To Kill A Jedi Master (Month 8, 57BBY)

Tarian kissed Amara softly on the lips and took in her scent. He felt her baby bump against him and rubbed her shoulder with his left hand. He closed his eyes so she would and smiled when she drifted off again to sleep. He did not sleep but he didn’t move either. He closed his eyes and tried to ‘see’ using the force. Nothing came to him and, after a couple more hours the ship moved out of hyperspace.

Bolderone was not the beautiful, picturesque world it had been long ago. It was dry and desolate with heat lightning almost always. It had harsh, mountainous terrain and small lakes. The system is situated in the Salin Corridor and it shares a star with another planet, Kulthis. There were humans, Stenax and Firrerreos that made up the society populations and there were massive factories that made machines of war. The Sith base was situated inside a large mountain range and Tarian piloted his ship into a force field that opened up as soon as he drew close to the side of the mountain.

The base was very much like the last one in its appearance and materials and there was alot of movement by workers and soldiers who went about their business. The main difference was a small tram that moved from one end of the mountain range to the other with several stops along the way. Tarian wanted to remain close to where his ship was incase they had to leave in a hurry.

They were approached by Gaerlan, another Sith Inquisitor. “Tarian, the council is in session, they’ve asked for you and Amara,” he said.

Amara fell into a dreamless sleep and slept for several more hours. She awoke only when she felt the ship coming out of hyperspace. She yawned and sat up and stretched. She and Tarian had stored some clothes on board his ship in case they ever had to leave quickly. Amara changed and fixed her hair before she and Tarian disembarked the ship. Their R2 unit went with them this time. Amara had not been to Bolderone and she was not overly impressed by it. However, their new base was here so she would live with it.

She sensed someone approach and she looked over to see Gaerlan, a Sith Inquisitior, approach them. She glanced at Tarian when they were told that the Sith Council asked to see Tarian and herself. They headed further inside the base and located the Sith Council. They stepped inside and Amara remained close to Tarian. She couldn't help but wonder what this was about.

Inside the great hall there was still alot of work that had to be done but the Sith in attendance sent the workers and the soldiers out when Tarian and Amara entered. Darth Maul and Darth Plagueis was there along with other Sith that were on the council. They all looked at them when they entered.

“Inquisitor Tarian...And Amara. We are pleased that you made it here in one piece. Our unexpected retreat had weakened our numbers significantly,” Plagueis said. His long, droopy face and pinkish flesh was not easy to look at and his features were distorted do to his connection with the dark side of the force.

“We have discovered that Count Dooku is the apprentice of Darth Sidious. They are the ones that gave the republic information of our where abouts,” he said and there were gasps all around the room. “This betrayal goes deeper than you know. They are leading this ‘separatist’ rebellion against the republic and apparently want us out of the way,” he said. “If we were not poised to kill them I would congratulate them on their...deviousness,” he added.

“If that is true then it is likely that the Count already has access to a very large army. The Trade Federation, The Banking Clan, The Techno union...others,” he said. “We are no match for all of that,” Tarian said.

“Quite right Inquisitor Tarian,” Darth Maul said as he stepped forward. “The Jedi will soon be onto their plans,” he said as Tarian regarded him. “Darth Maul, you are looking...hail,” He said. “My mother Talzin has healed me,” He said with a grin. “To help lead the Jedi into his plans I am going to kill Mace Windu and YOU, Amara, are going to help me,” He said as he pointed to her.

Amara still felt like an outsider among the Sith, even though she had proved herself over and over again. She felt as if she was still judged and that the only reason she was “accepted” was because she was Tarian’s wife. She tried not to look too hard at Darth Plagueis’ face. It was not a pleasant thing to view. However, what he said caught her attention. Darth Sidious had betrayed them? She knew of Count Dooku and knew he had the means to supply an army. This concerned her as their ranks had been greatly diminished.

Amara glanced at Tarian when she learned that Darth Maul was the son of the Nightmother. This also concerned her. However, in the moment there was nothing she could do about it.

Her head jerked over to look at Darth Maul when he said he was going to kill her old Jedi Master and she was going to help him. She was shocked by this.

“I am with child...two actually. I am in no condition for fighting.”

“We are Sith. The Force is all,” he said as he studied her. “Your presence will unsettle Windu,” he said as he looked at her then he shifted his gaze to Tarian. Maul’s eyes seemed devoid of emotion though his face and head as a Zabrak, was full of color. “Abort the children. I need her to fight,” he said as if he were discussing the weather.

Amara felt something. A surge in the dark side of the force just then. It came from Tarian. “That will not happen,” He said in a dangerous tone. Maul smirked back at him. “She will fight regardless. If not she is of no use to us,” he said.

