He smiled. "Finally! A worthy opponent. My master had told me the Jedi did not use Force lightning. I am glad to see that at least one Jedi can truly command The Force!"

 

Kyle breathed heavily as he struggled to keep his lightsaber ready. The Soldier's assault had done more damage than he thought. He called upon The Force to sustain him and replenish his energy.

 

The Soldier saw Kyle breath heavily and laughed. "Perhaps I was wrong? It matters not. The battle is over. You need only make peace with the fact that you are about to die." He walked forward to stand before the elder Jedi and batted his blade aside, forcing the Jedi to his knees.

 

He raised his blade for the killing blow, but The Lore-master stopped him. "Stop!"

 

The Soldier kept his blade raised, but did not strike. "For what? I have not killed a Jedi in over a hundred years."

 

She put a hand on his shoulder. "We could use him. The Master seeks information on Coruscants defenses, this Jedi may be of help."

 

The Soldier deactivated his lightsaber. "Perhaps you are right. The Master taught us to only do what is necessary. He has been defeated and may still be of some use to us."

 

Kyle coughed. "I will never tell you want you want. You'll have to kill me."

 

The Soldier chuckled slightly. "I doubt that will be necessary. The Master has broken Jedi like you before. He may even turn you to our cause. He may even enjoy getting information out of you... I certainly will." He laughed again, then bashed Kyle Katarn in the left temple with his lightsaber hilt.

 

The sun had set on Balmorra. The Beastmaster's enhanced Krayt Dragon let out a roar of victory.

Kyle Katarn was... defeated! Impossible!

Kyle Katarn was... defeated! Impossible!

 

He'll be back. I wouldn't kill off such an awesome character!

 

He will play a major role in the next installment.

 

Edit: Looking back on that chapter, I feel like I didn't do Kyle justice. Which is why I plan on having him play a major role in the next installment.

 

CAUTION! SPOILERS FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!

 

 

Edited January 11, 2013 by Aurbere

 

 

Kyle Katarn awoke in a dimly lit chamber. His body was tightly held to a wall by cortosis chains. He tried to pull away from the wall, but the chains were too tight. He couldn't move. After trying to pull away two more times, he relented. He looked around the dimly lit room. On the ground he noticed several bones... human bones. Across the room was a skeleton in the same position that Kyle found himself in. How old was the skeleton? How long had it been here? All Kyle knew was that he didn't want to end up like that unfortunate soul.

 

 

 

 

The dungeons of the Iron Citadel had seen much use during the Sith War and Krath Holy Crusades. The dungeons were littered with the bones of long dead prisoners. The Master had only found use for these dungeons once, but now found himself walking the dusty halls of cells once again. He didn't quite understand why The Soldier would bring a Jedi here, but he would make use of the Jedi's knowledge.

 

The enclosed cell that held the Jedi sat at the end of a long hall of cells. The dungeons had changed since last he was here. The moisture had caused the iron to rust, causing the walls to become stained red. Was it rust, or the blood of the dungeons many residents? It mattered not. Such things should stay in the past.

 

Approaching the thick durasteel door, The Master commanded it to open with a wave of his hand. The door slid open, letting slightly more light into the room. To his left was the skeleton of a Jedi, someone who fought in the Clone Wars. To his right was the Jedi that The Soldier had brought to the Citadel.

 

The Master entered the room, the door closing behind him, and turned to face the Jedi. "Kyle Katarn, I presume. I aided you in destroying Rom Moch's Dark Trooper project, and guided you in your quest to defeat Desann."

 

"What are you talking about?" Katarn fought against the chains once again. "You weren't there!"

 

The Master chuckled. "We have been watching the galaxy for a long time. Since the end of the war with the Brotherhood of Darkness."

 

Kyle paused, sudden confusion spread across his face. "How is that possible? Are you immortal?"

 

The Master leaned next to Kyle. "Immortal? No, simply long lived. Though I will soon cross that barrier and achieve immortality." The Master straightened and walked in front of Kyle. "But where are my manners? I am The Master. I lead The Watchers in protecting the galaxy."

 

"Protecting the galaxy? You are destroying it!" Kyle's anger rose.

 

The Master nodded. "Indeed. We have seen the galaxy tear itself apart for too long. We have decided that we must personally involve ourselves in Galactic affairs, and restore order."

 

"You aren't restoring order! You're creating chaos!"

 

The Master sighed. "Such is the way of war. The Galactic Alliance must be burned to create a path to restore order." The Master shook his head. "But enough of this. I require some information that a Jedi Master of your standing can provide."

 

"You'll never get what you want." Kyle's tone had calmed.

