The skies above the old walled city of Iziz were a clear deep blue, interrupted by the occasional scuttling of cirrus clouds trapped in jet streams in Onderon's atmosphere. The citizens of Iziz would have enjoyed the cool autumnal day, if it weren't for the multi-colored laser bolts raking across the sky and the wreckage of fighters raining down from the clear sky. As it were, the citizens of Iziz were huddled in groups in the most sturdy buildings they were able to gain entrance. The only people on the streets were soldiers in the Naddist Army, fanatical devotees to Freedon Nadd.

The lightly armored soldiers, wearing helmets that bore the Sith insignia of Nadd, ran to and from anti-aircraft batteries. The large gun emplacements spat red lasers up into the sky at the incoming Republic fighters. Squadron commanders shouted at their subordinates, making their orders heard over the din of the recoiling laser cannons. The very ground vibrated with each blast.

Large chunks of ground were torn up by the incoming laser fire from the Republic fleet. A fine haze of dust settled onto the sweaty faces of the gunner crews as they rushed to check power connections and load energy canisters into the breeches of their hungry cannons. The din was so great that the crews could not hear the tell-tale sonic booms of fighters making rapid atmospheric entries. If they were to look upwards, they could easily see the bright red stars of Republic fighter crafts on their way to the city, reinforcing the first wave of fighters that were dogfighting with Nadd's aerial army.

The loud whine of Nadd's dark hulled fighter crafts rang out as they rushed over the rooftops of Iziz, screaming upwards to meet the oncoming Republic fighters. Laser blasts spewed up into the sky at them. The Republic fighters scattered, each pilot choosing a target to harry. The small Republic fighter craft, some one man and others two man, swooped down, returning fire of their own. Their hulls gleamed red from the friction of their rapid descent. Lasers tore into the thick walls and roofs of the buildings surrounding the well-hidden gun emplacements.

Freedon Nadd held no concern about the innocent civilians that resided and worked in the surrounding buildings. His Sith philosophy cared little for the ordinary people so long as they served his needs. And right now they were serving his needs by making the Republic strike fleet commander briefly second-guess the attack strategy.

Commander Sofer frowned, as he gazed at the sensor readings on the bridge of the Arbiter, the large torpedo-shaped capital starship of the Republic Fleet. The energy readings of Freedon Nadd's defense systems spread out across the clear flexiglass tactical display in the center of the bridge. Through the display, Sofer could see his bridge personnel dutifully carrying out their orders around the large triangular bridge.

Flat holographic representation of the fighter crafts swept across the tactical display. Lifeform signs were uncomfortably clumped around the gun emplacements. Right away, that ruled out orbital fire from the Arbiter and the other smaller escort ships. So Nadd's defenses couldn't be softened up before the fighter wings were sent in. One of the holograms faded out. Another pilot had just died. Commander Sofer worried about how many more of his pilots and bombers would be lost. He also worried about the civilians that would inevitably be injured or killed in the course of the liberation of Onderon. The pale holograms of the fighter wings swarmed over the multilayered digital landscape of Iziz

A man placed his hand on Sofer's shoulder. Almost immediately, some of the tension that was knotting up Sofer's stiff neck flowed out of him. "Don't worry," the man said. Even the sound of his voice made Sofer feel better. His view of the tactical display changed subtly. The dangers and potential disasters were edged out of his mental field of view. "Lord Nardic will help you."

"Thank you, Lord Van'el," Sofer said, turning to look at the Jedi.

Van'el smiled and shrugged imperceptibly. His oddly regal appearance seemed out of place in the midst of the uniformity of the Republic soldiers on the bridge. His brown robe, a hallmark of the Jedi Order, was finely embroidered at the hem with interlacing golden and silver threads. That was one of the first things Sofer noticed about Van'el. He had seen many Jedi in the course of his service to the Republic, but this was the first time he had seen a Jedi with such an unique embellishment to his robe. And then he saw two other Jedi with similar decoration accompanying Van'el. The reason became apparent because all three Jedi were such masters of the force that they attained the rare status of Lords.

It wasn't just Van'el's robe and attire that set him apart from from the other women and men aboard the Arbiter. Van'el stood next to Sofer, studying the tactical display. His robe's hood was down, revealing the smooth white scalp of his shaved head. An intricate tattoo lined his right cheek, starting beneath his eye and stopping at his jawline. The block pattern of the ink was broken up by a scar that caused the tattoo to appear slightly disjointed. A neatly trimmed mustache and goatee outlined Van'el's thin lips. The light smattering of white hairs gave a false impression of the many decades that the Jedi Lord had lived through.

By all rights, Van'el's strong angular face, combined with the tattoo and scar, should have given the Jedi Lord a fierce imposing presence. However, this wasn't the impression Sofer got from him. In actuality, he exuded a peaceful, genial aura. He felt like a long-lost mentor to Sofer, even though the two of them had never met before this mission.

Commander Sofer cleared his throat. "So, when will Lord Nardic shut down Freedon Nadd's defenses?"

"He won't actually shut them down," Van'el said. "He'll help your pilots navigate their way through the layers of defenses around Iziz so they can make more precise strikes. He'll also influence the ground crew and the pilots that are attacking us, so their resistance won't be as fierce. The battle won't be as prolonged, and less lives will be lost."

"Oh, I see," Sofer nodded. "My apologies. I had never heard of battle meditation before until my briefing before the High Command."

"It is not widely known because not many Jedi show an affinity for it. Nardic is but one of the handful of Jedi in the entire history of the Order that has been able to develop this talent." Van'el frowned slightly. In a softer voice, as if he didn't quite intend for Sofer to hear his thoughts, the Jedi Lord said, "Also, the Jedi Council prefers that the general population remains largely unaware of this particular skill. Not only is it wise military strategy to preserve the secrecy of one of the Republic's greatest defenses, it forestalls the inevitable misconceptions and suspicions."

"Pardon me, Lord Van'el?" Sofer blinked and narrowed his eyes.

"It is not such a great logical leap from saying the Jedi could influence the outcome of a battle to saying they could control all of the participants in a battle. Who's to say that such a Jedi with a mastery of battle mediation could not easily conquer a planet? The actions of our very opponent, Freedon Nadd, would fuel the fires of suspicion, fear, and anger. All such feelings are of the Dark Side, anathema to the Jedi Order. We do not wish for those feelings to take hold of our charges, the citizens of the Republic."

"I understand now," said Sofer.