Amara was shocked by what Darth Maul said. Her hand instinctively went to her rounded belly in a protective manner. Beside her, she felt her husband’s anger grow. However, what Maul said made her realize that what she thought was true. They did not truly accept her. She began to become desperate. She would not allow them to kill her children.

“My daughter will be Talzin’s heir.”

The murmuring began as soon as Amara spoke. And a couple women in the council nodded to her. Darth Plagueis frowned and looked at Tarian. “Is this true?” he asked. “It is, The Nightmother, your mother Maul, is far beyond her years and she is ready to take the long sleep,” he said though he was paraphrasing. Whatever he had to do to get Amara out of this room with their children he would do.

“Then she will fight as she is,” Maul said but Tarian spoke over him.

“Whatever plans are happening, they will not happen soon,” he said as he felt something from Darth Maul that made him feel as if this wasn’t about Mace Windu at all. His instincts told him what he needed to know and he looked at Maul.

“My wife and I will not be pawns for Talzin’s need for vengeance against Count Dooku. Find someone else to kill him for you,” Tarian said. “I have foreseen a great fall for the Jedi,” Tarian said as he turned to address the council. He spoke loud and clear so all could hear him. He had not spoken about this, even to Amara.

“This separatist plot will become the Jedi’s undoing. Even if Darth Sidious is still alive or not, somehow it doesn’t matter. The Jedi will fall with or without our intervention. Without...it is certain,” Tarian said and angry murmurs began to pass between those in the council.

“And...you have foreseen this?” Darth Plagueis asked directly.

“I have,” he said softly and the murmurs turned into open argument. Darth Maul stared daggers at him and Amara. There would be retribution for this, he was certain.

Amara glanced at Tarian when he told Darth Plaeguis and Darth Maul that what she said was true. She wasn't entirely certain that it was, but they were going to do whatever they needed to in order to protect their children. Whether the dream she had was just a dream, or a vision, that had yet to be seen. She remained quiet, but strong as Tarian spoke to the Council. However, when he admitted that he had foreseen the separatist plot being the Jedi's undoing she looked over at him. He had not told her any of this, but she could see from his eyes that it was true. Tarian had kept her and their children safe, but she had a feeling that there would be retribution from Darth Maul because of it.

They left the Council and when they were in private she spoke to Tarian. "Why didn't you tell me what you had foreseen?"

Tarian looked at her and his worry bled through his expression when she looked at him. She had a way she looked at him with her eyes that made him unable to hide anything from her.

“Because of what I didn’t say. Not just the Jedi...but the Sith as well,” he said. “There is no winning side for us. And the nightsisters...they have less time than we do,” he said ominously. “Out of everyone the Jedi...I think, come out of this better than anyone else,” he said.

Amara began to pace. What were they going to do? She suddenly felt trapped and unsure of everything. Nothing was clear anymore. Nothing was certain. She would do whatever she needed to to keep her children safe.

"What do we do then? I'm not sure this is the best place for us. I have a feeling that our children will not be safe here."

Tarian did not want to think about this but he saw how upset Amara was. His plan was to ‘hedge’ their bets. He didn’t like what he would suggest to her and he raised his hand to make certain they were not being observed.

“If we run...we die. I think we should give up one of the babes to the Jedi and keep one and raise them,” he said and waited for the onslought.

Amara blinked at what Tarian said. Had she heard him right? Was he really suggesting that they give one of their children to the Jedi. She opened her mouth to argue with him, but then slowly closed it. He was right. But not for the reasons he thought he was.

"It has to be Kaia," she said. She had already named their children. "They will keep her safe from Talzin and the Nightsisters. I don't want her anywhere near her."

Tarian just looked at Amara for a moment. He felt sick just thinking about giving up his daughter. How could any man do that? It all came down to survival. he wanted his children to live. He wanted to leave something behind after he was gone.

"We're going to have to deal with Maul I think," was all he could say but his face told the story of what he felt inside. He recalled Amara's account when she had faced Mace Windu before.

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Month 6, 58BBY

Smoke filled her lungs and she was forced to hold her breath as she made her way across the battlefield. Behind her were several Sith soldiers and other Sith and their Apprentices. Explosions kicked up earth and rock near them as the Jedi crested the ridge right above them. The artillery suddenly stopped as they were all too close and they did not want to hurt or kill the Jedi. She and the other Sith leaped up the rocky terrain and meet them and when she could actually see who she faced she was surprised to be looking into the face of Mace Windu, her old master.

"Amara? I thought I felt your presence. You will not get those artifacts," he said as his purple lightsaber flashed in a flutter of attacks.

