Star Wars: Path of Redemption

The Dark Saga

Sixty-five years after Episode IV – A New Hope

Chapter Three-Dark Hope

The shuttle slowly descended towards a platform on the far eastern edge of Cloud City. However, any casual observer would not notice. At the helm, two Caamasi Jedi sat, eyes slits, as they guided the now cloaked vessel to the ground. At the hatch the Jedi stood, ready for the signal from Master Skywalker.

Ben looked to his one-time apprentice, now Jedi Master, Keiran, and smiled; he then addressed the rest: "Remember to keep your presence in the Force hidden as long as possible. Surprise is our ally, and we will need all the all the help we can get to accomplish what we must." He looked each Knight in the eye. "You have trained well, and you know what we must do and why. May the Force be with us all."

Brice could sense them. He felt their presence the moment they came out of hyperspace. They did a good job in masking their presence in the Force, and he doubted that any of the other Dark Jedi had sensed their approach. But Brice had grown more powerful in the past months than he had ever thought possible. Many of the Sith teachings did help to enhance much of what he had been taught, however he could feel the Dark Side draining him. He had never truly given in and embraced the Dark Side the way his brother and Baal had. He knew there was a line; a line that he would never cross. It was a line that Baal had crossed far too many times. That would change soon enough. His brother could be redeemed. He could help Kreat come back over that line, and together they would vanquish Baal and bring peace to the galaxy. They would do what the Jedi and the New Republic had failed to do.

Brice could feel Kieran’s approach. He was coming to sabotage the base defenses. The Jedi were finally taking action against them. Maybe they weren’t as weak as he had thought. Maybe his former Master and friend wasn’t the blind fool that Brice had taken him for after all. There was still a chance that Kieran could be shown the truth; he would just need a little push. " Ka’chek! Decon! Come with me."

Kieran knew exactly where he was supposed to lead his group, and it was only a matter of minuets before they had arrived at their destination. Kieran entered in the code that the NRI had given him, and the large grey blast door shot open. He left Jank and Turkster, two human males, guarding the door as the rest of his team entered. "Use the comlink if anyone comes this way." Both Jedi acknowledged his order with a nod, and moved to hide in the shadows on the side of the building.

Kieran couldn’t shake the feeling that was nagging him in the back of his mind. Something wasn’t right. Kieran opened himself up to the Force, letting it flow through his consciousness and fill him with information. The security section was empty. He called for his team to wait. "Stay here while I scout around. Stay alert."

The security section should have at least had a few guards. He walked down the hallway, which opened up to the larger security station. View panels and consoles, bristling with flashing lights, covered the otherwise uniform grey walls. The main view panel had a technical readout of the station displayed. "Not bad is it?"

Kieran spun towards the voice, lightsaber at the ready. Brice simply smiled. "Come now. You didn’t think that you were the only ones that knew how to hide their presence in the Force did you?"

Kieran thought about his men. He needed to warn them. He needed to warn Master Skywalker. Brice shook his head. "I wouldn’t worry about your team. My Jedi are keeping them busy." He smiled. "As for the other team; no one knows that they are here."

Kieran shot him a confused look. "You didn’t sound the alarm? Why?"

"Because I have no use for the prisoners. There is no reason to harm them, and no reason that they should remain here."

Now Kieran was really confused. "Despite what you may think about me," Brice continued, "I am not a monster. I am not like Palpatine, or Baal. I do not wish to see people needlessly hurt. I want to help people. I want to bring peace and order to the galaxy."

"You sure picked the wrong side then." Kieran shook his head.

Brice nodded. "I can understand your reluctance to believe me. Baal and my brother have done some terrible things; things that I didn’t agree with at all."

Brother? Vader was his brother. This new revelation brought all the scattered pieces that had plagued him for the past two years together in Kieran’s mind. All the confusion he had been wrestling with since that day at the Hand of Thrawn had been cleared away. He now knew why Brice had turned to the dark path. "So that’s why you left; because of your brother."

Brice shook his head. "That’s part of it. I left because I had been wrestling with what I had been taught. I didn’t understand why the Jedi failed to use the power they had to help bring order to the chaos that had been plaguing the New Republic since the Vong invasion."

"Because if we used our power in such a way, it would be of the Dark Side."

"No, you’re wrong." Brice spat. "Your whole concept of Dark and Light is flawed. There is nothing wrong with using our power to bring justice and order. What the Jedi are doing is playing it safe while the rest of the Galaxy crumbles."

"No, what we are doing is acting responsibly. If we used our power to force people to get along, we would be no better than Palpatine’s Empire or the Yuuzhan Vong. Your motives are good, but you are walking the path of the Dark."

Brice laughed. "The Light and Dark are not as defined as you and the Jedi would like to believe. There is a very broad line. My brother showed me that. My brother has showed me many things. While he and Baal have crossed the line, I have not." He thumped his chest with his lightsaber hilt for emphasis. "I can bring Kreat back, and together we can defeat Baal and bring order. I want you to join us Kieran." Brice reached out his hand. "Join me, and we can bring order back to the New Republic, and make it what it was meant to be."