Van'el shrugged and studied the tactical display. "It matters not, for it will be the Republic's army that will prevail today, not the Jedi. My comrades and I live only in the service of the Republic and endeavor to help where we can. A Jedi does not seek glory, fame, or power. A Jedi does not seek to control others."

"Dark Jedi certainly do," Sofer said, glancing at the holographic battle playing out on the flat display.

"And that is why Freedon Nadd will fall today." Van'el watched as the Republic and Naddist fighters swarmed over the virtual representation of Iziz.

Another Jedi watched the battle over Iziz from a much different perspective. In the dark cool chambers specially appointed for Lord Nardic, only sound could be detected. Comm chatter from the Republic military channels permeated the room. "Violet Leader, you are go."

"Copy that, Home Leader. Violet Squadron making atmospheric entry. All pilots, on my lead! Battle deployment!"

"Silver Four, you've got a Nadd coming up on your rear vector! Evasive! Evasive!"

"Gold Leader, I'm taking fire from the streets, sector 461. Permission to drop bombs?"

"Gold Seven, negative on that. Intel shows a hospice on that street. Retreat to sector 460, Gold Five needs a new wingman."

"I've lost my port engine! I'm stalling out, dead spin! I'm going to eee---"

The Taitian sat on the cool metal floor with his legs crossed and his arms resting on his lap. His breathing was slow and deliberate as he maintained his mediative state. Nardic had been mistaken for a Cathar many times. It was understandable, he was one of the last members of an all but extinct race of feline aliens that shared a common ancestry with the Cathar race. His people had more in common with primate-based species such as the humans, though. At first glance, one would think of a Cathar. Upon close inspection, one would notice that his ears, although slightly pointed, had smooth curved edges like a human. His skin did not have the fine downy fur that Cathars had, nor did he have any mottled colorations. His skin was lightly olive-colored; and his eyebrows were dark brown, nearly black, as was his short cropped hair. He did keep it trimmed short because his hair, like all Taitians, was coarse and nearly fur-like. For most Taitians, there were only three hair styles- short, wild, or shaved.

Nardic's eyes, although closed now, were a pale yellow-hazel. His pupils were small ovals, something one would only notice after staring into his eyes. Few people tried to hold the Jedi Lord's gaze long enough for that, though. His teeth, although fairly sharp and slightly pointed, were those of an omnivorous species. This is not to say that Nardic was completely docile and civilized. He could instantly transform his appearance from calm to feral in the blink of an eye. This was one of the other traits he shared with his distant cousins, the Cathars- a primal core. Centuries of study with the Jedi had instilled strong self-control in Nardic. It was with this self-control that Nardic developed and honed his battle meditation skills.

He sat in the darkness, watching the battle unfold. He did not use his physical eyes, though. He used his mind, alive with the Force, to discern the battlefield laid out before him. He saw ripples in the Force, like ripples in a pond. The epicenter of each ripple was a sentient being, linked to him and all other living beings in the Force. He could sense good intentions and evil motives in all of the combatants. He could sense the moods of the pilots, the thoughts of the Naddist soldiers, and the blackness of Freedon Nadd's reach on Onderon.

He reached out with his hand, not his real one although Nardic had long since stopped making a distinction between his physical self and luminous self, and tapped into the Force, creating a ripple of his own. The waves from his ripple splashed up against the oppressive energies of Freedon Nadd, carrying them away. A city bloc on Iziz stopped firing as the Naddist soldiers momentarily became aware of their own actions, freed of Nadd's mental influence. This made the skies clear for Violet Squadron's approach.

Stormy energy clustered high up above the city of Iziz drew Nardic's attention. Reinforcements coming from another hemisphere were speeding their way to close a pincer attack on Republic troop transports. Nardic studied the scene, mentally running through several scenarios. Finally, he reached into the Force and made another ripple with his own energies. The subsequent ripples created an undertow in the Force that attracted a squadron of Republic fighters.

"Scarlet Leader, I'm picking up multiple enemy signatures! They just came out of nowhere!"

"Copy that, Scarlet Three. All fighters, engage the enemy! They're headed for the troop ships!"

Nardic smiled. He opened his eyes. He could also see the brilliant, fluid, and ever-changing landscape of the galaxy. He could still follow the ripples in the Force, tending attention to the battle between the Republic and the Naddists. Closing his eyes was merely an affectation that Nardic held from when he first trained in battle mediation. He always saw life in this way, so rooted in the Force was he. The Jedi Lord often wished that others could see life in the way he did. If they did, then they would see how tragic and useless the rough emotions of hatred and anger were, and the far-reaching devastation that violence caused. After all, the most tactile and visible beacons in the Force were the terrified citizens of Iziz. He reached out and transmitted calm, soothing thoughts. "We're here to help."

A strong whirlpool formed in the landscape in Nardic's vision. He jerked his head around to look at it, tensing up as he felt the tug of energies. He sighed and smiled. He reached out, dipping himself into the vortex, saying only one thing.

"May the Force be with you."

Jedi Lord Alar-Gon Odinn smiled. Of course his friend Nardic would be the first to see him once he revealed himself. Odinn hated shuttering himself off from the Force, but it was necessary to infiltrate Nadd's base of power. No doubt Freedon Nadd thought he could defeat Odinn in single combat, but he was not a fool. He would have sent dozens, if not hundreds of his own soldiers after Odinn first.

Most of the Naddist soldiers were innocent civilians, brainwashed by either Nadd's promises of power or his Sith magicks, or a combination. Odinn had no desire to harm them or waste his time wending his way through them. Also, he needed all his strength for his confrontation with Nadd. Although Odinn was a Jedi Lord and one of the top masters of Jedi combat, centuries of experience had taught him not to underestimate his opponents, especially not a Dark-Side sorceror like Freedon Nadd. And so he hid himself in the Force, deflecting prying eyes so he could make his way into Freedon Nadd's citadel unmolested.

The onset of combat was fast approaching, so Odinn had to prepare. He found a secluded corner where nobody would blunder onto him. He removed his black embroidered robe and folded it neatly, then set it in the corner, then he knelt down. Underneath, he was clad in a dark brown tunic and matching pants, designed for ease of movement in combat. He reached into a pocket hidden under his tunic, and pulled out a black leather strap, and bound up his long black hair. Faint strands of silver reflected light in the dark hallway. His face was clean-shaven and smooth. Were it not for the silver in his hair, Odinn could have easily passed for a man only in his third decade of life. However, he, like the other Jedi Lords, had seen dozens of decade pass.