Amara had been training with the Sith for several months now. She was Tarian's apprentice and because of her Jedi training she excelled quickly under his teaching. She had been sent on another mission. This time she was with other Sith. They had been sent to retrieve specific artifacts and she did not intent on failing. The Sith were met by Jedi and an intense battle ensued. Amara had just taken down a Jedi Knight when she suddenly felt a familiar presence...Mace Windu. She turned to face him just as he attacked. She blocked his attack and countered it. Her gaze narrowed at him in anger as their lightsabers met with a loud crackle.

"You just left me. You had no intention of ever coming back to find me. How could you do that to me?"

Their sabers met in a crackle of energy. Red and purple sparks flew around their sabes where they connected. “I had no way to get to you and I had to try and save everyone I could save Amara! But what does it matter now?” he said as he continued to ply his strength against her. “You’ve gone to the dark side,” he said and he twisted and blocked her swing at his back then twisted again as she blocked his side strike at her neck. It was then that she knew he intended to kill her. She blocked a blaster bolt with her lightsaber from a republic soldier and Mace blocked several from Sith soldiers as he killed one of them with his saber. Amara had to fight off a Jedi Apprentice but her strike only wounded him and he fell back and slid down the embankment. Before she turned back to face Mace he struck at her leg. She hopped over his strike, hopped over him completely and landed onto his other side. He swung to block her attack and once again their blades met as they pressed back on one another.

“You’ve grown stronger then when last we sparred. The dark side has seduced you, my greatest pupil and my greatest disappointment,” he said.

Amara felt her anger grow, but she controlled it. She didn't want to let her emotions overwhelm her. She needed to be able to focus. She knew that Windu intended to kill her. She had known him since she was a child, but that did not seem to matter to him. Amara was fast and accurate with her strikes. She fought hard and did not hesitate.

"I've grown stronger because of the Dark Side and Tarian. You held me back...stunted my potential. Tarian has unleashed it and he would never leave me the way you did."

Mace didn’t say so, he wouldn’t but Amara’s skill with a lightsaber had impressed him. Even so he knew he needed to put her down or bring her back to the light...somehow.

“So that’s what this really is about? You feel abandoned? You should know by now that the Sith are nothing more than self-minded assassins. Selfish and filled with greed and lust for power. You once felt the calm of the light side Amara. Use it now to bring the truth back into your mind,” he said. THey exchanged another quick flurry of blows. Those that watched actually paused in their fighting to watch the magnificent display of saber skill. Amara knew Mace was better though, if not by much. He was better and his strength in the force dwarfed hers. She needed to take him out soon or he’d end up killing her.

The rocky terrain they were on was pretty high up from the sandy, flat bottom. Rocks skittered and bounced down from where she stood as she fought Mace high up on the ridge. Mace was so fast and as she fought she realized that her side was losing. Mace was just holding her up, that was his plan all along. As she deflected his attack she flipped back as she did Mace held up his hand and she felt him ‘force push’ her into the air. She felt herself flung in mid air backward off of the ridge. As she flew she deflected several blaster bolts from jedi soldiers and she landed and rolled up back onto her feet. Mace stood on the ridge and looked down at her. She knew he intended on reengaging her if she waited for him. To the side she saw one of the speeders loaded up with several crates of artifacts. The driver saw dead but there was a Sith soldier in the back of it shooting at Jedi soldiers who came to close.

As Amara looked up at her old Master, she realized that she would never again fight for the Light Side of the Force. She and Mace were enemies now when they had once been friends. She had believed in him and trusted him, but now he had been replaced by Tarian. She had made her choice and she would not regret it.

As she glanced over to her left, she saw a speeder filled with artifacts. The driver was dead, but there was a Sith soldier in the back shooting at Jedi. She made a decision and she glanced at her old Master one more time before running over to the speeder. She used the Force to push the dead driver out of the seat and she jumped aboard. She revved up the engine and took off, leaving a cloud of dust behind her.

It was a crazy chase to the Sith ship she had landed in. There were so few Sith that had made it back. Her pilot was there and she looked concerned.

“So few have returned. We need to go Amara, Republic ships are hyper-spacing in as we speak,” she said quickly. With a nod from Amara the pilot was visibly relieved but even as the ship’s engines were turned on several more soldiers and Sith Warriors and Apprentices had made it back. The ship’s anti-personnel weapon was deployed by the pilot and it fired at incoming republic troops. Amara made certain everyone that had made it was up the ramp and then she closed the ramp and moved to the cockpit. Her pilot lifted off and retracted the landing struts then angled the ship up toward the sky. As they zoomed into the atmosphere more republic ships hyperspaced in near them. She was forced to perform several emergency maneuvers to avoid them but she had already plotted her jump course. X-wings were incoming but before they arrived the pilot hit the hyperspace and they jumped away from the system.

Among the artifacts Amara discovered the plans for a Dual Lightsaber quarterstaff. The only one she had ever seen was the one used by Darth maul but he had lost it in his defeat by the Jedi Obi-Wan Kanobi while he was still an Apprentice. ‘How embarrassing’. This design was different than his had been and it required 4 crystals to operate. There were several red crystals among the recovered materials as well.