 

The Master smiled a devilish grin. "We'll see." He raised his hands and let loose a torrent of lightning at the Jedi. His screams echoed in the small room, the light from the lightning lit the otherwise dark room. The Master ceased the torture. "You know of what I seek. Spare yourself the pain. Tell me the defense codes for Coruscant and the planet will not suffer the same pain that you will suffer should you refuse."

 

Kyle panted heavily. "Never."

 

The Master shook his head and let loose with another series of powerful lightning bolts, but quickly ended the torture. "It will only get worse from here. Tell me! Tell me what I want to know or people will die. It is not something I can control. People will die during the battle."

 

Before Kyle could answer, the large door to the cell opened and the Captain of The Master's personal guard ran in. "My Lord! The Alliance! They're here!"

 

The news shocked and confused The Master. "How did they find us?!" Just as he asked the question, the answer was made clear. He turned back to Kyle. "You! You called them here? I underestimated you. Seems Luke's teachings are actually noteworthy."

 

The Master turned heel to exit the room when the guard stopped him. "What do we do, my lord? The fleet is at the shipyard! What do we do?"

 

The Master put a hand on the man's shoulder. "We accelerate my plan. Go forth to meet our guests and demand their surrender. You will serve as my voice."

 

The Galactic Alliance had not defeated him. They will not defeat him. The Master's victory was assured. The Galactic Alliance would fall.

This has got to be the best Fanfic I have read here so far! I am closely following it and enjoying it!

 

 

Keep it Aurbere!

 

PS: Need moar <3

This has got to be the best Fanfic I have read here so far! I am closely following it and enjoying it!

 

 

Keep it Aurbere!

 

PS: Need moar <3

 

Well, thanks! I am enjoying writing it.

 

Unfortunately this particular installment will come to an end soon, but the story will continue.

Big surprise in this chapter!

 

 

The black fortress known as The Iron Citadel sat in a wasteland, surrounded by ruins. Past wars had destroyed the surrounding city, and the dominating presence of the Citadel, or the presence of its master, prevented any attempts to rebuild. In ancient times, the Iron Citadel served as the center of the Krath cult, from which the Keto family ruled, and within the Citadel the ancient Sith Lord Exar Kun dueled with Ulic Qel-Droma before the two were declared Dark Lords of the Sith by Marka Ragnos himself. During the Great War that followed, the Citadel was heavily fortified with thick durasteel walls and powerful gun turrets. Now the Citadel lacks any defensive properties, only large spikes dominate its walls and towers.

 

Before the large fortress stood Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Order and Galactic Alliance rallied behind him.

 

The massive iron doors of the Citadel opened inward. No light escaped the Citadel, and no natrual light permeated the darkness that lingered in the ancient fortress. From the darkness came a single man carrying a lightstave. His robes were black, his helm sloped downward, on the face was a black downward crescent. The uniform reminded Luke of Emperor Palpatine's Shadow Guard... until the man closed distance. The helm was open from the mouth to the chin... Luke wished it wasn't. The man had spent too much time in the presence of his Dark Master. The Dark Side had twisted the man's features, leaving his skin pale, purple veins visible running from his lips and disappearing into the folds of his cloak and robes. The man's lips were horribly disgusting, for they were cut at several points and caked with blood.

 

Those who stood behind Luke recoiled in disgust. The man laughed, if one could consider the cough-like noise a laugh.

 

The man surveyed those who stood behind Luke. "My master greets you." His voice was low and rumbled and had an air of dread. "I speak with The Master's voice."

 

More soldiers recoiled as the man spoke, their faces contorted in disgust. Another laugh from the man. "Is there any among you with authority to negotiate with me?"

 

"We do not come to negotiate with your master. Tell him that he is to surrender and release Master Katarn." Luke's voice drew the attention of the man, who otherwise ignored him.

 

The man laughed again. "Ah. Son of The Chosen One. My master wished for you to have this." With his left hand, the man reached into his robes and produced the silver hilt of Kyle Katarn's lightsaber.

 

Jedi Jaden Korr spoke now. "That's Master Katarn's lightsaber!"

 

The man twitched his head to look at the young man. "The Jedi was dear to you?" He sneered. "You should know that he suffered greatly at the hands of The Master."

 

Jaden reached for his lightsaber, but was stopped by Luke, who took Kyle's lightsaber from the dark man. "Return to your master! If he will not surrender... then we will be forced to take action."

 

The man sneered again, and turned back to the fortress. "Prepare yourselves." Was his last words as the shadow of the Iron Citadel.

 

 

Within the deepest, darkest vault of the Citadel, The Harbinger knelt before The Master. Her silver hair fell in front of her eyes, obscuring her vision of The Master. She never understood why he had left her down here when she could have been fighting by his side.