Odinn closed his eyes and stretched out his senses, seeing the strands that bound the galaxy together- the bonds of energy that flowed between all living things... the Force. He reached out with his being and wrapped his mental hands around the strings of the Force, rooting himself into the energies flowing around and through him. Girding the Force to himself would of course attract Freedon Nadd's notice, but that did not matter. There was no avoiding the coming battle. The only thing Odinn could do is make sure it was the final battle.

A silky presence slithered past Odinn's mind. It struggled to stay hidden, hewing to the shadows, but it tripped the strings of the Force, which instantly alerted Odinn to its presence. The Jedi Lord reached out, sensing the shape of the other mind. He recoiled at the stark depravity that resided in its mind... his mind.

It wasn't Freedon Nadd- the Dark Lord did not bother to hide his presence. No, it must be an acolyte. The Force was strong in him. This wasn't a mere acolyte, but something greater-- Freedon Nadd's apprentice, Darth Ja'Gul.

It was easy to discern his intentions. Fear and desperation tinged his presence in the Force. Ja'Gul wanted to abandon his master and escape. There was no telling what Ja'Gul was capable of doing in order to secure his escape. The Republic's intelligence wasn't able to ascertain the extent of Freedon Nadd's defenses, nor could they confirm or deny the presence of fail-safe devices rumored to hold the populace of Onderon hostage.

Odinn called out to his comrades, Nardic and Van'el. "Nadd's apprentice is trying to get offworld."

"We know," Nardic replied. "I saw it just now. Van'el will take care of it."

Satisfied, Odinn let go of the matter of Ja'Gul and focused on the more important mission of stopping Freedon Nadd once and for all. Odinn stood up and with a flick of his wrist, his curved lightsaber rested in his palm. The pommel of his saber ended in a raptor's claw. Just as a bird of prey's talons could be used for defense or offense, so could Odinn's lightsaber serve both purposes. Bound up in the Force, Lord Alar-Gon Odinn would be able to make his way through the Dark Side maelstrom to the eye at the center, Freedon Nadd.

"Lord Van'el, your ship has been prepared for departure," Commander Sofer said after dismissing a young lieutenant.

"Thank you," Van'el said. He gathered his robe around him and made his way off the Arbiter's bridge. He called out to Nardic, "Can you accompany me to the surface?"

"Of course, Van'el," came the reply.

The ship's personnel elevator took him down to the lower decks to the launch bays. He mulled over the situation as he walked across the launch bay reserved for his personal starship, the Sojourner. He ran a hand over the reinforced hull of the ship as he circled around entrance gangplank. The Sojourner had begun life as a medium sized cargo transport produced by a relatively new shipyard based in the Corellian sector.

Van'el had liked the ship when it passed overhead at a landing pad on Coruscant. The semi-circular shape reminded him of a waxing moon. Van'el had always been interested in moons and he loved all the shapes they assumed in a night sky. He supposed it was because his homeworld, Alderaan, didn't have any moons. He walked up into the ship and headed straight for the cockpit which laid on the starboard side.

One of the Arbiter's engineering technicians got out of the pilot's seat and bowed respectfully to the Jedi Lord. "The ship is fully fueled and the engines have been warmed up," she said.

"Thank you," Van'el said. The technician departed from the cockpit, making her way off the ship. Van'el sat in the pilot's station, automatically running through the pre-flight checks. Everything seemed in order. As an emissary of the Jedi Council, Van'el didn't have much need for transporting cargo, so half of the cargo holds had been transformed into either meditative chambers or training rooms. Although the ship had one of the best hyperdrives available, Van'el preferred to take take longer to reach a destination. That gave him more time to meditate, and if he was accompanied by padawans or fellow Jedi, they could put the travel time to good use.

It was often the journey, not the destination, that mattered. After all, the ship was named Sojourner.

Van'el was almost done with the preflight list when Nardic walked into the cockpit. He took a seat to Van'el's left and folded his hands in his lap.

"How goes the battle?" asked Van'el.

"Better," Nardic replied, staring into the Force as he remained focused on his role in these proceedings. "Odinn has drawn most of Nadd's attention, so I'm having an easier time making the Naddist Army more pliable. Most of them are surrendering to the ground troops without much encouragement. Only the most hard-core remnants have dug in, primarily around the perimeter of the citadel."

"Where Freedon Nadd's influence is strongest," Van'el said.

"Yes. That's where most of my attention is focused upon. Commander Sofer has established orbital and air superiority. His boarding parties aren't encountering much resistance on the starships."

"Have you pinpointed Darth Ja'Gul yet?"

"No, and that troubles me greatly," Nardic said. "It appears he is very adept at hiding himself, almost as well as Odinn can."

"That bodes ill."

Nardic nodded. "Imagine what damage a Sith could do with such skill in hiding. He must not be allowed to continue down this path into the Dark Side or to pass his knowledge on to others. I think I'll be able to sense him easier once we are on the citadel grounds."

"We shall capture him, one way or another," Van'el said grimly. He ran his hands across the controls and the starship lifted off the deck.

"Arbiter Flight Control to Sojourner, you are cleared for departure."

"Acknowledged," Van'el replied to the comm signal. "Sojourner out." He pressed the ship forward, through the deactivated forcefield and out to the planet below. He turned to look at Nardic. The other Jedi was sitting still, eyes gazing out the cockpit windows to the brown cloud of haze that covered Iziz, visible even from space. Without blinking, Nardic said, "I'll find him."

"I hope you found your visit on my homeworld pleasant," Freedon Nadd said, his lips twisted in a sneer. He waved his short red lightsaber. A heavy wrought metal throne scraped across the stone floor with a stacco squeal before hurtling itself against Odinn.

The Jedi Lord dipped his pale blue lightsaber blade, and the throne skirted past him, smashing into a pillar, raising a cloud of dust. "It is a beautiful day, indeed," Odinn said. "I regret I must spend it inside, here with you."

Freedon Nadd drew himself up to his full height, which was considerable. His crown contributed to his imposing features. It was a tall rectangular ziggaurat, and his Sith insignia was emblazoned on the front. Nadd's long and lean face was sallow, with bags underneath his dark, fierce eyes. A curly beard fell from his chin. As he moved slowly, his robes rustled, and Odinn could hear the jingle of metal upon metal. No doubt Nadd had covered himself in his finest armor.

"I'm surprised that the Jedi Council ordered such an illustrious member of the Order to see me," Nadd said.