Kieran couldn’t believe what Brice was saying. "I can’t Brice. You are on the Dark path, and I will not turn my back on the New Republic or the Jedi."

Brice closed his outstretched hand into a fist. "So be it." He turned his head slightly and gestured with his left hand. An alarm claxon sounded. "You have five minuets before this entire base is surrounded with Chiss. I suggest you order whatever sort of strike team you have coming in to retreat. At the end of those five minuets, I will order my men to destroy your people. With the planetary defenses up, they will have no chance."

"I can’t let you do that Brice." Kieran’s silver blade sprang from its rest. It’s electric hum filling the air. "I don’t want to hurt you. Just move away from the panel and get out. We must take Bespin back, and I have to shut down your defenses."

Brice’s blade sprang to life as he leapt at Kieran. Kieran batted away the blue blade as it came down at his skull. Brice flipped the blade into his familiar underhanded stance and charged again. Kieran blocked the swipe at his left torso and spun away from his opponent. "Leave now Kieran! Don’t make me destroy you!" He leapt at his former mentor again, this time slashing diagonally across the chest. Kieran brought his blade up in time to block, but he didn’t have time to protect himself from Brice’s Force blow.

Kieran flew backwards and shattered the view panel, causing glass to rain across the room. Brice held his saber at the ready. Kieran slowly pulled himself to his feet. He spun and turned the mechanism on the lightsaber’s hilt, extending the silver blade to a purple one twice its length, and brought it down on the control panel. The flickering lights dimmed as Cloud City’s defenses shut down. He spun and faced Brice, while switching the lightsaber back to its normal length. "Now you have five minuets before the New Republic’s special forces get here."

Kieran expected an enraged attack. Instead, to his surprise, Brice shut down his blade. "We are working towards the same goal Kieran. I wish you could see that."

"That may be true, but the way you are doing it is wrong."

"I’m sorry you feel that way." Brice hooked his saber back onto his belt. "Baal will be defeated. His evil will be destroyed, and together my brother and I will use the power we have to bring peace. If you, the Jedi, or the New Republic stands in our way again, you will be destroyed." Brice motioned with his hand and a small hidden door opened beside him. "Remember what I said." He left and the door slid shut behind him just as Master Skywalker ran into the room.

He looked around. "Are you alright?"

Kieran nodded. "How is everyone else?"

"They managed to defeat the Dark Jedi that Bane had waiting. We lost Lamaat." He looked down as he said that. "The prisoners have been freed and have already lifted off. The strike force is on its way in." He scanned the room again. "I take it you and Bane had a little chat?"

Kieran slowly nodded. "I’ll fill you in later. Right now we need to help the New Reps deal with the Chiss." Kieran would have to think about what happened today. He couldn’t decide if things were better, or worse.

Vader stepped into Baal’s chambers, wondering why he had been summoned. "Come in Vader." Baal stood at the top of the platform, in front of his throne. He wore the same black tunic that he had worn the day he had chosen Kreat to be his apprentice. His red eyes seemed to pulse in the darkened room. "I wonder, do you think me a fool?"

Alarm bells went off in Vader’s mind. He knew. "I do not understand, my master."

"Did you really think that you could defeat me and take my empire?" Baal’s voice was calm, but a fire burned behind his eyes. He crossed his arms into an x. Vader heard the click and saw the lightsabers shoot into Baal’s outstretched hands. He brought his own blade up just in time to parry the first strike. "Did you really think you could hide your intentions from me?!" Baal shouted as he pushed off with his blades and sent Vader sprawling with a Force blow. "I control the Force. I am the master. You are nothing!"

Baal lunged again, right blade streaking towards Vader’s chest plate. Vader deflected the blade to his left, and Baal brought his left blade around to strike Vader’s right torso. The blade flickered and shut down. Baal jumped back to avoid Vader’s return strike. "Cortis Ore. Very good."

As he said that last, he reached out with the Force and ripped the saber from Vader’s grip, flinging it into the darkness. The next Force blow knocked Vader back into the wall and pinned him there. "You thought you were smart, bringing the boy here."

He pointed one of the red blades at Vader’s chest. "You knew you could never defeat me, so you were going to use him to do it." Baal smiled." He is indeed powerful. With both of you working together you may have even succeeded." Baal’s face contorted with disgust. "A pity such talent was wasted on a weak minded, sentimental fool as Brice."

Vader could feel his throat constricting. He tried to fight it, to use the Force to keep his oxygen from being cut off. "Now see the consequences of your failed insurrection." Vader was on his knees; he could feel the darkness reaching out to him. He stretched out with the Force….

Brice made it out of the system just before the New Rep strike team had arrived. He thought about what Kieran had said. Was he on the wrong path? Had he been wrong in joining his brother? Kreat had promised him that together they would overthrow Baal and use their resources to bring peace. Could they have been wrong?

Just then a vision overtook him, flooding his senses. He could see Baal’s blood red eyes as they glowered at him. He could feel the life draining from his body as darkness slowly enveloped him. He could hear Baal laughing at him. BRICE!…. The voice of his brother trailed as the vision released him, and Brice knew that Kreat was gone.