 

During her time in the darkness she studied the many Holocrons The Lore-master had collected for The Master. She learned from Jedi like Vodo Baas, Odan-Urr, and Arca Jeth. Perhaps that was The Master's reason? Perhaps her training was not complete? She intended to find out.

 

"Why did you leave me here?" She said as she knelt. "Am I not ready?"

 

The Master motioned for her to rise. "No. You are not ready. I have a plan, and you being here is apart of that plan."

 

She rose to stand face to face with him. She was seventeen years old when The Master had recruited her. Now she was eighteen years old. She felt she was ready... she knew she was ready. "But now the Galactic Alliance is here! The Enemy is on your doorstep!"

 

The Master put a hand on her shoulder, the touch alleviated her of her worries. "I have a plan. Trust me."

 

She lowered her head, letting The Master's energy calm her spirits. "I trust you, Master." She raised her head to look him in the eyes. She raised a hand and traced the still healing cut on The Master's face.

 

The Master began to back away. "Good. Stay here and wait." He turned to exit the dark chamber. "Keep an eye on my Holocron." He exited the room via a winding staircase.

 

The Harbinger lowered her head again. "Yes... Father."

A big surprise indeed, Aurbere. I really like reading this series. This is by far one of the best fan-fics I've ever read.

A big surprise indeed, Aurbere. I really like reading this series. This is by far one of the best fan-fics I've ever read.

 

Thanks for your support!

 

I plan on making this into a trilogy(maybe even longer than that), so keep an eye open for the next one. A special excerpt for the next one will be posted along with the Epilogue.

 

Luke examined the Iron Citadel, its dark exterior did not compare to the darkness that lurked within. Sharp spikes sat atop the tall walls of the massive structure. The Iron Citadel casted a huge shadow over the army that stood behind Luke. He could almost feel the shadow of the Citadel's Dark Master blanket over him.

 

Luke pulled his lightsaber from his robes. "It's time." The green blade of his lightsaber flared to life.

 

 

It had come down to this. Within the darkness of the Iron Citadel The Master would make his final stand... or so it would seem. Those who stood against him foolishly believed that they had cornered their great enemy, had beaten The Master. But they did not know how foolish they were. They were deceived. The Master had a far greater plan, one that required this battle.

 

So he waited, sitting in his iron chair in the massive Council Chamber of the Citadel. The Watchers that still lived, or were not being used in his plan, stood at the center of the massive chamber.

 

"What do we do now?" The Soldier asked. "Have we lost?"

 

The Lore-master shook her head. "No!" Her voice echoed around the chamber. "My brother did not die for this to happen!"

 

The Guardian the red skin of her brow. "Calm down Lore-master." Her tone soft and smooth. "Trust in our master."

 

The Master leaned into the light streaming in from a small window above his chair. "Yes. Everything is proceeding as I have forseen. Trust in my plans."

 

The Watchers bowed before their master as the massive doors behind them blew open. Charging in through the smoke and dust were several members of the Jedi Council- Luke Skywalker, Kyp Durron, Saba Sebatyne, Corran Horn, and Jaina Solo. The Watchers activated their lightsabers, but The Master stopped them from attacking.

 

The Master stood up from his chair and climbed down the twenty steps to the center of the chamber. "Master Skywalker. I had hoped our first meeting would be under different circumstances."

 

Luke pointed his lightsaber at The Master. "Release Master Katarn and surrender!"

 

The Master chuckled in response. "Surrender? Why surrender when I am winning?" The Master activated his own green lightsaber. "You brought this on the galaxy Skywalker."

 

He lowered his lightsaber. "What are you talking about?"

 

"We have been watching the galaxy for a long time. We watched the Republic fall to the Sith. So I arranged for Emperor Palpatine's defeat at your hands. We thought the Sith were destroyed, but the rise of this Lost Tribe proves otherwise."

 

Luke looked slightly confused. "What does this have to do with me?"

 

The Master shook his head at the question. "In the waning days of the Republic, Anakin Skywalker was given a chance to destroy the Sith. But he failed. And here we are again. You had the chance to destroy Darth Krayt and the Sith, but you failed. Like your father you lack the courage to do what is necessary. Instead of leaving the task to someone like you, The Watchers will personally see to it. We destroyed the Sith once before... now we have come back to finish the job!"

 

With that The Master leapt into battle, crossing blades with the Jedi Grand Master. The other Watchers leapt to engage the rest of the Jedi- The Guardian crossed blades with Saba, The Soldier attacked Kyp Durron, The Lore-master attacked Jaina Solo, and The Beastmaster and The Brain teamed up to defeat Corran Horn.