"I did not need to be ordered," Odinn said. "Word of your depredations have reached far and wide. Your reign must end. Now I ask you again, do you yield?"

"And I tell you again, never!" Nadd raised his hand. The Sith amulet bound to his palm glowed with eldritch energy. Bolts of light rippled out from the jagged golden metal, flowing right at Odinn. He raised his lightsaber, using the blade to keep the energy from hitting him. The energies gathered and swirled around his lightsaber before bursting forth, slamming into the walls of Nadd's inner sanctum with a sonic boom.

Nadd laughed, and raised his hand again, sending another wave of dark Sith energy at Odinn. The Jedi Lord dropped his saber and raised his other hand. The energy slammed into Odinn's bare palm, but the man didn't budge. The energy flowed down his arm, sizzling the sleeve of his tunic. Odinn only gritted his teeth and stretched his arm out. The Sith energy spun around his forearm and flowed into a ball in front of Odinn's palm.

With only a slight twitch of his fingers, Odinn sent the energy hurtling back at Nadd, who raised his amulet to intercept the energies. Suddenly, brilliant light poured out of Odinn's hand, rushing towards Nadd. The Sith magician had dispelled the Sith magic, but the Force energy that Odinn projected slammed into Nadd's open palm and amulet. Nadd screamed as the amulet glowed with intense heat before exploding, taking most of Nadd's hand with it. The charred remnants of his hand splattered against the floor and walls in wet thuds.

Nadd stared at the bloody stump of his arm for a moment, then laughed. He looked at Odinn, laughing even more boisterously. "The Force is my ally," he said, gripping another amulet hanging from his shoulder. "With the Force, all things are possible."

Odinn frowned as he saw the stump swell and bubble. Bone, muscle, and sinew began growing out of Nadd's stump, forming a new hand. Skin knitted over the raw meat of his new hand. Soon, Nadd was flexing his new hand as if nothing had happened. He gestured towards Odinn, Force lightning flowing out of his fingers. "The dark space between points of light is infinite. I have vast reservoirs of power to draw upon!"

Odinn threw up his hand and Force energy came pouring out forth to intercept Nadd's dark magicks. As the combatants' energies collided, a loud snap sounded out in the inner sanctum, followed by an explosion of sound and light that threw Odinn and Nadd backwards.

"There! He just went down that corridor!"

Nardic spun around his lightsabers, the deep green blades forming large arcs of light in front of him, deflecting the dozens of blaster bolts thundering at them from the sentry droids. Van'el gestured with his fingers, ripping a sentry bot out of its housing in the wall, and slammed it into another sentry bot. Ja'Gul was clever. As he tried to make his escape, he activated every droid-based security measures as he passed by. Nardic's battle meditation worked to no avail on the inorganic neural processors of the security droids and sentry bots and concealed lasers.

The other sentry bots were nonplussed at the destruction of their electronic brethren and continued to fire a barrage of blaster bolts at Van'el and Nardic. Van'el allowed the Force to guide his hand and arm. The silvery blade of his lightsaber flicked to and fro, deflecting the enemy fire. "Nardic, we can't let them delay us any more!" He gripped the end of his elongated saber handle, flipped his lightsaber end over end quickly, then spun around, driving the silvery blade into the wall.

The hallway went dark and silent. All of the sentry bots that lined the corridor stopped firing, and all of the illumination plates were now black. Van'el withdrew his lightsaber from the wall, the blade casting white light in the hallway alongside the emerald lights of Nardic's blades. Nardic blinked and peered into the darkness. "It's all clear."

"Let's go." The two Jedi ran down after Darth Ja'Gul. Nardic led the way, following the dark beacon of Ja'Gul as Van'el kept vigilant for boobytraps and security measures that Ja'Gul may have left for them to trip. Speeding in measured bursts as so not to exhaust themselves, Van'el and Nardic tracked down Ja'Gul in a cargo storage depot.

Debris blocked the way to an adjoining hangar. Apparently a fighter had crashed into the cargo storage depot. It was so badly mangled that neither Van'el or Nardic couldn't tell its squadron affiliation. The power was out in the depot as well. The only source of illumination came from a single shaft of sunlight coming from the hole in the slanted ceiling, and the Jedi's lightsabers.

Van'el heard a skittering and turned to follow the source of the noise. A black mass moved across a wall, towards the ceiling. He could feel Nardic's eyes following the mass too. The two Jedi took defensive stances and watched.

The tell-tale snap and hiss of an activating lightsaber. A faint beam of red light appeared on the wall. It wasn't a deep blood red like the Jedi were used to seeing Sith minions carry. It was very pale, almost as if it were just the afterimage of a flash of red light. It spun in slow, deliberate circles, speeding up faster and faster, until it flew out at Van'el.

He quickly brought his silver blade to the fore, deflecting the thrown lightsaber. It spun around, raising sparks as it raked the edge of a cargo container before returning to Ja'Gul's hand. It happened so quickly that Van'el barely had time to blink.

"Ja'Gul! Throw down your weapons and surrender to Republic custody!" said Van'el.

A low gravelly voice hissed back. "Never! Your Republic has no authority over me!"

"This doesn't have to end in violence," Nardic called out.

"All things must end in fire and blood!" The dark form of Ja'Gul scratched his way across the ceiling, circling the room. "It is the Sith way!" Van'el and Nardic shuffled their feet, keeping a safe distance between him and them, but mindful of the exit behind them. They weren't about to let Ja'Gul make his escape.

Ja'Gul climbed towards the opening in the ceiling. Van'el spread his legs and raised his lightsaber. Using the blade as a focal point, he brought the saber down, sending a wave of telekinetic energy up against Ja'Gul. It slammed into him and he lost his grip on the ceiling and landed on the floor, spotlighted by the beam of sunlight.

Even though Ja'Gul was cowering in the light, Van'el and Nardic were able to see a good look at their opponent. When he saw Ja'Gul, Nardic hissed, a primal reaction to the reptilian appearance of the Sith apprentice. He was clad in a dark black suit which gave off an oily sheen. He had an slightly enlarged cranium, and the fact that he was completely hairless compounded the illusion of his head's size. His ears were thin and flat against the sides of his head, and he had a long aquiline nose. His nostrils flared each time he took a breath. He stared at the Jedi from sunken obsidian eyes that glittered with hatred. His teeth were bared in a snarl, the sharp points of his incisors and canines sticking out of his mouth. His skin was oily and mottled; veins coursed beneath his pale skin.

