CHAPTER TEN
Despite Dax's fears, he and Jaden did not run into anything threatening as they explored Crseih Station. In fact, the station itself wasn't impressive, consisting mostly of abandoned residences and hotels, as well as habitat domes and docking tubes arranged to make a bazaar of some sort.
"Why would the Force beckon you to a place like this?" he asked Jaden as they exited a hotel marked by a deactivated neon sign, which said "Crater Lodge".
"I have no idea," the Jedi said. "However, I feel as if we're not alone."
"What makes you say that?"
Before Jaden could reply, the Jedi Knight suddenly staggered back, clutching his head as if in pain.
"What's wrong?" Dax asked.
"Stop it," Jaden was murmuring. "Leave him alone. Release him!"
"Who are you talking to?" Dax grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Snap out of it!"
Suddenly, Jaden straightened up, pushing Dax aside at the same time, and ignited his lightsaber.
At that moment, a masculine voice spoke out of the darkness. "Jaden, calm down! It's me!"
Jaden lowered his blade slightly. "Master Baran?"
Stepping out of the shadows was a tall, dark-haired man wearing dark brown Jedi robes.
"What are you doing here?" Jaden asked, keeping his lightsaber raised.
"I'll explain later," the man named Baran said. "We have to go, now!"
Jaden did not move, instead narrowing his eyes. "Something's not right. I sensed a disturbance in the Force."
"So did I, which is why we must leave."
Jaden continued to eye him warily. Dax himself felt distrustful of this man.
"When and where were you born?" Jaden then asked.
Baran blinked, as if taken aback by this question. "Forty-two years before the Battle of Yavin, on Alderaan," he said.
"Who was your master?"
"Morin Tharr, who preceded your own master as Battlemaster."
"Who was your first apprentice?"
"Donhran Remker."
"What did you say to me when I helped defeat the Sith on Botajef?"
Baran paused for a moment before answering. "I told you that you were a formidable warrior and a great Jedi Knight."
Jaden grinned. "Wrong." He aimed his blade at the Jedi Master. "I didn't take part in a battle on Botajef. In fact, there never was one during the Imperial-Sith War."
Baran stared at him for a moment before smiling. "Is that all that gave me away?"
"That, and one other thing." Jaden gestured to the Crater Lodge's neon sign. "Take that down."
Baran looked up at the sign, his smile fading. "It's... rather high up."
"Use the Force, then."
The Jedi Master stared at Jaden. For a second, Dax thought his eyes had suddenly turn gold. Before he could dwell on the subject, however, he suddenly felt himself fly across the room. His flight came to an abrupt stop when his head collided against a steel wall, causing him to lose consciousness.
* * *
"Very clever," the faux Xanus Baran said, his normally brown eyes glowing gold. "No wonder I chose to make you one of my agents."
"Consider this my resignation, then," Jaden growled as he lunged at the Watcher, twirling his emerald blade.
The Watcher moved faster than his eyes could follow, for the false Baran had suddenly ended up standing behind Jaden rather than before him. As Jaden turned to face him, the Watcher reached behind his back and brought out Baran's saberstaff, igniting its two violet blades.
"I may not be able to use your pathetic 'Force,'" the Watcher said. "But I have studied your lightsaber arts for long enough."
Preparing himself with the stance of the seventh lightsaber form- Juyo- the Watcher beckoned for Jaden to attack.
"Come on, boy. Let's see how long it takes for you to die."
* * *
"What have you done to him?"
Agent Eclipse paid the Revanchist no heed, instead taking glances at his wrist chrono. It was almost time. The Glorian fleet was already preparing to execute Protocol Zeta, and his fellow agents would be here any minute now.
The plan was finally coming together. With the two Jedi leaders "missing in action", and Cal Omas retiring, the enemy would be in disarray and then chaos when the Glorians unleashed their ultimate weapon: the Star Forge.
Though it could barely be called that anymore. Despite resembling the original Star Forge in appearance, the capabilities of the new one were a lot more... destructive. The enemy was in for a nasty surprise.
"Musing as always, I see."
Eclipse looked up at the sound of the voice. Standing before him were his fellow agents: Umbra, Shadow, Phantom, Wraith, and the double-agent Xemer. The only ones who were absent were Violet- whom Shadow had eliminated not too long ago- and Ghost, whom Eclipse himself had taken care of.
The leader of the Watcher's agents smiled. "Are we ready, then?"
"Yes," said Umbra. "Shadow, if you'd please."
Hesitation briefly flickering in his eye, Shadow reached behind his cloak and brought out the apparatus of their plan's final stage.
Eclipse heard the Revanchist gasp. "No. It can't be...."
Umbra chuckled. "Ah, but it is."
Eclipse extended his hand and Shadow handed him the repaired Staff of Valtheran. The agent leader grinned as he raised the staff towards the ceiling.
"Now, my brothers and sister," he said. "It is time for us to begin."
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