 

Luke pushed The Master off and made an offensive, employing the wide and quick strikes of Ataru against The Master's Soresu Form. The speed of their duel increased until all that could be seen were blurs of their green blades and the flapping of their robes.

 

The Master hastily parried and blocked Luke's lightning quick blows, he could feel the heat of Luke's blade pass by his skin as he struggled to keep up. In a desperate attempt to regroup, The Master pushed Luke back with The Force and staggered away. He could feel his body tearing itself apart. His skin began to die, leaving several cuts along his body. His insides were shutting down. If the duel continued, he would die.

 

As Luke recovered and pressed for an attack, The Master fell on his back, almost cowering at the Jedi's feet. He used what little power he could muster to stop his students from continuing. They retreated back to the bottom of the stairs that led to their iron chairs.

 

Luke kept his lightsaber pointed at the defeated Watcher. "Why attack the Alliance if your target is the Sith?"

 

The Master's breathing was heavy, he could feel his lungs attempt to expand. "Because... the Sith are... a symptom of... of the failings of the Alliance."

 

Believing that The Master could no longer fight, Luke switched off his lightsaber. "The Lost Tribe of the Sith is not a symptom of the Alliance. You have deluded yourself."

 

The Master coughed. Luke was falling into his trap. "Then show me... Show me your institution... is not corrupt. Let me see... what your Alliance does... with me." He was trying to play Luke, using just enough of his power to plant seeds into his mind. He could feel Luke fall for it.

 

The other Watchers looked surprised. As The Master expected. Luke picked The Master up. "We'll take you back to Coruscant." He looked to the other Jedi. "Bring them too." He said as he motioned to the other Watchers.

 

The Master waved them to stand down. And as the Jedi and Alliance soldiers escorted The Master out of the Citadel, onlookers would see a smile on his face.

 

All part of the plan...

 

Captured by the enemy... disgraced... was this apart of his plan? She could have been there. She could have fought at his side. Why did he keep her in this dark chamber? What is there to gain from being a prisoner of the Jedi?

 

The Harbinger could not answer these questions. She had no answer. She could not fathom the greatness of her father's vision, the complexity of it. She realized that it was not her place to ask these questions, to doubt her father's wisdom.

 

Just as he commanded, she sat in front of The Master's Holocron. The cube-like Holocron was larger than most, and emmitted a green glow that bathed her in light. The Master had told her how this particular Holocron operated, how it was unique. The Holocron's gatekeeper, an impression of her father, maintained a mental link with The Master. This link allowed The Master to communicate his concious thoughts with those who accessed it, almost as if he was before her in the flesh.

 

The Holocron began to glow brighter, the green light casting the darkness of the Iron Citadel's most secure vault. It was almost blinding... and yet somewhat warm. Through the light, The Harbinger saw pieces of the cube move. The top of the cube opened and a small holoprojector emerged from within, giving the cube-like device a semblance to a pyramid.

 

The projector created a life-size image of The Master. The image looked down at The Harbinger. "Ah. Child. You are here."

 

She remained seated, legs crossed. "Yes, father. What are your commands?"

 

The image nodded at the word 'father.' "We have work to do."

 

 

 

 

All stories come to an end eventually and I felt that this would be a good cut-off point for this installment. Not to worry, I am working on the next installment and should have it posted soon. For now, here is an excerpt of what I have finished so far.

 

 

 

Luke and Jaina followed the Jansil into the Warden's office. The office was decorated with several amenities that Luke felt were unnecessary. The Warden's desk had several small and rare flowers in silver vases next to a small computer at the center of his desk. At the back was a large painting of himself holding a baby Akk Dog.

 

Jansil sat at the desk and sighed heavily. "I don't know Master Jedi. Having that guy and his goons here makes me uneasy."

 

Luke tended to agree. This 'Master' was up to something, and Luke didn't like the tension that he was feeling. "You told me that this prison was a fortress, Jansil. I'm sure you can keep him here until his execution." Despite the feelings, Luke remained cautiously optimistic. "I'll be leaving Master Kam Solusar here just in case." If anything, having a Jedi Master here would keep the prison in line.

 

Jansil tensed as he wiped his brow. "Thank you, Master Skywalker. A Jedi should help, but I have this feeling that just won't go away." Jansil started to relax, but that tension returned. "I feel like he actually wants to be here."

Nice, great FanFic Aurbere. I look forward to the next one!

Nice, great FanFic Aurbere. I look forward to the next one!

 

You won't have to wait long. I'm going to post the Prologue of the next one in a few days. Probably the 20th or earlier.