As with all cornered animals. Ja'Gul lashed out. He leapt at Van'el, covering a large span of ground in one single bound. His clawed fingers stretched out to grapple with the Jedi. He collided onto Van'el with a resounding thud, tearing at Van'el's arms and chest. The Jedi's lightsaber went clattering across the darkened storage room.

A less experienced Jedi might have faltered for a moment, but not Van'el. He knew that a Jedi's power came not from his use of a lightsaber, but from his intimacy with the Force. In a smooth movement, Van'el kicked with his legs, shifting Ja'Gul's center of gravity, and using his telekinetic skills and physical strength, the Jedi pushed Ja'Gul up and over his head.

The Sith apprentice recovered from the toss in mid-air and landed squarely on his feet. He shot a glance at Nardic and threw his arm out towards the Jedi. Nardic was gripped and tossed backwards and up in the air, slamming into the ceiling. He landed on top of a stack of cargo containers.

Van'el flipped over his back and onto his feet, then jumped at Ja'Gul in a flying kick. Ja'Gul shifted backwards slightly so the kick which would have slammed into the center of his chest merely became a glancing blow against his shoulder. Then he grabbed Van'el's boot and swung him around, using the Jedi's momentum against him. Ja'Gul released Van'el, and the Jedi flew towards the wall.

Van'el spun around in the air, controlling his flight so that he landed feet first against the wall and leapt back at Ja'Gul, tackling the dark Sith. They traded blows, blocking and parrying each other's hands and feet. One of Ja'Gul's clawed fingers cut a gash in Van'el's chin, drawing a thin trickle of blood.

Nardic leapt down to the floor, his lightsabers flashing. Ja'Gul twisted his body around, breaking free from Van'el's grip. He grabbed at a device on his hip, and pressed a stud.

"What did you do?" Van'el shouted.

Ja'Gul only grinned a toothy smile and licked Van'el's blood off his taloned finger.

Nardic blinked several times. "I'm sensing an energy buildup below us." He looked at Ja'Gul. "You're overloading the fusion reactor, aren't you"?

"I did say it would all end in fire." He crushed the device in his white hand and dropped the pieces onto the ground.

Van'el gasped. "You evil... an overload could take out this entire city sector!"

Nardic ran to the corridor. "Van'el! I'll go see if I can halt it. You take him down." He disappeared in a blur of motion.

Van'el turned, and guided by the Force, ducked as as a hiss and breeze of ionized air swept over his head as Ja'Gul sliced with his just activated saber. He swept his leg out, connecting with Ja'Gul's leg. The Sith went down, but used his hand to keep from falling, and pushed himself back to a standing position. He followed through in another lightsaber strike against the unarmed Jedi.

Van'el bent over backwards, as the blade passed over his chest, then flipped backwards, then forwards, knowing that keeping close to Ja'Gul would make his lightsaber less effective in combat. He struck out with his palm, slamming into Ja'Gul's elbow, hearing a crack.

Ja'Gul wailed, then released his lightsaber. The dull gray handle fell to the floor then zoomed to his other hand. Van'el dropped to a crouch, anticipating another sweep of Ja'Gul's lightsaber, then leapt up as Ja'Gul brought his blade down on another swing. He used the Force to push himself up and over Ja'Gul, somersaulting forward. He flashed his hand out, calling through the Force to his lightsaber.

It flew obediently into his hand, and the silvery blade flashed out as Van'el landed behind Ja'Gul. The Sith whirled around, bringing his lightsaber in for a strike against Van'el.

Their blades slammed into each other as a loud explosion reverberated though their bodies and the whole world collapsed onto them.

Alar-Gon Odinn parried Nadd's dagger and swept the pommel of his lightsaber across, raking the metal talons across Nadd's face in a single smooth motion. Nadd stomped and flung his blade downwards, and Odinn parried the strike then ducked to avoid the red short saber blade that followed behind the blade. Nadd twisted the hilt and swept his arm upwards, slicing through the padded shoulder of Odinn's brown tunic. Odinn spun around and kicked at Nadd. The Sith Lord stumbled forward and willed himself across the room, putting distance between himself and Odinn

The inner sanctum was a complete shambles now. Burn marks from lightsaber swings and Force lightning marred the tapestries that lined the stone walls. Scrolls, furniture and computer terminals laid strewn across the floor, shattered from being used as ammunition in Odinn and Nadd's telekinetic battle.

Odinn's bluish-white lightsaber blade hummed peacefully in the silence. Nadd's obsidian dagger glinted in the darkness, reflecting the blood-red glow off Nadd's short lightsaber. Odinn knew the blade was poisoned because he felt the poison coursing through his body from the wound on his shoulder. However, it was a simple matter to neutralize the poison, which is what Odinn was doing as he gazed at Nadd.

Suddenly, the very consistency of the air changed around them. Both of the combatants sensed it at the same time. Nadd sneered. "That fool. Of course he would do this."

All was made clear to Odinn as he heard Nardic's thoughts enter his mind. He trusted Nardic when he said he would stop it. Odinn didn't waste another second thinking about it, instead he focused himself on the here and now, with this battle against Freedon Nadd.

"No matter," Nadd shrugged. "This may be what I need to end this fight once and for all." He pocketed his dagger and stared at Odinn. "Do you know... my Sith master Naga Sadow told me that the Sith were working on ways to use the Force to tap in to the raw elemental powers of the stars themselves?"

"No, I think you forgot to mention that."

"Well, it's true," Nadd said as he unbuttoned his tunic. "If one wanted to, one could reach into the very heart of a star and draw out pure, unadulterated power!"

"One does not use the Force take power," Odinn said, shifting on his feet warily. "One is given power by the Force."

"Such concerns are a thing of the Jedi," Nadd said as he pulled away his tunic, exposing his bare chest, "Not of the Sith."

Odinn saw another amulet, one made of intertwining strands of golden and silver rings. Even in the dimness of the inner sanctum, he could see that the amulet was hooked into Nadd's skin, over his heart. Nadd lovingly stroked one of the metal curves. His expression went from one of calm to one of fury instantly. He stretched out his arms and fired a blast of red-tinged energy at Odinn.

The Jedi blocked the energy stream with his lightsaber, but he was staggering under the powerful assault. Nadd's amulet glowed brighter and brighter as dark iridescent energy continued flowing out of Nadd's hand. Odinn could sense the energy coming up from the fiery hot nuclear reactor miles below them. His lightsaber was an ineffective barrier, and he threw up his hand, feeling the burning heat of Nadd's Sith energy splash against his open palm.