Amara ensured that every Sith that could make it on to the ship did before the pilot was forced to take off. It was a close call due to the incoming republic ships and X-Wings, but they barely managed to make the jump to hyperspace before being shot down.

With the knowledge that they were safe, Amara contacted Tarian to let him know they were on their way back. She then went back to examine some of the artifacts they had collected. In one of the crates she discovered plans for a dual lightsaber quarterstaff, like the one Darth Maul had used and then lost in his defeat by Obi-Wan Kenobi. This design was slightly different and required 4 crystals to operate. Looking deeper into the crate she found 4 Kyber crystals that she could use. While the ship traveled back to base, Amara began to construct her new lightsaber. She was able to attune the four crystals to herself and by the time they made it back the lightsaber was complete. She smiled as she approached Tarian after the ship landed and showed him what she had made.

"What do you think?"

The pilot had contacted them and told them that they had made it out but their casualties were high. Everywhere the Jedi are getting a jump on them. More and more Tarian felt as if there was at least one spy in their midst but he had no idea who. Logically, if he were investigating it though, he would have picked Amara as the spy. The thought gave him pause and he frowned as he thought about that.

Tarian was there on the landing pad when the ship landed. Amara appeared pleased with herself and he saw what she carried. He took it into his hands and looked at it. He turned on half of it.

“An impressive weapon Amara,” he said as they walked along the corridor. It was then that she noticed that there were no others near them. Tarian raised his hand and the door to her right closed shut. He shifted and the door to her left shut, effectively sequestering them alone in the corridor.

“It is becoming more and more distressing that the Jedi are able to interrupt our plans. The galaxy is a big place and their ability to follow our movements is...suspicious,” he said. Before she could move though he shifted the lightsaber so it hung right below her neck. His other hand he held palm up and she felt him use the force on her. As if she were on a very slippery slope, Amara felt her will try to slide away from her. Tarian was using the dark side of the force on her mind.

“Are you communicating Sith activities to the Jedi?” he asked plainly. The red glow from the lightsaber at her throat combined with the fight to retain her will made it clear of Tarian’s intentions. He would end her life in one stroke if she lied to him right then.

Amara was quite pleased with the lightsaber and smiled as she watched Tarian admire it. She had been using a basic lightsaber since Tarian had destroyed hers during their duel before she joined the Dark Side. However, this was one she was proud of and felt better suited her skills.

She began to walk with Tarian down the corridor. She could sense an...uneasiness within Tarian and she noticed that they were alone in the corridor. Suddenly, he shut the door to her right and then to the left, closing them in to a single area together. She glanced at him when he began to wonder aloud how the Jedi continued to know where the Sith were going to be. She started to open her mouth to speak, but before she could Tarian put her lightsaber near her neck. He then held up his other hand and she felt the Force being used on her. His question did not entirely surprise her. She had once been a Jedi apprentice after all. It was only logical to think that perhaps she was acting as a spy. However, in this case logic was not everything.

"No, I am not," she said unhesitatingly. She kept her eyes on his and he would know she spoke the truth.

Tarian’s relief was obvious and for so many reasons he didn’t know which he felt more relief from. He turned off her lightsaber and gave it back to her. He then released the force and the doors slid open. “I knew the answer before I asked it but I had to ask it anyway,” he said softly as he folded his arms behind his back as they walked.

“We have a traitor here, someone who can transmit information with impunity,” he said. “You did not speak of what happened on the planet. Did anything happen?” he asked. He felt...awkward now that he had made the accusation and he wanted to move past it with her. For some reason, he really cared what she thought of him. He liked Amara and he wasn’t certain how he truly felt about her.

Amara felt a little angry at Tarian's accusation. Despite the fact that he claimed he knew the answer before he asked it, she wasn't sure he was speaking the truth about that. True, she was the logical choice for a spy, but she had thought that she had gained Tarian's trust. She had felt that something bigger was building between them. Now, she wasn't so sure. She took back her lightsaber and clipped it to her belt. She walked beside Tarian, but there was some tension between them now...something that had never been there before.

"My old master Mace Windu was there and he tried to kill me."

Tarian stopped and then started walking again. “Strange that he of all Jedi, was there. Nonetheless, I am pleased that he didn’t kill you. You have alot left in your training,” Tarian said but what he felt was that he wanted her to remain close to him. “The more you touch the dark side of the force, the more you come to understand it. The galaxy wants our lives but the midichlorians that inhabit our bodies want to go on doing what they do,” he said as they ended up at her room. “I will take my leave Amara, tomorrow, training, early as usual,” he said and nodded a bow to her before he departed.