"I can’t believe you are even consider this." Ben shook his head as he watched Kieran stuff cloths in his duffle bag. Kieran had received an encrypted message as soon as they had returned from Bespin. It was from Brice; and he wanted to meet with Kieran, alone. Ben caught his eye. "It could be a trap."

Kieran shook his head. "If Brice wanted to kill me, he could have done it on Bespin." Kieran’s voice grew dark. "He has grown strong, Master; stronger than we ever expected. Maybe even stronger than you."

That brought Ben’s head up. "All the more reason for you not to go."

Kieran sat down next to his former Master. "Master Sky… Ben. He isn’t completely gone. There is still good in him. He hasn’t completely given over to the Dark Side. His motives are pure, but he has just chosen the wrong path. This may be my chance to bring him back."

"Or it may be his chance to turn you."

Kieran stood up. "That’s not going to happen."

Ben sighed. "I know. I just wish I could go with you."

"Ben, this is something I have to do. He was my apprentice and my best friend. If there is a chance I can bring him back, I have to take it."

Ben stood up and clamped him on the shoulder. "Then may the Force be with you."

Kieran brought the modified transport out of hyperspace and requested clearance from Mon Calamari control. "This is New Republic shuttle craft AW-325 requesting clearance to dock with the shipyards."

The comm. crackled and the gargled voice of a Mon Calamari came back over the speaker. "Permission granted AW-325. You may dock on platform 627."

Kieran brought the shuttle along the declared heading and looked out the view port at the beautiful blue planet below. Kieran had never been to Mon Cal, but Brice had talked about it a lot. It was apparent to Kieran that Brice had not been embellishing.

He could sense Brice’s presence before he docked. He could feel the slight urging through the Force, directing him in where to go. Kieran followed the nudges, which lead him to a small room near the residential area. The room was nearly pitch black; the only light coming from the blue world below. "I’m glad you came."

Brice’s voice was shaken and almost a whisper. "What’s wrong? What happened?"

"Kreat is dead. That monster killed him."

Kieran could sense the rage emanating from him. It was barley contained. Brice was about to crack. "I need your help Kieran." As Brice sat up, his face was slightly illuminated from the planets glow. Kieran could see the tear streaks. Brice’s eyes were blue rimmed and blood shot. "Actually, you need mine."

Kieran took a step closer. "I don’t understand."

"I will lead you to Baal’s fortress. I will take you and the rest of the Jedi there. He must be stopped." Brice stood and struck the chair arm with his fist. The chair collapsed. "If he isn’t, the Republic will fall and a darkness that the Galaxy has never seen will be unleashed. We can’t let that happen." He turned to stare out the view port. " I was wrong in leaving. I was wrong in helping him. I thought I could bring Kreat back and that together we could bring peace. Instead I got dragged in." Brice was beginning to bring his anger under control. "Please Kieran. Baal must be stopped."

The trip back to Coruscant was a quiet one. Brice spent the whole time in his cabin meditating. Kieran contacted Master Skywalker and Jacen Solo. "So he is going to lead us to Baal?" Skywalker didn’t sound very surprised.

Jacen was just plain sceptical. "Do you think this may be a trap?"

Kieran shook his head adamantly. "Absolutely not. He means it. What has me more worried is that he is on the edge. He is keeping his hate in check, but barley."

"If he gives in, we could have a bigger problem than what we can deal with." Master Solo looked towards his cousin and nodded in agreement.

"Tell them they have nothing to worry about from me." Kieran turned to see Brice leaning in the doorway to the cockpit. He looked worn and haggard. It was obvious that he hadn’t had much sleep. "I know they don’t trust me, but you do. I won’t give in. I won’t let myself become a monster like Baal has."

Kieran nodded solemnly. "I know." He turned back to face the two Jedi Masters. "He’ll be ok."

Ben nodded and Jacen said, "Ok. I’ve talked to the Chief of State. He has managed to convince the Senate to let us have a fleet: Three reconditioned Imp Star Deuces, 4 Mon Calamari cruisers, and four Bothan Assault Frigates. We’ll also be taking in a team of seventy-five Jedi." He looked behind Kieran to Brice. "Will that be enough?"

Brice collapsed into the co-pilot seat. "It should be, as long as Baal hasn’t moved any more ships in system."

"So just where is it we are going?" Ben Skywalker seemed to be studying Brice closely. It was obvious Brice noticed.

He looked straight at Ben. "Che’ol, a planet within Chiss space. I’ll give you the coordinates as soon as we get to Coruscant."

The Jedi Master nodded and then smiled. "It’s good to have you back Brice."

Brice grimaced. "You don’t have me back. I may be helping you, but that doesn’t change the way I feel about the Order. I’m going to make sure that Baal is destroyed, and then I’m going to go my own way." With that he stood and left the room.

"I hope he is able to control himself." Jacen was still staring at the door Brice had just walked out of. "We don’t need another Dark Lord of the Sith. Especially one as strong as he is."

Kieran looked up. "It won’t come to that. He’ll hold."

Ben nodded. "I hope you are right Kieran." He, too, looked towards the door. "I hope you’re right."