Odinn gritted his teeth, opening himself to the Force, weaving a new thin metaphysical shield from the strands of the Force around his hands and forearms. He dropped his lightsaber onto the floor, the blade disappearing. He raised his other hand, forming a shield against Nadd's ever increasing stream of Sith power.

Nadd was screaming now as the energy continued ripping out of him. Odinn couldn't tell if the Sith lord was screaming in pain or pleasure. It took all his focus to block the destructive energies slamming into his open hands. Though the Force was not a wholly sentient entity, Odinn cast out a plea for help.

Please... so many have died, and so many more will die if this man... this Evil... continues unabated. Help me... give me the power to stop him. Odinn grasped at the tenuous strands of the Force that surrounded him when suddenly, he felt a geyser of energy flood through him and out of him in his hands. A column of white light burst forth out of Odinn's hands, driving back Nadd's Sith magicks.

Nadd actually staggered backwards. He gasped and blinked at Odinn. "How... how are you doing this too?"

Odinn frowned in exertion. He grunted out a reply, "With the Force, all things are possible."

"You shall not defeat me! You shall not steal my power and glory!" Nadd dropped his short lightsaber and flung out his other hand, pouring his malice and hatred into his Sith sorcery. The red and violet energies pulsed out of his hands, gushing forth towards Odinn.

Odinn stood his ground, channeling the power of the Force at Nadd, giving as good as he got. The clash of roiling energies electrified the air around them. The floor and walls began vibrating from the collision of energies. Even Odinn's curved lightsaber was moving across the stone floor, so great were the vibrations.

Both Force users stood their ground, channeling their strength into their attacks. The static discharges flashed brighter and brighter as the Force energy and Sith magicks battered against each other. More and more power went into Odinn's and Nadd's energy projections, until finally and inevitably, critical mass was reached. The threads in the Force vibrated and sang to Odinn in the split second before it all ended. Nadd surely must have felt the same pained warning that rippled throughout the Force.

The virtual heart of a sun exploded in Freedon Nadd's inner sanctum and out the side of the tall black citadel, raining fire and destruction on the streets below.

Once the dust cleared and the ringing stopped in Van'el's ears, he leapt to his feet, looking around for his opponent, Darth Ja'Gul. A low carpet of dust covered the floor of the cargo storage depot. The Jedi reached out for his lightsaber, activating it. The blade's white glow revealed that half of the depot had caved in. It was only by the fortune of the Force that Van'el hadn't been trapped under any debris. He know that since he was still alive and breathing, or rather, choking in the dusty air, that the fusion reactor hadn't exploded.

Something else did happen, but what, he didn't know yet. He reached out with his senses, hunting for Ja'Gul or at least his corpse. He couldn't find sign of Ja'Gul. He jumped onto the large stone boulders, then jumped out of the newly widened hole in the ceiling, onto the roof. He shaded his eyes from Onderon's sun and made out a shadow passing across the roof. He looked up and saw a starship banking and shooting upwards. Reaching out in the Force only confirmed Van'el's suspicions. Ja'Gul had made his escape.

He reached for his belt, looking for his communicator. It had come off in the battle with Ja'Gul. "Blast!" He couldn't contact the fleet in orbit around Onderon. He reached out in the Force.

"Nardic?"

"I'm allright, you?"

"I'm fine. Ja'Gul has escaped and I can't reach Commander Sofer. Can you contact him now?"

"There's too much psychic traffic happening. So many people are in pain and afraid. It'll take me a few moments to focus and contact Sofer."

Van'el sighed. "By then, it'll be too late, Ja'Gul will have jumped to hyperspace. Never mind, we'll pick up the trail. What in the name of the Force happened?"

"I don't know. I was just about to ask you."

Van'el looked up at the side of the citadel and saw that most of the wall was gone. Something had exploded outwards, opening up a gaping wound in the tall citadel. Several floors were exposed to the outdoors. It was a wonder that the entire structure didn't collapse down to the ground. It was the will of the Force, Van'el knew.

He reached out, seeking out his friend Odinn. His heart skipped a beat when he realized he couldn't feel Odinn's presence in the Force. He could feel Nardic making his way up the citadel, though.

Nardic wended his way through the partly collapsed hallways, climbing up the stone staircases, making his way towards Van'el. As he ran up the stairs, he searched for Odinn. A huge void in the Force hovered several meters above him, where Odinn and Freedon Nadd had been fighting. Something tremendous had happened, the likes of which had probably never been seen before.

Nardic wasn't willing to give up on his friend, Odinn. He probed into the void, searching for Odinn's heartbeat, for his brain waves, for his Force aura. The void seemed to be dissipating like the cloud after a bomb explosion.

Nardic rounded a corner and nearly slammed into someone. "What?"

"It's me," Van'el replied.

"My apologies, I didn't see you."

"That's okay," Van'el smiled. "I'm looking for him too. Come on."

The two Jedi Lords rushed up the stairs to the epicenter of destruction. Suddenly, the building groaned. Debris shifted and stone crumbled. Nardic and Van'el used the Force to protect themselves from the debris and pushed their way on up the citadel.

Nardic halted and Van'el ran into him. The Taitian stood very still, staring upwards. "Something's happening. Lend me your strength."

Van'el knew better than to ask. He reached up and grasped Nardic's arm.

Odinn slowly opened his eyes, forcing breath to enter his lungs. He coughed and gasped, choking at the stone dust in the air. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see blue sky. He turned to see sunlight shining into what was left of Nadd's inner sanctum. It dawned on him that the wall that once was there, was no more. He struggled to pull himself further back into consciousness, but his entire being was shaken and dazed.

A pebble smacked into his forehead, making Odinn turn to look up above him. A giant slab of stone hovered over him, slowly dropping onto him. Odinn instinctively threw up his now gnarled hands to stop the falling stone. He reached out in the Force, trying to take hold of the slab and nudge it out of the way; but it remained implacable. Something was holding it there, pressing it down even. He pushed harder with the Force, but to no avail. The large slab lowered slowly onto Odinn, about to crush him slowly and surely.

The Jedi grasped out in the Force, seeking the strength to push back the slab, but he saw someone or something snapping the threads of the Force, blocking his attempts to save his own life. Then he sensed something else, something very familiar to him. He turned his head to the side to see Van'el and Nardic enter the inner sanctum. Van'el was holding Nardic's arm, and he raised his free hand, gesturing to the slab. It slid to the side then lowered to the floor.

