CHAPTER THREE
Jato winced as the Zabrak who had called himself Zavar Rarnok used the Force to slam the Nautolan Jedi against the side of the military base. Jedi Master Nens-Coro charged forward, his yellow lightsaber raised high over his head. His blade clashed with the Iridonian's red blade, forcing it towards Rarnok's face.
Rarnok pushed back with all his might and punched Nens-Coro in the stomach with the pommel of his lightsaber hilt. While Nat rushed to his master's side, Ean Marrab ran towards the Iridonian, spinning his blue lightsaber. Rarnok countered the Jedi Master's attack and the two began to parry.
To weak to get up, Jato simply watched as the two exchanged attacks, blue and red lights twirling and clashing. Nearby, Nens-Coro had already recovered and was rushing to help Marrab while Nat ran to his brother.
"I think it's best if we let our masters handle this fight," Nat said, helping Jato to his feet.
Jato said nothing as he continued to observe the play of lights. The Zabrak warrior had disarmed Marrab and the Mon Calamari Jedi Master was now using the Force to lift up nearby metal crates and throw them at Rarnok.
The warrior easily cut down the boxes and turned his attention back to Nens-Coro. The others could only watch as the Jedi Master countered the Iridonian's attacks. They watched as Rarnok pounded Nens-Coro with blow after blow, being only barely deflected by the Jedi.
They watched as Rarnok severed Nens-Coro's arm at the elbow.
They watched as Nens-Coro was impaled by the scarlet blade.
Nat's cries were deafening as he went against his own advice and charged towards the Iridonian, his azure-colored lightsaber raised high up in the air. Ignoring the protests of his brother and Marrab, the young Nautolan struck Rarnok with a flurry of attacks, crying out in rage.
Those cries were cut short as he met the same fate as his master.
Jato's eyes widened in horror. He turned to face Marrab, who wore a similar expression. Although his master's voice was quieter than a whisper, Jato knew the word that was forming on the Mon Calamari's lips.
"Run."
* * *
The holographic image of Queen Nalida of Naboo shimmered before Garm Bel Iblis. The Corellian Supreme Commander idly tapped his fingers on his desk.
"Well, your majesty," Bel Iblis muttered. "Rogue Squadron has scouted almost half of the Chommell sector and have found no sign of any Imperial or Sith activity."
"Then how do you explain all of these disappearances?" Queen Nalida asked. "All of the reports involved something almost supernatural, so I presumed it was the Sith's doing...or the Jedi..."
Bel Iblis quickly shook his head. "Your majesty, I can assure you that the Jedi would never-"
"What makes you so sure?" Nalida asked. "You know, to many people, the Jedi and the Sith are particularly the same thing. They both use the Force and-"
"Your highness, if you are making these vanishings up just so you can put the blame on the Jedi..." Bel Iblis' hand hovered over the holoprojector's switch. "Then you can join the Empire for all I care."
Before Nalida could say anything, Bel Iblis ended the connection. He sighed as he put his head in his hands. What had he done? He had possibly just convinced Naboo- one of the Republic's few remaining allies-to defect to the Empire. They were now one step closer to falling to the Sith.
He slowly reached for his comlink and spoke into it. "General Ruk'thri," he called to his right-hand, "we have a problem."
* * *
Toah walked onto the Millennium Falcon with a bit of caution. On-board to greet him, Vima, and RA-7 driod was a fair-haired woman and a blue-skinned Rodian.
"Who the heck did Vima just bring, Embee?" the Rodian asked the RA-7 droid in Basic.
"Mistress Vima has found a Jedi of all people!" the droid called Embee exclaimed. "Master Raj should defiantly come and see this!"
"What is it now, Embee?" a man with a small moustache came out from the cockpit. His dark brown eyes made contact with Toah's, and widened.
"Well, I'll be," the man said. "You are a Jedi! I know one when I see one!"
He extended his hand to Toah. "Name's Raj Barven," he said. "Over there is my wife, Cera; my buddy, Neelo; the snobbish droid is Embee; and the crazy old woman is a tag-along we got from Nar Shaddaa."
"We could have ditched her," the Rodian named Neelo muttered.
"I am not snobbish!" Embee exclaimed. "You close-minded, inferior humans are so judgmental!"
Toah gave the group strange glances. "Right..." he muttered. "My name's Toah Jarsan, Jedi Knight. May I ask why you're so...surprised?"
Raj chuckled. "Ah, sorry about that. You see, we're a band of crusaders and rogues. I used to be a Republic trooper, Neelo was a technician, so on and so forth. Anyway, we're trying to find a way to defeat the Empire...from within."
Toah gave Raj a surprised look. "You mean...infiltration?"
"Sorta'," Raj replied. "We know their capital is in the Dromund system, on Kaas, I think. And since Embee here always claims he used to be an Imperial droid, he knows all their security codes and stuff, so it should be easy to sneak around."
Toah was too surprised to say anything. He keenly payed attention as Raj continued.
"Anyway, we just need a Jedi or two so we can take out the Sith Lord who's leading the Empire."
"Well," Toah finally managed to say, "I can't guarantee our success, and I don't think it'll be easy...but I think I'm the Jedi you're looking for." He added a smile. "How convenient."
* * *
Voices. That was all he heard. Voices...
They were not coming from the walls, nor the ceiling, nor the door at the other end of the room, and they certainly were not coming from him. No...
They were coming from the staff.
Darth Vorath had no idea how many souls Valtheran had taken with the staff all those years ago, but when he acquired it from Oricon, he had heard nothing. After he absorbed the spirit of Darth Vitus, he had heard a faint whisper. After he took Espaa Valorum's soul, he had heard the Crimson Emperor's cries of pain join the whispering, but they slowly faded away.
However, when he absorbed the spirit of Darth Trayus, he heard another voice, a louder one this time, though he could not make out what it was saying. Then he traveled to some backwater planet, and found the cowardly Sith Lord Mordus, who had fled after the Sith's defeat at Dantooine. He absorbed the Sith Lord's soul as well, along with the commander of his flagship.
After that day, he began to hear another voice, and this time, he could make out some of the things they were saying. Among their words was one that nearly shook him; failure.
Despite this, he went on. After killing Mordus, he went to Prakith to rid the planet of Darth Andeddu's ghost. On Yavin Four, he ended Exar Kun's endless slumber. He even brought the unseen rule of the Sith spirits on Korriban to an abrupt end.
Darth Trayus, Andeddu, Tulak Hord, Marka Ragnos, Exar Kun, and hundreds of other Dark Lords were now trapped within the staff of Valtheran. None were now left to carry on the Sith's legacy. If the Sith were to die, Vorath would be their last Dark Lord, for that was how it was to be from the start. That was why he chose his Sith name.
For, in the Sith language, 'Vorath' was their word for 'the last to rule them all.'
And if these voices continued to harass him, if they continued to haunt him wherever he went, then he would have to destroy the staff, and rid himself of all the power it contained.
But not until he had wiped out the Republic and the Jedi. Once they were nothing but shambles left to be forgotten, he would wipe out the Sith as well, and the entire galaxy would have no choice but to pledge its loyalty to him.
And that moment was at hand. All he had to do was to call out, and let everyone hear his voice.
And only his voice.
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