The dark resistance that Odinn had sensed was now gone, but strangely, he seemed to hear the echo of laughter. He sputtered and croaked out one word. "Nadd!" He turned to Nardic, who had knelt by his side. "Na.. na...he he's..."

"Conserve your strength, Alar-Gon," Nardic said, laying a soothing hand on him.

"No," Odinn muttered. He looked down at Van'el, who was kneeling by large blocks of debris. He could see the mangled and burnt remains of a body protruding from underneath the pile of rubble. Van'el stood and walked over to Nardic's side.

Odinn tried to articulate his thoughts but it was so difficult to get his mouth and lungs to work in unison. He was even having difficulty remembering what he had just sensed a moment ago. "Nadd. he's...."

Van'el nodded. "We know. Freedon Nadd is dead. You defeated him, Alar-Gon. Rest now. He's gone forever."

Odinn shook his head, but rest was so inviting. He felt like he could sleep for eons... he was so drained of energy. And his friends were there, so if anything happened, if anyone tried something, he'd be safe.

Odinn laid his head back as the tenuous strand that tethered him to consciousness snapped.

The twilight that coated the cityline of Coruscant in amber hues always comforted Van'el. He stood on one of the balconies on the highest towers of the Jedi Temple, watching aerial traffic flow across the vast cityscape of the Republic's capital. Many Jedi had stood in this spot before, and many Jedi would continue to do so in the future.

Nardic softly approached Van'el and joined him at the railing.

"What news?"

"Alar-Gon is awake and seems to be recovering nicely," Nardic replied. "The finest healers in the Order have been summoned to the monastery at Ilum to assist in his healing."

"Good," Van'el nodded. "I don't know how I would feel if he had... passed onto in the Force. Or if you did. You two are my brothers, more so than my biological brothers I left behind on Alderaan."

"The sentiment is shared," Nardic smiled, gripping Van'el's shoulder. He let his hand drop. "I believe the Council will be calling us soon."

Van'el turned and leaned back against the balcony railing, resting on his elbows. "I don't know what to tell them."

"It's not your fault that Ja'Gul made his way past the Republic fleet," Nardic said.

"I don't mean that," Van'el shook his head. "I mean this entire incident on Onderon. The battle between Alar-Gon and Nadd. Something happened there that's never come up in the holocrons or in our considerable experience. Think about it, Nardic, single combat between a Jedi Lord and a Sith Lord nearly demolished an entire building!"

"Well, Freedon Nadd had been tapping into powers far greater than him..."

Van'el closed his eyes and grimaced. "Don't you get it? Alar-Gon was doing the same thing!"

Nardic's yellow-hazel eyes widened in understanding. "You refer to what you've been thinking about lately."

"Yes." Van'el looked up at the spire that topped the central tower of the Temple. "I have been discussing it with Council Leader Odan-Urr as well."

"And what does he say?"

Van'el sighed. "He sees merit in my line of thinking. I suppose in light of the evil that Freedon Nadd has done, it's probably much more relevant. I believe Master Odan-Urr has been sharing my thoughts with the others today."

Nardic nodded. "I know you have meditated upon this matter for some time. If the Force has guided you to this realization. Follow your instincts."

"I shall, old friend. It's time."

A young padawan stepped out onto the balcony. "My lords, the council--"

"We know," Van'el and Nardic said in unison. They walked side by side into the concourse that housed the Jedi Council. They stepped onto the starry mosaic that decorated the smooth floor of the Council inner chambers.

Jedi Master Odan-Urr, an old wrinkled blue-skinned being, reclined on a blue chair. "Lord Van'el. Lord Nardic. I bid you welcome."

The Jedi Lords bowed to Odan-Urr and then to the other Council members.

Odan-Urr continued. "We have been discussing much today. To speak the truth, we have been discussing much since we first received the preliminary reports from Onderon nary two days ago. I am pleased to hear that Lord Odinn appears to be on the mend."

"So are we," Van'el said.

"The Jedi Order and the Chancellor of the Republic extends our gratitude for a job well done on Onderon. A terrible threat to the galaxy has been eliminated, even though one other remains."

Van'el frowned. "Ja'Gul."

"The finest scouts in the Republic Fleet are tracking him," Odan-Urr said. "You can rest assured that he will not go into hiding unnoticed. In truth, I have data on this matter, which I will share later."

Another Council member, Master Arca Jeth, spoke up. Arca was an humanoid with black hair that was now graying. "We are also keeping a very close eye on Onderon. Nadd's death has created a large power vacuum. Various parties are squabbling over who shall take over leadership. Some people are looking to the former ruling family. Others are looking to prominent members of the Naddist government to pick up where he left off."

Van'el rolled his eyes. "That would be unwise."

"Yes," Arca said, "but theirs is an internal political affair. The Republic is unable to interfere. All we can do is keep a watchful and mindful eye on the proceedings."

"Is it true that the Naddists have recovered Freedon Nadd's remains and set them in a shrine to him?" Van'el asked.

"It is true," Arca nodded. "The Council has appointed me to the task of watching the Naddists to ensure they don't uncover any Sith knowledge or technology that could be used against the other citizens of Onderon."

"What about Ja'Gul?" Nardic asked. "Surely he has learned enough from Nadd to be a threat?"

"Yes, of course," Odan-Urr nodded. "Indirectly, this leads me to one other matter I have been loath to bring before the Council."

Van'el drew a deep breath and clasped his hands together in front of himself.

"The devastation left behind by Freedon Nadd was terrible. However, one must remember that one of our own Order was responsible for the very same destruction, Lord Odinn, to be exact." He waved a gnarled hand, "While the exact details are not clear, the broad strokes paint an unmistakable picture. Both Nadd and Odinn tapped into some very primal energies and directed them in combat against each other. Nadd was able to do this due to his intensive studies of Sith magicks and his training by the Jedi Order, which was corrupted by Naga Sadow's shade. Obviously some Sith technology was utilized as well. Now, Odinn was able to do this on his own due to his deep connection to the Force, fostered by centuries of study and training in the Jedi Order until he attained the highest mastery one can attain to, that of a Jedi Lord."

The other Council members murmured assent, nodding and listening to the venerable Odan-Urr.

The Master continued, "I was there when the Sith first came to Republic Space. I was there during the Great Hyperspace War, and the subsequent conflicts. I saw Jedi become seduced by Sith philosophy and sorcery. Freedon Nadd himself was one of those Jedi. His skill was as great as some of the masters on this Council, and I daresay as great as a Lord."

He sighed, hissing air through his protruding teeth. "As Chief Librarian, I have often struggled with the dilemma of how much knowledge is too much? As we all know, we often withhold information from the general public. We even withhold information from the Republic Senate and the Chancellor, which we are sworn to serve. And we withhold information from our padawans and Knights. Only the twelve of us on this Council, and you Lords have a complete and unfettered access to the repository of knowledge the Jedi Order possesses.

"One of the vital steps on the path of attaining the rank of Jedi Lord is the study of that knowledge. You two know as well as I that one has to totally devote oneself to this pursuit of knowledge and comprehension. Nardic, had you accepted the seat on the Jedi Council 160 years ago, you never would have been able to attain the rank of Lord. Van'el, you have had to forsake much in your quest to attain ultimate mastery."

Odan-Urr shifted in his seat and clasped his hands together. "One of the basic tenets in the Order is that knowledge is power. Following this line of thinking to its ultimate conclusion, one has to say that those who have the greatest knowledge also have the greatest power. As evidenced by your many deeds and the explosive defeat of Freedon Nadd, one could arguably say that the Jedi Lords are the most powerful beings in the galaxy."

"And that's too much power to be wielded by one sentient being," Van'el said.

"Yes, I have begun to think so. And I know you believe this as well," Odan-Urr said.

"I too find it difficult to argue against that point," said Nardic. "I am confident that Lord Odinn would not disagree either."

"So then the matter lies before us," Odan-Urr said, "what to do?"

"There must be no more Lords hereafter," Van'el said.

"Easier said than done," Odan-Urr said. "This constitutes a fundamental shift in the Jedi Order. No longer will we offer training for exceptional Jedi to become Lords. Your knowledge and expertise will be no longer needed nor welcome at our Academies."

"Do you realize what this means?" Nardic asked.

Van'el looked askance at him. "We can't take on any more padawans. Our holocrons will have to be kept under lock and key, or perhaps better yet, destroyed."

"One good thing has come out of Odinn's experience," another master said. He was a diminutive green being with long ears that pointed outwards from his head.

Odan-Urr turned to look at the master. "Yes, Master Vandar. Pardon me, but he has recently gained a seat on the Council. He will be responsible for Jedi Training. Please go on, Master."

Vandar nodded. "Thank you, Master. I have long advocated a change in training philosophy, that a Jedi should only use the Force for defense. Too many Jedi skirt the path of Darkness when they go on the offense. As we all know, the Dark Side is quick and seductive. Master Odan-Urr recently spoke of the many Jedi who had fallen to the Dark Side in the centuries after the Sith made their incursion into Republic space.

"A review of the epic battles waged by Jedi combatants have shown that the most destructive and tragic ones were the ones where Jedi sought not to defend themselves and contain the conflict, but rather exacerbated matters with their own attacks. This is why I believe our padawans should be taught to avoid taking the offensive unless absolutely necessary."

"Changes are afoot," Odan-Urr said. "I sincerely hope they are for the better. I believe they will benefit the Order and the Republic. The Jedi Order will be diminished with the loss of the Lords, but we will be better off."

Van'el asked, "So what are we to do then?"

"Before you leave the Order, we ask you to perform one final task for the Council," Odan-Urr said.

"Find Ja'Gul," Van'el said.

"Yes. Just as your knowledge can be dangerous to the other Jedi in the Order, his knowledge can be dangerous too. There is no telling what Sith learnings or technology he may have taken with him from Freedon Nadd's citadel. From your own report, he has proven himself to be a very cunning and skilled opponent."

"You said you had data on where he was headed?" Nardic asked.

"Yes," Odan-Urr raised a data chip. He levitated it across to Van'el's hand. "From the latest indications, he has been following a path towards an unstable area of space near the Unknown Regions. He may either be seeking refuge there, or attempting to transverse a hitherto unknown hyperspace route. Only when he's stopped can the threat of the Sith be truly over."

"You have my word that we shall find him," Van'el said.

The Council murmured, "May the Force be with you" to Nardic and Van'el.

Then Odan-Urr added, "And farewell."

Silence permeated throughout the chambers as each person considered the significance of Odan-Urr's concluding words. Nardic and Van'el turned and walked out of the Jedi Council chambers for the last time.

Odinn stood in front of the blue frozen stone, flicking his wrist and burning a gouge with the tip of his lightsaber. He continued making marks in the wall with his lightsaber, occasionally stepping back to study the whole picture.

Long stretches of carvings lined the cavern wall. Intaglios in the stone illustrated historical events in the Jedi Order. Some of the illustrations were easily understandable, while the meanings of others could only be gleaned when one had the proper contextual knowledge.

Nardic walked into the cavern and stood behind Odinn. "All of your things have been stowed away onto Sojourner."

"Allright," Odinn said. He added another broad stroke to the intaglio for aesthetic effect. Footsteps echoed out in the cavern, announcing the presence of Van'el. He stood behind Nardic and Odinn.

"Aren't you done yet?"

"I've been done for the last five minutes," Odinn replied "I've just been making little changes here and there. I'm ready to go when you are."

"Let's get a move on then," Van'el said. The three Jedi Lords walked out of the cavern together, passing rows upon rows of carved history. They emerged to the frozen surface of Ilum. A light dusting of snow blew past them in the moderate wind.

Odinn turned and looked at the massive facade that was carved into the mountainside. "I'm going to miss the monastery. It's been home for nearly two hundred years, you know."

"I'll miss it too," Nardic said.

"Nothing lasts forever," Van'el said. "So, Alar-Gon, what were you inscribing in the cavern?"

Odinn laughed. "I don't even know why I bothered, considering the fact that we're about to be erased out of the history of the Jedi. For all I know, the Council may order these histories destroyed." He shrugged. "I was just recording our departure from Ilum and by extension, our departure from the Jedi Order. I entitled it, 'The Passing of the Jedi Lords.'"

"It's a good title," Nardic said.

They approached the open gangplank of Sojourner. Van'el paused and turned to look at the others. "Just because we're embarking on a self-imposed exile from the Jedi Order doesn't mean we are no longer Jedi. We still have an oath to uphold and a mission to complete."

"Indeed," Odinn said.

Van'el clapped Odinn and Nardic on their backs, ushering them onto the starship. Moments later, the ship left the crystal-rich caverns and their monastery behind to the cold and snow.

End of Act I